New VKB HOTAS news

[Gman]

Looks like Strato (Jason from IL2/Rise of Flight) is done now, and a new North America VKB site is up.  Lots of new pics of upcoming gear.

http://vkbcontrollers.com/

The Gunfighter is going to be available in March.  Looks great, has a new gimbal with multiple springs that can be added/removed, and a new friction system for setting tension.  It has 2 models coming, one will have a panel and more controls/switches, and both will have a number of quick disconnect grips - the Warthog and Cougar will work with an included adapter already.  New Space, WW2, and various jet sticks are going to be made.  Their previous Black Mamba/etc sticks will fit as well.  Check out the pictures of the new stick/gimbal, they are NOT screwing around, very heavy duty looking, and if they are at all like their pedals I have, they'll be tanks.  Blade here on HTC has posted his various VKB sticks for further reference, just search in the hardware forum.

VKB-Sim Gunfighter

    Next Generation All-Metal Gimbal
    Includes force-adjustable ‘dry clutches’
    32-bit ARM CPU
    Tunable Axes
    No Custom Drivers Required
    Save and Load Custom Profiles
    Upgrade Firmware via USB
    Works with ALL Flight-Simulators
    Built to Last
    Wide stance base plate include

Highlights:

    Force-adjustable ‘dry clutches’ allow the user to adjust the friction of the stick, which results in a heavier “feel”, and – with enough friction applied, the stick will stay put wherever one lets go of it
    The new gimbal supports up to two springs per axis, which allows for a stiffer overall feeling during stick movement, especially when using an extension or a heavy grip
    New quick release for grip adapters, allowing the user to quickly switch between adapted grips (comes in handy once more VKB grips are available)


They are also making a throttle - finally, one of these custom HOTAS companies is doing a throttle.  NO pics yet, but there is info.



UNDER DEVELOPMENT

VKB Throttle Control System

    Fully acmpatible with all VKB-Sim devices
    32-bit ARM CPU
    Tunable Axes
    No Custom Drivers Required
    Save and Load Custom Profiles
    Upgrade Firmware via USB
    Works with ALL Flight-Simulators
    Built to Last

[OldNitro]

Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen VKB before.

Their entry level stick, $85 Gladiator, seems like pretty decent quality, a great value! I Like the WW2 style grip far better than my X52 pro D handle. Also prefer the arrangement of switches around the base. X52 pro works nicely but feels out of place in this game, a bit too jetfighterish. Doesn't really do much to enhance my WW2 combat vibe!

Would really like to see the VKB throttle, no pics on the website yet. But if it matches their sticks It should be pretty cool! What the Hell, I have wasted more than $85 before, think I'll give the Gladiator a go. The more I see, the more I like it!

I have noticed that some players mix and match stick and throttle units from different manufacturers. I gather that if the unit has it's own USB connection, and if W10 will recognize it, AH3 will map it?

[Skuzzy]

As long as the USB stick is recognized by the operating system, it will work in Aces High.

[Ack-Ack]

Nice to see VKB joysticks being 32-bit instead of 16 bit (Thrustmaster gear) or 8 bit (CH Product gear).  At 32 bits, the VKB joysticks will be very precise.

[Hajo]

I am wondering if the VKB stick can be used in conjunction with the CH Pro Throttle and Rudder Pedals USB.

Still to this day using windows 8.1 the CH HOTAS is recognized in the Control Panel but can't be calibrated or actually used in Aces High.

I have to unplug my CH HOTAS setup after I shut the PC down, and after the PC Boots I can plug them in and they work in game and can be calibrated in Windows.

I have checked everything in windows and can't find the problem.  Of course the three controllers are USB.  Splain that Lucy 

[Ack-Ack]

I am wondering if the VKB stick can be used in conjunction with the CH Pro Throttle and Rudder Pedals USB.

Still to this day using windows 8.1 the CH HOTAS is recognized in the Control Panel but can't be calibrated or actually used in Aces High.

I have to unplug my CH HOTAS setup after I shut the PC down, and after the PC Boots I can plug them in and they work in game and can be calibrated in Windows.

I have checked everything in windows and can't find the problem.  Of course the three controllers are USB.  Splain that Lucy 

Yes, you can use the VKB gear with your other CH gear without any problems.  I used to have a CH HOTAS set up (Combat Stick, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals) and replaced my pedals with the VKB T-Rudder MK IV.  The only thing I had to do with my CH gear was remove the Pro Pedals from my Control Manager .map file.

For your other issue, try this hotfix from Microsoft.  It's supposed to address the issues of USB controllers not being properly recognized in Windows 8.1.

[BoilerDown]

Left-hand grip design

Oh hell yeah!

[OldNitro]

Well, I ordered the improved Gladiator mk2, $119.00 total. $35 for shipping, from Russia I guess. At that price, it is about equal to the older Mk1 being sold on Ebay.

If it performs as good as it looks/sounds, I think VKB will do very well in the west!

Won't ship until mid February. Bummer, no instant gratification this time! 
Must be Putin's fault, darn Russians anyway, (just jokin) 

 

[mikeWe9a]

Nice to see VKB joysticks being 32-bit instead of 16 bit (Thrustmaster gear) or 8 bit (CH Product gear).  At 32 bits, the VKB joysticks will be very precise.

Yes, because only having 65000 possible positions over the 8" throw of the Thrustmaster joystick is really blocky... (OK, I guess 8 bits on the CH might be noticeable - around 1mm movement to affect the output).

[Ack-Ack]

Yes, because only having 65000 possible positions over the 8" throw of the Thrustmaster joystick is really blocky... (OK, I guess 8 bits on the CH might be noticeable - around 1mm movement to affect the output).

Blade posted some films that show the precision of various joysticks, from 8 bit controllers like CH gear, 16 bit Thrustmaster controllers and a couple of 32 bit VKB sticks (Black Mamba and Cobra I think).  So yes, there is a noticeable difference in precision between a 16 bit stick and a 32 bit stick, just like there is with an 8 bit stick and a 16 bit stick.

[thrila]

I am keeping a close eye on this product.

I am awaiting a delivery of an extension to my warthog thrustmaster to see if that will cure my problems with it. I have also bought some replacement springs in order to modify the stick tension. Needless to say i'm not exactly happy having to 'fix' my brand new stick.

[Gman]

Thrila, the new Gunfighter base has multiple spring combos, there are pics already of a bunch of the options, which will be cool, to be able to fine tune the tension by swapping out how 4 different springs work.  Yellow, white, green, and blue springs are available right now, with more tension colors coming they said.  There are adapters for the WH stick for the base coming when it's released too.  I'm going to stick a Cougar stick in one, and a Warthog stick in another.  They are making some of their own Jet sticks too, not just the WW2 option in the pics.  So, it'll be adjustable in height with different length adapters, as well as tension. 

[Ack-Ack]

I love how I can adjust the tension on my R-Rudder Mk IVs. 

[BuckShot]

Why is their stick with no buttons on the base their most expensive?

[Gman]

How have your VKB pedals held up so far AckAck?  I've been really impressed with mine, very tough, solid metal and springs.  Too bad the software is in Russian and so un-intuitive, but I've figured it out for the most part and have it set pretty stock-ish in terms of settings.  I find that these type of pedals, sort of like the initial CH Pedals which don't rotate around a center axis, but just push like brakes on other pedals, are far more accurate for precise shooting.  I was going to keep my 109Cams and Crosswinds for DCS and other sims, but I find the VKB pedals are a benefit in them as well, and haven't used my other sets of peds at all since getting the VKB.

Really looking forward to new products, especially their throttle and new base.