Thrustmaster Attack throttle setup
Eskil Brandvik
got it up and going for some people I know:
PC Hardware - Compaq Deskpro PIII 500mhz/
128MBRam/Voodoo3-3000TV-agp/SB 1024 Live!.
TM hardware: Top Gun/Attack digital throttle/Elite rudder pedals.
Software; Win98 SE, DX7a, FS2000Pro, FS98.
After the usual "Not Connected" blues in Control Panel-Game
Controllers and refusal to install the enclosed TM Attack software
(this throttle is an eccentric digital despotic requiring special
treatment to cooperate...)
1. Deactivate (do NOT delete) the Creative Gameport
2. Manually install the standard Microsoft Joystick Port (adress 201)
3. You can now install TM Attack software sans problemes.
4. Enter Control Panel, "Game Controllers" -activate Thrustmaster
Attack Throttle. Disregard "Not Connected", that wil be rectified
later.
5. Exit Control Panel and click "Activate" in TM Activator panel.
(Controllers will still show "Not Connected".)
6. Enter Control Panel, System and deactivate/delete
"Joystick Port", _reactivate_ Creative gameport and activate
Attack Throttle in "Game Controllers". (Do not calibrate here,
only exit)
7. Reboot.
8. Enter Control Panel, Game Controllers and activate Thrustmaster
Attack Throttle - you will now get OK. Now calibrate and have fun.
Conclusion:
The TM Attack throttle/Top Gun/Elite rudders are actually quite a nice
packet for entry-level HOTAS people once set up properly. The
ergonomics on the Attack throttle are not as good as the WCS/WCS II
(discontinued), but the enclosed sim setups in the enclosed
Thrustmapper software are good starters for people not wanting to
program all switches from scratch. After a while the feel of the
controllers are quite adequate and satisfying enough for casual as
well as advanced sim flying.
The idle cutoff and afterburner detents are arguably over-pronounced,
but do the job reasonably well (my own TQS has less pronounced/precise
detents BTW)
The Elite rudders and Top Gun stick have flawless ergonomics and a
fair price. The Top Gun stick has a classic feel and works nicely.
Not strange since it's an 80% scale replica of the real thing found in
the classic fighters from the 50's, 60's and early 70's. (Reminds me
of the stick handle my dad kept from his squadron days)
If I were to consider a package for a newbie this would be a good
starter choice since it's not as intimidating as a full-hog TM HOTAS.
regards
--
<Eskil Brandvik> ebra...@online.no
Spikkestad, NORWAY
Sam Howe
Eskil Brandvik wrote:
> Conclusion:
> The TM Attack throttle/Top Gun/Elite rudders are actually quite a nice
> packet for entry-level HOTAS people once set up properly.
I agree. I just got the whole setup and I love it.
> The
> ergonomics on the Attack throttle are not as good as the WCS/WCS II
> (discontinued), but the enclosed sim setups in the enclosed
> Thrustmapper software are good starters for people not wanting to
> program all switches from scratch.
It is also very easy to set up new configurations using that software.
However, I did find a bug with the software if you try to configure the
various buttons with the dogfighting switch in the 3 different positions.
Instead of giving you 3 key bindings for each button, the software always
lost all the extra key bindings once you saved the configuration. I
downloaded the latest driver from their web site, but it also had the same
problem plus it introduced other ones. In the end, I stuck to the version
that came with the Attack Throttle, and just went into the configuration
file using Notepad.
> After a while the feel of the
> controllers are quite adequate and satisfying enough for casual as
> well as advanced sim flying.
>
> The idle cutoff and afterburner detents are arguably over-pronounced,
> but do the job reasonably well (my own TQS has less pronounced/precise
> detents BTW)
>
> The Elite rudders and Top Gun stick have flawless ergonomics and a
> fair price. The Top Gun stick has a classic feel and works nicely.
> Not strange since it's an 80% scale replica of the real thing found in
> the classic fighters from the 50's, 60's and early 70's. (Reminds me
> of the stick handle my dad kept from his squadron days)
> If I were to consider a package for a newbie this would be a good
> starter choice since it's not as intimidating as a full-hog TM HOTAS.
Just curious. How is the TM Attack throttle/Top Gun/Elite rudders HOTAS
different than a full-hog TM HOTAS?
Ed Cleary
Eskil Brandvik wrote:
>
> After some setup anomalies with this interesting TM product I finally
> got it up and going for some people I know:
Good suggestions. Still flaky at times but maybe yours will offer more
stability.
Anyone know where to get some setups for this thing??? Looking for EAW
Dantax Sirinoph
>
> After some setup anomalies with this interesting TM product I finally
> got it up and going for some people I know:
>
> 128MBRam/Voodoo3-3000TV-agp/SB 1024 Live!.
> TM hardware: Top Gun/Attack digital throttle/Elite rudder pedals.
> Software; Win98 SE, DX7a, FS2000Pro, FS98.
>
> After the usual "Not Connected" blues in Control Panel-Game
> Controllers and refusal to install the enclosed TM Attack software
> (this throttle is an eccentric digital despotic requiring special
> treatment to cooperate...)
>
> 1. Deactivate (do NOT delete) the Creative Gameport
>
> 2. Manually install the standard Microsoft Joystick Port (adress 201)
>
> 3. You can now install TM Attack software sans problemes.
>
> 4. Enter Control Panel, "Game Controllers" -activate Thrustmaster
> Attack Throttle. Disregard "Not Connected", that wil be rectified
> later.
>
> 5. Exit Control Panel and click "Activate" in TM Activator panel.
> (Controllers will still show "Not Connected".)
>
> 6. Enter Control Panel, System and deactivate/delete
> "Joystick Port", _reactivate_ Creative gameport and activate
> Attack Throttle in "Game Controllers". (Do not calibrate here,
> only exit)
>
> 7. Reboot.
>
> 8. Enter Control Panel, Game Controllers and activate Thrustmaster
> Attack Throttle - you will now get OK. Now calibrate and have fun.
>
> The TM Attack throttle/Top Gun/Elite rudders are actually quite a nice
> ergonomics on the Attack throttle are not as good as the WCS/WCS II
> (discontinued), but the enclosed sim setups in the enclosed
> Thrustmapper software are good starters for people not wanting to
> controllers are quite adequate and satisfying enough for casual as
> well as advanced sim flying.
>
> The idle cutoff and afterburner detents are arguably over-pronounced,
> but do the job reasonably well (my own TQS has less pronounced/precise
> detents BTW)
>
> The Elite rudders and Top Gun stick have flawless ergonomics and a
> fair price. The Top Gun stick has a classic feel and works nicely.
> Not strange since it's an 80% scale replica of the real thing found in
> the classic fighters from the 50's, 60's and early 70's. (Reminds me
> of the stick handle my dad kept from his squadron days)
> If I were to consider a package for a newbie this would be a good
> starter choice since it's not as intimidating as a full-hog TM HOTAS.
>
Attack 'digital' throttle?
Does that mean it only does keyboard input for the movement?
--
-Dantax Sirinoph
Agent 742 of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Official Master of the Mighty Spork
ICQ: 17534133
http://www.subspacezone.net/shipsets/
Eskil Brandvik
>In the end, I stuck to the version
>that came with the Attack Throttle, and just went into the configuration
>file using Notepad.
>
That's a tip I'll take notice of. Thanks.
>Just curious. How is the TM Attack throttle/Top Gun/Elite rudders HOTAS
>different than a full-hog TM HOTAS?
>
More programming options, better ergonomics and less setup problems.
My goode olde F16FLCS/TQS/RCS has more buttons, bells & whistles
than the Top Gun/Attack/Elite combo and never fails to calibrate or
download configs via the excellent Fox Two Pro 2.5 from James Hallows
and Winload d/l utility by Bob Church http://home.att.net/~stickworks/
The discontinued TM WCS II had better ergonomics and more buttons
but was also twice the price of the Attack throttle. My brother got
the WCS II from me after I bought the F16/TQS/RCS and it works
splendidly with his CH F16 Combat Stick although it has the first
chipset those throttles came with in 1993.
Both the TQS and the WCS II fill the throttle hand more than the
Attack and can be friction-adjusted by means of a wheel (TQS) or
a screw (WCS II). My only gripe with the Attack throttle is the lack
of a friction adjustment device and the size of buttons. It feels a
bit loose and friction-less compared to TQS/WCS II, but does the
job well compared to those more complex/expensive devices.
Ken Spencer
stuff for far too long, with no luck. I gave up and bought a Logitech
Wingman Extreme, and finally have rudder and throttle controls, but I
WANTED the thrustmaster stuff to work. I will have at it again,
thanks to your post.
I am curious - does this involve the Thrustmaster ACM card? I bought
one of those at TM's suggestion, and still no had no luck in getting
the joystick, throttle and rudders to work.
thanks,
ken
Sam Howe
Ken Spencer wrote:
My whole setup is connected to the gameport on my SoundBlaster Live
soundcard. The key to installing the driver is to temporarily disable the
SB Live joystick port and install the MS Joystick Port, install the Attack
Throttle driver, then uninstall the MS Joystick Port and re-enable the SB
Live joystick port as described in the original post. Of course, this
assumes that you're not using the MS joystick port; otherwise, the
installation should be straightforward.
What kind of problems were you experiencing?
>
>
> thanks,
>
> ken
Eskil Brandvik
wrote:
>I am curious - does this involve the Thrustmaster ACM card? I bought
>one of those at TM's suggestion, and still no had no luck in getting
>the joystick, throttle and rudders to work.
The main issue can be the fact that PCI sound cards have trouble
delivering sufficient voltage for multiple-button-high-end-HOTAS-
setups like TM gear. Since I was lucky to get the Attack set up the
way described I don't speculate more over this and don't have
knowledge beyond the hardware described.
It appears setting up a fake Standard Joystick Port from MS after
deactivating the Creative gameport, then install Attack software is
the way to go for this gear. This way you appear to fool the digital
Attack throttle into accepting to work via a digital PCI soundcard
like on the SB 1024 Live! .