Recommend any joysticks?

[SLCR]

I've had my Precision Pro for over 5 years now but gave in to upgrading my OS to XP Pro.  Now my ol' reliable PP software isn't compatible.  I've heard CH and Saitek both have great products that work well with XP and AH.  Any more recommendations??


Thanks,

SLICER

[lord dolf vader]

i would suggest a saitek x36 or x45  both are around 79 bucks. my x 36 is goin bad after 2 years of dayly use good luck

[Reschke]

Well Slicer I don't suggest going to CH Products route as they seem to not be supporting WinXP for a while. Not sure why but I think it has something to do with the way that game controllers need to emulate the keyboard to get their software to work. Anyway that is complicating matters. If you want cheap then go Saitek; but be sure to check out the following link. They have a couple of guys that drop by there who work on making Saitek drivers that seem to be better than what Saitek does.

Frugal's World HOTAS forum

Now if you want to spend more money on something that is going to last a while (From my personal experience anyway.) get you a TM Cougar in a few weeks (Europe and US) when they show up in stores. They are going to be expensive but from all the accounts coming out of Australia (early release point) they are an amazing set of game controllers. They will be $300 for the throttle and stick but two years ago you would have paid that or more for the used TM gear on eBay or somewhere else. Anyway head over here to the "unofficial" Cougar website and take a look at the forums there. The site also has a listing of where you can pre-order the Cougar. Although be warned that most of them are already taking orders for the second production run later this year.

Good Luck and I hope you find a stick that fits both your needs/wants and your checkbook.

[Trix]

I am currently using a CH FighterStick, Pro Throttle and Pro Rudders (USB) setup, I also have a Saitek X36, and between the two I much prefer the CH setup. The thing in the X36’s favor is it’s less than half the price of the CH setup, making it a very nice setup for the money.

I am running XP Pro and both the Saitek and CH sticks (USB versions) work fine with it but you will need to down load the latest version of CH Control Manager.

Prior to my current setup I used a CH F16 FighterStick, Pro Throttle and Rudder Pedals (serial) for over 4 years in daily use before the view hat went bad. I sent is back and they fixed it for free.

The Cougar looks to be a great stick and throttle system, but right now it’s vaporware. If you’re not in a hurry you might want to wait for it, otherwise go with CH.

Note: Most (if not all) serial sticks are not compatible with XP, it has to do with the way XP handles the game port. I have found that my serial sticks will work in XP but you can’t program them. For complete XP compatibility stay with USB.

[Reschke]

Originally posted by Trix
The Cougar looks to be a great stick and throttle system, but right now it’s vaporware. If you’re not in a hurry you might want to wait for it, otherwise go with CH.

definition of Vaporware: a software/hardware product that is hyped and not released ever but is killed in development. (Not a websters definition but mine.)

I thought that only applied to Team Fortress 2 and Duke Nukem whatever. Seriously though if a product is out and people have been receiving them at their homes and in retail shops how can it be vaporware? I know three guys in Australia and New Zealand that have received theirs within the last two weeks. According to a very sure source the release of the products were held to ensure a release worldwide at the same time. Only things got bungled with Australia and they received their allotment first.

[-lynx-]

Reschke - check your stuff before hitting "submit" button. CH hardware (USB versions) are fully supported under XP. CH released new Command Manager and all the drivers for CH sticks are included with XP anyway (Pro Pedals, F16 Fighterstick, Pro Throttle, Yoke here - all works).

[Reschke]

Lynx I wrote about what I last saw on the CH website a couple of weeks ago before I finalized my Cougar pre-order. A support page on their website had information that I based the following on when I wrote it the other day.

I don't suggest going to CH Products route as they seem to not be supporting WinXP for a while. Not sure why but I think it has something to do with the way that game controllers need to emulate the keyboard to get their software to work.

If they have since added or changed software to allow support then great but what I am refering to was up there less than a month ago and they said no support till later this fall. As soon as I can get a few minutes to locate the link to the page I will post it here.

Just to ask you a question. Which drivers are not included with WinXP? Answer; only really old stuff that should not even be working now.

[HFMudd]

You are probably thinking of this link by CH Products: http://www.chproducts.com/fom/cache/391.html

This refers only to the gameport controller.  The USB controllers do, and have for sometime, worked fine under XP.  It may be that the CH Control Manager only recently was approved for use with XP, but as I do not make use of it anymore (I used to use it to play DOA which only allowed one controller) I don't really know anything about that.

I own and use the CH Combatstick (USB), Pro Throttle (USB) and Pro Pedals (USB).  I judge them better than the Saitek X36 combo I used to have and had nothing but trouble with.  The problem I had with the X36 was that is was impossible to calibrate properly, even after installing all available patches and trying some 3rd party solutions.  This was a year ago so I hope Saitek has cleaned this up a bit.  (BTW, Saitek was aware of the problem but I forget the technical details.)

[Reschke]

I think that is the same article there HFMudd. I was under the impression that it effected the USB setup the same way as the gameport ones are effected. I have read so many different peoples description and complaints about the CH stuff in XP that it gets hard to keep the various one's in order.

[HFMudd]

There was also a period of time, not so long ago, that due to a nasty bug in the CH Products Control Manager software it would only work after installation until you rebooted your machine.  Those days seem to be gone but it was still rather frustrating.

Spend the bucks, tell yourself the setup you picked is the best and keep the webpage http://www.stickworks.com bookmarked.

For whatever joystick you pick, the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim news group will save you a bunch of time trying to get support from the manufacturer.

[LePaul]

My MS Sidewinder died after 4 years of service.  It came as a bundle with Mechwarrior 2!

It died about 4 months ago and I had borrowed a friends Sidewinder Basic until 2 weeks ago.  It was a Sidewinder, minus rudder inputs and no hat (POV).

After watching carefully what everyone else was saying, I got a chance to see a X45 up close.  It felt nice!  But the local Best Buy was always out of them.

2 Weeks ago, I was in buying RAM at BestBuy and the guy said he just saw some across the street at Circuit City.  I zoomed over and brought it home.

Under Windows 2000, its worked fine.  I'd like to mount the stick lower than my desk and strap it down...its sliding around on the desk right now.  And I am not quite use to moving my hands around so much (right) for the different buttons (Sidewinder spoiled me).

But 2 weeks later, I love it.  The LED lights are utterly silly, but cool.  The cats enjoy their new chin-rubbing post and its been pretty smooth so far

Go get one!

[pakqua]

Precion pro not compatable? I have Xp and mine was , now I have a precion pro 2.........Still have  that ch setup for sale..NOT USB....if you don't have usb stay
 away from XP!