Gear Handle

[cavaricooper]

My PFC Flight Console has a Gear lever which is two position- UP sends a command and DOWN is simply off.

For the moment I use my StreamDeck to send G with a button, but I would really like to use my PFC handle.

I've purchased JoyToKey but even sending G....G doesn't result in correct operation. Unfortunately PSX USB doesn't have a separate Gear Up and Gear Down keystroke so I'm at a standstill.

Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

Ta- C

[Will]

Hi Carl,

This doesn't give you full realism, but it may be a solution for you: assign the gear handle on your PFC console to the "G" key, and then also assign a button to the "G" key. Now you have two assignments to the "G" key.

Here's how you use it:

Gear up: Move the PFC gear handle up, then press the button assigned to "G".

Gear off: Press the button assigned to "G".

Dear down: Move the PFC gear handle down.

It takes a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy, and your PFC gear lever will always be in the correct position.

[cavaricooper]

Will- thanks, I'll give that a try.

I wonder if there's a way to send TCP/IP commands (Q codes) from the USB handle or from my Streambox? I will have to read up on that bit. USB assignments are limited in PSX and perhaps the elegant way forward is finding a Q code workaround.

Best- C

[Iadbound]

This is where support for the PSX in Spad.next would be so useful because SPAD already has a full Stream Deck tool built in.  From there, you could assign virtually any function -- or combinations of functions to buttons on the Stream Deck or any other device.  And on the Stream Deck, you could obviously add different icons, colors, etc. depending on the switch state.

Oh, and you could assign all your other hardware too, including throttles, elevators, etc. via SPAD too.  It's very easy.

I've been trying to get Spad's developer to add PSX support (he initially had the idea) but not enough people expressed interest.  I know others are interested in a simpler way to hook up equipment -- particularly stuff like stream deck and honeycomb products.

Carl -- is this something you might consider if PSX support was available.  If so, I'll let him know.

[cavaricooper]

I'm wholly committed to Axis' & Ohs at the moment, but I will read up on SPADnext.

Thanks- C

[Iadbound]

Thanks for checking it out.  I too have AAO.  I found myself going back to SPAD.  The only time I use AAO now is if there is a particularly good AAO Stream Deck profile for a plane in MSFS.

[Bluestar]

Thanks for checking it out.  I too have AAO.  I found myself going back to SPAD.  The only time I use AAO now is if there is a particularly good AAO Stream Deck profile for a plane in MSFS.

I would be interested if the price isn't to steep.  I'm like Carl with a PFC throttle quadrant that is jury-rigged to use with PSX.  One of my issues required me to disconnect one of my pots because the flap and throttle are somehow linked together in PSX, but not in P3d or x-plane.  I also have the gear handle problem. 

[Iadbound]

Please post your interest in the Spad Discord as noted in the original post now. 

As for price, since I have MSFS, P3D, XP, Stream Deck, etc., I happen to have the Complete Edition which is the most expensive.  Regardless, there is more pricing information on their website.  There is also a 14-day free trial, which I would recommend you try first.

[cavaricooper]

USB is not PSX's strong suit Bode. It would be wonderful to kludge up a USB to TCP-IP intercept program... investigating the possibility.... I'm sure it's something that's possible- just not sure I'm smart enough to do it...

C

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Writing that program is not the difficult part. The difficult part is to make it changeable for non-programmers. This is always the remaining 95% of such a project.

[Hardy Heinlin]

The program could assign a user defined USB event to a user defined text message (in a text edit field) which goes into the network.

For example, this text would set the gear lever to UP:

Qh170=1


And this to DOWN:

Qh170=3


These "Q" codes are described in the network documentation, and most non-programmers should be able to understand them.
When not, they can ask on the forum :-)

[cavaricooper]

Hardy- thanks for the confirmation... I did find that in the Variables.txt file.... What I'm not sure about is HOW to send this to the server (or perhaps to the local client with the USB Console attached) so that "it goes into the network"?

Is it as simple as a text string sent when the switch is actioned... that is... can I send (via JoyToKey perhaps) Qh170=3 when I select Gear Down and Qh170=1 when I select Gear Up?

C

[Iadbound]

Writing that program is not the difficult part. The difficult part is to make it changeable for non-programmers. This is always the remaining 95% of such a project.

And getting it to link up with hardware.

[Hardy Heinlin]

Carl, my comment was a reply to Hoppie's comment:

Writing that program is not the difficult part. The difficult part is to make it changeable for non-programmers.

[Bluestar]

I can program.  I wrote a program to calculate 4artan(1) to 2^32 when I ran out of power on my laptop.  To go higher I would need to lie to my computer and I lost interest.  🤣

[cavaricooper]

Carl, my comment was a reply to Hoppie's comment:

Oops... sorry... does any of the rest of it work (sending Q codes in text form via a button) or is it a pie in the sky?

C

[Hardy Heinlin]

A bell in hell.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

And getting it to link up with hardware.

That was included in the 5%.


Hoppie

[Hardy Heinlin]

What hardware? USB hardware?

[cavaricooper]

Hardy-

Yes... https://flypfc.com/shop/all/cirrus-ii-flight-console/

Is there any capacity to add Ctl+ G for gear UP and Ctl + Alt + G for gear off (or ANY other keystroke that suits)?

I do not need to have only single keystrokes such as mapped within PSX. Any such combination would go miles to relieve the issue created by the current G alone. For me, this is the single point where PSX has a USB command shortage.

TIA- C