Gunfighter and MCG Stick communication error level

[Tibsun]

Since some time I experienced some issues with the stick and base not responding partially or fully.
I cleaned contacts and made sure everything is tight again.
It seemed to work better, but then again some issues.
After that I checked the communications between bb and the base/stick and noticed it is very bad.
Spikes appear when I move the stick or do key presses.
I put some downward pressure on the stick to make sure that I move the stick with tight contacts.
Same Issue... see pictures below.

I also had disconnects for about 20 seconds (error 100%) but not captured on screen yet.
Maybe I moved the wiring and theres some wiring interference happening when I had to change a broken spring
Have to look that up. I changed USB port to USB 3 now but same thing, no parallel cables interferring there aswell.

Anyway I also noticed that the green LED is missing and only the Blue SYS LED is lit.
So I checked, and only when I set the stick to default, the LED lights up, but as soon as I press "Set", even changing literally nothing, the green LED turns off. (Also the red flashes when calibrating are missing)
I saw the latest threat about new LED settings, but I don't have any settings on that in the latest VKB Device Config (VKBDevCfg-C_v0_90_5_4). Theres no "LED" stufff to change.
The weired thing about that is also, when I try to "Get" the changed keys and settings at "Set", it says it needs to be calibrated, even though the stick was calibrated and took the saved settings which also do work.

[Tibsun]

Aright, I fixed the communication errors by tightening up the 4 pin connector on the gimbal side. (not the case side)
It didn't look like it was loose, but the whole female and male connector is not very stable, probably only a matter of time until it goes loose again.

However the LED not being lit and the "Set" and "Get" problem still exist in the version I said in my original post.

[fallout9]

Your configurator seems outdated and probably your firmware is too. You could get the latest firmware from here: https://vkbcontrollers.com/wp-content/u ... 1_97_7.zip.
Here's a guide to get properly flashed and calibrated: https://youtu.be/8Ht8yMsdlCQ. Don't forget to save your old profile before that.
After calibration and resetting to default go to Settings and mark the Partial Write box. When you load your old profile make sure you're not loading up the LEDs (unmark that box).

[Tibsun]

Thanks for the link, I already recently updated to 1.95B and that was the latest for Gunfighter MCG on the europe support page link: http://ftp.vkb-sim.pro/Firmware/ to check before I posted.
I didnt want to risk anything else than the one that would say for MCG.
The europe page seems to be outdated, I should check the NA one probably.

Now with the updated versions:
Pressing "Get" will still say needs to calibrate. It says "read data - ok" when doing so.
Funnily, clicking on the firmware name, it says "Get Device..."
Anyway, saving data works though, but not reading or getting.


I got new LED settings to inverse the LEDs, and the LED now flash again when calibrating, that seems to work now,
but the stick LED still turns off as soon as I write new settings to the bb. The only LED that works and also can change from blue to red is the SYS LED...

EDIT: Thanks! I unchecked LED on partial write and it doesn't overwrite LED settings now.
However I still don't seem to have full control over the LEDs as said above, just the option, to not overwrite it with the new Configurater settings, which I cannot change beside the SYS LED.

[Tibsun]

Alright, I have read the latest manual now, and didn't know I had to add lines to the zconfig.ini to have control to all LED settings.

Feedback: Maybe without being "developer" in the .ini file, as default user, LED settings shouldn't be overwritten to something else.

[Tibsun]

Communication errors still appear (very juddery center axis) and I've found the root of it.
It is this plug that gets loose lately very often and I don't know how I can prevent it to do so.
It is not really visibly getting loose, probably just less than 0.5 mm
I have to press down on it and it temporarily fixes the problem for a week or so.
Any suggestions? Apparently it gets loose by the use of it's main axis.

[Victorus]

Try to unplug connector and touch each wire. May be it is broken inside insulator. Try to pull contacts from plastic (see page 7 of this manual https://disk.yandex.ru/client/disk/_Ready, Ru. Then insert back.

[Tibsun]

I once again tried to fly after a week or so and within 20 min that issue appeared again. I opened it up, only touched the white connector, pushed it in and the jittering issue is gone.
Definitely not the wires broken, either the plastic connector cannot withsand the joystic movement or it is just slipping out by itself.
Don't think that the inserted wires into the plastic connector is a problem, but overall it might be a design problem that it keeps slipping out... It's so small I don' know how I can force it to not slip out.

[Tibsun]

Investigating more into it I noticed that those aluminium wires, rotated to build one string are stiff enough to push and pull on the plug leading to wiggeling it out throughout the usage.
Maybe you can improve the stiffines of your wires and improve on plugs or the positioning of the plug so this can't happen in your future products.
The insulator of the wires play their part to the stiffness aswell.

In another attempt to fix the problem, I broke off the socket which is an error on my part.
It opened me up to attempt to snap off the plug and solder it on the bord, which is not an easy task to do as the solder bumps of the socket are very close together.

[Ron61]

This has already been fixed in the Electronics Kit upgrade. Look in the VKB store convenient for you.

[Tibsun]

Alright good to know that it's fixed.
But it is weired that it wasn't mentioned in this whole thread that the upgrade is the intendent fix for this problem we would need to pay for.

[Bazza]

Hi all, n00b here, sorry to hijack this thread but I'm facing more or less the same issues.

Just received my Gunfighter MK3 Base + MCG Ultimate + twist grip yesterday. Followed all the procedures regarding firmware updates, connection checking, but still computer says no

Steps already taken:
- I selected the correct firmware '_BlackBox_MK2_GF_MCG_Ultimate_Twist_v2_09_0'
- Installed according the procedure both on youtube and as described in similar threads
- multiple checks on connections, re-mounted with pressure and contact spray applied
- removed extension and placed stick directly on base
- checked all PCB connections
- checked loose wires in white connections

Strange thing is the software is somehow detecting multiple bases? (Both marked as no1 in pic below)
In other screens I always see the grip at node 1, and base as node 2. Why is it reversed here?

[fallout9]

Default button pressed?

[Bazza]

yep, no change

[fallout9]

Show some pictures with the 3 pins in the bottom of the grip and the 3 contact pads on top of the base.