Joyswitch, game card or what?

Hello all- I've got a Sidewinder 3D pro joystick and just purchased a Thrustmaster GP1 wheel (which is a standard analog 4 button 2 axis device). Up to now, I've just been using the gameport on my SB AWE32 PnP as the interface and the devices work just fine individually like that. But now it's a major pain to swap the cables and reboot all the time. Also, the GP1 needs to be configured as joystick 1 in win95 for windows games (the sidewinder works whether defined as joy1 or joy2), and when I swap it for the Sidewinder, win95 wipes out the GP1 config (since it isn't detected, I guess). Then when I go back to the GP1, I have to define it as joystick 1 in control panel again. Why does Win95 lose that configuration when the GP1 is not present? Irritating. How do I get around this? I think it would be ideal if I could have the GP1 as joy1 and the Sidewinder as joy2 configured at the same time (even though I won't use them together, this should solve the lost GP1 config problem) but I don't know. Can this be accomplished? TM told me that a joyswitch would still cause the GP1 to lose it's config when I switch to the sidewinder. They didn't say anything about getting a dedicated game card (which I know nothing about). I wonder why. I searched my ass off in dejanews but didn't find any good articles describing Wheel+stick setups. Any experience out there with a similar setup? I'm open to all suggestions, including gamecards, joyswitches, y-cables, praying, sacrifice, etc... (Please reply to both news and email if possible. My ISP's newsfeed sucks and I'll miss half the replies to this NG). -- The Scripps Research Institute http://www.scripps.edu/~jsmith

Have you tried Thrustmaster's ProPanel applet? (ftp://208.129.210.78/pub/library/propanel.exe) You maybe able to set the GP1 as device 1 and the Sidewinder as device ID 2. You also mentioned a dedicated gamecard. I am not sure that this would solve your problems either. But, there is a patch to allow driving wheels to be recognized on Port 2 of Thrustmaster's ACM card at ftp://208.129.210.78/pub/library/raceptch.exe -- this only applies to Win95. % I've got a Sidewinder 3D pro joystick and just purchased a Thrustmaster GP1 % wheel (which is a standard analog 4 button 2 axis device). % Up to now, I've just % been using the gameport on my SB AWE32 PnP as the interface and the % devices work % just fine individually like that. But now it's a major pain to % swap the cables % and reboot all the time. Also, the GP1 needs to be configured as % joystick 1 in % win95 for windows games (the sidewinder works whether defined % as joy1 or joy2), % and when I swap it for the Sidewinder, win95 wipes out the GP1 config % (since it % isn't detected, I guess). Then when I go back to the GP1, I have to % define it % as joystick 1 in control panel again. Why does Win95 lose that configuration % when the GP1 is not present? Irritating. % How do I get around this? I think it would be ideal if I could have the GP1 as % joy1 and the Sidewinder as joy2 configured at the same time (even though I won't % use them together, this should solve the lost GP1 config problem) but I don't % know. Can this be accomplished? TM told me that a joyswitch would still cause % the GP1 to lose it's config when I switch to the sidewinder. They didn't say % anything about getting a dedicated game card (which I know nothing about). I % wonder why. % I searched my ass off in dejanews but didn't find any good articles describing % Wheel+stick setups. Any experience out there with a similar setup? I'm open to % all suggestions, including gamecards, joyswitches, y-cables, praying, sacrifice, % etc... % (Please reply to both news and email if possible. My ISP's newsfeed sucks and % I'll miss half the replies to this NG). % -- % The Scripps Research Institute % http://www.scripps.edu/~jsmith -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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> Hello all- > I've got a Sidewinder 3D pro joystick and just purchased a Thrustmaster GP1 > wheel (which is a standard analog 4 button 2 axis device). Up to now, I've just > been using the gameport on my SB AWE32 PnP as the interface and the devices work > just fine individually like that. But now it's a major pain to swap the cables > and reboot all the time. Also, the GP1 needs to be configured as joystick 1 in > win95 for windows games (the sidewinder works whether defined as joy1 or joy2), > and when I swap it for the Sidewinder, win95 wipes out the GP1 config (since it > isn't detected, I guess). Then when I go back to the GP1, I have to define it > as joystick 1 in control panel again. Why does Win95 lose that configuration > when the GP1 is not present? Irritating. > How do I get around this? I think it would be ideal if I could have the GP1 as > joy1 and the Sidewinder as joy2 configured at the same time (even though I won't > use them together, this should solve the lost GP1 config problem) but I don't > know. Can this be accomplished? TM told me that a joyswitch would still cause > the GP1 to lose it's config when I switch to the sidewinder. They didn't say > anything about getting a dedicated game card (which I know nothing about). I > wonder why. > I searched my ass off in dejanews but didn't find any good articles describing > Wheel+stick setups. Any experience out there with a similar setup? I'm open to > all suggestions, including gamecards, joyswitches, y-cables, praying, sacrifice, > etc... > (Please reply to both news and email if possible. My ISP's newsfeed sucks and > I'll miss half the replies to this NG). > -- > The Scripps Research Institute > http://www.scripps.edu/~jsmith

Jarrod, I happen to be in the exact same boat. I bought a GP1 wheel and have been having a ball with all my sims I used to have to control with a joystick. However, I like flight sims too. I do own a Thrustmaster ACM gamecard and even though it has two ports AFAIK you can't just switch the two at will, it doesn't work that way. I tried the TMS utility and the new ProPanel utility also, no joy. I ended up ordering a joystick joyswitch from Flight Sim Central. For forty bucks it looks like a pretty sweet and well made unit. Check it out at http://www.fscentral.com I can't remember where it was on the site, either under hardware or accessory's. They have a picture of the thing, and it also supports other devices such as a throttle or whatever. Mine should be here tomorrow, hope it works <gggg.> All the best, Mike Davis -- Michael S. Davis Creative Media-Works Computer/Audio/Video Convergance http://www.creativemedia-works.com "From Creative Minds spring Creative Solutions."

> I had the same problem, but found the answer last night. I bought a > J-switch from Babbages for $15. It allows up to 4 joysticks to be plugged > in at the same time. It includes a midi port, and a setting so joystick one > and two can be used at the same time if necessary. Works like a charm, all > I have to do is change device1 from wheel to joystick in W95 joystick setup > and flip the switch. Just picked one up myself - which came in REAL handy since I had just added a TM GP1 to my CH Flightstick Pro/ CH Pedals setup. Had seen the big metal Joyswitch box for $40-$50 and thought it a bit too steep, but this one for $15 (from Quickshot) works great. I was worried that it might not work with the pedals properly, but it worked fine. I plugged the pedals into the gamecard, the cable from the J-switch into the pedals' Y-adapter, and then the Flightstick Pro and GP1 into slots 1/2 of the J-switch, it works fine - also works with my Gravis Gamepad plugged in, and I still have a slot left over if, heaven forbid I get another controller : ) Now, this won't do like the Joyswitch box which I think would allow selection between different combinations of pedals/joysticks, but works real well for my setup for $15 - WELL worth it. Ken

I had the same problem, but found the answer last night. I bought a J-switch from Babbages for $15. It allows up to 4 joysticks to be plugged in at the same time. It includes a midi port, and a setting so joystick one and two can be used at the same time if necessary. Works like a charm, all I have to do is change device1 from wheel to joystick in W95 joystick setup and flip the switch. > > Hello all- > > I've got a Sidewinder 3D pro joystick and just purchased a Thrustmaster GP1 > > wheel (which is a standard analog 4 button 2 axis device). Up to now, I've just > > been using the gameport on my SB AWE32 PnP as the interface and the devices work > > just fine individually like that. But now it's a major pain to swap the cables > > and reboot all the time. Also, the GP1 needs to be configured as joystick 1 in > > win95 for windows games (the sidewinder works whether defined as joy1 or joy2), > > and when I swap it for the Sidewinder, win95 wipes out the GP1 config (since it > > isn't detected, I guess). Then when I go back to the GP1, I have to define it > > as joystick 1 in control panel again. Why does Win95 lose that configuration > > when the GP1 is not present? Irritating. > > How do I get around this? I think it would be ideal if I could have the GP1 as > > joy1 and the Sidewinder as joy2 configured at the same time (even though I won't > > use them together, this should solve the lost GP1 config problem) but I don't > > know. Can this be accomplished? TM told me that a joyswitch would still cause > > the GP1 to lose it's config when I switch to the sidewinder. They didn't say > > anything about getting a dedicated game card (which I know nothing about). I > > wonder why. > > I searched my ass off in dejanews but didn't find any good articles describing > > Wheel+stick setups. Any experience out there with a similar setup? I'm open to > > all suggestions, including gamecards, joyswitches, y-cables, praying, sacrifice, > > etc... > > (Please reply to both news and email if possible. My ISP's newsfeed sucks and

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> > I'll miss half the replies to this NG). > > -- > > The Scripps Research Institute > > http://www.scripps.edu/~jsmith > Jarrod, > I happen to be in the exact same boat. I bought a GP1 wheel and have > been having a ball with all my sims I used to have to control with a > joystick. However, I like flight sims too. I do own a Thrustmaster ACM > gamecard and even though it has two ports AFAIK you can't just switch > the two at will, it doesn't work that way. I tried the TMS utility and > the new ProPanel utility also, no joy. > I ended up ordering a joystick joyswitch from Flight Sim Central. For > forty bucks it looks like a pretty sweet and well made unit. Check it > out at http://www.fscentral.com > I can't remember where it was on the site, either under hardware or > accessory's. They have a picture of the thing, and it also supports > other devices such as a throttle or whatever. > Mine should be here tomorrow, hope it works <gggg.> > All the best, Mike Davis > -- > Michael S. Davis > Creative Media-Works > Computer/Audio/Video Convergance > http://www.creativemedia-works.com > "From Creative Minds spring Creative Solutions."