Slammin

I recently got the TM TPR Pendular peddles and they replaced my (man, must be at least 30 year old) TM aluminum rudder peddles and other than having to nail them to the floor, they are totally fantastic!

Ah, good to know and I will look into that because we need every button we can get. It's not a really big deal since I'm usually using the Cougar A10 grip because sometimes I like the softer buttons vs the Warthog A10 grip but if I can get the CMS push button to work I may switch back. Just installed latest VPC Configuration software and updated firmware but still no joy. Weird that Virpil Controls sees CMS hat pressed as button 7 and TMS up as button 12, and also shows slots for 128 buttons. VPC Joystick Tester app only shows slots for 18 buttons and it does not register CMS pressed, but shows TMS up as button 7. Windows game controller also shows TMS up as button 7 but also does not detect CMS pressed. Anyone have any idea how to get CMS pressed recognized by Windows?

Another nice thing about Virpil is that you can change the VendorID and ProductID within the Virpil software in case you use Target scripts. I only have the Virpil Warbrd base and am using it with a Cougar grip and it works great with Target. The Warthog grip works as well, but Virpil does not recognize the thumb hat push button. All other buttons are fine.

Originally joined in 2005. Learned a lot! Last post 2011. Bought AH-64 a couple of weeks ago, so now I am back. Not sure where I went (no, it wasn't prison or anything like that). But I am back! Would have been sooner but I couldn't remember my password and the "Forgot Password" function doesn't work for me, lol! But this place seems just as helpful as I last remember it, and I think I will need a lot of help on this new module. Just playing catch-up for now. Thanks, ED! Loving AH-64!!

That is an awesome extension! That has to be the ultimate in precision control but I wonder how durable or practical it will be for very fast movement? I think that is the main tradeoff when extending that much; can you make quick enough movements when flying a WWII aircraft like an F-190 in IL-2. That aircraft can require some very fast full-deflection moves.

ditto, very nice indeed!

I've had my BWU for a few months now and it is hands-down the best KB I've owned. None of the keys do what I see in that video so I guess they must have addressed the issue.

CPU cycles per second = King.

You are absolutely correct on the Cougar. Not sure what I was thinking there!

I'm sorry Bro, I misunderstood you when you said the mounting plate came separated. Yes, the stick ships unattached from the base. The Cougar shipped the same way. What I thought you meant is that the flat plate shipped apart from the base, and that would definitely be a red flag. It sounds more like you are getting registered movement, but a lack of resistance. Again, the design itself makes that almost impossible. There is one HUGE spring that provides most of the resistance beyond center, and 4 smaller springs that prevent resistance-slack at center. I guess those 4 smaller springs could be missing, and that would result in what you are seeing. I'll be very curious in how this turns out but I would definitely RMA it. Don't be too brazen and open the stick to take a look unless you know what you are doing because if you screw up when putting it back together, you WILL break a wire :-) Don't ask......:doh:

Just know that if you export an MFD to a monitor that is not connected to the vid card that drives your primary display, the FPS-hit will me HUGE, with major stuttering. If you connect the MFD display to the same card that drives the main display, the stuttering goes away.

First, your stick should not have come with the housing plate detached from the stick. That's crazy! Second, the design is such that there can NEVER be any type of slack play. If you have play, it is due to a mechanical issue that would be way outside the original design, or it could be a calibration issue. This design should NEVER develop play. Period, unless there are loose screws somewhere. I know that TM has some kind of calibrating software out there for the Hog but I'm not sure how many have it, or even needed it. Either way, if your unit arrived dissaembled like that, you should probably RMA it. That sounds very strange!

I already had TIR3 and had myself convinced that TIR3 was just fine and that TIR5 wouldn't really add that much to the experience. I never did get the 6DOF upgrade for the TIR3. After losing my last reflective dot, I decided to order TIR5. Wow, night and day!

Pretty slick odin. I actually had to run a short extension cord for my Lilliput since the adapter cable was too short to reach anything. I don't know if I'm brave enough to do what you did but if my adapter dies, I sure will give it a shot!

If I remember correctly, with a single monitor, you want to use the card and connector that is closest (physically) to the CPU. But, as was said, the monitor detection is not all that reliable without a reboot, and especially since you are not actually changing monitors.

Sli=space heater. I've done Sli with 7800GTX and also a rig with 8800GTS and as has been said, you will have to do some tinkering sometimes but it's not really too big of a hassle. My two biggest complaints would be the heat and also the micro-stuttering. Some folks are not that sensitive to the micro-stuttering and it doesn't happen with 'every' game, but I noticed it with most, but I'm sure it's because I mostly play flight sims. It's very difficult to detect with FPS, at least for me. That said, I have my main doisplay and also an 8" touchscreen attached to my 580GTX and have a Dell 2405FPW attached to my 280GTX. If I do get a need for more video horsepower in the future I will most likely get another 580GTX and Sli again.

Just wait until you start getting into MFD's, multi-screens and such. You can get a lot more 'physical' with this sim. The Hog is awesome, but that's just the beginning. I'm sure you'll see :-)

Just tossing this out - maybe right, maybe, wrong. Attach Black Shark to simulator.exe instead?

Careful, Ian may have a patent for the Cougar Nxt2 and that looks identical!

At least you will be in the same heaven as I am. You will absolutely love the combo! And really, I totally expected to have to go Sli after getting my U3011 but was pleasantly suprised with the performance of this card at 2560x1600. Definitely explains the $$ you have to pay for it, and it was worth it too! I'd done 7800GTX Sli, 8800GTS, and then decided to wait for a card that would be able to stand alone for awhile. This 580GTX is the one.

Works great for me.

I had a really cool setup where I wedged a 20" widescreen under my 24" widscreen and velcro'd the MFD's to the 20". I've since replaced my 24" with a 30" and had to abandon the previous configuration. I now just use a single Cougar MFD velcro'd to my 8" Lilliput and this is fine for me. I didn't even bother with the second Cougar MFD. This works great since I can swap MFD's with just a joystick button. Also, it reduces the CPU hit since my 8" is only running 1024x768. Really though, unless you fly with Alt-F1, using an 8"screen is almost like cheating compared to using the cockpit MFD's. I can see things from a range of almost twice as far on the 8" screen as I can on the main view MFD (with reasonable zoom). Save some $$ and just go with one 8" and if you feel you need another later, add it. The moving map displays fine no matter where you display it, so you migh want to use the second Cougar MFD just to keep from having to use the mouse but I just swap screens anyway, so I just saved a USB port :-)

8" fits better. Mine is a Lilliput touchscreen but you can save $$ by getting a non-touchscreen 8". It connects via VGA.

And inbound rep Helios. I actually feel the same way.

Whoah!!! Seriously. I had gotten pretty good with Black Shark. I mean, I could do a cold startup. I had both TouchBuddy and TouchPal going on with it. Then came A-10, and that made me change stuff. I squeezed a smaller monitor under my primary monitor, ordered some MFD's, attached them to make it look kinda like a real cockpit, then ordered a Thrustmaster Hog stick/throttle, and then, upgraded some other stuff. I had Cougar previously. Then got way into Hog flying (mind you, this is all over a very short few months), not firing up Black Shark much at all, and now.... I am so pissed that not only have I forgotten how to operate the Shark, since I've changed HOTAS (amongst other things), I have to re-learn it again! TIR5 is like new eyes! I can see buttons I couldn't see before. Also, I did upgrade some other stuff too, so really, it's like Christmas for me. And now, loving the chopper some more. Really, I should get paid for this! So, struggling with re-learning BS, learning A-10(edit) , and finding time for either, is a struggle. But I love it! Thanks DCS!