Honeycomb yoke dead zone concern

[johnbla 31]

Hi guys

I am considering buying this yoke, however I watched a video on Youtube posted today where the user had quite a large deadzone on this yoke. 

Specifically see 12:00 and 16:50.

 

As I am thinking of buying this because of the large deadzone in my Saitek, this seems to be a bit of a concern. Would anyone like to please comment on the deadzone of their Honeycomb?

Many thanks in advance.

John

[MarkDH 234]

5 hours ago, johnbla said:

I am considering buying this yoke, however I watched a video on Youtube posted today where the user had quite a large deadzone on this yoke.

I had a quick look and if I am understanding what I see he seems to have a dead zone set up in FSUIPC for the ailerons. His two centre values are 0 and 512. For no dead zone these numbers need to be the same (typically zero). The way he has it set he has a dead zone for 1/64 of the yoke's travel.

[johnbla 31]

Thanks Mark

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

I have been using the Honeycomb Yoke since June, no issues whatsoever, including with the deadzones.

If someone is using FSUIPC, then I have to believe the issue is with their FSUIPC settings.

Best wishes.

 

[johnbla 31]

Thanks Dave.

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

1 hour ago, johnbla said:

Thanks Dave.

My pleasure brother!

 

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

16 hours ago, MarkDH said:

I had a quick look and if I am understanding what I see he seems to have a dead zone set up in FSUIPC for the ailerons. His two centre values are 0 and 512. For no dead zone these numbers need to be the same (typically zero). The way he has it set he has a dead zone for 1/64 of the yoke's travel.

That is a superb explanation!

 

[Freo 83]

Think I will stick with my Yoko + yoke, cant stand the jukebox front embellishment ! 

[MarkDH 234]

Actually, he's right. My yoke also has a dead zone on both axes. It's about 6mm on the pitch axis and a few degrees (hard to measure by eyeball) in roll.

[johnbla 31]

9 hours ago, MarkDH said:

Actually, he's right. My yoke also has a dead zone on both axes. It's about 6mm on the pitch axis and a few degrees (hard to measure by eyeball) in roll.

Coming from a Saitek, that's a worry..........

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

Guys, do me a favor.

In Windows 10, please launch the Game Controllers application, select Alpha Flight Controls, then select Properties, and then the "test" tab.  Then, while watching the "+" in the square, move your yoke and see if there is a dead zone.  There is absolutely no dead zone for me using this The Windows Game Controllers app, and I'm interested to know if you have one.

I'd also appreciate those who are not noticing a dead zone issue testing this.

 

Many thanks.

 

[MarkDH 234]

33 minutes ago, DaveCT2003 said:

In Windows 10, please launch the Game Controllers application, select Alpha Flight Controls, then select Properties, and then the "test" tab.  Then, while watching the "+" in the square, move your yoke and see if there is a dead zone.  There is absolutely no dead zone for me using this The Windows Game Controllers app, and I'm interested to know if you have one.

Hello Dave. That's where I am looking, although with Windows 7 instead of Windows 10. If you do this and select the calibration option, make sure 'show raw data' is switched on and then try to move the yoke smoothly through the centre in either axis. You will see the numbers pause briefly. The calibration screen may exaggerate the effect because the data is scaled down to 8 bits (0-255), but it's definitely there. You can also clearly see it in the FSUIPC calibration screen or by watching the virtual cockpit yoke as you move smoothly through the centre in either axis. Alternatively, in either case just jiggle the yoke around the centre in either axis and you will see there is a some slack where nothing moves (i.e. the numbers don't move in FSUIPC or Game Controller calibration, the yoke doesn't move in the virtual cockpit).

I have been filming all of this and I hope to include it in a forthcoming video.

(I forgot to say, although this is detectable I am not yet convinced it has any great detrimental effect in practice.)

Edited November 2, 2019 by MarkDH

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

30 minutes ago, MarkDH said:

Hello Dave. That's where I am looking, although with Windows 7 instead of Windows 10. If you do this and select the calibration option, make sure 'show raw data' is switched on and then try to move the yoke smoothly through the centre in either axis. You will see the numbers pause briefly. The calibration screen may exaggerate the effect because the data is scaled down to 8 bits (0-255), but it's definitely there. You can also clearly see it in the FSUIPC calibration screen or by watching the virtual cockpit yoke as you move smoothly through the centre in either axis. Alternatively, in either case just jiggle the yoke around the centre in either axis and you will see there is a some slack where nothing moves (i.e. the numbers don't move in FSUIPC or Game Controller calibration, the yoke doesn't move in the virtual cockpit).

I have been filming all of this and I hope to include it in a forthcoming video.

(I forgot to say, although this is detectable I am not yet convinced it has any great detrimental effect in practice.)

I don't think a video is necessary, I don't believe most people see what you're seeing.  I'm actually off today, so give me until tomorrow to look at this one more time to see if this is a POT issue, and if it is I'm sure it can be fixed.

 

[ark 1,288]

On 11/2/2019 at 10:23 AM, DaveCT2003 said:

I don't think a video is necessary, I don't believe most people see what you're seeing.  I'm actually off today, so give me until tomorrow to look at this one more time to see if this is a POT issue, and if it is I'm sure it can be fixed.

 

Hi Dave -- is there any update on this dead zone issue?

Thx,

Al

[MarkDH 234]

On 11/2/2019 at 3:50 PM, MarkDH said:

The calibration screen may exaggerate the effect because the data is scaled down to 8 bits

Actually the data isn't scaled, apparently the Honeycomb pots only deliver 8-bit data. According to Nicki Repenning the yoke can resolve down to 1.7-degree movements (presumably he was talking about roll). Given the yoke's pitch travel (83mm), resolution will be somewhere around 0.5mm in pitch.