VKB-SIM

After several days of use, the Gladiator Mk.II has suddenly lost the ability to properly roll left - meaning we can move the joystick left, in games both OSX and Windows, but the actual action is not registered.

Moving right works fine, although it does seem that moving right virtually can be maxed out before full travel of the joystick to the right is finished.

Since this affects all games and testing and OSX ( on two different laptops ) and Windows 10, it appears to be some sort of hardware problem.

Do you have a suggestion of what we can try to resolve this or confirm this is a hardware problem or not?

I found a similar thread and instructions on what to provide to help diagnose this.

I followed these steps:

1 - pull the grip all the way back (towards yourself) and LET GO.
("let go" means remove your hand from the grip and do NOT follow it on its way back)
2 - take a screenshot of this movement from the moment you pull till the moment the grip fully stops in whatever near-the-center position.
3 - do the same in all other directions: forward, left, and right.

I recorded the results in a video which you can view at this link:

https://monosnap.com/file/zkMwOQaEVUDkY ... Upli3lUtIc

I have also filed a support ticket about this with VKB North America. So far there is no resolution there and I was advised to also post in the forum.

Can anyone help?

plynch wrote:Can anyone help?

TWO questions to which I need TWO answers:
1 - did you calibrate the joystick with wizzo or vkbdevsfg software? (yes/no, name of the soft used)
2 - did you calibrate the joystick with Windows onboard tools? (yes/no)

No - the problem was first noticed while playing a game. A game that previously working fine with the joystick for 3 days.

No. We heeded the warnings in the FAQ and contacted support instead.

plynch wrote:contacted support instead.

Calibrate the joystick:
1 - Plug it into USB port
2 - No later than 5 secs after plugging it in, press FLAPS and EJECT simultaneously
3 - LED will blink rapidly = device is in calibration status
4 - Calibrate ALL axes (incl throttle and twist). Move the grip smoothly and without excess force to limits. When limits are reached, hold the grip there for no less than .5 sec
5 - Press trigger. This will tell the controller that calibration is over
6 - Restart the device
7 - Check the axes in Joytester
8 - Enjoy your flights!

I tried these steps. It didn't help or fix anything. The resulting behavior is exactly the same in joytester.

The green LED blinked rapidly, not the red - is this expected?

After moving all axis, I pressed trigger. After trigger press, the red and green LED alternately blink rapidly

Don't know what you mean by "restart device" - so what I did was simply pull the USB cord from the USB hub. Is that what you meant?

Looks exactly the same as before.

I guess I need verification if I followed your steps correctly or the device is defective.

Show screenshots of the folder from where you run the configurator. And screenshots of the tabs Global, Profile-Axes from the configurator.

Take screenshots with the Alt key held down - you will only get the active window, not the entire desktop.

Show screenshots of the folder from where you run the configurator.

I wasn't told to run a configurator. I downloaded http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Programms/VKBDev ... 87_0_5.zip - is that what you are talking about?

Folder: https://monosnap.com/file/s9DkGuBe5Wuck ... dOR8r0bKOH
Program: https://monosnap.com/file/JS7Dkys2IGhle ... ey6WWxgvG2

I don't see a Global or Profile-Axes tab - is this the program you are referring too?

After watching this old video will become clearer. The general principle does not change from the version of the configurator.
Screenshots post through the "attachments", and not on third-party resources. We remember about the Alt key when we make a screenshot.

I didn't download a firmware config and put it into the folder. Wasn't sure which one. If you need me to download a specific one ( perhaps from http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Firmware/Gladiator/ ? ) then please let me know.

I restarted the configurator in advanced mode. Here are the screen shots:







Please advise.

Another part of the axes tab

Did you watch the video to the end ?
The folder with the configurator should contain the ZbootloaderC flash file.
Update the firmware for your configurator, you need at least 1.949 (in the header itself about this).Take here.
After flashing, calibrate.

Thanks for the folder for more current firmware and software. I now understand the firmware on the stick needs to match the firmware tested with the configurator.

I downloaded the versions of firmware, VKBDevCfg-C and ZBootLoader-C as shown here:



Then I started VKBDevCfg-C and checked the three checkboxes as in the video and stopped the program.
Then I edited zconfig.ini and under the [User] section added a new line as in the video: User=Developer - then saved that file.
Then started VKBDevCfg-C again. I clicked bootloader button. Chose the _Gladiator_v1_96_0.vkb and flashed the joystick.
Once that was done and VKBDevCfg-C startted again, I made sure all the aCl checkboxes were checked, then Started Calibration. I clicked "Set all" to select to calibrate all axes. I clicked Set to begin calibration.
Then I moved all axes of the joystick to their full positions and held for at least .5 seconds at each. Then I ended calibration by clicking End Calibrate.
Finally I closed the configurator and opened Joytester.

The result is "something changed" from the very first video I posted - however as you can see from the attached video the x-axis is still not functioning correctly. The other axes appear normal.

In this animated gif ( couldn't attach mp4s to this system ) I perform the following moves:

1. Move joystick left - hold
2. Center
3. Move joystick right - hold

Any more suggestions?

It is necessary to check the connection of the loop to the controller - carefully disconnect the 4-pin connector and connect again.
You may have to look a little deeper. Where there is a magnet.



There were such cases .

Um...looky what we found...a screw jammed between the controller and circuit board for the x-axis.



Also some crushed wires...



The x-axis wire connector is a little out of place but otherwise fine..



Once we removed the stray screw..and attached the botttom withoutt crushing the wires, magically everything works fine now.

We were afraid to open the bottom in case we void the warranty..glad we finally did.

Well, that's great, so everything was resolved and the reason was found.
"Walking" screw, apparently, from here?