SOI questions eg. where is the container box for the active SOI?

[bofhlusr]

I'm trying to understand SOI by flying Instanct Action / Free Flight. I'm wondering why things are not behaving as described in the manual. Could it by because I changed the default color of the symbols in the HUD?

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by bofhlusr
Correct typo.

[jonsky7]

Well in this picture the LEFT MFCD is definitely NOT SOI, it even says it in the white text box at the lower end of the screen.
When the Left MFCD is SOI, that white box with NOT SOI in it will disappear. 
it is saying this display IS NOT the SENSOR OF INTEREST.

I would assume in this picture the HUD is SOI.

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by jonsky7

[razo+r]

In your picture, the current display that is the SOI is your HUD. The left MFCD is not SOI as neither the box is around it and the text "not SOI" is being displayed. Even if the TAD or TGP or whatever is selected on a MFCD, it does not automatically make that MFCD SOI. As it says in the manual, only one sensor/display can be SOI at any time. If you have like in your pic the map open, you still have to manually select which sensor/display you want to have as SOI. 

Changing the HUD color should not and will not affect it. 

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by razo+r

[Falconeer]

The MFCD is not SOI as mentioned above already. It,s also telling you that, which a big giveaway. Also when you compare your screenshot with the picture from the manual, you are also missing the green square (or as the manual calls it: " the container box") around the TAD. 

You don't get the green square, because you have the asterisk in your HUD.

To make the left MFCD SOI, press and hold Coolie switch left long, press and hold right long for right MFCD. Up short for HUD to be SOI

Edited January 19, 2023 by Falconeer

[bofhlusr]

20 minutes ago, jonsky7 said:

Well in this picture the LEFT MFCD is definitely NOT SOI, it even says it in the white text box at the lower end of the screen.
When the Left MFCD is SOI, that white box with NOT SOI in it will disappear. 
it is saying this display IS NOT the SENSOR OF INTEREST.

I would assume in this picture the HUD is SOI.

 

 

How do I make the Left MFCD with the TAD screen SOI. I'm using the Logitech 3D Extreme joystick. Not the TM Warthog joystick. I tried using the default keybind 'h' but it's not working. I also used the LCtrl-left POV but that didn't work either.



 

[bofhlusr]

Just now, Falconeer said:

The MFCD is not SOI as mentioned above already. It,s also telling you that, which a big giveaway. Also when you compare your screenshot with the picture from the manual, you are also missing the green square (or as the manual calls it: " the container box") around the TAD. 

You don't get the green square, because you have the asterisk in your HUD.

To make the left MFCD SOI, press and hold Coolie switch left long, press and hold right long for right MFCD. Up short for HUD to be SOI

 

The problem is pressing the h, j, or k keybind to change the SOI does not remove the asterisk on the HUD. It never disappears. In the picture below, if HUD is the SOI why doesn't NOT SOI appear on the MFCDs?
 

[razo+r]

15 minutes ago, bofhlusr said:

The problem is pressing the h, j, or k keybind to change the SOI does not remove the asterisk on the HUD. It never disappears. In the picture below, if HUD is the SOI why doesn't NOT SOI appear on the MFCDs?
 

Coolie Left or right long will make the MFCD SOI. However, in this case you don't get the "NOT SOI" message because neither of these MFCD pages is a sensor, so you cannot make the MFCDs SOI. Switch to the TAD, TGP or MAV to be able to make a MFCD SOI.

[jonsky7]

36 minutes ago, razo+r said:

Coolie Left or right long will make the MFCD SOI. However, in this case you don't get the "NOT SOI" message because neither of these MFCD pages is a sensor, so you cannot make the MFCDs SOI. Switch to the TAD, TGP or MAV to be able to make a MFCD SOI.

And just to make it clear, long means a long keypress, or press and hold for more than 1 second IIRC 

[jaylw314]

If you short-press 'H' or 'K' it should cycle the left and right MFCD pages, respectively.  If they don't, you've borked your keybinds somehow.

If you select a TAD, MAV or TGP page on the MFCD, then press the highlighted OSB on the bottom row, it should make that page SOI.  In your first image, that means pressing the highlighted "TAD" OSB on the left MFCD.  If it does not, you've borked your install somehow.

If both the above do happen, you have some major operator error  

Edited January 19, 2023 by jaylw314

[bofhlusr]

Please check the short 32 second YouTube video:

When I press the default 'h' and 'k' keyboard keys repeatedly the left and right MFCD responds to subsequent keypresses respectively. 

For example, when I press the letter 'h' key, the left MFCD *apparently* becomes the SOI because when I press the letter 'h' again the left MFCD changes from TAD, to DSMS, to TGP, etc.

Note too that the asterisks is always on the HUD even though it is not the SOI. The 'container' box on the active SOI in the MFCD is also not there.

Towards the end of the video, an MFCD is SOI, but the other MFCD does not say 'NOT SOI'.

Other than changing the color of the HUD symbols, I don't have any other add-ons active.

Any ideas as to why the game is not reacting as described in the manual (page 407). Thank you.

[razo+r]

11 minutes ago, bofhlusr said:

Please check the short 32 second YouTube video:

When I press the default 'h' and 'k' keyboard keys repeatedly the left and right MFCD responds to subsequent keypresses respectively. 

For example, when I press the letter 'h' key, the left MFCD *apparently* becomes the SOI because when I press the letter 'h' again the left MFCD changes from TAD, to DSMS, to TGP, etc.

No, it does not become SOI. You are just switching through the different pages with a short press on the coolie hat switch. The SOI in your video is the HUD.

11 minutes ago, bofhlusr said:

Note too that the asterisks is always on the HUD even though it is not the SOI. The 'container' box on the active SOI in the MFCD is also not there.

The HUD is SOI because you are not selecting a MFCD to be the SOI, you are just switching through the pages. This does not make a MFCD SOI.

11 minutes ago, bofhlusr said:

Towards the end of the video, an MFCD is SOI, but the other MFCD does not say 'NOT SOI'.

Again, at no given time in your video is a MFCD page SOI. The SOI remains the HUD throughout the whole video.

Note, some pages cannot be SOI since they are not a sensor, hence you won't get the "NOT SOI" message.

11 minutes ago, bofhlusr said:

Any ideas as to why the game is not reacting as described in the manual (page 407). Thank you.

Because you need to press and hold the coolie hat switch in a direction for longer than 1 second. If you just tap it for less than one second, you are only switching through the pages, you do not make a MFCD page SOI that way.

Here, from the manual. In order to make one of the two MFCDs SOI, you need a long press on the coolie hat switch.

null

[jaylw314]

1 hour ago, bofhlusr said:

When I press the default 'h' and 'k' keyboard keys repeatedly the left and right MFCD responds to subsequent keypresses respectively. 

For example, when I press the letter 'h' key, the left MFCD *apparently* becomes the SOI because when I press the letter 'h' again the left MFCD changes from TAD, to DSMS, to TGP, etc.
 

Looking at your video and reading your response, it is not clear to me that you have read any of the other responses from others.  At least 4 people so far have mentioned to you that SOI is selected by pressing the keybind for Coolie Hat Left or Right long.  

[bofhlusr]

Appreciate the replies, especially this phrase: "you are just switching through the pages. This does not make a MFCD SOI" ... and this phrase: "Note, some pages cannot be SOI since they are not a sensor, hence you won't get the "NOT SOI" message". Thank you for this clarification and confirmation.

But, I've mentioned that I don't have the Thrustmaster HOTAS... Several times.

It's also in the title of the YouTube video.

As far as I know, long and short key presses on the Coolie hat can't be done on a joystick without a Coolie Hat. Are you all then saying that the A-10C is unusable without the Thrustmaster HOTAS or any joystick without a Coolie Hat?  Because if that were true, and only the Coolie Hat functionality works on joysticks with Coolie Hats, what is the point of having the default h, j, k, u keybind keys then? Thank you.

[Tholozor]

Short press and long press just define the amount of time the command is held. You absolutely can keep using your keyboard or current coolie hat binds on your stick (or rebind them to whatever you want), you just have to hold that command for a longer amount if time to register a Long command.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Tholozor

[ASAP]

You can also press the mfcd buttons at the bottom of the screen. First press of the button under TAD selects the TAD. Second press makes it SOI. Same for the maverick and TGP

[jaylw314]

55 minutes ago, bofhlusr said:

Appreciate the replies, especially this phrase: "you are just switching through the pages. This does not make a MFCD SOI" ... and this phrase: "Note, some pages cannot be SOI since they are not a sensor, hence you won't get the "NOT SOI" message". Thank you for this clarification and confirmation.

But, I've mentioned that I don't have the Thrustmaster HOTAS... Several times.

It's also in the title of the YouTube video.

As far as I know, long and short key presses on the Coolie hat can't be done on a joystick without a Coolie Hat. Are you all then saying that the A-10C is unusable without the Thrustmaster HOTAS or any joystick without a Coolie Hat?  Because if that were true, and only the Coolie Hat functionality works on joysticks with Coolie Hats, what is the point of having the default h, j, k, u keybind keys then? Thank you.

I'm starting to think you're trolling here, and your English is too good to chalk it up to some kind of language barrier, but I'll give it one more try.

The DCS function is called "Coolie Hat Left".  That function can be bound to any key or button.  By default, it's bound to the keyboard 'H'.  So if you press and hold 'H' for more than 1 second on your initial image with the TAD on the left MFCD, you should see the TAD become SOI.

You appear to have "LCtrl + POV1 left" also bound to "Coolie Hat Left."  So if you press and hold LCtrl and POV1-left on your joystick together for more than 1 second, you will get the same effect.

Your lack of the Thrustmaster HOTAS is irrelevant.  The names of the switches refer to the functions in DCS, not the switches on your controller.

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by jaylw314

[bofhlusr]

Finally got it. The solution was provided by all. I don't know how this forum works ie. if it credits contributor for help provided, but I'll see if I can thank all. Thank you all for your patience.

For future reference to all:

1. Any joystick with hat will probably work. In my case, the Logitech 3D Extreme joystick worked. The trick is to use a modifier to simulate all other hats. For example: LAlt+POV (left Alt key plus hat), LCtrl+POV, LShift+POV, LWin+POV, LCtrl+LAlt+POV,  etc. (that's 20 button actions there, 4+4+4+4+4 or five types of POV hats). So, if you are a minimalist and would like to keep things simple as I do (only because I literally bought 100's of add-on for other sims most of which I never used) or if you need desk space, a simple joystick with hat, trigger and some buttons on the joystick should do the trick.

2. Moving the OSB buttons and changing pages in the MFCD screen does not necessarily mean that the MFCD is now the SOI.

3. SOI instead is very specific to a screen page in the MFCD, not to the MFCD. The screen page has to be for a sensor-equipped device too eg. TAD 

Edited January 20, 2023 by bofhlusr

[BuzzU]

At some point you'll be happier when you can buy a HOTAS. I know money can be tight. The problem is you picked a plane that needs a ton of HOTAS presses. More than any other plane.

[Yurgon]

6 hours ago, BuzzU said:

The problem is you picked a plane that needs a ton of HOTAS presses. More than any other plane.

I see you haven't configured the Apache yet.

(Going by a slightly loose definition of "plane" )

Edited January 21, 2023 by Yurgon

[jaylw314]

38 minutes ago, Yurgon said:

I see you haven't configured the Apache yet.

(Going by a slightly loose definition of "plane" )

 

LOL, I'm okay for now, until they introduce the FCR, then my HOTAS will go into a corner a silently cry

[BuzzU]

1 hour ago, Yurgon said:

I see you haven't configured the Apache yet.

(Going by a slightly loose definition of "plane" )

 

Pretty bad huh?

[Yurgon]

41 minutes ago, BuzzU said:

Pretty bad huh?

Well I've mapped all of my Warthog buttons and axes, plus an Xbox controller (using two of the buttons as modifiers), and all of that only works because I haven't mapped any of the redundant HOCAS controls.

So, yeah, it takes a while to get muscle memory to catch up.

And just like Jay, I'm afraid of the addition of the Longbow radar, though maybe and with a bit of luck most of that's covered by the switches already mapped.

The concept is certainly a bit different from the A-10C, but I actually love it. It's such a joy to fly the Apache, especially multicrew with a good pilot or CP/G - like having a good wingman in the A-10.

Coming back on topic, the HOTAS in the A-10 is still the best I've seen in any DCS aircraft, and I like it better than the Apache concept. The TM Warthog is a great match for it, and I totally recommend getting either this, or something comparable from the other manufacturers who've achieved the same level of awesomess, if not more in some cases.

All of us old timers know the rationale behind it. The TM Warthog may seem excessively expensive. But with 1000+ hours in the A-10, it's a lot cheaper than going to the theater every week.

[bofhlusr]

11 hours ago, BuzzU said:

At some point you'll be happier when you can buy a HOTAS. I know money can be tight. The problem is you picked a plane that needs a ton of HOTAS presses. More than any other plane.

Thanks.  Trying to get by with the least and tinkering with program configuration and learning is like a hobby in itself.  It is also a personal challenge. I'm just amazed at the tech in DCS modules.  With updates and new tech, I'll probably be a newbie forever. Lol.

 

[BuzzU]

9 hours ago, bofhlusr said:

Thanks.  Trying to get by with the least and tinkering with program configuration and learning is like a hobby in itself.  It is also a personal challenge. I'm just amazed at the tech in DCS modules.  With updates and new tech, I'll probably be a newbie forever. Lol.

 

I feel the same way at times. Plus, at my age it's a challenge to just stay where i'm at. I do the best I can and when I make a dumb mistake I say to myself.....Nice going old man.

[BuzzU]

18 hours ago, Yurgon said:

Well I've mapped all of my Warthog buttons and axes, plus an Xbox controller (using two of the buttons as modifiers), and all of that only works because I haven't mapped any of the redundant HOCAS controls.

So, yeah, it takes a while to get muscle memory to catch up.

And just like Jay, I'm afraid of the addition of the Longbow radar, though maybe and with a bit of luck most of that's covered by the switches already mapped.

The concept is certainly a bit different from the A-10C, but I actually love it. It's such a joy to fly the Apache, especially multicrew with a good pilot or CP/G - like having a good wingman in the A-10.

Coming back on topic, the HOTAS in the A-10 is still the best I've seen in any DCS aircraft, and I like it better than the Apache concept. The TM Warthog is a great match for it, and I totally recommend getting either this, or something comparable from the other manufacturers who've achieved the same level of awesomess, if not more in some cases.

All of us old timers know the rationale behind it. The TM Warthog may seem excessively expensive. But with 1000+ hours in the A-10, it's a lot cheaper than going to the theater every week.

Yes, DCS is cheap compared to my past hobbies like hunting and fly fishing. Custom muzzleloaders and custom bamboo fly rods don't come cheap.

The A-10C II was cheap for those of us who had the A-10C already and I think I only paid $39.95 for the A-10C when I bought it. I paid the full $80 for the Hornet and Viper. 

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by BuzzU