Joystick/Throttle recommendations

[Soulyss]

Hi all I think it's getting to that time again when it's time to replace ye 'ol joystick.  Right now I've been usin a Logitech and so far it's been good to me but I think I'm slowly beating it into the ground.  Right now I was lookin at either goin with the CH products or the Saitek X36 USB.  Any thoughts out there?  

[eddiek]

Hiya Soulyss!

You beat me to the punch.....I was gonna post the same question.
I saw one today, and JS/throttle setup that intrigued me......was wondering if anyone else had ever heard of it.....
Strike Fighter?  By Sun Com.
Check out the site:  www.suncominc.com

Click on products, then there is an icon for the throttle itself, and another for the throttle/stick combo......
What got my attention was that it has dual throttles, one for your in board engines, the other for the outboard ones........sounds like the perfect throttle for a P38, huh?
If anyone else has seen or used this product, please let me know?  The price was right at $74.99, and the throttle is supposed to work with ANY joystick........hhhmmmmmm.... ........

[Spatula]

I have had no problems with Saitek and CH gear. I got a cyborg 2000 analogue stick w/ CH pro pedals.
I love em  

PS i the only logitech gear i have own have been real crap!

[This message has been edited by Spatula (edited 12-06-2000).]

[Eagler]

X36 combo with CH Pro Pedals, all USB.

Eagler

[DrSoya]

That combo rocks, Eagler. I got both of them too!  

As for the Suncom stuff, my big boss Fd ski bought the combo a while back when his TM gear failed. I think he hated it and returned it.

Personnally, I don't want anything to do with gameport stuff, so I bought USB stuff last July, and the only full USB HOTAS combination right now is the Saitek X36U and the CH Pro Pedals USB.

There are no USB throttles yet from anyone else (we've been waiting for a throttle by CH for more than a year, it was initially due this summer).

Right now the big advantage of the Saitek X36U is the fact that it's seen as one controller by Windows, even though there are two parts (stick and throttle). Both should function properly in any game that only recognizes one controller.

External rudders will be seen as a distinct controller though, and few games can recognize more than one controller. Luckily AH is one.

But thanks to Bob Church of StickWorks, Saitek X36U users have a driver that allows them to replace the input from the X36U throttle's awkward "rudder rocker" with input from external rudder pedals, be they gameport (TM, CH, SimPed, anything) or USB (CH Pro Pedals USB, the only ones that exist right now).

If you're interested with the Saitek X36U, make sure you check out Ron Hunt's Saitek X36 USB Help Center.

BTW about CH USB gear. One thing that must be holding them up with the USB gear (we're still waiting on the F16 Fighterstick - the damn F16 Combatstick only has 4-way hat switches -the throttle and the CH plain pedals) is the fact that few games can recognize multiple game controllers. What they must be working on (well I sure hope so), is a unified driver that lets Windows see all CH USB controllers as one, just like Saitek's software sees the X36F stick and X35T throttle from the X36U combo as one controller. There were rumors that it was due for the end of the summer, but CH sensibly never gave a release date. Or the rumor was wrong.  


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DrSoya
308 (Polish) Squadron "City of Cracow" RAF
Part of the Northolt Wing (First Polish Fighter Wing)

[StSanta]

Hm well depends on what you're used to. I have a X36 kit that I'm gonna give to my bro as an xmas present. Bought it to replace spikey ch fighterstick/throttle but to me the x36 combo is much inferior. Bad placememnts of buttons and an ergonomic design where on one hand the throttle is too small for my hand at places and too big at others, and the stick is just plain too big. Hats seem oily to me finger keep gliding off. Rubber thingy on base of stick means resistance gets greater the furter out you move the stick.

If you're used to a CH stcik this will make the x36 feel cumbersome and non precise.

I'm waiting for ch usb gear to get out and then I'll get that (once I can afford it <sigh> ).

Soya, I've gone around the net looking for info and in releases from as far back as late february, all CH statements have said "4th quarter this year". None have said 2nd or 3rd. Combatstick is out and my guesses are that before long (1 or 2 months) the fighterstick will be out too.


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StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
 

[This message has been edited by StSanta (edited 12-12-2000).]

[Ripsnort]

Unlike Santa, I like the feel of the X36.  The price is relatively good.  However, if I had a deep pocket, I would go with all USB CH Products gear.

[straffo]

Just curious StSanta have you modified your sitck curves responses ?
for me the are like those of RWY :
Pitch
 
Roll
 

The exception  
 
in my case the curve is more at 45°

In all case : no damping nor deadband

[StSanta]

Yep. modified them to look like yours.



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StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"

[[Sg]ShotGun]

but doesnt that make ur pitch imputs too sensitive to where u get over bouncing???

stSanta..i agree. went to the store to check out the saitek and found the exact ergonomics u state. the rudder butons on the throt r too close the the gripp to be manipulate by the tips of the fingers and the throt handle itself is too small.

the upper hat on the stick is too far out of reach of the thumb. and then the c1 button...whats up with that...

i guess ill jsut get a USB stick for now...

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Sg
Thunderbirds

[This message has been edited by [Sg]ShotGun (edited 12-12-2000).]

[Beurling]

I just got a x36 on rwy's sugesstion.
Boy was it a good purchase.

My setup is very close to rwys. Going from a analogue set up to usb makes a huge difference. You can do everything quicker.
No need to curve. I mean you will out roll out turn just with the stick most analogue guys. Why because they need to curve there stick.

The views are too slipery. One is placed a litle too high.


But for 60 to 80 usd i would never think of ch stuff. There way over priced for similar performance.


Iown the ch throttle and pedals pro. Iuse them both still because i like the views on my throtle hand.


EYE

[straffo]

 

but doesnt that make ur pitch imputs too sensitive to where u get over bouncing???

Not for me anyway ...
 

Rubber thingy on base of stick means resistance gets greater the furter out you move the stick.

that's the reason why we don't need scalling  

And for the ergonomic of the stick I use the upper hat to move to the different gunner position and after 6 month I'm used to the throttle  

[StSanta]

Well basically what you guys are using is familiarity to get over bad design.

The CH Fighterstick is a superb design and doesn't require that. It however, i s a tad bit too large for my hand. So I added a piece of wood to the base of the stick; all buttons within easy reach.

Ch Throttle is also a better design; notice how the hats are situated so they're manipulated with the thumb? And even at full throttle hand position does not change? One of my probs with the saitek throttle is that yer comfy in one position then go full throttle and have to regrip it to avoid getting a sore hand.

To me it's one of the cooler looking hotas rigs around - beats CH hands down (except the stick which looks cheesy) but this has coome at the expense of functionality.

To its defense must be said that it has a zillion buttons. Fortunately, USB CH Pro Throttle will have a mode selector too.

Just waiting for it to get out heh.

I guess I made the post because I wanted people reading the thread to know that all is NOT good in Saitekville - I really wanted to like this stick (not odd since I paid good money for it). But I don't and I'm going to give it away. Some may be happy with it but CH owners run a small risk of finding it inadequate and not up to CH's high standards.



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StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"

[Eagler]

StSanta
Did you really give the Saitek enough time? It needs the peds also as the rudder thingy in the throttle just doesn't get it. I use that for aileron trim, the rotor next to my left thumb for elevator trim and the rotor in front for rudder trim. I see the combo being impractical if you don't have peds though..
good luck
Eagler

[gospel]

I used to have an X36 setup (two actually, back when they were analogue.  Very bad   , but I hear the USB ones are real nice   .

I much prefer the pro throttle's sliding action to the X36''s rotating one, for which I have to change my wrist position.

When it comes to joysticks, everyone has their own preferences.

I am pretty satisified with my current set up.
I use a CH combat stick, usb, with analogue pro throttle and rudders.  I also use a Saitek PC dash for additional commands    Very cool, but it takes up a lot of space on my desk, and some people who are not into into sims or pc's think I am a very strange for having all that stuff on my pc desk   .