CH Pro Throttle Warning

[Roger Wilco Jr]

My throttle has become almost unusable since the Windows 10 Anniversary update. It will randomly disconnect. At first, it took a long time to happen, but it would reconnect almost instantly. Then it would do this over and over. Now it will disconnect and stay disconnect anywhere from seconds to forever. While testing the throttle on my other computers, I discovered a potential problem. TD;DR at bottom.

First I used the CH Control Manager on my laptop to check out the throttle. I could calibrate and test it, but within a few minutes it would start disconnecting. I restarted a few times with the same results.

So then I took the throttle over to the old XP machine (I knew I've kept it set up on the kitchen table for the last 6-7 years for some reason). It took about 10 minutes before I ever saw the taskbar and for the icons to show up! I finally got the software installed and checked out the throttle. I left it connected about 2 hours and it never disconnected. Hmmmm.

I tried on the laptop again and discovered a strange thing with my USB ports. On one of the USB 3.0 ports, when I ran the calibration program, the mini stick would have a full range of motion. But on the other USB 3.0 and the 2.0 ports, the mini stick would only move about half way to the edge of the calibration box. So then I checked my desktop machine and got the same results. No rhyme or reason, but some ports allowed the full movement and some restricted. So I calibrated on a full range port, went in game, and was disconnected permanently within a few minutes.

Oh well, I was hoping that would solve my problem, but no luck with that. But here's another problem. If you calibrate your throttle on a full range port, and then plug your throttle into a restricted range port, you will only get about 60% thruster power (only with the mini stick). This could happen to you and you may not even notice, other than thinking your thrusters are a little sluggish. If you calibrate on a restricted range port, you still get full thrust in-game, and same if you later plug the throttle into a full range port (it might be a little more sensitive during landing, but I didn't check).

That was last night. Today I tried the throttle on my Windows 7 media PC. So far it's been over an hour and it still hasn't disconnected (now over 5 hours). Hmmmm.

I also bought a PCI USB 3.0 expansion card for the desktop, but the throttle disconnects on those, too. So the throttle won't work on the two computers with Windows 10 Anniversary update, and it does work on the old XP and Windows 7 machines. And it also worked on the desktop when it had Windows 7 and after initially "upgrading" to Windows 10. I think I see a pattern here.

So now I'm wondering if I can roll back this damn anniversary update, and if I can, is it possible to keep the assholes from reinstalling it. Or maybe I should just reinstall Windows 7, probably on a new SSD. Or is there some other solution? I've tried the power management trick, but that didn't help. Sigh.



TL;DR
When calibrating your throttle, some USB ports may allow full range on the mini stick and some may restrict the range (in the graphical box). This usually doesn't have an effect when using the mini stick - you still get full thruster power in-game. Unless you calibrate at full range and then plug the throttle into a USB port that calibrates at a restricted range, in which case your thrusters may be limited to about 60% power.

Now I'm just waiting for someone to say this is old news and I'm just figuring it out.


***edit***
Crap - looks like Windows 7 may not an option with Touch.

[Relix Typhon]

Have you tried updating the USB drivers? Everyone seems to be scrambling to release updated ones that work with the anniversary update.
Worth a try.

[Roger Wilco Jr]

Yup, but not for a few days. I'll check again. It may be worth just waiting a bit as I'm off ED for a while anyway.

I should add that I think the warning still applies. Although the throttle still hasn't disconnected on my Windows 7 machine (4 hours), I still had the problem with full range and restricted range ports during calibration.

[thebs]

Have you tried updating the USB drivers? Everyone seems to be scrambling to release updated ones that work with the anniversary update.
Worth a try.

Indeed. Microsoft is really doing a poor job of 'unified drivers' in Windows. They've relied on the OEMs far too long, and don't have the collective mindshare of, say, Linux with direct ODM/OEM involvement.

It's getting to the point that tracking down drivers outside of Windows Update is a complete chore, and preventing them from getting updated in Windows Update is a PITA in the first place.

They really aren't even test 'gaming rigs' well at all. I cannot believe they expect you to only have a C: drive. It's like Microsoft is regressing. But then again, they outsource a lot of Windows development and don't retain the same engineers from release-to-release.

***edit***
Crap - looks like Windows 7 may not an option with Touch.
http://i.imgur.com/p5Xkt9X.jpg

Looks like Microsoft has been pressuring IHVs to drop all pre-Windows 10, or at least Windows 8, support, just like ISVs. So much for the Touch. Sigh ...

I wouldn't mind upgrading to Windows 10, if Microsoft wasn't f'ing it up constantly.

[CMDR Abil Midena]

FWIW, I have not had any problems with my ch pro throttle and the anniv update, which I did quite a while ago. That doesn't really help you, other than it may be some mix between 10, drivers/usb, etc that is fussing things up for you, i.e. it should be solvable.

The only thing I have noticed, even when I was on 7, is that if you cal the throttle to some a physical setting of, say, 7/8 of the throw, to be 'max' in the software, ED doesn't recognize that. You still have to move the throttle to max throw to get max throttle in ED. Weird.

[Roger Wilco Jr]

The only thing I have noticed, even when I was on 7, is that if you cal the throttle to some a physical setting of, say, 7/8 of the throw, to be 'max' in the software, ED doesn't recognize that. You still have to move the throttle to max throw to get max throttle in ED. Weird.

That may be true, but my experience is if you calibrate 100% as max throw, you generally can't get that in game. My ships and SRV never reached near max speed until I started the 7/8 thing. Same thing for mini stick and throttle.

Anyway, now my keyboard has stopped working until I tried a couple different ports. <_< I returned a couple keyboards and it was probably the damn USB ports all along.

And I tried to roll back, but I guess it's been more than 10 days. I didn't know there was a limit. Feckers!

mother .......

F.jpg (25.13 KiB) Viewed 3703 times

Lol, Microsoft asked me how likely I would recommend Windows 10. How about never!

[TorTorden]

Doesn't sound as much as a problem with the throttle as with this horrible windows update and shifty drivers.

I too have this where the mini stick only offer half resolution for some reason, that reason might well be shit drivers pushed in an ms update cause it happened without me ever changing ports.

[Loriath]

Doesn't sound as much as a problem with the throttle as with this horrible windows update and shifty drivers.

I too have this where the mini stick only offer half resolution for some reason, that reason might well be shit drivers pushed in an ms update cause it happened without me ever changing ports.

Yep. Next week i am doing a backup and returning to Windows 7. Don't need this crapola anymore. Fortunately I have the Image from a know good working image and a spare drive that I can toss current stuff on so I can go back quite easily. May take a whole day, but far better than a raw install and then patch hell.

[CMDR Abil Midena]

The only thing I have noticed, even when I was on 7, is that if you cal the throttle to some a physical setting of, say, 7/8 of the throw, to be 'max' in the software, ED doesn't recognize that. You still have to move the throttle to max throw to get max throttle in ED. Weird.

That may be true, but my experience is if you calibrate 100% as max throw, you generally can't get that in game. My ships and SRV never reached near max speed until I started the 7/8 thing. Same thing for mini stick and throttle.

Anyway, now my keyboard has stopped working until I tried a couple different ports. <_< I returned a couple keyboards and it was probably the damn USB ports all along.

And I tried to roll back, but I guess it's been more than 10 days. I didn't know there was a limit. Feckers!

F.jpg

Lol, Microsoft asked me how likely I would recommend Windows 10. How about never!

That sucks. Maybe a powered usb hub would fix things?

How did you get the 7/8 cal to stick? Did you use win cal or ch software cal? I could never get ED to see it is why I ask.

[Roger Wilco Jr]

Doesn't sound as much as a problem with the throttle as with this horrible windows update and shifty drivers.

I think that's what I said - throttle working fine on XP and 7, but potential problem on 10AU. Anyway, if it's been a while since you calibrated your throttle, or possibly had the need to change ports around, it might be a good idea to verify you are getting full speed from your directional thrusters.

That sucks. Maybe a powered usb hub would fix things?

Well, I did add a powered PCI/USB card for the disconnect problem. Anyway, I think I've always had this problem (obtaining full speed) with the Throttle, even going back to DOS days.

How did you get the 7/8 cal to stick? Did you use win cal or ch software cal? I could never get ED to see it is why I ask.

I don't know - hit apply? Badum-Tishhh!
I'm using the CH Control Manager (I thought win cal wen't away with Windows 7). Anyway, I just hold the mini stick at full deflection, and then back off a bit until I see the graphics change. Then I check that I can get full speed in game. I have noticed that if I back off too little with the throttle setting, I may still not reach full speed.