Modern HOTAS Options?.
- Thread starter Saltyseadog
- Start date
people mention the saitek ones since the in-game graphics are modeled after it, but I find that it's lacking 1 analog axis compared to the Thrustmaster 16000m set.
I use that throttle and it's really perfect, all thrusters and throttle have analog axis which I couldn't find on any other HOTAS, at any price.
I use that throttle and it's really perfect, all thrusters and throttle have analog axis which I couldn't find on any other HOTAS, at any price.
I was going to get a Space Combat Grip “Kosmosima” with base, but coudn't justify nearly £300 pounds just for a stick. So I found a second hand X56 which I have just bought for £99. Hopefully it is okay and will last a while.
Hmm. I would carefully recommend the X-56. But make sure you get the latest (grey) model. I had both the X-55 and later the X-56. Saitek built. They had -massive- quality issues. I went through a number of them, but luckily the breakdown always happened before the warranty ended, so I got the replacement almost for free. (When my X-55 broke down the second time, Amazon wasn't able to replace it any more, so I got a deposit to buy the X-56. Which made it a new buy and restarted the warranty time. )
All of them developed problems in limited time, till I ended up with the Logitech-built reworked X-56 with the grey paintjob. This one by now definitely served for more hours of gameplay than any of the previous ones, up to now without any problems.
So based on this, the X-56 would be my recommendation. I find it better suited than the Warthog. (A friend of mine has that one. While it might be better for him, as he's much into DCS, I found it not that great for ED when I tried it there for like 15 minutes. )
And while the Vipril, at least from what I can see on their website, might be a great HOTAS, it seems not only to be very expencive, but also regularily sold out. (When my X-56 last time broke, I was so fed up of the quality issues that I actually considered not going for the warranty and replacing it with a Vipril. But the "maybe available again in two months" of Vipril made me reconsider. Lucky me.
)
So as long as my new grey X-56 is not "the one", with better quality and durability than the rest of the new production line, I by now dare to recommend this one. But if the markings on it are any other color than grey, scream in panic and run away, that's the old Saitek-garbage.
All of them developed problems in limited time, till I ended up with the Logitech-built reworked X-56 with the grey paintjob. This one by now definitely served for more hours of gameplay than any of the previous ones, up to now without any problems.
So based on this, the X-56 would be my recommendation. I find it better suited than the Warthog. (A friend of mine has that one. While it might be better for him, as he's much into DCS, I found it not that great for ED when I tried it there for like 15 minutes. )
And while the Vipril, at least from what I can see on their website, might be a great HOTAS, it seems not only to be very expencive, but also regularily sold out. (When my X-56 last time broke, I was so fed up of the quality issues that I actually considered not going for the warranty and replacing it with a Vipril. But the "maybe available again in two months" of Vipril made me reconsider. Lucky me.
)So as long as my new grey X-56 is not "the one", with better quality and durability than the rest of the new production line, I by now dare to recommend this one. But if the markings on it are any other color than grey, scream in panic and run away, that's the old Saitek-garbage.
Is there such a thing as a HOTAS with an analog hat or thumbstick on top of the joystick / throttle? The dual stick of a controller has spoiled me when it comes to analog thruster control, and I'd hate to give that up. Ideally there would be two hats, one for thrusters and one for headlook (the latter could be digital), though I could toggle between the two if necessary.
No analog stick on the stick side, but both the saitek throttle and thrustmaster TWCS (throttle) have analog stick on them. The thrustmaster also has a paddle intended for rudder, that is an analog axis that centers on release.
This is the only throttle I could find with full 6 direction thruster axis AND throttle axis. That’s why it’s my pick.
Is this instead of twist, or a separate axis along with twist?
If you buy the Thrustmaster T16000M Hotas (with stick + throttle) you get an analog hat on the throttle. The throttle has 3 axis (the throlttle per se, another on front of the throttle (paddle - can be used to look left and right), and a slider on the side), plus 1 analog hat to be used by your index finger (I use it for headlook), 1 eight directions hat, and 2 four direction hats, plus 5 buttons. The stick has a 8 way hat on top, plus 3 buttons on top, plus 1 fire button, and 12 buttons on the base. The stick has twist, so no pedals needed.
I only bought it a few weeks ago, I'm loving it, I've been looking into more HOTAS setups for comparison and all I've seen seem to fall short in number of buttons and axis when compared to the T16000M. The Saitek-56 throttles are prettier though.
It's on the throttle. Throttle has throttle axis (controller slides in and out), mini stick (dual axis analog), paddle (single axis centering), as well as lots of buttons and 3 hats (1 8 way and 2 4 way) and a wheel style analog axis on the pinky.
Stick has twist, and an 8way hat, 3 or 4 buttons on stick, and like 12 buttons on the base, as well as a slider style axis (that would be throttle if you were using it by itself.
That's the Thrustmaster T16000m set.
The X-56 has an analogue stick on both the joystick and throttle. Both of them are placed to be manipulated with the thumb. While they do work, I have problems doing any accurate input on them. I find these short analog input sticks a bit fiddly. If that's an inherent problem of the sticks, or if it's rather a dexterity issue on my side I can not say.
This here: https://www.amazon.com/ThrustMaster-2960778-Thrustmaster-T16000M-HOTAS/dp/B01KCHPRXA/
What's that slider under the stick?
Also, I like how it's two separate pieces, so that I could put the throttle on one side of my laptop and the stick on the other. Are those two separate USB cords, or do they join together like a Y at some point? Would a laptop USB port power one of these things?
This price isn't bad considering what you get. Maybe for Christmas!
It's another axis you can use for whatever you want. I use mine for radar range, could use for FSS tuning, etc. People who buy just the stick might use it as throttle.
Yes they're separate USB connections with quite long cords, and show up in the games as 2 separate controllers. I don't think these things require that much power, but maybe someone who plays on a laptop can pitch in.
Price is awesome for what you get. I can also say that game support for this thing is excellent, no driver installation, just plug and play, pretty much every game with hotas support will recognize both the throttle and stick without a fuss. It brings it's own calibrating software, but I never touched nor needed to.
Only 2 downsides I noticed so far:
1 - The throttle tends to become a bit "sticky" after a while, especially on small precise movements, because of the way it works (slides on 2 rails), but you can quite easily regrease the rails with silicon lubricant and it becomes better than new. It also brings 2 extra replacement rails.
2 - The pieces are a tad too light, you may need to anchor them somehow depending on how slippery the surface is, especially the throttle.
I can confirm so far that at least in windows 10 this thing is 100% plug-and-play on:
X-Plane 11
Il-2 Sturmovic Cliffs of Dover
Il-2 Sturmovic Battle of Stalingrad
Rise of Flight
DCS World
Take On Helicopters
Elite Dangerous
Evochron Legacy
Last edited:
About the input detail on mini sticks: It's true that very fine input could be a problem with mini sticks, but the thrustmaster programing software allows you to set input curves which I've done for the mini stick on my throttle. So I have really fine thruster control for the first 3rd of the stick's throw, then it picks up quicly after that so the full range of thrust is still available. Works really well.
If input was linear, it would be very hard to do small, precise movements with it.
If input was linear, it would be very hard to do small, precise movements with it.
Each has two 6mm mounting holes on the bottom. They're handy if you want to attach them to a chair.
Yeah, mine are mounted to my chair. I built the mounts out of inexpensive PVC conduit and distro boxes, rather than spend a ton on a specialized chair and mount system.
Everything became much more easy to use precisely after hard mounting them. I wouldn't every try to fly on a desk again.
Everything became much more easy to use precisely after hard mounting them. I wouldn't every try to fly on a desk again.
I was lucky: I had an old chair whose arm cushions were attached with two bolts each. All I had to do was make a U-shaped platform to sit on top of the arm supports, bolt it to the supports, and bolt the HOTAS to that. With a USB hub attached under the left side there's just one USB cable to handle the throttle and stick and anything crazy I want to add later.
Another analog axis. What you do with it is up to you. Originally it might have been intended as throttle in a single stick setup. I use it as alternative trigger for the secondary firegroup - mining lasers or the Pulse Wave Analyzer can so get an on/off switch for continous running.
Two seperate USB cords. As for connecting both of them to one port (through a passive hub, i.e. a hub without its own power supply) - depends on the port you're using
. On a USB 2.0 port, it might be problematic, on a USB 3 port it should work. I run mine on my desktop PC (also because I have too few USB ports) on an active USB 3 7-port hub.
So the CHPro Mini-Stick providing lateral and vertical thrusters and the throttle axis performing as fore and aft thruster (with landing override), all six directions under analogue control, doesn't meet your requirements how? (Doesn't the Warthog throttle have an analogue "mouse-hat" too?)
Thruster control is different from throttle control, so I'm happier with the paddle on thruster and throttle on throttle. No overrides. I also have SRV throttle on the paddle, so it actually drives more like an automatic transmission car.
