Toastfrenzy Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 (edited) Been eyeing up new controllers for a while now and finally ordered some Virpil controllers. Saw their Black Friday % off and thought it's now or never. Ordered the Warbird Grip, Warbird D-Base, Ace Flight pedals and the CM3 Throttle to replace my aging TH T16000m and not quite so old TWCS throttle. 2 items in stock and 2 on back order so not sure how long I'll have to wait for delivery! I did put a lot more in my basket then thought better of it! Edited November 22, 2023 by Toastfrenzy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 14, 2023 Author Share Posted December 14, 2023 (edited) Out for delivery email received!!! I feel that I've not prepared enough for this, it's all coming round too quick! Where are those heady 3, 4, 5 months waits I've been reading about! How I long for those halcyon waits as I'm far removed from "been expecting a package for the longest time" The last time I was this expectant a child popped out of the wife! Edited December 14, 2023 by Toastfrenzy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 15, 2023 Author Share Posted December 15, 2023 Houston, we have a problem....... To order this new Virpril gear I had to agree to certain sanctions, not believing for one minute that they would be up held or imposed with such strong will. I have greatly underestimated the Finance department and all I have left of my Virpril delivery is this personalised Christmas greeting. Nice as the well wishes from Virpil are, I'm trying hard not to cry into my Advocaat Snowball. Until the 25th, then maybe I get to open! I just hope the nice lady in finance never discovers the true cost or I'll be missing Christmas for sure! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techmonkey Posted December 15, 2023 Share Posted December 15, 2023 7 hours ago, Toastfrenzy said: I just hope the nice lady in finance never discovers the true cost or I'll be missing Christmas for sure! You'd wish you'd be dead... Trust me, I know better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 17, 2023 Author Share Posted December 17, 2023 On 12/15/2023 at 5:24 PM, Techmonkey said: You'd wish you'd be dead... Trust me, I know better. Hmmm, I got to wondering how your deception was discovered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techmonkey Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Well there was deception involved, although I showed the price which didn't include vat and shipping costs. But explaining why a purchase of such magnitude is very important for my very life up in the virtual air, is always lets say.... entertaining 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 17, 2023 Author Share Posted December 17, 2023 Yes, I just omitted of a couple hundred £'s off the final price but I should be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 30, 2023 Author Share Posted December 30, 2023 (edited) Oh my! What have I done!!! I have all my controllers and have now realised the enormity of configurable buttons I have! On the throttle alone it comes with a lot of buttons and a mode switch with 5 positions - you can use this as a shift press to create more buttons for each mode. Almost glad I didn't get the panel with the landing gear lever, as good as it looked, far too many buttons for my simple prop flying. Even if I did configure them all doubtful I'd remember them all. At the moment I've only had time to sort out the flap lever axis as a button so I have working flaps to the flap lever, wasn't too difficult but more back and forth from DCS to Virpil software getting it to work. Good when it did though! Merlin says Hi! Edited December 30, 2023 by Toastfrenzy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 30, 2023 Author Share Posted December 30, 2023 As a note, seems Windows only allows 128 buttons - more than enough (I think) for my prop needs. Not really wanting to add additional Gremlin (or similar) complexity just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob10 Posted December 30, 2023 Share Posted December 30, 2023 6 hours ago, Toastfrenzy said: As a note, seems Windows only allows 128 buttons - more than enough (I think) for my prop needs. Not really wanting to add additional Gremlin (or similar) complexity just yet. To clarify that statement for anyone who happens upon it: 128 buttons PER DEVICE (not total, which is why Gremlin etc can get around it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toastfrenzy Posted December 31, 2023 Author Share Posted December 31, 2023 (edited) On 12/30/2023 at 6:07 PM, rob10 said: To clarify that statement for anyone who happens upon it: 128 buttons PER DEVICE (not total, which is why Gremlin etc can get around it). Thanks, makes its easier and very doubtful I'll need Gremlin at all now. Though the buttons I've mapped all ready I've found difficult to remember when wanting to use. Got to un store the old set up and re learn the new buttons. I did forget that I have to repeat a setup for each module too....could be here sometime. I also like to make the same button activate the same control for all modules where possible - I only fly Warbirds so not that difficult. Just a lot of back and forth if I can't remember what button does what. Though the difference between my old TM 16000m and my new Warbird stick is light and day, that old TM 16000m alone has been the bane of my flying it seems. Even without the rudder pedals connected, trying out the Warbird stick I was 100% better already when testing it out quickly. Apart from configuring all the buttons I spent a good 5 odd hours setting up my hardware as had to make a few changes. May even have to relocate PC & sim in the future too, as I'm trying to shoehorn it all in a computer cabinet for aesthetics. I didn't have to make any changes to the Warbird D base or warbird grip, set up and used out of the box. I had to adjust, relax the tension on both throttle levers on the CM3 throttle as they were a bit too firm out of the box and moved the desk when I moved them. The Ace pedals required the most adjustment. I had to remove the feet and screw to the base of the cabinet, little room down there. The fitted standard spring I found way to soft and the pendulum (PIO) effect was hard to control. Added the 2nd firmer spring and the feedback was better but still not the feel I was looking for. Swapped the cams to the hard centre pair and with both springs lots better but the resistance is still too low, already PIO'd myself off the runway a couple of times. I've tuned the rudder axis in DCS, added a dead spot and a bit of curve which has helped but I expect I'll tune the rudder further. I did have to take one of the rubber feet off the stops under the left hand rudder foot rest - in the calibration software the left toe brake axis wouldn't settle at zero, 1 or 2% above - bit of a look see and trial and error later. I did take both rubber stops off at first but there was a noise when relaxing the toe brake so tried alternate sides and leaving one off allowed the left toe brake to stop at 0%. Absolutely very impressed with the Virpil Controllers, the build quality has far surpassed anything I've owned before and even my expectations! The response from the Virpil techs when asking questions before buying was very helpful and helped my decision making. I'll add a couple of pics of the Toast Rack HQ so you can see what I have to work with....it's a long story, but I live in a peaceful and harmonious world - for the most part! During the operation Complete and sort of how it is, seems to work ok for its compactness and unobtrusiveness when away - apart from the Be Quiet case on top - that was another Oh thats big when it arrived! I use an S9 phone for head tracking with the Smooth track App along with Opentrack - works great. 4090 with LG Ultragear 4k 32" monitor - even though 4k is still a big disadvantage in DCS and WT the look is worth the pain. Buttkicker Plus - was a dubious purchase and bought ready to return but this is now another must have! An edit on 01-01-2024 - had to raise the keyboard sliding top, by 2cm, to give my knees a bit more clearance Edited January 1 by Toastfrenzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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