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Firebird 2 User’s Guide

Chapter 1 – Introduction & Installation

Activating the Firebird Control Console

At the DOS prompt, type: FCC <Enter> or double-click the Firebird 2 icon
in Windows.

Note: As long as you do not remove the C:\GRAVIS\PCFB2 entry from your PATH
statement, you can activate FCC from any drive and directory.

Summary of Contents for Firebird 2

Page 1: ...avis Computer Technology Ltd Reg U S Pat Tm Off Canadian Registered Trademark GRAVIS GamePad GrIP MouseStick UltraSound FIREBIRD THUNDERBIRD and BLACKHAWK are trademarks of Advanced Gravis Computer Te...

Page 2: ...pter 5 Firebird 2 KeyTester KEYTEST EXE Chapter 6 Joystick Tension Adjustment Chapter 7 Troubleshooting Chapter 8 Technical Support Chapter 9 License Agreement Warranty Click on a Topic or click on th...

Page 3: ...nstallation Introduction Installation Click on a Topic or click on the arrow at the bottom of the page to continue reading through the book Introduction Connecting Firebird 2 Default Settings Registra...

Page 4: ...ries of commands The T grip throttle gives you full control for flight simulators and games that support joystick throttle control And the flexible button programming system even accommodates most sim...

Page 5: ...you want to use a different control set Firebird 2 also includes a program FBD EXE that allows you configure the joystick directly from the DOS prompt for fast game setup You can use this program in b...

Page 6: ...s chapter then complete the tutorial in Chapter 2 For advanced users the Quick Install guide may be sufficient For detailed instructions refer to the Firebird Control Console s Help menu or continue r...

Page 7: ...r greater IBM PC compatible game port AT compatible or PS 2 style keyboard port VGA compatible video monitor and VGA video adapter Double speed or better CD ROM drive We Recommend SVGA video monitor a...

Page 8: ...ame Port Keyboard Plug to Keyboard port Do not plug the Y cable s keyboard plug into its own socket One side of each connector plug and socket will not be used Figure 1 1 Connecting Firebird 2 1 Turn...

Page 9: ...rs when you connect Firebird 2 Line up the connectors before you insert them 3 Disconnect your keyboard from the computer 4 Plug the joystick s keyboard plug male into your computer s keyboard port Us...

Page 10: ...ommodate differ ent types of keyboard ports so one end of each of the joystick s keyboard connectors will not be used Connecting Firebird 2 cont d Do not plug the cable s keyboard plug into its own ke...

Page 11: ...to be compatible with the Gravis Thunderbird 2 CH FLIGHTSTICK PRO Standard four button support using the four handle buttons FLIGHTSTICK PRO compatible hat switch Throttle enabled Trim disabled The r...

Page 12: ...lation Registration Please fill out and mail the enclosed registration card Gravis may update the product s software and hardware components from time to time We can only tell you about such changes a...

Page 13: ...ion Installation Activating the Firebird Control Console At the DOS prompt type FCC Enter or double click the Firebird 2 icon in Windows Note As long as you do not remove the C GRAVIS PCFB2 entry from...

Page 14: ...l Console Select Contents from the Help menu The Help system is easy to use Instructions for accessing and using the Help System are included in Chapter 3 Firebird Control Console You will also find i...

Page 15: ...ow Assigning Button Functions Using the Function List Copying Moving and Swapping Button Functions Printing Control Settings Configuring Firebird 2 Using Firebird 2 Exiting the Control Console Game Se...

Page 16: ...use it with a game Before you begin the tutorial you should connect Firebird 2 and install its software When you ve completed this tutorial you should be able to Activate the Firebird Control Console...

Page 17: ...DOS prompt type FCC Enter or double click the Firebird 2 icon in Windows Note As long as you do not remove the C GRAVIS PCFB2 entry from your PATH statement you can activate FCC from any drive and dir...

Page 18: ...les with the FBD extension 3 Select Configure Firebird from the File menu to apply the control settings in the set you selected to your joystick s buttons 4 Choose Print from the File menu if you want...

Page 19: ...etter To choose OK Enter if keystroke entries are ended To choose Cancel Esc if keystroke entries are ended To start a keystroke entry Ins or Enter with the cursor in the entry field To end a keystrok...

Page 20: ...w set Select New from the File menu A new Untitled set file opens By default a new set includes only the minimum settings for Gravis Thunderbird 2 CH FLIGHTSTICK PRO compatibility 4 button support usi...

Page 21: ...ate or modify in the Control Console 1 From the File menu choose Save 2 In the Filename field type TUTORIAL 3 Select OK to save the file TUTORIAL into the default C GRAVIS PCFB2 directory The file is...

Page 22: ...se button down while you move away from that button you ll notice that the mouse pointer begins to drag a copy of the selected button with a attached to it This lets you copy a button s control settin...

Page 23: ...Topics Firebird 2 User s Guide Chapter 2 Tutorial Assigning Button Functions Try programming a button 1 From the Base menu at the top of the screen select Button 1 A button assignment window opens Ba...

Page 24: ...e gray edit bar to begin the entry 3 Press and hold the ALT key then press H Click on the gray edit bar which now says Done to end the entry 4 Click the End of keystroke string line in the Button Rele...

Page 25: ...to which button You can press the Get FBD button to display a copy of the functions of each joystick button in the Function List You can create as many button functions as you like they don t have to...

Page 26: ...e Chapter 2 Tutorial Using the Function List cont d A generic button assignment window opens This box is not tied to a specific button on Firebird 2 3 Press Ins or click on the gray edit bar to begin...

Page 27: ...as pressing the Tab key on the keyboard If you pressed the button a second time it would have the same effect as pressing the Enter key The third time you pressed it it would go back to Tab and so on...

Page 28: ...ok Topics Firebird 2 User s Guide Chapter 2 Tutorial Using the Function List cont d If you click on the Plus button to open the assignment window you ll see that the Tab and Enter keys are now assigne...

Page 29: ...st copied a function from the Function List To move a button s function to another button Hold down the Shift key while you drag the image of the first button to the second button you ll see a circle...

Page 30: ...inter connected to the computer s LPT1 port to use this option Select Print from the File menu You can also use the File Create Template option to view a PCX reference chart of Firebird 2 with your co...

Page 31: ...me control set you have to save the set and configure Firebird 2 Your joystick WILL NOT work properly if you skip this step 1 From the File menu select Save 2 From the File menu select Configure Fireb...

Page 32: ...elp menu When you release the button since you assigned C to the button release it should select Contents and open the Help file s Table of Contents 2 Press the Plus button on Firebird 2 once You assi...

Page 33: ...oose Exit from the File menu If you haven t saved your latest changes the Control Console will prompt you to save your changes or exit without saving After you exit the Firebird Control Console you re...

Page 34: ...le Joystick whatever description the game uses for a regular joystick in the game s Setup If you select CH mode for the hat switch select CH FLIGHTSTICK PRO in the game Remember to run the game s cali...

Page 35: ...lp Menu The Help menu provides detailed instructions for using Firebird 2 Take a look at the Help window 1 Select Contents from the Help menu to access the Help system The Table of Contents window ope...

Page 36: ...pics Firebird 2 User s Guide Chapter 2 Tutorial Table of Contents 2 Select Throttle from the Table of Contents 3 Select the button to move to the next page 4 Use the button to move back one page Using...

Page 37: ...turn to the Table of Contents 6 Select the Back button to return to the last page you viewed even if it is not in sequence Pressing this button now will return you to the page you were viewing before...

Page 38: ...Firebird Control Console to create a set with the ideal button commands for each of your games and simulators 3 Create a template or print a list of the control settings for each set if you like to u...

Page 39: ...Chapter 3 Firebird Control Console Firebird Control Console Introduction The Add Function Window The Function List Copying Moving and Swapping Button Functions File Menu Edit Menu Base Menu Stick Menu...

Page 40: ...djust button settings and enable or disable throttle and elevator trim for each of your games The Control Console saves this information in files called sets You can use the Control Console to create...

Page 41: ...activate the Control Console it opens an untitled set with only the default configuration Once you have opened your first set each time you activate the Control Console it will remember and open the...

Page 42: ...ndow opens an edit window for the function currently selected in the list Clicking on a button on the Control Console screen or right clicking on the button and choosing Edit from the pop up menu open...

Page 43: ...you set up the Firebird 2 button to act as a joystick button or buttons You can assign as many as four joystick buttons to a single Firebird 2 button You CANNOT assign keyboard keys and joystick butto...

Page 44: ...lows you to program multiple game commands that are always executed in the same order for instance commands for raising and lowering landing gear into a single Firebird 2 button For instance using the...

Page 45: ...ing slider controls the pacing for every button that has the Delay On checkbox checked Comment Click in the Comment box to enter a one line description of the button s settings This description appear...

Page 46: ...ne descrip tion of the button function 7 Select OK or Add when finished then select another button to configure Select Clear at any time to clear your selections and start over To Insert a Key 1 Open...

Page 47: ...e a Key or String of Keys 1 Open the Add Function window for the button or unassigned function in the Function List that you want to change 2 Click your right mouse button on the key that you want to...

Page 48: ...on checkboxes Joystick Buttons 1 and 2 represent buttons 1 and 2 of Joystick A Joystick Buttons 3 and 4 represent buttons 1 and 2 of Joystick B 2 If you like you can click in the Comment box to enter...

Page 49: ...or a game is to determine what keys and joystick buttons are used in the game s controls Usually you can find this information in a quick reference sheet in the game s on screen Help or Setup or in th...

Page 50: ...to open a pop up menu that allows you to choose editing options Get FBD Click the Get FBD button to copy the functions of each of your buttons into the Function List Add Click the Add button to define...

Page 51: ...Chapter Topics Book Topics Firebird 2 User s Guide Chapter 3 Firebird Control Console Function List cont d Delete Use the Delete button to delete the highlighted function from the Function List...

Page 52: ...to an image of the button 2 Click on another button If you chose Copy the function of the first button is copied to the second the first remains the same If you chose Move the first button s function...

Page 53: ...ename for the file you want to open Or select a drive in the Drives box and choose from the list of Firebird 2 FBD files 2 Select OK Save Saves a set 1 Assign a valid DOS filename All Firebird 2 sets...

Page 54: ...ox and choose from the list of Firebird 2 FBD files 2 Select OK Create Template Configure Firebird Loads the settings in the open set into the joystick s memory The next time you use the Firebird 2 co...

Page 55: ...ng keystroke strings you may want to enter Comments for the buttons to keep the template cleaner and more usable Comment Labels the template with the comments you ve typed in the Add Function windows...

Page 56: ...Chapter Topics Book Topics Firebird 2 User s Guide Chapter 3 Firebird Control Console File Menu cont d...

Page 57: ...ser s Guide Chapter 3 Firebird Control Console File Menu cont d Exit Exits the program If you haven t saved the current set you will have the option to save and exit exit without saving or cancel and...

Page 58: ...fy the game that the set is designed for or to note other sets for the same game For example if you create separate sets for different aircraft in the same simulation the Title field lets you give eac...

Page 59: ...e settings specific to the open set You can set different Preference settings for each set if you like Preferences Dialogue Turbo Settings Turbo Rate Slider Drag the slider left or right to set the tu...

Page 60: ...ey begins to repeat Typematic Rate slider Drag the slider left or right to set the Typematic repeat rate for buttons you program as a Standard key Left slows the repeat rate right speeds it The Typema...

Page 61: ...hrottle and examine the game s commands for increase and decrease throttle Simulators that don t support joystick throttle control commonly use one of two types of keyboard throttle control incrementa...

Page 62: ...s may be unable to handle incoming keys fast enough so they may miss keys especially when you have a string of keys assigned to a single button press or release Drag this slider to the left to increas...

Page 63: ...ning of this chapter for defining button functions The Plus and Minus Buttons You can assign functions to these buttons the same way you would any other button but you may find these buttons especiall...

Page 64: ...n Window at the beginning of this chapter for defining button functions Hat Switch Buttons 1 through 8 You can assign keys or joystick buttons to each of the hat switch directions the same way that yo...

Page 65: ...he game s Setup In CH mode if you press the hat switch and a button that is config ured as a joystick button at the same time you will get unpredictable results This is a limitation in the CH hat swit...

Page 66: ...rors Firebird Self Test The Firebird Self Test checks the joystick s connections and memory To start the Firebird Self Test Select Firebird Self Test from the Diagnostics menu When the test is complet...

Page 67: ...on one at a time until you have pressed every button on the Firebird The buttons on the screen image turn yellow when you press the corresponding joystick buttons and red when you release them 4 Selec...

Page 68: ...to your computer as you move them 1 Select Axes Test from the Diagnostics menu The Axes Test will overwrite the current configuration you have set for Firebird 2 After the test is complete you will h...

Page 69: ...he way forward and back Notice the red indicator moving on the screen For advanced users x and y axis position data is available Press Alt D to view the data The actual analog values depend on the spe...

Page 70: ...u cont d 6 When you are finished press OK or Enter If you receive an error message during the Axes Test select Troubleshooting Error Messages from the Control Console s Help for an explanation of the...

Page 71: ...ay the Firebird 2 image on the left center or right of the screen You can also drag the image around while holding down the right mouse button Show Memory Meter Check this option to display the memory...

Page 72: ...ics Firebird 2 User s Guide Chapter 3 Firebird Control Console Options Menu cont d Show Function List Check this option to show or hide the Button Function List Sound Check this option to turn sound o...

Page 73: ...he Help menu to access on line help The Help Window includes simple tools to help you find the information you need The Table of Contents lets you choose from a list of topics Select a topic by clicki...

Page 74: ...of Contents Use the Back button to return to the last screen you viewed Use the button to page forward one screen Use the button to page backward one screen Click on the green underlined text to view...

Page 75: ...directory is not listed in your PATH statement you will have to change to the Firebird 2 directory before you run this program The FBD EXE program configures Firebird 2 with the control settings in th...

Page 76: ...e used in the command to start the game Otherwise the game may run before the BAT command and Firebird 2 will not be configured properly This sample batch file will configure Firebird 2 with the setti...

Page 77: ...indow opens displaying a computer keyboard 2 To test your joystick s button settings press each button one at a time and watch the keyboard image to see which key is highlighted or in the case of keys...

Page 78: ...ck see diagram Each slider is labeled from 1 lowest tension setting to 6 highest setting To change the tension settings slide each bar to the setting you prefer For consistent response we recommend th...

Page 79: ...rs in tension settings 1 5 Tension setting 6 provides defined corners for software calibration and for those players who prefer corners If your game s calibration program requires square corners set t...

Page 80: ...Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Introduction Controls are Erratic or Don t Work Game Character Drifts Keyboard Error or Keyboard Doesn t Work Buttons Perform Wrong Commands Firebird 2 Not Detected or...

Page 81: ...Firebird 2 users may encounter If you do not find the answer to your question in this section please select Troubleshooting from the Firebird Control Console s Help system for more detailed help If y...

Page 82: ...Some games have a specific procedure to make the game recognize a joystick e g pressing ALT J Check the game s instructions Select the topic Calibration from the Control Console s Help for more inform...

Page 83: ...ame port or changing its address Some multifunction cards have game card circuits but no external joystick connector In these cases it is the interface circuit that causes problems so it is possible t...

Page 84: ...fast for your software and game card Some games and game cards provide inadequate joystick support for faster computers Try using your computer in non Turbo mode if your computer has a Turbo mode If t...

Page 85: ...anged for some reason or you changed the speed setting for a specific game your speed adjustment setting may be incorrect Adjust the speed adjustment knob if there is one or run the speed adjustment p...

Page 86: ...ave the keyboard connector plugged in but the game port connec tor unplugged If this is the case your computer cannot send power to the joystick and as a result your keyboard because it is connected t...

Page 87: ...orrectly but buttons defined as keystrokes do not work at all you have a problem with the keyboard connec tion If this is your situation make sure that you plug in your keyboard port connec tor and ch...

Page 88: ...ough your keyboard and relies on standard keyboard mapping to perform button functions Before using Firebird 2 remove any TSRs that remap the keyboard from memory The MS DOS alternate language keyboar...

Page 89: ...g field of the function assignment window for those buttons Then adjust the Pacing delay slider in the Edit Preferences dialog see Chapter 3 This causes Firebird 2 to delay between keystrokes when sen...

Page 90: ...sage when I attempt to configure the Firebird Some uncommon keyboard BIOS controllers cause a communication problem between the joystick and computer through your keyboard To solve the problem try usi...

Page 91: ...ot change for the life of that joystick or its compo nents For this reason Firebird 2 does not require external calibration adjust ment through screws or other methods The calibration process performe...

Page 92: ...Guide Chapter 8 Technical Support Technical Support Instructions Support by Telephone Support by Electronic Mail Chapter 8 Technical Support Click on a Topic or click on the arrow at the bottom of th...

Page 93: ...e charges Technical Support Tips If only certain programs are affected read their manuals for information relating to joysticks and game cards Call from a phone where you have access to your computer...

Page 94: ...In Europe please call one of these numbers Austria 0660 5791 UK 0800 894383 Belgium 0800 16778 Netherlands 0800 0222 694 Denmark 800 17838 Norway 800 11335 Finland 9800 13228 Spain 900 993129 France...

Page 95: ...Contact Gravis at the following addresses Internet Web Site http www gravis com Internet E mail pcstick gravis com Canada gravis euronet nl Europe Internet File Server ftp gravis com This Web Site is...

Page 96: ...hapter 9 License Agreement Warranty Firebird 2 On line Manual License Agreement Warranty Chapter 9 License Agreement Warranty Click on a Topic or click on the arrow at the bottom of the page to contin...

Page 97: ...it lend it lease it nor use it on a multi user system LICENSE You have the non exclusive right to use the enclosed software You are not permitted to use copy modify or transfer the software or docume...

Page 98: ...ective until terminated This license is automatically terminated if you fail to comply with any of the conditions set out in this agreement You agree that upon such termination you will immediately de...

Page 99: ...of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the software and any accompanying written materials To the maximum extent permitted by law in no event shall GRAVIS or its licen...

Page 100: ...d agree to be bound by these terms You also agree that this agreement is the complete and exclusive statement of agreement between yourself and GRAVIS and supersedes any prior agreements oral or writt...

Page 101: ...need it for any warranty service To obtain warranty service during the warranty period you must 1 Call Gravis Technical Support at 610 266 9505 2 Give a full description of the problem 3 Get a Return...

Page 102: ...placement as provided under this warranty is your exclusive remedy GRAVIS shall not be liable for any incidental or consequential dam ages Implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a parti...

Page 103: ...Find button to search for a specific topic Click the Bookmarks button to view the complete Contents list In the Contents Bookmarks list click the triangles to view subtop ics and double click a topic...

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