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Author Topic: Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek  (Read 1291 times)

Offline Wanker

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« on: October 19, 2001, 08:56:00 AM »
I hate to admit it, but I gave up on Saitek too early. About four years ago, I bought a Saitek X36/35 gaming rig, and had nothing but problems with it. Their programming app sucked, too. So, ever since, I've been a CH Products man.

Well, I was lucky enough to win a Saitek X45 system as the con banquet, and after spending a couple hours to program it, I am deeply impressed. The programming tool that Saitek has now, the SGE, is incredibly powerful, yet easy to use.

I still use my CH Pro Pedals USB for rudder action, because I like to use my feet for the rudder. So on the X45, I use the rudder thingie for my map zoom and view zoom. It works great!

Anyone considering purchasing a HOTAS setup, I would strongly recommend the Saitek X45 over the CH Products Pro Line.
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Offline Sky Viper

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2001, 09:09:00 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by banana:
I hate to admit it, but I gave up on Saitek too early. About four years ago, I bought a Saitek X36/35 gaming rig, and had nothing but problems with it. Their programming app sucked, too. So, ever since, I've been a CH Products man.

Well, I was lucky enough to win a Saitek X45 system as the con banquet, and after spending a couple hours to program it, I am deeply impressed. The programming tool that Saitek has now, the SGE, is incredibly powerful, yet easy to use.

I still use my CH Pro Pedals USB for rudder action, because I like to use my feet for the rudder. So on the X45, I use the rudder thingie for my map zoom and view zoom. It works great!

Anyone considering purchasing a HOTAS setup, I would strongly recommend the Saitek X45 over the CH Products Pro Line.

How about longevity?  The majority of the reports I've seen is that the buttons and switches are cheap and wear out fast.
Does your new stick feel solid?

I've checked them out at local shops/shows and they are not at all comfortable in my fat paw. Top to bottom distance is a bit short.
My CH F16 Fighter Stick (over 3 years old) fits very nice and ALL buttons are at my fingertips without moving my hand.

Question on the Stick Pivot:  Could you program it for view sweep?

Viper
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Offline Animal

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2001, 09:16:00 AM »
Ive had a Saitek X36 USB for more than a year now, and it has given me NO problems at all. Still works as if it was new out of the box. All buttons are working fine, etc.

The only drawback I see in this setup is, that Saitek still hasnt released programing software for Windows 2000/XP
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Offline Eagler

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2001, 09:25:00 AM »
I use the rocker for the aileron trim. THe map zoom goes on the thumb rotor on the seonnd setting of three (middle)on the oval thingy on the throttle while the rotor is elevator trim while on the 1st setting.

Also over a year with this X36 combo set with all buttons working. I did move fr & fl view to oval hat on throttle instead of 8way hat #1 on stick as RF view was 1st to go on 1st USB X36.
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Offline Nifty

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2001, 09:42:00 AM »
the hats burn out quick on the X36's, not sure if they changed at all on the newer stick.  Mine is about 5 months old, and the main hat is already getting a little squirrelly (hehe, that's not a word!)  I use the rudder rocker for my flap controls (and shifting in the GVs).
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Offline Kratzer

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2001, 12:10:00 PM »
How do you use the rotary knobs on the throttle for trim?  I would give my left eye to know how to get that set up!
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Offline funkedup

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2001, 12:17:00 PM »
Quote
Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek

God help you banana.   :)
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Offline Nifty

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2001, 12:28:00 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Kratzer:
How do you use the rotary knobs on the throttle for trim?  I would give my left eye to know how to get that set up!

I'm not sure you can with the way trim in AH is setup.  AH trim works by moving a just a lil' bit for each keystroke.  I'm not sure you can set it on a sliding scale (or even a pseudo-axis).  As it is, my rotaries just do a keystroke.  Back rotary works gear and tailhook.  Front rotary works damage and the map (rangrbob profile I think.)  the little mini hat on the back is what I use for elevator/aileron trim.  I use the 4way hat on the stick for rudder trim (as well as zoom in/zoom out for gunsight and bombsight views.)
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Offline Wanker

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2001, 01:10:00 PM »
Funked...heh  ;)

I use the 8 way Hat #1 on the joystick for the views, and when I shift with the pinky, I get all the views in the "Looking up" mode. 16 views in one little hat. Not bad.

I use hat #2(4-way) on the stick for my aileron and elevator trim. I haven't even tried using the dials on the throttle yet, because I already have more functions programmed than I was used to on my CH gear.

Did I fail to mention that some of the buttons are now lighted.  ;)  

As far as the programming tools go, the SGE of Saitek beats the pants off the CH control manager.
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Offline Wanker

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2001, 01:12:00 PM »
One more thing....CH requires you, everytime you boot the pc, to launch the CH control manager, load the profile you want to use, then activate it. Only then can you start the game you want to play.

The SGE of Saitek requires you to....start the game, and it automagically loads the correct profile into your X45 for you. Now that's what I call service!  :)
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Offline Vermillion

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2001, 01:15:00 PM »
Ummmm banana you can do the same 8 way plus a "up" key on your CH setup too. At least you can if you have the Fighterstick or the newer stick (the 586? or something?).

In a year, talk to me about that Saitek and tell me if you have the same opinon.  ;)

Remember our deal on first refusal  :D
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Offline Wanker

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2001, 01:19:00 PM »
Verm, you ignorant slut  ;)

You forgot to mention what hoops you have to do to get the shift thingie to work on the CH gear. Don't get me wrong, the CH gear is still very good(I oughtta know, I just bought the whole HOTAS the day before I won my X45!) but the SGE of Saitek is so much user-friendly.

How many lighted buttons does your fancy CH joystick have, huh? I thought so.
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Offline Eagler

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2001, 01:43:00 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Kratzer:
How do you use the rotary knobs on the throttle for trim?  I would give my left eye to know how to get that set up!

Kratzer here is my profile to look at. Very simple as I have not used to many of the programming functions .. the stick is smarter than I am    :)

 http://www.pogbird.com/AcesHigh_Profile.zip

To use the rotors as trim you have to band tehm into three bands leaving the center a small band without any functions. Trick is to keep the rotors centered. You may have to rock the rotor back thru center to active as they go to sleep when you go in and out of auto pilot. No big deal, comes 2nd nature after a while. Let me know if you have any questions..

[ 10-19-2001: Message edited by: Eagler ]
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"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27


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Offline 214thCavalier

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2001, 01:46:00 PM »
You can easily set it up to have all the views ie normal, up and down on hat 1.
The way i have it is i use the fire button on throttle to give me the up views in modes 1 to 3 and when used with the shift key (modes 1 to 3 with pinkie) it gives you all the down views.
You should be able to set most of the actual switches to give you the same result except the rotaries of course.
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Offline Nifty

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Goodbye CH, Hello Saitek
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2001, 02:57:00 PM »
Eagler, I think he was meaning to use the rotaries to directly control the trim (at least that's how I interpreted him.)  Meaning if the rotary is in the neutral position, the trim is neutral.  If I rotate the nob fully to the right, the trim goes fully to the right.  Basically, wherever the rotary dial is set, that's where your trim is set is what I think he was asking about.
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