Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: blackfalcon4 on February 19, 2003, 11:28:02 AM

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: blackfalcon4 on February 19, 2003, 11:28:02 AM

Hi All,

Advice needed cause I can't make up my mind :D

         
Been recently considering moving to a HOTAS setup. At present use a MSFFB Pro(original) and Ch Pro Pedals(USB) and am not complaining about them.

Considering either; Saitek X45, CH Flightstik Pro and Pro Throttle, or a Thrustmaster Cougar.

Would like to know what you guys think, pro's con's, etc...


Thanx in advance

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: SKurj on February 19, 2003, 11:56:39 AM

Heh well... the x45 costs what... about 1/4 of the other two options....

For a hotas.. i doubt the x45 can be beat for the price.


Anyone seen a retailer carrying the x45 in the toronto canada area?



SKurj

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: DAVENRINO on February 19, 2003, 12:00:54 PM

Why don't you just add a CH PRO Throttle to your setup?  Mine works great.
DJ229

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70564

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: bockko on February 19, 2003, 05:11:29 PM

i have been fooling with stick selection for a few months, here is my humble opinion summary of the ones I tried:

MS Sidewinder -- compact, ez to setup and program. all buttons in good location. I develops nose bounce after a while, making shooting a bit harder. Overall godd stick, $40
thrustmaster afterburner - stick/throttle combo, works good, only problem i had was the stick handle is too small for my hand, made bottom of my hand sore.
saitek x45- stopped using my NEW micrsosoft sidewinder for this stick. rudder a bit awkward, i reversed the throttle axis so the rudder was easy to get to with throttle at max. accurate movement, no bounce....so far really good stick, getting used to it in tight furballs.
saitek cyborg - probably good stick, but button placement is horrid. Unlike ms stick, this one has buttons that can't be reached easily, and the shift keys are UNDER the throttle lever. didn't buy it.

bockk

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: Revvin on February 20, 2003, 09:50:42 AM

I'd recommend the HOTAS Cougar it's the best stick I've ever bought.

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: Vermillion on February 20, 2003, 11:45:27 AM

Toss up, depending on preference, between the Cougar and the CH setup.  Cost about the same, both high quality, and both are highly programmable.

The one thing to consider in my opinon is that Cougar weighs half a ton, and has the springs from hell.  If you've never tried one of the high end Thrustmaster sticks (they are all notorious for overly strong springs) then I suggest trying one out before you buy one.  I know several people who bought Cougars and hated them for this reason.  Otherwise its an excellent stick.

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: Doberman on February 20, 2003, 02:59:52 PM

I've got both the CH Pro setup and a TM Cougar.  Both have their pros & cons.  

• The CH has more hats & buttons on the throttle, IMO making that part a bit more useful for WB.  Another 4 way hat or even a coupla buttons on the TM throttle would make layouts more intuitive.  
• All 5 of the Cougars hats can work as 8-way hats (as can the mouse stick), as opposed to only 2 on the CH (1 on the stick and 1 on the throttle.)
• CH has much lighter forces required to move the stick (this is a pro or con depending on how you like the stick to feel.)
• The Cougar is WAY more programmable.  The things you can do with this setup are simply astonishing.  Stuff like setting WEP to the final 2% of the throttle throw, ejecting only after holding down 2 buttons for 2.5 seconds, on the fly modifying the stick response curves for easier handeling while in landing mode, etc.  See http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=8 for many other ideas.   You'll see that there's a whole Cougar community, just like the AH community.  There's dozens of mods which will make this top line piece of equipment even better and some absolute programming wizards.
  
• A con against the TM is that, at the moment, there are no TM rudders available which plug into it.  Older (not currently being produced) TM Elite pedals and some aftermarket serial pedals will plug in to the port on the back of the stick, but I don't believe there are any which have toe brakes.  TM is supposedly gonna release some, but I've heard no word recently as to when that may happen.   The problem with this is, some games only recognize one controller.  AH isn't affected, cuz you can assign commands to any of the controllers you have hooked up.  Some other sims though (can't name one off the top of my head though, as all the others I fly recognize multiple controllers.  Falcon 4 maybe?  I've got it installed, but haven't played it in some time.) won't see more than one.  So you don't get rudders.   Plug-in rudders would be seen as just another axis on the Cougar.  The CH programming software allows you to map all three USB devices (stick, throttle, rudder) as one controller.   If you fly mostly AH or don't NEED toe brakes, this is no big deal.  I personally use CH Pro Pedals along with my Cougar.
• The Cougar is simply WAY cooler.  No doubt about that.  Heavy metal, trick looking, shiney, etc. :)    

If I could only have one?  I'd probably choose the Cougar just because it's a neater piece of equipment and has more abilities.

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: blackfalcon4 on February 20, 2003, 03:04:59 PM

Thanks alot for the input guys
Deeply appreciated  

Title: Joystick Advice plz
Post by: Eagler on February 20, 2003, 04:15:13 PM

X45 & pro peds both usb