Can't flash or calibrate MCG grip on Gladiator Pro Mk II base.

[Griphos]

I have a Gladiator Pro Mk. II that I've had for a while. I bought and installed a MCG grip. It is plugged directly into a USB port, not a black box.

When I first opened VKBDevCfg-C, I got a warning that I needed to unregister the joystick with the OS, and did so. I use Windows 10.

I followed the instructions to flash, reset, and calibrate the controller. I used VKBDevCfg-C latest version - v0.91.15 (d/l April 1, '20). I tried flashing with _Gladiator_Pro_v1_98_6, and _Gladiator_MCG_v1_98_6, and _Gladiator_MCG_Pro_v1_98_6, and then reset after each flash. When trying to calibrate, only the stick X and Y axes and the base throttle slider axis is read. When I move the Master Mode or Gate Control axes, nothing shows in the Config program test Axis 1 page. When done, the red mode light on the base keeps flashing. I performed the step of adding User=developer to the zconfig file.

It's not at all clear, from any documentation I can find, which firmware to use with a Gladiator Pro Mk II base and the MCG grip. But none of the three that seem likely worked.

It's also not clear what sort of screenshots you want from JoyTester or DevCfg, or how to take them in JoyTester.

[fallout9]

The firmware for Gladiator Pro MKII is _Gladiator_Pro_v1_98_6. Flash it, press reset to Default button, hit Start Calibr, calibrate, hit End Calibr. If it still not working check the contacts base-grip: check the 3 pins on the base and clean the 3 contact pads on the bottom of the grip with a q-tip a a bit of alcohol. Make sure the grip is properly seated on the base when locking it in place.

[Griphos]

Yeah, that's the procedure I followed. Just to be certain, the firmware I should use for the Gladiator Pro Mk. II WITH the new MCG grip on it is the one you mention?

I'll check the contacts and connection as you suggest. But if it was a contact problem, would the main axis register?

Thanks.

[Griphos]

Yeah. Same result. Exactly. I cleaned the contacts, and seated the grip as fully as possible. Used the firmware you note, and same result. Only the stick axes and the base throttle slider axis register. Not the brake axis or the two hats. And no buttons register. The picture in the VKBDevCfg program shows the Gladiator base with a K12 grip on it after flashing.

This is a bit frustrating. The base is the Gladiator Pro MkII with three pins. I bought the MCG grip to match that. It has three pins in the base of the grip.

[fallout9]

The base is the Gladiator Pro MkII with three pins.
...
It has three pins in the base of the grip.

That is not right. The base has a RevA connector (pins on the base) and you need a RevA grip (contact pads on the bottom). If your grip has 3 pins on the bottom it means is a RevB grip and won't match the base.

See this post for pictures with RevA vs RevB grips and bases: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4176

[Griphos]

Again, this is very frustrating. Yes, I see that the K12 grip has three contact points (triangular plates) rather than pins.

When I ordered, I used the drop down box to select the Gladiator Mk II base to receive the correct MCG grip, and I simply bought the one it said to buy.

To reinstall the K12 grip, do I need to flash, reset and calibrate again with the old grip?

I wll contact VKB-NA to get them to replace the grip with the one they should have sent in the first place.

[fallout9]

The right option for that drop down menu would've been Gladiator Pro (or GunFighter MKI); any other option - GunFighter MKII/III or Gladiator MKII would be a RevB connector.
To use your KG12 you'll have to flash the same firmware as the one mentioned above, reset to default, calibrate.

I feel really sorry for the confusion and I understand your frustration

[Griphos]

But my base clearly says Gladiator Pro Mk II on the bottom, and that's exactly what the invoice for the grip lists as the base for which I bought the grip. You can't tell me that getting the grip for the exact base listed as printed on the bottom of my base is the wrong thing to do.

Capture.JPG (13.18 KiB) Viewed 9218 times

These are the only options on the list:

Capture1.JPG (13.24 KiB) Viewed 9217 times

Capture2.JPG (12.02 KiB) Viewed 9217 times

[Griphos]

This is the grip shown when selecting the correct option, which I did:

They just sent the wrong grip. Okay. It happens. But I need them to pay to send this one back and send me the correct one.

Thanks for your help. I may have never figured out the problem myself, although I was puzzled by the fact that there were pins on both the base and grip.

[fallout9]

Then it means that you've ordered the right item and by mistake got the wrong item shipped. Please fill up a service ticket and you'll get this fixed fast.

[Griphos]

Service ticket opened.

Again, thanks for helping me figure this out so quickly.

[fallout9]

No problem and I apologize for the whole situation.

[Griphos]

They sent replacement contacts and I installed the correct grip contact today. It was not difficult to install, but it did seem like a lot to ask an end-user to do to correct them sending the wrong grip. I flashed the grip with the _Gladiator_MCG_v1_98_6.vkb firmware and calibrated it (after resetting to default). However, I could not get the top hat, the "Master Mode" POV hat to register or work, either in the config software or in my sim. Also, the button on the "Gate Control" POV hat (POV 2 in the config software) which registers as button 38, only registers a press about half the time, and I have to press it hard.

Did I use the wrong firmware? My Gladiator is a Gladiator Pro Mk II (the base). My MCG grip is the regular grip, not the Pro grip, so no axis on the metal trigger. Axis X and Y (the main joystick axes) work fine. As does slider1 (the brake axis), and the slider on the base registers as Axis Z. There is nothing that registers as RotZ.

The POV hat 2 (Gate Cont) registers as RotX and RotY sometimes. When I first calibrated the stick, it registered as the POV2. The POV 2 icon in the config software is blue. The POV1 icon is red. It seems to me that when I push button 38 on that POV2 hat, it switches from registering as a POV hat to registering as RotX and RotY. Is it supposed to do that? Pressing that button does change the mode light on the base from red to green and back. The mode button on the base no longer does that. I haven't checked in a sim yet to see if the mode button on the base now registers as a usable button. I'll do so. Of course, I'd prefer the mode button on the base to change modes, and the button on the hat to be useful as a button in sims.

[fallout9]

Hi again! If you have a Gladiator Pro you should flash the firmware called _Gladiator_Pro_v1_98_6.vkb. Reset it to default after that and calibrate it.

[Griphos]

Okay, I'll try that one. No, that one doesn't work at all. I think that's the firmware for when the original K12 grip was installed. That's the firmware I used to flash the grip again when I reinstalled the K12 grip. I'll try the _Gladiator_MCG_Pro_v1_98_6.vkb file.

EDIT: No, that one works the same as _Gladiator_MCG_v1_98_6.vkb. Both of those make most of the buttons work, and the bottom POV hat, but not the top POV hat. The file you mention doesn't even recognize the brake axis, and neither of the POV hats or grip buttons.

Perhaps there is a different file for the regular MCG grip on the Gladiator Pro Mk. II base. I can't see any other file in the zip download of .vkb config files that would make sense.

This is continuing to be a pretty frustrating experience.