The Silent Hunter 4 TDC discussion

[jdski]

...Quick question or example---Lets say you find a target and lock the scope on to target. You then input the range, AOB, and Speed into the PK and turn it on. You then unlock the peri from target....Now: will the PK just continue to track the target based on the data inputted while the peri is now unlocked?...

Sort of. It doesn't actually track the target. But if your settings were correct, it will stay with the target.

...Also, If you re-lock the peri onto the target at a later time--is the PK affected or updated at all, or do you then update it maually?

Unlocking the periscope and locking it again doesn't update the bearing, but turning the PK off and on will update the bearing if your periscope is locked on it.

Bearing can also be input with sonar, either asking for it from the AI which can be very inaccurate, or listening yourself and sending it with the 3d switch. Doing it yourself, you can move the bearing around depending where your hydrophone is pointed.

[kakemann]

I look forward to the TDC fix in the upcoming patch!

[Powerthighs]

is it correct to say that manual TDC is working and can be used to reliably plot and obtain firing solutions for targets passing from starboard to port, but one should not bother manual plotting on targets passing from port to starboard?

No, actually. You can use the manual TDC to fire on on all targets and it will work. The only issue is that the PK won't always accurately display to you what it thinks the current Relative Bearing to the target is. That info can help you make more efficient observations and verify your solution, but it doesn't affect the accuracy of the firing solution sent to the torpedo.

the lock periscope to target function is NOT connected to the PK or TDC computer right?

Yes. The lock function only keeps the periscope centered on a given target. Information only gets sent to the PK (and therefore the actual firing solution is only updated) when you press one of the red "send" buttons.

[NefariousKoel]

Originally Posted by Powerthighs

Yes. The lock function only keeps the periscope centered on a given target. Information only gets sent to the PK (and therefore the actual firing solution is only updated) when you press one of the red "send" buttons.

Most notably, the current bearing is only input when you use the Range/Stadimeter "Send" button.

[SKurj]

I can never get the damn range... 90% of the time using the stadimeter I come up short. I tried the jap dimension fix and with or without makes no difference I cannot get the range properly. Could there be an issue with Widescreen monitors at hi-res (1680x1050) and the stadimeter?

[supposedtobeworking]

Originally Posted by Powerthighs

No, actually. You can use the manual TDC to fire on on all targets and it will work. The only issue is that the PK won't always accurately display to you what it thinks the current Relative Bearing to the target is. That info can help you make more efficient observations and verify your solution, but it doesn't affect the accuracy of the firing solution sent to the torpedo.

Yes. The lock function only keeps the periscope centered on a given target. Information only gets sent to the PK (and therefore the actual firing solution is only updated) when you press one of the red "send" buttons.

Ok I think I'm getting it now--let me make sure: The bug in the PK only affects the readout of the relative bearing of the target. But, is that to say that the PK knows the "correct" bearing internally though it does not display it? It seems that if the bearing is displayed wrong on the dial then the torp will go to that incorrectly displayed bearing--but you seem to be saying not to worry about it--am I close?

So I input the data into the PK and let it do it's thing--the bug comes into play when I want to validate my solution by checking the bearing on the indicator--but as long as I enter what I think are the correct values of spd rnge and aob the torp will steer true and hit the target--right?

One last question which may eliminate some remaining confusion--when do you turn on and/or off the PK? Right after you input the data from your first observation? Would you ever want to turn it off after your initial plot or just leave it on and update with more plot data as you go?

[Powerthighs]

Ok I think I'm getting it now--let me make sure: The bug in the PK only affects the readout of the relative bearing of the target. But, is that to say that the PK knows the "correct" bearing internally though it does not display it? It seems that if the bearing is displayed wrong on the dial then the torp will go to that incorrectly displayed bearing--but you seem to be saying not to worry about it--am I close?

So I input the data into the PK and let it do it's thing--the bug comes into play when I want to validate my solution by checking the bearing on the indicator--but as long as I enter what I think are the correct values of spd rnge and aob the torp will steer true and hit the target--right?

Yes, all correct. Even though bearing to target may not display correctly, the PK uses the correct value internally. It's purely a display issue.

One last question which may eliminate some remaining confusion--when do you turn on and/or off the PK? Right after you input the data from your first observation? Would you ever want to turn it off after your initial plot or just leave it on and update with more plot data as you go?

I usually turn it on before the first observation and leave it on. I don't know of any reason not to do that. It will update its data with new observations whenever you take them.

[supposedtobeworking]

Thanks powerthigh...that leaves me wondering,..why have an on and off switch for the PK at all...?

[rknhorse]

Originally Posted by elanaiba

You do have a bearing readout, just as in the war versions of the TDC.



I think there's a bug, though, and the position keeper will not update the bearing once you use the periscope lock feature. Try to just attack ships without the lock, and see if it works correctly.

aye! Just needs a bit of Ole Relative Bearing Grease!

[fullmetaledges]

Originally Posted by supposedtobeworking

Thanks powerthigh...that leaves me wondering,..why have an on and off switch for the PK at all...?

turn it off and on when changing targets

[supposedtobeworking]

Got it-- so the PK resets when you turn it off and back on to clear the data for a new target--I think I'm good to go--here's hoping for a complete and effective patch 1.2--thanks all for the help.

[Torpex752]

Maybe I am asking for too much, but I would like 3 things added. One; a mark bearing button, so regardless of the accuracy of my solution (usually +/- 2-3 degrees) I can input "final bearings and shoot!"
two; I would like a Torpedo Gyro angle indicator, so i can soot when based off of target inputs I can shoot with zero gyro angles. Three: The dials to be a tad bit clearer and slightly larger so i can see the degrees down to 1-2 degrees, not guess +/-5!

Frank

[fullmetaledges]

Originally Posted by rknhorse

the "arm" on the botton dial is the gyro angle

[Torpex752]

That explains why I thought my calculations were off..hmmmm why didnt they just copy SH1's TDC???

Frank

[heartc]

Originally Posted by fullmetaledges

the "arm" on the botton dial is the gyro angle

Yep. And the inner ring on the lower dial is meant to indicate to COMPUTED relative target bearing on its 12 oc position in real time, so that you can check the solution for accuracy if this bearing matches the sighted relative target bearing you can see from your scope, or if it outruns / lags behind it. Unfortunately, as of know this dial is bugged and will only work (move) for starboard side targets or something, otherwise it will always center on a bearing of 0°. But this has already been reported.

Also: Even when this dial is fixed, it would still be cool to have a numerical (as in "312") target bearing readout, like in SHI, because to find out solution errors you need a pretty accurate and readable readout, which the inner ring is not. Remember, that dial was lot bigger iRL. For long range shots, even slight bearing errors will lead to missing the ship, and the less accurate the readout, the longer you will have to track the target to note a difference.