±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 346
Total: 346
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Community Forums
03: Home
04: Community Forums
05: Downloads
06: Home
07: Downloads
08: Community Forums
09: News Archive
10: Community Forums
11: Downloads
12: Home
13: Member Screenshots
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: Community Forums
17: Home
18: Community Forums
19: Community Forums
20: Photo Gallery
21: Community Forums
22: Community Forums
23: Member Screenshots
24: Home
25: Photo Gallery
26: Community Forums
27: Photo Gallery
28: Home
29: Community Forums
30: News
31: Community Forums
32: Home
33: Community Forums
34: Home
35: Home
36: Community Forums
37: Community Forums
38: Home
39: Photo Gallery
40: Community Forums
41: Member Screenshots
42: Community Forums
43: News Archive
44: Community Forums
45: Member Screenshots
46: Home
47: Your Account
48: Photo Gallery
49: Community Forums
50: Statistics
51: Community Forums
52: Photo Gallery
53: Member Screenshots
54: Photo Gallery
55: Community Forums
56: Community Forums
57: Community Forums
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Photo Gallery
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Community Forums
66: Member Screenshots
67: Community Forums
68: Home
69: Community Forums
70: Home
71: Community Forums
72: Home
73: News Archive
74: Downloads
75: Home
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Community Forums
79: Home
80: Community Forums
81: Home
82: Photo Gallery
83: Photo Gallery
84: Community Forums
85: Member Screenshots
86: Home
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: Statistics
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Member Screenshots
93: Photo Gallery
94: Community Forums
95: Member Screenshots
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Community Forums
101: Downloads
102: Community Forums
103: Downloads
104: Community Forums
105: Photo Gallery
106: Community Forums
107: Community Forums
108: Member Screenshots
109: Photo Gallery
110: News Archive
111: Community Forums
112: Community Forums
113: Photo Gallery
114: Community Forums
115: Community Forums
116: Home
117: Member Screenshots
118: Photo Gallery
119: Member Screenshots
120: Community Forums
121: Community Forums
122: Home
123: Community Forums
124: Home
125: Member Screenshots
126: Statistics
127: Photo Gallery
128: Your Account
129: Home
130: Home
131: Downloads
132: Home
133: Community Forums
134: Your Account
135: Community Forums
136: Member Screenshots
137: Statistics
138: News Archive
139: Your Account
140: Member Screenshots
141: Community Forums
142: Community Forums
143: Member Screenshots
144: Home
145: Community Forums
146: Member Screenshots
147: Home
148: News Archive
149: Community Forums
150: Home
151: Member Screenshots
152: Photo Gallery
153: Home
154: News Archive
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: Photo Gallery
158: Photo Gallery
159: Community Forums
160: Member Screenshots
161: Downloads
162: Member Screenshots
163: Member Screenshots
164: Photo Gallery
165: Photo Gallery
166: Community Forums
167: Photo Gallery
168: Photo Gallery
169: Community Forums
170: Home
171: Community Forums
172: Community Forums
173: Community Forums
174: Home
175: News Archive
176: Community Forums
177: Photo Gallery
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: News Archive
181: Home
182: Community Forums
183: Member Screenshots
184: Community Forums
185: Community Forums
186: Community Forums
187: Photo Gallery
188: Community Forums
189: Home
190: Community Forums
191: Member Screenshots
192: Downloads
193: Home
194: Photo Gallery
195: Community Forums
196: Community Forums
197: Photo Gallery
198: Downloads
199: Photo Gallery
200: Member Screenshots
201: Photo Gallery
202: Community Forums
203: Member Screenshots
204: Photo Gallery
205: Community Forums
206: Home
207: Home
208: Downloads
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Member Screenshots
212: Community Forums
213: Home
214: Member Screenshots
215: Photo Gallery
216: Community Forums
217: Photo Gallery
218: Community Forums
219: Community Forums
220: Photo Gallery
221: Member Screenshots
222: Community Forums
223: Photo Gallery
224: Community Forums
225: News Archive
226: Photo Gallery
227: Home
228: Community Forums
229: Home
230: Home
231: Member Screenshots
232: Home
233: Downloads
234: Community Forums
235: Community Forums
236: Member Screenshots
237: Home
238: Photo Gallery
239: Photo Gallery
240: Downloads
241: Photo Gallery
242: Community Forums
243: Photo Gallery
244: Member Screenshots
245: Home
246: News Archive
247: Photo Gallery
248: Member Screenshots
249: Photo Gallery
250: Home
251: Community Forums
252: Home
253: Member Screenshots
254: Home
255: Community Forums
256: News Archive
257: Member Screenshots
258: Community Forums
259: Community Forums
260: Member Screenshots
261: Community Forums
262: Community Forums
263: Home
264: Photo Gallery
265: Community Forums
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: Home
269: Community Forums
270: Home
271: Community Forums
272: Home
273: Home
274: Community Forums
275: Photo Gallery
276: Community Forums
277: Photo Gallery
278: Photo Gallery
279: Photo Gallery
280: Community Forums
281: Member Screenshots
282: Community Forums
283: Community Forums
284: Photo Gallery
285: Photo Gallery
286: Community Forums
287: Home
288: Home
289: Member Screenshots
290: Photo Gallery
291: Member Screenshots
292: Community Forums
293: Photo Gallery
294: Community Forums
295: Home
296: Member Screenshots
297: News Archive
298: Photo Gallery
299: Community Forums
300: Community Forums
301: Community Forums
302: Photo Gallery
303: Community Forums
304: News Archive
305: Community Forums
306: Photo Gallery
307: Community Forums
308: Downloads
309: Community Forums
310: Photo Gallery
311: Member Screenshots
312: Home
313: Photo Gallery
314: Downloads
315: Photo Gallery
316: Photo Gallery
317: Home
318: Photo Gallery
319: Home
320: Member Screenshots
321: Home
322: Home
323: News Archive
324: Downloads
325: Member Screenshots
326: News Archive
327: Downloads
328: Community Forums
329: Home
330: Member Screenshots
331: Community Forums
332: Member Screenshots
333: Photo Gallery
334: Community Forums
335: Photo Gallery
336: Home
337: Home
338: Downloads
339: Downloads
340: Photo Gallery
341: Member Screenshots
342: Downloads
343: Downloads
344: Photo Gallery
345: Home
346: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
My Logitech Joystick was dying so..... :: Archived
Resolve issues with your computer problems here or read about the latest computer parts and information.
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  Hardware

Topic Archived View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:09 pm
Post subject: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

...rather than replace it with another one, or ask what the options were, I just said to heck with it....I'm not flying anymore!

Well actually that lasted about half a day. But I did come up with a plan.....

Rather than buy another joystick I bought Mrs. Stoopy a ring for Valentine's day.

Well actually she wanted it and it was the weekend before Valentine's day. But I did come up with a plan.....

I milked it and said it shoudl be good enough to serve as another wedding band and that I'd put it on her finger on V-day. Well that worked.

Because, I mentioned....on the way home.....well, that dang joystick problem. And so she asks what I'd want to replace it with.

It was kinda like the scene in "A Christmas Story" at the dinner table when little Ralphie is asked what he wants for Christmas and he blurts out "I want an official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock".....yeah I want a CH Products stick like the one I used to have but also rudder pedals to go with it and a throttle".

So the plan worked....she said well go ahead and order it then.....which I did and it too, was all here by Valentines Day....just in time for when I got back from the airport. Smile

So following the short ring-ceremony and other goings-on accustomed to the day of celebration, I went to hook it all up. Since each device needs a USB port and I only had a few to spare, and CH recommends an internal PCI USB card rather than a hub for reliable power to the devices, I snagged a cheapo SIIG PC USB card at an electronics store while I was in Texas. So I did have to crack the case open and install the card, but it's a good unit (Windows recognized it immediately, no drivers needed) so seems a good way to go. Has 4 USB ports on the back plus one internal, and the more the merrier!

The stick itself totally lives up to my previous CH experience (the old stick never died, it was just a game-port 15 pin connector and not USB, and so isn't suported anymore). It's big, and not the prettiest thing, but it's what's inside that counts and it has a HUGE amount of travel and very precise feel. The return springs aren't stiff and actually feel weak so that you wonder if the stick will return to center by itself when you push it over to the side or pull back and let go.

But it all adds up to a "light touch" precision feel and the feeling of actually FLYING now is amazing. reminds me of the last flight I had in a single-engine plane, you don't really move the stick as much as you just apply gentle pressure. This feels the same way.

The throttle is very smooth as well and has tons of buttons and hat switches, even a mini-joystick built into it (I guess so you can fly a virtual R/C model in formation with your virtual aircraft or something??).

Anyway to make a long story short, the precision and solid feel are really worth it - and no setup issues, FS9, FSX and IL2-1946 all recognized this stuff right off the bat, I haven't used the CH COntrol Manager software yet but if I do then apparently there's 176 switch uses that can be defined (!!) And tho it weren't exactly cheap to get it all at once, the reviews are still raving about CH durability so it shoudl last years and years.

Anyway, just in case anyone wants to know and needs a recommendation, yup I'm ecstatic with the setup and highly recommend it!

The obligatory pix.....the hardware, and some flying stuff....



A dramatic moment as The Killer Stik makes it's first appearance to the world.....



Everyting "naked" and out-of-the-box.....



..and all stuffed in place, as well as can be, on (and under) the 'puter desk....



Precision with the pedals, throttle and stick is GREAT. Here's a sequence of the checkout flight, doing a "nose-around" an airport beacon tower....hadn't even had time to get used to the stick yet, and no problem!









Even started the dang Slingload Tutorial mission in FSX and was able to snag the pallette and get it on the truck in record time.....unfortunately the Humvee got away from me becuase I let it get swinging too much n the way to the freighter and the cable broke......I take the blame for being excited and impatient....




...and thanks to the fine control of the rudder pedals, setting the Deke down on the exact middle of the runway so the tailwheel comes right down on the centerline, is no problemo!



Anyway, highly recommended!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Uhu_Fledermaus
Aircraft Demolition Expert

Offline Offline
Joined: Nov 28, 2004
Posts: 4369
Location: Blaricum, The Netherlands ~GMT+1
PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:18 pm
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

You really have a way to hit the soft spot with the misses ain't ya Stoop ! Laughing Wink

Well Congratulation with your new acquisitions and may I wish that they wil serve you well for a very long time Smile


fled
Cool
Back to top
View user's profile ICQ Number MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
Chuck_71st
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jul 23, 2005
Posts: 235

PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:46 am
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

Wow...I can just imagine the smells of that new gaming hardware when you first open the box. Brings tears to my eyes, Congradulations!
Back to top
View user's profile
Kitform
Bar Maid

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 22, 2005
Posts: 2011
Location: Cleveland. UK.
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:02 am
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

I notice you also use the top of your scanner for 'temporary' filing. Laughing
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7020
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:37 pm
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

Ahhh........ the trick of bowing down to the higher power's wishes before 'mentioning' a need has always worked for me too..lol

Wonderful addition to your set up Stoopy!! There's nothing like having a quality product to make your life more enjoyable... Congrats!!
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:52 pm
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

In response to Hammer's question in the other thread....

- 401RCAF_Hammer
-S-

Hey Stoopy..I was thinking of going to the CH Joystick, does it feel like the Logitek Extreme Pro.?..in the sence of stick tension. I dont like sticks that have a lot of freeplay as in the Sataik. Do you have to return the stick to center after a bank or can you just ease off and let the stick tension return to center. How about freeplay..eg null zone, is it small and can you set it..? I do all my flying on IL-2 1946 so I am looking for a fast stick combo. Picked up that Saytek monster, was the best throttle I have ever seen, but the stick sucks...way too much freeplay and the centering springs are a joke..I gave it to a friend for his kid. Makes me wonder why a company would produce such a great throttle and such a lousy stick..?

Hammer Cool Laughing Cool Laughing Cool



Little more info on the stick itself and the nature & feel of it:

The throw travel is quite large - 4 inches from center to the extreme for a full 8 inches from side to side (don't use it next to your monitor or you'll bash your knuckles in the heat of combat).....and during the whoel amount of travel, the input is very precise and smooth, it's not "steppy" in any way whatsoever:




As you can infer in the second pic above, spring forces are very light, there's a few ounces of pressure applied from the tip of my pinky is all. That's not to say it won't center itself...it most assuredly will...but if you let go it will come up imemdiately, overshoot a but, and rock back and forth a few times as it centers, like a pendulum with a light centering spring attached...this is due to the large mass of the stick itself since the size and number of buttons make it fairly weighty.

Frankly I very much prefer this since it's so much like the stick forces in the real T-6 Texan I flew in a year and a half ago, it's amazing. You flew the plane my just applying fingertip pressure to the stick...no ham-handed grab-and-yank stuff. This is the same thing....in IL2 fighter aircraft, or bush flying in the wilderness, you get that "responsive yet somewhat loose" feel that's awesome. Hand-flying the plane feels just like it sounds...hand flying!

To be honest if the spring fdorces were tighter (and you can do this, CH will provide the springs and I opened up my last one to alter them) I wouldn't be as happy....but to each their own.

The stick comes with some impressive driver and setup software for customizing the dead zone and responsiveness as well. Without altering the setup, I've noticed that in IL2 I get some very slight aileron inout one way or the other depending on which way I release the stick to center and can't quite leave the SBD Dauntless in hands-off level flight because it isnt' quite 'dead' on the middle of the roll axis....normally I just adapt to the hardware but I'm going to try the below changes (see X and Y options in the second pic) and see if this cures it...I'm sure it will actually, as the options to configure and tweak this are pretty wide open.

The CH control manager also has some wicked button-mapping options that I haven't explored yet simply becuase I'm having too much fun flying right now....



_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:43 am
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

I know y'all are probably tired of hearing about it but I thought this was worth sharing and it closes the loop on any questions too:

There's kind of a subset in the community that are CH fanatics....and the company reps and engineers are actively involved in community support.....kinda neat to see, and the forum (if you ever have questions or need setup/mapping suggestions) is here:

www.ch-hangar.com/forum/

Some really interesting posts, testimonials, and even modifications of their equipment (such as the "Franken Potato" which must be seen to be believed I think).. Kinda neat to know about......you don't see this kind of brand loyalty and direct involvement with the community very often.....another thing that really sets 'em apart I think.


_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7020
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:15 am
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

You're quickly giving me the bug to update my 'stuff' ... lol
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-fr8ycat
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Mar 13, 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Los Angeles
PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:06 am
Post subject: Re: My Logitech Joystick was dying so.....

Well, had to let some other sucker...eeh hmmm, I mean Boss go first. Mr. Green

Ordered the Fighter Stick and I'm loving it. Very smooth and precise. I've had CH Pedals for about 3 years now and of course have loved using them, a must for helo flying. Now having both the stick and pedals is awesome. The control manager/center software allows me to map the joystick and pedals as 1 device so I can finally fly my "Search and Rescue: Vietnam Medevac". Wished I would have spent the extra money and got one instead of my previous Logitech.

I highly recomend it to anyone looking to get a new joystick and shop around. I got mine for $108 out the door through ANTOnline.com.

_________________
Back to top
View user's profile MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  Hardware
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours

Archive Revive
Username:
This is an archived topic - your reply will not be appended here.
Instead, a new topic will be generated in the active forum.
The new topic will provide a reference link to this archived topic.