CA Products FLIGHT SIM YOKE PC Quick Start Guide

Contents of the Box

Congratulations on your purchase of the CH Flight Sim Yoke! We are confident that you will find it to be one of the most precise and durable flight yoke controllers available. The CH Flight Sim Yoke PC is a snap to setup for your favorite DOS or Windows 95/98 flight games or simulators. It was carefully designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. by real aviation enthusiasts, so strap yourself in and get ready to experience a whole new level of simulation realism!

• One CH Flight Sim Yoke PC (IBM compatible gameport version)
• Two Clamping Arms and Two Bolts
• One CD or Floppy Diskette
• One Quick Start Sheet (this piece of paper)

Overview

After the Flight Sim Yoke driver has been installed (see "Installation – Software"), you must configure and calibrate the yoke in the Windows 95/98 Game Controllers Control Panel.

To set the correct driver in Windows 95/98:

1. Single Click on Start, Settings, and Control Panel.
2. Make sure that the general tab is empty of all controllers, then click on Add
3. From the list, select CH Flight Sim Yoke PC (win95) or CH Flight Sim Yoke PC (win98).
   Note: If you are running version Direct X 7.0 or later, place a checkmark in the rudder/pedals checkbox in this area.
4. Single click on OK

To calibrate your CH Flight Sim Yoke PC:

1. Highlight the CH Flight Sim Yoke PC in your game controllers list and single click on Properties
2. Single click on the Settings tab.
3. Single click on Calibrate
4. Follow the onscreen instructions carefully.

How to calibrate your CH Flight Sim Yoke PC (step by step):

Calibration is one thing you should repeat every time you plan to use your yoke. A good calibration can go a long way in giving you the control you expect while flying your simulator.

1. First, center the trim wheel on the base of the FSY, then jiggle the yoke handle and let it come to rest and press button 1 (trigger) on the left handle.
   Note: Each time you press a button you will advance to the next step in the calibration, so be careful. Click on 'back' if you make a mistake.
2. Fully but gently, move the yoke to all extremes (in, out, left, and right) holding the yoke at each extent for a second or two. Four times around the box is generally enough, then press button 1 (trigger) on the left handle to advance to the next step.
   Note: During calibration the "+" may not go full range, this is normal.
3. Let the handle come to rest and press button 1 again to confirm the center position.
4. You are now ready to calibrate the throttle. Move the throttle handle forward and back, at least twice, slowly and completely. Then, press button 1 to advance to the next step.
   Note: It is normal for the red bar to not reach the top or bottom. When you test the controller after calibration it will work correctly.
5. Press enter on the keyboard four times to capture the P.O.V. (Point of View) hat. The arrow should move to all four directions. Then, press button one to complete the calibration.
6. Click on Finish, Apply, then OK.
7. After you have finished calibration, click on Test. Test all the buttons and movement. All movement and centering should now be correct. If any part of the test looks incorrect, calibrate the yoke again carefully. You are now ready to fly your favorite Windows 95/98 simulator!

Note: Be aware that some games also have their own setup options within the game. If you have problems check the troubleshooting section or open the Flight Sim Yoke PC Help file for detailed information.

Windows 2000^® Setup

1. Single Click on Start, Settings, and Control Panel.
2. Make sure that the general tab is empty of all controllers, then click on Add
3. From the list, select 6-button joystick w/two POVs and throttle
4. Single click on OK

Calibration is performed the same as Windows 95/98. Refer to the instructions above for more information.

MS-DOS Setup

There is no special driver required for DOS-based games, just make sure that the game supports a joystick or yoke. To enable the Flight Sim Yoke in a DOS game (even those that can be launched from within Windows), you must first setup and calibrate it within the game. Though joystick setup procedures vary from game to game, you can usually do it from the game's "Controls" or "Options" menu. For more information, please see the game's user manual. MS-DOS games that can be launched from Windows 95/98 still use their own built-in joystick drivers and thus will require setup within the actual game.

Gaming Center (Button Programming Software)

Gaming Center allows you to map your Flight Sim yoke buttons to keyboard functions for almost all of your Windows 95/98 games. To open Gaming Center, click Start> Programs> CH Products> Flight Sim Yoke PC> GamingCenter. Once Gaming Center is open, click on Help for instructions on how to use it. Click on the 'X' to exit Gaming Center.

Remember, Gaming Center is generally used with games that do not have built in joystick button remapping. If you can assign the buttons to do certain functions in your game then it is best to use the game's utility, and not Gaming Center. Check with your game's instruction manual for more information on assigning specific functions to your buttons.

Troubleshooting

→I can't enable the Flight Sim Yoke in any games.
Make sure that the Flight Sim Yoke is securely plugged into the primary gameport and that the gameport is enabled. You can check this by using a joystick test program such as JCENTER (see "Testing the Hardware"). If OK, make sure that you've correctly activated and calibrated the yoke within the game according to the manufacturer. Windows users, make sure that Flight Sim Yoke PC is listed as controller ID 1 in Game Controllers (Advanced tab).

→My Flight Sim Yoke won't center up correctly or drifts in the game.
It is not properly calibrated. Re-calibrate the joystick in the game as well as in Windows 'Game Controllers'. Before calibrating, make sure that the computer is warmed up (let it run a few minutes) and the yoke's trim wheel is centered. During calibration, move the controls slowly and fully to the desired positions. Be sure to follow all directions carefully. If the Flight Sim Yoke still does not correctly calibrate, make sure the gameport in your system is fast enough for your computer by testing it in JCENTER (see Testing the Hardware). Remember, the yoke itself will not have a true center point. Therefore, your crosshair in the calibration test will not always be perfectly centered.

→My Flight Sim Yoke works in Windows 95/98 but doesn't in true DOS games.
Your gameport is either

1. not enabled for DOS mode,
2. too slow for your DOS game, or
3. not setup in the game correctly. Some gameports require special setup in order to work in true DOS mode though they work fine in Windows 95/98. Also, many DOS games require a faster gameport for accurate joystick functionality. Check your gameport as described in "Testing the Hardware." Enable or replace it as necessary. If it tests OK, make sure that you have activated the joystick in the game correctly as described by the game's manufacturer.

→The Windows 95/98 control panel does not have a Game Controllers icon, or I can't select a joystick within the Game Controllers control panel.
This usually means your system is not setup correctly and there is nothing wrong with your Flight Yoke or its software. What has happened is;

1. your gameport was not setup correctly when it was installed or
2. someone has deleted the Windows gameport driver.

In either case, you must contact your soundcard/gamecard manufacturer for more information on reinstalling the gameport drivers that are damaged. Check your manuals for more information.

→Gaming Center does not work. When I program my buttons in Gaming Center they are completely ignored by my game.
You will only be able to use Gaming Center with games that support Direct X 5 joystick inputs. Many games support Direct X 5 video and sound protocols but still use Direct X 3 joystick inputs for backwards compatibility. Check with your game manufacturer for more information.

Remember, you may also have the ability to reprogram the buttons within your game, which is usually the better option in terms of compatibility. Check with your game's instruction manual or technical support for more information.

Testing the Hardware
You can test your Flight Sim Yoke and the gameport its using with the JCENTER test program included on the Flight Sim Yoke CD or diskette. It can be run directly from the CD or floppy in Windows 95/98 or DOS.

Follow these steps:

1. To test your gameport in Windows: Click on: Start> Programs> CH Products> Flight Sim Yoke PC> Jcenter. To test in DOS mode: Click 'Start, Shut down, and select the 'Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode' option, then click Yes. Insert the Flight Sim Yoke CD or diskette into your drive. At the DOS prompt (C:\), type: d:\jcenter [↵Enter] [where 'd' is the letter of your drive].
2. A blue screen will appear with a table on the left displaying a set of numbers. These numbers indicate the yoke's current position. Compare your results with those in "JCENTER Results:" below.

Figure 2. Typical JCENTER Readings (numbers will vary)

• As you move the yoke the numbers under JOY A-X and A-Y should change.
• As you move the throttle the number under JOY B-Y should change.
• As you press the fire buttons and P.O.V. (hat) switch, the BTN 1-4's should light up on screen. (For more information, see "JCENTER Results" below).

JCENTER Results:

• If test displays numbers over 400 when the yoke is centered...
  Your gameport is too slow for your computer. You may need to install a faster game card such as the CH Gamecard 3 Automatic™ (sold separately).
• If test displays "NONE" under each axis in the table...
  Your gameport is not enabled. If you've never connected a joystick into this computer before, chances are the gameport on the back of the computer has never been activated. No joystick will work until this is done. Many computer systems are sold without their gameports turned on. See your computer's documentation or contact the manufacturer for information on how to enable the gameport.

Technical Support

To get the most efficient support, we recommend that you do a little research on your computer system so you can have answers ready for the questions the technicians may ask you. Please write down answers to the following questions before you contact us:

• What kind of computer do you have?
• How many/what kind of gameport(s) does your system have?
• With which programs (specifically) are you having problems?
• Do you have any other controllers (i.e. throttles, gamepads) plugged in?

You can contact CH Products Technical Support at any of the areas listed below.

Mailing Address: CH Products
970 Park Center Dr.
Vista, CA 92083