GeorgeT93

Hi Ray,It sounds like it might be an old version of CH Control Manager on the disk that you have. You might want to try uninstalling it, and downloading the latest version from the CH website (http://www.chproducts.com/retail/downloads.html) and seeing if perhaps the download version is newer than the version on your disk, and if it resolves your issues. Personally, I have the yoke and pedals, and I just have them set up through FSX, without having the Control Manager software installed at all. Once I've got it all set up the way I want it in FSX, I then save a backup copy of my standard.xml file (in the Controls folder where your FSX.CFG is located) outside my FSX folders so I have it for future reference in case I have to reinstall.Good luck, I hope you get this resolved to your satisfaction.-George

I'd love to know this myself, I've never been able to get my shadows anti-aliased, so I wound up turning them off because they looked so terrible (though I love the idea in principle).

Correct, that's exactly how it's supposed to work, as it's a fall-back in case certain required values aren't present. That's why it's always much easier (and better programming etiquette) to define the panel window's window_size= and size_mm values for each individual [WindowXX] section. Then you don't have to figure out percentages based on values that exist in different [WindowXX] sections in order to define the scaling and size of the panel window you're working on, as each section is properly defined on its own. This leaves size_mm= as just the value for determining scale of the gauges on that particular panel window. Otherwise you have to start dividing the size_mm of the panel window that you're working on by the first size_mm defined in the panel.cfg file, just to try and determine what size you want that panel window to display at, in addition to the scaling that will be used in that window. Obviously, that's less than ideal. I certainly didn't want to make things more confusing with the 'what if' scenarios, since as long as those values are present in each [WindowXX] section, then none of the 'what if' scenarios would apply. :) Good luck again,-George

Nice, Longboat Key is beautiful, hope you had a great time! The weather here in Florida really has been great (though chilly the last two nights lol.) I don't have the RXP gauges myself, but I heard that they are fantastic. That said, in the meantime, if you just copy and paste my updated [window06] section over the one in the 182RG (always making sure to make a backup of the panel.cfg first), then you can adjust size and position to taste.To try and give you just a quick summary, the window_size value is the size of the panel window itself, in percentages, of the game window itself. So for example, a value of window_size=0.25, 0.40 tells FSX to display that panel window at 25% of the game window's width, and 40% of the game window's height. The maximum value for either is 1.0, which is equal to 100%. The size_mm value doesn't affect the size of the panel window at all, but ultimately determines the scaling of the individual gauges. So if you started playing with that value, and we'll say that its values were set to 512, 512 by default. If you changed the values so it read 'size_mm=256, 265', then the scaling is halved, and as a result, the individual gauges would be twice the size, and so each gauge will also need to be adjusted to fit. Conversely, if you had changed the value to 'size_mm=1024, 1024', then the scaling would be doubled (resolution-wise), so the gauges on that panel would appear as half the size and would need to have their individual size settings changed (doubled) in order to fit in the panel correctly. That's pretty much a down and dirty explanation, but I hope it helps you get the idea of what these values affect. :)Just remember, once you've got your panel.cfg backed up, then it doesn't matter if you make mistakes while you're playing around trying to learn how the different values affect things, because you'll always have your original to fall back on, so feel free to experiment with different settings and just have fun with it.Good luck and Happy Flying (and Panel Editing too!) :)-George

Hi Benjamin,I don't have the 182RG, but I do have their 182Q, and had forgotten about running into this issue myself. My guess is that it has something to do with the actual gauge itself, but I'm not certain on that. In any case, since they're only using a 295, what I did on the 182Q was switch it with the default one.My original GPS section on the 182Q looked like this: [Window06]Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=300,460position=0visible=0ident=GPS_PANELgauge00=gps!gps, 0,60,300,400 And I changed it so that it now looks like this: [Window06]Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=545,354//size_mm=300,460position=0visible=0ident=GPS_PANELwindow_size=0.150, 0.400window_pos=0.680, 0.600gauge00=fs9gps!gps_295, 0,0//gauge00=gps!gps, 0,60,300,400 So by doing that, it's still technically the same GPS that comes with the Carenado, but it doesn't have the issue of not being able to properly resize it in the panel.cfg file.Hope this helps and good luck!-George

Hi,Thanks for this information, as I was curious how to set the affinity mask to use all 4 physical processors while leaving HT turned on. I'm currently running an affinitymask of 84, which to my understanding, leaves core 0 free for the OS and other tasks, and runs FSX on the remaining 3 physical cores, but I notice that if I eliminate the affinitymask, FSX processor usage (in Task Manager) can easily exceed 60%, which I *think* means it must be spawning threads on the HT cores (since it's my belief that FSX should not exceed 50% if it was only using the 4 physical cores). I do get better/faster loading with no affinitymask set, but also get frequent stutters (which coincide with the FSX process going over 50% CPU usage), so I've been looking for the affinitymask value to use all 4 physical cores (0,2,4,6) while avoiding the HT 'uncores' (1,3,5,7), to see if making sure no threads get spawned on the HT cores helps eliminate or reduce stutters.Thanks again for the info, this is exactly what I was looking to find today. :) I'll be trying an affinitymask of 85 when I get on my FSX machine later on. Thank you! :)-George

Hi Eric,Seth, over at NaturalPoint has a thread in their forum about making adjustments for FSX/FS9, as well as a link to a profile that he made that works pretty well. For me personally, I'm using the 'smooth' profile, as that seems to work best for me using a triple-monitor setup.Hope this helps, and best of luck!-GeorgeLink: http://forum.naturalpoint.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=43231#Post43231

Do you have them both connected to the yoke, or is one to a different USB port (on your pc or a hub)? I know a few folks that had similar problems that were resolved by plugging the second quad into a different USB that isn't on the yoke, or to buy the optional power adapter for the yoke. Not sure if this applies to your situation or not as you didn't specify where the second quad is plugged in, so I just thought I would throw this out there for you to try if you haven't already.Also, does the second quad test ok in the control panel's Game Controllers applet? Just to make sure Windows is seeing it and using it properly, and that there isn't a problem with the quad itself.Good luck, hope you get this sorted!-George

Thanks very much for the info and link! I'll be looking to replace the knob a.s.a.p! Again, fantastic idea!! Thanks for everything!-George

Hi again, yankeegolf3. Honestly, the idea of switching the knob had never occurred to me. Did you have any problems getting the old knob off? And was it a round with teeth kind of knob, or was one side flat? I just want an idea of what kind of knobs to look at, and want to make sure you didn't have to do anything special to get the knob off. Thanks again, and fantastic suggestion!!-George

Hi Phil,I don't know why they made that knob SO hard to turn, but mine is the same way. I'm not saying it has to be as free-wheeling as the adjustment knob on the right-side, but the selector knob on the left really is a pain to turn. Unfortunately, the only way I can seem to get it to turn is to make sure I try and wipe the sweat off my hands before using the knob. Not an ideal solution by any stretch of the imagination, but at least I can usually get it to turn if my hands are dry (I might even hang a hand towel somewhere nearby just because of that one knob!) If you do manage to come across anyone that has made the knob easier to turn, PLEASE post back, and let us know what they did. I just don't understand why they aren't using a rotary switch that's similar to the switch used on the starter knob on the switch panel.Good luck!-GeorgeYankeegolf3, any chance you could share a pic or two of the knob you're using on yours now? :)

Hi Slick,The SDK can be found on the FSX Deluxe disk or in the FSX Gold pack that includes Acceleration. If you only have the FSX deluxe disk (and have FSX updated to SP2), make sure to install the updated SDK's as well. The updates can be downloaded from Microsoft. If you have FSX Gold, install the SDK from the Deluxe disk, and the updates can be found on the Acceleration disk.Links to SDK Service Packs (Note: You MUST have the original SDK from the FSX Deluxe disk installed to update to the latest version. You do not need these if you have Acceleration or Gold, as these updates are on the Acceleration disk. )SDK SP1A Update InstallerSDK SP2 Update InstallerADE is a fantastic program, and unbelievable that it's freeware. I use it often for fixing flickering runways and taxiways under DX10 Preview Mode, and it works great! :)Good luck!-George

Absolutely a great deal!! Enjoy your new system! :)

I installed SP1 for Win7 today. Had a few little snags, but nothing major. My ZBoard Fang stopped working, but there was a new driver for it that fixed that issue, and my Saitek Throttles stopped working. They were recognized by windows, but wouldn't do anything in the control panel applet or in FSX. Unplugging them and plugging them back in, as well as rebooting (including a complete shutdown) did not fix the issue. I finally had to go into my device manager and start uninstalling USB devices and then had Windows scan for hardware changes. Once I did that, both throttles kicked back in and started working. Everything else seems fine so far, though I can't say I notice any change in FSX for the better or for the worse. It seems to run exactly the same as it did for me before installing the service pack.-George

LOL! That's one I haven't heard! I think I need to add some new AI aircraft... :D

Just to report back, the newer drivers for the BIP seem to have fixed the stability issues. I have not been able to get it to crash or stop responding during a flight, and another person I've spoken with, that couldn't get the unit to keep functioning for more than a few minutes, is also now able to use the unit without crashes, so it looks like the new drivers are a huge step in the right direction! The new drivers don't fix the Parking Brakes light though, so while they are a huge improvement, they still aren't 100% working correctly. :PJust wanted to give fellow BIP owners a heads-up on my experiences with the latest drivers.-George

Yet another new BIP driver has been released by Saitek this morning. I have not yet tried it out, but will be doing so when I get the chance today. For folks using my BIPLauncher, make sure to disable the BIPLauncher.exe in the exe.xml file to see if these new drivers fix the outstanding issues (which, if they do, will make BIPLauncher unnecessary). Of course, if the program (ProFlightPlugin.exe) still isn't shutting down properly on FSX exit (you can check this in the task manager, but it's noticeable on the BIP itself, as some panel lights remain lit when the plugin doesn't terminate properly,) then you can always re-enable the BIPLauncher and disable the new proflightplugin.exe.Here's hoping for working Parking Brakes, improved stability, and proper exiting of the plugin when FSX exits so that BIPLauncher will be obsolete! (Fingers crossed!)-GeorgeLink to the new drivers (Same as from the original topic, just scroll to the second post in that thread.)http://www.saitekforum.com/showthread.php?p=89040#post89040Driver Page Link:http://www.saitek.com/uk/down/drivers.phpGood luck, and I look forward to see how this works for other folks (and myself, when I get to try it out later on.) :)Happy Flying!-George

I wound up getting a BIP, and have also experienced it crashing as well as the parking brakes light not working (though tests fine). In any case, I've been able to eliminate my crashing by using an external program to make sure the panel's software completely shuts down when FSX exits (and also verifies that it isn't already running when FSX is started.) This has been working for me, though I have only just made it available for others to try out to see if it helps with anyone else's crashing issues. I plan on posting the source code to saitek's forums if the feedback is mostly positive. For anyone that is having crashing issues with the BIP, this *might* help. Note that it will only work if you installed the saitek panel plugin to its default location (in Program Files on 32-bit systems, and in Program Files (x86) for 64-bit systems). Be sure to follow the instructions in the readme file to set it up. If you are not comfortable editing text files (specifically the exe.xml file), then I'd recommend holding off on trying this until other folks have reported on whether or not it's helped their issue. This is NOT a replacement driver, and does not fix any issues with the panel software itself. All it does is make sure that the panel software gets shut down properly when FSX closes.Here's a link to the file, please let me know if it helps or not, and I'll pass the source code on to saitek through their forums, and hopefully it will help them narrow down why the panel software doesn't shut down properly.Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/448702686/BIPLauncher_v1.zip-George

VC Only flyer here. If an aircraft only has 2d panels, I don't even bother downloading it, regardless of how well received it is, and if it's a purchasable add-on aircraft, it's a no-buy for me. That said, I can be more forgiving with a lower quality vc (as long as there is a vc), if the rest of the aircraft looks and flies well. But a vc is a must for me. :)Just my 2 cents.-George

I absolutely LOVE the way you mounted the saitek throttle at an angle like that! A fantastic idea that I think I'd like to incorporate into my own setup. Great stuff, keep us posted with updates!

I've never used any MegaScenery products, but I just checked the link in the first post, and their site seems to be up and running fine right now. I knew their stuff was expensive, but WOW, those prices seem really high to me. I think when and if I decide to start buying add-on scenery (I usually buy mainly aircraft), I'll definitely be looking towards the ORBX stuff instead of the MegaScenery stuff (at least in areas they both cover, like the Pacific Northwest).Anyhoo, only posting to this thread to say that the link in the first post works for me, so it at least looks like they're still around. :) -George(Edited to add: I've bought a few things from PC Aviator and have really had no issues aside from the almost daily emails about their 'deals'. :() I personally consider them a reputable outfit, and have not had any issues with my purchases from them, though admittedly, I've only purchased downloadable versions of products, and can't comment on having boxed products shipped.)

I updated the panel.cfg files for all the default aircraft, and two third-party aircraft from Lionheart Creations, to fix this issue with my TripleHead2Go. They are up on the library, and have been there for over a year. Just search the library for "Triple-Wide Panel Fixes" (without the quotes), and you can just download them. Note that you may still want or need to make a couple of adjustments for your resolution, based on your own personal preference, but at least it's a good baseline without having to go modify each and every aircraft. Just thought I'd throw this out there for those still having problems, or in case anyone is concerned about editing their own panel.cfg files.Hope this is helpful to anyone else running TH2G or Eyefinity. Remember to backup your existing panel.cfg files before overwriting them with the ones from the zip file.Good luck!-George

I'm personally really looking forward to MS Flight. If my FSX add-ons don't work, then FSX will just stay on my hard drive so I can keep using those add-ons whenever I feel like it. I'm alot more concerned with things like changes to Simconnect that would render some of my add-on hardware useless (like my Saitek panels). But if they do change Simconnect, hopefully there will be an MS Flight version of FSUIPC that would allow for configuring/using the panels under MS Flight. As much as I like my Saitek gear, they really need to dump their driver programmers and hire more competent people. At least then, I wouldn't be so worried about all that add-on hardware potentially not working with the new sim (err, game... eh, whatever you want to call it, it's still FS11 to me LOL.) :)

Hi, I've been using TrackIR 5 for almost a year now, and can't imagine going back to flying without it! It's really made a huge change for the better, to my flight simming experience. Truly a fantastic add-on, though anything that could provide the same functionality for folks who don't have a TrackIR can only be a good thing! :)-George

That's really a shame. It's too bad he doesn't at least release his source code so that others could try to pick up where he left off. Especially now, where so many folks seem to be having an issue with the BIP.-George