Helisim: New free simulator

[EPHeliGuy]

I have search this thread high and low about a cable to connect my DX7 to my PC and cannot find any information. Is this a cable that has to be purchased from JR(Spektrum)? Can we make one (have lots of spare USB cables and 1/8 jacks)?

Is there a driver that needs to be installed too?

I have not used a SIM with my DX7 so this is all new to me.

Thanks!

[bgagnon]

do a seach for "fms usb controler" on ebay. I got mine for 13$ including shipping.

[Jedric]

I just received my fms usb controller today finally. I can practice flying.

I downloaded the HeliSimRC. I need some help mapping on my Dx7

I was playing around with the settings. I might have mess up the default.

Can please somebody advice on which channel should this be mapped to.

Roll Cyclic

Pitch cyclic

Tail Rotor

Throttle Collective

Collective

Idle up

Throttle Hold

Thanks

[bgagnon]

Hi Jedric,

Take 5 min to trial and error and you will find the right combination.

[Roadbiker3]

I have reset every thing back to default settings and do not have any negative pitch can someone please help me out. I have never had a problem until just recently and haven't changed anything in the settings.

Thanks,
Jim

[carlangas]

Hi Mark

I am another guy that congratulates your work. I mean this Sim is excellent, now I started training my 5 years old son with the tremendous Training modes (lock xyz, lock yx), my kid is actually learning !!!, I am switching from mode 1 to mode 2 and I been learning new manouvers in this mode such as fast backwars, inverted transit (bacwards-forwards) with easy. So the moves become more automatic now for me.

I am sure you will be adding more and more feaures, just keep up the good work !!!!.

Congratulations.

Juan Carlos
Mexico City

[bgagnon]

hi Jim,

If you have put every default, make sure you also check the box use sim trottle/pitch curve on the controler maping windows it's easiser that way since you dont have to fiddle with the one on your radio. Also, to be on the safe side, create a clean model for the sim on your radio with no mixing.

HTH

[bigairhonda]

Will my futaba 6ex Fasst work with this SIM? Will a 9c micro connector work??? Thanks.

[ginnz]

wow this is a tight program! unbelievable! crazy awesome programming, considering the size!

i notice it uses ALOT of my E6600 dual cores though, 'specially after a crash! usage will spike to 85-90% and my temps jump up to 55+c across the cores, which is very odd!

[Jedric]

Finally got mapping correctly and I been able to fly the heli.

Anybody know if Throttle Hold and Idle up can me mapped on DX7?

Also I'm getting black screen after a few run and have to restart the program. Dont know if its my laptop. Im running it on a celeron with 512mb of RAM.

[FlyingHigh 450]

Im a noobie and downloaded the sim and it works BUT my controls are all messed up:confused:.I have a dx6i radio if that helps.Anyone know how to set this up.Looks fun:YeaBaby:

[FlyingHigh 450]

I would like to announce the offering of HeliSim: a new free simulator for RC electric helicopters.

I wrote this simulator, mainly to fill the needs of new RC heli pilots. I genuinely believe it to be substantially better than FMS for helicopters, especially 450 electrics. I hope it offers new fliers a simulator that will provide good training, and save them a bundle of money compared to the commercial sims(to be spent on batteries or parts, obviously).

If you already have a commercial sim, you have less motivation to get it. But you may still want to so everyone has a common simulator. It can then be used to exchange flight recordings! One thing it offers that I hope will be useful for learning new maneuvers, is a visual indication of stick positions during record/playback. So you can watch what the heli is doing, and simultaneously see the stick positions that caused it!

Anyway, its available for download now.

http://www.marksfiles.net/HeliSim/index.htm

This simulator is in basically final form, but if there is consensus among experts that something needs to be tweaked to achieve more realism… I am open to feedback, and will do my best to improve it.

I hope you enjoy it!
Can you or anyone ealse help me get this working right?I have it working right some what but when I move the left stick up the right one moves up and to the left a little with it.How or what do i need to do to fix this.If anyone has the dx6i please let me know how you have everything set up.

[Jedric]

Maybe I'm just a newbie but I can't the the heli to hover, I always seem to be chasing the heli around either I kept being dragged forward, backward, leftside or rightside? I have calibrated the my DX7 a lots times even did the trimming but once the heli gets in the air, I cant get it to stay in one spot.

Any tips????

[FlyingHigh 450]

Maybe I'm just a newbie but I can't the the heli to hover, I always seem to be chasing the heli around either I kept being dragged forward, backward, leftside or rightside? I have calibrated the my DX7 a lots times even did the trimming but once the heli gets in the air, I cant get it to stay in one spot.

Any tips????Im guessing it dont work anymore:dontknow.

[FlyingHigh 450]

C'mon,I Know someone can help me:confused:.

[CagedVR6]

Just buy realflight you bums :)

[bgagnon]

Hi FlyingHigh,

I have a question for you. Do you use the FMS usb connector available on ebay or a simple cable 1/8 to 1/8 phono to connect to the sound card? If the later I am not really good at it. but If you have the chance of having an FMS USB connector that you can BUY on ebay for 10$ (including shipping) then I can help you. First of you need to create a new model on your DX6i make it an Heli ;) and call it something like HeliSimRC. Also on the controller mapping, check the boxe beside the "Use Simulator Throttle/Pitxch Curves" you can use your own if you want but is easier to use the already configured ones. One of the advantage of using your radio's curves is that you will also be able to use the stunt (Idle 1) switch from the radio. Also I could send you my config file for the radio since I am using the same ;).

HTH

[Da_Coynul]

I got HeliSimRC working last night with an E-sky 0404 Tx and USB sim cable. This sim feels more realistic than RealFlight and runs great on my Pentium M 1.4gHz laptop. Keep up the good work Mark - donation sent :thumbup:

[HeliMix]

Well, after some messing around with FMS, but hearing others say HeliSim was better, I am doing most of my PC flying on HeliSim now. I am beginning to get use to the lack of sound, though I am sure it would help (I know you're working on it). Without having actual (decent) flight time in an RC heli, I do feel this is a better flight model than FMS (no offense intended to anyone).

I am having a little trouble hovering though. I am not sure if it is throttle curves or what yet (still learning all about that stuff). I take off and I can get the heli to hover. It sits fairly still with a little correction here or there. Then, without applying more throttle, it seems to lift to the sky. Is this normal for a real electric heli? Is holding a steady altitude while at hover like this in a real heli or is there something that needs to be adjusted?

I hope this question is clear, if not, holler back.

[milwiron]

I've had RealFlight and FMS for years and just recently have been trying some of the newer free sims.
HeliSim is the one I'm going to use. Took 2 seconds to download, 2 minutes to setup and works damn near perfectly. Much better than the multi-hundred megabyte monsters.
Thank you Mark.

Denny

[markb]

I have to admit that I haven't been watching this thread. I'm usually in the TRex 450 forum, and there's a similar sticky thread there, with more activity. I basically forgot this one. There are MANY configuration tips over there. Usually one of the following will help.

1 Be sure CCPM mixing is off on your transmitter. If your using a real RC transmitter (not a game controller) configure a "model" for simulation, with no swash mixing.

2 Its probably best to use the simulators internal throttle pitch curves, not the ones on your TX. Just set a straight line TC in your TX. Also, if you're using a real RC tx, you can set the sim "model" up in your Tx with a flat 0 pitch curve. that way you cant take off with your real heli, and the simulator model setup.

3 Read the help section on channel mapping. Its really easy once you see how the mapping controls work. (and have mixing off!)

4 Idle up / throttle hold switches can (and probably should) be mapped to the keyboard. They have red dot indicators on screen. Top left = IdleUp top Right=TH. If you have TH on, it wont spin up. If you have Idle up off, you cant get negative pitch!

5 Idle up and throttle hold switches on a real RC tx are NOT channels. They modify the output of the throttle and pitch channels, but they are not channels themselves. Consequently, the state of these switches is not transmitted, and therefore the simulator cannot map these switches!

[jaizon]

Nice job, Mark. Just downloaded it and set it up in about 10 minutes. Thanks for your work.

One question -- (or anyone) is there a way to get sound... or am I missing something?

Preston

[wipo]

What is the right way to hook up this simulator to my radio?
First connecting everything and than start up the pc??
Or plug it in to a running PC.
Please your comment and thanks in advance.
W.v.d.Poel

[theWulong]

Works under Linux Ubuntu 8.04 with wine-0.9.59 and e-sky simulator interface. Great job.

[wipo]

I own a JR PCM10X and after ordering the special set of cables at E-bay I hooked the radio on and after some adjustment I use it like my real modells.
By the way I have no sound,so is it normal and if possible how could I get it working.
Regards
Wim