The rudder is quite accurate, but rather jumpy... If you push it too hard, the plane will jump around like a frog, which doesn't improve gunnery. Like I said, it takes some getting-used-to! I am currently looking for a way to make the rudder less sensitive, perhaps make it work "progressively".... This is in no way a sign the X45 is a bad stick (in fact, I like it even better then my previous Cyborg!), it's just REALLY different from any 3D twist-stick. Takes a lot of getting used to! I bought it at a store and payed 85 euros. I've seen it on the WWW for only 70 euro's though!
Here's my fav sticks: CH CS 568 CH FS Pro CH FS All are extremely accurate sticks and made with good quality. No twist. Easy to open and easy to replace parts. No deadband. No spiking in new products but some will propably start in 2-4 years from purchase. Then pots need to be cleaned or returned to CH to replace with new ones. I'm currently using CH 568 USB and I like it very much. Though it's made for big handed people unlike me and i have great difficulties in reaching the POW hat. Im glad that I've always used keys for view so this isn't of any problem to me. I think stick is replica of real f-16 stick which explains poor (IMHO) ergonomy. Everything else in stick is excellent. Accuracy, spring tension, button placement etc. I also have a CH FS Pro USB on my second puter. I fell in love with this stick when i got gameport version in 1999. Nothing bad to say about this stick. Everything including ergonomy is nearly perfect. I wish i got old CH FS somewhere (yes that 2 button one). It's got the feel of WW2 fighterstick. In WB i don't need more than 2 buttons (for cannon and mg) anyway.
I love the old Cyborg USB gold stick and I'm currently on my third rebuild. A few tips for using it. Use the SD1.7 drivers but under XP you need to go back into device manager and manually change the device because it's listed as a Human Interface device (HID complaint thingy). So if it's not listed as a joystick look under Human Interface devices for HID complaint thingy, right click select properties and manually change the driver to the saitek cyborg joystick. Front Trigger: This tends to snap off after a while but theres a nice slot on the back so on new triggers I tend to re-inforce this by bulking it out with Araldite. Throttle: Only had one of these snap when I dropped it, but again it is possible to replace it (if you have an old spare) or you can re-fix it by using a soldering iron to reseal it back on (Glue dosn't work). Hat failing: They changed the design of these to make them a bit more reliable but they still fill up with dust. Take it off and blow all the dust out of it and then spray some graphite spray over the micro-switches. Another tip is to take the hat apart and the stem of the hat, file about 1 mm off the bottom then redrill the hole for the fixing screw (The stem is tapered and by shortening it slightly improves the contact). Looseness generally: After a while I found the stick seems to prefer to stay centred and almost clicks out of the centre position, this is the plate under the spring becoming grooved, you can either replace the plate if you have a spare or a touch of vaseline spread around the ridge under the plate does the trick. Looseness in the rudder, this is the worst. I don't know how to describe it but basically the twist mechanism in the handle is made out of plastic and it splits so the twist becomes looser then fails totally, there is no way to repair it but if you have a spare you can replace it. Failing that it's a bin job. Hope this helps a bit. Mal P.S. If you take the handle apart be careful screwing it back together because it has about 20 thin wires running up the inside and it is possible to trap them/ break them when screwing it back together.
LOL sebbo, when i get it finished and working without silvertape and rubberbands, i'll post some digipics and wiring diagram. The odd connector you mentioned, is in fact standard gameport connector, that makes quite simple to make adapter between stick and throttle unit. X45 has single usb-chip that is located afaik in stick unit. So all axis info is transferred from throttle to stick in analogical signal. When you make full-thru adapter (all pins connected 1 to 1) and place it between connectors, stick and throttle are working. Just by cutting two wires from adapter, rudder is disabled from throttle unit. (So is throttle, but that part is what i'm working with.) I must still make some checks, but i think it will be armed and fully operational in, let's say, Two Weeks. (Not FH Two Weeks.)
Okay, first flight with self-made pedals! COool! Solved the prob with disappearing throttle. I'll try to post pics'n stuff on my next shiftvacation, less than two weeks!
Okay. Pedals are working with less than 5% jitter. A bit of jitter is better than lightswitch behind throttle. (Say that five times quickly) The tech stuff you need: 1 D15F connector (One with holes in it) 1 D15M connector (One with spikes in it) Both with METAL frames. 1 150 kohm linear potentiometer. 6-7 meters of multithreaded 0.75 sqmm copper wire (Color is free of choice) That's all. Then the fun part: Cut 14 of 15 cm pieces from wire, peel both ends approx 5 mm. Solder all wires from d15m connector to d15f connector EXCEPT pins 5 and 13. Like from pin 1 of d15m to pin 1 of d15f. There should be numbers of each pin on connectors. Then solder grounding wire from connectorframe to the other. The screwhole on both ends of it is good place for that. Adapter does not work without that. Do NOT try to quit smoking while doing this. Now you should have a nice hassle of wires soldered from one con to the other. And have pins 5 and 13 free on both ends. Cut three 1.5 meter (Distance between joystick and pedals) pieces of remaining wire, peel 5 mm from both ends. Solder one wire to d15f connectors pin 5 and the other end to pots rightmost pin (From rear side) Next d15f pin 13 to centerpin of the pot. And last d15m pin 5 to the remaining pin. There. It should work. Mine does. Next part is "Ugly pictures of Dick's pedals"
OOOOOOOKAY THEN!!!! Thanks a LOT mate!!!!!! This is going to be cool! I'll get to that as soon as I got my old twin-pedal back...
Did use the X45 a while with warbirds online and self made rudder pedals, SUPER!!!! Still got that setup and use it with all the flightsims i play (offline.....) Installed the same setup at my brothers and friends home. All 3 of use are grazy about the X45 and the selfmade rudders. I can advise them to all u flightsim players
Okay, i couldn't attach pics for some reason (?) but feel free to look from here http://koti.mbnet.fi/weenie/ ,hopefully that works. And behold! Duct-tape has been used! Emm and sorry bout blurry images, it's best my webcam can do.
That's what I thought it would look like..... Well, I am currently searching for parts. So far I've got the base-plate, the cables and one of two old bass-drum pedals. I am going to connect the pedals with a steel cable (1 mm) and a rotating rod (like on your setup) to increase durability. The good thing about drum-pedals is that they're equipped with really good bearings, tension springs and are a hell of a lot sturdier then most setups I've seen so far. Also, it allows me to WELD the thingie that keeps the pully and pot-meter in place rather then just bolt or nail it into place. And I think it looks really cool... Anyway, I'm gonna make a shitload of pictures during construction. I'm going to place instructions on a website and blame you and Dutchi if it doesn't work out the way it should!
