Matric FS2020 tablet decks: HOW?

[robert young 2,897]

I have purchased the MATRIC tablet app controller with a selection of decks to control MSFS 2020. But I can't make it work. I assume it would use FS2020's native simconnect and surely I don't need a special or custom simconnect app for this? I find it absolutely extraordinary that on not a single website, youtube video or on Matric's own website, nor in its tutorials or FAQ is there a single word about how to connect the Matric app to FS2020 or any other flight sim.

If anyone knows I'd be very grateful for instructions.

Edited November 16, 2020 by robert young

[CJ1045 469]

The Matric desktop app (which you need) comes with a pdf user guide.

Personally I use Magic Man's Flight Simulator 2020 as a base - you can download this from the online library which is linked to from within the desktop app.

CJ

Edited November 16, 2020 by CJ1045

[robert young 2,897]

1 hour ago, CJ1045 said:

The Matric desktop app (which you need) comes with a pdf user guide.

Personally I use Magic Man's Flight Simulator 2020 as a base - you can download this from the online library which is linked to from within the desktop app.

CJ

Thanks for the answer- but I do already have the the Matric desktop app. I've also got Magic Man's deck. My tablet and phone appear on the desktop app as recognised and authorised devices.

But what next? 

HOW does MSFS2020 know there is a tablet controlling it? I assume through simconnect. But there is nothing on the tablet that says "Connected to flight simulator". There is nothing in MSFS that says "connected to the tablet". There is nothing in MSFS control menu that recognises a tablet as a controller.

There are ZERO instructions about this in the PDF guide.

The control buttons look good and would be great if I could get them working, but no press is recognised by the sim. Can you please take me step by step through it? Thank you.

Edited November 16, 2020 by robert young

[dufus01 18]

It does not connect to the sim.  It is basically a wireless keyboard.

[robert young 2,897]

11 minutes ago, dufus01 said:

It does not connect to the sim.  It is basically a wireless keyboard.

Ah. Well that's news. So does that mean I have to go to FS2020's keyboard control menu and assign each tablet deck button to a function via the Enter Input FS2020 sub-menu? Thanks for your brief answer.

[robert young 2,897]

I'm completely baffled. How does the tablet communicate with the control menu in Fs2020? I know I am connected to the computer running FS because if I load a simple youtube deck I can instantly control youtube basic functions like start/pause/fullscreen etc and it works flawlessly.

But using the well known Magic Mans FS 2020 deck, absolutely nothing happens when I press any button. If it is a simply keyboard emulator then how do I link what I am pressing with the controls menu assignments in FS? I find this just extraordinary, as though I am assumed to have magic powers of advanced deduction!

How do I make the tablet deck communicate with anything in FS? I assume FS doesn't consider the tablet as a separate controller, so if the tablet becomes a virtual keyboard why is the control menu in FS (keyboard section) not recognising any button presses? I just find this utterly bizarre.

Edited November 16, 2020 by robert young

[CFIJose 5,485]

Rob,

Based on what I'm reading, have you connected your tablet to desktop so that they can communicate?

[CJ1045 469]

Did you buy the premium edition for about £8 as the free version does not support more than a few buttons?

First thing to do is have Matric app running on your PC. Then fire it up on the tablet and make sure the tablet can connect to the 'Server' which is the Matric app running on the PC using the PC's ip address.

Then on your PC open, say, Word and press a few of the buttons on the Magic Man front page e.g. Navlog - the latter should cause an N to appear in Word.

Then fire up MSFS and you should be good to go. The MagicMan screens assume that you have the standard MSFS keyboard keys set. If you haven't then you can always edit them in the Matric app on your PC.

 

CJ

[ark 1,290]

7 hours ago, robert young said:

How do I make the tablet deck communicate with anything in FS?

Matric communicates with whatever program on the PC has screen focus. For example, if you define a Matric action (hotkey) to be the b key for a Matric button that you have setup and you have WORD open (in focus), then hitting the button on the tablet will print a b in WORD. But if you have MSFS open (has focus) and the b key has been defined in MSFS to set the altimeter, then hitting the tablet button should set the altimeter.

You can think of Matric (and Touch Portal) as additional remote keyboards (although with additional capabilities). So, for example, if you have AVSIM open (has focus) to type a reply to me and Matric is connected, then if you hit the tablet button defined to send a b key, you will see a b key entered in the AVSIM reply window!  😉

Al

Edited November 16, 2020 by ark

[Alvega 2,124]

Hi Robert, 

I didn't see this thread before but I replied to your private message.

Make sure your firewall is not blocking the app, mine was and I received a warning. After that it worked as it should with the Magic Man's deck.

You can also contact the author of the app or ask for help in their Discord channel.

Hope you can sort it out.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Alvega

[robert young 2,897]

15 minutes ago, Alvega said:

Hi Robert, 

I didn't see this thread before but I replied to your private message.

Make sure your firewall is not blocking the app, mine was and I received a warning. After that it worked as it should with the Magic Man's deck.

You can also contact the author of the app or ask for help in their Discord channel.

Hope you can sort it out.

 

 

Thank you - and for your pm, and for all the other replies which I appreciate. I did buy the premium version for unlimited buttons.  It started working all by itself after hours of not working. Go figure!

Edited November 16, 2020 by robert young

[CJ1045 469]

pibcak error 😉

CJ

[JimBrown 596]

23 hours ago, CJ1045 said:

pibcak error 😉

CJ

Or pibkac. Or pebkac. Or pebcak.

😉

...jim

PS. I used pebkac when I did end user support many moons ago...