Thrustmaster Hotas Cougar and Vista

[Guest bjablonka]

Does anyone have this setup and can get all the buttons to work? If so, what software and driver are you using and where did you get it? I only can get the throttle and flightstick to work but cannot assign any functions to the buttons/sliders? I would appreciate any help.

[McCrash 3]

>Does anyone have this setup and can get all the buttons to>work? If so, what software and driver are you using and where>did you get it? I only can get the throttle and flightstick to>work but cannot assign any functions to the buttons/sliders? I>would appreciate any help.There should be software with the HOTAS.If not go here and ask www.frugalsworld.com and http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/

[yellowjack 28]

I was at Frugal's the other day and saw that bad word "Vista" mentioned. Cougar drivers aren't WHQL'd so you may have to horsewhip the install, if you don't install the drivers you will just get a "standard" joystick and throttle - no buttons. Check out Frugal's forum.

[Guest bjablonka]

Thank you for your responses. All what I could find were drivers which are about 1-2 years old. Nothing which allows me to run Foxy which I would need to assign buttons. It is a shame, you spend $250 for some great joysticks ( I came from the Saitek x52) but no software to make them work. I will check ot the forum. Thank's!

[yellowjack 28]

All the software is available from Frugal's and being 1 or 2 years old is irrelevant. The latest version of Foxy is available from the same source. I am not sure about VISTA but I can see no reason why Foxy wouldn't install it is only an application program. I have ordered a copy of Vista to put up as a dual boot system to test the Cougar installation and operation. Frugal's forum topics indicate that Cougar owners ARE running with Vista but you aren't going to be spoon fed, you are going to have to do some reading and testing, remember the Cougar was designed and built for XP. Did you not receive a driver/foxy CD as part of the Cougar purchase? John

[Guest bjablonka]

I received a CD with Foxy on it, but Foxy did not install.. I got a message that Foxy.msi was missing (which it was not). I tried to reinstall the software several times with the same results. On the Thrustmaster website it says that the Cougar is Vista compatible, so it is not a question of being spoon-fed, I just like to have the software/hardware to work how it is supposed to work, especially when you pay a lot of money for it. Please don't flame me for this kind of expectation.

[yellowjack 28]

My apologies, there was no intention to flame you.It would have been more useful if you had given the full story of your problem in your first post. Have you tried downloading the latest version of FOXY from Frugals site and trying to install that? As I haven't got Vista up just yet I cannot be much help but I do suggest that the Frugal forum might get you more help than Avsim as it is a TM COUGAR specialist site. There is always the possibility that your problem may be machine set up specific rather than Vista being the cause of the problem so you will need to keep your mind open. I have never had any problem with Foxy software, the HOTAS Cougar software nor the driver software. I can say that you will need to install the hotas software and drivers before installing foxy as it depends on the cougar software for some of its functionality. The Cougar folder should have such items as: Hotas Compiler.exe, HOTAS Update.exe, HOTASConfig.exe and CougarBstate.exe in it (all represented by F16 Icons). Foxy is only a specialised editor and you can download a suitably written and named text file to the Cougar if you use the HOTAS compiler. Good luck with your hunt for a solution. Keep in touch with your progress.John

[ARM505 0]

Vista will recognise the Cougar and allow you to use all the axes and buttons, but only using it's native drivers initially. You won't be able to program it. This sounds like what's happened to you.Foxy/Cougar works fine with Vista 32 bit for me. The only thing I did wrong was keep it plugged in during the Vista installation. This means that Vista detected it without having the proper drivers (similar to plugging the Cougar in before installing Foxy/drivers in XP). You will have to unplug the Cougar, go to the device manager, and uninstall whatever you see related to the Cougar. In my case there were two entries highlighted by the usual small yellow exclamation mark. (Something like 'Cougar HID A & B') Reboot (if needed), then install the latest version of the drivers and Foxy, then plug in the Cougar. Problem solved (at least for me). It programs and works precisely as it did under XP.

[Guest bjablonka]

Thank you John, no harm - I am just tired of paying for add-ons which don't work correctly out of the box. Maybe I expect too much.Arm, also thank you. I did install the Cougar after I installed Vista and I connected it after I installed the software which came with it. This is not the latest software, I did upgrade however, but Foxy never worked. I am going to uninstall everything and then install the newest drivers/software (not the ones which came with the Cougar) and see if this makes a difference.Again, thank you for all your help.

[yellowjack 28]

I don't know about Vista yet but USB enumeration in XP could go horribly wrong if the drivers aren't installed correctly. if you ever see an "Unknown Device" in XPs list of devices you are teetering on the edge of a precipice. So take plenty of restores whilst you work out proper way to do all this. I did use the word "horsewhip" before & now you know what I meant. The software does work when properly installed and the Cougar is without doubt the most versatile HOTAS device on the market. I never need the keyboard when flight simming. I can post my own FSX TMJ and TMM files when you are ready and if you like, just ask. John

[Guest bjablonka]

John,It would be great if you could post those files. I am sure I will get it to work.Thanks so much!

[Guest bjablonka]

I called Thrustmaster today and they told me in a pretty unfriendly way that their drivers/Foxy are not ready and that I have the choice to return the product. BTW, it says on their website that the Cougar is Vista compatible. Go figure.

[yellowjack 28]

I have sent these files to you via private mail rather than clutter up the forum. You don't need foxy to look at these you can open them with notepad but they won't be formatted or coloured like in Foxy.John

[Guest bjablonka]

Thank you John, I appreciate your help! I'll look at them later tonight.

[yellowjack 28]

I am just having breakfast. I just sent the text of the files which you can copy and paste into notepad.;)