thrustmaster hotas

[haasehole]

    I would like to hear from any thrustmaster users. I've heard the 18 pound spring can tire out a arm. But other than that haven't heard any thing else good or bad. so any info (other than buy ch) would be great

[Reschke]

Yeah there are good and bad; the good is personal for me; I love the feel of the stick and I like the stiffness of the springs as well. I have not had any trouble with the stick until recently and I have one of the first batches to get made from the original release. Now after at least 5 years of use (I think...honestly I don't really remember) the center play was absolutely horrible. I did fry a pot in the throttle with the one of the first firmware flashes but it was because of a fault in how it worked. I know a few people that have them for sale now due to getting out of the flight sim side of gaming and I know that TM is releasing (who knows when) a new HOTAS based on the one of the A-10C and early rumors say that they have redone the insides to give easier transition between the axis'. The upside is there are several modifications that have been done by users and can be done to extend the life and get more out of your Cougar. I am currently waiting on the next version to decide if I am going to get it or one of the modifications for the gimbals to make it work better for many more years.

On the 100% positive side is the Foxy software. I absolutely love working in it and I can't write anything code wise; the software is intuitive...once you get the hang of it and allows you to build a very simple or ultra complex set of instructions for the Cougar to perform so you don't have to remove your hands from the stick at all unless you want to type something in the text buffer.

Bottom line is I like mine but it is personal preference; others didn't like theirs; others are fanboys of CH and still others are fanboys of TM. I have owned just about everything that has come down the pike in the way of flight sim controllers and I haven't found anything better. Granted I stopped looking once I got the Cougar so I don't have any experience with the current CH control manager software but I just didn't like the fit or feel of the CH gear when I had it about a year before I bought the Cougar. If you will PM me I know someone that has a stock Cougar for sale for $100 and it is NIB. If you want it I can put you in touch with them.

[Max]

I purchased a TM Cougar years ago. Yup, the heavy throw torque can be a work out after an hour of play.

Aside from a $250 HOTAS that didn't have rudder peds (can't recall if the Cougar was a twisty, or not) I remember there was considerable nose bounce resulting from cheap gimbels/pots. The mod fix kit was selling for $100+. I licked my wounds, sold it for $150 and moved on.

Couple of sticks later I bought a CH set-up (Fighterstick, throttle & peds) I haven't had any equipment issue since.

[wabbit]

I've been using TM since before the cougar. Their products are built to last, except maybe for the springs...

About two years or so ago, my buddy talked me into going in hoc and getting a cougar. I haven't regretted that one bit. I've use the CH sticks and they are nice, especially if you don't or can't spend the money for a cougar, but IMHO opinion, the cougar blows them away.

The heavy springs do work your arms, but after a while, you get used to that. The biggest problem I had was the center play. It made it almost impossible to face a HO. I couldn't keep my guns on the guy at all, so had to avoid all Ho's, (especially the $2.00 ones...). About a year ago, my buddy and decided to upgrade to the U2Nxt which, IMHO is the best upgrade out there for the cougar.

IT AIN'T CHEAP!  We paid a little over $400.00, or so, (if I remember correctly). It took about an hour to install, since we took it real slow, so's not to screw anything up.  Since then the center play has virtualy disappeared. Now I can HO with the best of'em!

Again, the problem is with the springs. They tend to last about a year, depending on how much you play. They run around $12.00 a piece. I think the shipping is free, but can't remember. I've lost 2 springs, in the year or so that I've had mine, and my buddy has also lost 2.

At the same time we upgraded to the U2Nxt, we upgraded the throttle pots to Hall-Effect sensors from Cubby. Pots wear out after a time and cause spiking. Hall-Effects are some type of optical/magnetic pot so there's no wear. Don't know how long they'll last, but I suspect it will be a long long while.  Completely emlimiates spiking.

A while back I broke a shaft on one of the pots on the Throttle. TM was great about shipping me a replacement, (2 year warranty). in a little over a week.  Broke another shaft not too long ago, but haven't called for the replacement yet, (warrantly ran out and I found I could hold down the knob and still get it to work - lazy    ). Replacing things like pots, and buttons on the Cougar can be daunting. Inside, it's a maze of wery small wires and you have to be careful - both removing and re-installing things. If you take yer time, you should ok, though.

I remember seeing a post somewhere on the springs, by Ian, the guy who makes the mod. I'll try and find it in the next day or so and post it for ya. I though it was on Frugal'sworld but that site seems to be down so I can't check that.

Here some other Urls, that might be of interest:

http://webpages.charter.net/davegun/Cougar.htm

Cubby's page for changing your Throttle/Joystick pots to Hall sensors - A wery wery wise decision!

http://www.cubpilotshangar.net/index.html

There is also Frugalsworld, but it appears to be down and may be gone. here's the link for their forums, if they come back and don't change the URL:

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/forumdisplay.php?s=a9a5ca81756db5f8494839f0836f184e&f=8



Bottom line:

                  I love my cougar and unless TM comes out whith something waaaay better, I'm sticking with it as long as it holds up!


Wabb

[steely07]

Highly recommended, you WILL have a sore arm/shoulder after the first few hours, but you do get used to that, and the pain goes away.

Really good stick, just wish I could get pedals that are built similarly (ie : from metal, the CH ones feel very "plasticky" compared to the rest of my control system)

I know such pedals exist, but they are very expensive.

Steely

[oboe]

Have had a Cougar for years, love the heavy weight.   I like the fit of it to my hand, and am so used to the heavy spring action that using any other stick feels wrong.    Have had the stick apart maybe a dozen times in the years I've owned it to disassemble and clean the pots.   Frugal's World has great instructions on how to do that.   Have replace the view hat switch a couple times too- it developed a memory of its own and would always return me to a rearview position after checking another view.

Really horrible centerplay - the gimbal is made of too-soft metal so there is lots of slop in the center position.   Have been putting up with it until I purchased a G940, but the rudder and toe brake axes started spiking terribly in that set so I'm back to the TM setup while I'm waiting on the glacially-slow Logitech support.    Thinking I should've spent the $$ instead on aftermarket upgrade to the Cougar to eliminate the centerplay.

So, I guess I love it but its definitely not without flaws.

[WpnX]

Not to crack on anyone (Steely) but if this thing seriously made your arm and shoulder sore, maybe you should consider a gym membership; or at least go once a year or so:)
Anyway, I've had the Cougar since they released it (guessing 5yrs ago?) and I love it. Out of the box, I was a little disappointed with the pots spiking (easy fix with some wd-40 cleaning) and later the looseness around center. I have upgraded it since with the U2NXT mod and new Hall sensor pots and it is now the best stick you can own (very expensive though and not worth the cost to some). However, if you have the cash it is the way to go. If not, I was also very happy with my old CH setup.