Help me decide if to buy a joystick ? And if so which one ?

[jfri]

First I should say what I already have. That is

CH Flightsim Yoke

CH Throttle quadrant

Saitek Cessna trim wheel

(also a MS Sidewinder Precision joystick)

Track IR 5

Also this will be used on a desktop. I can't place them besides me in waist height which might be important from an ergonomic point of view.

I consider complementing the Yoke with a good stick for stick based plane in DCS and FSX. So first questions can one of the stick listed below offer advantages enough to motivate spending the money ? Or could my best option be what I already have ? Did try the sidewinder to get a feel of Yoke vs Stick. The stick felt somewhat more uncomfortable with its button at higher height compared to the yoke.

For a stick my research had led me to two sticks that are priced about the same. I also list he argument I think speaks for selecting that stick over the other and my current yoke.

 

1) Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog flightstick. Stick only. The whole package would be to expensive and also I have read that having the throttle on the desk is a very big disadvantage.

+ 16 bit resolution and hall effect sensors

+ heavy with metal base and handle

 

2) CH Fighterstick

+ recommended as best option at A2A forum by a guy who is real world P51 pilot

+ have read that it is less likely to break than the warthog.

+ has a throttle wheel which would be perfect for the zoom view function in DCS. With the warthog I would need to use an axis on CH Throttle quadrant.

 

Would you add some + or - to my list here or maybe a 3) ? It would be interesting to hear from people who have used some or all of these controllers and what you think.

I might add that I realise that the warthog is ideal for A10C (which I have) being a replica of the A10C. But I can't motivate it based on just one plane in DCS. Also will I not be very limited in that plane because I only have the stick ?

[a1adin]

CH Fighterstick of course. Thrustmaster warthog is headache.

[King_Hrothgar]

Fighterstick by far. That said, you won't be using the wheels on it for zoom. Zoom is used in combat to ID targets due to poor monitor resolution/size compared to the human eye. The whole point of a HOTAS is to not take a hand off the stick or throttle while in combat. You will most likely end up assigning zoom to a pair of buttons instead.

[cichlidfan]

For a stick my research had led me to two sticks that are priced about the same.

 

You lost me right here. Either you have very over priced sources for the Fighterstick or extremely discounted sources for the Warthog. MSRP for the Warthog is double that of the Fighterstick.

[jfri]

You lost me right here. Either you have very over priced sources for the Fighterstick or extremely discounted sources for the Warthog. MSRP for the Warthog is double that of the Fighterstick.

 

Where I live the CH Fighterstick cost 1500 SEK (about Us $177) and the Warthog 1600 SEK (about US $188). Note that I'm talking about the stick only without the throttle unit.

[jfri]

Fighterstick by far. That said, you won't be using the wheels on it for zoom. Zoom is used in combat to ID targets due to poor monitor resolution/size compared to the human eye. The whole point of a HOTAS is to not take a hand off the stick or throttle while in combat. You will most likely end up assigning zoom to a pair of buttons instead.

 

I get contradictory advices. Over at avsim the opinion seem to be that the warthog is by far the better stick.

Is not 16 bit resolution and a heavier stiffer stick an advantage ?

I use zoom to look around in the cockpit to clearly see the instrument and switches.

[Sokol1_br]

P51 pilot

+ have read that it is less likely to break than the warthog.

 

True, I have a CH Combatstick* bough in 1998 that survive Warbirds/Aces High Online,

IL-2 series (include the last two releases) and Ka-50 Black Shark.

In these years I upgrated then for USB and replace pot's with HALL sensor and fix a small wear in gimbal pole. Buttons, HATS and springs still fine. :thumbup:

 

* I prefer this model over Fighterstick (have one too) due his two big press buttons instead HAT's, that I find move convenient for WWII planes.

[Steel Jaw]

x55?

[King_Hrothgar]

I get contradictory advices. Over at avsim the opinion seem to be that the warthog is by far the better stick.

Is not 16 bit resolution and a heavier stiffer stick an advantage ?

I use zoom to look around in the cockpit to clearly see the instrument and switches.

 

A stiffer stick is not an advantage, it is a preference some users have. I prefer a light stick, thus I'm currently using the lightest of the 4 included springs with my X-55. As far as resolution goes, I'm not sure there is a practical difference tbh. Build quality is a hotly debated issue. From my own experience, there isn't any real difference between an X-55, CH setup or TM WH. Look around and you will find people complaining about lemons in all cases. But most users like what they have.

[cichlidfan]

Where I live the CH Fighterstick cost 1500 SEK (about Us $177) and the Warthog 1600 SEK (about US $188). Note that I'm talking about the stick only without the throttle unit.

 

If you decide on the Warthog, that is a very good price. I just paid $200 (stick only) and that was a great discount from the $300 list.

[Krebs20]

I own both. They are both very high quality and function well.

 

The only thing I do not like on the fighter stick was the lack of a 2 stage trigger. I perfer to use it for helicopter flying over the warthog as it is lighter on the controls. The fighter stick is made of lightweight plastics. It is very strong and I have never been careful with it. It has been dropped and knocked off my desk and works just fine. I bought it second hand and it it close to 10 years old and functions fine. I had to clean up the pots once but nothing major. It has an extra axis for used as a throttle or zoom. Also it has adjustment so you can "trim" the stick instead of using the ingame trim.

 

That said. I only use the warthog stick for flying everything else. It is made of a lot of metal. It's very heavy and could be used as a home defence weapon. I have always been more careful with it. It cost more for me at the time. The only time it has ever been dropped, it broke a keyboard it landed on. I have pulled it apart to add grease to make it smoother. It only helped a little.

There are more buttons on the warthog. It has a 2stage trigger, the CMS switch can be pressed, and it has a paddle on the bottom. I found the paddle to be an excellent brake Pedro until I purchased pedels.

 

You won't be upset with either purchase. I used the warthog because I simply have to have a 2 stage trigger.

[jfri]

x55?

 

From a review I got the impression that the throttle was good but not the stick.

[jfri]

I own both. They are both very high quality and function well.

 

The only thing I do not like on the fighter stick was the lack of a 2 stage trigger. I perfer to use it for helicopter flying over the warthog as it is lighter on the controls. The fighter stick is made of lightweight plastics. It is very strong and I have never been careful with it. It has been dropped and knocked off my desk and works just fine. I bought it second hand and it it close to 10 years old and functions fine. I had to clean up the pots once but nothing major. It has an extra axis for used as a throttle or zoom. Also it has adjustment so you can "trim" the stick instead of using the ingame trim.

 

That said. I only use the warthog stick for flying everything else. It is made of a lot of metal. It's very heavy and could be used as a home defence weapon. I have always been more careful with it. It cost more for me at the time. The only time it has ever been dropped, it broke a keyboard it landed on. I have pulled it apart to add grease to make it smoother. It only helped a little.

There are more buttons on the warthog. It has a 2stage trigger, the CMS switch can be pressed, and it has a paddle on the bottom. I found the paddle to be an excellent brake Pedro until I purchased pedels.

 

You won't be upset with either purchase. I used the warthog because I simply have to have a 2 stage trigger.

 

Do you use them on a desktop or have them mounted at lower height somehow ?

I don't quite understand the 'trim'. The stick is said to have only three axis.

Do you actually change (trim) the physical stick position ?

What is the 2 stage trigger so important for ?

[King_Hrothgar]

From a review I got the impression that the throttle was good but not the stick.

 

The throttle is the selling point of the X-55 while the stick is a bit mediocre for the price. The quality and accuracy are fine, but the ergonomics leave something to be desired.

 

Edit: Two stage triggers grant some options is all. The real A-10C uses a two stage where the second stage actually fires the gun. Not sure off hand what the first stage does. On WW2 fighters, it's handy to have the first stage fire MG only and the second stage be MG + cannon. It is worth noting that the A-10C in DCS can fire its gun just fine without assigning the first stage function. A two stage trigger or single stage + additional button is not required.

Edited March 26, 2015 by King_Hrothgar

[Korn]

I don't quite understand the 'trim'. The stick is said to have only three axis.

Do you actually change (trim) the physical stick position ?

 

It has two extra wheels (throttle wheel on the left of the stick, x / y trim wheels down / right respectively) which don't change the stick position but the potentiometer position. So the stick doesn't move but if you were to look in game and move those wheels you would see the ingame stick moving.

Not that useful imo. Can be used as alternative trimming method or even for planes that don't have eleron / elevator trim.

[Dav IRL]

With a chunky stick it feels like a proper piece if hardware. You can pull back the saturation on the x & y axis to reduce movement. Best of both worlds, fast response, durable feel.

[jfri]

With a chunky stick it feels like a proper piece if hardware. You can pull back the saturation on the x & y axis to reduce movement. Best of both worlds, fast response, durable feel.

 

Are you referring to the Thrustmaster or Fighterstick here ?

[DaveofDefeat]

Your lack of rudder controls disturbs me.

 

Sorry, I didn't see any mention of rudder controls in the op and both sticks do not have twist controls.

I do not find this much of a problem personally, as I don't use rudder much in flight, and one could easily bind something for ground steering.

 

A concern on the fighterstick, as this is not a spring based system there is a bit of a bump when moving this stick diagonally. Some people seem to barely notice it, and some people absolutely hate it. This is just something to keep in mind.

[MTFDarkEagle]

Thrustmaster warthog is headache.

 

:huh:

[jfri]

Your lack of rudder controls disturbs me.

 

Sorry, I didn't see any mention of rudder controls in the op and both sticks do not have twist controls.

.

 

I don't lack rudder pedals. A mistake not to list that I do have

CH Rudder pedals

Not having twist control is an advantage. Real sticks don't have them and using that twitch for rudder control is very unrealistic.

[GurbY]

...

Edit: Two stage triggers grant some options is all. The real A-10C uses a two stage where the second stage actually fires the gun. Not sure off hand what the first stage does. On WW2 fighters, it's handy to have the first stage fire MG only and the second stage be MG + cannon. It is worth noting that the A-10C in DCS can fire its gun just fine without assigning the first stage function. A two stage trigger or single stage + additional button is not required.

Not quite. PAC1 is engaged in the first stage, PAC2 in second stage. Ofcourse the A10C fires the gun in the second stage. But why not using the luxury of stabilizing the aircraft in PAC1..??

[jfri]

:huh:

 

I'm getting contradictory answers regarding which one is best. Here the opinion is that the CH Fighterstick is best over at Avsim they think the Warthog clearly is a better stick.

The question for me is in the first place not which one to get. But rather which one should I try first.

And in this regard the most speaks for the Warthog. It would give me 45 days to test and decide if I wantr to keep it. And if I would want to return it that would be without any cost.

For the CH Fighterstick I have only 14 days to decide and I would have to pay the shipping in case I would return it.

[Cali]

Between the two, I'd get the warthog. I've had and used CH for about 8-10 years. They are great, just a little dated now. When I switched to the warthog it was a big difference. The stick is so much smoother then CH. I do like CH programming way better they TARGET.

[jfri]

Between the two, I'd get the warthog. I've had and used CH for about 8-10 years. They are great, just a little dated now. When I switched to the warthog it was a big difference. The stick is so much smoother then CH. I do like CH programming way better they TARGET.

 

Well I can tell you that I indeed ordered a Warthog which I tried out for the first time yesterday. But I still have some time before I decide to keep it or not. The fact you describe it as smoother than the CH Fighterstick speaks for keeping it.

The main reason I see for using a Fighterstick instead is that the Warthog is not particulary desktop friendly. It is so high that it obscures part of the display. The fighterstick would have an advantage here considering that it is an inch lower and also as I see it you could place the stick itself closer to the desktop edge further away fropm the monitor. My warthog stick is about 12 cm from the desktop edge.