Best choice for F/F joystick?

[themightysrc 5]

Hi all,

 

I've been pondering getting a force feedback joystick for a while, mainly to get a bit more feel when flying (and I hope to help me stop getting killed quite so often), but I'm not sure what the best choice would be.

 

Can any of you kind souls offer me the benefit of your wisdom on the subject?

 

Cheers,

 

Si

[Cameljockey 3]

I don't know how much help I can be since I'm on my first FFB joystick. I'm using a Microsoft Sidewinder FFB that was given to me by one of the members here and it's awesome. It comes highly recommended and I recommend it myself. It's a great FFB stick but also a little hard to find since MS doesn't make them any more.

 

CJ

[Womenfly2 0]

I have a brand new out of the box Extreme 3D Pro Joystick to sell for $ 22.00. PM me if anyone is interested.

 

Cheers,

WF2

[themightysrc 5]

Thanks both for the quick advice!

 

WF2 - I'll have a look at the spec and get in touch if it looks like a goer - is that 22 Dollars or 22 squids of the realm?

 

Cheers,

 

Si

[HomeBoy 1]

Or you could go this route:

 

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/gaming/p...5&cl=us,en#

 

...probably a little overkill for this game but it does look interesting.

Edited June 10, 2009 by HomeBoy

[Womenfly2 0]

Thanks both for the quick advice!

 

WF2 - I'll have a look at the spec and get in touch if it looks like a goer - is that 22 Dollars or 22 squids of the realm?

 

Cheers,

 

Si

 

$22.00 USA dollars.

 

Cheers,

WF2

[JimAttrill 24]

I have a Rockfire FF joystick, not very expensive, but I mainly bought it because it is symmetrical and good for a leftie.

 

BUT if I install the driver that came with it, Windoze will not calibrate it as it says the calibration is dynamic or some such excuse. But when I enter OFF with this setting, the stick is way out of calibration, with almost no left aileron. So I uninstalled the driver, calibrated the stick in Windoze and now it works fine except there is no vibration available.

 

I didn't like the vibrating stick much, I don't think it adds to the realisim at all, basically the vibration was too strong.

[Womenfly2 0]

I didn't like the vibrating stick much, I don't think it adds to the realism at all, basically the vibration was too strong.

 

I am not even going near this statement!

 

LOL,

WF2

[JimAttrill 24]

Sounds like a cheap Chinese Knock-off.

 

What isn't nowadays?

 

 

When I was young (a long time ago) a favourite expression was 'you lie like a cheap Japanese watch'. And a couple of years later I bought my first Seiko.....

Edited June 10, 2009 by JimAttrill

[themightysrc 5]

Hi,

 

Thanks to everyone who's replied thus far.

 

From what I can see, the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Twist Handle Joystick might be my best choice, as I'd like to have rudder control without investing in pedals, however I'd just like someone to confim - if possible - that it's also a FFB joystick. I suspect it is, but if someone out there is using one, can they confirm one way or the other?

 

The Microsoft offering looks pretty good too, but doesn't have the twist control for the rudder, but that's probably no.2 on the list.

 

Gosh: I'm turning into a hardened air combat simmer.

 

Cheers,

 

Si

[themightysrc 5]

Thanks for that Al - I hadn't realised that Microsoft had dived out of the market. I have however noticed that Ebay UK has a reasonable number for sale around the £10 mark - although I'm sure they go for more at the end of auctions. To be honest, all the options I've looked at via Ebay seem pretty cheap, certainly compared to brand new stuff (inevitably), so I'm questioning whether FFB sticks simply wear out, or whether it's just that people don't take advantage of genuine bargains for their own nefarious reasons. Ho hum. People, eh?

 

Come chaps and chapesses - is the Logitech stick (see above) FFB? I suspect it is, but can someone give me a yea or nay.

 

Thanks,

 

Si

[Cameljockey 3]

If you can find a Sidewinder like the one I've got with the gameport connector, it's really no problem. Hoops are out. Just get one of these...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16829130001

Only problem is, if you have an Nvidia chipset mobo, it's a no go. Otherwise it works like a champ.

 

CJ

[Duce Lewis 3]

Thanks for that Al - I hadn't realised that Microsoft had dived out of the market. I have however noticed that Ebay UK has a reasonable number for sale around the £10 mark - although I'm sure they go for more at the end of auctions. To be honest, all the options I've looked at via Ebay seem pretty cheap, certainly compared to brand new stuff (inevitably), so I'm questioning whether FFB sticks simply wear out, or whether it's just that people don't take advantage of genuine bargains for their own nefarious reasons. Ho hum. People, eh?

I've owned 4 different Joysticks, 3 of them FFB

 

For my money the MS Sidewinder is the best of the lot

It's got a stall shudder that can't be matched and it's rugged as a truck

 

Other sticks have more programmability, Throttles etc

But my 1st HOTAS unit had it's gears wear out

The slick programmable one (non FFB) was a limp noodle and led to overcorrecting

And the low cost one gave a stall shudder halfway through the 1st tumble

 

Sidewinders are rare but occaionally they'll pop-up New in Box too $$$$$$

Wish I bought it straight out though, then I could've saved on the other 3

 

In the end it's all personal preference

IMO there's no perfect stick out there

It's all up to what compromises are suitable for you

 

My recommendation is to scan the on-line sites for product reviews

If you find a few you like, post back here for some feedback on them

 

HTH,

[von Baur 54]

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is not force feedback (at least mine isn't). Logitech used to make a FFB stick, but I don't know if they do or not any more. I used to have a Microsoft FF Pro, that I liked a lot. It had a shift key that allowed you to effectively double your programmable buttons, but between having a gameport interface and the fact that XP doesn't support the drivers I finally retired it and went to a Sidewinder FF2 when I upgraded my rig.

[markl 1]

Thrustmaster still make a few FF Sticks. I picked up two in Sydney in a closing down sale recently.

 

They seem ok, but sure how much I will use them. They still have one with a seperate throttle. In Australia they are about $200.00 new but would be a lot cheaper in the USA.

 

Cheers MarkL

[themightysrc 5]

Thank you once again to everyone who's responded - I very much appreciate your views and comments. thanks particularly to von Baur for the heads up about the Logitech stick - it's now off my shopping list: looks like I'll be tracking down a mickysoft FFB stick.

 

S! (as they say)

 

Si

[Launchbury 1]

I'd be wary of getting anything from Logitech. I've had too many of their units break down on me inside a few months to ever give them another thought. I think that unless you're getting a Saitek unit you're just throwing your money away.

 

The Saitek X52 doesn't use the typical mechanical parts to control movement, but magnetic hall effect, non-contact sensors, which means it will never lose its calibration like most joysticks do. I've had mine for probably 4 or 5 years (if not more) and it works like it did out of the box.

 

Furthermore, however, if you're not using rudder pedals, you should get a pair of those instead of a new joystick. If you're flying without pedals you're just cheating yourself. Best combination I've found is Saitek X52 (the regular or pro model, doesn't matter which) and CH rudder pedals.

Edited June 16, 2009 by Launchbury

[Rickitycrate 10]

No surprise but Uncleal is right, the Logitech Wingman Force 3D is FFB and I find it works very well. I paid 99 cents before tax for mine at the Goodwill. I see joysticks there all the time. Look at second hand shops if money is tight.