game controller issue - TM WCS/FCS & pedals

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim (More info?)

"FatKat" <robynari@juno.com> wrote in message
news:1116786143.706362.223190@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> I've recently replaced my P4 for a newer Dell Dimension running at
> 3ghz. Unfortunately, the gameport is out of the picture emtirely,
> which mucks up the controller set-up I used in my last system.
>
>
> Previously, using the gameport, I had a Thrustmaster WCS/FCS, and
> (though they said it couldn't be done) CH gameport pedals (not the pro
> pedals). I recently "won" a dual connector gameport-to-USB, but
> hooking it up proved a dissappointment: after hooking one of the pedals
> into one of the connectors, and putting the throttle into the other
> connector (with the joystick going into the throttle), I was able to
> get little more than one of the fire buttons and joystick movement.
> Throttle buttons (because the WCS has a KB pass-through) were
> recognized as keyboard punches, but movment of the throttle or pedals
> was completely ignored. I tried adding the joystick w/throttle set-up
> and rudders enabled in the WinXP gamecontroller section, but I kept
> getting an error message; also, the USB gamebox comes up on winxp
> control panel, but it won't be edited or removed unless in the device
> manager.
>
> Am I doing something wrong with this setup, or should I just junk it?
>
> I figure I'd save myself trouble by just getting a new gameport, but
> nobody seems to make one - just soundcards with gameports. That option
> seems uneccessarily expensive, and also hints at numerous
> conflicting-devices headaches. Is there a simple way to add an old
> soundcard and disable the sound part while keeping the gameport?


If you really wnat a card/gameport, why not just get some old
soundblaster product off of eBay ? Not expensive at all, and will work
fine.









>

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim (More info?)

On 22 May 2005 11:22:23 -0700, "FatKat" <robynari@juno.com> wrote:

Hi FatKat,

>Previously, using the gameport, I had a Thrustmaster WCS/FCS, and
>(though they said it couldn't be done) CH gameport pedals (not the pro
>pedals). I recently "won" a dual connector gameport-to-USB, but
>hooking it up proved a dissappointment...

You might get it to work. You would need to plug the stick into the
WCS, the WCS into the pedals, and the whole thing into the USB port.
You'd also have to run it in analog throttle mode (GAME 0 0) because
the USB converter won't know what to do with the TM hat. You'd need
use a boot floppy or dual-boot to Win98 to do the download, too, since
2K/XP won't let the loaders talk to the keyboard port. I have a couple
of reports that the "DOS Box" utility available on SourceForge.net
will let you run DOS in a Windows and download from there, I haven't
actually done that myself, though. Anyway, once it's downloaded, it
will send the characters okay. It's just the download that doesn't
work.

If you do go to the soundcard with gameport, then you need to set it
as a ThrustMaster FCS to get the Hat recognized and check the Rudders
box going in. In that case you have to set it for Analog Hat, and so
Digital Throttle (GAME 1 0 or GAME 2 0). If you want to program the
hat with the WCS, then set for Digital Hat, Analog throttle (GAME 0 0)
and tell Windows it's a 3-Axis w/Pedals. It's best to decide on one or
the other. If you switch you've got to pull the setup out of Game
Controllers and then Add it again under the other moniker.

You might also check with your motherboard manufacturer. Some of the
chipsets have the game port, they just need one of those slot-cover
things with a DB15 on it and the right cable to go to whatever header
is on the motherboard.

Hope this helps!

- Bob

The StickWorks
http://www.stickworks.com

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim (More info?)

So it looks like I'll just pick up a 2nd hand PCI card. My next
question goes to the CH Pedals's stated requirement for a 2-connector
gameport. I managed to get it to work using my first machine's single
connector card, but had limited play - for one thing, I could never get
the hat to work right. (oops, I said that already). Anyway, do I
really need 2 connectors? And if i do, can I get away just using a Y
cable? Lastly, just for the gameport alone, and with the intention of
keeping the sound card I already have, will any PCI card do?