Are siatek sticks really junk?

[Am0n]

Im just looking to here from some of you what kind of problems you have had with your Siatek sticks, preferably the X45.

I wanted to buy one but all i can see is a bunch of people complaining about them breaking, horrid configurations and such..

Is there another HOTAS setup under 100$? or is there a good throttle setup w/ rudder on it that will work with my MS sidewinder percison pro 2?

thanks  

[AKSWulfe]

I like my Saitek X36- I've had only two problems with it. 4 months after I bought it, part of the rubber piece of the thumb hat on the throttle came off. It doesn't matter much, you can still move it- actually easier- by pressing your thumb onto it and using it like a hat instead of a toggle switch (which is what it is with the rubber piece coming off of it)..

14 months after owning it and using it heavily, the main hat stopped working. Solved that by using the other hat and by moving key presses to different mode selections and making use of the auxillary switch.

For 99$ (cheapest stick I've owned too), it has worked very well. I've had it since Beta Tour 3 and still using it.
-SW

[Eagler]

liked the X36 jstick feel better than my x45 but for $79 you can't beat the X45.

as long as you are a win98 user

[airspro]

Am0n : I and may others like the x36 , don't own a x45 yet . Just buy the extra store warr. fot 10 bucks you can't go wrong . ( if the bastard goes down before one year , ten bucks u get a brand new one , with a NEW one year warr. from the date you brought the bad stick in , compUSA did it for me 5 times so far NP at all . But the strange looks , lmao .

Now the SGE setup ain't that hard , but then again don't own a x45 so don't know for sure they use SGE .

Hotta's are so nice , they really do work so well in AH . I use USB CH Pro Pedals with my stick . Best price for the buck IMO .

They (Saitek) are the only one that are in the price range . Be sure you are NOT running win xp as I hear that they don't have drivers out for that yet .

Yes in the pic below on my name I have CH gear but I now use Saitek only . I had to have a 8 way hat that I could reach easy . I have big hands but how in hell they reach the top hat on the ch figher stick is beyond me , hehe . I sent it back asap to www.buy.com  

take care
spro

PS: Go the my squad's web site if the loving forum is working you will see how I had to armor my cables from my cat ( beware all mouse flyers , hehe , I fly with a CAT , that BITES ) Updated pics of Saitek stick , you will learn to love _ hate it hehe .

[fdiron]

My right hand feels cramped when I put it on the X45 stick.  Anyone else have that problem?