solved My T Moongose CM3 Throttle buttons not being recognized by DCS

[TMP95]

I have played DCS for year now. With Virpil stick, throttle and pedals.  Past month my throttle buttons have stopped being recognized.  Everything else works but my throttles buttons. 

 

They show mapped in DCS controls but don't respond when touched.  The throttle itself is still recognized just none of buttons??

 

Any ideas. Thanks much!

[Tom Kazansky]

Are the buttons recognised by the Virpil software?

[TMP95]

How can I test that? The virpril configure software. I know how to set up axis. Do firmware update and new profile.  But you never really test buttons in it. Or do a setup with buttons.

[TMP95]

I used the joy stick tester software that comes With virpil ....and flaps lever and throttle show axis movement correctly.....but nothing on buttons

[Gizzy]

Load the device

Go to 'BUTTON;

All your buttons are shown.  Press a button and it will go red.  Release and it goes blue to show you have tested it.

If others go red but your throttles do not, even after a new profile, contact VIRPIL 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Gizzy

[Hammer1-1]

what buttons are you having issue with anyways?

[TMP95]

Okay, so none go red when pushed.  None from buttons B1 through B6 None of switches.  

 

But Axsis throttle and flaps lever are recognized and working, calibrated 

Edited September 29, 2023 by TMP95

[TMP95]

I have a ticket started with Virpil. Hopefully they get in corrected asap. I did the SHOT function they requested. 

I've tried firmware update.  New profiles etc.

Odd is it did this out blue 2 weeks ago.  I tried flash updates, no joy. Then out of blue it worked again in DCS, I remapped keys for throttle and seemed fixed.  Only for it to do it again and now seem permanent. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by TMP95

[Tom Kazansky]

1 hour ago, TMP95 said:

I have a ticket started with Virpil. Hopefully they get in corrected asap. I did the SHOT function they requested. 

I've tried firmware update.  New profiles etc.

Odd is it did this out blue 2 weeks ago.  I tried flash updates, no joy. Then out of blue it worked again in DCS, I remapped keys for throttle and seemed fixed.  Only for it to do it again and now seem permanent. 

 

have you checked the USB cable and its pins? have you tried to connect the throttle to another USB port of your PC?

Edited September 29, 2023 by Tom Kazansky

[TMP95]

Yes, I've tried multiple USB ports on computer. No joy.  I have not tried or checked pins. I've made sure was snug locked in fit on cable into Throttle.  But I likely should unplug replug into Throttle. 

 

I'll check that 

 

Checked it. Nice clean connection into Throttle. Cord seems great condition.  Lights on keys work. Always lit up. Even when buttons don't seem to work on pressing them. They are lit up.

Edited September 29, 2023 by TMP95

[Tom Kazansky]

Thanks, as a fellow VPC TCM3 user I wish you best of luck with the Virpil support and would appreciate if you checked back here to tell us how things turned out.

[Hammer1-1]

Those B1-B6 buttons...when you look at the bar on the right side of the button control screen, you see a list of modes: logical, physical, modes, shift, delays...

check them to see if they are anything other than "normal" in the most list. the logical and physical apply to what button it is: logic is what button it is assigned in windows, and physical is what button it physically is. If it is ANYTHING other than normal, let me know.

Also would highly suggest just making a new profile using the latest editor and firmware and see if you can get it working from there.

Edited September 29, 2023 by Hammer1-1

[TMP95]

Okay so Virpil has helped tremendously well trying to figure out.  Within the debug feature they seem to locate its the right-throttle-grip which is causing issues. As when isolated all other buttons work and show up as should.  Right throttle buttons however do not.  Thus causing none to work. 

 

They are having me open up throttle and moving few wires inside next....however I had to go to work so will be going over that step next when home..

 

Absolutely excellent customer service by virpil thus far

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by TMP95

[Tom Kazansky]

26 minutes ago, TMP95 said:

Okay so Virpil has helped tremendously well trying to figure out.  Within the debug feature they seem to locate its the right-throttle-grip which is causing issues. As when isolated all other buttons work and show up as should.  Right throttle buttons however do not.  Thus causing none to work. 

 

They are having me open up throttle and moving few wires inside next....however I had to go to work so will be going over that step next when home..

 

Absolutely excellent customer service by virpil thus far

 

 

[TMP95]

Update. Got around to opening up throttle. Switching / swapping connector inside.  Then back into virpil software and they had me switch left and right grip within hardware profile.

Placing Check mark back to to both sides and same no joy. No buttons work.  Clearly seems like bad connector inside.

 

Waiting on Virpil response after sending them SHOT data.. 

Hopefully there is a solution or will likely be RTM...

 

Anyone know virpil lead times currently for a  new throttle sent from Virpil?

[Hammer1-1]

expect around 30 days at the most.

[TMP95]

So they have found connector cables from throttle to base are faulted. They have asked to send me cables and have me install new ones.  Doesn't seem like brain surgery but a little complicated,  cumbersome.....but likely manageable.  

[Tom Kazansky]

2 hours ago, TMP95 said:

So they have found connector cables from throttle to base are faulted. They have asked to send me cables and have me install new ones.  Doesn't seem like brain surgery but a little complicated,  cumbersome.....but likely manageable.  

Thanks for the updates.

From your point of view, did this cable failure come from a bad quality of the cable or a coincidently wrong cable routing, i.e. do you think that such a failure will be avoided in the future by this repair?

[TMP95]

It was clearly a faulty cable.

Final conclusion is they are charging me for shipping and a cable for self repair.

The throttle has less than 100 hours game play. Basically new. I had purchased it in early 2021 (at time was on back order as new product).

I didn't end up installing DCS until 2022...as life and business got in way. Throttle remained in box. 

 

I purchased a stick, base, rudder pedals as well. 

 

The service of Virpil of locating the problem was excellent.  Their solution seems sub par and Nickel and Dime ish to charge me for a clearly manufactured bad cable.  

[Johnny Dioxin]

I'm not sure I agree with that. It's just too bad that you didn't use it straight away, but it has absolutely zero reflection on their responsibility to repair or replace anything. The device is over 2 years old and it's normal practice for companies to charge for repairs on a device that is out of warranty. There was a time when the only response to a fault found after 12 months on a VPC HOTAS was "good luck" on their forums. Had emails ignored myself when I had problems similar to yours.

It's good to see that things have improved.

[Tom Kazansky]

1 minute ago, TMP95 said:

It was clearly a faulty cable.

Final conclusion is they are charging me for shipping and a cable for self repair.

The throttle has less than 100 hours game play. Basically new. I had purchased it in early 2021 (at time was on back order as new product).

I didn't end up installing DCS until 2022...as life and business got in way. Throttle remained in box. 

 

I purchased a stick, base, rudder pedals as well. 

 

The service of Virpil of locating the problem was excellent.  Their solution seems sub par and Nickel and Dime ish to charge me for a clearly manufactured bad cable.  

So, some shadow and light here with a good outlook imho. Thanks for sharing your experience with Virpil support.

[Tom Kazansky]

3 minutes ago, Johnny Dioxin said:

There was a time when the only response to a fault found after 12 months on a VPC HOTAS was "good luck" on their forums. Had emails ignored myself when I had problems similar to yours.

It's good to see that things have improved.

Yeah, I also see an improvement here.

[Hammer1-1]

29 minutes ago, TMP95 said:

It was clearly a faulty cable.

Final conclusion is they are charging me for shipping and a cable for self repair.

The throttle has less than 100 hours game play. Basically new. I had purchased it in early 2021 (at time was on back order as new product).

I didn't end up installing DCS until 2022...as life and business got in way. Throttle remained in box. 

 

I purchased a stick, base, rudder pedals as well. 

 

The service of Virpil of locating the problem was excellent.  Their solution seems sub par and Nickel and Dime ish to charge me for a clearly manufactured bad cable.  

S&H is reasonable, especially since they would have charged you S&H to and from had they asked you to ship your HOTAS, and its like that everywhere you shop. Ive had to buy parts from Thrustmaster when I fixed my hardware, and that was because parts were out of warranty.  Just take the hit and be happy they're able to resolve your issue (hopefully after alls said and done).

[TMP95]

For record my warranty is expired by month or so. I alerted to issue 6 months back but then it started working again (faulty cable going in and out).  So technically was under warranty. 

 

Their service was excellent in terms of support.

But I'll take it!   I would use them again and find throttle and stick fantastic when working 

2 hours ago, Hammer1-1 said:

S&H is reasonable, especially since they would have charged you S&H to and from had they asked you to ship your HOTAS, and its like that everywhere you shop. Ive had to buy parts from Thrustmaster when I fixed my hardware, and that was because parts were out of warranty.  Just take the hit and be happy they're able to resolve your issue (hopefully after alls said and done).

Agree overall  

[TMP95]

An odd update. Latest conversation when paying for cabled to be shipped.  The sales rep ad hoc questioned my # of hours throttle was used (as I said was under 200 aprx)  she said software showed 496 hours (still extremely new those hours if real by sim standards).

But, that's impossible because I've only used it with DCS ...and all on only specific computer I bought for DCS ONLY.

DSC:tracks hours and I have less than 200 hours logged (vast majority of that in editor or looking at mapping keys, etc,  not 1/2 in actual flight, using throttle).

 

So the 496 hours is impossible.  I asked if they sold me used throttle as new.  They became very startled I was that new to DCS and have hours logged at less 200 hours.  Then asked did I have kids (I dont).

Then suggested their 496 hours could be wrong. Perhaps that's just hours computer was on.

 

Hmm?

 

All that said, I'm looking forward to new cables and trying to repair it myself. 

The throttle itself is awesome when working 

Edited October 5, 2023 by TMP95