What joystick?

[Tnt Snipes]

Microsoft sidewinder that i have... really great in force feedback mode... really gives you a hard time... i think thisis the best cause this doesnt have a spring system on the base of the stick that actually makes the movement stiff... this is a really smooth one. thishas one usb link cord and another power plug for the the rotaries inside it... four buttons on top with hat switch and four on the base and a slider as well...

Edited April 8, 2009 by snipes

[RobGordon]

I'm still dreaming of a HOTAS System with Force Feedback...

Maybe Urze will do an upgrade kit for the X52 like he did for the Cougar.

 

But still, I'd rather use my X52 instead of another stick with FFB.

[Staybullex]

SIlly question as I don't think I can afford the CH products anyway right now, BUT....... for DCS, wouldn't the combat stick be a better buy than the flightstick pro, as it has more buttons on it?

[Yskonyn]

I would definately go for the stick with the most options, yeah.

I also think it looks cooler than the flightstick. ;)

[Shrubbo]

I actually went to Fighterstick because it has even more. I will probably never use them but when you are spending that much a few bucks more doesn't hurt and I can twiddle stuff and be impressed ;)

 

A thing you should remember with CH stuff, no twist stick so if you go CH you must get pedals.

 

1,2 and 3 :)

[Yskonyn]

Twist stick is rather useless anyway in my opinion.

 

1)The axis for the twist is often way too senstitive to do anything with it.

2)The control range is very limited.

 

I was rather surprised that the X-52 has a twist stick. Luckily you can lock it in place with a handy lock switch. But it still doesn't feel too robust due to the room it leaves for the stick to twist just a tiny bit.

[Staybullex]

Actually, I found that to be the case on my current extreme Pro joystick. when turning left or right, its hard not to twist a little as it is very sensitive....

[Dudikoff]

If you're not constrained by a budget and you're a serious Flight Simmer then Cougar/CH Products are the ONLY reasonable products to consider......IMHO of course ;)

And Yeah - Welcome :)

 

I find the Cougar overrated. I bought one, but haven't touched it since because I find it almost unusable in stock condition. It is very stiff and moving through the axis is too pronounced. I'm afraid to use it to wear it down. The buttons feel cheap, too (it's a newer batch with the plastic buttons). I planned to buy the Uber mod, but I read that the springs might have a tendency to break and the Evenstrain mod is no longer available, so I might consider those force controlled mods in the future.

 

I find my Saitek X36 USB much more comfortable to use (but I use Dhauzimmer's drivers with it). In terms of quality, I would say it might be the best joystick Saitek ever made - the plastic is good quality and the internals are ok as well). I had it for lots of years already (6-7, maybe more) and it's still feel almost as when it was new, but I don't spend many hours per week using it.

 

I also bought a X52 Pro here abroad. Its looks are much more acceptable than the X52, although I hate the twisting stick (and even if you block it, there is still some play) and I could do without the LCD screen which I don't care for (is there some way to switch it off?). If I could find another new X36 USB, I would buy it for sure.

 

Also, the Saitek SST software is flawed. I mean, it works OK if you manage to install it correctly and if it would remain that way. But, since I had previous installations, the new betas which I download won't install properly and I have already dozens of those Magic Mouse/Keyboard/whatever entries in my registry which I can't remove. When I somehow manage to get the X52, the Pro Pedals and the Saitek Aviator all installed and working on my laptop (especially the programming software to react on them), usually something stops working after some time so I have to reinstall it again. But the drivers seem to work fine themselves. Since I remember similar installation problems with the SST software when it came out for the X36, I found having the same installation issues after all these years unacceptable and disgraceful. Too bad Dhauzimmer doesn't make a set of drivers for the X52 as well so I could use some alternative programming software.

 

I never used CH products, but was never really into it. I don't doubt the quality, but for that money I would prefer it to be a closer replica of the F-16 stick like the Cougar is and the materials to look better. This way, it imitates the stick but is noticeably different (would they have to pay some fees if it's the complete replica?). It would be great if they would update their product line with something like Cougar, only with CH's innards.

 

Sorry for the rant.

[nemises]

^^ you can turn off the backlight on the x52 LCD (as well as dim / turn off the button LED's) , but not the LCD itself.

[Yskonyn]

[mesmerized gaze]Me likey glimmering lights! Looky here, even more nice lights![/mesmerized gaze]

[funkee]

Saitek Cyborg Evo :thumbup:

[lion737]

I use the Microsoft FFB2 with CH Throttle and CH Pedals. The slider of the

Sidewinder is good for additional zoom (together with TrackIR).

 

I´ve had Saitek and Thrustmaster as well, but they had no chance against the

Sidewinder´s opto electronic design.

[MTFDarkEagle]

Using racing kit pedals might actually be a problem, since the two pedals are on separate axes. There might be a way to set it up but I've never seen it done. If it works it's a nice saving tho. :)

 

But from my own perspective, a "proper" pedal set should have higher priority than HOTAS. Proper pedals are just massively awesome to get that proper simulation feel. :D

 

I'm using the "stock" X52 together with the throttle and brake pedals of my G25 :) I use the clutch as wheel brake :P.

You can set the throttle/brake as one axis, so in effect, you have a rudder there ;) Only thing is the pedals are not physicly connected to eachother, so if you move the right pedal, the left one stays in place. But that's not a big issue ;)

[Sharkster64]

I use th CH F-16 CombatStick with the CH Pro Throttle and I have to say, what a reliable setup. I originally bought this setup way back when Janes Longbow first came out. It still uses the gameport, but it keeps on ticking. I can't believe how well it works after being used so long. And trust me, it has been used alot, and sometimes not so gently. VERY reliable. I also love the feel of the setup. It's very comfortable to use and easy to program. If you want to buy something that lasts a long time, CH Products is the way to go, IMHO. :)

 

Edit: I just looked up when Longbow came out. It came out in 1996. That makes my CH Products setup 13 years old and still ticking. Can the Saitek beat that?

Edited April 9, 2009 by Sharkster64

[Sharkster64]

Using racing kit pedals might actually be a problem, since the two pedals are on separate axes. There might be a way to set it up but I've never seen it done. If it works it's a nice saving tho. :)

 

But from my own perspective, a "proper" pedal set should have higher priority than HOTAS. Proper pedals are just massively awesome to get that proper simulation feel. :D

I have been using my Racing wheel Pedals for rudder input as well and it works awesome. When calibrating the wheel instead of turning the wheel to calibrate, just use pedal inputs. It converts pedal inputs into the wheel Y axis. The pedals use only one axis. If you don't give any pedal input the axis is centered. If you give right pedal input, the axis lowers. If you give left pedal input, the axis rises. Works very well.

[Shrubbo]

.......... I just looked up when Longbow came out. It came out in 1996. That makes my CH Products setup 13 years old and still ticking. Can the Saitek beat that?

 

That is one of the reasons my views changed while researching and I ended up all CH, I have seen similar to that more then once.

[uhoh7]

I use the Microsoft FFB2 with CH Throttle and CH Pedals. The slider of the

Sidewinder is good for additional zoom (together with TrackIR).

 

I´ve had Saitek and Thrustmaster as well, but they had no chance against the

Sidewinder´s opto electronic design.

 

I doubt there is any setup that will fly the black shark better.

 

I had my CH fighterstick plugged in at first---but the FFB2 flies so much better in this sim---well I was shocked at the difference.

 

Also the trim really works the way it should with the FFB2.

[Yskonyn]

Can the Saitek beat that?

 

:) I don't know. For the X-52 and X-52 Pro time will tell, because they haven't been around that long yet.

I've heard people people still going strong with their Saitek X-36 though, which is around 10 years old.