PM MCP

[Bob Reed]

Is anyone using the PM MCP? I am trying to set this up and so far I am batting pretty much a 0. I am using XPUIPC ver 2.0 and X Plane 10.45 and I am using the add on 737 X737. I am not able to find too much for for docs. Any help?

[blueskydriver]

How much longer will you be up tonight?

John

[Bob Reed]

Probably for a while I have not even tuned off the sim...

[blueskydriver]

okay

[Bob Reed]

After more experimenting I have a AP that is fighting with either itself or the X737 one. I have removed the plugin for the x737. What else could I be missing? m I not disabling something else?

[Bob Reed]

Everything I have read about using the X737 with PM says to remove the plugin from X Plane. I have done this so what is interfering with the auto pilot? Any ideas. The plane tries to fly by what is commanded but then something changes it's mind. All axes.

[Bob Reed]

So I have had a little time to play with things. I started playing with the cycle time in the MCP and that effects the instability. I will play with it some more and see if this will truly fix the issue.

[blueskydriver]

Hey Bob,

I was thinking about how to help you, but since your using Xplane and X737 and I don't have those items setup, I am not sure what too tell you. Here are my thoughts:

1. If you're using PM are you using the PM MCP program or is it just the X737 portion?
2. If you change PM cycle time, where are you changing that?
3. Have you made sure that the MCP is being seen by the computer with only one COM port number and not two?
4. What MCP hardware are you using and is there an interface card?
5. How long does it take before it gets erratic after pressing command mode?
6. Is the MCP on the same computer as Xplane and if not, could it be a network issue where the two computers are losing connection?
7. Where is the CDU software located?
8. What versions of PM are using currently?
9. Does everything work normally with the same MCP and FSX?
10. Are you using PMSystems?

John

[Bob Reed]

Hey Bob,

I was thinking about how to help you, but since your using Xplane and X737 and I don't have those items setup, I am not sure what too tell you. Here are my thoughts:

1. If you're using PM are you using the PM MCP program or is it just the X737 portion?
2. If you change PM cycle time, where are you changing that?
3. Have you made sure that the MCP is being seen by the computer with only one COM port number and not two?
4. What MCP hardware are you using and is there an interface card?
5. How long does it take before it gets erratic after pressing command mode?
6. Is the MCP on the same computer as Xplane and if not, could it be a network issue where the two computers are losing connection?
7. Where is the CDU software located?
8. What versions of PM are using currently?
9. Does everything work normally with the same MCP and FSX?
10. Are you using PMSystems?

John

Wow that is a lot of data to type! lol

So to answer your questions:

1) I am using the full PM Suit but for testing purposes this is what I have done. Tried with x737 after removing the plugin. Switched to the 172 (no AP) same exact performance. Running the PM MCP, GC And EFIS. I have run it with and without the CDU online.

2) I m changing the cycle time in the MCP ini.

3)Com port? Only thing that uses the comport is the PFC MCP and that is not important will explain more below.

4) PFC MCP serial port com3. This only talks to the PM MCP software. I can take this completely out of the loop and just run the MCP by mouse click on the GUI and I get the same actions form the AP.

5) It starts almost as soon as you engage the MCP

6) The computer is on a computer in the network.

7) CDU is on another computer but makes no difference if it is running or not.

Ver 512

9) Yes everything works fine in FSX last I checked which was a couple days ago.

10) PM Systems is not in the game at this time. One step at a time lol!!!

There I did it! Answered them all.. lol Now do you get any ideas?

[RayS]

Bob and I talked a little about this last night but I still have some lingering concerns with XPUIPC.

I wonder if there's some PM offsets that aren't mapped correctly or aren't mapped at all. XPUIPC has a facility to add offsets. Only way to check is to crack open an app that watches the original FSUIPC offset data to see if all the PM offsets are being processed.

[Bob Reed]

After more experimenting although changing the cycles seems to help it is not the cure. Yet it does seem to be PM based. But what? No idea. I am stumped big time here. 

[blueskydriver]

Hey Bob,

I just rolled off the rack and plan too be out by the sim again tonight. I helped Angelo last night and we have a PM Part II planned for after 7pm. I will look into your issues once I get out there...

John

[Bob Reed]

Hey Bob,

I just rolled off the rack and plan too be out by the sim again tonight. I helped Angelo last night and we have a PM Part II planned for after 7pm. I will look into your issues once I get out there...

John

I am probably going to be up pretty late tonight myself so let me know..

[blueskydriver]

Okay, will do... I might even get my Xplane 10 up to the current version. Funny thing is I updated all my PM to 512 and turned all my ProSim737 (auto-start setups) off, so I could help Angelo. No complaints at all, I did it because I made him a promise last week and I wanted too honor that.

I figure since I am already half way there, I can go Xplane for a change of scenery, if I can stay awake...lol! Normally, I would be doing stuff in the hangar, but with temps back down in 20-30's at night and no heat yet, I figure just stay inside the simulator for a few days. Another reason is I think I might be overdoing it lately, having those chest pains still, last night was like the day I went too the ER... Still, you know me, I am a "DIE HARD"!

John

[blueskydriver]

Hey Bob,

What a night! Angelo and I just now got off of Skype (about 5 hours total) from getting the issues he had left. It was a lot of fun just researching and going through PM things again... However, that left me here at 1AM with you likely in bed already.

I can probably get on Skype with you tomorrow night (Wednesday Night) after 8-9pm. Karen is buying the new Star Wars movie release on DVD and wants too have a movie night, so we'll be watching that from around 6pm to 8-8:30pm. Then, I can contact you afterwards.

Let me know if that will work for you,

John

[Bob Reed]

Hey Bob,

What a night! Angelo and I just now got off of Skype (about 5 hours total) from getting the issues he had left. It was a lot of fun just researching and going through PM things again... However, that left me here at 1AM with you likely in bed already.

I can probably get on Skype with you tomorrow night (Wednesday Night) after 8-9pm. Karen is buying the new Star Wars movie release on DVD and wants too have a movie night, so we'll be watching that from around 6pm to 8-8:30pm. Then, I can contact you afterwards.

Let me know if that will work for you,

John

We will have to see how today goes. Might be a touch late for me. But one never knows...

[Bob Reed]

The one thing that sticks out to me is, when I engage the AP the aircraft starts to pitch up or down. So the trim chases it so of course the longer I let it go on the worse it gets until the trim is limiting out full up and full down. You can watch it on the trim gauge. All the way up and of course the aircraft responds and then all the way down and down she goes. I can not believe I am the only one having this issue, or had. I know there are a few more folks using X Plane.

[KyleH]

Hi Bob,
Don't forget that the 737 autopilot cannot take over with a load on the flight controls, it needs to be trimmed out first.
Not sure if PM simulates this.
Make sure you have it trimmed out first, then engage the AP.

[blueskydriver]

Hey Bob,

Here is some reading for you, read each post and especially, the last entry.

http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/forums/topic/63827-disable-x737-autopilot-only/

Look at this second link back when Scott and others were using Sim-A wth Xplane (likely still are now). They found by reinstalling W7 with drivers the issues with the AP stop; however, they're using Sim-A and you're using PM. Yet, the problem sounds exactly the same for PM, as well as Scott's discovery of the CWS problem and other issues.

http://www.cockpitbuilders.com/community/index.php?topic=3867.0

John

[Bob Reed]

Going to start reading, but I have already investigated the CWS issue and I am not having that one. Thanks for everyones help. I really want to solve this.

[Bob Reed]

I have finished the reading. Now have something else to go look at. We will see..

[Bob Reed]

MCP issue is fixed. I went into the MCP looking for an adjustment someone thought was there and I did not see it so discouraged, I saw another little check box, "Dynamic Pitch F" I un-checked it and without much hope went for a ride. To my amazement it was working. So I said fluke. Shut everything down and tried it again. The auto pilot now functions as it should. 

[RayS]

Glad you got that sorted out, Bob!

Do you keep a list of these type of findings? I suffer from CRS and find that if I have to do any sort of re-install of anything later on down the line, having these notes handy saves a ton of time.

My sim has a build list. With X-Plane though, it's a very short list. :-)

[Bob Reed]

Glad you got that sorted out, Bob!

Do you keep a list of these type of findings? I suffer from CRS and find that if I have to do any sort of re-install of anything later on down the line, having these notes handy saves a ton of time.

My sim has a build list. With X-Plane though, it's a very short list. :-)

I need to do this! I talked to Rob today and after I said something about it, he remembered I would have liked to know that a few days ago! lol

[RayS]

One of the best parts of X-Plane is that if you can make backups of it by simply backing up the entire X-Plane Directory.

Then, if you need to re-install, spin up a new server, or go back to an old install, just copy that directory back. No need to mess with re-installing anything. (You might get asked to re-validate license info from 3rd party products, but that's about it.

No more re-installing scenery, utilities, aircraft, etc from the original binaries.