Joystick Recommendations

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Hi all,

 

Thought it about time that I laid my old Saitek Cyborg to rest (or give it to my nipper)...So, want to ask which replacement would be worth getting?

 

I don't particularly like the sound of the Cougar, as it is expensive, and a pain to configure (from what I have heard)

My price range is about £50 - £70

 

Any advice or recommendations gratefully recieved! (will also consider second user one in good condition)

Edited March 25, 2009 by UK_Widowmaker

[Aussie Pilot 0]

Hi all,

 

Thought it about time that I laid my old Saitek Cyborg to rest (or give it to my nipper)...So, want to ask which replacement would be worth getting?

 

I don't particularly like the sound of the Cougar, as it is expensive, and a pain to configure (from what I have heard)

My price range is about £50 - £70

 

Any advice or recommendations gratefully recieved! (will also consider second user one in good condition)

If you use Trackir be careful if you have your thoughts on a Logitech stick because some people using that stick found their trackir stopped working. There were discussions on the trackir forum at Natural Point but i believe the final solution was to disconnect any logitech products in use on your PC.

Of course that may well have changed by now but i haven't heard anything myself.

[Davy TASB 0]

 

I have a spare one of these for sale for only £65.00 if you are interested.

[Siggi 10]

I tried a Logitech Wingman Force 3D a couple of years ago (two of them in fact, as I replaced the first immediately) and the second one went back for a refund within the first month. A POS.

 

I've been using Saiteks for years, both force and non-force, and find them to be the best sticks available. Their new force has unfortunately positioned throttle levers (don't know what they were thinking of there) but other than that it looks nice. I'm currently using their older Cyborg Force 3D and it's pukka.

 

If FFB isn't a requirement the CH sticks are supposed to be pretty good too.

[Todt Von Oben 0]

Hi all,

 

Thought it about time that I laid my old Saitek Cyborg to rest (or give it to my nipper)...So, want to ask which replacement would be worth getting?

 

I don't particularly like the sound of the Cougar, as it is expensive, and a pain to configure (from what I have heard)

My price range is about £50 - £70

 

Any advice or recommendations gratefully recieved! (will also consider second user one in good condition)

 

Widowmaker,

 

I've no advice on the stick, I'm afraid. Still using a sidewinder and looking into sticks and pedals myself.

 

But I noticed your DFA banner. That looks like the one that started it for me. Back in the mid-70's when I was working on the California dropzones, there was a black T-shirt available from SOLDIER OF FORTUNE magazine that had that same emblem (minus the maltese cross and rondels) on it. Basically, it's an unofficial symbol used by a lot of military units; but we adopted it as a commentary about unskilled skydivers who would freight train you from above during freefall Relative Work. After the jumping was done and we were drinking beer, we'd often lift a mug in salute to the jumper who'd blown it the worst that day and call out, "DEATH FROM ABOVE!!" All for fun and a lot of laughs.

 

The guys I jumped with used to wear that black T-shirt at Antioch and Yolo...DZ owners Perry Stevens and George Morar didn't like it but we thought it was great. Haven't seen that emblem in years. For me, it was the precursor to Todt Von Oben.

 

Small world. :yes:

 

TvO

Edited March 25, 2009 by Todt Von Oben

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

 

I have a spare one of these for sale for only £65.00 if you are interested.

 

 

Coming from a Teesider, that doesn't surprise me!!

 

Thanks for that Info Siggi, I have been pleased with my Saitek too

 

And the TrackIR problem Aussie has been duly noted!

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Widowmaker,

 

I've no advice on the stick, I'm afraid. Still using a sidewinder and looking into sticks and pedals myself.

 

But I noticed your DFA banner. That looks like the one that started it for me. Back in the mid-70's when I was working on the California dropzones, there was a black T-shirt available from SOLDIER OF FORTUNE magazine that had that same emblem (minus the maltese cross and rondels) on it. Basically, it's an unofficial symbol used by a lot of military units; but we adopted it as a commentary about unskilled skydivers who would freight train you from above during freefall Relative Work. After the jumping was done and we were drinking beer, we'd often lift a mug in salute to the jumper who'd blown it the worst that day and call out, "DEATH FROM ABOVE!!" All for fun and a lot of laughs.

 

The guys I jumped with used to wear that black T-shirt at Antioch and Yolo...DZ owners Perry Stevens and George Morar didn't like it but we thought it was great. Haven't seen that emblem in years. For me, it was the precursor to Todt Von Oben.

 

Small world. :yes:

 

TvO

 

 

Cool!...Just found it on Google images.... (hope the guys dont mind me swiping it!...they sound like dude's you wouldn't want to upset!)

[Wels 2]

Hello,

you should think twice before using a skull on your t-shirt, banner or wherever ..

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO5WoLnOOlU...feature=related

 

Greetings,

Catfish

[Todt Von Oben 0]

Hello,

you should think twice before using a skull on your t-shirt, banner or wherever ..

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO5WoLnOOlU...feature=related

 

Greetings,

Catfish

 

 

[Macming 0]

Hi there,

 

THRUSTMASTER. T-FLIGHT HOTAS X ( TRY AMAZON )

 

I bought one of these last year to tide me over whilst waiting for upgrades for my Cougar to come.

I've had hours of fun using it. Totally plug'n'play, accepts any set up in any flight sim I've used so far.It's even got two Rudder controls,the usual Twist grip type, or the one I've set up, just to be different is the tumble switch behind the Throttle control.I've even set it up for Driving and Shoot'um'ups just to see if it would work and it did. I reckon I've spent more on a night out and got less enjoyment.

ref_sr_1_13.htm

[Wels 2]

Hello,

are we the baddies ? Maybe better skulls than a rats anus flag lol

hrrrm back to topic:

 

Thrustmaster is certainly a very good one, but expensive (?)

 

I would not buy a Logitech ffb one again, even if the feeling was right when this stick started smoking and stinking after an AA hit during a B17 raid with the Mighty 8th over the u-boat pens of Lorient lol. I also had problems with RedBaron, rudder stopped working, and sometimes it would somehow not initialize at all, which was bad with Windows 98 and having to reboot this all the time just for the joystick. But I take it they have improved ...

 

I am since using a dated big Saitek Cyborg 3d which works since 5 years without any problem. Very good ergonomy, and absolutely solid. Only problem is there is no spring mounted with this older model, so even without ffb the spring load is being generated with the electric motors, but it's flawless and rugged. They improved the next generation and installed a spring, so i would go for a Saitek evo ffb : http://www.testberichte.de/test/produkt_te...rce_p45574.html

In comparison it is almost cheap, and imho best bang for money.

 

Greetings,

Catfish

Edited March 25, 2009 by Wels

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Hello,

you should think twice before using a skull on your t-shirt, banner or wherever ..

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO5WoLnOOlU...feature=related

 

Greetings,

Catfish

 

 

I forgot to watch that on TV...I knew they had done a scetch about the SS but man, I nearly p*ssed myself laughing watching that!!!

 

"Are we the bad guys?"

 

hahahahahahahahahahaahaha

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/x52.htm

 

Not WW1... But I am sorely tempted!

[Hauksbee 103]

While we're on joysticks here, has anyone else out there experienced Hat Switch problems? [which tend to plague me, and not just in OFF] I've got a Siatek Cyborg EVO...no Hat Switch. I even tried my Namco-Bandai Ace Edge rig [with which I played X-Box360's Ace Combat 6] and it flew the planes [albeit badly. They wallowed slowly on all axes]...but no Hat Switch. I've settled on the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro for the quickest, most responsive flying. But still...no Hat Switch. What is most frustrating is that in all my games, I've gone into the Control Settings and checked to see that I had control on all three axes and the Hat Switch responds to all eight directions. Without fail, the game assures me that it's reading the joystick, but when it comes to flying, there's no Hat Switch. Am I alone in this? [if so, I may need an exorcist.]

[Cameljockey 3]

The hat switch in my CH Combatstick stopped working but I don't think it's a problem with the software. The calibration program doesn't even show it functioning. Can you get parts for CH joysticks? With Trackir I don't really need the hat switch to look around but it does come in handy when panning for a really good screenshot.

 

CJ

Edited March 25, 2009 by Cameljockey

[BirdDogICT 3]

Hi all,

 

Thought it about time that I laid my old Saitek Cyborg to rest (or give it to my nipper)...So, want to ask which replacement would be worth getting?

 

I don't particularly like the sound of the Cougar, as it is expensive, and a pain to configure (from what I have heard)

My price range is about £50 - £70

 

Any advice or recommendations gratefully recieved! (will also consider second user one in good condition)

 

I have been extremely happy with my CH Products setup (but about $400 in total). I have a CH Fighterstick, Pro Throttle and Rudder Pedals, and they have outlasted similar Thrustmaster products I've owned. CH's programming interface is easy to use, and you can find joystick profiles here http://www.ch-hangar.com/

 

You might check out EBay listings, in my experience, CH products really hold up well over the long haul. BTW, I don't work for CH, just another happy customer.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/CH-Products-Fightersti...idZp1638Q2em122

 

Cheers

[HomeBoy 1]

I have a lot of experience in this area since I build and mod controllers as a hobby/business.

 

Without much argument, CH Products are the finest controllers you can buy. They are quite expensive (especially to the other side of the pond) but they last forever. Also, for a WW1 sim, they are WAY overkill! Therefore, I wouldn't recommend CH.

 

Logitech (aptly referred to as "Logicrap") is nothing more than a "temporary" controller. If you only wanted to play for a month or two and move onto something else, it might (i.e., maybe) be worth some small investment.

 

Thrustmaster has most of it's market in Europe and I believe them to be nice equipment though I don't have much experience with them. I would think you could do ok going that way.

 

I think your best bet might be a Saitek Aviator. They are very well built, have a nice feel, and don't cost very much (slightly more than a cheap Logitech). I have recommended several to my Euro buddies and haven't gotten any hate mail yet. It's worth looking into anyway.

 

Good luck. Hope you're happy with whatever you end up getting.

-mark

[Wels 2]

Hello,

also thanks to all from me, i think i will need a joystick sooner or later. The X52 is nice, but it fits to the X-52, not to WW1 lol. I would like the aviator, but there's no force feedback

 

Will also look for CH ..

 

Greetings,

Catfish

[Cameljockey 3]

I just got a Microsoft Sidewinder FFB gameport joystick. When I first hooked it up with the USB adaptor, it didn't function. The computer wouldn't even detect it. I got a warning message saying that my gameport needs to be configured. My machine didn't have a gameport so I figured that I was out of luck. I got to thinking and remembered that I have an old HP in the bedroom and the gameport is on a PCI multimedia card. I did a little surgery and put it in my machine, smoke tested it and it works like a champ now. The only thing I can't figure out is how to disable the twist rudder control. I have a set of CH pedals and don't need it. Can anyone tell me how to do that?

 

CJ

[Siggi 10]

I just got a Microsoft Sidewinder FFB gameport joystick. When I first hooked it up with the USB adaptor, it didn't function. The computer wouldn't even detect it. I got a warning message saying that my gameport needs to be configured. My machine didn't have a gameport so I figured that I was out of luck. I got to thinking and remembered that I have an old HP in the bedroom and the gameport is on a PCI multimedia card. I did a little surgery and put it in my machine, smoke tested it and it works like a champ now. The only thing I can't figure out is how to disable the twist rudder control. I have a set of CH pedals and don't need it. Can anyone tell me how to do that?

 

CJ

 

You can either give it a max dead-zone, or go into the control panel once you're flying in the game and delete the axis assignment for it.

[Cameljockey 3]

Thanks Siggi, Unc! It seems to work just fine so I'll go and disable the twist (Chubby Checker I ain't) and give it a go. Luckily the wee one is down for his nap and I have test time.

Thanks again,

CJ

[Cameljockey 3]

Thanks UncleAl! Your by-the-numbers worked like a champ, and so does this joystick. I took off after I deleted the rudder axis and rolling down the runway I felt nothing. Once I got her in the air I brought up the controls menu and checked "use force feedback". I pulled the trigger and the stick shook in my hand. I thought "We got it going on now!" I circled the field and landed and like you said Al, I knew the second my wheels touched the ground.

 

CJ

[Rickitycrate 10]

Hey CJ, sounds like you are going to make out with that stick. I had one but could not get it to run on Vista. Monday I picked up a discounted Logitech Wingman Force 3D and after downloading latest drivers I'm in the force feedback business too. Cheers!

[+MK2 12]

well do you only fly OFF?

 

I find the Saitek X-52 hard to beat over all for all sims etc.

[Cameljockey 3]

No, I have a few that I fly. I butchered my RB3D machine so I could have FFB on this one but I'll get it sorted in this machine shortly. I fly all of the mods for CFS3, ETO, PTO, MAW, and Korean Skies. I bought IL2 1946 not long ago but haven't had time to get it functioning properly. I think it may be issues with the CH Combatstick I was using (my backup now). I will definitely get that to working (between missions in OFF) because I want to fly it and put a lot of those great mods to use. I'm looking into First Eagles to diversify my sim collection some. Right now I'm going to test this stick and make sure it fuctions properly with all my sims and then I'm OFF into the wild blue (gray?) yonder!

 

CJ