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Help and Support Forums => Help and Training => Topic started by: Noodles123 on March 10, 2008, 04:35:03 PM

Title: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Noodles123 on March 10, 2008, 04:35:03 PM
Any recomendations for joysticks/controlers?
I have ordered a new laptop with windows vista, and would like any user recomendations.
By the way, I have not flown yet, because my current system is ancient.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Latrobe on March 10, 2008, 04:40:13 PM
X52 is a good one. Little pricey, and gives you some troubles of the bat, but 30-some buttons you can put every function on your controller and almost never have to look down at the keyboard!

There may be an even better one to use than the X52 out there though.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Krusty on March 10, 2008, 05:04:59 PM
Laptops often have trouble playing games (including Aces High).

For a medium-range stick I'd go for maybe a Saitek Cyborg EVO, maybe.

You need a USB stick, keep that in mind. I doubt your laptop will have a gameport. (at least, none I've seen have 'em!)
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Newman5 on March 10, 2008, 09:30:30 PM
X52 is a good one. Little pricey, and gives you some troubles of the bat, but 30-some buttons you can put every function on your controller and almost never have to look down at the keyboard!

There may be an even better one to use than the X52 out there though.

Does anyone else have a problem keeping the throttle and stick plugged in together on their x52?  My plug keeps slipping out of one or the other, causing me to spin violently out of control sometimes, and then having to re-calibrate once i get it plugged back in.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Ghosth on March 11, 2008, 07:26:14 AM
Saitek for lower cost solutions.Starting with the 20$ ST-290, Aviator(40$), Cyborg(??), X-52(80$), X52Pro (?).

CH for lifetime gear, durable but the most expensive as well.

And then some of us buy old MS sidewinders off ebay. Possible the most trouble free stick of all time.

My advice, pick up a Saitek Aviator at Worst Buy for 40$, play AH for a year with that.
At the end of that time you'll know if your sticking around for the long haul. If so then buy CH or full X52 HOTAS & peds.

Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Fleksta on March 12, 2008, 11:42:06 AM
I use a Saitek Aviator ($40 at Best Buy). It takes a few sorties to get used to, but I love it. The flip up protected and LED lit secondary fire button is a cool touch. I like how the dual-throttle was implemented as well. The toggle switches are awkward at first, but I like them now better than regular buttons as each toggle is mapped to two functions (up and down).
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: BaldEagl on March 12, 2008, 12:00:48 PM
You need a USB stick, keep that in mind. I doubt your laptop will have a gameport. (at least, none I've seen have 'em!)

I've got a gameport PCI card for mine.  Not sure if they still make them though.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: captain1ma on March 12, 2008, 03:00:21 PM
Does anyone else have a problem keeping the throttle and stick plugged in together on their x52?  My plug keeps slipping out of one or the other, causing me to spin violently out of control sometimes, and then having to re-calibrate once i get it plugged back in.

maybe you just need a new cable that connects the 2. my old one was loose. i just bought another X52 and it works great. cables stay tight
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Spikes on March 12, 2008, 05:07:47 PM
Starters? ST290
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: nimble on March 14, 2008, 02:28:03 AM
If you can get a saitek x45 I would. The x52 is rather garbage compared to it in my opinion and I only use it because I didn't want to drive another hour to the store where I bought it.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Widewing on March 14, 2008, 05:08:36 PM
I would like to place some emphasis on a simple fact of life in AH2. A $25 stick will return $25 results. You get what you pay for. Higher-end hardware offers higher precision. Higher precision results in smoother flight and less bounciness, which translates into better E retention and better gunnery.

Another fact is that the quality of high-end hardware offsets the increased expense due to superior reliability. I would go through 3 or 4 x45s over the life of a Single CH Products FighterStick.

Buy the best hardware your budget allows and you'll have a better AH2 experience.

My regards,

Widewing
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: EvlPrsn on March 19, 2008, 09:34:40 PM
saitek cyborg evo.  cost liek $40 if u can find one.  best stick i've ever used.  plently of buttons, left of right handed, and is adjustable.  no jumping or anything on it.  i've been using mine for multiple flight sims for over 2 years now.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Gman on March 20, 2008, 03:42:10 AM
I've used the TM Cougar, x52, x45, and CH stuff in the past few years.  I'm stuck with the x45 right now.  Spend the 100$ and get the CH USB Fighterstick.  You won't regret it, and you'll likely never need to replace it.  IMO it's the Caddy/Ferrari all rolled into one of sticks.  Plus you can upgrade as you get $$ and get the throttle and peds, which work perfectly in AH in my experience.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: uberslet on March 20, 2008, 05:53:48 AM
Does anyone else have a problem keeping the throttle and stick plugged in together on their x52?  My plug keeps slipping out of one or the other, causing me to spin violently out of control sometimes, and then having to re-calibrate once i get it plugged back in.
not a problem here, have like a 2' cord, and i only need like 3/4 of that, make sure its plugged in fully.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: LYNX on March 20, 2008, 02:49:42 PM
Anything but logicrap.  2 ways of looking at it.  Cheap stick is ok for the beginner but you can get through 2 or 3 a year.  If you get into the game then the money you would spend on 2 or 3 sticks would be best invested in 1 quality stick, that would last a few years ....Like CH products.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: j500ss on March 21, 2008, 01:35:40 PM
Well heres my $.02. I have a logictec xpro 3d I think it is. I bought a X52 yesterday and tried it out.......HATED it, loved the throttle, but the stick in my opinion is a sloppy, no feel, pos. Its way too tall and takes way more throw than my current stick. I found it almost impossible to find the center of the stick, plus it tended to hang slightly when pulling back due to the so called centering mechanism catching.

Now granted the wrist surgery I had last year has limited my flexibility on my right hand, but the X52 just takes too much input for me. So my question is do the CH stick have / require this much stick movement as well. There is not one place in the area where I live that carries them, suprisingly. So I have to go the online route. Also can I use a CH throttle with another brand stick? I have to ask cause I honestly do not know.
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: Wobbly on March 22, 2008, 03:14:59 AM
So my question is do the CH stick have / require this much stick movement as well. There is not one place in the area where I live that carries them, suprisingly. So I have to go the online route. Also can I use a CH throttle with another brand stick? I have to ask cause I honestly do not know.

I'm a noob and thought I should get a new stick for AH, so I have just acquired a CH Fighterstick (well its a used one from Ebay) to replace the X36 I'm using (and bought 5 years or so ago when I played Fighter Ace/IL2) and yes the throw is big - bigger than the X52 I would say, (as I have had a go on one and I didnt like it either as I thought is was "notchy"). I also tried the evo cyborg one, didnt like the button placings.

Yes you can use a different stick/throttle combinations, they both come up in the AH control settings, I set up the X36 throttle with the CH.

I am finding it very difficult to get used to the CH as the thow is big (compared to the X36) and its a big stick and the hat requires a big stretch with your thumb. Also it tends to come off my desk easire than the X36 when pulled to its maximum.

Gone back to the old X36 for the moment, its like a pair of old slippers. :salute
Title: Re: Joystick/control recomendations?
Post by: lengro on March 22, 2008, 05:51:50 AM
I bought a CH Fighterstick in December 2006 - and last week I had to replace the X and Y potentiometers.

When I rolled to the right there was a dead area from about 240-250 (full scale left to right is 0 to 255).
When I pulled back there was a very small - but noticable - dead area close to center.

I think the CH sticks would benefit from non-contact potentiometers.