Strange Cougar Issue - Y Axis won't calibrate

[Recluse]

So this started happening recently.

 

When I go to calibrate the COUGAR, I can see the RAW values increase and decrease during Y axis Calibration, but when Calibration is done, I see one of these 3 things:

 

- Most often, (Using the COUGAR HOTAS VIEWER or FOXY JOYSTICK ANALYZER)  I got full deflection when pulling stick BACK, but on pushing forward, it only deflects partially. This behavior is observed in game

- After the latest teardown,  I now see the opposite, with partial deflection pushing forward and NO deflection pulling back (I can see Raw Values changing)

-or it is just DEAD with no deflection either way

 

After repeated attempts, I could get it to calibrate, but now it seems totally unable.

 

- Reflashed the firmware

-Several attempts at ReStart and or/Plug/unplug

 

For reference, my Y axis is using Viper Gear C-Muk Hall sensors. The Raw deflections have always been LOWER than the RAW values from mechanical POTS, but they ALWAYS calibrated.

 

Was going to try and put a Mechanical POT back in, but not sure if I have one that is reliable (hence the replacement with Viper Gear).

 

Is my Cougar Mainboard shot? Anything I can try?

[Rudel_chw]

43 minutes ago, Recluse said:

Anything I can try?

open up the cougar and interchange the two axis pots, if the issue move to the other axis then you have a faulty pot. If the error remains on the same axis, then it could be a mainboard issue.

[Recluse]

29 minutes ago, Rudel_chw said:

open up the cougar and interchange the two axis pots, if the issue move to the other axis then you have a faulty pot. If the error remains on the same axis, then it could be a mainboard issue.

Thanks Rudel.

 

SO... I replaced the Y Axis Hall sensor with an old Mechanical POT.  Calibration works fine!! Should have tried that before posting, but I wasn't sure the old pot even worked, so it might not have been a good test.

 

Odd that the ViperGear Hall Sensor would go bad, though since it is all pretty much solid state.

 

I still have the VIper Gear X sensor (which I swapped out when the magnet shaft broke) so I will try that as the Y axis with the Y magnet and see what happens.

[Rudel_chw]

For a replacement, I have had very good results with these pots:

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/188571-tm-cougar-ch-magnetoresistive-hall-sensor-kits/?tab=comments#comment-188613

[Recluse]

Thanks! They look good. In your experience do they have as big a dynamic range as the mechanical pots? As I mentioned, the ViperGear Hall sensors always had a relatively short range (or maybe I got a bad set?)

[Rudel_chw]

1 hour ago, Recluse said:

do they have as big a dynamic range as the mechanical pots?

yes, but the cougar pot range is limited more by its electronics than by the pots, as the values are only 256 bits in dynamic range, in spite that the values delivered to the PC are 16 bit.

[rel4y]

18 hours ago, Recluse said:

Thanks! They look good. In your experience do they have as big a dynamic range as the mechanical pots? As I mentioned, the ViperGear Hall sensors always had a relatively short range (or maybe I got a bad set?)

 

Hello,

I am the guy who makes these Cougar sensors. My MR sensors actually have slightly increased electrical output range compared to the vanilla pots, about 0.3V more. Also they are automotive MR sensors instead of hall sensors and therefore dont have all the related calibration problems.

 

The Vipergears generally have very limited range, thats due to the akward hall sensor orientation they chose. Currently I only have one single last MR sensor, so in case you are interested you can PM me or write an email.

Cheers!

Edited September 12, 2021 by rel4y