X56 mini sticks use?

[Tabasc0]

Hello people.

What is your use of the mini-sticks on the X56? There is one on the Throttle, one on the Stick. I can't bind it in DCS.

[Skycritter]

Hey, I had the same issue. Those ministicks are to be used for axis functions. You can have two functions one on the x axis on on the y axis of the ministick.

[VTJS17_Fire]

You could use them for TDC, for example. If your aircraft has one. ^^

 

I use it on my X-52 as mouse coursor, for some cockpit clicks.

[gabuzomeu]

You also can bind them to emulate key press/combos on the keyboard.

In X56 software, Programming and you select "Bands" (which you can edit see image)

Then you can assign those in the keyboard part of DCS configuration.

In my case, I use the Stick on joystick to emulate countermeasure CMS of the A-10 etc...

 

[Tabasc0]

I have found how to emulate mouse cursor.

Thank you so much guys!

Edited February 6, 2021 by Tabasc0

[Caldera]

I tried to use as a cursor slew.  Their physical positioning has the happenstance of being in the way of my thumb.  Because of this I often touched them by mistake.  Even a slight movement would cause me to have re-adjust the cursor.  I got annoyed with that.

 

Currently I only use the one on the throttle for zoom.  I use it on the zoom axis.  I have a wide dead zone to prevent accidental touches from messing up my aim and a fast curve rate.  I set the exact amount of zoom that I want by setting the maximum values on the axis curve to specific values that work for me.  It works remarkably well as a quick look fast zoom.

 

Caldera

Edited February 9, 2021 by Caldera

[Steel Jaw]

So, can the microstick on the throttle be used for the Hornet TDS cursor?

[Caldera]

I don't fly the F-18 as of yet.  However, I do not see why it would not work as it does in the A-10C.  I would guess that you should map it to the slew axis and try it out.

 

Caldera

[Bailey]

On 2/8/2021 at 9:37 PM, Mower said:

So, can the microstick on the throttle be used for the Hornet TDS cursor?

Yep. I used the left one for aircraft TDC. I use the right one with bands for chaff, flare, and f14 DTC. And some other random stuff.

[PoppaCapnurass]

I use the Throttle side for TDC and the stick side for directional flares.

As above, in the G software you have to set the Joystick stick to bands. I use the last band (66-100%) for changing CMS programs or releasing CMS. That way a small bump doesn't trigger an action.

[VTJS17_Fire]

On 2/15/2021 at 12:48 AM, PoppaCapnurass said:

I use the Throttle side for TDC and the stick side for directional flares.

As above, in the G software you have to set the Joystick stick to bands. I use the last band (66-100%) for changing CMS programs or releasing CMS. That way a small bump doesn't trigger an action.

 Could you post a screenshot of that mapping, please?

[DmitriKozlowsky]

On 1/28/2021 at 9:26 AM, Tabasc0 said:

Hello people.

What is your use of the mini-sticks on the X56? There is one on the Throttle, one on the Stick. I can't bind it in DCS.

I use ministick throttle for slewing (axis bind) the radar cursor and pod optics. Optics zoom in/out with modifier, radar range, and radar vertical. Ministick throttle depress is a modifier. Ministick on stick depress is for target selection or deselection with modifier. Stick ministick axis is for mouse view along with mouse. Works good, but you have to develop muscle memory, and that takes weeks or months of continious practice. I  dont use VR or TrackIR.

[- Sonic -]

I bind ministick axis of Tqs (Y/X) for F16 to use TGP/RDR cursor. F16 have also axis available to this function. A little axis tuning help to move it gently..also a dead zone prevent abnormal stability issue of the cursor sensivity.

[AldoUSMC]

Know this thread is a bit old... just adding that I too use them for a combination of either X and Y Mouse Axis when flying in VR.. that way I can use either to control the mouse cursor on the cockpit depending on what I'm doing. Some times I can let go of the stick/cyclic and other times I can't when I need to function something on a cockpit panel.. so go to the throttle mini-stick that is also set up as X and Y mouse axis.

For FC3 aircraft, or when not flying in VR I have also found, like other above, that setting the x or y axis movment to BANDS and then adjusting the Band Width makes them effective 4-way hats or buttons.  If I REALLY don't want to risk something happening by bumping the mini-sticks.. I program the function with the normal 1/3'rd bands... , make sure it works, then reduce the band width so that the top and bottom are 10% to 20% max.. so the middle band is 60%-70% and does nothing... that way I have to move the stick almost all the way to the stop before an action will be triggered.

Of course.. for the latter use case.. if you've set Mode Switches to be.. say.. Mode 1=Takeoff/Cruise/Land Mode 2=A2A and Mode 3=A2G .. you could arguably change those functions for each of those modes.... and give yourself a headache trying to remember it all   .. but it does work .... 

[DungeonMaster]

Sorry for the necro but related to this post:

I have set my stick "C Stick" up to mimic the F/A-18s weapon selector with a 10%/80%/10% on both axis but the stick responds to the slightest touch still.
Can anyone advise me on this please?

[EagleA25]

On 2/8/2021 at 3:37 PM, Steel Jaw said:

So, can the microstick on the throttle be used for the Hornet TDS cursor?

So, there was a post by Le0Kong a few years ago where he published some Registry Edits for the X65F, which like the Rhino has a MiniStick; one post even has a RegFix for the X52. The link is here, but it's an old post, and the RegEdit for the X65F is not working anymore. I have a feeling that it's got something to do with the latest driver versions by Saitek.

 

Any Registry Wizards here wanna take a shot? I'm a humble moron and have no clue what that sorcery is all about...

[DungeonMaster]

On 5/13/2023 at 11:06 AM, EagleA25 said:

So, there was a post by Le0Kong a few years ago where he published some Registry Edits for the X65F, which like the Rhino has a MiniStick; one post even has a RegFix for the X52. The link is here, but it's an old post, and the RegEdit for the X65F is not working anymore. I have a feeling that it's got something to do with the latest driver versions by Saitek.

 

Any Registry Wizards here wanna take a shot? I'm a humble moron and have no clue what that sorcery is all about...

I use my thumb stick on the throttle for TDC Slew without any registry edits. I just assigned it in the Axis bindings for TDC X/Y.

Edited May 14, 2023 by DungeonMaster

[Crossmann]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:29 AM, DungeonMaster said:

I use my thumb stick on the throttle for TDC Slew without any registry edits. I just assigned it in the Axis bindings for TDC X/Y.

 

Any instructions on how to set it as TDC slew? The mini-sticks on my X56 do not appear anywhere in the controls.

[Crossmann]

Problem solved!

Just set them as fall-back or unprogrammed in Logitech programming software.