Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: FiLtH on November 24, 2004, 07:43:40 PM
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I am jaded. After years of using the best stick ever created by mortal men..the MICROSOFT FORCE FEEDBACK2 JOYSTICK (Spelled in caps and full because it deserves that respect) no other joystick comes close.
Ive tried CH Fighter stick, and the new X52....chintzy, plastic-y, wobbly crap. The spring tension is almost non existant. Its pretty...and if I ever need an attractive nightlight I know what to use. But it flops around like a latex dildo on a ball-point pen spring, being held by a "queereye" fella.
Im not so pissed I wasted 130 bucks as I am there are no alternatives out there. For those of you who used the FFB you know what I mean. For you others, its best you never knew what you missed.
If they spent a few more pennies on a stiffer spring and saved a few on that gay "safety lid" for the top trigger, it might have been better. Im hoping they have a mod kit to replace the spring so ill hang onto it. If nothing else I'll hang from the Christmas tree...it is pretty :)
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So do you like it or not? :rolleyes:
:D
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Yep the old MS sticks were the best affordable all in one joystick option.
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The spring is very loose...but some prefer that. You may want to try it for a few days, to see if you get used to it...takes time but its actually easier than a hard sprung stick.
On another note, I dont see any reason you couldnt replace the spring, it appears to be the same size as the X45...and Im sure with a little looking you could find a spring from a supplier that would fit perfectly.
P.S. Dont ever get a CH Stick....the springs on those are only half as strong as the X52:eek:
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Still use a ff2 microsoft stick - best I ever owned
Acetnt
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i like ur analogy of the dildo on a pen spring lmao im gunna us that one. But i have one question, How do u know what a dildo on a pen sprig looks like?:lol
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FiLth take a look at this stick , I dont have one as of yet cause I use the MSFFB2 like you , My only handicap is that Im a Lefty
, but I have been usin the MSFFB2 since 97 and hopefully Santa will drop this new stick by for X-Mas
http://store.yahoo.com/saitekusa/cyborgevoforce.html
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I'm going to make my own joystick.
If any of you stop me, please say it was for a good reason.
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Originally posted by ALF
The spring is very loose...but some prefer that. You may want to try it for a few days, to see if you get used to it...takes time but its actually easier than a hard sprung stick.
On another note, I dont see any reason you couldnt replace the spring, it appears to be the same size as the X45...and Im sure with a little looking you could find a spring from a supplier that would fit perfectly.
P.S. Dont ever get a CH Stick....the springs on those are only half as strong as the X52:eek:
I only use CH... The only weak springs I ever found in a CH stick were in a used Flightstick Pro! you may have grabbed a bad one... it happens. (I had FFB2! - liked it too)
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I went through 2 MS FF sticks and then to the FF2. Had spiking problems with MS FF2 and a strange lack of response in AH. Switched to a CH products Fighter stick and never looked back. The change in spring tension took a little getting used.
Even learned how to program it, but haven't had a real need to. I thought programming the gun camera to start when the trigger was pulled would be really cool. Turns out, in AH (and any computer sim for that matter) it's not. Setting the throttle for wep above 90% sounded cool too. Nope on that one also. I have considered programming the hat views (particularly the six oclock) to scan across a viewing area. Have to see how that works out.
Switching to CH products was the best decision I ever made for a game controller. I have no vested interest and am not an investor in CH products. They advertise in EAA publications and produce industrial (i.e. high quality) products.
Regards,
Malta
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Originally posted by JB35
FiLth take a look at this stick , I dont have one as of yet cause I use the MSFFB2 like you , My only handicap is that Im a Lefty
, but I have been usin the MSFFB2 since 97 and hopefully Santa will drop this new stick by for X-Mas
http://store.yahoo.com/saitekusa/cyborgevoforce.html
70 bucks for that? i have that stick and only pay 39 for it at bestbuy and then buy the 2 year warranty for the 4 joystick replacement
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JB35 I looked at that one just before getting this one. It looks like it uses the same spring as mine has (x52). Take care of your FFb...love it...for one day, it too will leave you, as mine has me. Only when you come home excited from BestBuy, and try out the imposter the first time, will your head turn to the closet you store the old girl now...and you will weep.
PS Everything but the hat switch works still..but whats the old saying.."Lose sight....um..ya dead?
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Originally posted by JB35
FiLth take a look at this stick , I dont have one as of yet cause I use the MSFFB2 like you , My only handicap is that Im a Lefty
, but I have been usin the MSFFB2 since 97 and hopefully Santa will drop this new stick by for X-Mas
http://store.yahoo.com/saitekusa/cyborgevoforce.html
The stick does left or right just like my Cyborg Gold 3D. Good stick {IMO}
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Thrustmaster USB. $15. Bottom of the range. Feels just like my worn out MS PP2.
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I have never ussed a force feed back stick but have owned A saitek Cyborg and the X45
The Cyborg was the best stick for spring pressure and "feel" I have ever owned............its base buttons and throttle were a pain tho.
For me the spring on the X45 was always too stiff and adjustment thru small degrees of movement was "sticky" due to the frictional properties of the spring and cup assembly (even after lubrication and modification).
For me the best combination would have been an X45 with the lighter action of the cyborg........I hope thats what the X52 provides.
(still awaiting delivery)
Saitek have two force feed back sticks...........just dont get any thing that says "rumble" on it. I tried one of these it was a pulsed resistance feedback with totally no "feel" at all.
If I was intio FFB then this would be worth a try.....
http://www.saitekusa.com/usa/prod/cyborg_evo_force.htm
.....actually Saitek in the UK are very good I am sure they would allow an exchange for a customer dissatisfied ........dunno about the US.
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Tilt I think its just gonna take some gettin used to. Im sure I will, but I may make an epoxy cone shaped mold to adjust the spring tension.
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Filth,
Turn in that overpriced POS and get yourself TIR3 for the same amount. Then you can pull old reliable out of the closet, and just use Tir3 for views..
back to basics....
Happy Turdkeyday
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Originally posted by RTSigma
I'm going to make my own joystick.
I have been thinking about doing that myself.
getting tired of sticks wearing out every 6 months or so.
would like to have a stick, built for furballers, that'll last a life time.
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so you lost your hat ?
Mines finally goin out too , I took it apart and looked at the small buttons and think I can rob parts off another to replace the one that has gone bad
By the way I found 3 new MSFFB2 sticks on the net , but they want something like $250.oo for them :eek:
And that cyborg i posted is a Force Feed Back too if you didnt notice
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Gee and ta think that for $20 you could have had this
FF2 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=74944&item=5142312868&rd=1)
or you could always return that one to the store and just do this
http://search.ebay.com/Microsoft-force-feedback_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQcatrefZC6QQfromZR10QQsacategoryZ-1Q26catrefQ3DC6QQsotrtypeZ1QQsotrvalueZ1QQsosortpropertyZ1Q26sosortorderQ3D1QQcoactionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch (http://search.ebay.com/Microsoft-force-feedback_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQcatrefZC6QQfromZR10QQsacategoryZ-1Q26catrefQ3DC6QQsotrtypeZ1QQsotrvalueZ1QQsosortpropertyZ1Q26sosortorderQ3D1QQcoactionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch)
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I love my FF2, wouldn't get rid of it for the world
-Free.
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I love my new X-52!!!!!!! It is the most awesome thing on the market IMHO. Spend some time with it, set up the switches, buttons, etc. My old stick had a much tighter spring as well and I thought I would never like it otherwise. Now, I love the feel of this one and I have never had a smoother movement in a stick before. Guess we all have opinions and this is mine, and that is only yours :D Raptor
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JB35 I took mine apart..its a bag of guts so be careful. Very tricky putting it back together. Im not sure if its the sensors or the shaft that activates them being worn. But it wont look to the sides unless i wiggle my wings.
Id pay 250 for a ffb about now.
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The FF2 is probably the best stick ever made. In all seriousness, when my current one dies, and my backup FF2 dies a few years after that, I think I might be done with games that require sticks.
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MS sucks but their sticks were great. I loved my cheapo MS stick so much that i bought 2 of them for almost nothing and one is still waiting as backup in its box.
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Originally posted by FBRaptor
I love my new X-52!!!!!!! It is the most awesome thing on the market IMHO. Spend some time with it, set up the switches, buttons, etc. My old stick had a much tighter spring as well and I thought I would never like it otherwise. Now, I love the feel of this one and I have never had a smoother movement in a stick before. Guess we all have opinions and this is mine, and that is only yours :D Raptor
I hope I get the same reaction.
X-52 has been requested from Santa.:)
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Any retail stores have them in stock yet? Id like to get my hands on it before i buy.
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If it is only the switches that don't work on your MS FF2, that is very easy to fix (I've done it twice). The main fire button switch is available from DigiKey.com as PN P10844S-ND; buttons 2,3, and 4 are PN P8007S-ND. The switches are about $0.30 each.
The hat switches are probably 90deg mount versions similar to the ones above and also available from DigiKey.com. Compare the specs on this page to the hat switches for a match (measure the size and pinout dimensions): http://dkc3.digikey.com/PDF/T043/1078.pdf/
Replacing them only requires a soldering iron, a de solder sucker, and some manual dexterity to reassemble the stick handle without the buttons falling out.
715
Edit: this topic has some more information on reassembly: http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=97401&referrerid=1184
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I just aquired a MSFF stick & can't get it to install on puter.
Do I need to find some patch for it? :confused:
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I still use a mouse to fly and the keyboard for views and such in AH. As long as they still let me - thats what I'll keep doin. The nice thing about the mouse is that I can leave the plane in a constant bank/yaw, go grab a beer and then perhaps hang some shark bait, come back, and its still doin the same thing :):lol
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Maj Woody,
The old FF from MS isnt recognized by Windows XP... Kind of ironic, that their hardware isnt recognized when you upgrade their software to XP...seems a little shady.. but then again it IS Microsoft.
Anyway only the FF2 is recognized by XP.
Balsy
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Thx for the info Balsy.
I guess I'm S O L on it then.
I used to have a MSPP stick that worked on XP but
I'm sure I had a patch to run it. Now I think all of M S stick
support is gone.
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Originally posted by Zoldamite
70 bucks for that? i have that stick and only pay 39 for it at bestbuy and then buy the 2 year warranty for the 4 joystick replacement
You don't buy THAT joystick at BestBuy for $39.95. BestBuy has only the Saitek Cyborg Evo, and NOT the Saitek Cyborg Evo Force. The Force version is $69.95 retail, but not sold in any stores I've found around home, especially not BestBuy, where I bought the Evo I trashed the other night.
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Some of you guys sound like you know how to fix joysticks. I have a MSFF2 & just last week my Left rudder won't work. Twisting right still works the Right rudder. When I twist left, I just hear clicking...Any ideas if it is fixable?
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That sounds worse than my problem WOZ...I think there are motors in the stick. Sounds like ya power shifted too often :)
I wouldnt have a clue how to get into it...the view fiasco I had, with taking just the handle apart and putting back together was enough!
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when i first bought me a MSFFB2 I twisted it so hard it broke , and when I took it apart their is a little tab sticking out on the main shaft up out of the body , and the handle affixes to this and their is a spring which brings it back to center.
Now what I found is that one of the slots that the Tab goes into broke around the housing and usein super glue didnt work bacause after awhile it just came loose again , but if you use modle glue the red kind not the blue kind might fix it if that what is wrong .
If you by chance happen to take it apart and try to put it back together use a tooth pick to wedge into the side of the #3 and #4 buttons so the pad with the buttons will go into place more easily .
If you dont want to mess with it let me know and i would be more than happy to possibly buy your old MSFFB2 stick from you to replace the parts in mine :) if you want .
Other than that good luck in trying to fix it and hope it works out for you
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I never had the Force Feedback, I loved the non FF Sidewinder 2's though...Moved onto a Logitech Wingman...it's okay but total crap compared to the SW2's. My hat switch also went out...might pull it out later and see if i can fix it :)
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Bad news is the that the micro switches in the POV of the x52 are the same as the x45...........
so unless you go buy track IR............. they will be the first to go.........
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If I ever decide to get rid of my Cougar, I will break my MS Sidewinder PP2 out and use it again. That was the best joystick I have ever used. HOTAS is great, but only for flight sims.
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Wrong thread
eskimo
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Can't say I've been disappointed with my cougar. Best 300 bucks I ever spent considering I have yet to need a replacement in roughly 2 years. Had an issue with a potentiometer and before my replacement, which was free of charge, arrived I had cleaned the faulty one and it began working just fine.
That's my favorite part about it, easy maintenance. That, and I have the geek bragging rights of a joystick with it's own programming language. :)
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Much as I enjoyed the MS Sidewinder2, nothing beats my CH sticks. My old Flightstick Pro is going on 5 1/2 years of ACTIVE service, I've owned it for 8 years. I've had to replace one pot, and thats it. While the button placement isnt the most ergonomic, and it could use a few more of them, I have never used a more solid, reliable stick. The only other thing I need to do to it is clean it, button 2 and the hat switch are sticking a little. I can swab around the edges with some rubbing alcohol on a Q-Tip and relieve the problem temporarily, but I really need to take it apart and clean all of them properly. I can honestly say I look forward to at least 3-4 more years of active service before anything wears out enough that I would consider replacement, and I have spare parts stockpiled already from CH for just such an emergency. I also have a spare stick I bought for 19 bucks. I'm looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years from now before I even have to worry about upgrading to USB lol.