RealDCSpilot

So, my first week with the Rhino is over and i can try to write about my experience. I really have to watch out, to not write a complete book about all the thoughts that are going through my mind about this incredible device. I will try to keep it as short as possible. At the beginning of the week i was working as close as possible with Walmis, to help him integrating my version of the Virpil MongoosT-50CM2 grip. We both learned a lot Virpil seems to have made a lot of "silent" iterations of this single piece of hardware. On tuesday he reached 100% support and the Rhino's firmware and software also got a huge versatility upgrade for calibration and configuration possibilities... To sum things up and hopefully answer most of the questions you might have, here is a compiled feature list of things i've seen, tested and talked about with Walmis: VPforce Rhino base and VPforce DIY kits Software part: • Plug-and-play support in Windows 10 - no drivers needed • Fully implemented USB PID and native DirectInput FFB support • Very easy to use configuration via "VPforce FFB Configurator" software • Very easy to use firmware update procedure via WebUSB technology • Wide range of fully adjustable parameters for personal preference • Multiple options for intensity settings for the multi-function knob • Set it and forget it - settings will be directly stored into the firmware • FFB games: automatic detection • Non-FFB games: automatic centering-spring emulation mode • More features coming up through continuous firmware and software development Hardware part: • Powerful force feedback servo motors • Up to 9 Nm peak torque on the stick • Contactless high-resolution position sensors integrated into the motors • Multi-function knob to tune force intensities during runtime • Emergency stop button • Compatible with Thrustmaster HOTAS grips, Virpil, ... (more in development) • Optional 19V 9.5A 180W power supply included • Support for a wide range of power supplies (laptop bricks: 18-24V >7A) • Active cooling, no force reduction at constant high load operation Currently in development: • adapter for WinWing grips • Support for external sources of FFB effects (e.g. DCS telemetry outputs) Now back to the user/buyer's perspective: First, it's incredibly easy to install. Mount your grip, plug everything in, turn the emergency stop button and you are ready to go. Start up the configuration tool, check if axis calibration is needed, check your grip type and send and store everything to the firmware. (Check the image) From there you are free to leave the configurator app open, to keep an eye on the device's telemetry or just close it and maybe never need to open it again. Same goes for the WebUSB firmware management tool... It truly is - set it and forget it. (Of course you will go and use them again, there will be a lot of new features coming in the future) Second, start up DCS, make sure FFB is checked in the options and also check special options for FFB trimming type for helicopters and/or stick position settings in modules like the A10C, F5E, F-14 ... Third, check your bindings and axis settings for the module you want to fly or jump into the module and do the setup "on the fly" In DCS you can also set FFB strength for each module and personal preference (trim and additional effects). At this point, your DCS pilot experience will change. Depending on your standard spring-centered or FFB stick experience in the past. A first timer, non-FFB user will be simply blown away. I can only try to remember how it felt the first time, i already had FFB since Blackshark. Especially helicopters and trimming will be on another level, those good old WWII planes and more modern fighter jets will start talking back to you! No matter what joystick base you may have had in your past, you'll also notice the huge boost in precision and fine control. A FFB user on the other side, with Brunner - Microsoft - Logitech experience like me, for up to 20 years, will basically feel like getting kicked into the future. The streamlined software functionality, the precision and the power - simply awesome. Welcome to the year 2022!

@DD_FenrirDid you try it with a small dead zone? From my experience with the MSFFB2 and the G940 i can't recommend using curves ever with a FFB stick. Only use saturation to tune sensitivity if needed. The dead zone might help with a general problem of those good old FFB sticks, the sensor and motor "sloppiness" in neutral center position. Luckily, i'm one of the first owners of Walmis's Rhino FFB bases now. It's a much more modern, year 2022 tech FFB base and i have no troubles in the Mossi.

Yeah. And i can tell you, it is truly amazing. I'm flying the heck out of it since i got the first production sample.

@Viper1970 By looking at your cyclic, you might be interested in this Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/walmis

Had one of my best weekends since the release of DCS: Blackshark. Ladies and Gentleman, we have our Brunner Killer. The Rhino is not just an plug&play FFB base, it's also one of the best joystick bases i ever had. I will go into detail in the future...

First Rhino spotted in the wild... And i let it into my home. Can't tell you how happy i am. Amazing times, to see what one guy can achieve. Next steps are helping @walmis to smooth out the fine details, and testing testing testing...

@walmisGorgeous!

And trimmable anti-torque pedals for helicopters with resistance in the trimmed position... (!)

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=!APhSkJhHNXS4pRM&id=AAE14DA560024F57!112&cid=AAE14DA560024F57 and follow the forum thread:

I really like the name "Rhino FFB"!

Yeah, experienced it yesterday. The flickering is quite uncomfortable.

If the BRU would be working like a real collimator tube, we wouldn't be able to achieve to see the centered concentric circles from different positions. There would be only one spot to do boresighting from.

I also have issues. After 4 months 4 of the motors aren't working anymore. :(

Yep, i bet irl the BRU unit works like a collimator sight with 3 separate depth layers (for dot, circle 1 and circle 2) and correctly shows the true three dimensional aircraft axis in relation to your current IHADSS position + rotation.

Just for fun, that's my theory...

Maybe you should give lessons as the BRU whisperer

I think it's the opposite. DCS just doesn't do the full calculation for the BRU sensor atm. They took a shortcut by assuming every head position is in the same spot, especially when it comes to height. That's why monitor users have no issue in 2D.

ED is working on it already. There are enough other threads about troubles that are connected to boresighting, even for TrackIR users.

No, i just want it aligned when i look straight forward centered at horizon level on ground.

We are running in circles here (not concentric ), ED has it on the list. Let's see what they will do about it.

That's not what he meant. Try boresighting with looking way off the BRU and check how your PNVS looks after that.

Yeah, makes all sense if you get it in the right ears. Of course the PNVS will match less when you are looking more to each side or up and down. The mismatch will grow the more you look away from the center, that's the paralax between your eyes (head) position and the sensor package on the nose. But if you are on the ground and look straight forward center, reference points like horizon line and objects should match almost perfectly. An offset of the PNVS in left or right -> after boresighting, WHEN LOOKING STRAIGHT FORWARD <- is really bad because your IHADSS will always aim with that offset later when you start attacking a target in flight. An up and down offset would be much easier to compensate. Checking your PNVS against the front center view is just a method to verify the result of boresighting in VR, because you can easily mess it up there when only using the currently provided state of the concentric circles method.

I only see this as a workaround for now. JSpidey's method tries to find the position where monitor players have there fixed head position. My method is only the refinement for whatever everyone elses head position might be in VR.

The FLIR image comes directly from the sights (PNVS and TADS), it's center points are the primary targeting point which is symbolized with a crosshair on all the internal monitors. The helmet monocle is nothing else than an augmented input device that needs to be aligned as best as possible because it's crosshair is just an overlay and does not represent the actual targeting point as long as you don't align it correctly. That the FLIR does not need to line up when you are straight looking forward is nonsense. Try it for yourself, an offset like in the first my screenshots (a bit to the left and down) will always lead to missing the target by the same offset when shooting the gun. @key_strokedI also renamed the thread to make it more clear that the problem is only affecting VR as it seems. It's also a bit logical because the current version of the concentric circles seems to be made for monitor usage only. For monitor players the head position is always on the same spot, a fixed known position in 3D space that can be taken easily into a triangulation equation. In VR it differs like in real life, every pilot comes in a slightly different size and that results in a different head position.

As long as ALT hold mode is not implemented, i would say how the FCS works isn't finished anyway. We have to re-evaluate the handling again at a later point...