Hardware & Technical Advice for a cheap but accurate HOTAS

IrianPendreic · Jul 23, 2016

I'm playing on kb/mouse now, though I had ordered a steel battalion controller. Controller gets trashed in delivery. Refund issued. When refund processes, A/C goes out. I live in Alabama, am disabled and severely heat intolerant, same as my wife. Refund goes toward new A/C.

Now that we're caught up, I need a better control setup that's not going to fail quickly like recent Saitek. At the same time, it needs to be cheap. Hotas isn't a necessity, dual stick has been mentioned to me and the idea is attractive, but I'm not sold on anything yet.

Way back when I used a lot of Thrustmaster, now I use Logitech peripherals, but if it's cheap and durable I'm interested.

PhoenyxMcCloud · Jul 23, 2016

IrianPendreic said:
I'm playing on kb/mouse now, though I had ordered a steel battalion controller. Controller gets trashed in delivery. Refund issued. When refund processes, A/C goes out. I live in Alabama, am disabled and severely heat intolerant, same as my wife. Refund goes toward new A/C.

Now that we're caught up, I need a better control setup that's not going to fail quickly like recent Saitek. At the same time, it needs to be cheap. Hotas isn't a necessity, dual stick has been mentioned to me and the idea is attractive, but I'm not sold on anything yet.

Way back when I used a lot of Thrustmaster, now I use Logitech peripherals, but if it's cheap and durable I'm interested.

I'm using the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS X. Seems to be a good stick and throttle, an Abundance of buttons <grin>. I haven't had any issues yet tho I have not tried using/mapping any of the buttons yet. Only cost me 49.99 at a Micro Center near where I live. I decided to add a Logitech G13 to use for various buttons as I can map/macro them as I like with that and I'm not certain I can with the HOTAS X.

Yachats · Jul 23, 2016

I second the Thrustmaster TFlight HOTAS X.
I've been playing Elite with it since Beta. There are a couple threads on how best to configure it.
I wore out one of the buttons by using it as the "shift" key (every button can have two functions that way) but it was easy enough to take apart the stick and realign everything properly and the button works again!

Patrick_68000 · Jul 23, 2016

Frontier and Thrustmaster create in partnership, the Thrustmaster FCS T.16000M Hotas. Specially designed for ED. Maybe try ? ------- http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/П...w-gameplay-experiences-announced-new-t16000m-

Henkka77 · Jul 23, 2016

Yes, i would wait for that new Thrustmaster. I have Hotas X also, but im definitely buying the FCS when its available in September.
Over 1000 hours in with my Hotas X with zero problems and i expect the same quality from the new one.

Patrick_68000 · Jul 23, 2016

Henkka77 said:
Yes, i would wait for that new Thrustmaster. I have Hotas X also, but im definitely buying the FCS when its available in September.
Over 1000 hours in with my Hotas X with zero problems and i expect the same quality from the new one.

Yes and a partnership between Frontier and Thrustmaster must really bring the Hotas which is made for ED

Ozram · Jul 23, 2016

Yeah, when I came in here I was going to suggest the same as the others. Short wait for a hotas that's affordable and designed for the game.

Patrick_68000 · Jul 23, 2016

Ozram said:
Yeah, when I came in here I was going to suggest the same as the others. Short wait for a hotas that's affordable and designed for the game.

Frontier and Thrustmaster have an excellent idea

Heavens · Jul 23, 2016

The only thing that kinda bothers me is the lack of buttons on the throttle base. I understand that the stick is designed to be sold alone as well but having to take my hand off the throttle to deploy chaff or shield cells in the default configuration kinda sucks.
I mean apart from the hat switches the throttle has like 7 buttons while the stick has 12 on the base plus 4 on the stick.
I'd really like to see a "set" version which moves the buttons from the stick base to the throttle base.

Ozram · Jul 23, 2016

Heavens said:
The only thing that kinda bothers me is the lack of buttons on the throttle base. I understand that the stick is designed to be sold alone as well but having to take my hand off the throttle to deploy chaff or shield cells in the default configuration kinda sucks.
I mean apart from the hat switches the throttle has like 7 buttons while the stick has 12 on the base plus 4 on the stick.
I'd really like to see a "set" version which moves the buttons from the stick base to the throttle base.

While not as accurate, the Logitech E 3D Pro stick is also cheap but has immeasurably superior button placement and ergonomics. Maybe get one of those and the Tmaster Throttle when it comes out for a more effective pairing.

avow555 · Jul 31, 2016

Patrick_68000 said:
Frontier and Thrustmaster create in partnership, the Thrustmaster FCS T.16000M Hotas. Specially designed for ED. Maybe try ? ------- http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/П...w-gameplay-experiences-announced-new-t16000m-

http://savepic.net/8298566.jpg

Wonder what the UK price for this is going to be?

Patrick_68000 · Jul 31, 2016

avow555 said:
Wonder what the UK price for this is going to be?

On the official website. "The T.16000M FCS HOTAS will be available in September, at a suggested retail price of $129.99." ---- I do not think that the price will be very different to the UK. Do not forget that the Uk is the country of FDEV

Ozram · Jul 31, 2016

Patrick_68000 said:
On the official website. "The T.16000M FCS HOTAS will be available in September, at a suggested retail price of $129.99." ---- I do not think that the price will be very different to the UK. Do not forget that the Uk is the country of FDEV

From what I've noticed, UK customers tend to get shafted with much higher prices than the US because they just take the dollar number and switch the $ to £. On top of that (BRexit or no) you still get vat eh?

Patrick_68000 · Aug 1, 2016

Ozram said:
From what I've noticed, UK customers tend to get shafted with much higher prices than the US because they just take the dollar number and switch the $ to £. On top of that (BRexit or no) you still get vat eh?

I believe that on the continent we also pay more than the united states

CMDR WRONGTURN · Aug 15, 2016

IrianPendreic said:
I'm playing on kb/mouse now, though I had ordered a steel battalion controller. Controller gets trashed in delivery. Refund issued. When refund processes, A/C goes out. I live in Alabama, am disabled and severely heat intolerant, same as my wife. Refund goes toward new A/C.

Now that we're caught up, I need a better control setup that's not going to fail quickly like recent Saitek. At the same time, it needs to be cheap. Hotas isn't a necessity, dual stick has been mentioned to me and the idea is attractive, but I'm not sold on anything yet.

Way back when I used a lot of Thrustmaster, now I use Logitech peripherals, but if it's cheap and durable I'm interested.

I can understand the " heat issue' living in Bama myself lol. i have over 1300 hrs. on a thrustmaster t flight x and have had ZERO problems from it. cost me around 40$ but I also got the voice attack program installed for about 8 dollars and never have to touch the keyboard except to exit the game. Thrustmaster + voice attack = great gamming.