Brand new MKIII Gunfighter SCG buttons don't work

[NetNomad]

Hey Guys,

I got a VKB Gunfighter III SCG as a gift and have been trying to get it to work for several days. I’m about to give up and send it back.

My biggest issue is that not a single button will register a press with the VKB testing software or the Windows app. The twist is not being found either but since I don’t plan on using it, so it’s is not as a big deal when compared to not one single button working. These issues remain even after I ran the calibration and it shipped with the latest firmware. I assume the buttons should work out of the box or is there some calibration for them as well that I missed?

I would flash it again but I’m not sure which firmware is the correct one _BlackBox_GF_SCG_v1_98_1.vkb or _BlackBox_MK2_GF_SCG_v1_98_1.vkb. I assume these are for MKI and MKII but I don’t see one for MKIII but I can’t find it documented anywhere. Does anyone know?

Also, when I try to flash via ZBootloader it just gives me a “device disconnected” error with no option to flash it. I disabled Rarer Synapse 2.x and Corsair’s iCue but still have an issue. The Blackbox is flashing red on the middle button on the right but I don’t know if that is an error or just a notification that nothing is attached to the L-Bus.

One last oddity. When I check test External devices It’s showing 100% communication Error Level with the SCG and a SCG-L that I do not have. I’m not sure what the deal with this is.

Hopefully, you guys can give me some guidance.

[rtrski]

Sounds like the grip is not making contact with the base, if all you can get is "axis" movements (and not even twist).

If you go to the VKB Device Config Software, make sure the stick name is highlighted in the top row area. Then go to the "Test" page using the tabs across the bottom. You want the "External Devices" subpage using the tabs near the middle.

There should be pictures of the grip, and of the gimbal. The picture of the grip (neither picture actually) should not have red bars to the right of it or perhaps a big red 'X', it should show with a green dot. If there's red bars, that's implying a problem.

When you go to mount the grip, the little two-screw thingy needs to be loosened so there's a good gap between the chamfers but the two pieces are not disconnected. Insert it into the lateral hole, and then use the hex to fish gently into the shaft receiver hole to gently 'push apart' the two halves as much as possible, and align the chamfers so the shaft can slip past it. You might even want to hold the grip with the mount end facing 'up' and invert the Gunfighter gimbal assembly (take it off the bottom plate) to make it easier to see what you're doing. The shaft should slide into the gimbal base far enough that you have to hold the rubber dust cover out of the way to tighten down on the connection from the side. You should feel the gimbal shaft 'bottom out' good into the stick base before you tighten it down. There's also a single little (nonfunctional) alignment 'peg' that helps you make sure you're not putting it on backwards. (when installed, the round part of the base with the connector sticking out if it should be forward.

In terms of the right firmware, please be *very* specific which grip you have: SCG, Right hand? Premium or not?

Once you're sure you've got a good connection, when you re-do calibration remember to move both the stick X and Y, twist, *and* the analog ministick (upper right on a LH stick, upper left on a RH stick) through their full range.

[UIV]

Looks like the grip don't connected to the base properly.
Remove the dust cover, install grip and try again.
If grip doesn't work - upload a photo here

[NetNomad]

First of all, thanks for the responses! Soon after I posted this I took the stick apart and put it back together. The red Blackbox light went away and everything registered. I guess I just needed some more caffeine. So all of you that said it was a bad connection were correct. I wish I thought of it sooner… Physical layer first.

For future reference, I hope there will be some sorta documentation on what all the LEDs mean on the new Blackbox. That would have been handy. If there is some that I missed please let me know where it is.

Even though I don’t need to flash the firmware at the moment I’m still concerned that the Zbootloader is not happy. It still says “Device Disconnected”. I have the right-handed, non-premium SCG grip with the Gunfighter III base. I assume I should be looking for something like “BlackBox_MK3_GF_SCG_vXXX.vkb” but there is nothing like that in the current firmware download bundle.

[hon0]

I assume I should be looking for something like “BlackBox_MK3_GF_SCG_vXXX.vkb

Uhm not sure but I think BlackBox_MK3 will be for the future BlackBox. For the moment we have _BlackBox_ which I guess is for the "old" orange BlackBox and _BlackBox_MK2 for the new black BlackBox. So I believe the latest firmware for you is _BlackBox_MK2_GF_SCG_v1_98_1

[will]

I assume I should be looking for something like “BlackBox_MK3_GF_SCG_vXXX.vkb

Uhm not sure but I think BlackBox_MK3 will be for the future BlackBox. For the moment we have _BlackBox_ which I guess is for the "old" orange BlackBox and _BlackBox_MK2 for the new black BlackBox. So I believe the latest firmware for you is _BlackBox_MK2_GF_SCG_v1_98_1

Aha, so then to clarify what you're saying even further, the MK2 refers to BlackBox and not to GF -- and indeed in the filename, the MK2 comes right after "BlackBox", and not right after the "GF". Important distinction and easy to overlook!

And then "BlackBox_" being for the earlier orange metal box, and "BlackBox_MK2_" for the later black plastic box.

Thanks!