My new Joystick - amazing accuracy for small budgets

[Olham 164]

Normally I don't advertise any hardware, but there are exceptions, like for TrackIR, which I think every

WW1 flight simmer should buy, because it puts you in the cockpit - no less.

 

Now, since I always found it hard to do any accurate steering AND shooting with all my previous joysticks,

I searched for a more accurate stick - and found a MUCH MORE accurate one: the THRUSTMASTER

T 16000 M, made by the GUILLEMOT corporation, which also produce the famous, but very expensive

"HOTAS Cougar" or "Warthog".

 

From the company manual:

 

"The T-16000M features technology providing it with a level of precision currently unequaled in the world

of gaming joysticks, including:

 

- a 3D (Hall Effect) magnetic sensor in the stick, with a resolution of more than 268 million values over the

X and Y axes (16384 x 16384 values), whereas currently competing systems (even high-end systems)

provide resolutions in the neighbourhood of only one million values (1024 x 1024 values)

 

- a magnet: no friction, for unlimited precision and incredible response

 

- coil spring on stick (2,8 mm): for firm, linear and ultra-fluid tension

 

For even greater precision, there is no dead zone in the central position of the T-16000M's stick."

 

The stick is built symmetrically so, that you can easily set it up for left hand or right hand controlling.

It has 2x 6 buttons on the bottom, a throttle slider, and 4 buttons at the stick top plus hat-switch.

The strong spring's resistance is just right to give you a feeling of physical weight/body of your aircraft,

without being to soft or too tough.

The stick can be used as a twist stick - but I have not yet checked the accuracy of that; I use pedals.

 

 

Now you may think I'm getting percentage for all the good words. But there are also some negative points.

 

- the stick has a green-lighted area in the bottom center, which goes on when the stick is moved.

They said it's to assign the constant self-calibrating. But it is actually too big and unnecessary.

I have covered it with a cardboard cut-out.

 

- the throttle slider is centered behind the stick. When I pull the stick fully back, I touch my finger on the

throttle. Half an inch more space would have been better. But I got used to that; it doesn't really make

a hindrance.

 

 

Why do I think this joystick is worth a recommendation? Well, firstly and obviously for it's extreme precision.

And because you can get this precision for a very low price - the stick costs 48,55 Euro in Germany;

in AMAZON.com I saw the cheapest for 43,- $ - but prices seem to go up now.

 

The price-value-relation makes it a top joystick (with some minor weak points) IMHO.

 

 

 

 

On request of CW3SF (in the other forum) I unplugged my SAITEK pedals and gave the twist stick a try.

 

Checking the response in the hardware/joystick check showed me, that the right rudder twisting did not get

over 90%, while the left gave me 100%. Hmmm...

 

I am not used to flying per twist stick anymore, but used to do it over years with my old THRUSTMASTER T.Flightstick X.

I always found it hard to control all the 3 aircraft axises and to shoot well at the same time. When I pressed the fire

button, I used to get a strange nose movement: the nose revolved slightly around the longitudinal axis.

That made precise shooting a bit difficult. Not so much in OFF, as in other sims.

This new stick showed a similar reaction SOMEtimes: firing, the nose got a bit shaky.

So, for this bit, the precision the stick has otherwise, is not, or not much better than on my old stick,

and I will move back to my SAITEK pedals.

But I used to shoot down lots of aircraft in OFF with my old stick, and I think I can safely say,

that this new T.16000 M stick is not doing any worse. I would even say, a bit better.

 

Still, for absolute precision shooting I would always keep the rudder seperate from the stick.

Seems simply too much for one device to control all axises plus the firing.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Olham

[tranquillo 10]

I agree, Olham, that this is a good joystick. I've been using it for some time and I bought it originally because it's one of the few out there suitable for a left handed pilot.

I find the twist response about right for the rudder and after a while you don't get that accidental twist when firing.

[rjw 48]

Hi Olham;

 

I read your post with interest! I use the MS Force Feedback 2 stick and I was wondering if you have ever had experience with this stick. I'm interested in your comparative views on these two sticks with respect the toe force feedback feature simulation. You indicated that your stick is spring loaded and I was wondering if the spring loaded force is modified during flight with the characteristics of the aircraft. I hope I have explained myself properly.

 

Best Regards;

[Von Paulus 8]

I've been using for 3/4 years. It's a good low budget joystick and better (IMO) than my old Sidewinder FS.

 

@rjw

This joystick don't have force feedback. So you feel the same loaded force regardless what you're doing with your aircraft.

[rjw 48]

I've been using for 3/4 years. It's a good low budget joystick and better (IMO) than my old Sidewinder FS.

 

@rjw

This joystick don't have force feedback. So you feel the same loaded force regardless what you're doing with your aircraft.

 

I just don't understand why they can't put the force feedback into the newer sticks of today. I love that feature as it really adds realism.

[Olham 164]

Robert, as von Paulus said: it's not a force feedback stick.

 

But LOGITECH and THRUSTMASTER DO still build them.