PSA 3 x Thrustmaster MFD, StreamDeck, TARGET, WMR/SteamVR and TARTUS

[speed-of-heat]

So this was driving me insane... one of my MFD 's would consistently disappear... but, I couldn't find the conditions under which it would disappear, I thought I had a cabling problem ... nope... I thought it was that the script I was using to create 128 buttons in TARGET... nope etc... 

 

A little about my controller set up:

 

Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS which I configure using TARGET, to get a full 128 buttons

MFG Crosswinds v2

3 x Thrustmaster Cougar MFD 

1 x Razer Tartus (configured as a joystick button box, because I prefer discrete DX button presses, as it creates less confusion keyboard collisions etc)

1 x Stream deck (configured as a joystick button box, using vjoy, because I prefer discrete DX button presses, as it creates less confusion keyboard collisions etc) 

 

I obviously turned of vjoy first and thought that fixed it but then in game, nope it would not work, re scanned device etc... nope still nothing ... I start looking into the Game Controller UI in desperation.

 

Clue 1

I noticed that my MFD2 wouldn't configure correctly via the Game controller UI (even though it would still work in game) it would just show as a joystick, but, labelled as the Tartus so I pulled each of the controllers in turn, until i got it up as MFD... turned out it was the Tartus

 

Resolution 1

I changed the MFD from MFD 2 to MFD 4 (luck more than logic) in the Game Controller UI, with the Tartus unplugged, each MFD number has a different VID in windows, so i guessed it was colliding. Each MFD now showed up correctly as an MFD the the Game controller UI.  I ran Target and low there were still three MFD's hurrah ... or so i thought...

 

I get into game and the MFD3 has gone AGAIN... some muttering (well swearing) what the hell is going on.

 

Clue 2

why the hell do i have VIVE controller listed in DCS.

 

2nd order diagnostics (when does the MFD vanish) 

... after many stages of testing it MFD3  only vanishes once Steam VR  starts only when i have one or more hand controllers active (assumption what if to do the game controller mapping in SteamVR they are mapping the controllers to a VID that just happens to have collided with the MFD, as the newer device they would overwrite the existing device and  the MFD vanishes, only if you run TARGET 

 

Resolution 2 

Change MFD 3 to MFD 8  to see if that works it does hurrah

 

Are we nearly there yet... no we bloody aren't

Turn back on vjoy that works, turn back on the tartus and OFFS the configuration of the MFD4  via the Game Controller UI has c*cked up again... note the device works in game but FFS I won't less this beat me...

 

Resolution 3

Turn the Tartus off Move the MFD to 7 because that is next to  8 that will be safe right ... wrong ... well 5 is next to 4 ... wrong ... 6 hurrah! 

 

Finally     

Left MFD1 is fine, my Right MFD is set to MFD6 in the UI, and the Center to MFD 8... conclusion getting multiple MFD's to work with multiple joystick devices is a complete pain in the bottom, and it would be really nice if the manufacturers would use a mechanism of ensuring their virtual joysticks dont collide with each other...