I'm into radio controlled aircraft. In 1997 I bought Dave Brown's RCFS 5, a flight sim for R/C aircraft. It came with a Simstar flight controller similar to the actual R/C transmitters we use to fly the actual R/C aircraft. It plugged into the game port on the computer's sound card and worked just great. Since then I've upgraded to Dave Brown's RCFS 2001, got new computers twice and got big time into R/C helicopters. The Dave Brown heli models were not very realistic so I got Clearview as an R/C flight sim. I was able to get a sound card with a game port in 2003 for my last computer. My new computer's sound card don't have a game port and I understand they don't make them like that any more. I got a GWS transmitter to USB cable that allows me to use my actual Spektrum DX7s transmitter to control the sim. It works OK but I could not get the "Throttle Hold" switch to function correctly. This is important if one wishes to perform auto rotations on the sim. I bought this converter hoping for the best. I wasn't disappointed!!
My new computer is Windows 7. To be on the safe side, I first unplugged my Saitek X-45. I put the Rockfire unit to mode 3; 4 axis 4 button joystick. I followed the 4 installation steps. I ignored the Win98 steps. I then calibrated the controller through Win 7. This is sorta tough if you don't know where to look. No "Game controller" icon is on Win 7 desk top. So here's the procedure: "Start" then "Devices and Printers". Right click on 4 axis 4 button joystick, then click on "Game controller settings". Finally click on "Properties", "Settings" then "calibrate". Follow instructions. Then I then opened Clearview went to controller set up. The axises are easy to figure out. The throttle is called "Slider" in the set up. "Throttle Hold/ Landing Gear" is button 0 and "Idle up/ Flaps" is button 2. Note that for both on and off the buttons are the same. Pow! You're done & ready to fly!!! I hope the Simstar will last another 16 years...
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Reviews with images
For my old CH Products gear, & Windows 7 Pro
I haven't used my old CH Products flight gear since they stopped putting a gameport in computers . . . that is, years ago. With the recent release of Microsoft's new free game, FLIGHT, I thought it was about time to dust off my old gameport CH Products game controllers and go for a fly.So I was really happy to find the Rockfire RM-203 adapter that turns my old gameport gear into USB gear. This is a lot cheaper than replacing all my gear with all the new USB counterparts! The Rockfire adapter has 4-modes, each mode for use with various brands of controllers (see later paragraph). CH Products works with Mode 2. I say 'works' although not all the buttons on the controllers will function.First I hooked up my old CH rudder pedals and my old CH Virtual Pilot Pro yoke with the Rockfire adapter. Here's my results (also see the photo I uploaded):CH PRODUCTS VIRTUAL PILOT PRO (w/ CH Rudder Pedals)---------------------------------------------------* Turn & pitch (x & y axis) = works* Buttons = 4 of 6 work (in this order: Y Y N --- N Y Y)* Hat switches = 1 of 2 works (just the right one)* Throttle control = (slider) works* Rudder pedals = (z axis) worksI also tried my CH Products F16 Combatstick and rudder pedals with the same results:CH PRODUCTS F16 COMBATSTICK (w/ CH Rudder Pedals)-------------------------------------------------* Turn & pitch (x & y axis) = works* Buttons = 4 of 6 work (red trigger, red thumb on grip, gray thumb on face/top, red pinkie)* Hat switches = 1 of 2 works (top one, not the 4-way)* Throttle wheel = (slider) works* Rudder pedals = (z axis) worksWhen I incorporated my CH Pro Throttle into either of the above setups, all that works on the Pro Throttle is the slider itself (no buttons, no hat, no switch), and the configurations stayed the same as noted above except the throttle controls (slider) were transferred to the Pro Throttle.I am using Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, and all the drivers are built in. The Rockfire adapter makes the old gameport controllers plug and play USB. You can still bring up the Game Controllers box in Windows and run a calibration.Although I only have CH Products gear, the Rockfire adapter box says it also works with the following brand peripherals in the other modes. I can't verify any of these other modes, because I only have CH Products and am using Mode 2. I just thought this may help someone.* Mode 1: Avant Garde, Bazooka Fighter, and Thrustmaster FCS compatibles* Mode 2: Maya Fighter, and CH Products Flightstick Pro compatibles* Mode 3: Fire Plus, Fire Dragon, and other 4-axis, 4-button joystick compatibles* Mode 4: Silver Hawk II, Space Ranger, and other sophisticated 2-axis, 6-button gamepad compatiblesIn conclusion: Obviously, if you are a serious virtual pilot you will want to replace (or more likely, already have replaced) all your old gear with the new and no doubt improved USB models, so that all of the buttons, hats and switches work. But if you are a casual virtual pilot, or just someone who wants to dust off their old gear from the box in the closet for a few hours of fun, then I can definitely recommend the Rockfire RM-203 Gameport Adapter for a simple and cheap solution.
