Recommended Joystick?

[astrosammy]

I only can recommend not to buy a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. After mine began to have big problems with yaw control I thought it was because of some hard movements, but after googling about the issue it seems to be that you have to be lucky to get one that keeps working. It is really annoying to have your craft rotating when doing nothing or having your approach screwed up by that.

 

[Arrowstar]

I have a Logitech Attack 3 and I like it. It's simple, not too many fancy buttons or whatnot, but it's worked great and seemed to be reasonably durable and simply to use, which is what I like in a joystick.

 

[Woo482]

I have a Logic3 Star Fighter that I got a few years ago when I first started to use flight simulators and yes I know its not the best Joystick but I am getting a new Hard Drive and CPU before I even think of getting a new one

 

[RangerPL]

I have a Saitek X52 (not Pro though). Nice, but I wish there was a program so I could use all the buttons in Orbiter (not FBW, but something else for all the buttons)

 

[yagni01]

I have a Saitek X52 (not Pro though). Nice, but I wish there was a program so I could use all the buttons in Orbiter (not FBW, but something else for all the buttons)

Check out the simpit thread. There are a couple apps, including Joy2Key, that map joystick buttons to keystrokes. I've mapped my CH CombatStick that way.

 

[James.Denholm]

You know, I've always wondered at the difference between the X52 and X52 Pro... I've read the descriptions of each, and they seem to be the same, just a different pricetag and look. Does anyone know what differentiates them?

 

[Dickie]

Have you tried calibrating the joystick?

Yup, first thing I did - and have done again many times. It comes up in the calibration window as working fine, it's when you actually start using it that the problem starts.

The difference between the X52 and the X52Pro is the MFD, in the X52, all it does is show the time and the name of the profile you've selected. However, in the X52Pro, it can be set up to display all sorts of information from most games/sims i.e in FSX you can show your nav aids and change them with the rotary switches below the MFD.

 

[James.Denholm]

Oh, now that's cool. Don't mind me if I start robbing houses to buy that.

 

[Hielor]

Yup, first thing I did - and have done again many times. It comes up in the calibration window as working fine, it's when you actually start using it that the problem starts.

A lot of games allow you to set up a deadzone...try increasing your deadzone size to account for the extra play?

 

[Dickie]

Aye, I adjusted both the stick's deadzone in the calibration window, and the deadzone in the games themselves to no avail. The trouble is in the calibration window it shows that the stick and pedals never centre to the same spot, and by the time I've got a deadzone big enough to cover all the ranges it makes the stick almost unusable.

Still, not too much of an issue at the moment as I'm playing with real aircraft instead!

 

[Clavius0712]

I got my Saitek Cyborg X today. Nice piece of kit, although when I was using the "adjustment tool" some bit of metal fell off it. I'm not sure from exactly where as it's tiny (a silvery washer-shaped bit of metal) but the stick seems OK without it. If anyone knows what this was, let me know.

Having looked at the Profile Editor software I'm not sure where to start. Does anyone have any suggestions for key mappings etc. that work well for them? I've already assigned numpad 5 (Kill ROT) to the main trigger as suggested in the manual but I'm sure others on the forum will have fully programmed their joysticks.

As always, any advice much appreciated.

 

[RangerPL]

Aye, I adjusted both the stick's deadzone in the calibration window, and the deadzone in the games themselves to no avail. The trouble is in the calibration window it shows that the stick and pedals never centre to the same spot, and by the time I've got a deadzone big enough to cover all the ranges it makes the stick almost unusable.

Still, not too much of an issue at the moment as I'm playing with real aircraft instead!

I have the same problem. For myself, I've found that unplugging the joystick, making sure it's centered properly and plugging it back in usually works.

 

[SpaceCowboy]

I use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, and I've been happy.

 

[T.Neo]

I only use it for atmospheric flight.
For space flight it is better to use keyboard, IMHO.

Agreed. You don't fly in space like in an atmosphere. I even find myself using keypad for landings, because my joystick doesn't have yaw, and I end up contorting myself to get to the yaw keys.

Maybe I should get a new joystick.

P.S: I have cool little buttons on my joystick. I want to make them do stuff in Orbiter. Is there any way to configure this?

 

[Hielor]

I use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, and I've been happy.

Is there any particular reason that your signature consists of advertisements? For real companies, I mean. It makes sense for people to put Orbiter-related stuff in their sigs, but yours...it just makes every single one of your posts look like an ad (which it is).

Agreed. You don't fly in space like in an atmosphere. I even find myself using keypad for landings, because my joystick doesn't have yaw, and I end up contorting myself to get to the yaw keys.

Maybe I should get a new joystick.

P.S: I have cool little buttons on my joystick. I want to make them do stuff in Orbiter. Is there any way to configure this?

This thread: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=77340#post77340

 

[EliNaut]

Word of warning about the X52;

I bought an X52 along with the Saitek Pro-Flight rudder pedals about 2 years ago, and whilst my setup was great at first (and still is), recently the stick and rudder pedals have ceased to centre properly, so when I take my hands off the stick in Orbiter and X-Plane, I continue to roll to the right with similar effects after yawing. Having reinstalled both Orbiter and X-Plane, along with my Saitek drivers I have to conclude that it's a hardware issue.

Maybe it's a wear and tear thing (my setup was used probably more than is healthy over the period of time in question, and a lot of that was harsh use with CFS and F4) but I just thought I'd mention it seeing how expensive they are!

Yes, i've had the same issue(I don't have the pedals however). I just put a temporary deadzone (very very tiny), until I can see if I can find a more technical solution to it.

Something weird happend the other day too - I was just browsing around in my computer and opened up windows media player to listen to an mp3 which I forgot i had, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed on the MFD screen, the first row had changed to the name of the track . Scared the heck out of me bahaha :lol:

 

[n122vu]

I use Microsoft Sidewinder.
It has worked for years.
I only use it for atmospheric flight.
For space flight it is better to use keyboard, IMHO.

I also have a Sidewinder. A Force Feedback Pro (version 1 - gameport) to be exact. Had it for about 10 years and it works as good as the day I bought it for $129.

I also exclusively use the keyboard when flying in space. Only time I would use a joystick for that would be a space combat sim like good ol' Wing Commander or Vega Strike.