Dual Saitek yokes?

[shaneb]

Has anyone tried or have info whether two Saitek yokes will work together on the same computer? I'm building a dual seat cockpit and would like to have dual yokes.

thanks,

Shane

[steveeverson]

yes, I run 2x saitek yokes in my sim without problems. I didnt install the saitek software and calibrated/assigned the axes through FSUIPC
cheers
Steve:p

[shaneb]

Hi Steve,

Two more questions, do I need a registered copy of FSUIPC? Also would I be correct in thinking that I would need to delete any axes settings in FSX prior to assigning in FSUIPC?


Many thanks,

Shane

[steveeverson]

Hi Shane,
yes that's correct, you would need a registered version of FSUIPC
It's not very expensive and give you loads of features for yokes/switches/throttles etc to work with FS
Im using fs9 and deleted all my joystick assignements so I guess you ould have to do the same in FSX
steve:)

[P1IC]

So how does this work??

In RW, both yokes are tied together. with two Saitek yokes, they are independent. How does the sim decide which yoke to believe? :?:

[Peter Dowson]

So how does this work??

In RW, both yokes are tied together. with two Saitek yokes, they are independent. How does the sim decide which yoke to believe? :?:

If assigned in FS, it only takes note of changes. So the last one to send a changed value gets that value used. This is okay provided there's no jitter on the yoke that is not currently in the hands of the pilot flying, and it isn't accidentally knocked.

If assigned in FSUIPC, the same applies -- but also, in recent versions, FSUIPC arbitrates between the two inputs and uses only the one with the largest deflection. This helps get both jitters and accidental knocking of the PNF's yoke ignored.

Regards

Pete

[Sweetwater]

Hi Shane,

Steve gave me the same advice a while back and it works wonderfully! It is a joy to have a copilot along :mrgreen:

Thanks again Steve! Good luck Shane!

Jeff

[shaneb]

Thanks to all for their replies, now if I can get past Christmas, save a little money and get Pete's download . . . hmmm, maybe a Christmas present to myself! Would that be bad of me?


Happy flying,

Shane

[P1IC]

Sorry if I seem to not get this, but, well, I don't get this! :(

Scenario: I'm in the LH seat and flying the aircraft. The right seat is occupied by a student, who is simply watching. So I set up a situation, where my controls are placing the aircraft in a glide to land. I ask the student to initiate a go-around, so I take hands off, and he puts hands on.

Trouble is, when I took hands off, my controls were mostly centred, but his controls aren't (he has not been following through - because of course he could not possibly do that).

So he moves the controls from where they were last positioned, say left wing up, elevator fully nose down (because in that position he gets access to the coffee cup holder between the seats!), to obtain attitude control as he applies power. But I have not moved my controls, so FS (and probably FSUIPC) takes the RH control inputs as command - and the first thing it sees is a left wing up, elevator fully down command.

Kinda screws up the go-around! :roll:

Is that correct, or is the software better than that? By the way, I've just realised I'm responding to a post by Himself. Pete, this is absolutely NOT a criticism of your stuff (as if!). I'm just wanting to know how two Saitek yokes could possibly work together in a simulation of dual controls!



If assigned in FS, it only takes note of changes. So the last one to send a changed value gets that value used. This is okay provided there's no jitter on the yoke that is not currently in the hands of the pilot flying, and it isn't accidentally knocked.

If assigned in FSUIPC, the same applies -- but also, in recent versions, FSUIPC arbitrates between the two inputs and uses only the one with the largest deflection. This helps get both jitters and accidental knocking of the PNF's yoke ignored.

Regards

Pete

[Sweetwater]

Hi P1IC,

I know this may be a silly question and you may have done this but have you calibrated each yoke individually? My setup works exactly as it should with no weirdness... My copilot can fly with a full range of control and once he returns control to me my yoke responds as it should.

As far as the scenario you describe, you may have issues duplicating a real life scenario. Perhaps the answer is not elevator deflection but trim... then you will maintain the nose down attitude when you release your down pressure and your yoke re-centers.

Are you by any chance using the Saitek setup software?

Let me know... I know we can figure this out...

Jeff

[AndyT]

Your other option is to physically connect the two yokes together.
Not very difficult, but it will void your warranty on them. That way you only need to connect one of them.

[manhattan]

I know it's not totally authentic, but I have a USB switch labelled "pilot"/"Co pilot" which is situated front and centre. I can select the active yoke in the time it takes to throw a switch! There is no delay, and there is only ever ONE pilot hands on at a time anyway! When one pilot hands over to the other, he mentions flap and trim settings at the same time (if the other pilot does not already know!!). FSUIPC not needed using this method, and the inactive yolk is TRULY inactive! No accidents - no problems with the wife using it like a steering wheel and saying "what does this do then?"

Just a thought?

TONY.

[Trevor Hale]

Out of curiosity, would you happen to have a picture of how you did this, Ie. did you just insert a switch in the power wire of the usb Device? where did you get the USB Switch from?

Trev

[manhattan]

Hi.

I had a multi wafer switch normally used to re-direct monitor feeds. They have many connections, and after cutting off the usb plugs from the end of the yolk cables, I soldered the bare ends into connections on the switch wafers so that the switch would direct either pilot or co-pilots yolk to a third connection that has a usb cable going to the PC. I had to use a meter to check what the switch was directing from/to and then do a drawing to keep me right with the soldering. The whole thing is housed in a metal box behind the instrument panel, with only the switch knob showing. Switching all the leads inside the usb sheath, and not just the power, causes total connection/dis-connection and is instant.
Switches like this, can be picked up fairly cheaply as there is no circuitry involved, and they are pretty basic.

TONY