Looking for advice on a new Controller!

[EnIgMaSpItPiLoT]

    I won a Logitech3D pro right now! But I am using it to death literally! I use to own a Saitek X52 but had nothing but problems with it! My Question is can anyone suggest to me some other good controller brands and models! I am looking for a controller with,

1. A stiffer action/ movement to it!

2. More buttons so I wont have to use Te keyboard as much!

3. And most of all something durable

I need suggestions Can you please give me your input thankyou in advance!

[BaldEagl]

I'm using a Saitek AV8R-01.  Love it.  8 buttons that can be dual functioned plus the hat.  Under $50.

[Ghosth]

If you want stiffer try thrustmaster.

If you want to do it right, try a full CH Hotas setup.

[wabbit]

I agree with Ghost...

If you want stiffer movement, more programable buttons, (from inside Aces or from it's own key programable program), and the durability of metal construction, then the Thrustmaster Cougar is the way to go.

It is supposed to have the same pull as a real F-16 joystick,(unconfirmed, but I like it compared to the loosey-goosey pull of other sticks). It's made of metal construction, (short of the buttons), and is durable as all get-out.

I've owned one for almost two years now and I love mine. It is not cheap. It runs around $200.00 to $250.00, (depending on the rare sales). Along with the Cougar, I use a CH Pro USB rudder system, which I also like a lot, (costs around $100.00, last time I checked - might be a bit more these days).

My buddy, programs his cougar from inside Aces High. I use the Thrustmaster key program 'Foxy' to program mine. Both methods work just fine. Foxy comes with built in tutorials that are excellent for learning how to program the cougar. It took me only an hour to learn how, using the tutorials.

The only problem, I've come across with the cougar is a minor amount of center-play, that for some can be a real annoyance. The pots aren't the best,(adequate), but since Thrustmaster has a two-year warranty, you can get a lot of use out of them before having to replace them.

There is an after-market for the cougar that costs approximately another $400.00, and it turns the cougar into an Uber Joystick. This replaces the pots with Hall-Effect sensors, (contactless), which will increase their life expectancy by quite a bit, and virtually removes 'spiking'. It also removes that center-play I mentioned earlier. It replaces the internal gimbal of the joystick with a custom-machined unit that is a major improvement over the original Thrustmaster gimbal.

The Hall-effect sensors come from one source and the gimbal from another.

If you want a great joystick/Throttle combo, then I'd recommend the Thrustmaster Cougar, with the CH Pro USB Rudders. Don't worry about the U2Nxt upgrade at first. Run with the standard cougar until you can decide if you want to increase the already great performance of the cougar and avoid spiking.

I used my for almost a year before managing to save up the bucks and make the jump to the U2NXT with Hall-effects. I haven't regretted it at all. It was a bit of a hardship finacially, but well worth it, (ifluffluff'n yer serious about your flight simming!)

Here's the link for Thrustmaster:

http://www.thrustmaster.com/product.aspx?ProductID=11&PlatformID=5

Here's a link for 'Cougarworld' - a great source for anyone interested in the Cougar:

http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/

Here's a link on some of the mods that were/are available for the cougar. The U2NXT is, IMHO, the best!

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=2c91e31e33564c7723c3627f994e3090&t=22044

Also do a search in the forum for 'Cougar' and you should find some comments from others on the cougar. You can also pm me if you have any questions and I'll try and help out.


Wabbit

[Wingnutt]

+1 for the cougar..

only downside to it is that after the cougar, anything else feels like featherweight plastic Junk.


my stock cougar lasted me 1.5 years with no issues whatsoever, now I need new pots, which of course are available for free from TM upon request, provided you have proof of purchase.

I opeted for a $140 upgrade where in a get Hall Effect sensors, which are contactless, which as a result have no wear, which means they will outlast whatever you put them in, they are also capable of 16,000 measurements a second, regular pots are capable of a few hundred.