The Joystick/Controller discussion thread

[dungeonseeker]

I think the T Flight is the best budget bang for your buck. It's certainly up to the job and is well built. It doesn't have the X52 or up (Warthog) bells and whistles, but it's a great budget stick and E D and HOTAS seems to be a marriage made in heaven. There are slightly more esoteric sticks - the T1600m name pops up a fair bit round here, but I think the T Flight is one of the best basic HOTAS setups you're going to find.

It's a good stick for the price, but has a few disadvantages. I would suggest the alternative would be a Thrustmaster 16000m (which is just a regular stick).

Pro Hotas:
-It's hotas obviously
-it has 5 axes; 3 on the stick, throttle and a great little rocker under your middle fingers on the throttle. This can be tied to the twist grip on your stick or separated at the flick of a button. Given that some dislike twist, you can lock the twist with a screw, and use the rocker instead. Alternatively, it binds nicely to 'translate left-right' ('strafe'). Love this feature.
-I really like the throttle feel and action. There's a detent at 50%, which is perfect for ED, particularly in FA-off mode.

Pro T16000m:
-By most accounts, the stick accuracy and fine control is superior. This is a big point, as the deadzone and twist tension on the HOTAS can have you wobbling around the target. Please note this hasn't stopped some from using it with great accuracy (in case you are unfamiliar with the game, hitting things with railguns and FA off is about as hard as it gets).
-T16000m can access TARGET software, where the HOTAS cannot. For older games, this means the HOTAS axes and possibly key bindings may be fixed by whatever the game decides for you. TARGET allows you re-assign axes and set up virtual controllers; so you should always be able to reprogramme outside of the game. I personally think this is a big factor. The HOTAS allows no axis reassignment and the only programming possible is by 'swapping buttons' hardware side on the fly.

I've been using this stick in the Alpha and it's a step up from the Xbox 360 controller I first used. It's got just about enough buttons but I can imagine the extra ones on the X52 Pro etc. would come in handy - ED does have a lot of controls to map!

If you're on a tight budget then I would certainly recommend it.

Thanks guys, gotta wait a few weeks now then i will order it.

 

[JughedJones]

Sorry if it's already asked/answered:

Is there really a huge difference between the x52 standard version and the Pro?

the price is about a 70$ discrepancy here in the US, is it worth it? I am going to get one of them soon, just wanted to see if I could save a few bones.

 

[alphabet]

Sorry if it's already asked/answered:

Is there really a huge difference between the x52 standard version and the Pro?

the price is about a 70$ discrepancy here in the US, is it worth it? I am going to get one of them soon, just wanted to see if I could save a few bones.

Yes. The Pro has much better hall sensors and spring mechanism. That is the big difference, the rest is cosmetic and you get a programmable LCD. I had an X52 and the hall sensors made that stick a disaster for centering. If you are set on Saitek, get the X52 Pro or the X55. Stay away from the X65 pressure stick.

 

[weaverdh]

No tool tip shows for me when I highlight or select those digital axis, but my client shows as Alpha Phase 1.1 (premium beta user here).

Thank you Aleksej, it was your post within another topic that prompted me to change my input config to resolve the problem.

 

[sfried]

Is this a poll for Frontier to see if its worth their time and investment to program code for the x52 Pro's MFD?

If so then YES PLEASE.

 

[JughedJones]

Yes. The Pro has much better hall sensors and spring mechanism. That is the big difference, the rest is cosmetic and you get a programmable LCD. I had an X52 and the hall sensors made that stick a disaster for centering. If you are set on Saitek, get the X52 Pro or the X55. Stay away from the X65 pressure stick.

Thanks.

I guess I'll go Pro.

I really like my Cyborg Fly5, it's really excellent for the money. I just need a separate throttle, and if I'm going to do that, I want the HOTAS config.

 

[alphabet]

Thanks.

I guess I'll go Pro.

I really like my Cyborg Fly5, it's really excellent for the money. I just need a separate throttle, and if I'm going to do that, I want the HOTAS config.

I've had Saitek sticks since the cyborg with a game port, x45, x52 USB. That being said, I'm a big advocate of CH Products. Saitek has the best looks and most buttons, but precision and high quality internals are not their strong suit. If precision and built to last longer than a year or two are important to you, get a CH as it will last forever and is much more precise and doesn't have dead zones.

If you have ever played a wwii combat sim, and your aim jumps below and then above the target, you will know what I mean about crappy precision or if you have to move the stick a bit before it starts to respond, you will understand about dead zones. Saitek.. well its hit or miss on the newer sticks and absolutely terrible on the older models like the x45, x52. The pro improves on precision a lot, but the quirky center dead zone is still there. I haven't tried an x55.

 

[Patrick_68000]

I just bought the XBox 360 controller (the latest model) on Amazon.fr --- special offer, the controller was at 19.99 euros and free delivery. I think I made a good deal

 

[ddrooster]

black widow joy stick setup

anybody done this
ive tried by selecting it on the controls re installing the drivers et al to no avail
any hints \ help much appreciated
before I launch it into the bin
regards
and thanks in advance its probably just me

 

[Devil]

Good! I KNOW you'll love it.

There is another item I use with my Warthog - it's optional, but I love it:

http://www.simpit.co.nz/item/thrustmaster-warthog-extension.html


Now we just need the devs to get rid of the silly saitek X52 knock off in the 'cockpit' and replace it with something that isn't a copy of a plastic bit of poo.

Warthog arrived... and what a shock, its way better than I expected. The weight on the box was the first clue.

The monitors and stand arrive tomorrow. Just in time for the start.

Can you link me to a good setup for the warthog.

 

[Zak Gordon]

Logic 3 Starfighter, it's done me fine for all my flightsims (Gunship 2000 etc) and space-sims (X-wing etc).

 

[Radokat]

I'll stick with my x52 for now - maybe will upgrade to a x55 the following weeks
Not sure how the quality of the current x55 batch is.

Heard of the squeaking problem - ugh.

 

[Cico]

Warthog template

http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/H...sterWarthogJoystickChart_zpsbff8e866.jpg.html

http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/H...sterWarthogThrottleChart_zps91b2bcaf.jpg.html

 

[chaseydog]

Warthog arrived... and what a shock, its way better than I expected. The weight on the box was the first clue.

The monitors and stand arrive tomorrow. Just in time for the start.

Can you link me to a good setup for the warthog.

A commander with the user name kungfu posted his TARGET profile earlier in the thread with instructions on how to set it up. Search the thread for user name kungfu an it should pop up. I'm you like I could email you a copy of mine which is a variation of kungfu's. PM me if your interested. A better option might be to hold off until the PB is released and the Warthog can be set up properly in game with the need to use TARGET. You may still want to look at kungfu or my TARGET profile to get set up ideas.

 

[chaseydog]

http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/H...sterWarthogJoystickChart_zpsbff8e866.jpg.html

http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/H...sterWarthogThrottleChart_zps91b2bcaf.jpg.html

Keep in mind that since the 1.1 Alpha only recognizes one controller you will not be able to duplicate this set up in its entirety without using the TARGET software. If your using the 4.0 Alpha or can wait until the PB, which support multiple controllers, than this won't be an issue.

 

[Cico]

I did have that post saved - then they moved it here and I lost it! Mods being tidy

anyone know what page its on now? Ive tried search etc

 

[Minti2]

I did have that post saved - then they moved it here and I lost it! Mods being tidy

anyone know what page its on now? Ive tried search etc

If its the Warthog template you did, its a few posts above you, if not that one look in your Statistics on your profile page and click on "find all posts by Cico"

 

[Helfix]

Are you able to use the "mouse nub" on the X-55 for vertical/horizontal thrust?

 

[Cico]

Lone Gunman - Nope was the forum post how to program your warthog using Target. I have my own templates

 

[Crimson1973]

Can you use a keyboard with the joystick? Mapping some functions on the Stick and others with a keypress, or maybe mapping one function on both keyboard and the stick at the same time?