X55 Rhino Button Layout with Reference Card

This is my current set up with the X55. I still tweak it on occasion when something is missing or bugs me. The look controls on the bottom hat on the throttle aren't needed any more as I've got my EDTracker working and calibrated nicely again, but I don't have anything to assign there for the moment, so have left them as is.

The Supercruise/hyperspace toggle on switch 2 is right where my thumb is when entering/exiting either mode, so works nicely for me.

I don't know if it was just me but I had to assign all the camera controls myself which is why some of the controls are assigned multiple times. I did have them set up to an xbox controller before I got the X55 and these settings were retained when I switch configuration.

Stick:
X55%20Stick%20Scaled.jpg

Throttle:
X55%20Throttle%20Scaled.jpg
 
Just a question guys is the x55 vastly superior and is it worth the $200 cost to upgrade to interested in it reviews have been good just want to know if it is a mandatory convenience item such as voice attack that i should get it asap for playing elite and maybe sc when that comes out.

I'm running just a Logitech extreme 3d pro for reference just what i could get my hands on right away atm. Looking for a new joystick i know this is bad but want to know which one to get.

Thanks in advance,
Squeekydoor
 
Just a question guys is the x55 vastly superior and is it worth the $200 cost to upgrade to interested in it reviews have been good just want to know if it is a mandatory convenience item such as voice attack that i should get it asap for playing elite and maybe sc when that comes out.

I'm running just a Logitech extreme 3d pro for reference just what i could get my hands on right away atm. Looking for a new joystick i know this is bad but want to know which one to get.

Thanks in advance,
Squeekydoor

Well I had been using the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X (£45) on Elite, and while it's a perfectly fine flight stick, you are still heavily reliant on other inputs from keyboard/controller.

The X55 (£140-£280) has so many buttons, hats and rotararies that you'll be trying to find things to bind to it, rather than trying to pick and choose what you can bind.

IMHO the next step up would be the Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog but it is rediculously expensive (£300+) and only really for the die hard sim fan.

It really depends on how much control you want at your fingertips or whether you are happy using multiple controllers.
 
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Just ordered one of these babies. Going to the official store - they are in stock - saved me a fair bit of cash the other rip off merchants were selling them for.
 
The X55 (£140-£280) has so many buttons, hats and rotararies that you'll be trying to find things to bind to it, rather than trying to pick and choose what you can bind.

Been there.
:D

Still got unbound controls. No idea what to do with them. Maybe there'll be some upstream functionality I can engage.
 
Anyone have a PDF or image handy for the reference sheet for the default X55 key mappings that ED assigns in the game as soon as you select X55 in the controls drop down?

I was trying to find this somewhere (I remember seeing it in one of the threads in the forums) but so far have been unable to. I'm hoping one of you knows.

***EDIT*** Never mind guys; found it! http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21794
 
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Questions:

1) I just plugged it all in today and began setting up the switches etc in ED's Options > Controls page. Is this the correct way to do it or should the program I downloaded from Saitek for setting up buttons be used instead? Which takes preference?

2) I have a right problem with the throttle. Possibly something in the question above might be to blame, but I cannot get it so that mid throttle position is zero thrust, then forward and backward motion of the throttle are forward and reverse thrust.
I can get it so that it only goes forwards, or I can get it so it only goes in reverse (both with pushing forward!) or I can get some cranky doohickey movement by jerking the throttle quickly to make it reverse but never getting full power either way.
I think this must be something in the curve profile of the Saitek software but its befuddling me.

3. For some reason assigning keys to certain tasks in ED on the throttle and joystick seems to be overriding my Voice Attack commands. Anyone else had this?
 
1. That's how I did it.
2. No idea. My old joystick with built in throttle did the half/half thing. To be honest, I hated it. I much prefer the way it is with the x55. Just set one of the buttons to toggle between forward and reverse.
 
Setup my X55 and have played ED with it for an hour or so; what a difference!

I do have a couple of questions:

1) Mouse nub/nipple on the X55 throttle; it doesn't do anything in Windows or in ED. When I load up the Saitek software it does register it when I touch it as Mouse X/Y axis but it doesn't move my mouse pointer in general.
***EDIT*** found my answer here: http://support.madcatz.com/Knowledg...-x55-mouse-nipple-to-control-the-mouse-cursor

2) VoiceAttack; for you X55 owners who use VoiceAttack, what do you most commonly use it for? Voice commands for which functions? For the most part, everything is covered under the default X55 profile in ED, but I am just curious what you find most helpful.
 
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Not wantig to clutter up this great thread, but I have some concerns over reports of the X-55's QA so started a thread for shopping advice: here.

I've had mine for a few months now and there aren't any issues with mine (aside from a little creaking when yawing...which I took care of with some try lubricant). Buttons and switches are all precise, throttle is perfect, nicely weighted, it feels well made and sturdy.

I do wish you could change the LED color and the stick base had a USB hub where you could plug the throttle rather than having to run 2 wires back to the PC. I'd also like the wire to be removable from the stick so as to make storage more easily managed.
 
My X-55 setup.

Been playing around for a while and i finally found the setup I like.

Elite%20Keys.jpg

Elite%20Keys2.jpg

What is not shown in the images attached is that i have the top throttle spin axis mapped to analog thrust Up and Down. This is great for dog fighting.

Also I use the pinky rocker on the throttle (KI in the image) for centering my TrackIR and Pausing it.

This setup plus some Voice Attack is great.

Here is the custom binds file if anyone wants it:
Custom.binds
 
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I do wish.......the stick base had a USB hub where you could plug the throttle rather than having to run 2 wires back to the PC. I'd also like the wire to be removable from the stick so as to make storage more easily managed.

Agreed on those points!
 
...aside from a little creaking when yawing...which I took care of with some try lubricant

Where on the stick did you lubricate for the yaw rotation movement? Just at the base of the joystick or did you take anything apart and lubricate specific parts?
 
Questions:

1) I just plugged it all in today and began setting up the switches etc in ED's Options > Controls page. Is this the correct way to do it or should the program I downloaded from Saitek for setting up buttons be used instead? Which takes preference?

2) I have a right problem with the throttle. Possibly something in the question above might be to blame, but I cannot get it so that mid throttle position is zero thrust, then forward and backward motion of the throttle are forward and reverse thrust.
I can get it so that it only goes forwards, or I can get it so it only goes in reverse (both with pushing forward!) or I can get some cranky doohickey movement by jerking the throttle quickly to make it reverse but never getting full power either way.
I think this must be something in the curve profile of the Saitek software but its befuddling me.

1. I set up using the ingame controller options but used the saitek software to set up a couple of custom actions and get the mouse nipple working in ED

2. I haven't been able to set up my throttle like that either, I just assign a button to toggle reverse thrust on and off, and use the thrusters for fine adjustment and landing
 
Oops, I posted this in the hardware X55 thread, otherwise known as 'the place where threads go to die', rather than here...

Has anyone managed to use the slider on the throttle in a useful way?

I had the, seemingly, bright idea to use it for the headlook on/off hold control with the following steps:

1. Set the map to the [ key in the HUD software.
2. In ED, the headlook mode to HOLD
3. Bind the [ key to Enable headlook.

I was quite happy with how this worked until, and it's pretty obvious when you think about it, I focussed on a text entry control such as Search on the Galaxy Map or Quick Chat. In these cases, I ended up with [[[[[[[[[[[[ until I could turn off the slider.

I suppose I could have it as a toggle and just slide it on or off whenever I want to enable/disable headlook, but this feels a bit cheap.

I'm also at a loss to find any function for the four rotary controls on the throttle. I use the pinky rotary for scanner zoom which works nicely. The top two switches on the right of the throttle are also unassigned in my profile because I just can't comfortably reach the darn things.
 
Questions:

1) I just plugged it all in today and began setting up the switches etc in ED's Options > Controls page. Is this the correct way to do it or should the program I downloaded from Saitek for setting up buttons be used instead? Which takes preference?

2) I have a right problem with the throttle. Possibly something in the question above might be to blame, but I cannot get it so that mid throttle position is zero thrust, then forward and backward motion of the throttle are forward and reverse thrust.
I can get it so that it only goes forwards, or I can get it so it only goes in reverse (both with pushing forward!) or I can get some cranky doohickey movement by jerking the throttle quickly to make it reverse but never getting full power either way.
I think this must be something in the curve profile of the Saitek software but its befuddling me.

3. For some reason assigning keys to certain tasks in ED on the throttle and joystick seems to be overriding my Voice Attack commands. Anyone else had this?

1. Unless you need to do anything fancy with the mappings, or to make sure that a keypress is available for Voice Attack, this is the best way to do it.

2. This may be an obvious question, but did you set the throttle to 'full range' in Elite? I think this is what it's called but I'm not at my machine right now. This should give you the full reverse to full forward range on the throttle. There is no zero detent on the X55 throttle so some people set a dead zone in the middle to make it easier to find.

3. What do you mean by 'overriding' your VA commands? Is it losing the key binding in ED so that VA can't activate it?
 
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