New to flight sims

[Corrigan]

So I'm more or less about to get my first HOTAS (probably the Warthog -- I see it as an investment), and I have a few questions about how most of you control the sim.

 

How do you find having the HOTAS level with the monitor, i.e. on the desk? Obviously it'd be better lower as in a real cockpit, but is it still passable, or should I try to find lower placement?

[cichlidfan]

So I'm more or less about to get my first HOTAS (probably the Warthog -- I see it as an investment), and I have a few questions about how most of you control the sim.

 

How do you find having the HOTAS level with the monitor, i.e. on the desk? Obviously it'd be better lower as in a real cockpit, but is it still passable, or should I try to find lower placement?

 

Mine is on my desk and it is quite acceptable. I don't have the stick in the center, it is off to the side a bit, with the throttle to the other side. The monitor center is the centerline of my chair as well. Notice that the center of my desk is lowered (24" from top bottom of Warthog to floor), so that makes a difference perhaps, depending on your height and your chair.

Edited May 20, 2012 by cichlidfan

[hoochiekoo]

In my opinion, the lower than the monitor placement should be better since you do not have to hang on the HOTAS all the time. Just like placing your arm on the arm chair. Anyway its up to your handily position.

[Corrigan]

I would have it lower if I had the choice, yeah. Thanks for the replies.

I do have one of those pull-out keyboard tray things on my desk (it's where my keyboard and mouse are now) but I'm unsure of the weight it can take.

I assume the Warthog is pretty hefty?

[cichlidfan]

I assume the Warthog is pretty hefty?

 

Assume it's very hefty. I don't recall the weight but Amazon lists the weights at 22.1 lbs and that's probably about right for both parts.

[Corrigan]

I can imagine. Another solution would be to place the controls on the desk and just stick a thick book under the monitor stand. It's just a bit of hassle having to move stuff around every time I want to fly a bit.

[cichlidfan]

It's just a bit of hassle having to move stuff around every time I want to fly a bit.

 

Tell me about it, that thing is bolted down and I run two computers from that desk, second mouse and keyboard (out of the pic) and both monitors connected to both machines. One for games and the other for non-games stuff.

 

I have it down to a pretty quick routine. Though, it seems I do more and more on my laptop these days.:P

 

EDIT: Raising the monitor might help, my legs almost touch the bottom of the desk when I am 'in the pit'.

[Corrigan]

I just noticed the screws, yeah. Does the stick move about a lot?

[cichlidfan]

I just noticed the screws, yeah. Does the stick move about a lot?

 

It really has enough weight, and rubber feet, to keep it in place under most circumstances. Now if you are really flailing the stick around, yeah it would move. If you were flying most civil aviation aircraft, ala FSX, 'sanely' it won't go anywhere at all.

 

The reason I first looked at bolting it down was because of the 'idle detent' on the throttle. It has a stop at the beginning that you have to lift up and over, each throttle, to set the A-10 engines from off to idle. When you lift the throttle's it tended to lift the base.

 

I also already had four holes in the desk from the previous stick (X-52) and figured a few more wouldn't hurt. Once you bolt the throttle down, you may as well do the stick, but that depends on your setup.

[dburne]

How do you find having the HOTAS level with the monitor, i.e. on the desk? Obviously it'd be better lower as in a real cockpit, but is it still passable, or should I try to find lower placement?

 

Hi Corrigan,

 

I received my new Warthog HOTAS this past Thursday, and so far absolutely love it. I also came from it's predecessor, the TM Cougar, which I ran for about 10 years.

Yes the Warthog is a good investment, that should last for many years I would think. IMHO you just can't beat the feel of cold hard metal, and the precision one gets with hall sensors rather than regular pots.

 

Anyway, in regards to your question, my desk has two flat trays that pull out - one on the left, one on the right. These are about 2-3 inches lower than the top of my desk, and by setting my controls on them - they are easier reached and feels very natural leaving my hands on them. Matter of fact, recently my wife decided I needed a better desk - she didn't much like the looks of the one I had - so she found one at a store that sold office furniture. My older desk had the same two pull out trays, and she knew I really liked having those for my stick and throttle, so she found a better one for me that had the same.

 

I suppose if I had them on the top of my desk , which would be closer to the monitors, it would still be ok - I would be reaching a little farther forward. For me having them like they are, works out perfectly.

[Corrigan]

Thanks for the replies!

 

This is my desk. Currently running the sim on just the one monitor (both are 22'' 120 Hz), it's quite nice to be able to have other stuff on the right screen when I'm flying.

 

 

So what would you guys do with this? HOTAS on the keyboard tray? Maybe I'll try to prop it up somehow to combat the weight.

[Hamblue]

I put 2 small book shelves that are shorter than my desk to each side. You could probably make something to do the job with little effort.

[Corrigan]

Ah, that's not a bad idea at all! I'll look for something.

[FreeFall]

Here you are my temporary (for several months now :D) setup:

 

 

 

The kitchen ladders are a bit wobbly, but they will do for me.

 

 

 

[Corrigan]

Similar idea there I see. That's almost certainly what I'll do. Glad I thought of that! ;)

 

What size screens are those?

 

Another question: how much would you say TIR 5 is worth over TIR 4?

Thanks.

[FreeFall]

What size screens are those?

 

If you mean my setup, the tiny monitor with attached MFCD-frames is a cheap 18.5" Acer. The rightmost is a 23" HP touch screen. The pic shows the dimensions of the screens maybe a bit out of proportion because the 24" main screen appears to be tinier than the touch screen, although it is not. And they are both 1920 x 1080. The Acer has some lower resolution.

[joey45]

I need to find some things to my HOTAS on...

 

TIR 4 over 5..

 

If you have 4 no need to upgrade as you will barely notice anything.

 

If you don't have a TIR then go for the 5.

[Corrigan]

Do you think playing on a 22'' only will be a problem?

[FreeFall]

Do you think playing on a 22'' only will be a problem?

 

You mean 22" screen is too tiny? I think it depends on the distance and your personal preferences. I'd say it's not too tiny if you feel comfortable with it.

[Corrigan]

Maybe I'll move it forward slightly when flying. Thanks!

 

And thanks Joey for the TIR advice. How about this proclip thing? How much better is it over the standard reflector?