Vipercore FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG User manual

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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
FORCE CONTROLLED
WARTHOG (FCW)
Installation's manual

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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
Table of contents
1.#Introduction#........................................................................................................................................#3#
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2.#FCW#Installation#in#a#Warthog#stick#base#............................................................................................#4#
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3.#Installing#the#Warthog#FCW#into#other#bases#...................................................................................#19#
3.1$Cockpit$base$....................................................................................................$19#
3.2$Cougar$base$.....................................................................................................$19$
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4.#Setting#up#your#FCW#..........................................................................................................................#20#
4.1$Electronic$Calibration:$.....................................................................................$20#
4.2$Installing$the$software$.....................................................................................$22$
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5.#Using#your#FCW#.................................................................................................................................#25#
5.1$Changing$options$through$software$................................................................$25#
5.2$Changing$options$through$stick$button$combinations$.....................................$28$
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6.#Programming#your#FCW#....................................................................................................................#30#
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7.#Contacts#and#credits#..........................................................................................................................#31#

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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
1. Introduction
Congratulations#with#the#purchase#of#your#Force#Controlled#Warthog.#
The#FCW#is#a#drop-in#replacement#for#the#original#warthog#gimbals.#
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Unlike#the#FCC#for#the#Cougar#the#Warthog#FCW#replace#completely#the#electronics#of#the#warthog.##
As#a#consequence,#you#will#not#be#able#to#program#the#warthog#stick#with#Thrustmaster#software#
(Target).#Programming#will#only#be#available#through#Direct#X.#
Please#refer#to#the#DX#programming#capabilities#and#features#of#your#favourite#sims#to#take#full#
advantages#of#the#DX#programming.#(For#BMS,#please#refer#to#the#DX#Setup#Guide.pdf#located#in#
..\Docs\Key#Files#&#Input\Device#Setup#Guides#&#Profiles)##
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Although#initially#designed#for#the#Warthog,#there#is#no#reason#that#the#FCW#cannot#be#installed#with#
a#Cougar.#The#FCW#is#indeed#backwards#compatible#with#the#Cougar.#If#you#do#install#the#FCW#in#a#
cougar#be#aware#that#you#will#lose#the#possibility#to#connect#the#rudder#and#throttle#on#the#cougar#
stick#base.#You#must#seek#a#way#to#connect#the#rudder#and#throttle#independently.#
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I#hope#you#enjoy#using#your#FCW#as#much#as#I#enjoyed#designing,#building#and#using#it.#
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If#you#have#any#comments#or#questions#about#your#FCW#you#can#mail#me#at#[e-mail]#
Arend#“Eagle”#van#Oosten.#
CAUTION
The Warthog and FCC printed circuit board are electrostatic sensitive device. This
means you can damage the boards if you don’t take precautionary measures. Make
sure you are not electro-statically charged before working on the PCB. You can do
this by grounding yourself and use ESD-approved materials. If you don’t have them at
least discharge yourself by touching a ground wire of your electrical installation.

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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
2. FCW Installation in a Warthog stick base
The#hardest#part#of#the#installation#is#to#disassemble#de#warthog#stick#base.#Most#of#the#warthog#
components#will#not#be#necessary#after#the#FCC#installation.#The#FCW#kit#is#made#of#the#assembled#
FCW,#the#warthog#base#plate,#the#FCW#PCB#and#a#small#bag#of#screws#and#washer.#
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Let’s#put#all#the#FCW#components#away#for#the#moment#and#concentrate#on#disassembling#the#
warthog#base.##Make#sure#you#place#all#screws#and#components#in#a#small#box#while#you#are#working.#
#
Turn#the#base#over#and#unscrew#the#flat#plate#from#the#warthog#base.#That#will#separate#the#base#
from#the#plate#and#give#you#access#to#the#warthog#TM#pcb.#Let’s#start#by#removing#this#from#the#
warthog.#As#you#see#on#the#following#pictures#the#base#I#used#for#this#manual#is#one#of#the#early#
warthog#prototype#and#is#not#grounded.##
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Chances#are#high#that#your#pcb#is#grounded#and#connected#to#the#metal#part#of#your#warthog#base.#
Unfortunately,#that#ground#wire#is#soldered#on#the#PCB#and#you#will#have#to#either#unsolder#it#or#cut#
it,#whichever#you#prefer.#We#won’t#need#the#warthog#PCB#anymore#so#cutting#it#is#not#the#finest#
solution#but#it#has#no#consequences.##

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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
# #
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Before#disconnecting#any#connector,#I#advise#to#mark#them#accordingly#so#you#can#reconnect#them#at#
a#later#point.#In#this#case,#I#simply#drew#a#red#line#on#both#part#of#the#first#connector#and#a#black#line#
over#the#second.##
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Remove#the#connectors#by#gently#separating#with#a#flat#screwdriver#and#pull#them#away.#
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Unscrew#then#the#2#small#PCB#screws#and#store#them#away,#you#might#need#them#later#on.#You#can#
now#remove#the#Warthog#PCB#and#it’s#cable#from#the#warthog#base.#Needless#to#say,#it’s#precious,#
store#it#securely#away.#
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Turn#the#base#over#and#unscrew#the#round#metal#plate#held#in#place#with#8#Philips#screws.##
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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
There#is#a#huge#spring#inside#the#Warthog#base.#As#you#unscrew#the#following#plate#(with#the#4#
screws#marked#in#red#on#the#following#picture),#that#spring#will#extend#unless#you#hold#the#plate#
firmly#in#place#until#all#screws#are#out.##
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Please#make#sure#you#don’t#unscrew#the#last#one#unless#you’re#pushing#the#plate#down.#Failure#to#do#
so#may#damage#the#screw#thread#and#create#problems#when#you#attempt#to#reassemble#the#base.##
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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
#
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I#didn’t#lie#to#you,#that#spring#is#huge!##
Remove#the#top#plate#and#remove#the#spring#by#lifting#it#up#from#the#base.#Be#careful,#the#spring#may#
be#full#of#grease.#You#can#now#lift#the#cylinder#casing.#It’s#simply#pinned#in#the#base#with#4#pins.###
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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
#
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Turn#the#base#over#again#we#will#now#remove#the#gimbals.#They#are#held#in#place#with#the#4#silver#
screws,#of#which#you#may#already#have#unscrewed#2#when#removing#the#ground#wire#before.##
Before#unscrewing#them#all#4,#you#may#also#unscrew#the#centre#light#grey#piece#held#in#place#with#the#
2#smaller#screws.#The#grey#part#can#be#lifted#up#or#flip#the#base#so#gravity#can#help.###
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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
You#can#now#unscrew#the#last#screws#holding#the#Warthog#gimbals.#Make#sure#you#hold#it#to#avoid#
having#the#precious#fall#on#the#floor.#
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That’s#it,#the#warthog#base,#or#what’s#left#of#it,#is#ready#for#the#FCW.##Once#again,#make#sure#you#stow#
securely#away#the#left#over#from#the#warthog,#you#may#need#them#one#day#to#help#a#fellow#virtual#
pilot.##
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The#next#thing#we#need#to#do#is#to#secure#the#FCW#PCB#inside#the#Warthog#base.#This#is#the#only#
intrusive#modification#to#your#hardware.#Although#the#PCB#takes#the#place#of#the#old#Thrustmaster#
PCB#it#does#feature#a#mini#USB#port#that#needs#to#go#through#the#plastic#of#the#base.##
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FORCE CONTROLLED WARTHOG - USER'S MANUAL V1.0
Yep#you#got#it#right,#you’ll#need#to#cut#a#slot#of#your#base#to#let#go#the#connector.#Don’t#worry#your#
warthog#base#will#sport#the#scar#with#pride.#There#is#another#way#to#bypass#that#modification#if#you#
find#it#too#instrusive,#see#below.#(add#page)#
The#first#thing#to#do#is#to#mark#the#cuts.#I#used#tape#but#a#pen#works#equally#fine.##
#
Saw#alongside#the#tape#vertically#until#you#meet#the#flat#bottom#(don’t#go#all#the#way#through#the#
plastic#touching#the#metal)#Stop#when#the#connector#has#enough#room#to#slide#through.#Repeat#on#
the#other#side,#alongside#the#other#piece#of#tape#
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#
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Cutting#the#horizontal#part#is#a#bit#more#difficult#but#here#is#a#modalism#trick.#Using#a#precision#drill,#
bore#a#few#small#holes#as#close#to#each#other#alongside#the#horizontal#bit#of#tape.##
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