I like to use a CH Combatstick for helos but with all the springs pulled out. This of course causes the stick to hang limp to one side when not actively being held. So I need to know at what point during launching the sim (or Windows) defines the center position because that’s when I’ll need to make sure it is being held upright. Is it when it is first plugged in, or when MSFS launches, or when the flight launches, or what? Does anyone know exactly?
I don’t understand your question.
You want to hold at what you think is the center position so that Win
or FS2020 will keep it there?
I think it will be limp until you re-install the springs.
But probably, I don’t understand.
Try hitting the number 5 of the numberpad (with num lock on) while holding the yoke centered once MSFS is running. I beleive that centers it. You might need to do that in flight mode.
I’ve heard of people modifying yokes by replacing the springs with rubber bands. They will still center, but with less tension.
I find if I leave the controller in an off center position while launching, the stick becomes calibrated to that position at some point. Controller calibration isn’t part of the MSFS options (sensitivity is but not recentering as far as I can tell), so once my controller is calibrated in a strange position, I have no other real option but to end the flight. I’m wondering when the sim decides that the current controller position is the centered position so that I can make sure it is centered then.
For flying helos, I greatly prefer having no tension at all since that allows you to make very fine movements without fighting the centering tension of the springs.
Numpad 5 will recenter ailerons I believe but I don’t think it recenters the elevator as well. Otherwise, that could be a good workaround.
Do you not have to do it manually in the Windows game controller calibration? i.e. Do it in Windows before lauching the sim. And if that works, you shouldn’t need to do it every time.
In general calibration is a function of Windows not the sim, so you need to use the windows “USB Controllers” app. Some controllers have built in chips that auto calibrate it or have dedicated apps for it.
BTW - I highly recommend the Gladiator NXT if you want a precise and not too expensive stick. It’s night and day compared to the more budget ones.
It’s dependent on the controller/joystick. Some do a self calibration setting the center point when they are powered on/plugged in, and some just tune themselves during use.
Most high end joysticks have software that you set the calibration through, or have a button combo you can press when plugging it in to put it into calibration mode. The calibration is then stored in nonvolatile memory on the stick itself.
In both cases you shouldn’t use the calibration though the Windows joystick settings. It’ll just conflict with the onboard calibration the stick has.
That part of the joystick control panel is really a hold over from the long gone days of when you connected via game port and the stick didn’t have any real logic onboard and was just sending raw signals so the OS had to store the calibration.
I don’t know if the CH config software still works on modern OS’s but that’s what I’d look at first since it does have a calibration utility built in.
I believe this reference is for a higher end expensive stick.
I use the Windows calibration app for my Thrustmaster T.16000M and
MS Sidewinder FFB.
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