Hardware Advices for buying a joystick / FCS ?

[N_Molson]

Hello,

The good thing with working full-time is that I'm getting paid. Not that much, but hey I have no big expenses either.

So, it is more than time I say "goodbye" to my "MS Sidewinder 2" bought in the early 2000s... It served (very) well, but 20 years later the dead zone is a bad joke.

So I'm looking for something more "serious" :

• first and foremost a reasonably accurate joystick, while not something too specific (I want to be able to fly anything from a Cessna Skylane to a Saturn V rocket...)
• I'd really like a separate throttle control device, with maybe 2 levers (to be able to play around with asymetrical thrust).
• any advice for a "translation" controller for Orbiter ? Sure you can switch from translation to rotation but being able to have both would be awesome. And how did they did it in the real world (Shuttle, Soyuz...) ? Forward/Reverse and Left/Right is pretty straightforward but Up/Down ? For some reason I doubt they used "stick twisting", always seemed quite very inaccurate to me.

I know a lot of people here have quite an extensive experience with simpits, so feel free to share your knowledge...

 

[DaveS]

For spacecraft, lateral translation is done by moving the controller, left/right, vertical is done by moving it up/down and longitudinal translation is done by moving the controller in/out (pushing/pulling).

 

[N_Molson]

Thanks, it makes a lot of sense. If I'm correct on most spacecraft the 'nauts are seat "feet first" with the controls on a vertical panel so those are "true axis", up really moves up, pushing moves forward and so on

 

[DaveS]

Hete's a previous thread discussing how to get a proper Translation Hand Controller (THC): https://www.orbiter-forum.com/threads/translation-controller.8963/

 

[clipper]

VKBsim Gladiator NXT is pretty much the most bang for the buck; very high material quality, contactless sensors on all axes, and probably the most comprehensive config software for any stick atm. I used the now discontinued Mk.II and switched to NXT when it came out and never really had anything other than positive experience with both of them so far and I tend to be really harsh with my sticks, courtesy of IL-2

Edit: store for EU here

 

[N_Molson]

Thanks, looks like good stuff indeed, I'll definitively consider that option, especially given they have an EU shop.

Now I read the thread pointed by @DaveS but it is a bit old and I'm wondering if anyone heard of "off-the-shelf" plug-and-play translation controllers ? I guess that given the popularity of KSP amongst others there's a small market for that kind of stuff ?

 

[diogom]

Only recently got my first stick, one of those Thrustmaster Airbus, mostly for MSFS. Pretty nice for the price as far as I can tell, more than enough for casual use, but while the X and Y axes are hall sensors, the Z (yaw) axis is still a pot, and one which tends to break often as I found out later. And mine did stop working (jittery) after a few months of light use. Had to replace it with a hall sensor, which wasn't too hard but it was still extra money and effort. I don't regret it in the end, it's great otherwise, but keep that in mind if you end up considering those.

I guess the "hat" switches on the stick could work for translation, at least lateral and vertical if it has four directions, forward/backward could be assigned to buttons. In the old Soyuz at least forward/backward was a three position switch.

 

[gamer19]

Not really a recommendation (unless you want something really cheap) but I have Logitech Extreme 3D Pro.

Actually I have, I believe, 3 of them. Found them near me, second hand and pretty cheap.
I have MS Sidewinder 2 too for some "serious" flight-simming and also Saitek x52 but I use only throttle from it.

However, after this lengthy intro... I think a pretty good/cheap combo is

Thrustmaster T.16000M​

https://www.amazon.com/Windows-PC-10-8-7-Vista/dp/B01KCHPRXA

They are very precise looking good and like I said - quite cheap

 

[4throck]

I have an old Thrustmaster Flight Hotas X:

T.Flight Hotas X - PS3 PC Joystick with Throttle (Flight Simulator Compatible) | Thrustmaster

The joystick with detachable throttle control and direct configuration for immediate takeoff!! Entirely Programmable PC and PS3™!

www.thrustmaster.com

You can detach the throttle control if needed.
Works well for flight sims, and it's not expensive.