Horizons Data Points: How to Scan

Giskard · Dec 24, 2015

Hello all. I found a Data Point on a planet earlier. (Looked like a crashed Nav Beacon). On it, I could see two 'Data Points'. However, I can't seem to be able to scan them. As I understand it, the SRV is automatically equipped with a Data Link Scanner. I have assigned a button in the 'Fire Groups' tab, however nothing ever seems to happen. I drive up to the Data Point, I press the button, nothing happens.

I read online somewhere that you have to go into 'turret mode' to do it. So I did that too and nothing happened. Anything obvious that you can think of that I'm doing wrong?

Cheers and Merry Christmas!!

Cmdr Giskard.

Malek · Dec 24, 2015

Have you targeted the data pint? Also it seems the scanner takes a couple of seconds to activate once you start holding the trigger. All i can say really as you seem to be doing everything else right.

Ferret06 · Dec 24, 2015

Giskard said:
Hello all. I found a Data Point on a planet earlier. (Looked like a crashed Nav Beacon). On it, I could see two 'Data Points'. However, I can't seem to be able to scan them. As I understand it, the SRV is automatically equipped with a Data Link Scanner. I have assigned a button in the 'Fire Groups' tab, however nothing ever seems to happen. I drive up to the Data Point, I press the button, nothing happens.

I read online somewhere that you have to go into 'turret mode' to do it. So I did that too and nothing happened. Anything obvious that you can think of that I'm doing wrong?

Cheers and Merry Christmas!!

Cmdr Giskard.

Had the same thing.

Only work around i have found so far is to change your keybindings for firing deploys hardpoints to on.

If that is set to off the scanner does not deploy.

Giskard · Dec 24, 2015

Many thanks, will try that!

Reignhardt · Dec 25, 2015

yes, i think its a reported bug, would not work for me until "fireing deploys hardpoints" was enabled.... now i just need to not accidentally hit someone.... it was off for a reason

Yodafone · Dec 25, 2015

Ferret06 said:
Had the same thing.

Only work around i have found so far is to change your keybindings for firing deploys hardpoints to on.

If that is set to off the scanner does not deploy.

Really? That would explain a lot! See.. I don't even get the little quarter circle below the target reticule to suggest my Data Link Scanner is even activated/turned on (and yes I've tried it as a secondary in a firegroup and targeting what I'm trying to scan, and even on its own in its own firegroup as the primary but still I never get the quarter circle appearing below the reticule (and yes, it's on in modules). Perhaps having 'firing deploys hardpoints' will activate it? Were you guys actually getting this quarter circle regardless? Am off to try it now, so thanks for the tip if it works

Edit: I can confirm setting "firing deploys hardpoints" does indeed activate the Data Link Scanner and I finally get the quarter circle appearing under the target reticule. Jolly Good! Hopefully Frontier will fix this as I use my main fire button as SELECT/CONFIRM so have this firing deploys hardpoints off normally just in case. It's no great shakes but would be better if one didn't have to have it set to on.

Ursula_17 · Dec 25, 2015

Check that the data scanner is turned on in the right hand power panel.. For some reason the default for it is 'off'.

Yaffle · Dec 25, 2015

It will only work for me from the primary fire button; as will the gun.

So I keep switching them in the firegroups panel. Not ideal, but has been reported as a bug.

ETA - also it's impossible to change firegroups in the SRV (at least for me) so yo need to keep the same firegroup, just change what's bound to the primary fire.

Arindor · Dec 25, 2015

I noticed while undertaking a data extraction mission from a low-sec site that the SRV data scanner button didn't work. It locked, but wouldn't "fire". That was until I went to the SRV's turret, and the data retrieval scan worked perfectly.

Loskene · Dec 25, 2015

Very odd that so many of you are having issues with the data scanner, it's worked perfectly for me since day 1. Bound it to LB on the 360 pad and it works straight away from cockpit or turret mode. That said, I have always had firing deploys hardpoints set to on, so it could be the issue.

Yodafone · Dec 26, 2015

Yaffle said:
It will only work for me from the primary fire button; as will the gun.

So I keep switching them in the firegroups panel. Not ideal, but has been reported as a bug.

ETA - also it's impossible to change firegroups in the SRV (at least for me) so yo need to keep the same firegroup, just change what's bound to the primary fire.

That's a bit of a faff! I tried setting firegroups during my fiddling trying to get the scanner to work and I couldn't find a way to switch firegroups. Thankfully this setting 'firing deploys hardpoints' has sorted it for me but firegroups seems a little unecessary with only two modules to bound anyway (unless of course you've only one fire button I suppose, but yeah how do you actually switch firegroups, the regular ship mappings for firegroup switching don't seem to affect the srv)

America Shaftoe · Dec 26, 2015

I set it to my mouses 'back button' mouse 4 I think. Worked like a charm from day one. No need to fiddle with Fire Groups. Later I switched from KB+Mouse to my Joystick for ground ops which I now prefer heavily for the throttle control and smoothness of turning (not 100% hard turn left or right rather incremental push on stick).

Commander William Diffin · Dec 29, 2015

Driving an SRV, found a Data Point on an unexplored planet about 6,000l-y from the Bubble. The Data Scanner of the SRV does not show up on the HUD and does absolutely nothing when activated. Firing Deploys Hardpoints has always been on. Bound Data Scanner to D key on keyboard, to Fire Button 2, to Fire Button 1, tried changing Fire Groups, Turret mode, Cockpit mode. It simply doesn't do anything. Rubbish.

And how utterly lame and immersion-breaking is landing on an unexplored planet thousands of light-years from the Bubble, and then finding a Data Point right next to the landing site? If there was just one such Data Point on the planet what are the chances of landing right next to it? Or else the whole planet must be covered with Data Points? The planet that I'm supposed to be the first visitor to in its entire history? Frontier have really lost their way this time.

Stella Arkell · May 30, 2016

Yaffle said:
It will only work for me from the primary fire button; as will the gun.

So I keep switching them in the firegroups panel. Not ideal, but has been reported as a bug.

ETA - also it's impossible to change firegroups in the SRV (at least for me) so yo need to keep the same firegroup, just change what's bound to the primary fire.

Made new thread, growled for sticky, thanks, this fixed it.