x55 owners: some issues and questions

March 20, 2015

Hi all!

I've got an x55 hotas. I've got occasional issues with HUD where the hotas' buttons just stop responding entirely, and I have to disable then re-enable my profile for things to work again. Sometimes that won't fix the problem either and it seems that in that case the only thing I can do is reboot my computer. I can't really figure out what triggers the problem exactly; but it seems that when that happens, DCS starts having a pretty weird behaviour where pressing the escape key doesn't show me the "resume missiong/exit mission/controls/..." window but goes straight back to the Windows desktop.

The hotas is plugged on a powered USB hub. One thing I could try is have fewer things plugged onto that hub.

I'd also like to not use the HUD program, but in that case I wouldn't be able to use the M1/M2/M3 mode buttons which I quite like. The "switch" modifiers within DCS are not suitable because they only remember the first button press (for example, having M2 as switch in DCS, switching to M2 and pressing button A will trigger a M2-A; but if you're already in M2 then pressing A will just trigger A, not M2-A). Would there be an alternative to the HUD program?

Thanks.

infernus1986 · March 20, 2015

You did install the hud software and the drivers as they are separate packages ?

also you should plug the x-55 directly into usb ports on the back of your computer or on a powered hub by itself to avoid any weird issues.

March 20, 2015

You did install the hud software and the drivers as they are separate packages ?
also you should plug the x-55 directly into usb ports on the back of your computer or on a powered hub by itself to avoid any weird issues.

yes, installed all

yes, using powered hub

will try moving stuff from the hub to have only (or nearly only) the hotas on the hub, or plug the hotas directly on the computer instead

Gladman · March 20, 2015

Not that I'm picking at you but I'd like to know why you don't want to use the HUD software. Is it because you find it hard to use?

The only reason I ask is that I see a number of people not wanting to use it but I've never had a days problem with it. I don't understand and I'm curious is all.

Dale

March 20, 2015

Not that I'm picking at you but I'd like to know why you don't want to use the HUD software. Is it because you find it hard to use?

The only reason I ask is that I see a number of people not wanting to use it but I've never had a days problem with it. I don't understand and I'm curious is all.

Dale

well, i just want something that works, that does not have buttons that stop responding half way through a game

just did a test with the hotas plugged into usb3 ports of the mobo directly (not through a [powered] hub) and the buttons of both elements of the hotas stopped responding after about 10mn

if i can find an alternative to HUD then i'd be able to say whether the problem comes from HUD or something else

but anyway, yeah, i think HUD is really poorly made when i see that i had to manually edit my pr0 file in order to add a mode column (so that i can have more than 3 columns and i can use the pinky as a modifier within a mode, see my post here http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=138712&page=3). i actually filed a ticket with madcatz and they said my way was the way to go. how user friendly... :mad:

King_Hrothgar · March 20, 2015

Try closing the HUD software and using in game assignments for an hour or two on a single plane. This is just to see if the problem is in the HUD software or more basic. The X-55 has more than enough physical buttons for anything in game, even the A-10C if you skip some of the ancillary stuff.

BrassEm · March 21, 2015

If you ever get this problem sorted would you let the forum know please Deeplodokus.

(I never touch the ingame assignments if I can help it, and prefer to use the controller to issue the correct command to the game command defaults. Once the profile is loaded into the controller I shut down the programming app.)

March 21, 2015

sure, will let the forum know :)

yesterday i moved the hotas onto 2 of my mobo's usb3 ports. i played a singleplayer mission, after 10ish minutes the problem appeared. i closed DCS, closed opentrack, reloaded my profile in HUD, restarted opentrack, started TS, restarted DCS, had a problem-free 3-hour multiplayer session...

i really don't understand what the trigger is... i'll try and monitor my cpu/gpu's temperatures just in case...

Hadwell · March 21, 2015

It's picky, really picky on power usage, I have 4 USB controllers on my motherboard, and my x-55 throttle has its very own, though I haven't had any problems with the stick.

I was having issues with the throttle, all the axis on the stick were super glitchy, just all over the place, and it made playing DCS just no fun at all... so i googled around, went and grabbed a usb3 motherboard connector, since i had a spare usb3 header on my mobo, I only have my throttle plugged into it.

antzti · March 21, 2015

I did have some problems with my X55 but reinstalling it from the scratch made it usable again. Although I'm still having some issues when using Athlonics profile for A-10c. If I unplug my controller with Athlonics profile enabled I always end up on blue screen. So I just need to load new profile every time I quit playing. Sometimes I don't remember that and already broke my motherboard with those blue screens... Anyone else having the same problem with that profile?

(IGP and XMP-memory profiles are gone, tried reinstalling BIOS and tested my CPU + RAM on another computer, both were fully working.)

Other than that the stick + throttle works flawlessly, I'm using it trough my keyboards USB-hub.

Hadwell · March 21, 2015

I have that issue with many profiles, it's the profiler software itself that's causing the bsod, I just don't use it at all, there's more than enough buttons on the stick to just use the in-game button config, and get everything you really need for the a-10c...

BrassEm · March 21, 2015

My startup is TrackIR, HUD, TeamSpeak, Helios, DC World (usually). I Will have to make note of sequences and effects. A full reboot gets the startup working again.

March 22, 2015

seems like the problem has stabilised on my side by plugging on usb3 ports of the mobo (apart from the first 10mn flight that had an issue). as long as it works, i won't try to diagnose further. if it stops working again i'll try to bypass HUD entirely and just use in-game joystick/throttle configuration (and forgo the 3 different modes which i really like)

SuperKungFu · March 22, 2015

anyone had any problem where the X/Y axis on the stick suddenly stop working?

March 29, 2015

anyone had any problem where the X/Y axis on the stick suddenly stop working?

i've had that, unplugging and replugging did the trick

BUT since yesterday i'm not using HUD anymore and i've had no issues whatsoever. i had issue after issue when using HUD. it means i can't use the m1/m2/m3 modes anymore but using the pinkie is a lot easier and i can use the pinkie as a modifier for the throttle too, which i think is impossible with HUD

so goodbye HUD for me for now!

norwegianwiking · March 30, 2015

I officially hate the fookers at Saitek\Mad Catz

I've had the x55 since early January. First played a bit of Elite Dangerous before i tried DCS world and the free, clickable P51.

That sold me on this, and i bought the P51 and Mig 21 modules.

The HUD software was a nightmare, and it quickly stopped working, so i ignored it untill now.

A10C was on offer on steam, so i forked over my limited dosh and set down to learn A10. Figured i'd need the HUD software due to all the controls of the A10, so i managed to uninstall and reinstall the drivers and HUD so i could use existing profiles and map out a lot of key-binds-as-HATs to make the X55 perform better.

Now for the surprise. The moment i load a profile into the HUD software and try to even test the throttle, my computer reboots. I still havent got anything to work in DCS with the A10, and i'm pissed at Saitek.

Is this power drain from the HOTAS making my computer shut down, or is there some other issue at hand? Any tips? Anyone know someone who can visit Saitek main office with a baseball bat and bust some knees so i can feel better?

Esac_mirmidon · March 30, 2015

Try a powered usb hub to plug your X-55.

Abburo · March 30, 2015

Saitek are somehow well known about power draining excedent needed. If this is first time you are hearing then you just need to take it in consideration.

Other two more options but also related to power drain are:

- USB contacts not perfect

- low quality motherboard capacitors on the usb controller or even totally missing for power filtering for it.

Solution proposed above is the best one.

I have a wired madcatz mouse which made my system crash until i have changed the extender usb cable with a golden plated one

March 30, 2015

if it works fine without HUD, why would HUD suddenly make power consumption rise? i'm not saying it doesn't -- just that i'd blame possibly something else than power drain for the reboots (i'd just blame HUD? :D). but yeah trying another setup can only help pinpoint the problem

good luck. i hope i won't have to use HUD again, despite its benefits

March 31, 2015

can someone confirm whether HUD is absolutely necessary in order to use the mouse nipple on the throttle? :/

is it possible to use SST instead of HUD? is SST less bugged than HUD? if can use SST, is there a specific version to use?

norwegianwiking · March 31, 2015

whatever was wrong, a powered USB hub seems to have fixed it.

I also used a profile made by Shein (http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=120911&highlight=shein) and it works flawlessly so far.

BrassEm · April 18, 2015

Installation double check

After weeks of intermittent throttle problems I got it sorted and I am posting to give a heads up.

The X-55 was working fine for months, then the stick buttons would stop working intermittently in DCS. Control panel Devices and Printers all good. HUD would work, jump in game and would not work, HUD test okay, jump in game no. HUD test okay, jump in game okay. Restart mission and not work in game, HUD test okay, would only work with HUD test up. All the time the throttle was working fine, every time. But the stick was flakey. Utter frustration!!!!!!

Control Panel DEVICES AND PRINTERS reported both the Stick and Throttle okay.

Drilling down the X-55 installation you should see the following in DEVICE MANAGER;

Human Interface Devices

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino Stick (<-- Mine went AWOL!)

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino Stick (Bulk)

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino Stick (HID)

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino Throttle

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino Throttle (Bulk)

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino Throttle (HID)

Saitek Magic Bus

Programmable Hotkeys

Programmable Root Enumerator

Programmable Support for Keyboard

Programmable Support for Mouse

DRIVER FILE DETAILS UNDER DEVICE MANAGER;

HID Drivers

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Stick

C:\windows\system32\drivers\SaiG2215.sys (<-- Mine went AWOL)

C:\windows\system32\drivers\WdfCoInstaller01009.dll?

Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Stick (Bulk)

C:\windows\system32\drivers\Said2215.sys