Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: miraj on June 09, 2007, 04:31:32 PM

Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: miraj on June 09, 2007, 04:31:32 PM
Is there any way to remove the play/wiggle in my HOTAS joystick?

There seems to be about a half inch of play in all directions, and it can make things difficult,

is this normal? i

s there an adjustment I am missing ?
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Citabria on June 09, 2007, 05:08:40 PM
what brand is it?
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: jhookt on June 09, 2007, 05:11:18 PM
HOTAS  typically refers to CH products, which if i recall correctly you are absolutely thrilled with Cita
;)
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Estes on June 09, 2007, 05:38:11 PM
Quote
Originally posted by jhookt
HOTAS  typically refers to CH products, which if i recall correctly you are absolutely thrilled with Cita
;)

HOTAS doesn't typically refer to anything. Hands on throttle and stick setups could be a multitude of brands.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: miraj on June 09, 2007, 05:39:16 PM
I forget the number designation , here is the pick [on the left].
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/111111.jpg)
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: TequilaChaser on June 09, 2007, 06:02:08 PM
Quote
Originally posted by miraj
I forget the number designation , here is the pick [on the left].
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/111111.jpg)


my eyes are going bad looking at that pic......


looks like maybe a thrustmaster cougar? maybe?........ ( don't recall seeing one black.....am thinkin' they was dark grey for some reason.......)


then again.........maybe a CH fighterstick FX ( force feedback ) am leaning more to my 1st thought though.......

any rate it should be repairable I would think......
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Shaky on June 09, 2007, 06:04:55 PM
Thats a Thrustmaster setup.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Blooz on June 09, 2007, 06:09:59 PM
There's nothing wrong with your stick.

Admit it!

You just wanted to show off that obscene photo.




p.s.  just curious...what's that black thing with the flourescent yellow/green buttons/switches on it at lower left?
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: oldtard on June 09, 2007, 07:21:20 PM
Quote
Originally posted by miraj
I forget the number designation , here is the pick [on the left].
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/111111.jpg)

That is the cougar thrustmaster and you can get replacment parts for it too fix anything that may be wrong with it.

Would you be so kind to post a few more pics of your sim pit from diff angles for me it looks good,also if you dont mind maybe you could post the build specs.

TY
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: TequilaChaser on June 09, 2007, 08:08:30 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Blooz


p.s.  just curious...what's that black thing with the flourescent yellow/green buttons/switches on it at lower left?


I was wondering the same thing Blooz.....
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: miraj on June 09, 2007, 10:07:28 PM
I do not mean to show off the pic , i was at work all day today, and those pics are all I had for a reference.

The little thing with green eyes, is a space alien.






It controles the volume and bass of the digital surround sound.:D

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/1111111.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/11111111.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/11111.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/222.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/alizinat/22.jpg)
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Harp00n on June 10, 2007, 07:23:02 AM
Are you a single...or just divorced? :D
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Kazaa on June 10, 2007, 07:39:55 AM
If this guys has a wife and family, then he has it made :aok

edit: When you mean wiggle/play, have you tried changing the deadband ?
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: MotleyCH on June 10, 2007, 07:48:34 AM
If I built something like that, my wife would kill me ...then bury me in it.:rofl
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Max on June 10, 2007, 08:21:04 AM
Many Cougar owners have reported drift and nose bounce. It's due to crappy potentiometers. Check out the Cougar forum at http://www.frugalsworld.com


good luck
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: jab116 on June 10, 2007, 09:41:34 PM
There were alot of cougars that were shipped without grease on the gimbal. If you noticed metal filings falling out the bottom of the stick, chances are you got one. An easy, cheap fix is to coat the gimbal & other wear surfaces with JB weld, or somekind of epoxy resin.
I had to do it with mine, now it's smoother than stock & has zero play.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: oldtard on June 10, 2007, 10:22:47 PM
DID you come up with your own specs for your sim pit and if so you think maybe you could post how you built it.I am getting ready to build one myself and the one you built is pretty much what i had in mind.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: miraj on June 11, 2007, 03:39:59 PM
Thanks for the comments.

 The stick has about an inch of side to side play , no metal shavings though.

 As for build specs , it is totally a shoot from the hip project. I had a carpenter help me with alot of it. OldTard , what is your email address?
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Rebel on June 11, 2007, 06:07:45 PM
I had the same problem- here's what you do-

Step 1- dump the auto cal, and gro straight for manual.
 -calibrate the stick per instruction, then save the file, and then apply the settings to the device.

Step 2- open the "Hotas Cougar" from your control panel- this brings up a great monitoring tool.

-play with your stick at the edges, watch your axes- they will flutter.  That's okay.

Step 3- fire up HOTAS CCP, and adjust deadband to approximate "play" area - (mine is currently at 9%).  

the idea is, you want the stick to begin registering input at the end of the free-play area.  Idealy, you should be able to wiggle the stick from here til the cows come home without getting a single shift in your axes monitor.

-CONSIDER THIS-

Once you've done the above, the axis curve may need to be adjusted-  what you want is for the zero point to be at the edge of deadband.  So, when you hit the deadband, you have to move it ever so slightly against the tension for very gentle maneuvering.

Currently, my deadband on both X and Y axes is at 9%, with a curve offset of -3.  Works great.  

Lemme know if you have any questions.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: oldtard on June 11, 2007, 09:59:10 PM
Quote
Originally posted by miraj
Thanks for the comments.

 The stick has about an inch of side to side play , no metal shavings though.

 As for build specs , it is totally a shoot from the hip project. I had a carpenter help me with alot of it. OldTard , what is your email address?

OLDTARD@hotmail.com
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: jab116 on June 11, 2007, 10:12:11 PM
Take the bottom plate off, I bet you find shavings.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Jaxxon on June 11, 2007, 11:43:02 PM
Is that Oak?!?
How many here can afford an Oak cockpit?!?
IMO, if you have the money and love flight sims MOD up your Cougar with Hall sensors and the Uber 2 NXT. It's the ultimate and what should have been what TM marketed as a high end HOTAS from the start.
But don't expect it to help you with your ACM or SA, there's just some things money can't buy :D
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: jhookt on June 12, 2007, 12:26:18 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Estes
HOTAS doesn't typically refer to anything. Hands on throttle and stick setups could be a multitude of brands.


i have never heard any other brand refer to thier setup as HOTAS except for CH. also note the ident plate on the stick base in pic number #2. sorry for the hijack
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: miraj on June 13, 2007, 10:46:49 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Jaxxon
Is that Oak?!?
How many here can afford an Oak cockpit?!?
IMO, if you have the money and love flight sims MOD up your Cougar with Hall sensors and the Uber 2 NXT. It's the ultimate and what should have been what TM marketed as a high end HOTAS from the start.
But don't expect it to help you with your ACM or SA, there's just some things money can't buy :D


 Do you have a web address for the Hall/Uber2 NXT mod?

 As for helping me fly , it does help with the 'seat-of-the-pants' type of flying.

 You would be suprised how much better you can play when your body is not contorted and you are comfortable.

 Where it REALLY helps is down low and fast , you get a better feel of your actual altitude. It is also an advantage on longer missions , when lower back pain is an issue.

  Basicly it is a comfort thing  but it REALLY that adds to the realism , and after all , thats what I love, the realism.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: Jaxxon on June 13, 2007, 10:50:13 PM
First off, here's a link to a "everything you want to know about the Cougar HOTAS" http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/

This link discribes the Uber II NXT and Hall Sensor Mod http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/mods.php#nxt

For Hall sensors Cub Pilots site http://cubpilotshangar.net/

I guess now you have to sign up at Frugals World, not a bad thing, cause it looks like IJ, the maker of the NXT is only taking orders through PMs these days. It's not an off the self Mod, he makes them as the orders come in. I know there were at least 20 orders batched at the same time mine was.
Join the BBS here http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/index.php
Agian, his BBS user ID is IJ.

Another thing you might want to invest in to enhance your game play, if you don't have it already, mainly on the SA side of things is this http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/
Aces High makes full use of Track IR 4 and it really adds to the immersion.
Title: alot of wiggle/play in my HOTAS joystick
Post by: GunnerCAF on June 14, 2007, 12:15:43 AM
Quote
Originally posted by miraj
Do you have a web address for the Hall/Uber2 NXT mod?

 As for helping me fly , it does help with the 'seat-of-the-pants' type of flying.

 You would be suprised how much better you can play when your body is not contorted and you are comfortable.

 Where it REALLY helps is down low and fast , you get a better feel of your actual altitude. It is also an advantage on longer missions , when lower back pain is an issue.

  Basicly it is a comfort thing  but it REALLY that adds to the realism , and after all , thats what I love, the realism.


I highly recommend IJs Cougar U2 NXT with Cub Pilots Hall Sensors.  These are both high quality modifications.  The precision and feel of the stick after these modifications is incredible.  Follow the links to Cougar World in the above post.  Here is my page with pictures and links to Cougar World:

Gunner's Cougar Page (http://webpages.charter.net/davegun/Cougar.htm)
Title: Home-cockpit for sale...
Post by: sparow on June 14, 2007, 04:29:26 PM
Hey guys!

If you're interested, I'm selling my unfinished home-cockpit project...

It's that or divorce. Don't even have a garage, I live in a 3rd floor apt...

real cockpit of a Fiat G-91 R3 jet, built by Dornier, ex-Bundes Luftwaffe, ex-Portuguese Air Force, from the 70s.

(http://[IMG]http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb38/Sparow_bucket/FiatG91-R3asitis.jpg)[/IMG]

Come and get it, all yours for 500 usd.

Enjoy!

Sparrow