Hardware & Technical Saitek x55 rhino

[[VR] Mad Mike]

That was last week and quite clearly they were meaningless words as I have now been told I should get my replacement 'Next week' which will be at least 10 days after I received notification that my ticket had been 'escalated' bah!!!!!

on the bright side at least it will be sorted for xmas

mine is all boxed up ready to go now. i know it is to keep prices down, but how much better if they used a socketed cable that could just plug into the pcb so when it needs replacing it would just be a simple issue of buying a replacement cable for a few quid.

Personally i would be happy to pay £5 extra for the system and know i do not have to worry about what is obviously going to be a recurring failure point.

Saitek have given me a returns number and said it should be a 2 week turn around. probably too late for xmas for me, but never mind. i have just sold my oculus rift anyway so i can live without my x55.

PS it really grinds my gears that i cant claim back the postage either........

 

[Sir.Tj]

Having a X55 myself and knowing of the issue that many have had with the quality of the wiring within the throttle has made me very gentle with my acceleration and deceleration while playing ED. A shame that you have to treat an expensive item with kid gloves.

I hope you get your stick back asap.

 

[glojo]

I HATE being fobbed off, or being given the run around and trust me when I say the Support staff at Madkatz excel at doing just that. After being given so many excuses I left no stone unturned and managed to locate a senior manager and I gave them all the dates and details regarding this sorry saga.

A few hours later I received a very nice apology and an assurance a new HOTAS system had been dispatched and I would get it the following day, and yes it did arrive and is working as it should.

The sad joke is...

'Our technical support department are not aware of any undue problems with the wiring on the X-55 throttle!!!!!'

Words fail me so please see sketch.

If I were in possession of half a dozen images along with email\contact details of owners who have suffered issues with broken cabling in this system, I would willingly forward them to this person.

I did send a Google link to them that had page after page of complaints but these were dismissed for some explainable (to me) reason.

If I were to produce complaints from individuals, with pictures, then I would insist they were not dismissed and also suggest there are indeed problems with this otherwise EXCELLENT piece of kit.

 

[Harrius]

I've played with the following sets ups now:

M&K,
Saitek FLY5,
X-52 pro,
X-55,
Dual Cobra M5's,
CH Pro throttle and Cobra M5


I had a decent amount (weeks) time with each set up, and can say that in my opinion, the CH throttle and Cobra M5 is by far the best. The CH pro throttle is hands down the best throttle, because of its action, its perfectly placed hats and buttons, its comfort, and most of all its analogue mini stick for thruster control. Once you've tried one, there's really no going back. The Cobra M5 is (imo) the best stick on the market with twist rudder. It's basically like the X-55 and X-52 sticks, but much more accurate and better quality.


So, if it's not too late, I'd strongly suggest getting this pair instead of either the X-52 pro or X-55.

 

[jgm]

I've played with the following sets ups now:

M&K,
Saitek FLY5,
X-52 pro,
X-55,
Dual Cobra M5's,
CH Pro throttle and Cobra M5


I had a decent amount (weeks) time with each set up, and can say that in my opinion, the CH throttle and Cobra M5 is by far the best. The CH pro throttle is hands down the best throttle, because of its action, its perfectly placed hats and buttons, its comfort, and most of all its analogue mini stick for thruster control. Once you've tried one, there's really no going back. The Cobra M5 is (imo) the best stick on the market with twist rudder. It's basically like the X-55 and X-52 sticks, but much more accurate and better quality.


So, if it's not too late, I'd strongly suggest getting this pair instead of either the X-52 pro or X-55.

Interesting. Have you tried the CH flightstick, and if so what are your thoughts on it?

 

[Harrius]

Interesting. Have you tried the CH flightstick, and if so what are your thoughts on it?

I've not tried it myself. I hear that it's a great stick, but I really need the twist rudder, and it doesn't have one

Pedals are out of the question for me, because of the way I sit, and I'm often playing in a hotel on my laptop because of work etc, and it would just be another thing to take up luggage space. The Cobra M5 is the best quality stick with twist I've come across. It's very reasonably priced, is high quality, high function and has magnetic sensors. The downside is that it's hard to get in the west. You have to order from a central or East European supplier, I got mine from German Amazon, for example.

 

[glojo]

How I wish there was a decent HOTAS system with a twist grip joystick like the saitek set-up

 

[Faybs]

I've updated the reference sheet generator so that it shows the entire X-55 configuration on a single page, rather than the previous one that created two separate pages. Please let me know if the update has caused any problems when showing your configuration.

Thanks! I use your page all the time and have a paint.net project with guide layers that I use to fit the two images into one. Looking forward to giving it a try this evening

 

[Harrius]

How I wish there was a decent HOTAS system with a twist grip joystick like the saitek set-up

Try the set up I mentioned. It doesn't look as slick as the Saitek offerings because it's not one package, but really, it's everything you're wishing for

https://flightsimcontrols.com/store/joysticks/cobra-m5/
http://www.chproducts.com/Pro-Throttle-v13-d-719.html

 

[avow555]

How I wish there was a decent HOTAS system with a twist grip joystick like the saitek set-up

Totally agree with this, you would think some company would see the demand for a decent quality HOTAS setup, especially with the current x55 debacle raging on.

Gonna have to rethink my next purchase as I really don't think the x55 is gonna be attatched to my new build anytime soon, unless they miraculously get there quality control sorted and manufacturing!

 

[neo1874]

X55

Totally agree with this, you would think some company would see the demand for a decent quality HOTAS setup, especially with the current x55 debacle raging on.

Gonna have to rethink my next purchase as I really don't think the x55 is gonna be attatched to my new build anytime soon, unless they miraculously get there quality control sorted and manufacturing!

I've had the X55 for almost a year now with no issues. Freaking love it. Add Butt kicker, the Rift and your system is complete

 

[jgm]

For those of you lamenting a decent HOTAS without a twist stick I can give you an alternative to Harrius' choice of stick above. I went with a CH fighterstick/throttle combo and bound yaw to two separate places. First, to a set of pedals. Second, to one of the hats on the throttle. This allows me to fly with pedals when I want the analogue accuracy or need full control of the ship, and without when I'm doing normal bumbling-around-the-galaxy moves.

The downsides of having yaw bound to a throttle hat are that yaw is binary (full or 0) and you can't yaw and thrust at the same time (assuming that you tie thrusters to the throttle mouse and aren't hexadactylic). But it's working out pretty well for me.

 

[Chip Patton]

Anyone got one of these and using it with elite dangerous? Some impressions would be good
Thanks
I do have one on pre-order so don't slag it off too hard

No one would have one -- they are in pre-order stages, as in they haven't been manufactured yet for consumer use. You can order the X-55 RHINO Pro from amazon right now, and I've tried it, and did not like it (see below).

The pro x55 rhino is all plastic. The buttons are plastic, the dials are plastic, the internals are plastic. It feels very flimsy imo. I still have the HOTAS system but it is still boxed up as a backup should my x52 pro system break or not work. The pro X55 does not come with the HEART technology (Hall effect) which means the stick will wear out in a few months or years and become very inaccurate to use. This has happened with every stick I have used except my thrustmaster pro (with HEART) and my x52 pro flight (with HEART). Basically, if you're looking for a stick, make sure it has HEART technology.

Being the happy owner of a X52 pro, I can tell you there is too much "hands off the stick" switches and buttons on the x55. It seriously appears that they took most of the buttons and trim, and switches off of the X52 and placed it on the base of this stick x55, making it a requirement to take your hand off the throttle or stick to use half of the x52's functionality. If I have to take my hand off the stick, I'd rather be looking for a button on my keyboard instead, being as it takes no getting used to.

 

[Hurricane Moon]

had to share this somewhere...but im at work...wife just phoned....my X55 has just been delivered!....a replacement for my x 52 pro that had a dodgy throttle hat switch straight out of the box.

im on windows 10...before I plug it in should I install the Saitek drivers first or let windows install theres first?...or disable windows from even doing that?

I don't want the knightmare I had trying to get my x52 working....is it also recommended that I remove all existing Saitek software and drivers before doing my x 55...or wont it matter?

as some of you can tell,i really want to have a night of gaming and not a night of make this work on win 10 lol.....any help really appreciated gents


edit.....all fine and dandy,all drivers and the software is all done with out a hitch...tested in windows devices all the inputs,all cool.
just gotta get the bairns in bed then i can whack some ED on and test her properly,followed by some DCS

 

[19th hole]

here is my 2 cents for this piece of **** product:

I bought the x55 about a year ago, 200+ euros, can't remember the exact price, same time I purchased E beta (last days before official release). I must explain first that I am no hercules, but I have a firm hand. I am old & wise enough to keep my strength in control with whatever subject I am holding and for the purpose. In fact, if something would break, it would have been the joystick because that has got a beating in my experience, rather than the throttle unit. Although, the LED's of the jostick come and go... and the spring for jaw control is kaput as well, still managable. There is no other user either of the joystick, my son has his playstation with his own controller.

So, the problem I experience is with the darn throttle unit, the buttons, especially the several smaller joysticks on the throttle seem to break apart one by one. But also the larger buttons are not functioning anymore. It started about three months ago, today I am no longer able to program any free joystick on the throttle, they are all broken. Only the flipswitches seem to be working. I have been patient enough, but this is the last straw. I tried leaving a comment on their website, but they have disabled the rating widget as it seems and one can not submit the feedback consequently... how convinient for them... all other 4 comments on that site are marvelously positive of course.

I read a similar review before I bought this joke of a prodict, I was warned, but saitek got the benefit of my doubt. It looked nice, I though the person who wrote the review might just be an exception to the rule. Hey saitek boys: you can play that trick only once with me. Shame on you, I will no longer buy any saitek product again.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

2 year warranty, put a support ticket in with them, mine is currently back with them, and they will be shipping out a replacment asap (probably not before xmas now due to no stock)

i will possibly take it apart and try to "fix" in advance before this one breaks as well.

 

[CMDR Han Job]

I have been using an aging x52 since 2004 and about 6 months ago I decided to treat myself to a new stick so I plumped for the X55 rhino as it looked good. Now nearly six months down the line and my 3rd X55 has broken I have sent it back and been reimbursed my money. I liked the stick, it had a lot of very handy buttons but the reliability since Mad Catz took over is shocking. I will never buy another Mad Catz product again. Unfortunately the stick I want is the Thrustmaster Warthog Hotas which I cannot justify the price.........Yet! But right now I'm back to my X52 and its still pretty good.

 

[Andromalius]

I have an X 55 since the beginning of Elite Beta and although it doesn't seem like a very strdy piece of equipment, I didn't have any issue with it so far. I played enough to get to the last title before elite in trade so I did play a few hours. I do treat it with respect and all the buttons are still working fine.

 

[Hurricane Moon]

just a update,had it for a few nights now....best hotas i have used so far.
i have been lucky and my unit obviosly went through QC lol....ED,DCS,X-Plane 10....all cool as hell...the throttle is silky like on rails.

so far so good.

 

[Scty]

How did you set that up? Does it control the windows system volume?