saying good bye to an old freind

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:17 pm

hi all. i got my new x52 flightcontroll system. it's my second. my first love of 5 years has died

i go the store and they recommend logitech joysticks for flying. but i prefer the x-52. she seems to be a lot better. more precise in controll. but my first lasted me 5 years

but it sure was a good stick. thats a milestone i think for joysticks ain't it? or am i wrong there?

capt.PropwashKCHS · Post by **capt.PropwashKCHS** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:26 pm

a milestone for the X-52 no doubt. I have the Saitek ST-290 Pro (yeah i know, walmart special $20) and I have the X-52 Joystick. For helicopters i like the 290 pro, but for the bigger planes, i love the setup on the X52... ahhhhh the features!!!

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:39 pm

yes i have to agree. the fetures are awsome. and yes i agree about the 20 dollar joystick. i had 3 of them break befor i found my saitek. and it's the only thing i'll fly with. lol

tropicalfish · Post by **tropicalfish** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:57 pm

How about a yoke?

rd · Post by rd » Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:25 am

Great title....

My Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 will be 4 yrs old in Dec. The only time it was calibrated, was when I first installed it.

I wonder how many flight hours I've had with this thing. But when it does go, I am not sure what I will look for or get.

But I will miss it, and probably cry..........................because they haven't made them for over 3 yrs, and the prices they want for a used one, is horrible.

RD

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:14 pm

lol i agree with ya rd sir. i had 1,400 on my old stick. i took it around the world with many virtual airlines. and flew bombers with a virtual military squadron. and i cried when she died. but her little sister saved my flying yesterday.

jaeger52 · Post by **jaeger52** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:00 pm

I bought my Sidewinder Pro 9non-FFB) when it first hit the store shelves. I can't even remember when that was! It was one heck of a rock-solid stick.

About one year ago (perhaps more) I wanted to see what all this Force Feedback business was about, and RD spoke so highly of his that I tried to find one. That was when I discovered that Microsoft had dropped that production line. I eventually located a few of them being advertised on Ebay. I bought one and paid $120 (including shipping)!!!

It arrived a few days later in it's original "but opened" packaging.

That's the stick I'm using today and it works flawlessly!

My older, Pro stick eventually gave up the ghost when it could no longer be recognized by my USB Hub architecture. I sacrificed a USB mouse that I was no longer using and cut off the USB connector and spliced it to my old Pro Stick with Scotch tape!

Much to my surprise, it worked! But every so often my fancy scotch tape work fell apart, rendering the stick useless. So I went through a time consuming process of soldering the spliced wires and carefully shrink tubing the whole mess. But again, the USB hub failed to recognize it. I was heartbroken! I might have saved it for another attempt at rewiring, but in the end, life is too short. I tossed it into the garbage can a couple of weeks ago, regretably.

I have no idea what kind of solution I will seek out when my MS FFB stick rolls over and dies!

Jaeg-

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:26 pm

ok i have the solution for ya jager52. go to your local best buy and get the saitek x-52. man it's the best. ya don't have to calibrate it and it works great. it's a little high in the price. but it's a great stick. i don't fly with any thing else.

rd · Post by rd » Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:00 am

^^^^^ WRONG ANSWER.........

Reason being, is that the Sidewinder ForceFeedBack2 was, and still is the best stick you can get. The only problem is, they stopped making them in 2004-2005.

Original cost was $60 brand spanking new. The reason why MS didn't continue it, was for the lack of sales. Nobody wanted to buy a stick from MS, because it was high dollar at the time, and they also produced the FS line. So people bought the Satiaks (sp), and Logotechs (sp). Only to find out, they were crap.

If mine was to die, I will not have a problem buying another one, even used. They are that good, and rock solid dependable.

Don't knock it, unless you've tried it.

If I would have known that MS was going to stop producing this stick, I would have bought a couple more.

I can knock the others, as I have friends that own the others, and have had problems with them.

RD

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:17 pm

gee sorry rd my bad. but i was just saying that after having two logitech sticks that i thought saitek x52 was great. but don't get me wrong i didn't mean to knock the other sticks. i was jaust saying he might want one

mel wilson · Post by **mel wilson** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:53 pm

Without doubt, the Microsoft Force Feedback stick it the ultimate in sticks, it's robust, solid, and depenable....... mine gets, and has had so much abuse.... even had a glass of red wine over it, still works great today... nothing breaks, or wears out.

And if you know where to look, you can still get hold of one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw ... 55oso8fd_b

Mel.

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:13 pm

hey thats cool. thats like the one they show on the training videos on fs04. but what excatly dose the force feed back do for flying? i have a steering wheel for my pc with force feed back in it. but i never had it for flying.

jaeger52 · Post by **jaeger52** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:21 pm

You'll feel resistance on the stick when airborne maneuvering, the stick will practically leap out of your hands when encountering strong wind gusts and turbulence.

Also feel the bump of wheels on landing. You can feel the texture of the runway surface during landings and takeoffs. Feel the "whump" when your gear is retracted or extended.

You'll feel different ground textures: taxi ways, dirt, grass, concrete, etc.

Jaeg-

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:16 pm

ahh now that would be cool. that would give ya slightly more realism i think.

jaeger52 · Post by **jaeger52** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:40 pm

One other little slice of technology that has long held my interest is the "Butt Kicker".

http://www.thebuttkicker.com/gaming/index.htm

I think it would add tons of realism especially when flying rotary wing. I'd like to hear from anyone who has bought into this thing and find out their opinion.

Jaeg-

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:22 pm

the butt kicker? what is that? never heard of it

jaeger52 · Post by **jaeger52** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:26 pm

Just follow the link I provided in my last, young feller!

Jaeg-

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:33 pm

young feller? im a sticth old now. but ok. i'll have a look.

rd · Post by rd » Sat Aug 09, 2008 10:32 pm

This is the one I have.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SideWinder-Forc ... 545&sr=8-2

And to be honest, that is one of the cheapest ones I have seen. Wonder if it is still available.

RD

King OF air350 · Post by **King OF air350** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:39 am

Not a huge fan of the shape of the sidewinder- i had a really basic one to do CFS1 before i got into FS8, but I really dont know how long I have left in my old x52. i got 3 years on it so far, and thousands of flight hours. I'd hate to see it go!

On the other hand, it would give me an excelletn excuse to get a saitek yoke rig (with rudder pedals)

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:11 pm

i agree with ya king of air 350. them are pretty nice flightsystems. and i wish i could have one my self. i have the x-52. but i mean the flight yoke and stuff. that would be awsome. definetly improve the realisim of fs04. thats for sure

King OF air350 · Post by **King OF air350** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:42 am

yeah its definitely a completely different experience. you cant fly a helicopter with a yoke though! (its really awkward, anyway)

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:40 pm

yes it would be. but shoot i can't fly choppers at all wether i have a stick or a yoke

capt.PropwashKCHS · Post by **capt.PropwashKCHS** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:47 pm

i dont know if anyone would be interested in it, but Saitek does offer a Force Feedback stick..... the Cyborg Evo. http://saitek.com/uk/prod/evoforce.htm

Sister to the Walmart special ST290 Pro, but comes with FFB. Now if only Saitek could come out with a X52 Pro FFB Wireless..... that would be pretty NICE!! (and sell it for only $175 USD)

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:37 pm

175.00 usd? what are we millionares? i bought mine for 120.00 use dollars and it made me

let alone 175. come on captain prop wash sir. whos gonna have that kind of doe to spend on a stick? but i have read about the stcik you speak of. never tryed it as of yet. but i like my x-52

capt.PropwashKCHS · Post by **capt.PropwashKCHS** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:41 am

at current there is NO x52 pro WITH force feedback that is wireless. this is the stick, of at least 'my' dreams, to which would cost $175 USD. There is a Saitek X52 pro that is USB connected, but not wireless WITH force feedback. Think about the possibilities of that... Both the Joystick and Throttle would have the force feedback, and actually, the throttle would have a NULL zone below idle before it goes to REVERSE THRUST. so full forward throttle = afterburners / full back throttle = reverse thrust.

rd · Post by rd » Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:11 am

KA0014 wrote: 175.00 usd? what are we millionares?

Easy there young one. There are a few of us that can make that purchase, and not bat an eye. Remember, there are alot of adults here in the 40+ age range, that make 2-5 times more than you do.
RD

KA0014 · Post by **KA0014** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:13 pm

yes sir thats true. but im disabeld and get social security. so yeah. you fellas make lot more then me

ashwill · Post by **ashwill** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:29 am

Yes, I have the same joystick as RD. I don't actually know what I'd do if it was to brake, or get violently damaged in some way. It's certainly taken a battering over the 8 years and more I've had it.

WOW!!! 8 years for a joystick is old. we should put it in a museum

just kidding. but no i agree that if my stick borke againi would be pretty sad about it.

Please use the edit button. RD

Cat1 · Post by **Cat1** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:12 am

2 month dredge up...
I used to swear by the Thrustmaster product line.
It used to be real grips from real planes, and back then it never had force feedback or all the comforts of home, resistance was provided by a rubber resistive gasket surrounding the base of the stick. But the stick felt like a plastic version of what I had in the real aircraft I was a plane captain of (EA-6B's).

I abandoned my Thrustmaster Tomcat some edition that isn't made anymore in 2005 because the FF profile flaked out on my PC, come to find out I had burned up the gimbals that controlled the FF.
I bought a X52, and haven't looked back since. At first I had the overwhelming feeling of nothing was "happening" due to the lack of feedback. Force in the X52 is by a spring, it will wear over time and does no justice to a FF stick.

But I still think FF is a good thing, and Thrustmaster is the way to go for it. Microsquish was not making controllers when I made my entry into the sim world and I don't like the single point bases, I have used MS and Logitec sticks too.
Otherwise you can look to CH Products, I think they are expensive and overrated for what they are.

The best arrangement for me is still separate throttle and stick, this is something that Thrustmaster and CH pioneered as far as I know it to be.

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