Author Topic: Cougar Owner Survey (Read 1389 times)

Slash27 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2003, 04:10:24 PM »

I have mixed feelings about mine. When its working it is awsome. However, when it decides to crap out for no apparent reason its more then aggrivating. There are 2 of them in our house and mine is the most troublesome of the 2. I have a nose bounce when pulling up that has gotten so bad its now unflyable. Havent narrowed it down yet.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #16 on:** March 30, 2003, 05:09:48 AM »

It's funny. I have been troubleshooting my PC and was blaming the Cougar (wrongly it seems). I bought a Topgun Afterburner to see, and you know I'm not so sure about the Cougar anymore. The Afterburner is simpler, more precice, more comfortable.

I have my cougar sitting there looking at me and I'm in no hurry to reinstall it. I miss the extra buttons though.

Naturally I still use CH Pro rudders. Moving to rudders was the best thing about the Cougar purchase. If you are tight for cash at all, I wouldn't rush out and buy a Cougar. I think only two of us in the vikings have a cougar. The best pilot's I've come across don't have one. A flight sim like AH needs precision and fine control, not necessarily a metal replica of a real (jet) fighter stick and certainly not FFeedback.

Likewise I dislike the slight play and wear in my Cougar and there are dodgy USB drivers which the Windows Driver verifier system doesn't like. Having said that I think I've eliminated the Cougar as the cause of my particular problem.

I also dislike the idea of buying expensive mods for it. Does the stick make you better at Aces High ? Not in my case. But then nothing would in my case lol:)

JimBear · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2003, 10:27:58 AM »

Pongo, that the even strain spring mod? $475 USD is what I remember for that.....hmmm sell the wife, sell the car then mebee

btw, Cougar owner for almost a year. Love it Hate it, still works better and more consistently than any other system I have owned (Saitek x35,X45, MSPPro etc. stick museum in the closet, 25cents for a tour)

Waiting on Cubpilots HS mod to show on my doorstep any day.

Stridr417 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2003, 11:50:30 AM »

Hmm, the TM afterburner looks likes an interesting compromise. Any idea if it would work with my existing CH analog pedals under XP? From what I gather is comes with a rudder on the throttle, but pedals are much preferable?

Also, how do you find the tension on the afterburner?

FOGOLD · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2003, 03:59:51 PM »

USB pedals are better. Not a good idea to mix USB and Gameport unless the gameport plugs direct to stick (like cougar).

Tension on afterburner id nice and there id NO play in the centre.
It is a bit notchy though.

leitwolf · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2003, 05:16:59 PM »

The Cougar is great. Once you've touched it you don't want to have your old stick back. But it has issues. One of the most aggravating thing is to pay a lot for this toy and it makes you a worse pilot than a cheap stick at 1/10th of it's price. No kidding, your hit% will go down substantially (I had 17% with a worn out 3 years old X.36 and a meager 10% with the Cougar. This might be an especially bad example but other Cougar owners have similar experiences)
Some will tell you that it needs time for the springs to 'run in' and that you'll get used to the stiffness. The real problem with the Cougar isn't the stiffness, however. It's the inaccuracy caused by hi stick forces and the dreaded 'flat spots'. Try to draw a circle with it. It's impossible. Now we don't yank the stick around in circles in the sim but the problem hits you in the back when you're on someone's six and he doesn't fly straight - you'll have a hard time making a precise transition from pulling back to pushing down the stick while at the same time maintaining a constant pressure to the left (i.e. rolling your plane and pushing down the nose).
On the up side - flying with the Cougar is a whole new experience of your sim, it adds substantially to the immersion and fun. If you have the opportunity: try and test it before you buy it - or - if you don't mind losing precision and you're flying 'for fun only' without kills or stats in mind: buy it immediately. You won't be disappointed.

Pongo · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2003, 05:43:45 PM »

Its the Utimate 2 mod.
I aggree with the above post. I cant fly the same with a cougar. The fine control is just not there, nose bounce is crippling some times...
But I do love the thing..Thats why Im spending 400 US to upgrade it including hall sensors...

GunnerCAF · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2003, 08:52:26 PM »

I like it, best stick around. I have no mods.

Gunner

Hristo · « **Reply #23 on:** April 01, 2003, 12:09:36 AM »

Offers vast possibilites.

If you want it perfect though, you better invest in HAL mod and fix the center play (by yourself or buying a mod).

Pongo, any more info on that thing ? Are those CubPilot's HAL pots or is IJ offering them now as well ?

Pongo · « **Reply #24 on:** April 01, 2003, 12:48:34 PM »

He is starting production on Monday. In batches of 10. I get the 16th one...
He is shipping them with light and medium springs.
They are cubs hall sensors.

MacHead · « **Reply #25 on:** April 01, 2003, 03:05:00 PM »

Never heard of this until I saw this thread. Seem a little hard to come by though. Are they still in production?

Animal · « **Reply #26 on:** April 01, 2003, 03:09:44 PM »

SAITEK ALL THE WAY!!!

Glasses · « **Reply #27 on:** April 01, 2003, 09:20:18 PM »

I remember having the Old Saitek sticks analog port. They had crappy pots and crappy HOTAS rudder control I broke mine a month after the purchase of the sytem did they fix it all in the new sets.

Animal · « **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2003, 12:03:57 AM »

My Saitek X36 is still as accurate as it was 2 years ago when it was new.

I use rudder pedals.

I will soon move to all CH gear though.
Decided against the Cougar because I'm more into small precision movements for aiming and flying thru hangars inverted.

Glasses · « **Reply #29 on:** April 02, 2003, 12:30:43 AM »

CH is so far the best stick I've had am going on to 3 years with this stick and still works and it's as precie as the day I bought it. Same goes for the rudders 2 years using them and no problems what so ever