TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

ontarff
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:00 am

TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by ontarff »

My new TrackIR 3 Pro will not work with my Saitek X-36 USB HOTAS. I am using the Falcon 4.0 flight sim with the TIRF4 file activated. When I activate my HOTAS the TrackIR top LED turns orange and does not work at all with Falcon 4.0. The TrackIR works fine without activating my Saitek HOTAS.

Please advise.
Barred
Posts: 881
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 5:00 am
Location: Scotland

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by Barred »

Ontarff, is your X-36 USB or game port (I cannot remember which it was).

If you are using your TIR through a hub with other devices like HOTAS for example, it is not recomended. The TIR sends a lot of data through the USB and is very close to the data limit for the USB standard. I would sugest putting the TIR into it's own USB port and if it is not possible conect a device that is not used at the same time like a printer (I am taking it tht the PC is for home use).

This should enable both the Saitek and TIR to work at the same time.
ontarff
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:00 am

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by ontarff »

I am using an X-36 USB, I have tried changing the USB ports around with no effect. I have 6 available with 4 in use. They are not on a hub. 4 of the USB ports are on a PCI board with only 2 in use. The TrackIR 3 Pro is plugged into a separate card. The X-36 works fine with the TrackIR 3 Pro on all axis and buttons until I enable the profiler. I cannot use M1, M2 or M3, key combinations, or pinkie+key without the profiler.
JeanGuy
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Canada

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by JeanGuy »

Hello ontarff,

Your last post suggest that you have a total of 6 USB connections with 4 of them being on an addon PCI card. Logically your other two USB connections should be located on your computer or some other peripheral. You further state that 4 of your USB connections are in use but do not specify where. Here is my suggestion to comply with Barred's previous instructions.

1- Disconnect all USB peripherals
2- Re-connect only your needed two gaming USB devices which are the TrackIR 3 Pro (TIR3) and your X-36. Try various combinations:

A - TIR3 to one of the 4 USB PCI connectors & X-36 to one of the 2 non USB PCI conectors
B - Reverse above mentioned connections
C - Do not use any of the 4 USB PCI connectors and connect your TIR3 and X-36 to your two other USB connections

If any of the above suggested connection plan works, then add your other two USB devices one at a time to determined which one causes a problem. Depending on your system, beware that you may be restricted to only having your TIR3 and X-36 connected to get them to work as advertize.

If still no joy with suggested above fix, come back to us with a listing of all items found in your device manager under the following two headings;

1- Human Interface Devices
2- Universal Serial Bus Controllers

Good Luck,
Barred
Posts: 881
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 5:00 am
Location: Scotland

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by Barred »

Thanks Jean-Guy, Iwas not sure wether the motherboard would see the added USB's on the PCI as a 'Hub' or as seperate USB's and did not want to steer him wrong.

If as Jean says ans the USB's are seen as sepperate then I would sugest putting you X-36 in one of the 2 USB's that was originally on the motherbaord an the TIR in the other.

All The Best
ontarff
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:00 am

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by ontarff »

I copy. I will advise.
ontarff
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:00 am

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by ontarff »

UPDATE...I just installed Falcon BMS 2.0. I also installed the "Falcon Switcher" to change between vanilla SP4 and BMS 2.0. I am now getting the orange LED with either install if I enable the Saitek Falcon4 profile.

[ February 12, 2005, 01:00 AM: Message edited by: ontarff ]
ontarff
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:00 am

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by ontarff »

quote:Originally posted by Jean-Guy:
Hello ontarff,

Your last post suggest that you have a total of 6 USB connections with 4 of them being on an addon PCI card. Logically your other two USB connections should be located on your computer or some other peripheral. You further state that 4 of your USB connections are in use but do not specify where. Here is my suggestion to comply with Barred's previous instructions.

1- Disconnect all USB peripherals
2- Re-connect only your needed two gaming USB devices which are the TrackIR 3 Pro (TIR3) and your X-36. Try various combinations:

A - TIR3 to one of the 4 USB PCI connectors & X-36 to one of the 2 non USB PCI conectors
B - Reverse above mentioned connections
C - Do not use any of the 4 USB PCI connectors and connect your TIR3 and X-36 to your two other USB connections

If any of the above suggested connection plan works, then add your other two USB devices one at a time to determined which one causes a problem. Depending on your system, beware that you may be restricted to only having your TIR3 and X-36 connected to get them to work as advertize.

If still no joy with suggested above fix, come back to us with a listing of all items found in your device manager under the following two headings;

1- Human Interface Devices
2- Universal Serial Bus Controllers

Good Luck,1- Human Interface Devices listed are

Saitek Magic Keyboard
Saitek Magic Mouse
Saitek X36 Flight Controller HID
Saitek X36 Flight Conttroller USB

2- Universal Serial Bus Controllers listed are

Generic USB Hub
NaturalPoint Track IR 3 Pro
Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
USB 2.0 Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
Via USB Enhanced Host Controller
Via USB Enhanced Host Controller
Via USB Enhanced Host Controller

I did as you suggested. I disconnected all USB devices. There were 4.

TrackIR 3 Pro
Saitek X36
SanDisk Smartcard Reader
Logitech mouse

I plugged-in only the X36 and TIR. I tried all of the combinations you suggested.

The TIR still will not function properly when I activate my Falcon 4 profile. If I start Falcon SP4 from my modified shortcut without clearing
the profile, I will not be able to leave Falcon by using the ALT+TAB key combination in order to get back to the desktop to activate the TIRF4.exe file. I have to "eject" and leave Falcon. When I get back to the desktop, the top LED will change to red. I then depress the F9 key and the LED returns to green.

When I attempt to start my Falcon4 profile for the X36, then click on TIRF4, I get

D:\Program Files\NaturalPoint\TrackIR4\
*** NaturalPoint Game Client For Falcon 4 ***
*** Unable to Map Falcon Memory File ***
NPClient interface -- initialize OK.
NPClient : Error registering window handle!!
NPClient : Error querying NaturalPoint software version!!
NPCient : Error stopping cursor
NPCient : Error starting data transmission

The top LED flashes orange and the TIR window opens.

This before starting Falcon SP4.

[ February 11, 2005, 12:42 PM: Message edited by: ontarff ]
JeanGuy
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Canada

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by JeanGuy »

Hello again ontarff,

You have not solved the problem yet but you appear to have answered some needed questions. What you done so far leads me to think that your problem may lie more with your present uploaded modified version of Falcon 4 and possibly how you chronolically applied the various addons and patches. One sure way to prove the viability and give a green light to your hardware would be to install a newer sim (CFS3, FS 2004, IL2FB/AEP/Pacific..) and then see if your rig would run it.

Seek the advice of someone who has the same set up as you.

If this is not possible then I suggest that you try the KISS principle to re-install your Falcon 4.0 combat sim. Here is what I would do.

1- Uninstall or eradicate all traces of Falcon 4, all SPs, BMS, and/or FF3 add-on or patches from your computer.
2- Uninstall Vector - TIR3
3- Uninstall X-36
4- Re-install Falcon 4.0 from original CDs
5- Apply FF3
6- Apply FF3 Hot Fix 1
7- Re-Install and test X-36
8- Re-install Vector/TIR 3

Test your system and Falcon 4.0 using load and start details depicted in the Falcon 4.0 section of this site. http://forums.naturalpoint.com/cgi-bin/ ... 4;t=000032

Above all ontarff, remember that Falcon 4,0 is a six year old combat Sim. Free falcon, BMS & F4UT have done great work to keep it fine tuned and up to date. The addons and patches these people created have also increase the compatibility complexity of a completely updated Falcon 4. Add to this a legacy X-36 and cutting-edge Vector - TIR3 and you have got yourself a harduous and complex task at hand. Do not get discouraged you will figure it out eventually.

Personally, I have refrained from re-installing Falcon 4.0 as well as third party add-ons to CFS3 and IL2 to avoid such Graemlins when I got my new rig last December. I will likely try them out one at a time once I have confirmed my present setup simming both on and off line with Vector TIR 3 Pro and the X-52.

Good luck ontarff, keep us posted

Jean-Guy

[ February 12, 2005, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: Jean-Guy ]
ontarff
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:00 am

Re: TrackIR 3 Pro and Saitek USB HOTAS

Post by ontarff »

UPDATE...... Problem Solved!

All I needed to do was remap the TIR hot keys. They were conflicting with my Saitek HOTAS profile key commands. Simple fix. Thanks guys!
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