Cougar calibration troubles

Hi guys, I really hope someone here can help me :helpsmilie:

I'm having troubles calibrating my TM Cougar.

I managed to install CCP on my Win10 pc, and plugged it in directly to an empty USB port on my pc. Unfortunately for some reason auto calibrate is not working, so I'm trying manual calibration. I tried recording the calibration process with Fraps, but I'm probably doing something wrong as it doesn't record anything. Going to try and show you the issue with screenshots:

First I click manual calibration:

The "raw axis" bar shows my input, so I'm pretty sure the sensors are ok:

Full right:

(as you can see the values from full left to full right actually seem to respond correctly)

I go through all steps like this and all raw axis response seems ok (all sensors respond)

Yet, when I save my calibration and check the "viewer", I see these results for X and Y axes:

Full left:

Full right:

I've tried the countless times but without better results. Also tried different USB ports, but no joy :(

I'm really out of ideas

Only modifications:

New hall sensors in the stick

New spring set in the stick

(all worked with the previous owner)

Other than that, all is standard (no PCB or USB mods)

Any help would be highly appreciated!!!

...

Any help would be highly appreciated!!!

Hello,

The values that you get for the X axis seems strange to me, mine has a minimum of about 50 and a maximum of 600 ... maybe you have calibrated the Cougar using Windows' standard calibration, perhaps prior to installing the Cougar software .. try the following:

On the HOTAS folder there is an application called HOTAScleanse.exe ... right click on it and run as admin, it should show this window:

Click on "Erase Windows Calibration" .. DONT click the other buttons. Afterwards, try to Calibrate again using the Cougar Control Panel.

Eduardo

Thanks Rudel, I had high hopes after reading your post. Unfortunately the results are still the same :(

Something strange going on because I noticed that the microstick response is also going weird as soon as I place the throttle in idle. When setting throttle axis in mid, or max range microstick input works fine.

But still the major issue is the stick X-axis

Thanks Rudel, I had high hopes after reading your post. Unfortunately the results are still the same :(

Sad to hear that .. if I read your post correctly, you purchased this Cougar recently and it has never worked for you .. there is the chance that this particular Cougar has a hardware issue.

If you have no chance of returning it and getting your money back, then you may want to reflash its firmware .. this is the latest one that I know:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ai6cuX3YQI26hed1qCNPRk_Tzhjfvg

Save it onto your Hotas folder and run it as admin ... here is the software instructions (page 35):

https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ai6cuX3YQI26goJxXXN_k2zQ6jJXcw

Unplug the throttle from the stick's base before running the firmware updater.

If the problem isnt hardware-related this should clear any errors caused by faulty calibration of the axes. Wish you the best.

Sad to hear that .. if I read your post correctly, you purchased this Cougar recently and it has never worked for you .. there is the chance that this particular Cougar has a hardware issue.

It's a bit more "complicated" actually.

I had a properly working Cougar set, which I also had to calibrate manually btw, but the gimbal broke..

Forum member FZG_Immel was ever so kind to give me his (NN-Dan spring modded) Cougar base. He had also installed new hall sensors.

The PCB of his original base died and when he replaced it with another one (just for testing purposes) all worked fine. So he send me the base with the broken PCB and told me to replace it with the one from my Cougar. I also replaced the USB cable with the one from my base.

Now, after each time I restart my pc and startup CCP, I get a message that my Cougar isn't properly connected. So I unplug and re-plug the USB and fire up CCP again. This time it is recognized, but I'll have to manually set it to "user mode" and select manual calibration each time I start up CCP.

I have managed to get it "somehow" calibrated by not using the full extend of axes travel and do some extreme axis tuning, but it's far from perfect :(

Anyways, again thanks for your response and if anyone else recognizes this issue and knows a solution or work around, please share

It appears I am having same problems in calibrating my Hotas Cougar in the HOTAS Cougar Control Panel ver 3.01.   When calibrating my throttle when I move the throttle forward and back the numbers never change and the bar never moves.  Do you know if these needed to be repaired in the last 15 yrs ? lol,  the production number on mine Hotas is #4856 . In BMS the throttle bar is delayed when moved in setup.  Am I doing something wrong ?

8 hours ago, JudgeDredd said:

... When calibrating my throttle when I move the throttle forward and back the numbers never change and the bar never moves. 

 

use the Viewer application (on the Cougar Control Panel), to check if the axes potentiometers are producing numeric values or not. Also, check all the buttons to ascertain if all do work:

Sir,

   I ran this,  the "Z" does nothing when the throttle is pushed forward and back,  all the other buttons work on the throttle and joystick.  I deleted and installed the Hotas drivers  2007_HCO_Vista_64_RC1, did the unplug/plug the USB portion, did the driver in and driver out directions.  Then clicked on the Hotas Cougar Control Panel, and got the STTubeDevice203.dll error and did your fix by copying the driver in the Hotas Driver folder and pasted it in the Windows\syswow64 folder and it then opened correctly without and error.

  I then went into the Hotas Analyzer and the green "target reticle" was initially in the center of the graph, but one the stick was touched it went into the top lefthand corner of the graph and stayed there and the graph lines turned "RED".

  So boss, not sure what I am doing wrong at his moment, but I am trying to work through it.

Thank You very much for your ideas and instruction on this Sir.   JD

2 hours ago, JudgeDredd said:

  I ran this,  the "Z" does nothing when the throttle is pushed forward and back,  all the other buttons work on the throttle and joystick.  
...

  I then went into the Hotas Analyzer and the green "target reticle" was initially in the center of the graph, but one the stick was touched it went into the top lefthand corner of the graph and stayed there and the graph lines turned "RED". 

   

Hi, from your description it seems like a hardware problem. At the very least, the main Z potentiometer of the throttle seems dead, and the X & Y potentiometers of the joystick seem to be at fault too.

I’m not sure if I understood you correctly: On the first test of the Hotas the X & Y worked correctly, but once you reinstalled the software they didnt work anymore?

can you try what I suggested on this post?  https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/217461-cougar-calibration-troubles/?do=findComment&comment=4057395
 

8 hours ago, JudgeDredd said:

Sir,

 

   I ran this,  the "Z" does nothing when the throttle is pushed forward and back,  all the other buttons work on the throttle and joystick.  I deleted and installed the Hotas drivers  2007_HCO_Vista_64_RC1, did the unplug/plug the USB portion, did the driver in and driver out directions.  Then clicked on the Hotas Cougar Control Panel, and got the STTubeDevice203.dll error and did your fix by copying the driver in the Hotas Driver folder and pasted it in the Windows\syswow64 folder and it then opened correctly without and error.

  I then went into the Hotas Analyzer and the green "target reticle" was initially in the center of the graph, but one the stick was touched it went into the top lefthand corner of the graph and stayed there and the graph lines turned "RED".

  So boss, not sure what I am doing wrong at his moment, but I am trying to work through it.

 

Thank You very much for your ideas and instruction on this Sir.   JD

   

Just in case the pot is not dead and it's a calibrating issue; After countless tries, I stopped using the Cougar software to get my Cougar calibrated and instead I now use a simple calibration tool called DiView.

Haven't had to touch any Cougar software since 

8 hours ago, JudgeDredd said:

  I then went into the Hotas Analyzer and the green "target reticle" was initially in the center of the graph, but one the stick was touched it went into the top lefthand corner of the graph and stayed there and the graph lines turned "RED".

  So boss, not sure what I am doing wrong at his moment, but I am trying to work through it.

 

Thank You very much for your ideas and instruction on this Sir.   JD

   

Be sure you have selected the correct Joystick ID (from analyzer top tabs) for testing.

"Be sure you have selected the correct Joystick ID (from analyzer top tabs) for testing"  Is there a certain ID I am to use Habu_69 ?  

16 hours ago, sirrah said:

 

 

Just in case the pot is not dead and it's a calibrating issue; After countless tries, I stopped using the Cougar software to get my Cougar calibrated and instead I now use a simple calibration tool called DiView.

 

Haven't had to touch any Cougar software since 

 

Sirrah, do you have a file name for this software you suggest ?  I went to the site and it appears to be a setup for Racing Simulations.   

22 hours ago, Rudel_chw said:

Hi, from your description it seems like a hardware problem. At the very least, the main Z potentiometer of the throttle seems dead, and the X & Y potentiometers of the joystick seem to be at fault too.

 

I’m not sure if I understood you correctly: On the first test of the Hotas the X & Y worked correctly, but once you reinstalled the software they didnt work anymore?

 

can you try what I suggested on this post?  https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/217461-cougar-calibration-troubles/?do=findComment&comment=4057395
 

 

 

I have not taken the throttle apart at all since I purchased them in 1998, is there a clip in there that could be nocked loose of the sensor to cause the "Z" not to read forward and aft ?  All the other buttons, hats, register on the analyzer when tested.  I know when I calibrate the stick/set up in Hotas, then go into the game the plane goes directly into a barrel roll.  Before my desktops Video card died, and was repaired, the stick worked, but I had not weapon control, and the "thrust" was not working correctly.  This stick has been babied and set on my office shelve and has never seen adverse scenarios. 

24 minutes ago, JudgeDredd said:

Sirrah, do you have a file name for this software you suggest ?  I went to the site and it appears to be a setup for Racing Simulations.   

DiView works for all your input devices. HOTAS, rudder, steering wheels, etc.

I only use it for my Cougar, as I wasn't able to get it properly calibrated. With this tool I can.

Just download the zip file. I found it to be pretty easy in use, even though I'm a bit of a layman on this subject.