Enhance Your Gaming with Vista-Friendly Peripherals - Part 2
Flight Control SystemsAficionados of flight and combat sims, as well as hardcore Mech addicts (it’s time for a next-gen Mechwarrior), may not find gamepads and joysticks as fully featured as they like. For these folks, specialized controllers are the answer. In this class of devices you’ll find individual controllers that include yokes, flightsticks, throttles and pedals, as well as HOTAS combos. And, since they’re normally used in tandem rather than individually, we’ll examine these controllers in component sets. CH Products Fighterstick Pro, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals | Average Retail Price: $125, $125, $100 / £100, £140, £100 CH Products Fighterstick Pro Although little in new hardware has emerged from CH Products of late, that shouldn't deter flight sim fanatics from considering their offerings. For those serious about combat flight sims and giant Mech games, a combo of their Fighterstick Pro, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals makes for a potent mix. The Fighterstick is a solid performer with three axes and 24 buttons (three push buttons, one mode switch, three four-way hat switches and one eight-way point of view hat), a total of 176 programmable functions (with Control Manager software), realistic F-16 handle and more. It's comfortable for those with medium- to large-size hands, performs near flawlessly with great precision and can function as a standalone controller. Nonetheless, the Fighterstick works best when paired with the Pro Throttle. Encased in a durable plastic housing (as is true with all CH controllers), the features on this device are a close match to those of the Fighterstick with the exception that the X and Y axes are moved to a miniature joystick while the Z axis, on the base of the unit, provides an accurate throttle sliding motion. Its ergonomic, left-handed, jet-style throttle offers the full programmability of the Fighterstick, as well. Button and switch response is good, the unit's axes are precise and the throttle has a smooth backward and forward motion.
The Pro Pedals are the final component in this trio. While these rudder pedals do work with driving games (when used with the included pedal chocks), they’re best suited to flight sims. Features include forward and backward sliding motion for rudder input, heel-to-toe motion for differential toe braking, and gas and brake functions for driving. Though the pedals can slide around a bit on carpeted surfaces, they're an excellent addition for dyed-in-the-wool flight enthusiasts. All three components feature a two-year warranty.
CH Products Flight Sim Yoke, Throttle Quadrant and Pro Pedals | ARP: $100, $145, $100 / £130, £120, £100CH Product's Flight Sim Yoke, Throttle Quadrant and Pro Pedals combine to offer demanding flight sim addicts a near ultimate package for use with non-combat flight sims, Microsoft Flight Simulator X in particular. The Flight Sim Yoke features an ergonomic design without center detent, realistic in-out movement, five axes of control (pitch, roll, throttle, propeller and mixture), 20 button functions (including two-way flap, two-way gear and eight-way hat switches, as well as a pair of two-way rockers and four push buttons), 144 programmable functions and a sturdy mounting base. It's rugged, super smooth and responsive in operation. If you desire the closest experience you'll find on the ground to sitting in your own cockpit (at a mainstream price), the Flight Sim Yoke is one of your best options.
For flying multi-engine aircraft, the CH Throttle Quadrant is a logical addition. It features a total of 176 programmable functions, X, Y, Z, R, U and V axes for engine control, a dozen bi-directional flip switch buttons, six physical detents (one per lever), 12 virtual buttons (one per detent) and removable blue, red and black knobs allowing for multi-engine and twin-engine configurations. A robust and precise controller, the Throttle Quadrant is a must have for fans of heavier aircraft with more than one engine. Of course, rudder pedals are requisite and CH Product's Pro Pedals fit the bill nicely. As mentioned above, these units are great for flight simulations, sporting rudder input and differential toe brakes. They're rugged, precise and include chocks if you want to disable the toe brakes. If you like what CH offers and can only afford two components for your non-combat aerial diversions, choose the Flight Sim Yoke and the Pro Pedals.
Related StuffTags |
 
 
See if your PC can handle the latest games:
 
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Articles: 
