controller not smooth on linux

Installation and usage on Linux / Installation unter Linux
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fdtrex
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Joined: 06 Aug 2009 11:57

controller not smooth on linux

Post by fdtrex »

Hello,

I am currently evaluating 2.0 before buying. I have Esky 4-channel controller.

First I installed heli-x 2.0 on Windows and I have to say that I am quite satisfied with it, although it seems more difficult to me to pilot the simulator than a real helicopter.

Using exact same hardware (PC+controller) (in dual boot), I installed the same heli-x 2.0 package under linux (ubuntu 8.04).

The software starts correctly, controller is recognized and I configured it (using the wizard), I think, the same way as on Windows.
It works, I can control my heli, however it is not smooth at all: controlling the left/right for example the heli reacts only when I reach 75% (left/right) on the controller, which makes impossible any stable flight.

To be honest, I didn't look into all possible controller configuration settings as I assumed that the software would behave in the same way on linux/windows.

Would you have any tip to share to improve the linux experience and make it look like the Windows one?

Thanks in advance,

fdtrex
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Michael
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Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by Michael »

Hello fdtrex,

to get the full resolution of your controller, please calibrate the controller on each OS, i.e. also on Linux. After the calibration wizard have a look at the 4 color bars. Do they move smoothly when you move the sticks?

Michael
fdtrex
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Joined: 06 Aug 2009 11:57

Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by fdtrex »

Hello Michael,

Thanks for helping me.

I just did some further investigations:

I have done the controller configuration again, and even there (in the config wizard) I see low resolution around stick center on the way forward (from center to outside). The way back (from outside to center) seems to be better.

Then I tried to pilot a bit.
It looks like on each of the 4 axis, one direction has low resolution while the other one is better.

As I said, it works fine on Windows, so the controller hardware is ok. Is there a way to troubleshoot at the driver level, for example to see the raw value returned for each stick movement?

Thanks,

fdtrex
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Michael
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Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by Michael »

Try to calibrate the controller with a joystick tool from linux (system settings).

Michael
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RainerS
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Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by RainerS »

Hello fdtrex,
I had the same problems as you. I changed the maximum values of each chanel in my remotcontrol (FC18) to
60%. Now it looks well.

regards

Rainer
NT, TRex 250, Logo 500 3D V-Stabi
Mein Verein: http://www.msv-plankstadt.de
fdtrex
Posts: 4
Joined: 06 Aug 2009 11:57

Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by fdtrex »

ok I have investigated this issue. Although I can not explain it really, it seems to be a permission problem.

Initially I have:

root@pc:/dev/input# ls -al
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 300 Aug 21 19:30 .
drwxr-xr-x 12 root root 14420 Aug 21 19:31 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 80 Aug 21 19:30 by-id
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 160 Aug 21 19:30 by-path
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 64 Aug 21 19:30 event0
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 65 Aug 21 19:30 event1
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 66 Aug 21 19:30 event2
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 67 Aug 21 19:30 event3
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 68 Aug 21 19:30 event4
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 69 Aug 21 19:30 event5
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 70 Aug 21 19:30 event6
crw-rw---- 1 root plugdev 13, 0 Aug 21 19:30 js0
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 63 Aug 21 2009 mice
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 32 Aug 21 2009 mouse0
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 33 Aug 21 19:30 mouse1
root@pc:/dev/input#

I start heli-x (not as root!) and I have the problem mentionned above.

Then I stop heli-x, and change the permissions:

root@pc:/dev/input# chmod a+rxw e*
root@pc:/dev/input# ls -al
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 300 Aug 21 19:30 .
drwxr-xr-x 12 root root 14420 Aug 21 19:31 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 80 Aug 21 19:30 by-id
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 160 Aug 21 19:30 by-path
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 64 Aug 21 19:30 event0
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 65 Aug 21 19:30 event1
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 66 Aug 21 19:30 event2
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 67 Aug 21 19:30 event3
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 68 Aug 21 19:30 event4
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 69 Aug 21 19:30 event5
crwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13, 70 Aug 21 19:30 event6
crw-rw---- 1 root plugdev 13, 0 Aug 21 19:30 js0
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 63 Aug 21 2009 mice
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 32 Aug 21 2009 mouse0
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 33 Aug 21 19:30 mouse1
root@pc:/dev/input#

I restart heli-x (still not as root!), I recalibrate the controller and now it works fine. I tried it 2 times by rebooting the computer.

With permissions issues, I would expect to have no command at all, not the type of problem I reported.
Michael, do you see any explanation for that?

Thanks,

helibel.
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Michael
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Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by Michael »

Hi helibel,

really strange. Is your problem now solved for ever, or do you have to start and restart HELI-X every time? Please hava a look into the console window. Is there anything strange visible?

Thanks.

Michael
fdtrex
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Joined: 06 Aug 2009 11:57

Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by fdtrex »

Hi Michael,

I have to do it every time I reboot the computer. Not a big deal; I don't think I can permanently change the permissions on those entries as they are dynamic.

helibel
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RainerS
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Re: controller not smooth on linux

Post by RainerS »

If you use Ubuntu 9.04 you have to build a file in

... lib/udev/rules.d/50-udev-default.rules

there must be a rule like
# USB devices (usbfs replacement)
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb_device", MODE="0666"

Rainer
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