Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog throttle increase throttle idle intermittently when plugged in

[-0303-]

EDIT/ADD:

-Boost gauge tricky to read. Further down thread (see image) I found "true non bugged" idle boost ca -6.2.

-I stupidly wrote zero (0) when meaning lowest idle boost. Edited to -6.2 in text (red). At no point during testing (all tests, all posts) did it actually show zero (0). Except engine off obviously.

-Spitfire. Bugged (idle) high boost shifts between -3 or -4 depending HOTAS RPM  level  max/min.

Might jump straight to post #6 (first with image). Previous posts I grasped less what's happening. Also, probably not intermittent (one thing I didn't grasp).

I crashed Spitfire, did Quit -> Fly again. Suddenly Spitfire rolled on Spawn Rwy.

Spitfire & P-51 both increase idle <1000 ~1500, Boost goes to -4 Spitfire instead of idle 0 -6.2.

Seen once P-51, Spitfire all the time. Not tried others.

When observed with  Thrustmasters own software "Device Analyzer". All buttons work, analog hit correct endpoints (0-16383 for example).

When plugging in the throttle the boost & rpm increases.

What can this be?

Throttle otherwise seems to work as it should, ie I can increase & decrease, just starting from boost -4 instead of zero -6.2 (Spitfire).

Calibration?

This has never happened before, bought 2018, so ie five years old, so I fear something more problematic is afoot.

Edited September 13, 2023 by -0303-
added info, works otherwise, never happened b4, 5 yrs old

[-0303-]

EDIT: Still have boost doesn't drop to zero -6.2 when pulled back problems.

When I wrote "Idle" I meant full back, NOT the "IDLE" lift-up detent. I never used IDLE for props, hardly ever for jets either which I rarely fly.

Just occurred to me, while running the throttle calibration, I should try that. Having started calibration I must finish though. Opportunity to test before calibration is gone.

Calibration done, now ... Nope, still 1500 RPM on spawn. IDLE detent, still 1500 RPM.

~~~

~~~

But wait, that's interesting ... possibly YAY! not a throttle problem...

 Pulling RPM lever full back (not IDLE dent), now RPM drops to 1200, testing IDLE dent, still 1200.

EDIT: Just spawned again, RPM slightly under 1000 (980 maybe). Note, bugged HOTAS sync now off.

I've always had RPM level at max starting / spawning prop planes. Never seen (Spitfire) RPM go to 1500 before. Is 1200 the typical (correct) Spitfire RPM directly on spawn with zero throttle and full RPM? Doesn't seem unreasonable to me but I don't own a Spitfire.

~~~

~~~

I see three possibilities (while typing):

A) DCS have changed engine  programming. Except why did it start during a "session", not straight after an software upgrade? Why didn't it happen on the very first spawn-to-rwy, but on every spawn-to-rwy later?

True  I did upgrade just before but I managed to spawn a ~5 times before it started to happen.

The intermittency "might" be DCS  programming, engine temps etc, I did do repair at least twice instead of spawn.

B) It has always been like this for everyone else but something happened with my throttle to make it suddenly see the error of it's ways.

Edited September 13, 2023 by -0303-

[Lange_666]

You don't have the option Synchronize Cockpit Controls With HOTAS Controls ticked do you? If so, remove it. 

[-0303-]

It's checked.

Funny, I just look at that, was about to make a reminder in the bug thread as 'synchronize with HOTAS' has not worked for two years at least.

I just spawned the Spitfire with RPM lever at minimum, rpm went high, touched the RPM lever, RPM dropped.

Posted the reminder. Edit: Deleted reminder as throttle might be bugged. Unchecked now  as it doesn't work anyway.

Edited September 13, 2023 by -0303-

[-0303-]

Note on calibration.

Calibration tools to be found in this thread. Used TM Warthog throttle calibration for the first time above (post 2). Recalibrated the joystick a lot (every time I disassembled it).

Throttle  program is from 2010, it says to go to (lift-up-pull-back) OFF position instead of IDLE (written labels on device) when calibrating the two big levers, which I did.

Disregard.

On second thought I'll probably redo it using IDLE instead.

The IDLE position did say zero (0..1023) in the TM Device Analyzer software  before I re-calibrated ... as if this was what the  factory had actually done before delivery.

Including the lift-up-pull-back in the full range isn't something I really want. This is better used as a switch, especially for jets (F-86 use this for example).

Device Analyzer software shows just the same as before my recalibration. Ie IDLE position shows 0 (of 0..1023). So the calibration program seems to work correctly as it it instructs you to proceed.

Edited September 13, 2023 by -0303-

[-0303-]

<Sigh> Still have boost doesn't drop to zero when HOTAS levers pulled back problems.

TM warthog still shows everything works right in TM's Device Analyzer. Analogs hits the right numbers at endpoints and all buttons work. This identical to before running the recalibration program).

HOTAS sync off:

-Spawn Spitfire RWY. HOTAS Boost & RPM pulled full back.

-Boost  shows ca -6.2, RPM shows 1000. Spitfire stationary.

-Touch HOTAS Boost & RPM lever (both still full back)

-Boost jumps to -3, RPM jumps to 1200. Spitfire rolls.

HOTAS sync on:

-Spawn Spitfire RWY. HOTAS Boost & RPM pulled full back.

-Boost shows -3, RPM shows 1200. Spitfire rolls.

Disconnect HOTAS:

-Spawn Spitfire RWY.

-Boost  shows ca -6.2, RPM shows 1000. Spitfire stationary.

Using keys (+-) increases boost and drops it to -6.2 again.

Things seems to work as they should.

(Image: 1366x768 PNG. Long dash (-6) shows Boost as about -6.2)

Spitfire Boost & RPM normal idle on spawn RWY. HOTAS disconnected. Boost -6.2, RPM 1000

~~~

~~~

What is going on?

Edit: Bugged TM Warthog throttle signals a higher level than TM's Device Analyzer says it does?

Looks like a TM Warthog throttle problem if it happens only to me. Also that it started spontaneously and that things works fine with HOTAS disconnected (keys only) suggests broken Warthog throttle.

Again, TM's Device Analyzer shows everything is fine with the throttle.

Maybe I should make tracks. Then I'd might need a volunteer to test for same results. Too tired to do tracks tonight. Also need to test other planes.

Edited September 13, 2023 by -0303-

[rob10]

Here's a W.A.G.: have you ever done a WINDOWS calibration on it (i.e. calibrated it with Windows game controller) (DON'T IF YOU HAVEN'T)?  If you have, delete that calibration.  IIRC it can mess with the WH calibration

[-0303-]

2 hours ago, rob10 said:

Here's a W.A.G.: have you ever done a WINDOWS calibration on it (i.e. calibrated it with Windows game controller) (DON'T IF YOU HAVEN'T)?  If you have, delete that calibration.  IIRC it can mess with the WH calibration

Thanks, no, I haven't. I read about that problem and avoided it like the plague. Wouldn't know how to start WINDOWS calibration.

Edited September 13, 2023 by -0303-

[Lange_666]

What happens if you (backup first so you can restore, parts of entirely) delete your DCS saved games folder and then let DCS create a new one. Deleting the input folder in there might be enough. 

[-0303-]

On 9/13/2023 at 10:14 PM, Lange_666 said:

What happens if you (backup first so you can restore, parts of entirely) delete your DCS saved games folder and then let DCS create a new one. Deleting the input folder in there might be enough. 

I renamed  the "DCS.openbeta" folder.

It worked. I really ... really ... didn't expect that to work. Don't see how it did. Holding my breath it's not a hardware glitch that comes back.

The throttle doing perfect in TM Device Analyzer, seemingly working fine except for an levels offset indicated software rather than hardware I guess.