X52 Pro help, Yaw/Twist on flight stick activate Fire Group

[CMDR Saigon]

Hello CMDRs, I've had above problem for several weeks and finally decided to look into the issue but for the life of me can't seem to identify what's causing the problem and it's becoming a pain in combat when the ship automatically switch Fire Groups.

I've narrowed it down to whenever I twist the flight stick left or right it swiches Fire Group. I have checked thoroughly both the in-game controls & the Logitech software but they all appear normal and no duplications.

Any advice or help very much appreciated. o7

 

[Crank Larson]

Do all the inputs look correct if you test on https://gamepad-tester.com/ ?

I had an X55 where the internal wiring went, and all sorts of odd things started happening. Had to take it apart and rewire it. Don't know if the X52s were also prone to it.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Do all the inputs look correct if you test on https://gamepad-tester.com/ ?

I had an X55 where the internal wiring went, and all sorts of odd things started happening. Had to take it apart and rewire it. Don't know if the X52s were also prone to it.

Thanks CMDR. Not sure how to read this. Here's the read out:

 

[Crank Larson]

Presumably that's what it looks like when you're not moving the stick? Next step is to check each button/axis in turn and watch what the values do. In my case, when the wires were gone, if I pressed one button then several would activate. If any axis or button affects more than one value, that likely indicates an issue with the stick.

 

[d8veh]

Which button have you got your fire groups bound to. I always use the top right button (A) on the flight stick.device
Use the Windows tester to test your X52:
In the search box bottom right of your screen, type "Game controller settings", then select "Setuo USB game controller".
Select the X52 then "properties. That brings up a test panel where you can see what's going on. If the switch for your fire-groups goes on when you twist the joystick, it's a hardware problem. If it doesn't go on, check your keybindings and don't forget that you can assign two keys/axes/buttons to each function, which is probably the most likely cause.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Presumably that's what it looks like when you're not moving the stick? Next step is to check each button/axis in turn and watch what the values do. In my case, when the wires were gone, if I pressed one button then several would activate. If any axis or button affects more than one value, that likely indicates an issue with the stick.

Thank you CMDR. Above is based upon stationary position. I will go through item by item, I have a suspicion it could be down to the PS/2 Cable being faulty.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Which button have you got your fire groups bound to. I always use the top right button (A) on the flight stick.device
Use the Windows tester to test your X52:
In the search box bottom right of your screen, type "Game controller settings", then select "Setuo USB game controller".
Select the X52 then "properties. That brings up a test panel where you can see what's going on. If the switch for your fire-groups goes on when you twist the joystick, it's a hardware problem. If it doesn't go on, check your keybindings and don't forget that you can assign two keys/axes/buttons to each function, which is probably the most likely cause.

Thanks CMDR. Same, I assign the top right button (A) as Cycle Fire Group and nothing else. In terms of test@Windows tester, when I press A then button 3 on the test lights up. When I twist the flight stick then the X/Y Axis respond left-right respectively.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Presumably that's what it looks like when you're not moving the stick? Next step is to check each button/axis in turn and watch what the values do. In my case, when the wires were gone, if I pressed one button then several would activate. If any axis or button affects more than one value, that likely indicates an issue with the stick.

I went through each and every button & axis and the only one that activate more than one value is the Primary Fire button which moved B0 & B14 in the list above. Thanks for your advice CMDR!

 

[CMDR Saigon]

I went through each and every button & axis and the only one that activate more than one value is the Primary Fire button which moved B0 & B14 in the list above. Thanks for your advice CMDR!

Played around & took ship out to test with B0, B14 but unfortunately that's not the problem though...will probably replace PS2 cable and see what happens.

 

[d8veh]

Thanks CMDR. Same, I assign the top right button (A) as Cycle Fire Group and nothing else. In terms of test@Windows tester, when I press A then button 3 on the test lights up. When I twist the flight stick then the X/Y Axis respond left-right respectively.

That's all good then. There must be something wrong with your keybindings, but I can't think what. Are you using any third party software to control or adjust your X52?

If there was some wiring or other fault in your X52, you'd see the 3 switch come on when you twisted the stick. It doesn't, so it must be a settings or software fault.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

That's all good then. There must be something wrong with your keybindings, but I can't think what. Are you using any third party software to control or adjust your X52?

If there was some wiring or other fault in your X52, you'd see the 3 switch come on when you twisted the stick. It doesn't, so it must be a settings or software fault.

Thank you CMDR. I need to deep dive some more, only software is the Logitech standard program (but it happened before I reinstall this anyway). Checked all of Elite's bindings and appear normal too. Really strange.

 

[CMDR Is Fat]

Just an FYI, B0 & B14 is the two stage trigger mechanism, light press activates the first switch\fire heavy will activate the second\both.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Just an FYI, B0 & B14 is the two stage trigger mechanism, light press activates the first switch\fire heavy will activate the second\both.

Yep. Thank you CMDR! Thus I still have the issue with "auto-switch" fire group and have no idea why. I have ordered a new PS2 Cable to test just in case.

 

[CMDR Is Fat]

Sorry, i just reread your op and im gonna say its a loose wire. I have the same controller and had a very simillar issue where movement on the stick would cause the firegroups to switch, although over the years i have had and used it there have been a few different issues which mostly came back to the same problems loose\broken wire or a dry joint.

I have over time had to resolder switches, the wiring for the light, also one broken wire in the neck connecting handle to base which i think caused the issue you are having, although now thinking about it it may have been a loose wire from the yaw pot, yes i have had that many issues with it but wouldnt get rid for anything else If you are reasonably confident it isnt too hard to dissasemble to have a look.

Also attached drivers without the logi software plus my control profile for you to try (on the off chance it is a profile setting).

Good luck

 

[d8veh]

Sorry, i just reread your op and im gonna say its a loose wire. I have the same controller and had a very simillar issue where movement on the stick would cause the firegroups to switch, although over the years i have had and used it there have been a few different issues which mostly came back to the same problems loose\broken wire or a dry joint.

I have over time had to resolder switches, the wiring for the light, also one broken wire in the neck connecting handle to base which i think caused the issue you are having, although now thinking about it it may have been a loose wire from the yaw pot, yes i have had that many issues with it but wouldnt get rid for anything else If you are reasonably confident it isnt too hard to dissasemble to have a look.

Also attached drivers without the logi software plus my control profile for you to try (on the off chance it is a profile setting).

Good luck

Good info about your problem, but surely in OP's case, if it were a wiring/soldering fault to make the switch come on when twisting the stick, it would show the switch coming on in the test program. Without the switch coming on, ED won't see it, so won't do anything.

 

[CMDR Is Fat]

Lol, i guess that makes sense

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Sorry, i just reread your op and im gonna say its a loose wire. I have the same controller and had a very simillar issue where movement on the stick would cause the firegroups to switch, although over the years i have had and used it there have been a few different issues which mostly came back to the same problems loose\broken wire or a dry joint.

I have over time had to resolder switches, the wiring for the light, also one broken wire in the neck connecting handle to base which i think caused the issue you are having, although now thinking about it it may have been a loose wire from the yaw pot, yes i have had that many issues with it but wouldnt get rid for anything else If you are reasonably confident it isnt too hard to dissasemble to have a look.

Also attached drivers without the logi software plus my control profile for you to try (on the off chance it is a profile setting).

Good luck

Thank you CMDR. I'll take look, will test and keep an eye before I open it up though.

 

[CMDR Saigon]

Good info about your problem, but surely in OP's case, if it were a wiring/soldering fault to make the switch come on when twisting the stick, it would show the switch coming on in the test program. Without the switch coming on, ED won't see it, so won't do anything.

Yeah indeed CMDR, no switch goes on in both the website test you gave as well as game controller test program@windows 10. Took ship out for Thargoid combat last night and this very problem caused significant ineffciency and annoyance...what I have done is to play around and added duplicated Fire Group allocation so even when it does switch it switch to the same Weapons settings...works but far from optimum :-(

 

[Stealthie]

I tend to think that Saitek sticks have a self-perpetuating "myth" regarding wiring faults.
People find that the sticks do weird things, take them apart, break a wire in the process, see the broken wire, repair it (often badly), put it back together and assume they've located the problem and fixed it.
They do have some genuine wiring issues but they're usually fairly localised, mostly related to the throttles.

The reality is, unfortunately, that the USB controller in Saitek sticks can be a bit poopy and send spurious signals to your PC - and there's really not much you can do to fix it.

Just right-click on the X52 icon on your PC screen, look a little way down the list and you'll see "game controller settings".
Left-click that and a little "game controller" box will appear.
It'll have (IIRC) "X52 throttle" and "X52 stick" listed.
Left-click on "X52 stick" to highlight it and then left-click on "properties".

That'll open up Windows' own joystick test doodad.
Waggle the stick around and press all the buttons on your stick.

If you see anything odd happening MOST OF THE TIME - such as a hat-switch triggering every time you twist the stick - then you probably have got a wiring issue.
There's probably at least two damaged wires in the stick and they're touching each other when you twist the stick.
In that case, you need to get out the tools and fix it.

Far more likely, though, that you'll find nothing obviously wrong while using Windows' joystick test doodad.
In that case, I'm afraid, it's just that the USB controller inside your stick is randomly picking up certain signals from the inputs on your HOTAS (throttle position, twist-grip, pitch, roll etc) and wrongly interpreting them as an input from whatever control operates your fire-group selector.
Basically, every so often the USB controller is thinking "Oh, wait, was that a hat-switch input? I'd better send that signal to the PC!!!"

I'm told that disabling any lighting on your Saitek HOTAS (via the Saitek software) can help with this by reducing the stick's power consumption and reducing the load on the USB controller.
Not entirely sure I believe this, though.
I've turned off the lighting on my X56 and it still generates spurious signals every so often.

Thing is, it's not a software issue, so Logitech developing new drivers/software isn't going to help.
It's the firmware inside the USB controller which is a bit halfassed and, AFAIK, that can't be updated.

 

[Brother Sabathius]

Ghost inputs on Saitek/Logitech hotas. This could be a power issue, it cannot get enough power from USB and this is what results. Ensure the hotas is plugged into it's own USB controller with nothing else connected beside it, or plug it into a powered USB hub by itself. I had this kind of issue with an X56 and sorting out the USB power fixed it.