Gman109

Can any of you with experience with RS clear this up for me? RS is the only company I've not bought bases/sticks from, and I want to fix that here shortly so I can compare their FSSB/sticks to the whole Virpil/VKB/TM line. Regarding the BLE/Blue tooth functionality, if I'm reading this correctly on their re-done website (it's still has some contradicting and confusing info, but much better than the previous site), the F16 stick does NOT have BLE in the base model SGRH stick, but does with the collectors edition "CE" model, right? However there doesn't seem to BE a "Collectors edition" for the Hornet/F18 CGRH stick, yet it's still in the 360 euro price range as the F16 base model stick, but has the BLE capability available for this much lower price. As quoted from the F18 stick page on RS site - Ok, to summarize, it seems that BLE comes WITH the F18 stick for 360 Euro, yet it does NOT come with the similarly priced F16 stick, as you have to "upgrade" to the F16 "CE" collector's edition stick for BLE, and that costs double almost what the base model F16 AND F18 (with BLE) costs. If I'm getting this wrong, please sound off, it's why I'm posting this, and I don't want any confusion or wrong expectations for a nearly two thousand dollar CAD order (more actually after shipping/duty/tax, for one base and two grips). Am I getting this right, or missing something here? I've returned the borrowed base/stick I've tried out, and I'm putting my order together, have the base model F16 SGRH, the F18/Pre Order, current FSSB base, and the TM F16 throttle usb adapter (I have one already, but want this new one).

Anyone in Canada or outside the USA have any luck putting in a pre order with this - whatever it's called company, Connection - that HP is using? Normally I'd just use our US address and take care of it that way, but with the Covid/etc crap and the border issues, I'd prefer not to do that. You can't sign up without a US address with Connection, and I can't find a pre order site for HP Canada.

Sobe if you aren't going to use a desk mount and prefer to use your Warbrd as a desktop (that's where my Warbrds are too, desktop), if you want something different than your WH metal stick, IMO the Alpha is the best, almost the only other choice for an "all rounder" stick. The F14 and F18 stick options out there for the Warbrd are great, but a bit too type specific IMO. Also the Alpha again gives you an analogue ministick, which even if the T50CM2 was shorter, isn't worth the trade for the flippy trigger and analogue brake axis. I find I use the analogue ministick a lot more than both those other doohickies put together, but again, subjective. This. This this this. I didn't think it would be nearly as bothersome as it is, but getting the little pins lined up every single time without bending them, then messing about with the VPC software, etc etc, for every.single.plane.switch.in.game. It becomes tiresome, and fast. My solution was to accept the associated wife ack/AAA (and ooooh did she fire a lot of it over this), and buy a base for every stick pretty much for the Virpil line of compatible sticks I have in mounts and the Warbrds. Again, subjective and YMMV depending on the setup - I already had a couple of the first gen T50 bases and Warbrds, so getting a couple more T50CM2 on top of the 2 I had wasn't a real big deal to permanently mount/flash a base/stick combo for all planes/sticks concerned. Starting out right now/all over again, or $/wife approval/etc limitations being the case, I think running desktop Warbrds with Alpha grips is a great all rounder solution for every plane/sim/space game out there right now.

While questions like this are always a bit subjective, in my case I'll answer with a strong "yes". I have one and another on the way (and a left for Star Citizen). It's a great all round stick, in fact many like it as their primary "go to" Virpil stick for their bases. It's comfortable for the majority, has a good number of buttons/hats, and most of all, it has an analogue mini stick. That's important for this sim for slewing pods/etc, and some throttles either don't have an analogue mini stick, or it's a case of it being more accurate with your primary hand (right handed people and left handed people benefit here as they make l/r Alphas). You'll get lots of opinions on this here, just read them and see what you think.

+1, good post, and agree Imacken with all points here. I agree the YT video poster is convincing, and he's also a very nice person, and tries to help. That doesn't mean he's accurate though, but I am taking into account that he's running mid range hardware as well, which may produce much different and more positive results with his suggested downloads and settings than those of us with 2080ti and faster CPUs. I can't check because my systems are all the same, but that's just an opinion.

Typical TM quality. I bet the response from their customer support would be the usual "Le blah, Le blah, le blah blah blah" and no help really offered. That's been my experience with the 4 TM Warthog gimbals I've had to deal with (well, 3 technically, the 4th one hasn't suffered sticktion/failure...yet)

Thanks for the response. I'll pick up the KG12 anyway. They are out of stock on the F18 adapters, and if the wait time is anything like the TM WH adapters was, I don't mind modding one of my WH adapters now that I'll have 3.

Agreed, my experience as well - this isn't Virpil's fault whatsoever. Not this restock but the previous, I had 5 items in my cart that got through to the payment page. Then all of a sudden my bank's Visa credit card decided to add Virpil to the "blocked" list, this after I had just ordered $1000 CAD worth of stuff from them the week before, along with 8 previous Virpil orders on the same card number. By the time I got Visa customer service to remove the block, I had lost everything in my cart (obviously) and got skunked.

Hey Streakealge, figured you might mod yourself a way to fit the TM Hornet grip to the VKB base. I have a couple adapters incoming, and I'm going to try to do the same, as I also feel the Hornet grip is my favorite, that or the TM Cougar stick. Question - do you think your affinity for the TM Hornet stick is partially because of its "stronger" and more metallic construction than other options? One of the reasons I like the TM sticks so much is their solid, metal feel (I realize that the Hornet stick isn't as "metal" as the Cougar/WH stick), and not just their shape, although shape is a factor as well. I don't have the KG12 LW VKB grip, is it plastic or metal Streak? I wish VKB and Virpil both would make grip options that were made of metal housings. IMO a GF2/3 or Warbrd base with a TM Hornet or Cougar/WH stick is the go-to base/stick combo available out there. If VKB made their MCG Pro in a metal housing, I'd buy 2 instantly. Anyhow, thanks for the pics, I'll copy what you've done when I get my adapters in.

Aaaaand the best just keeps getting better. PS Slaw, my missus said to tell you "damn you". Looks like Slaw set number 3 is coming.... Hey Superjoe - what are those controller units you have in front of your throttle and the one on your right hand side? Color me interested, did you make these yourself or buy them?

Fantastic job ED, just scratching the surface. Non-simmers I showed the new supercarrier module to, they just couldn't believe the LSO stuff.

Are you in Canada or the USA? You can borrow my WinWing throttle before you buy it if you like (pretty expensive Hotas considering the stick isn't nearly as good/useful as their throttle). My Province is going to be relaxing restrictions shortly, so I might be able to sneak from Sask to Alberta to our other place and grab some stuff shortly. Agreed with all points in your post - one thing with the Virpil connection commonality with TM...it's a dual edged sword, as VKB (as I'm sure you've noticed, hah) has a much more solid (and better IMO) connection system for stick and base. I only have one TM adapter myself, and I hope frequently that it doesn't go tits up, as we've discussed before, it's the one item that's been hard to get both in the past and recently too. That quadcopter doesn't quite deserve the title of drone - it's just a 4 rotor heli, no smart brains, you have to hand fly it just like any other copter, but it's really fast and a lot of fun still. I've got a few larger helis, some Blade 450s, a 500, and 600 from back in the earlier 2010s when they went right up to a 700 class. Shame they discontinued anything over about a 450 size (their 300 series are about the same size as their bast 450 class). I've got some Align and others as well, but mostly medium and small ones. I need to get a new radio soon too, been a lot of advances since I got my DX6 Spektrum long ago now, I just haven't been as into the hobby until recently.

Posted a similar thread over in the Virpil forum (I think I have more VKB bases and sticks in total than Virpil -6 bases and 6 or 7 VKB sticks, and 3 sets of VKB peds - so absolutely NO offense I hope is taken here, and I"ll post picture proof of that once covid is over). Great job Streakeagle, I lika da juice. https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=4302741#post4302741

Just made this post/pic as a response to StreakEagle's (great member here and at other sim forums) post/pic in the VKB forum regarding the same subject. Salud!! StreakEagle, I like your style. All of my VKB stuff save one Mk2/Rev B Gunfighter is at our other place, and once the Covid thing is over I'm going to assemble my entire hotas collection together for some pics. I'll take some of what I have here maybe later tonight, a bunch of our TM/CH/Virpil/VKB stuff, about 25 different pieces or so I think, not counting all the pedals - I only have one set of my VKB peds with me at our home in Sask in Central Canada. Anyhow, I have all of the Virpil sticks with me save the Alphas, which are incoming to me shortly (I hope, some pre order guys have gotten theirs very recently). I too fly a lot of micro to mid size helos, I'm going to buy some of the new gen Blade stuff that's out now, they have 3 or 4 I went to pick up, the new 150, mCPX, the 270, and maybe the 330. The quadcopter in this pic was one of if not THE first quad that was avaialbe as a retail unit for sale. It's completely hands on flying, no assists/gyros, nothing. Still a good little unit, and now 8+ years after it came out, it's still running 100% on all original parts. The Virpil sticks I've had great luck with too, no issues at all, and they all have their positive and negative points. So far I've been really happy with their performance. Also, all the Virpil bases have worked very well with both my Cougar and my Warthog sticks. As stated, I still feel that a Virpil Warbrd base with either a Cougar or Warthog metal stick, is the best bang for the buck, for someone wanting a very solid custom stick solution. I'll take some pics later of its base unit set up with both of these stick options, and compare its height to the VKB Gunfighter, CH Fighter/Combat sticks, TM Warthog and Cougar, and maybe some Saitek stuff. Virpil F14/VFX, TM Hornet, TM Cougar, Virpil Delta, Virpil WarBRD/PewPewPew, TM Warthog, Virpil T50CM (first gen, I have a T50CM2 stick as well).

Agreed, Havoc Clan has been instrumental in getting so many new (and old) Virpil product users up and running, as well as helping longer term users with new software and hardware info.

My experience is much the same. I have a cable 600mbit connex, and a fiber 1 tb syncro up/down connection, and I get the exact same results as the above quote, with both connections. The torrent speeds from DCS updates always have me saying "wtf" when they are SO slow with so many peers.

Also as a quick addendum, Virpil sent me shipping confirmation and tracking info today, 4 biz days from the date of order to shipping time, which is VERY fast compared to previous orders. Tomorrow at 2pm GMT there is another restock inbound as well.

I've never received confirmation emails for orders made, just once they ship it out. You can log into your account on the website at the top of the page on the order page, then highlight your name, go down to "My account", and then on the left click the "my orders", and it'll show the status of your order (probably will say processing at this point still).

Last night's restock actually started early, I got an email from Virpil earlier than their stated 6am GMT time, and bought some extra stuff - and it was all sold out shortly after 6am GMT, maybe 5 or 10 mins max, it's hard to be exact as their site gets hammered in those 15 minute windows. If you're serious, next time have the item(s) you want in your WishList, be logged in 15 or 30 mins early (keep ensuring you're still logged in), do refreshes every 30 seconds, and the instant your wishlist items become available, grab them, have your shipping/etc info already saved and entered, and punch in your method of payment as quickly as possible(or have it saved too). This has worked for me, I've only been skunked once, and that was because the Firefox browser from Canada to Virpil with my ISP doesn't work 1/2 the time and just times out, even during normal times, and it chose to timeout in the middle of my order the first time I noticed this issue. The other 1/2 dozen times I've ordered I've been successful. Keep on eye on various flight sim forums, Ebay, Virpil's own site, and especially the Hotas Discord and Reddit subs. I've picked off a number of Virpil and other makers products in the used sections (1 throttle, 1 Warbrd, a couple grips, and some other stuff).

ElohEl - you know how many times I've felt the same thing? Then multiply your feeling by 2 or 3, as I have 3 gamers/gaming desk/stations to equip. I've sold so many Rifts, Vives, Vive Pros, Pimaxs, Odysseys, Odyssey +s, etc etc, whenever a newer/better VR HMD comes out, that I think my local post office has made enough to pay an employee for an entire year at this point. I wouldn't worry about it though man, as others have said, it'll be a while under normal circumstances, and with the CoVid deal, even longer, much longer most like. Enjoy your 'Verb, and let the good times roll.

Congrats! I have all of the new bases/sticks available out there, and I still feel one of the best bang/$ out there, and even outside of that ratio, just plain "what's best", that the Virpil Warbrd base with a good metal TM stick, be it the WH, Cougar, or Hornet stick, is extremely hard to beat. I use Monster mounts with my Virpil and VKB setups now, but I'm still a die hard desktop hotas proponent, and feel much more competitive in online PvP competitive combat flight sim games, with my forearm planted on the desktop gaming surface. CH Fighterstick had always been my "go to" for this use, but the Virpil Warbrd+WH stick supplanted it (VKB Gfighter is up there too, but getting TM stick adapters is like nearly impossible for the Gfighters). Good choice sir, maybe report back in this thread once you get all settled in with your new Virpil!

Maybe I've just been fortunate, but my tickets (I think I've put in 3 total, one software issue and 2 small hardware things that were worked out over the net with Cypher). Always have heard back within a few hours. Gholi - I too have multiple PCs and sim gamers in our homes (3 teens which we have guardianship over who stay with us on weekends and a few weekdays each month, my neice actually plays DCS more than her two brothers). I tried getting by with 1, then 2, and now we're up to 3 9900k/2080ti systems along with a very high end gaming laptop. I haven't calculated what I've spend at Virpil as well as on used stuff of theirs, but it's gotta be the same as yours or perhaps even North of that, so I can easily believe your figures. I've sold/traded some Virpil stuff, but I know I've bought 3 T50, 3 T50CM2, 2 Warbrds, multiples of every grip they sell, several sets of the deskclamps, etc. I've been collecting Hotas since the 90s, it's a bad habit, and I pick up a lot of stuff used, but it's still expensive $$$. They'll seen relieve me of another $1000 CAD or so once their pedals come back in stock too.

I posted this as well, when in a one or two circle fight, you end up looking up more than back, especially if your opponent is across the circle from you (common in any BFM fight). You're usually rolled close to 80 or 90 degrees when turning against a threat across the circle, which means more looking up than back, but you can still have situations where you need to look back into your 6, it's just less likely versus a single threat you're engaging). I'll post my vid tomorrow, it CLEARLY shows that the Rift S/Reverb, when pointed in the exact same head position as pilots heads in the pictures and videos that have been posted in this thread, show on the monitor screen and in the headset screen, that they are NOT pointed in a spot where you can see a threat, where as in real life the pilots clearly DO see their threat with the same head position/direction. It's a full clock position or even 2 OFF from where a real life pilot can see in reality using peripheral vision. I put a hanging model at 6 oclock, and demonstrate where I can see it from without VR in my chair, and then do the same in DCS, have a threat at 6 oclock, and show on the screen where it can be seen with VR HMDs, and the difference in head position from reality to DCS. It's a big difference...and VR HMD companies wouldn't be researching and spending $$$ on trying to replicate human peripheral vision in next gen VR headsets, if current VR headsets didn't have an issue with peripheral vision.

These products are out of stock on their website (how did I ever miss these things!?), but I'll be taking 2 plus their Hornet and other gizmos they sell. Looks fantastic. These units should mount up fine on my Monstertech mounts too (I run sidestick with a center post with my keyboard on a Monstermount, and there are attachments/etc that will make mounting an ICP a breeze dead center).

+1 I've had all the VR headsets except the XTAL, and currently have the Reverb, Index, and RiftS. I too sold my Pimax's (5K) off when I bought my Index and Reverbs. I would look at the Reverb as well OP, but the Index is a good unit too. The Index IMO has the best quality construction, better sound, and is just a good all round headset for a vast number of VR games. That said, if DCS and other sim/cockpit/driving games are your thing, IMO the Reverb will be a somewhat better option. Either way, IMO the Pimax should be OUT until the new 8k comes out, and passes muster.