After my faithfull Thrustmaster FCS/WCS wore out I bought myself a nice Saitek X36 setup which I used all of 4 months. While it wasn't spiking, the buggy programing software was worth tolerating, but once the spikes started ...
So I switched to a nice all-digital all-optical MS Sidewinder PPro. No programming other then in-game, no calibration, drift or performance loss. All that time I was wating for Thrustmaster or CHproducts to come out with a USB throttle...
Few months ago I purchased a MS Freelancer Pro - nice USB game controller with motion censor for $10 ($40 on the Internet - $30 rebate). I used it as a throttle for a while. It can be programmed through MS software or just left as a gaming controller with 3 axis, 10 buttons and a hat.
Here is what I did:
I ripped out all the internals from Saitek - boths stick and throttle and threw out the remains of the stick.
I also broke appart my old FCS/WCS setup and salvaged all buttons.
I removed the printed circuit board from Freelancer gamepad and clipped it to fit into the base of X36 throttle. Then I soldered out a motion detector chip (the one in the middle mounted horisontally, about 3/8 by 1/4 inch with 14 legs). I attached it to a tiny mounting piece of plastic and solreded extension wires to it. Then I mounted the chip in the X36 handle with a hot glue. The range of tilt of the handle is just a little bigger then the range of the sensor, so I have a great throttle control now!
I removed the stupid dial controls from the X36 stick. Instead of the forward one I installed a button and instead of the rear one I installed a hat - one of the two I removed from the stick. I also added a button right over the front hat on the stick. So now the stick has 3 hats, 4 buttons (mouse, thumb and two new ones upfront).
I soldered extension wires to the Freelancer board for all the buttons. I use the mouse cables - they have those nice connectors into which you can insert the end of the wire or a pin. Those I run throught the handle and attached to the buttons, hats, etc.
I did not use the scrollwheel from the gamepad - could not find any use for it and frankly, wanted to wrap the whole thing up.
Now I have a nice digital USB throttle that feels great, looks great, does not have those stupid dial controls like USB Saitek and does not require any software loaded to use it.
Also, less junk in my closet.
Now if I only had more time to play...
miko
[This message has been edited by miko2d (edited 04-27-2001).]
