PP Joy Radio control Interface (Workshop from Wolfgang Kracht)
For my first trials I had downloaded the free FMS and used a Thrustmaster FireStorm Dual USB Joypad. The next step was to buy IPACS Easyfly bundle with a Game commander (identical to GameBird). The Game Commander must be connected to the analogue Game port of the PC. Because the onboard game port of my PC was not very accurate and so the helicopters have been nearly unflyable. The wish to have a original radio control for simulator came up, because I also wanted to use Dual-Rate and Expo.
While researching the web I found an easy interface for the FMS, but this didn’t work with Win 2000/XP. Then I came to the “Smartpropo” driver, which only supported JR and Futaba PCM signals.
The ingenious idea to input the signal via the soundcard of the PC doesn’t make sense with PPM signals, because when the soundcard has 48Khz sampling rate you only get 48 steps with an impulse length of 1ms. This let me expect an even worse solution than with the Gamebird.
Then I found the parallel port joystick emulation “PPjoy” from Deon van der Westhuysen. I have asked the author if he would agree to extend his driver with a PPM decoder. Deon already had implemented this and was looking for some voluntary testers.
Already the first beta version provided great resolution and was very stable. The interface cable of my Multiplex mc3010 is very easy and Deon’s driver is freeware. Because the driver simulates a real game devise on the PC it works with all programs that support a joystick.
Configuration PPjoy for PPM radios with Windows XP:
Disclaimer:
Any liability for the function or damages caused is excluded. All modifications on your PC or radio are on your own risk!!
Configuration of the printer interface:
This explanation might look long and complicated, but it really isn’t. I only tried to explain it in detail, so also inexperienced users can follow it.
To use the PPM-decoder of PPjoy you must make sure, that XP has allocated the IRQ for the LPT directly (normally IRO7).
Got to the system panel and open the device manager.
In the menu select “Interrupt (IRQ)” check if the IRQ7 is allocated to the printer port.
Now we come to the settings for PPjoy. This example is for the new nVIDIAnForce chip. Older chipsets can only use IRQ0 – IRQ15.
If any other hardware is controlled by IRQ7, the following steps might disturb the stability of your system, because XP has a fixed IRQ7 for the printer. If any network or SCSI controller is used this might lead to problems.
Change the view to “Hardware by resources” and go to “Interfaces2 (COM and LPT) and double click on the entry of the printer port.
The dialog “Properties LPT!” is opened. Go to “Resources”.
Normally there is no IRQ for the LPT-Interface.
Go to “Port settings”
Activate “Enable legacy Plug and Play detection” that is allocated to LPT1.
Now you must reboot your system. Now you can check the modified settings.
it should look like this:
The DMA setting is not visible, it is set to 3.
Installation and Configuration of PPjoy:
Download latest PPjoy from Deon’s Homepage:
PPjoy is free for private use.
In the Readme-file you can read, that there is a beta-support for “FMS PPMS R/C”
That is what we all were looking for. Thanks Deon!!
This driver runs perfectly and stable. If you are familiar with programming you might know, that it is hard work do develop such a progamm.
The is a detailed manual for download on the homepage of Deon how to install and configure PPjoy. Anyway, I will repeat some steps here.
Click on PPjoySetup.exe . If Win XP claims anything, just click “continue”. All PPjoy drivers and a “hidden” setting will be installed. Select the recommended automatic Installation. If you already use any older version of PPjoy install the new version in that directory.
Now you will find a new entry “parallel Joystick” in the Device Manager. Click on “Properties” and select “FMS PPMS R/C” in “Interface type”.
Click “Add” and then “Yes”.
Now the configuration Window should look like this:
Now the configuration Window should look like this:
Mark the “LPT1” entry and then “Mapping”. For the first configuration choose a “6 Button Joystick” and then click “Done”.
Now we are ready for calibration of our new Joystick. Open the Device Manager and go to “Printers and others”. Click on “Game Controllers”:
If there is only one Joystick assigned all applications like flight simulations or other games will accept this joystick at once. May be you have to do some assignments for the Application controls and movement inverting, but then you can enjoy playing with your radio.
If your application does not allow to assign the sticks go through the PPJoy Mapping procedure again and recalibrate.
HINT: currently PPJoy does not allow to disable unused controls. If your radio does not support that much channels put unused channels to “noting” in the Mapping dialog.
C. The interface cable
Every radio, which can output a PPM signal with at least TTL level may fit to your PC Printer Port. The interface cable is very simple. See an example for my Multiplex Profi mc 3010.
The Zener diode is for avoiding damage to the printer port if the radio exceeds the 5Vpp level. For radios running at 9,6V you may increase the resistor to 1K. I recommend to use a shielded cable from the radio to the PC.
Another recommendation: Use your radio with batteries, do not connect it to a mains adapter. Because the there is a direct connection there may be a potential equalization current which damages your radio or PC!
Where to find the PPM signal in the radio? There have been already several people creating websites about this. So I will not repeat all the solutions within here. Have a look at google or any other search engine and you will find for example:
http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/ the FMS home page of Roman & Michael Möller
or
http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer/ the R/C home page of Eric Brouwer
good landings , Wolfgang Kracht
