Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: 68DevilM on August 07, 2004, 11:19:06 AM
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first stick i had was a old cheap saleitek cyborg grapic, but i used it because i like the smooth sideing controls, and it was a fairly stiff stick. upgraded to the longitech wingman force 3d after exusting and testing out a couple more sticks, but for the last 3-4 months of play i have yet to find comfortable setting for this stick.
it has about an inch of play centered and pulls like im stretching rusty spring or someting...
need a stick with firm but smooth gliding feel, and no play in the middle, and of course throddle, twisty, and hatrick, and 6 accesory buttons
anyone have any suggestions:)
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I got a saitek cyborg evo about a month ago and love it.
Adjustable grip and tilting head all very comfortable. All with 12 programable buttons (triggers included in count ). And the cool pimp lights it has put it over the top for me.
The down side is the positiong of the throttle really stinks.
And it seems I have to recal quite often. Once when I first log on and about once every 2 hours after that.
But all in all I like it and would buy another one if needed.
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If you are right handed the CH products stick, throttle, pedals can't be beat.
A lot of lefties use it too, they just had to adapt.
And if you use Win 98, the analog version of the F-16 Fighterstick is the steal deal of the decade at clearance sale of $19. This same stick used to cost $150. The USB version still does.
If you're running WIN XP you can't program the analog stick easily because it programs in DOS. Some folks dual boot 98/XP, others keep an old 98 machine around for the occasional change they make to the programming.
http://www.chproducts.com/ (http://www.chproducts.com/)
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the logitec feels awsome to me, though i cant use a twisty i use pedals.
buddy has the logitec, and is i was flying with a twisty i'd pick it. nice smooth action, and comfortable.
this one:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=12,CONTENTID=6954
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CH Sticks are very big unless you have large hands. Cougar is the same. I would try first or you will have cramps from stretching to the hat and gun buttons.
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I too am adjusting to new stick etc. I have had the old TM gear for.. um... 10 years or so. But they never worked well in AH... (I had no throttle for example.. analog settings just wouldn't work). Changed to a new computer for AH2 and my TM stuff kept spiking all the time. So I went out and bought a SAITEK X45 stick and throttle combo.
Taking a little getting used to as I don't have rudder pedals (yet). There is a rocker on the throttle for rudder but I cant get comfortable with it. (Feet still move when I want rudder)
The X45 is a bit large as well.... (larger than TM) and the CH as previously mentioned I remember as being large.
However the X45 is fairly smooth. I found spring tension a bit tight but the spring that does this sits right out in the open. So I used a zip tie wire wrap and zipped about 3 coils of the spring together. Softened up the resistance markedly. A little silicon grease where the tension cup rides against the JS base and I am in business. Now I just need to get some rudder pedals.
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Originally posted by FOGOLD
CH Sticks are very big unless you have large hands. Cougar is the same. I would try first or you will have cramps from stretching to the hat and gun buttons.
My hands are medium rather than large and I had some trouble adjusting at first to the CH fighterstick. While it felt like I was reaching for buttons at the beginning, I did adjust and now it feels just fine.
It seems like there is a period of adjustment with any stick but I would agree that a CH stick might be a problem for someone with small hands.
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Originally posted by Boat
My hands are medium rather than large and I had some trouble adjusting at first to the CH fighterstick. While it felt like I was reaching for buttons at the beginning, I did adjust and now it feels just fine.
It seems like there is a period of adjustment with any stick but I would agree that a CH stick might be a problem for someone with small hands.
CH sticks are hard for Med-Smaller hands....best solution is a small piece of pipe insulation around the base of the stick to raise your hand 1/2 inch or so....it also helped me to add an extention to the pinky button so I could press about an inch above the button.
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I love my CH HOTAS. The stick can be a problem. The solution is to map your view hat to the throttle. I don't use the view hat on the stick at all and can reach all the other buttons just find. It took a little getting used to, my many of the frequently used buttons (voice coms, map, landing gear) are on the throttle while the stick is mostly weapons, flaps, etc.
It did take a little bit of time getting used to, but it is well worth it.
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Perhaps if enough of us are finding the CH a bit large.. we should get a topic started and get a list of names.... then approach CH and ask them to consider making a smaller version of the stick. That way they could sell a large and small version.
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I would be all for that. I have CH throttle and pedals with a Topgun Afterburner, which I love. However, it is a cheap stick and not long lived. I would buy a CH stick tomorrow, but I had a Cougar once and didn't like the size of it. Am reluctant to buy a CH if it is similar, although i don't doubt the quality.
Let's do it:aok Personally I find the Thrustmaster Top Gun a perfect fit for my hand. I also feel we have to get away from this "replica of a real F16 stick" fetish. This is not what you need for PC Gaming!
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Originally posted by FOGOLD
I have CH throttle and pedals with a Topgun Afterburner, which I love. However, it is a cheap stick and not long lived.
I had an afterburner for less than a year before it suddenly became jumpy and useless. Too bad there isn't an easy way to repair them.........
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Originally posted by FBScud
I love my CH HOTAS. The stick can be a problem. The solution is to map your view hat to the throttle. I don't use the view hat on the stick at all and can reach all the other buttons just find. It took a little getting used to, my many of the frequently used buttons (voice coms, map, landing gear) are on the throttle while the stick is mostly weapons, flaps, etc.
It did take a little bit of time getting used to, but it is well worth it.
The view hat on the throttle is great once you get used to it. I use my Fighterstick 8-way for autopilot/combat trim.
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Originally posted by Boat
I had an afterburner for less than a year before it suddenly became jumpy and useless. Too bad there isn't an easy way to repair them.........
ha jumpy! you should try mine, with the inch of play in the middle but still provides input within that inch of play....
my fricken sights jump around so much its really frustrating trying to kill someone. and ive dampered and deadband my poor wings off
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About 4 years ago I bought 10 Thrustmaster Top Gun sticks. (Very similar to the old FCS and FCSII sticks) for $10 ea. (brand new)
I would have to open the stick up .... pull it apart 1/2 way... and loosten the nuts that held the pots. For some reason they were always very tight. I don't know why that would make the pots spike but it did. Loosten the pots and everything was fine.
However the internal parts that centered the stick were cheap and frequently broke within about 8 months. So I would use spare parts from broken sticks etc to keep them going.
However since my new computer I cannot get the TM stuff to work without serious spikes. Have a feeling it has to do with XP as I had no issues with 98SE (save the loostening of the nuts).
So now I am on a SAITEK X45.
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CH Sticks - very reliable. Bulky yes but well worth it. The axis are HUGE so you can make very minimal adjustments without worrying about moving your stick too much. Very precise. It has trims but you cant configure them for trimming out your plane - as far as flying without combat trim goes. The trim controls on the stick are actually just a portion of your X and Y axis. So really there is no use for it however the buttons are very large. I'd go with the fighter stick (i have the combatstick 568). The fighterstick is pricey but it has 2-8 way hats plus many other buttons.
As for the rudder goes, I just use my A and D keys - S to center it. I wish I had rudder pedals but I really dont know if its worth the 100 bucks....
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Mak,
I guess it is what you get used to. Having had pedals for over 10 years.... I can't stand being without them.
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Originally posted by Mak333
CH Sticks - very reliable. Bulky yes but well worth it. The axis are HUGE so you can make very minimal adjustments without worrying about moving your stick too much. Very precise.
sounds great but i need a stick that can fit in my lap and still have all these features, dont need trim, just at least 8 buttons includeing trigger, perferably a twisty stick, smooth glideing, no play in the middle, and hat trick
theres got to be one out there for me somewhere
someone help, my current stick is getting worse by the day
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oh and is CH short for something?
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If it is I have no idea for what. The website is http://www.chproducts.com. I have the same problem ergonomically (is that a word?). I need a stick made for little hands and that will fit in my lap. Although this thread doesn't seem to have much love for the TM Afterburner I went ahead and ordered the Afterburner FF stick/throttle mainly because I'll be able to play with both the throttle and stick in my lap. I had one of the TM FLCS sticks back in the day and although it had some problems, I loved it. Main thing being one of the buttons breaking which TM sent me the replacement parts with instuctions on how to fix. I also had a spring break which I replaced with a similar spring but it was just never really the same.
I've also heard good things about the FF of the Afterburner stick. It uses 2 motors instead of 1. I've had 2 bad experiences with 2 different MS FF sticks. 1 time could be a fluke. 2 times means they no longer get my business. The first one was the power cord adapter where it plugs into the stick. This was on an older model and had a small, weak connector and it snapped. When I called tech support the first thing the guy asked me is if I knew how to solder and if I'd have a problem with drilling a hole in the bottom of the stick. I knew right then I was in trouble. The 2nd one is the recent model. It has a tendancy to just go limp in the middle of flight. Both are now taking up space in my closet. I'm using a regular old Sidewinder until my new TM gets here.