X52 Pro vs Logitech g13

[Sandmann]

Sorry.. autocorrect on my phone.

Does the usb lead need to "stay" plugged in to the ED unit while you are using it?

Ooh... yes sir, you're plugging your head into the computer. That's the advantage of Track IR of course, you're using reflectors which don't need power, whereas FreeTrack and ED Tracker both are "wired" solutions. Of course, if you're using headphones you're already wired already.

I don't use headphones so I got myself a 6 foot long, light weight, flat USB cable.

Here's a typical example of what it ends up looking like. As I said, mine's mounted on a hair band rather than headphones, but otherwise that's pretty much it.

 

[Dead Fred]

This works fine too and is handy if you are swapping loads of them out for testing.

Spoiler

This and an X52 with Voiceattack would do me fine!

 

[preynolds2]

What software give you the voice commands?

 

[Thelas]

I use X52 Pro and find it amazing with very little customisation and has enough buttons for sure. It's very comfortable and I'm very glad I bought it. I've said to many people I game with that it just feels so natural.

I've remapped a few buttons (from the default in game X52 Pro layout) to be more to my liking and set the throttle slider via the stick's software so that sliding up and down turns flight assist off and on. I prefer to keep the throttle to full forward range rather than using it for forward and reverse.

Also I've set the rotary controls on throttle to operate radar distance and subsystem targetting but I need to work on that a bit better, it's rather clunky at the moment. I have it so the rotary nearest my thumb selects target subsystem, once I've tweaked it so that it selects next system without having to rotate back it'll be great.

I've owned a Razer Nostromo (similar to g13) for a while and used it on many games but as someone else said earlier it probably needs some serious getting used to for flight in Elite. I'm planning to maybe use it to control menu's etc once docked, mostly as a gimmick I suppose as it's not really necessary as the default joystick commands can handle it.

 

[Flamepreacher]

I have an X52 pro hopefully being delivered in the next couple of days, looking forward to setting it up, does anyone have a reccomended profile that i can use as a baseline?

 

[Wulfy]

Have to admit I was going to get myself a Saitek X52 Flight Control System - not the Pro version - and I really like the look of it as I only use a "cheap" Black Widow atm, however....

I currently use Voice Attack (as well as EDTracker - I highly recommend the Tic Tac box by the way) and really have no need for a shed load of buttons as 95% of my control is by voice command.

 

[Rog]

Many have probably not tried the g13 yet...
But, was trying to find out how well it worked with this game..

And if those who have the x52 pro (cause I will probably purchase this over a x55) how does it work with elite?

Enough buttons?
Does the throttle stick control the throttle in progression or if you nudge it does it go to Mac speed?

(I currently have the logitech extreme 3d) the little throttle makes the speed go crazy.

Can I suggest that since you've already got a joystick, rather than springing for an entire new X52/X55 HOTAS, just get a CH Pro Throttle.

That combined with your existing stick will give you full HOTAS functionality (ministick for analogue thrusters too). Just ignore the throttle lever on your Logitech stick, or bind it to some other function.

The Pro Throttle is *perfect* for E: D, and is built very well. so will last for ever.

 

[DaveB]

If you already have a webcam do check out facetracknoir for a free unwired face tracking solution. It uses face recognition to track your head movements so no wires and nothing to wear on your head. (Wearing cans would deprive me of the 5.1 sound and anything else would just look silly)

 

[Slopey]

Many have probably not tried the g13 yet...
But, was trying to find out how well it worked with this game..

And if those who have the x52 pro (cause I will probably purchase this over a x55) how does it work with elite?

Enough buttons?
Does the throttle stick control the throttle in progression or if you nudge it does it go to Mac speed?

(I currently have the logitech extreme 3d) the little throttle makes the speed go crazy.

I've got both an x52 and the G13. Never use the G13, as my hands are on the throttle/stick 99.99% of the time. Add voice attack, and there's no need for it.

 

[WhosYourPappa]

I use the Ch pro throttle, Ch Fighterstick, and Ch pro peddles. All together about $300.

Hardware: High quality hard plastic that doesn't look like a toy. The Saitek products have always looked gimicky to me. And as cool as those wheels are on the X52 throttle I can't see any use for them. I would rather have a bunch of 4 way and 8 way hat switches. And the Ch setup has tons of them. And the CH pro throttle has a greate mouse stick as well. I never take my hands off the throttle and stick and I still have two unmapped hat switches.

Software: Hands down the best peripheral software out there. It's straight out of the 90's. You open it, run your setup and close it. No fancy GUI, no background running, no online registering needed. Just does it's job and leaves a small hard drive foot print.

I found a good comparison on YouTube between the Saitek and Ch HOTAS
Keep in mind the guy doing the comparison is using a very old Ch joystick which goes to show how well these things last. CH has an amazing reputation for long lasting products

Spoiler

 

[preynolds2]

The ch setup looks good.. although it's expensive as the x55

How do you compensate for the lack of twist rudder control

 

[WhosYourPappa]

The ch setup looks good.. although it's expensive as the x55

How do you compensate for the lack of twist rudder control

I actually like that my stick does not twist. I use the Peddles instead. And before I got the Ch pro peddles I had the Yaw axis mapped to a hat switch on the throttle. Having the yaw axis separated from the joystick made things a lot easier since I split the duties of controlling 2 axis with each hand.

With a twist stick you have to control 3 axis with one hand. This may sound nice but in practice it is not ideal. It certainly is doable but you can get a much higher degree of control by splitting up your axis to different appendages. Adding peddles takes this even farther by splitting the yaw axis to the peddles and only the left hand controls the z-axis.

 

[preynolds2]

Doubt I would get pedals...
But using the left hand throttle sounds good for rudder control.

Is there anyone who has used the ch setup that would choose the x55 over the ch?

 

[Rog]

Doubt I would get pedals...
But using the left hand throttle sounds good for rudder control.

Is there anyone who has used the ch setup that would choose the x55 over the ch?

I had a brand new X52pro for a while - passed it on and bought a CH setup (and don't regret it).

No twist on the stick, but I mapped the bottom throttle hat to digital L/R yaw which works pretty well. Have now bought pedals, but haven't really used them in the game yet.

My point was that you could use your *existing* Logitech joystick (with twist rudder) and just add a throttle - cheaper than a whole new HOTAS.

The CH Throttle is £88 from Amazon.
Throttle @ Amazon.com $126.73
A couple of days ago, it was only $100.31 @ Amazon.com, so will probably go down again soon.
Amazon price checker.

 

[Ving]

My first foray into ED was with a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and a G13. It worked pretty well.

I recently bought the X55 HOTAS and I still find myself using the G13 in conjunction with, and sometimes instead of, the throttle.

You can find more information about my G13 setup here:
http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showpost.php?p=693267&postcount=16


I would say if you can afford a HOTAS setup and you want the immersion then go for it, but in terms of actual game capability I don't personally think you gain much with a throttle unit.

 

[preynolds2]

CH Fighterstick??

http://www.chproducts.com/Joysticks-v13-p-181.html#4

Which one?

 

[Wrongway]

CH Fighterstick??

http://www.chproducts.com/Joysticks-v13-p-181.html#4

Which one?

Fighterstick model is the one at the top. More bells and whistles than the other two.

 

[WhosYourPappa]

I would say if you can afford a HOTAS setup and you want the immersion then go for it, but in terms of actual game capability I don't personally think you gain much with a throttle unit.

Actually, once you train your muscle memory, a throttle unit is exponentially better than digital keys. More so in PVP combat. when I find myself in a circle strafe with another viper pilot I need to be able to make quick adjustments just above and below the 50% mark to give me a slight edge. Like anything, it takes a bit getting used to.

 

[Rog]

Fighterstick model is the one at the top. More bells and whistles than the other two.

*If* you're going to get one, I'd suggest getting the Fighterstick with the extra hat switches. Targeting, power distribution, UI navigation, Countermeasures....

You'll use them all.

 

[Rowander]

I personally found the twist control in the X52Pro to be quite a discovery for Elite. I've been a hardcore sim fan since the Elite 1 years (Falcon 1 to 4, and lately the Eagle Dynamics sims, mainly Ka-50 Black Shark) and never used it, always preferring rudder pedals. In traditional sims maybe pedals are better, you don't have a real need for perfect precision in the rudder of a plane or a helicopter, half a degree more or less won't make a difference most of the time (only when aligning for a rocket salvo). But in Elite, that's precisely the difference between hitting your target or missing. The twist control allows for complete precision in that regard, and much faster, much more than my legs can handle.

Staying on topic, my plan for the X52 stick is making a complete multi-mode profile inside the saitek software. You can then put to use every button and axis (there may be some more keys to come in the future, the design papers for shields speak of front and rear shields on some ship designs, among other functions).