How-to: Using your transmitter for simulator use

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While this was written for the Tunigy 9X most steps should apply to other transmitters. Note that the cable required may vary on other brands.
What you need
A 3.5mm minijack cable (male-male)
PPJoy (free)
SmartPropoPlus (free)
A computer with a line-in or microphone socket.
A simulator, ie FMS or HeliSimRC
Initial setup
Turn your transmitter off and connect a minijack cable from its trainerport at the back to either the line-in or microphone inputs of your computer's soundcard. Once the cable is plugged into your Turnigy 9X it should turn itself on, this is normal.

SmartPropoPlus installation
Download SmartPropoPlus and run the downloaded executable. If you want to use your controller with other sims/programs in addition to FMS then choose the generic install option.

You'll be prompted to install PPJoy at this point so that leads us neatly to the next part:

PPJoy setup
Download PPJoy and run Setup.exe from within the archive. Go through the installation clicking next when required. As the installation finishes you'll most likely get such a prompt:

Click continue anyway to proceed.

With PPJoy now installed run Configure Joysticks from its newly created start menu listing.

Choose Add and add a virtual joystick like so:

After adding a joystick you should then be prompted with two Found New Hardware Wizards ("Parallel Port Joystick 1" and "HID-compliant game controller"), since it makes little sense in connecting to WindowsUpdate, choose No, not this time followed by Install the software automatically for both of theese. A logo certification window might pop up, choose continue anyway as before.

In the PPJoy window select your newly added joystick and choose Mapping. Pick Set a custom mapping for this controller followed by Next. Next up is defining buttons and axis for your controller. Note that in this window the functions for each axis is only for Windows' identification, their real function will vary with controller mode and mixes.

The next window assigns the real controller axis to each virtual joystick axis. If your sim of choice has a joystick mapping menu you can safely leave theese at their analog 0-5 values, if not you can finetune them later when SmartPropoPlus and PPJoy are working together correctly. Since we're not assigning any buttons continue clicking next until the configuration is finished.

SmartPropoPlus final setup
From the start-menu open the SmartPropoPlus console. Check generic PPM and the PPJoy Extension then select the correct audio source for where you connected the minijack cable earlier. Ie:

Once done click the hide button. (done closes the application)

And that's it, your controller should now be working. Optionally you could go to the game controller part of your Windows control panel to check out your axis assignment. Or simply dive straight into a simulator and correct them there instead.

Simulators
That then brings us to the actual sims. They're great investments for reduced repairbills. There are plenty to choose from, most cost a good bit of money, but there are also a couple free alternatives like FMS and HeliSimRC. FMS has a greater selection of models, while HeliSimRC is focused around helis and does the physics around them really well.

For HeliSimRC choose Joystick->Mapping then check that the correct axis' move as you move the sticks on the controller. Once that's corrected calibrate the controller from the same menu and off you go!
What do you think, too much, too little? Feedback appreciated