-Ice's Falcon BMS Helios Profile Updated… Again!
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Hi Ice,
Thanks for your pit’s picture.
It roughly give me some ideas how to set up mine.
And it seems I get the same problem too, I need to put the main monitor higher because of the touchscreen.
But to look at higher screen make my neck uncomfortable after a while.Have you tried to make a hole of the table so you can put the touchscreen under the main screen?
It seems will be more comfortable that way but more things to do.
Please let me know what do you think. -
Have you tried to make a hole of the table so you can put the touchscreen under the main screen?
It seems will be more comfortable that way but more things to do.
Please let me know what do you think.You mean have the touchscreen more in the HORIZONTAL position? While that is do-able, I don’t feel that’s too realistic. The entire basis for my setup and the angle of my touchscreen is so that the MFD displays look correct when I glance down on them. Having the screen flat (or almost flat) means the screen-to-eye geometry will be whack and I don’t like that. Having said that, there are a few users here that have their touchscreens more horizontal than mine so by all means give it a go. This is merely my own personal preference.
My touchscreen is just high enough so that the lower edge clears my knees when I’m fully-forward in the sim pit, so I’ve had to adjust the table so that the bottom of the display screen clears the top of the touchscreen. When I look forward, my eye level is aligned with the HUD so that’s perfect for me.
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Ice, your profiles look great, thanks for making them.
I’m thinking of getting a 24 inch touch screen for Helios, but my biggest issue is that my computer is an MSI laptop that has only one HDMI slot! That is used to connect the laptop to a 55 inch tv 1080hp. Is there anyway to connect a touchscreen to the laptop then? I’m using usb hubs to connect everything, like the warthog hotas, jetseat, track ir, and a headset. I’m just not sure how I would hook up the touchscreen.
If there is a way to hook it up, the second issue is will an MSI gaming computer with an nvidia gtx 960m graphics card be able to run the game with the touchscreen. Its fine right now with the best graphics, but I don’t know if that would be too much.
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Thanks for the kind words!
I’m using a Targus docking station to connect my 2nd touchscreen to the PC. My 2nd touchscreen connects via DVI and USB (for the touch function) to the docking station and the docking station connects to the PC via USB. So essentially, the docking station handles both image and touch function.
As to whether your laptop can handle the touchscreen, I think it would depend on how you set it up. What’s your laptop’s default monitor resolution? If it’s 1920x1080 and you buy a 1920x1080 res touchscreen, then it should handle just fine –- what you do is EXTEND desktop to your 55" TV but DUPLICATE your laptop screen onto the touchscreen… or see if you can EXTEND onto the touchscreen and DISCONNECT your laptop screen. Either way, your GPU will only be driving two screens instead of three. Hope that made sense. You MIGHT lose some frames… I’m just theorizing here as I don’t really have much experience with laptop GPUs. Good luck!
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Thanks Ice, and yes the default resoulution is 1920 X 1080 which is what I run it at. I’m pretty sure this will run well! This is neat stuff, and maybe this summer I may get a touchscreen. As I continue to learn the game, I just see that having a touchscreen will make life oh so much easier.
Two more questions.
1. What kind of targus docking station do you use? I saw a whole bunch of different ones on amazon.com. Would this work? https://www.amazon.com/Targus-Universal-Docking-Specifics-ACP78US/dp/B01K46WTW6/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1490496661&sr=8-10&keywords=targus+docking+station
2. I currently use Rybos target script for the warthog hotas, thrustmaster pedals, and the mfd displays (which of course would not be needed anymore.) Would I still be able to use his script with your Helios profile? I’m in uncharted territory with all this stuff and I don’t completely understand all this stuff.
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That’s good then. While I’m not 100% sure if you can turn off your laptop monitor, even with three screens, I expect the GPU to just be drawing two images (main screen = game, touchscreen = Helios) even though it’s projecting one of them 2x (touchscreen and laptop screen) so there should be minimal FPS impact.
As for the docking station, again, I’m not 100% sure what you linked would work… it should but your touchscreen would need a HDMI port. For some reason, my screens act funny when I use my center-touchscreen’s HDMI connection so I’ve reverted to the DVI input. Also, $80 is a bit expensive… I got my docking station for £5+shipping on eBay My docking station is model ACP51EUZ, the “EUZ” seems to be the region it’s expected to be sold in… there’s a “US” or “USZ” version that I can see on eBay as well. Here’s one for $8. Just make sure it comes with the power cable. You can, of course, buy a more “modern” one, but I don’t see the need to spend more on what’s essentially just a splitter/adapter.
I’m not familiar with Rybo’s work so can’t comment on that. However, my old profile has been used with CH stuff and really, there’s nothing that ties the Helios and the .key file to Thrustmaster HOTAS aside from the DX mappings in the .key file.
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Ice, you are really helping me man! Thanks.
I guess why I asked about the profiles is that when I was looking at your install instructions I think it said to load your helios profile in the game’s advance control settings, and I didn’t know if that would interfere with the settings I already have set up with Rybo’s profile. I can switch to Mud’s on other profiles, they are all very good, I just was wondering in advance what I would need to do to set up everything.
I will definitely wait a bit before buying a touch screen, but thanks for all of the help and advice. I plan on getting this sometime later this year.
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I just asked that guy on ebay if the targus comes with a power cord. If it does, I will buy it. Then it’s just a matter of saving up for the touchscreen.I don’t know if I asked you this or someone else, but what kind of touchscreen monitors do you use? I know I want a 24 inch one, but I have no idea which model would be best for my purposes.
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You’re welcome and glad I could help!
I don’t really “recommend” iiyama monitors in the sense that I’ve not really gone out and tested other monitors and decided iiyama was the best. Let me just say that all my monitors are iiyama, but there are other touchscreens from AOC and ViewSonic IIRC. As long as you get a reputable brand monitor from a store/vendor with a good return policy, you should be good.
As for my “instructions,” I merely add the lines about Morphine’s profile and the TM WH because that’s what I use.
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For Falcon BMS, would you recommend a dual point optical touch or pay a little more for a 10 point multi touch screen?
I’m very close to jumping the gun and getting this baby. https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-TD2421-Dual-Point-Optical-Monitor/dp/B01LVVNHTL/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490567171&sr=8-1&keywords=touch%2Bscreen%2Bmonitors%2B24%2Binch&th=1
And then maybe getting this kind of docking station: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRJ2B66/ref=psdc_778660_t2_B00ECDM78E
I respect your knowledge and opinions, would these work Ice?
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For Falcon BMS, would you recommend a dual point optical touch or pay a little more for a 10 point multi touch screen?
Doing a bit of research on my screen (iiyama PL T2452MTS), it seems like there have been a few “versions” that have been released. However, all of them are "optical, multitouch (2 compatible touch points - HID, supported only under Windows 7), activated by finger or stylus… and I’ve never really felt the need for THREE touch points on one screen so I would say 2-touch is enough. Why would you think you’d need 10-point?
As for those that you linked, if you could find a cheaper touchscreen, go for it. One concern I have for your ViewSonic is that it looks like the power cable and HDMI comes out of one side but the USB connection comes out of the other side. Might want to consider how you’d route your cables with that setup, or find a different screen. The docking station seems a bit overkill as well, unless you plan on getting two touchscreens later on? I’d personally get the cheap one off eBay first.
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I don’t drink anymore, but I owe you a beer one day. Thanks again!
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Glad to have helped!
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Just ordered the cheaper touchscreen.
My question now is what do I download and what don’t I download in order to keep my settings with rybos profile. I looked at your instructions and I saw some things about key settings which I’m guessing I don’t want. If possible I would like to keep my settings for now.
I’m still interested in how I would go about setting this up, but for now I canceled the order. I love falcon bms, but I need to slow down on the spending for a bit, and hopefully buy a cheaper touchscreen as you recommended.
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Just ordered the cheaper touchscreen.
Which one?
My question now is what do I download and what don’t I download in order to keep my settings with rybos profile. I looked at your instructions and I saw some things about key settings which I’m guessing I don’t want. If possible I would like to keep my settings for now.
You’ll want everything except the .tmc files. You may want to edit the .key file for it to work with Rybo’s profile, specifically the DirectX assignments starting at line 1173. I had a look at his .key file and…. well, there’s a reason Kolbe put in white spaces and formatting to make the .key file easier to read! I also looked at his .tmc file… you’ll want to double-check that the key mappings he’s put in matches what’s in my .key file. For instance, his Master Arm/Safe/Sim is mapped to L_ALT+S/+B/+Q whereas mine are L_ALT+G/L_CTL+H/L_ALT+H. You’ll have to do this for all the key commands that he’s mapped in his .tmc file, the DX mappings you’ll have to double-check in the .key file. Does that make sense?
However, if you don’t plan on using the switches/buttons at the base of the WH because you’ll be activating those via Helios, then there’s no need to re-map the key commands and to be safe, I’d recommend you “rem out” the relevant lines by putting “//” before those lines. Putting the “//” (without the quotes) will turn the white text (commands) into green text (comments) and so the switch is basically de-programmed. If you want to use the switch again, just take out the “//” and map the correct key command and you’re good.
Having said that, what exactly about Rybo’s profile do you like? Why not try the profile I included? Everything on the stick should be the same; in the throttle, it’s only the coolie hat, mic switch, and china hat that is different.
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I almost bought a view sonic dual point optical touch. I just wanted to wait in order to do a little more research. Hopefully I can find something a bit cheaper for my purposes, since the touchscreen would only be for falcon bms. Also I want something that has more options with the view angle.
As for the profile, I guess when I looked for the best profile for the warthog, I first wanted a profile that was as close to the real f16 and rybos stick profile is perfectly accurate. I also wanted a zoom function on the throttle so that I could see the hud better and the buttons better in the cockpit. I was use to that feature on the x52. Finally I like the steer point switch on rybos 2.5 throttle profile. I still plan on getting a cougar throttle one day, a touch screen sooner then later, and a force mod for the warthog stick in a few years. I am becoming a realism fanatic. But for now Rybos profile feels right.
Thanks for the info on how to set things up. God willing I will get a touch screen soon and then I will go back to your above post and use those instructions.
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One other thing, I see that you can bring up maps and charts in your profile. Is that possible only for the touch screen or is there some way that I can bring up maps and charts in the cockpit? I’m just starting to learn navigation and I’m sure that I will need that stuff soon.
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I almost bought a view sonic dual point optical touch. I just wanted to wait in order to do a little more research. Hopefully I can find something a bit cheaper for my purposes, since the touchscreen would only be for falcon bms. Also I want something that has more options with the view angle.
Helios also works with DCS… and I’ve heard some people use it in Elite Dangerous. As for the view angle, this should NOT be a factor. Why? Because ideally, your head will be in the same place everytime you fly… meaning your body should be in roughly the same position every time. Ergonomics and all.
As for the profile, I guess when I looked for the best profile for the warthog, I first wanted a profile that was as close to the real f16 and rybos stick profile is perfectly accurate. I also wanted a zoom function on the throttle so that I could see the hud better and the buttons better in the cockpit. I was use to that feature on the x52. Finally I like the steer point switch on rybos 2.5 throttle profile. I still plan on getting a cougar throttle one day, a touch screen sooner then later, and a force mod for the warthog stick in a few years. I am becoming a realism fanatic. But for now Rybos profile feels right.
Well, the side-stick is the same for WH and Cougar so it’s natural that it’ll follow the F-16 control assignment. It’s with the throttle that things get interesting. Do try out my included profile and if you don’t like it, you can always switch back to Rybo’s… or if there’s something missing, it’s easy enough to add it in. One advantage of my profile over Rybo’s is the ability to use the shifted layer, so more commands at your fingertips. For example, the TRIM hat can function as trim on the normal layer or function as view control on the shifted layer.
I do have zoom function mapped on my profile as well, and even a “dogfight zoom” for when I want to concentrate on doing a guns kill. I have made some changes to my warthog profile now though… I’ve moved the COMMs callbacks from the mic switch to the coolie hat which is where it’s located on the proper throttle. I’ve currently got my mic switch set to the view zoom control, but I think I like Rybo’s idea of putting the ANT ELEV callbacks there. Once you have a touchscreen though, you’ll not really need to zoom in aside from going for a guns kill… all the buttons, switches, and MFD is right there and much easier to see.
One other thing, I see that you can bring up maps and charts in your profile. Is that possible only for the touch screen or is there some way that I can bring up maps and charts in the cockpit? I’m just starting to learn navigation and I’m sure that I will need that stuff soon.
I’m not sure what you mean about touchscreen and cockpit… you bring the charts/maps up, input the relevant data you need, and continue flying. No need to bring it up to the cockpit…
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Am I missing something huge? How do you bring up those maps and charts? Is it within the game or a separate program?
The most honest reason right now for not switching profiles is laziness:D
Just getting tired of setting things up. But I may switch when I get that touchscreen. I saw a planar 24 inch for 230 on newegg. Very tempting.
Once again I’m in your debt.
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Am I missing something huge? How do you bring up those maps and charts? Is it within the game or a separate program?
I’m not sure what you’re asking here… you access the charts by pressing the RWR… there’s a “hidden button” there. You access the maps by pressing the Map button on the lower right (single screen) or lower left (two screen) area of the profile. The charts and maps are shown on the secondary screen.
The most honest reason right now for not switching profiles is laziness:D
If you’re using any of the switches/buttons on the throttle base, then sure. If not, then you won’t really see a difference. You already “run” Rybo’s profile each time you start the game, it’s a simple method of swapping to my profile and just doing everything the same as normal. Having said that, no pressure…. his profile actually gave me a few ideas so I’ll be updating my profile soon.
Once again I’m in your debt.
Just glad I could help. “Pay it forward.”