HOTAS for 49.99

[TX-EcoDragon]

OK, at 49.99 you gotta admit that this is tough to beat. I know Zen hates this stick with a passion, and I have some definate issues with it, although I just bought my second one, because its got lots of functionality, for a complex sim  like this one I think its a must to have a HOTAS, or at least lotsa buttons and some rotaries. My only gripes are that the stick is hard to fly precisely with around center, and the cup always has some wobble (though the wobble never gets any worse than the day you first bought it, so after a year maybe its better than my other sticks in that respect), it also can get some friction between teh plastic cup and ring at the base, so you may need to wax that area. I sometimes feel like I might break the throttle when I jam it to the firewall, but I feel the same way with the 129.00 CH throttle, and the cable went out on mine after just a year and a half. . . but once again. . .at 49.99. .you can buy 6 of them for the price of a cougar (which I cant seem to find now anyway)

Oh, the stick I am talking about it the Saitek X-45


It has four 8 way hats (including the mouse nub, which can also be used to pan around the cockpit fluidly) two rotary knobs, buttons for flaps, weapons 1,2,3, and 4 (that all of them in IL-2), a rudder control (which I really dont like. . but it can be mapped to other things, buttons for your map, a push to talk for GV, and mode selectors to allow all of the many buttons to have 3 separate functions/button. Its no cougar or CH stick. . .but for those of us who cant really see spending 300 and still needing rudder pedals. .. its the stick to consider.

I have used this in conjunction with CH pro pedals, exclusively for my IL-2 and FB flying (though I am gonna set up the yoke for flying the bombers)


heres the link to compusa

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?tabtype=rb&product%5Fcode=288294&pfp=SEARCH#moreinfo

[TX-Zen]

Stop pedelling your inferior wares!TX-ZenBlack 6TX Squadron CO

[TX-Chukar]

Yeah that's right, we are to busy cleaning pots, bending springs, and trying to figure out complex digital statements on our overpriced Cougars to be bothered by such posts touting your easy to use, fully functional, low-cost stick.TX-ChukarBlue 1

[TX-Zen]

Say Chukar, any good links to putting lighter springs on the cougar? I think that after a year of using it I feel that I have no choice but to investigate that, the evenstrain mod is out of my price range. TX-ZenBlack 6TX Squadron CO

[TX-Kingsnake]

Eco, now post a link to a compatible set of rudder pedals.TX-KingsnakeWhite 1

[BS87]

Wow, with a birthday coming up soon, this is right on time!

[BS87]

Hmm, does the throttle connect speratly? that'd be great if it did, because then i could use my Sidewinder precision pro + the X45 Throttle!

[TX-EcoDragon]

The throttle connects into the stick, but FB can handle multiple devices so just push the stick out of sight, or perhaps use it for additional controls, or teh extra hat switches.King, The rudder pedals I use (keep in mind that the X-45 has a built in, but crappy rudder device) connect to another USB port, so compatibility is not an issue, and these are the CH Pro Pedals. They also have toe brakes.107.99 now at Compusahttp://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product%5Fcode=50088802&csearch=&cmid=&pfp=srch1

[TX-Chukar]

No Zen, I haven’t seen anything that would be worth the effort.  Some have used the F22 spring kits but I understand that it’s not much of a difference.  Myself, I've gotten used to it although my right arm has grown significantly larger than my left.TX-ChukarBlue 1

[TX-Deck]

Kingsnake,Thrustmaster makes an old set of rudders that will work with any PC that has a gameport, running WindowsXP or not.  The gameport is the trick, it seems to be a little rare these days on the new soundcards.  I guess no-one uses MIDI any more?The trick with XP is to go out and find the cheapest gameport joystick you can find (I found a $3 job that worked great) and connect it along with the Thrustmaster pedals.   Assign the joystick some properties within XP as a simple 2-axis 2-button joystick, and click on the "enable rudder pedals" box.BLAMMO!... a fully functional set of Thrustmaster gameport rudder pedals.   Discard cheap joystick behind the desk, with no pressure upon the axis or buttons.  I almost took all the electronics out of the joystick and threw them all in a box with the adapter hanging out of it, but couldn't stand the thought of having anything that resembled a "dongle" around me while on the computer.TX-Deck out.

[BS87]

quote:Originally posted by TX-Chukar:gotten used to it although my right arm has grown significantly larger than my left.TX-ChukarBlue 1

One way to solve that: Only use your left hand to spank the monkey :p

[TX-Deck]

LOL BS87, plus it feels like somebody else is taking care of the business...(sorry guys, I HAD to.....)TX-Deck out.

[TX-Kingsnake]

I should have the CH pedals in a few days. I hope rudder pedals aren't like playing drums. In a few weeks I'll get the Saitek stick. I like that stick, for the price of a sidewinder it looks like a deal. Then more ram, new video card, new moniter, track ir. I'm also looking for a good (new) helicopter sim.  TX-KingsnakeWhite 1

[TX-Rahman]

King,           Sign me on with the chopper sim as well!!  I love choppers and have been looking for a good sim for a while now.  Have Comanche 2 I think....it's ok.  B~TX-Rahman"BLUE 2"

[TX-Kingsnake]

I'm in the mood for a good urban warefare FPS and a chopper sim. What is on the boards? Anything coming out soon? I really need a chopper sim with the realism of il2.TX-KingsnakeWhite 1