First of all, I'm using P3Dv4. I have the Thrustmaster TCA Throttle Quadrant and my throttle levers WILL NOT work in the sim when I physically move them. I'm using the Aerosoft manual that gives instructions on how to set up the throttle quadrant for the Aerosoft airbus and I've already assigned the engine control switches, crank, and the ign/start switches  using the hotas generic keys and they work just fine. But the manual does not mention anything about assigning the throttle axes to the device. In the P3D Axes Assignment menu, I've assigned Engine Throttle 1 and Engine Throttle 2 to my TCA throttle quadrant and it will not do anything. I know  that I can use FSUIPC but I prefer the in- game controller. I never seen and had a device that was so stubborn and hard to work with as this device, and there is no excuse for this! There is NO reason for the throttles not work! That's what I've paid for!! All I do is waste hours and hours and hours and hours trying to fix problems that I should not have to do. This is the worst device I've ever had and the developers provide NO detailed information about these things. Their manuals are not explicit as to how to set it up and the instructions and photos that are in the manuals DO NOT agree with what's being explained! They don't explain everything in detail and they show the wrong photos for what's being explained, not to mention that there are many left out. Ever since I've bought this device, I've had nothing but trouble and frustration out of this device. The TCA sidestick works fine but the TCA throttle quadrant is nothing but a lot of headaches and frustration that gets one very angry and there's no excuse for this lack of information and service that they should be very aware of! I'm fed up having to post questions on something that I should not have to do in the first place! Every time I turn around, I'm having to some issues with a device that is brand new and takes an act of congress to make it work, if it even works!

Ken.

Edited September 15, 20223 yr by kmanning

 

Well, 62 people has viewed this post so far and apparently, nobody knows why my throttles do not work in P3Dv4. That just proves just how much people know about this issue simply because Thrustmaster will NOT do their due diligence and put this information out and in their manuals. This is a huge problem that is wide spread and yet, you will NOT find this topic ANYWHERE on their website and you have to waste time sending a ticket and waiting for days before you hear anything. Yes, I'm angry about this because this is something that we simmers should not have to contend with when we buy a new product. The instructions are very very lacking and many of the photos shown in the manuals are NOT up-to-date simply because Thrustmaster will not update their manuals to match their updated device! They use out of date manuals to explain a topic that is totally different in the new updated device. I've ran across this problem just about every time I read their manuals. It shows lack of quality and lack of instructional teaching abilities. By the way, I've assigned the exact same entries, which are "Throttle 1 Axes" and "Throttle 2 Axes" in FSX, and both throttle axes work! The problem is that when you assign an axis in FSX, you have to double click the action that you want to assign your hardware to so that the "New Assignment" window opens. The "New Assignment" button is grayed out and are not functional. I've never seen this problem before. The buttons are supposed to be highlighted and functional so that one can assign an action! In P3Dv4, the throttles in the sim do not work at all when I use the TCA throttle quadrant. If I use the TCA Airbus sidestick, the throttles work just fine. What is it about the TCA throttle quadrant that is so stubborned that it keeps it from working? Thrustmaster has got to do their job and put this information out there so that the information gets around! They need to fix this problem and apparently, they don't care one way or the other because I hear that this has been going on for a long time. And I can tell all of you that the video that explains how to calibrate the TCA throttle quadrant is NOT effective! It plays background music instead of "EXPLAINING," IN WORDS while demonstrating it! A comment was made to that very fact. People now days simply DO NOT know how to teach others and they use other means that DOES NOT teach anyone or get the point across. I rate this video a 0 because there is NO voice instructions and the video shows lack of teaching abilities. There are 2 or 3 things I've noticed in the video that the average person will overlook that need to be carried out in order to calibrate it correctly.

Ken.   

Edited September 15, 20223 yr by kmanning

I have to start by noting that these ranting, long, run-on posts are something of a chore for a reader to get through without fighting the urge to claw one's own eyes out.  A little less lashing-out might entice more interest in helping, or at least enable potential good samaritans to avoid giving up after the first few sentences.

The TCA throttle quad is a standard Windows HID device, and if FSX sees the axes, the computer must be reading them off the device, and in that case your problem isn't with the throttles, but somewhere between the HID driver and P3D.

Try using the DIView utility (from the Leo Bodnar website) to verify that the axes are active and the values are being read by the computer.  It will also allow you to test all the buttons.  If that doesn't work, then delete the device from the Windows device manager, reboot, and let it re-detect/reinstall the controller and try again.

Are you using FSUIPC for anything in P3D?  If it's installed, make sure that calibration is disabled on the axis calibration page for throttles in FSUIPC regardless of how they are assigned in the sim.  Some add-on programs (and IIRC the older versions of the Aerosoft Scarebus were among them) need direct access to the axis values via DirectX, and invoking FSUIPC's calibration can interfere with that.

 

I'll try and help you.  I had the same issues and I fixed them just doing a lot of research on Youtube.  Youtube for all it's fault is very good when you need help on many things you might have problems with. It is a great source of information.

What you probably need to do first is calibrate your TCA throttles...This is a very important step and here is a YT video on how to do it. Once you do the calibration,follow the Aerosoft instructions to the letter and you should be good to go.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

 

TCA Throttle calibration:

 

3 hours ago, Bob Scott said:

I have to start by noting that these ranting, long, run-on posts are something of a chore for a reader to get through without fighting the urge to claw one's own eyes out.  A little less lashing-out might entice more interest in helping, or at least enable potential good samaritans to avoid giving up after the first few sentences.

The TCA throttle quad is a standard Windows HID device, and if FSX sees the axes, the computer must be reading them off the device, and in that case your problem isn't with the throttles, but somewhere between the HID driver and P3D.

Try using the DIView utility (from the Leo Bodnar website) to verify that the axes are active and the values are being read by the computer.  It will also allow you to test all the buttons.  If that doesn't work, then delete the device from the Windows device manager, reboot, and let it re-detect/reinstall the controller and try again.

Are you using FSUIPC for anything in P3D?  If it's installed, make sure that calibration is disabled on the axis calibration page for throttles in FSUIPC regardless of how they are assigned in the sim.  Some add-on programs (and IIRC the older versions of the Aerosoft Scarebus were among them) need direct access to the axis values via DirectX, and invoking FSUIPC's calibration can interfere with that.

 

 

Hi Bob,

I want to let everyone know that my rant was not directed to anyone here. I was going to take them down but it will no longer allow me to edit them. So if you want, feel free to take them down. I admit I was ranting because I've been putting up with this for 3 months. I finally got the throttles to work now, so thanks for your input. There's one thing that I don't understand. Some of these abbreviations that you've posted I've never heard of. What is HID? Also, I can't find the auto-throttle disconnect action in the P3D button assignment. How can I assign the auto-throttle disconnect action to the red buttons on the TCA Throttle quadrant?

Ken.

Edited September 16, 20223 yr by kmanning

9 hours ago, kmanning said:

Hi Bob,

I want to let everyone know that my rant was not directed to anyone here. I was going to take them down but it will no longer allow me to edit them. So if you want, feel free to take them down. I admit I was ranting because I've been putting up with this for 3 months. I finally got the throttles to work now, so thanks for your input. There's one thing that I don't understand. Some of these abbreviations that you've posted I've never heard of. What is HID? Also, I can't find the auto-throttle disconnect action in the P3D button assignment. How can I assign the auto-throttle disconnect action to the red buttons on the TCA Throttle quadrant?

No biggie...there aren't many of us that haven't fought the burning desire to put a fist through an expensive monitor at one point or another.

HID = Human Interface Device--joysticks, game controllers, etc

I do all my button assignments via per-aircraft profiles in FSUIPC.  Assuming the Aerosoft 'bus uses a custom hotkey for the AT disconnect, then you'll probably need some some utility to map the button to the keypress--FSUIPC, or Axes and Ohs or similar.

 

11 hours ago, Bob Scott said:

No biggie...there aren't many of us that haven't fought the burning desire to put a fist through an expensive monitor at one point or another.

I guess it's because most people do not see and understand how companies have lacked their quality of service these days. Of course, that just about includes all corporations.

 

Quote

HID = Human Interface Device--joysticks, game controllers, etc

Okay, got it now.

 

Quote

I do all my button assignments via per-aircraft profiles in FSUIPC.

I've read somewhere that it was not necessary to use the FSUIPC to assign all the actions to the Aerosoft Airbuses. The Aerosoft airbus manual uses the Hotas hotkeys to assign the actions. But their manual does not show anything about assigning one of the hotkeys to the auto-throttle disconnect. The manual only provided the hotkeys for the engine on/off switch, the crank / normal mode, and the ign/start switches. So far, I got everything working except the auto-throttle disconnect button. There are many more hotkeys left and I don't understand why they didn't include one of the other hotkeys to assign the auto-throttle disconnect.

 

Quote

Assuming the Aerosoft 'bus uses a custom hotkey for the AT disconnect, then you'll probably need some utility to map the button to the keypress--FSUIPC, or Axes and Ohs or similar.

 

You mean like the DIView utility by Leo Bodnar? If not, what utility do I need?

Ken

 

 

Edited September 17, 20223 yr by kmanning

4 hours ago, kmanning said:

You mean like the DIView utility by Leo Bodnar? If not, what utility do I need?

No--DIView is a utility that displays the raw DirectX data so you can see exactly what the computer is reading from the connected HID devices.

I don't have the Aerosoft 'bus, so I can't speak to how their interfacing works.  If it's a custom hotkey, you'll need a utility that can generate key press events when a button is pressed and/or released.  FSUIPC and Axes & Ohs are two such utilities that come to mind...there may be others.