X-55 Rhino Hotas Issues and Problems

Well, it seems as though the red spring is no longer able to keep pressure on the centering cone as I move the stick off center. Once I move the stick off center, the centering cone remains raised and it's as if I have no spring installed. I'm thinking some type of lubricant on the shaft to allow the centering cone to slide up and down the shaft *may* keep it from sticking. Perhaps a stronger spring, but, I liked the feel of the red better than the rest.

Here you go :thumbup:

 

Here you go :thumbup:

:thumbup:

Well, that kinda worked, not-so-much for the red spring tho.

Another issue with the X-55

Hey guys, sorry for interrupting your discussion but i didn't want to open a new thread for this mainly because this is in my opinion the more appropriate thread. I would be really thankfull if somebudy could listen just for a moment:

I got the X-55 almost 3 weeks ago. It worked fine after connecting it via USB hub with externl power supply. Since one week the throttle is doing crazy thins and dont recognize inputs correctly. I made a short video showing what i mean. ( I know i dont have done the startup as it usually has to be, but i occurs all the time no matter what im doing)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWSSev0cqG4&feature=youtu.be

Any Ideas? Can it be fixed or is it broken, I personally think its broken but i would like to hear what you guys think.

Hey guys, sorry for interrupting your discussion but i didn't want to open a new thread for this mainly because this is in my opinion the more appropriate thread. I would be really thankfull if somebudy could listen just for a moment:

 

I got the X-55 almost 3 weeks ago. It worked fine after connecting it via USB hub with externl power supply. Since one week the throttle is doing crazy thins and dont recognize inputs correctly. I made a short video showing what i mean. ( I know i dont have done the startup as it usually has to be, but i occurs all the time no matter what im doing)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWSSev0cqG4&feature=youtu.be

 

 

Any Ideas? Can it be fixed or is it broken, I personally think its broken but i would like to hear what you guys think.

Makes it weird things in windows controllers panel ? ghost buttons or something like that ?

Or is it just dcs problem?

I hope that warranty is still on , looks like you may need return it and get new one :helpsmilie:

-edit- Looks like pots in throle are spiking hard , or they are off someway

No it doesnt at least as far as i can tell you, i tested it with warthunder and other stuff even with the software, same thing. yes warrant is still on, its just 3 weeks old. If its broken i won't by a new one. I enjoyed it really much but to much stress to make it run properly. maybe i get the TM warthog. I really like to know what mad catz support sais to this. last time they send mey answer via google translator :)

Does the throttle profile for each half of your throttle handle show 1 or 2 axis' ?

Each should only have 1 (eg: Joy X ... or Joy Y) and not Joy X,Y for example.

SnowTiger, if your throttles are locked together you should only get one JOY_X or JOY_Y. However if the lock is not solid one throttle may hit the top of the throttle before the other and you will get JOY_X if its the left throttle or JOY_Y if its the right throttle. However if both throttles that are lock together hit the top of the throttle range they you should only get JOY_Y, well that is my going from my experience.

I think we are saying the same thing ... albeit I might have been less eloquent.

While locked together, my throttle profile showed JOY_X,JOY_Y ... or something to that effect. Both X and Y where selected or shown in the profile. This was a problem that reacted with weird control movements.

@snowtiger

every thrust level shows one axis when its locked and unlocked. I tried so many things now and a this point im pretty certain its faulty. Madcatz support isnt able to help me with this problem, seems they dont even know if its fixable or not. I contacted the seller, hope i can ship it back. I liked this HOTAS very much, but it was way to frustrating making it run properly, so maybe i go with the tm warthog this time.

X-55 Rhino Profile not recognized

I have two problems:

1. I can not program the X-55 throttle inside the DCS because the controls for the X-55 throttle are not listed on the drop down menu's.

2. I can program the X-55 using the Rhino HUD just fine. However the DCS

simulator game, will not recognize the programed files. I found that the load profile located on the DCS simulator game has a drop down menu with a list of profile file extensions that it will open, that does not list the file extension of the profile programed using the X-55 HUD. This may not be the problem but I can't load the profiles.

Need Help

Hi washawtaw,

Programming the X-55 in DCS World is not that difficult.

1.When you run dcs world make sure the X-55 is plugged in.

2. Go to options, select controls, select the aircraft you are flying.

You should notice there are 3 columns, one list the keybinding, I for your X-55 throttle and one for your X-55 stick. If you have pedals then you will have a four column which will be for your pedals.

3. Program you s-55 in there respective column, program you throttle in the throttle column, stick in the stick column etc.

4. Above the columns is the clear categories, Save Profile as and Load Profile as. As you program your throttle and stick save the Profiles using the save profile as, and giving the file a name that is associated with the aircraft you are using it. You will need to do this for each aircraft.

5. Everytime you run DCS World you may need to load the profile for the aircraft to use the programmed controls in the game.

Using the HUD.

If you intend no using the X-55 HUD then you will need to go created the profile, and activate it through the X-55 HUD or through the profile icon on your task bar.

You now you have activated the HUD Profile as the profile icon will turn green.

When you run DCS World you will need to options then select controls, and your columns for Throttle and Stick will need to have Categories cleared and no programmed control for the X-55 at all. Otherwise you may encounter some conflicts.

Once that is done you can use your X-55 in DCS World.

Some pilots choose to mix, as some of the control on the X-55 dont function properly with DCS World, so they Use the X-55 HUD to program these controls, and not program them in DCS World.

I have attached a file, that shows how DCS World sees the controls of the X-55 and it should help you know what button or switches they represent.

DCS WORLDx55recognitions.pdf

Make sure that you scroll to the right. If you have several controllers (keyboard, joystick, throttle, trackir, pedals) some of them may be off screen.

I have a HUD Profile for each of my aircraft, but ONLY to do a minimum of things that are not programmable in DCS Options.

For example, I usually have a button programmed (using the HUD) for TeamSpeak i.e. Push-to-Talk and I like to use the Rotaries for different things.

In the P-51, I use one of my rotaries for my Flaps. i.e. One Direction = F and the other = Shft F.

Then in DCS Options I program everything else including my Curves etc.

I also use the HUD to change some of the 8 way hats to 4 way and then program each position in DCS Options.

Hope this also helps a bit.

I recently got an X-55 and been trying to use the two hats on the throttle as simple 4 way hats and they all register except for the up direction or button, so effectively they're 3 way hats. I've tried googling and haven't seen anyone else with this issue.

No problems with mine. All 4 presses register as expected. I think I may have had to go into the saitek profiler and change all the hats to 4 independent buttons and such, but otherwise I had no issues. I use in game button assignments, so those types of basic functionality adjustments were all I did in the Saitek software. Given that it's two different hats screwed up in the exact same way, my guess is you selected one of the funny options in the saitek software. I did notice a few more options than I was expecting there on how to treat some buttons/hats/switches.

Hi Insanatrix, this is an unusual issue, have has any problems with it as I use these hats all the time. Are you setting in DCS or the HUD.

I know my hats H3 are recognised by DCS world as JOY_BTN20 to JOY_BTN23 and H4 are recognised as JOY_BTN24 to JOY_BTN27.

These can be touchy, you need to make sure that when you add them to dcs that you are actually pressing the hat up and not up left or up right, as they will not be recognised.

Which aircraft are you trying to setup.

I think mine are kind of flaky. I think the hardware always has 8 positions but the game only looks for 4. So if the hat has a hard time finding 'up', it won't register in the game. So I program mine in the HUD as 8 way hats and program the up/right (and/or) up/left also as the up command.

That sounds like a good solution.

I managed to get the 4 way programming to work but even then, I still find these two hats to be kind of flaky. It's hard to hit the exact direction any time you want or need it.

But the way you have described it (using up, up left and up right to program ONE command) sounds like a great way to simplify their use or otherwise make them more effective.

I think I might try this myself.

They don't even register in the HUD software as me pressing them. Like if I set them to actual bindings instead of as hats, when I press them up they don't light up or anything.

Maybe reinstall the drivers again Insanatrix.

Maybe reinstall the drivers again Insanatrix.

I'm thinking about it. They may not have installed right.

*edit* Tried re-installing and still the same issue.

Also Calibrate your HOTAS using the HUD software.

I did this before doing anything.

But the largest improvement for me was when I connected my HOTAS via a "Powered USB Hub". However, you shouldn't need this specifically for the button presses to register within the HUD software.

As well as reinstalling the HUD Software/Drivers, I would also consider making sure your USB ports are working properly (i.e. check for Driver Updates etc). That is, can you plug other plug-and-play devices in these same USB ports and they are recognized ?

Best of Luck

Last night after I re-installed the drivers it was still having a problem, now the top hat on the side is working completely fine, only the bottom hat won't register in the up direction now...

I should also say the button movement feels fine, doesn't feel like there's any kind of slop or looseness, I can also feel it "clicking" in the up direction just get no response in the HUD software. I think I might try some USB 2.0 ports since I've got it plugged into my USB 3.0 ports right now.

Here is my experiance with the X-55. I pre ordered the X-55 Rhino and when I finally got it, the stick wouldn't work, had to send it back for a replacement... Good start.

Ergonomics: The ergonomics could've been better. The weapon pickle and trim switch are very difficult to reach without shifting your hand up. It was to a point where i decided not to use the top hat switch for trimming for any other plane then the A-10 and F-16 in BMS. No ergonomic problems with the throttle.

Accuracy: The 2nd stick I got came out of the box with center slop and that slop was recorded by the hall sensor which had to be compensated with deadzone in either Saitek's HUD software or in-game which brings me to my 3rd point...

Reliability: Sometimes the center of the stick would shift and I had to recalibrate the device to keep the slop within the deadzone i set. I never found out what caused the center to shift, though. One of the throttle's endpoint also shifted at some point which meant both throttles warn't at the same position in-game when they actually were physically. I had to open the throttle base and move the sensor back in the correct position to fix this.

Durability: Its plastic (obviously not as durable as metal) which makes me doubt its longtime durability over time and use. Although I must admit I never had any durability issues in the (just under a) year I owned it.

Functionality: The throttle slider is actually just a button (not a 2-way button, just 1 button) and without the HUD software, its basically useless. The mouse nipple also doesn't work without the HUD software which is a shame. I would rather if it was an axis instead. The mode buttons are practical to use as a 3-way switch but if you load a profile with Saitek's profiler, you lose that ability which i thought was a shame.

Software: Saitek's HUD software worked fine for what it was meant to do but I encountered a lot of bugs with it, unfortunately. They also removed the option to load a certain profile by default.

With all things said, though, the stick and throttle looked really nice and it may have been plastic, it was a very nice rubber-like plastic and felt good. The stick works fine with tons of buttons but unfortunately, MadCatz owned Saitek's build quality dropped the ball on what could've been a very good device. They should've spent more time testing out the ergonomics as well.

I decided to sell it for a TM Warthog after all.