Hello folks,

 

I'm using a CH throttle quadrant and wondering how to get the best range of the levers.

Currently, in cruise, I'm finding that I need to bring the lever almost halfway back before it has any effect on the power. Similarly, the lower range of the levers doesn't do much (and the levers themselves are rather mushy until I get then about a quarter forward). Basically, the relationship between the position of the thrust levers and the actual thrust delivered would look like a bell curve, if that makes sense.

I don't believe it's an issue of sensitivity (but I may be wrong). I haven't altered the default MSFS2020 settings.

I have the same throttles. They work fine through the full range. First thing to do is check the how they move in the sim by going into the sensitivity graphs. When you move them there, does each throttle axis show a full range of movement? I’m guessing not.

Next thing is to re-calibrate them in Windows. Do not install the CH Products Control Manger for this. You can do it inside Windows. In fact, if you have the Control Manager software installed, uninstall that first. Run through the calibration on each of the levers in Windows. You access these settings in the Control Panel under game controllers.. It is not entirely intuitive but persistence will pay off. Make sure you calibrate all 6 levers in one go.

I had an issue where all 6 levers would go to about 85% max. That meant I could not get the throttles into the FLX or TOGA positions on the A320. A calibration in Windows fixed this issue and I now get 100% range on all 6 levers again.

I have not set any dead zones or adjusted any sensitivity curves on the throttle quad either, everything is sim default.

Edited January 30, 20215 yr by RaptyrOne

8 minutes ago, RaptyrOne said:

I have the same throttles. They work fine through the full range. First thing to do is check the how they move in the sim by going into the sensitivity graphs. When you move them there, does each throttle axis show a full range of movement? I’m guessing not.

Next thing is to re-calibrate them in Windows. Do not install the CH Products Control Manger for this. You can do it inside Windows. In fact, if you have the Control Manager software installed, uninstall that first. Run through the calibration on each of the levers in Windows. You access that these settings I the Control Panel under game controllers.. It is not entirely intuitive but persistence will pay off. Make sure you calibrate all 6 levers.

I had an issue where all 6 levers would go to about 85% max. That meant I could not get the throttles into the FLX or TOGA positions on the A320. A calibration in Windows fixed this issue and I now get 100% range on all 6 levers again.

I have not set any dead zones or adjusted any sensitivity curves on the throttle quad either, everything is sim default.

This all makes good sense to me. However, upon looking in my Windows Control Panel, I don't see an option for Game Controllers. The closest option I see is Device Manager, which doesn't have any calibration software in it.

Not at my PC now but it’s not Device Manager. Look for something like Devices and Printers. There you should see the Throttle Quad. You need to select it’s properties and there is a Calibrate option there.

Strangely enough, under Device manager, I have a category for 'Sound, video and game controllers' but it doesn't have the throttle quadrant listed. Conversely, I DO have a separate tab for CH Products, with each of my three devices listed (throttle quadrant, yoke and pedals), plus the "USB Hardware" and three other categories  (Aux 1, Aux 2, and Root device).

 

However, none of these, when clicked on Properties, have an option for calibrating the device.

SImplest way to find it is go to the Win10 search and search for "Setup USB Game Controllers". Then hit "properties" on the relevant controller.

Edited January 30, 20215 yr by Glenn Fitzpatrick

Note that you should NOT calibrate a CH rudder in windows it does weird things to the brake axis.

22 minutes ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Strangely enough, under Device manager, I have a category for 'Sound, video and game controllers' but it doesn't have the throttle quadrant listed.

That is normal but it’s not where you must be looking. Try as Glenn suggests to find the setting.

This might help:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/103910-calibrate-game-controller-windows-10-a.html

 

Edited January 30, 20215 yr by RaptyrOne

Alas, as I mentioned before, when I come across the relevant controller, under Properties, there is no option for calibrating the device.

It is not altogether intuitive. I can do a walk thru for you later when I am at my PC. (On iPad now)  In the interim have a look at the link I posted above though, it shows you how to get to the calibration section. It’s under the section ‘Option 2”.

Edited January 30, 20215 yr by RaptyrOne

2 minutes ago, RaptyrOne said:

It is not altogether intuitive. I can do a walk thru for you later when I am at my PC. (On iPad now)  In the interim have a look at the link I posted above though, it shows you how to get to the calibration section. It’s under the section ‘Option 2”.

Thanks very much for your help. I tried the link, and where my PC differs from the example, is when I click the Properties tab; I get a message that looks like it's generated from CH Products that says; "Please calibrate your CH USB Controllers using the Control Manager calibration facility. Calibration via the Windows calibration applet is not supported".

So I'm not clear as to where to go at this point....

By the way, I agree with your earlier point about NOT using the CH products calibration tool--I downloaded it before I even installed the sim and it crashed my PC irreparably.

1 hour ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Thanks very much for your help. I tried the link, and where my PC differs from the example, is when I click the Properties tab; I get a message that looks like it's generated from CH Products that says; "Please calibrate your CH USB Controllers using the Control Manager calibration facility. Calibration via the Windows calibration applet is not supported".

So I'm not clear as to where to go at this point....

By the way, I agree with your earlier point about NOT using the CH products calibration tool--I downloaded it before I even installed the sim and it crashed my PC irreparably.

Sounds like that message is coming from the CH tool which must be still installed.

1 hour ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Please calibrate your CH USB Controllers using the Control Manager calibration facility. Calibration via the Windows calibration applet is not supported".

As Glenn says, this points to the CH Products Control Manager software still being on your PC. Ironically the opposite of that message is true - Windows does support calibration and as you found out, the CH software can create havoc. Open up Control Panel (type it in the Windows search if you are unsure how to get it up) and select Programs and Features. If you see an entry there for CH Products, click on it and select Uninstall. There should be absolutely no entry for CH Products in that list. You might need to first unplug the throttle quadrant and also the yoke and or pedals if you have those too.

Now restart your PC and plug the controllers back in. Give Windows a moment to configure and then go to Devices and Printers, right click the CH Products Quadrant icon (it looks like a hand held gaming icon on my PC and select Game Controller Settings. In the Window that pops up, again select CH Throttle Quadrant and click properties. You are now presented with a window where you can test the different axis to see how they move. If they are not moving the full range, select the Settings tab, click Calibrate and follow the instructions. 
Here you need to identify each axis and move it up and down the full range then click one of the buttons (any one) on the quadrant to move to the next lever. Repeat for all 6 levers. If you don’t get it right first time, re-do calibration again. You can’t calibrate just one lever, you need to do all 6.

 

 

13 hours ago, RaptyrOne said:

As Glenn says, this points to the CH Products Control Manager software still being on your PC. Ironically the opposite of that message is true - Windows does support calibration and as you found out, the CH software can create havoc. Open up Control Panel (type it in the Windows search if you are unsure how to get it up) and select Programs and Features. If you see an entry there for CH Products, click on it and select Uninstall. There should be absolutely no entry for CH Products in that list. You might need to first unplug the throttle quadrant and also the yoke and or pedals if you have those too.

Now restart your PC and plug the controllers back in. Give Windows a moment to configure and then go to Devices and Printers, right click the CH Products Quadrant icon (it looks like a hand held gaming icon on my PC and select Game Controller Settings. In the Window that pops up, again select CH Throttle Quadrant and click properties. You are now presented with a window where you can test the different axis to see how they move. If they are not moving the full range, select the Settings tab, click Calibrate and follow the instructions. 
Here you need to identify each axis and move it up and down the full range then click one of the buttons (any one) on the quadrant to move to the next lever. Repeat for all 6 levers. If you don’t get it right first time, re-do calibration again. You can’t calibrate just one lever, you need to do all 6.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to lay this out for me. It went exactly as you described—I had no idea I still had CH software in my system—which is why I couldn’t calibrate it.

I certainly didn’t realize what a hindrance that had been, all this time,

Also, you were quite correct that you must calibrate all the levers and not just two. Thanks for that.

Now, my throttle quadrant works 100% better. Kudos!!   🐵

 

Glad you got sorted🙂