Author Topic: Broke my J/S (Read 876 times)

Brenjen · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2006, 06:53:08 PM »

Hey that's cool Bronk, they have a solid reputation. Why not like CH?

The Cougar is too expensive & shouldn't need mods to be "tight" but eh, apparently it does. After the mods though it appears as though it's a last a lifetime deal.

So I take it your a CH rudder pedal fan too Bronk? Ever tried any other brands to compare performance?

Bronk · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:11:51 PM »

The only other peds I had a chance to try looked like this.

I didn't like the swing feel . But that's just a personal preference.
They are however quite effective.

Bronk

Edit: the peds looked similar to the pic . Was more of a crossbar that ran between the pedals. I think it was a much older version of the one in the pic.

Brenjen · « **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:24:26 PM »

Those look like the thrustmasters, do they pivot in the middle? Or do you have to depress the pedal like a gas pedal on a car?

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #18 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:28:06 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Brenjen
I have all but decided on the Cougar.

I am also looking at the Über II NXT mod, that is the replacement gimble correct?

There are so many mods & the site is packed full of so much info it's difficult to understand what your looking at without already knowing what certain things are.

I absolutely live to take stuff apart. I have had nitro fuel powered 4x4 R/C trucks & modded them, I build P/C's now & then & twist wrenches on everything I own. I like the idea the Cougar is made out of metal & that is the single biggest factor that swayed me & the look of the stick was second.

I am thankful for the info Gunner/Bronk/38ruk

Brenjen,

The Uber II NXT are the gimbals, and you will need the Hall Sensors also. You need to contact IJ about the NXT. He just finished a run in the last few days. If he made any extra, now may be a good time to order. You will find all kinds of posts here, just click on his sig:

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=22044&page=216

You need to contact Cub Pilot for the Hall Sensors. IJ will coorinate with Cubby on the delivery of the Halls with the NXT.

For Pedals, I have a set of CH pedals that are well over 10 years old. Many are going for Simpeds. There is a large thread on this here:

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=82299&page=8

If you can find a set with a joystick port plug, they can be plugged into the Cougar and you can program them like the other Cougar axises.

Gunner

Bronk · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:29:04 PM »

They pivot and have toe brake also. IIRC

Bronk

Brenjen · « **Reply #20 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:32:07 PM »

Thanks guys, I feel well armed enough with knowledge now to investigate & understand what I'm seeing & reading. That'll help me greatly with my final decision.

I really appreciate it.

Edit: Not sure what a simped is really, checking that now.

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #21 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:41:12 PM »

Bronk

I saw this post from Smash also. I have no clue what was going on there, and I have not ever seen or heard of this. He also posted on Cougar World and I think he stumped them over there also. Must of had something go way wrong. The good thing about having something breaking right away is you can send it back

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #22 on:** June 17, 2006, 07:58:53 PM »

Looks like they make one just for the Cougar. These have hall sensors, so I would expect these will last a long time. Looks like Eagle on Cougar World is helping with these orders.

http://home.arcor.de/p.madel/simped/simp001.htm

Hmmm, now that I am looking at these, I think I should look at getting one

Gunner

Brenjen · « **Reply #23 on:** June 17, 2006, 08:08:11 PM »

Yeah; I was just checking them out, looks like around $316 U.S.

Brenjen · « **Reply #24 on:** June 18, 2006, 11:22:35 AM »

WOW, the Uber2 NXT gimble replacement is nearly $400!:O

At least the Hall effect sensors are reasonable at $100; it's making me wonder about the Simpeds price though, the currency converter had a little problem & quoted the price in the thousands because the cost was printed as 250,00 euros so I changed the comma to a decimal point. Maybe the cost was $3,016 instead of $316 Holy $@*# batman!

It seems as though the Cougars are hard to come by but I have found some in stock at one retailer & apparently the stock pots are not always bad some say within hours there are problems & others say 4-6 months still more say with maintenance they will last longer.

Maybe I should buy a CH & a Cougar just to see for myself, what'll really suck is if I don't like either & want to go back to the X-52.

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #25 on:** June 18, 2006, 06:51:48 PM »

If you want to run it stock for a while, and worried about the pots, Cougar World sells replacements fairly cheap. You can also just buy the Hall sensors. Cubby makes a kit to install them on stock gimbals. This is what I did. When I put in the NXT, I just installed the halls into the NXT.

Again, CH makes a great reliable stick also. So many decisions

Gunner

Brenjen · « **Reply #26 on:** June 18, 2006, 08:52:13 PM »

Yeah, the Hall effects from cubby are $100, it's the 370 some-odd dollar NXT gimble that floored me.

I looked at the Simpeds but they were labeled 250,00euros & the converter said they would be $31,431 but when the comma is replaced with a decimal it's $314.31

Seeing as how the gimbles are over $350 from IJ the Simpeds seem too affordable unless the price is really $3,143.12

See what I'm getting at?

I want the Cougar & cubbys hall effect sensors with Simpeds; if the Simpeds are $314....then the total cost would be under $700 but with the NXT gimbles it's over $1000 for a stick & peddles & I just can't see the nearly $400 extra just to remove a millimeter of slop in the center axis.

DonULFonso · « **Reply #27 on:** June 19, 2006, 06:18:44 AM »

IIRC I've paid 270 Autralian - not US - dollars for Ian's Über2next gimbals (plus 100 USD for Ernest's Hall sensors).

These gimbals do not only solve the (potential) center-play issue, they moreover remove the nasty (IMHO) "transition flats" (the stick gets "sucked" into the axes' travel when you move it, it's literally impossible to draw a circle) of the stock gimbals with their stiff springs - if you're flying WWII-sims, then the stock gimbals are too stiff for fine-control (but I've lived some years with them, though).

One question, if you don't mind: you're not planning to go 64-bit, are you? There are no 64-bit drivers available for the Cougar, nor are they planned before Vista will be available (next year). (They can be used under 64-bit, though, just not be programmed.) Just FYI...

As for which pedals to get, well, you don't really need game-port pedals and plug 'em into the Cougar - not for games that support multiple devices (most of today's sims). The only reason to plug pedals into the Cougar is if a specific game does not support multiple controllers, or if you need/want to program them via the Cougar's means. All of TM's old pedals fit, both the older and wider RCS as well as the newer Elites (both standard 1-axis pedals without toe-brakes). For CH's USB-port Pro Pedals you can find detailed instructions on how to add a switch with a game-port (so you can plug 'em anywhere you want) on Cougar World (but they come along with their own app so you can program them anyway). But the Simpeds are the best you can get if you're after fine-control (just like the TMs are the best when it comes to being (almost) indestructable), though they can be a bit hard to get: Peter Hofman was/is(?) very ill, and he's a one-man-show, plus he doesn't speak English; a friend of his is active at Cougar World, though, so you should be able to get them if you really should want them.

Hajo · « **Reply #28 on:** June 19, 2006, 07:17:18 AM »

I've used Ch Products for the last 15 years exclusively. Used other HOTAS brands before that.

As to the Ch looking cheap.....the F-16 Combat Stick is a replica of an F-16 joystick. Reportedly used by NASA for the Space Shuttle Sim.

All I can state from my experience is that Ch performs well above other input devices. A few of the gentlemen playing this game are using some of my old equipment. In some instances it is 10 years old. One complete analog HOTAS being used by an AH Player that I donated is 10 yrs old and doing very well.

From my experience I've spent fewer dollars by using Ch equipment. I might have paid more initially but I've spent less money on input devices in that 15 year span than others have using other various brands of joysticks etc. I've never had trouble with any Ch product. And...I've never worn one out. I've bought new and gave my used equipment away and that equipment is still in use.

Brenjen · « **Reply #29 on:** June 19, 2006, 07:14:46 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by DonULFonso
IIRC I've paid 270 Autralian - not US - dollars for Ian's Über2next gimbals (plus 100 USD for Ernest's Hall sensors).

The prices I quoted are U.S. Dollars, the reason is I am in the U.S. & IJ wants paid by pay-pal in U.S. currency or there is an added fee for him. If I lived in Australia I would just send the guy a money order in aussie bucks & be done with it; except I'm not going to pay that much money for them, I think they are overpriced.

As far as the simpeds I am already aware of all that, it's the price conversion I'm wondering about, sorry for the confusion I thought I had explained it clearly, I guess I didn't.

Hajo; As far as CH products, I have never said they were cheap, or would malfunction. I am well aware of their stellar dependability. I just do not personally like the way the base attaches to the stick; it looks cheap to me...maybe cheesy would be a better description. It's just my opinion of how it looks to me.

thanks folks, I decided on the cougar:aok