ClearView and Spektrum DX6

[jrohland]

I have been wanting to practice autorotations in ClearView (FMS does not appear to have that option). To to that, I needed some way to activate Throttle Hold.

To perform autos, you need to shut down (or at least idle) the engine while maintaining pitch control. In ClearView (4.48) you need to assign a button to the Throttle Hold option in the Controller Setup wizard to allow autos.

I moved my Spektrum transmitter circuit to a JR radio. With that done, the Spektrum DX6 was no longer useful as a physical RC radio. However, the DX6 is fine as a sim controller. To connect my DX6 to my Windows XP computer, I use this (http://www.milehighwings.com/usb_cables.htm) JR/Spektrum to USB connector. This makes the DX6 look like a game controller to Windows XP.

With my setup, the Gear channel is the only channel I can assign to a switchable option in ClearView (Throttle Hold). Since I wanted to have the right side (Throttle Hold/Flap...) switch act as the Throttle Hold in ClearView, I needed to program the Gear channel in the DX6 to the Throttle Hold switch.

I don't want to write a manual on how to program the DX6 in this post so, I refer you to the DX6 manual at this Web site: http://www.spektrumrc.com/Content/PDF/dx6manual-english.pdf. If you need further instructions, PM me.

With the Gear channel assigned to the Throttle Hold switch, reverse the Gear channel so the Throttle Hold is on with the switch up and off with it down, if you like it that way.

In ClearView, assign the Throttle Hold on and off to button 1. I left the Idle Up assigned to Slider (unused) in ClearView.

Now you should be able to fly the heli up high enough, flip the throttle hold on, pull your left stick all the way down and flare with the left stick just above the ground. I was doing it last night and it worked great--even if I didn't.

I do use the Idle Up switch but, that is for another post.

jrohland

[bluemooone]

Ive got clear veiw set up on a joy pad atm . does your trex crash even when sitting on ground , or is it my controler?

[jrohland]

does your trex crash even when sitting on ground , or is it my controler?I let it sit running for 20 minutes and, it just sat there. No crash. Maybe you can adjust your game pad to get the heli stable on the ground.

jrohland

[bluemooone]

alright , I turned down the gain on easy settings helped a lots!

[FS_Pilot]

I am interested in buying Clearview. at $30 it is reasonably priced concidering you get unlimited upgrades. Is it capable of being good enough to practice for the real thing or is it at that price basicly only a game?
FS_Pilot

[jrohland]

I am interested in buying Clearview. at $30 it is reasonably priced concidering you get unlimited upgrades. Is it capable of being good enough to practice for the real thing or is it at that price basicly only a game?
FS_PilotIt is a "real" simulator (how's that for an oxymoron?). However, for me, it is not enough better than FMS to justify the $30. On the other hand, of the two, I use ClearView all the time and FMS never. On the other hand, I plan to buy Phoenix to see if it is good enough.

ClearView does all the stuff a sim needs to do. My only problem with it is the physics are not much like the real thing. It has a bunch of adjustable settings but, they are not documented (as least I can't find docs). If I could get the settings closer to real, I would have no problem recommending ClearView.

If you want something much closer to real, get:
RealFlight G3 or Reflex XTR.

jrohland

[kgfly]

I have FMS, ClearView, Reflex XTR (just sold it) and Phoenix (just bought it, not here yet).

I reckon ClearView is 80% as good as Reflex or G3 on most counts (and probably Phoenix too but I cannot say for sure yet) and is sensational value for money.

It is updated more frequently than the others and the developer is very responsive to suggestions/requests from users.

The graphics are pretty good. The UI (menus etc) is a bit clunky but quite simple to use.

It will run on a lower spec PC than G3, as will XTR or Pheonix.

I recently helped update the doco for the airplane parameters, although it's still not good at least it is more readable. Unfortunately I ran out of time (and didn't yet have all the info) to update the heli parameters and I don't understand them myself yet. That is definitely one weakness.

I find flying the helis on ClearView is harder than real life. It can be frustrating, but is not entirely a bad thing as in many ways it forces you to concentrate harder to maintain control.

Since for ClearView you need a decent USB interface (like this one: http://www.milehighwings.com) your all up cost is about $80. My recommendation would be stretch to ~$200 and get Phoenix (which includes the cable).

[kgfly]

I forget to mention, nice write up jrohland, I had yet to get that sorted out and had assigned it to F12 on the keyboard instead. Now I can adjust my DX6 model for the sim to work like yours. Thank you :D

[FS_Pilot]

Ok i have just bit the bullit and purchased Clearview which i am using with an XBox controller for windows. After about an hour of trying to hold a heli in a hover i am still having a lot of trouble keeping it remotely stable. It is not bad with the tail towards me but as soon as the nose swings around i totally loose it and move the stick in the wrong direction. i realise this is probable the hardest thing to learn as a beginner.

:arggg: My question is are Clearview models as diffiicult to control as the real thing and is it just practice makes perfect? :arggg:

I think i am going to be at this for a very Long time before even concidering the real thing. At least one thing is you crash the sim? And i am doing that a lot, it is cheaper to repair. And i thought flying helicoptes in FS2004 was hard but that was a piece of cake compared to this.
FS_Pilot

[kgfly]

Side-on and Nose-in hovering are MUCH harder than tail-in and that is why a sim is such a good investment. Any sim can help you learn about orientation and develop instinctive reactions.

Don't get discouraged. Some people learn to hover in all orientations in a few hours, some still struggle with tail-in after ten hours. It is very challenging and that's what makes it fun and rewarding. For most effective learning be sure to
take a break every 15 minutes or so or else you will find yourself simply repeating and reinforcing your mistakes.

I find ClearView a bit harder than the real world in terms of how the heli handles, but of course the fear factor makes the real world harder psychologically.

In conventional flight simulators your perspective has a fixed orientation to the aircraft and this is what makes flying (driving) R/C models so much harder. Since helis are inherently harder to fly than planes, I think that an R/C heli must be pretty much the hardest piloting challenge.

So clock up time on the sim until you get your heli. If you want the safest transition from sim to real world and the cheapest way to clock up real world stick time, get a LamaIV. At AUD$250 it's a good training aid and really is only adding less than 10% to your overal startup cost in the long run. It also means you can get in the air and be learning the Tx controls (rather than Xbox finger skills) much sooner than if you have to fund a TRex on a limited budget/savings plan.

[Steve CP Pro]

I bought clearview after buying realflight so...I was wondering if the cable the came with realflight (for my e-flight cp pro transmitter) would work in clearview. Anyone know and if so, how to set it up?

[Ade_Law]

this should clear some stuff up.

clearview review

http://www.trextuning.com/clearview.php

phoenix review

http://www.trextuning.com/phoenix.php

Ade

[Steve CP Pro]

Hmmm...looks like Phoenix is real nice...soon I guess.

I'm still wondering if this cable will work though...I'll keep working at it.

[kgfly]

I don't think you can get the RF controller to work with ClearView or FMS. I use a USB cable from www.milehighwings.com which works well. If you have a JR or Spektrum Tx then you can use a simple mono audio cable and the smartpropoplus driver.

[Steve CP Pro]

It seems I can't get the right side controller to work on the DX6. I've ordered a USB cable from Milehighwings and hope this solves the problem. I sure hope this is easier to configure than the manual way I was trying with ppjoy etc. Automatic is good if it is...

[Steve CP Pro]

Fixed the intermittent problem with my USB cable and CV is working now (thanks kgfly)

I'll probably get Phoenix also. Many seem to think it has better physics, but I doubt that I would know the differences yet. Hovering can be very difficult in any program regardless of cost or features I suppose. I guess it may become easier with time & experience (and after I learn what all the settings do).

I just tell the wife that every time I crash...I've just saved $40.00, and wait for the inevitable...
"that's nice honey".

Sometimes life IS good...