Hardware Separate Main Engine Throttles?

[TheGekko]

Hi all,

Returning to the forum after a long break (so long I forgot I had an account!) and funnily enough for the same reason I signed up last time!

I've acquired a BCF2000 mixer panel, and have finally had some success getting it to control Orbiter using GlovePie and PPjoy (queue a happy few minutes trying - and sort of succeeding - to fly a stock DG using vertical sliders for throttle and x/y axes!).

Now that I've got the basics working, I'm trying to see how feasible the rest of my ideas are. Is it possible to configure separate axes for the left and right engines? Likewise for the scram engines.

Apologies if this has already been asked, I did look but couldn't find anything. Similarly if I've put this in the wrong place!

Cheers,

James

 

[Richy]

Hi James, back!

Have you tried the [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3223"]Fly-By-Wire[/ame] module?
It offers a lot of functions to be bound on different input devices, but I'm not sure, if it works for LH and RH engines on the same vessel. But surely should work for Main und Hover separation.

 

[Hielor]

No, there are currently no addons that allow you to assign independent axes for individual engines or groups of engines, including SCRAM engines.

Such an addon is theoretically possible, but would probably require a lot of configuration per-vessel.

 

[TheGekko]

I had feared that was the case, thank you both for your help though! Any rumours of anything in development at this point that you're aware of?

Richy, I've had a fair bit of luck with Fly-By-Wire both now and in the past (used to use it with two joysticks for ROT/LIN modes) and it seems to be working quite well with this setup too, I've now got separate sliders for the three RCS LIN axes, elevator trim, hover and retro throttles too, and a separate joystick for the ailerons/elevators! It's having some trouble with the main engine throttle though, it won't forget the old joystick I had on main engines last time. I've tried deleting all the files and reinstalling it, but must have missed something. Any thoughts? I realise this isn't the place, but if it means I can avoid bothering the proper thread with a stupid question then that's preferable!

Just had a go at my first ISS approach and docking with this thing, had to abort at 6 metres to go twice! Controls take some getting used to and some tweaking, but the sensitivity is incredible!

James

 

[Hielor]

I had feared that was the case, thank you both for your help though! Any rumours of anything in development at this point that you're aware of?

Someone (Moach?) was working on a replacement for Fly-By-Wire, I think, but I'm not sure he ever made it past a proof-of-concept.

Richy, I've had a fair bit of luck with Fly-By-Wire both now and in the past (used to use it with two joysticks for ROT/LIN modes) and it seems to be working quite well with this setup too, I've now got separate sliders for the three RCS LIN axes, elevator trim, hover and retro throttles too, and a separate joystick for the ailerons/elevators! It's having some trouble with the main engine throttle though, it won't forget the old joystick I had on main engines last time. I've tried deleting all the files and reinstalling it, but must have missed something. Any thoughts? I realise this isn't the place, but if it means I can avoid bothering the proper thread with a stupid question then that's preferable!

Have you disabled the joystick in Orbiter's settings so it's only going through Fly-By-Wire? Specifically the "main engine control" dropdown...

 

[TheGekko]

Someone (Moach?) was working on a replacement for Fly-By-Wire, I think, but I'm not sure he ever made it past a proof-of-concept.

Damn. Thanks though, I'll have a look around.

Have you disabled the joystick in Orbiter's settings so it's only going through Fly-By-Wire? Specifically the "main engine control" dropdown...

The joystick concerned isn't actually plugged into the computer at all at this point. I've disabled any joystick on the Launchpad page, but it's refusing to clear this setting. All the other controls (retro, hover, RCS lin etc) are able to forget the old one, but main engine throttle won't.

 

[orbekler]

Hi all,

Returning to the forum after a long break (so long I forgot I had an account!) and funnily enough for the same reason I signed up last time!

I've acquired a BCF2000 mixer panel, and have finally had some success getting it to control Orbiter using GlovePie and PPjoy (queue a happy few minutes trying - and sort of succeeding - to fly a stock DG using vertical sliders for throttle and x/y axes!).

Now that I've got the basics working, I'm trying to see how feasible the rest of my ideas are. Is it possible to configure separate axes for the left and right engines? Likewise for the scram engines.

Apologies if this has already been asked, I did look but couldn't find anything. Similarly if I've put this in the wrong place!

Cheers,

James

Well, I'm not interested in having separate throttles, but you gave me a wonderful idea: using my MIDI mixing consolle as a controller.

I wanted to do it some time ago, but I didn't know about GlovePie. At the very moment, I just tested a pair of analog slider and button, and it works!. Now I have to configure controls one by one.

The problem is that you have to rely on different programs: Midi-Ox, Midi Yoke, PPJoy, GlovePie and Fly-By-Wire (add-on), all together.

Thank you! :tiphat:

 

[TheGekko]

I tried this for a while a few years ago, but didn't get anywhere. Midi-OX was seeing the input, but nothing else was. Dug it out again with the new laptop now I've finished uni for the year, then stumbled across this link.

Absolutely brilliant! Had to reprogram the mixer itself manually (the downlink software is notoriously useless, as is the firmware update. Sadly found an original preset that was ideal, everything setup as a CC controller on channel 1, ranging from CC1 to CC92, so ended up replicating it by hand. That was a dull couple of hours...) but it's working!

I know what you mean about the program list, the startup procedure is a pain! Check the mixer, set preset 10, start GlovePIE, find and run the script, start Joy2Key and it's script, start Orbiter, check Fly-By-Wire, then start! Usually with a bit of prayer involved too...

So now I just need to map all the buttons! Started labelling them last night but then realised I'd achieved the impossible and run out! Bit of refinement needed I think, but thought I'd upload a picture anyway. The sliders are all assigned but not all labelled (last three are RCS Lin X, Y and Z) and the buttons are the reverse: all labelled but not assigned! Haven't found a purpose for the rotary dials at the top yet, might try and get one of them to scroll through the XR2 autopilot/systems displays at some point.

 

[orbekler]

I tried this for a while a few years ago, but didn't get anywhere. Midi-OX was seeing the input, but nothing else was. Dug it out again with the new laptop now I've finished uni for the year, then stumbled across this link.

Absolutely brilliant! Had to reprogram the mixer itself manually (the downlink software is notoriously useless, as is the firmware update. Sadly found an original preset that was ideal, everything setup as a CC controller on channel 1, ranging from CC1 to CC92, so ended up replicating it by hand. That was a dull couple of hours...) but it's working!

I know what you mean about the program list, the startup procedure is a pain! Check the mixer, set preset 10, start GlovePIE, find and run the script, start Joy2Key and it's script, start Orbiter, check Fly-By-Wire, then start! Usually with a bit of prayer involved too...

So now I just need to map all the buttons! Started labelling them last night but then realised I'd achieved the impossible and run out! Bit of refinement needed I think, but thought I'd upload a picture anyway. The sliders are all assigned but not all labelled (last three are RCS Lin X, Y and Z) and the buttons are the reverse: all labelled but not assigned! Haven't found a purpose for the rotary dials at the top yet, might try and get one of them to scroll through the XR2 autopilot/systems displays at some point.

Thanks a lot for the link: I've already figured out some trick (to test I assigned first the keyboard ouput, then vitual joystick for analog and for inputs MIDI->3(Yoke)->CCxx), but this link will help and speed up the thing.

Don't worry too much for labels, you'll remember commands even without them

For dials... don't know now, but, if possible, I was thinking of aileron trim +&-. We'll see.

 

[TheGekko]

Worked out a workaround for the throttle problem with Fly-By-Wire: Create a third virtual joystick, map the slider to the throttle axis and map the actual joystick's x and y axes to the virtual ones. Tell Orbiter that's the main joystick and let Fly-By-Wire handle the rest! Not ideal, but it seems to work!

The other idea I had for the dials was for the RCS controls: Press for on/off, turn for ROT/LIN. Similarly for AF CTRL, but I'm not sure if there are key commands for anything other than off/on.

 

[pdpritam]

I tried this for a while a few years ago, but didn't get anywhere. Midi-OX was seeing the input, but nothing else was. Dug it out again with the new laptop now I've finished uni for the year, then stumbled across this link.

Absolutely brilliant! Had to reprogram the mixer itself manually (the downlink software is notoriously useless, as is the firmware update. Sadly found an original preset that was ideal, everything setup as a CC controller on channel 1, ranging from CC1 to CC92, so ended up replicating it by hand. That was a dull couple of hours...) but it's working!

I know what you mean about the program list, the startup procedure is a pain! Check the mixer, set preset 10, start GlovePIE, find and run the script, start Joy2Key and it's script, start Orbiter, check Fly-By-Wire, then start! Usually with a bit of prayer involved too...

So now I just need to map all the buttons! Started labelling them last night but then realised I'd achieved the impossible and run out! Bit of refinement needed I think, but thought I'd upload a picture anyway. The sliders are all assigned but not all labelled (last three are RCS Lin X, Y and Z) and the buttons are the reverse: all labelled but not assigned! Haven't found a purpose for the rotary dials at the top yet, might try and get one of them to scroll through the XR2 autopilot/systems displays at some point.

Can i have the whole script with bcf2000 cc setting