Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Butcher on December 09, 2011, 09:25:53 AM
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I am interesting in purchasing a CH Fighterstick, throttle and pedals, but my question is - how sensitive is the CH Fighterstick if anyone has one?
I currently have a busted thrustmaster warthog, and using a Logitech 3D Extreme which is quite nice except its a piece of crap that breaks after a few tours of flying, becoming unstable due to the twisty part.
I am looking for a stick thats stiff but not sensitive like the saitek, I bought one and returned it after 1 day because it was far to sensitive and not stiff.
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to me it's pretty sensitive but I'm heavy handed I've never used anything else so I don't know how it compares. I will say I've had my gear for over six years with no problems yet.
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Curious...what broke on the Warthog?
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I really like my CH Fighterstick, and I think sensitivity can be adjusted to a large degree by stick scaling in game. I wouldn't call this joystick stiff though, I never owned the Saitek X45 but I used one at a friends house a couple times many years ago and if memory serves the Saitek was stiffer than the CH. It bothered me a little at first but I've since gotten used to it.
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The CH stick isn't stiff. I wish the springs were considerably stiffer. It is a solid piece of equipment though, and I think it forces you to fly with a lighter touch.
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You can also adjust the CH stick through it's Control Manager.
Fred
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The Fighterstick can be moved with one finger, so it's not stiff at all. The sensitivity can be controlled in the controller settings in game and in the CH control manager.
Since I started playing i've had a ST290, X45, X52 as well as CH Products. The CH gear is in a class by themselves IMO.
If you invest much time at all in this game, you owe it to yourself to get the CH. You won't regret it. :joystick:
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Movement of the stick is precise with a good separation between channels and positive return to centre even though the springing isn't very strong. Ergonomically the Fighterstick blows imho :old:
Pedals are precise also, I suggest you keep them upright when you transport them and they are a tad too close together and the spring a little too notchy around the neutral position if I'm being picky, but I haven't tried another brand to compare to.
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I bought a CH FighterStick and it's a really good stick. When it arrived had problems day one with the side throttle jumping but from what I hear from everyone thats had one its a rare case. I need to take it apart and see if I can fix it, been flying with Logitech extreme pro. The Ch is not stick as everyone says but the quality in its movement is 2nd to none. One thing about it is you can do a complete aileron roll and not enter the elevator axis. It's got different components that control each axis but yet they work so perfect together, a really great design.
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It's got different components that control each axis but yet they work so perfect together, a really great design.
Like most joysticks it has a potentiometer for X and Y axis, nothing out of the ordinary really.
ack-ack
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Like most joysticks it has a potentiometer for X and Y axis, nothing out of the ordinary really.
ack-ack
rgr, feels like it has it's own components either way it performs great.
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Ergonomically the Fighterstick blows imho :old:
What don't you like? I find it to be a great fit, but I probably have OJ-sized hands...
I also have the notchiness in the pedals. I figured something got into them.
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rgr, feels like it has it's own components either way it performs great.
The CH sticks don't use a ball joint system but a format more akin to what you find on an aircraft R/C system just scaled up. This is especially noticeable when you take them apart and inspect from underneath and explains the effectiveness of the springs without them needing to be too strong. The aileron and elevator channels are well separated. That's what I noticed the most when I got mine. The potentiometers are also considerably larger than the tiny little short lived cheapo parts you find in lesser sticks, this can account for the longevity that is commonly reported.
I also have the notchiness in the pedals. I figured something got into them.
This can happen. They are basically a pair of linked roller skates than run in their own alleys. If you have a nothcy feeling away from the centre then suspect a foreign object in the tracks and consider a strip down clean. I think I uploaded some pictures of the internals somewhere abouts, when Pervert was having his wiring troubles. The notchiness around the centre is inherent to the design. I considered a modification but am too busy atm.
What don't you like? I find it to be a great fit, but I probably have OJ-sized hands...
I understand the layout of the Fighterstick was loosely based on the joystick handle of the F-16, a design which was intended to provide a high and a low grip position according to what the pilot was doing. By making the 8-way hat switch the top right hat, I find I cannot reach it and use the hand rest at the same time. I have to hang my index finger on the top and pull the trigger with this: .|.. finger :lol which isn't so good for the hand after an hour. There is a mod to make one of the lower hats the eight way I know and some people make a pad to raise the hand rest.
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There is a mod to make one of the lower hats the eight way I know and some people make a pad to raise the hand rest.
http://snomhf.exofire.net/8-WayHat.html
CH Gear is on my wish list, but the price is keeping me away right now. Saving every day!
I have a feeling that the size of the controller will force me to either make a mount so the stick is closer to lap-level rather than desktop level to get the ability to switch between high and low grips, or just do the mod linked above. I could also just use that HAT for something less essential and use the 8-way on the throttle for views instead ;)
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I could also just use that HAT for something less essential and use the 8-way on the throttle for views instead ;)
That's a good idea. I don't use a normal throttle myself.
My point is the factory could (and should) make this modification to their design and that customers shouldn't have to modify the product themselves. There are enough players complaining about this and modifying their sticks to make it something other than a minority issue. Are you listening CH Products?
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I used CH gear in the past, was always very happy with it. It's all I would consider now.
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I use CH gear and I like it.
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Curious...what broke on the Warthog?
Just a wag here, but there is an issue with Warthogs either the throttle, or stick stops responding. You then have to send it to Canada (from the US) for repairs.
To answer the OP the CH stick will feel loose, with very light springs. compared to the Warthog. You might find the CH gear over sensitive, I have heard people say that they are. The two sticks feel almost identical in the hand, but the Warthog is noticeably stouter.
I've used CH gear for over ten years before transitioning to the Warthog about a year ago. I have nothing bad to say about the CH gear in fact it has been more reliable than my Warthog. Granted I've only had one failure with the Warthog, but that is one more than I've had with my CH gear.
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Just a wag here, but there is an issue with Warthogs either the throttle, or stick stops responding. You then have to send it to Canada (from the US) for repairs.
To answer the OP the CH stick will feel loose, with very light springs. compared to the Warthog. You might find the CH gear over sensitive, I have heard people say that they are. The two sticks feel almost identical in the hand, but the Warthog is noticeably stouter.
I've used CH gear for over ten years before transitioning to the Warthog about a year ago. I have nothing bad to say about the CH gear in fact it has been more reliable than my Warthog. Granted I've only had one failure with the Warthog, but that is one more than I've had with my CH gear.
I had my thrustmaster for many many years, basically over the time the spring dies or becomes over sensitive, Its a 9 year old stick so I can't say it didn't get its use out of it, considering how many hours I flew from the years - it really got worked over, put into perspective -
I can thrash a Logitech 3d Pro in under 2 tours simply from flying - thats 2 barely 2 months of "not over zealous" use of the stick either.
Warthog I never had a problem with until around June when the springs started to break down and eventually it quit working.
I dont want to invest another $500 in a stick, but instead $350 for CH pedals, stick and throttle.
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I had my thrustmaster for many many years, basically over the time the spring dies or becomes over sensitive, Its a 9 year old stick so I can't say it didn't get its use out of it, considering how many hours I flew from the years - it really got worked over, put into perspective -
I can thrash a Logitech 3d Pro in under 2 tours simply from flying - thats 2 barely 2 months of "not over zealous" use of the stick either.
Warthog I never had a problem with until around June when the springs started to break down and eventually it quit working.
I dont want to invest another $500 in a stick, but instead $350 for CH pedals, stick and throttle.
When you say you've had your Thrustmaster for years, what stick are you talking about? They make a number of them. I own a Cougar setup with a set of older TM pedals. The one complaint I've had with it is the slop in the center. But I've gotten used to it. I'm pretty hard on sticks too, and the less expensive/plastic stuff breaks fairly quickly on me. As far as support....saitek, Microsoft = zilch in support. thrustmaster/guillemot/hercules has always come through for me. Sure you need to either send cash/money order or Paypal acct. But they sell parts SUPER cheap and easy (for me anyway) to replace. I tend to wear the hat switch out on the stick. I use it for views. I want to say the switch was $2 or $3 US. I recently broke one of the gimble pieces in my Cougar. At first I thought the part wasn't available, but then I called TM tech support and found both gimbles (X,Y axis) for $15 US shipping included.
The Warthog is so new I'm sure they are all still under warranty, 2 years, I believe. So if you have a problem with it you should contact TM for repair.
I'll also say I've always heard good things about CH stuff. I get the idea they don't sell parts though. They do however, I've been told, offer a very reasonable refurb fee on their sticks.
I'll throw this out there. If anyone has a TM stick they believe is broke, PM me. I'm not at all sure that parts for their inexpensive sticks are available but if you let me know what you have and want someone to fix your stick I'll research it and we can talk about getting it fixed. I know I can fix almost anything with the Cougar,except for the centering slop, you would prolly need a NXTmod for that.
:cheers:
Jenks
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I have the Fighterstick and Pro Throttle and have for years. All super bulletproof. I prefer the Saitek pedals however, because of their wider spread. More comfy for me YMMV.