Does anyone understand the MFG Crosswinds Software?

[Maddaawg]

As per the title, the software is not exactly end user friendly. What is "Dead Zone Start Percent", "Dead Zone Center Number" and "Dead Zone End Percent"?

I could guess and keep throwing numbers in but that seems like a tedious effort. Last couple of flights if I touch the pedals, I fly off the runway and I have been having successful takeoffs and landings for quite a while. The issue is also with taxiing and just seemed to start recently.

 

 

[rob10]

I haven't touched it in a long time since I set my rudder pedals up, but IIRC they had some good videos on their website that described it step by step.

Edited October 5, 2024 by rob10

[Maddaawg]

3 hours ago, rob10 said:

I haven't touched it in a long time since I set my rudder pedals up, but IIRC they had some good videos on their website that described it step by step.

 

I couldn't find any video on the dead zone settings, just calibration.

I did find a 3rd party video from 8 years ago that helps a little as he discusses the dead zone center number and uses an included app I did not know about.

YouTube Video

This is what I have found in the manual:

Quote

Dead Zone Start % and Dead Zone End % (Accepted value: From 0,1 to 25,5 (%) )
Non-responsive range at start / end of axis mechanical travel, while retaining full resolution. Values
represent percentage (%) of axis travel that will act as a dead zone.
Best practice is to make dead zones adjustment AFTER all mechanical adjustments are finished.

Quote

Dead Zone Center num. (Accepted value: From 0 to 40)
Non-responsive range at center of axis mechanical travel, while retaining full resolution. The value
represents the width of the deadzone. Setting = 40 is equal to approx 1% of axis travel. Setting = 8 will
typically output axis exactly at 50% when centered, with dead zone that is hard to notice.
This feature is only active if have center is checked (ON).

To me this sounds like two different ways to do the same thing. Maybe brakes vs rudder but the rudder axis has a 0.5 for dead zone start and finish percent. I'm going to try default plus change dead zone center to 50 like in the video I linked.

Edited October 5, 2024 by Maddaawg

[Bob1943]

I just received my MFG pedals a couple weeks ago.  I did no calibration with the MFG software.  I simply connected the pedals to my system, opened DCS and saw that they were recognized under the DCS Settings menu.  I then assigned the proper Axis bindings for the rudder movement and the Left & Right Wheel Brakes.  I set the Dead Zone and sensitivity curvature for everything using the DCS tuning options menu.  Everything seems to work fine.  You can tune all your controller sensitivities in the DCS Settings menu, just adjust things until you get the feel that you want.

[Maddaawg]

I followed the instructions from MFG to do the dead zone in the MFG configurator though DCS is easier to understand, and I am not sure why he says to use his software vs DCS. My settings work well now.