Hi,I am about to pick up a new computer for FSX (ASUS 920, i7, Vista 64) and I have some questions about throttles and yokes. First, my old PFC throttle quadrant uses a serial port, which means it won't work with the new computer. It seems like lots of people are using the Saitek throttles. I'm concerned that something I read talked about the throttles using a serial port to connect to the Saitek yoke for power. The new computer has no serial port.First issues: Can I connect the throttles to the computer directly without using the Saitek yoke? Can I connect the Saitek throttles using only USB without any need for a serial port? Can I connect 2 quadrants to the computer for 6 levers as my old setup had?Second issue: I have an old but nice Vmax yoke that connects via USB. Will I be able to use this with Vista 64? (I don't think I needed any drivers with XP, but honestly it was so long ago that I have forgotten.)Thanks for any advice.Bill

The Saitek "yoke" is a two-piece unit which interfaces with the computer using USB. The throttle which is one of the two pieces connects to, receives power from, and passes data through the yoke. There is no provision to use the throttle unit independently of the yoke. I suspect if one were to obtain a cable with suitable connectors, he could connect the throttle unit as its own USB game controller, but that isn't what Saitek intended.The yoke/throttle combo is seen by Win XP and Vista as a single controller having 5 axis and 20-something buttons.I have not used the Saitek drivers or SST profiling software with the yoke/throttle combo. The yoke is also designed as a USB hub, and operates either powered (a separate DC power supply must be purchased) or unpowered. 3 USB connectors are provided for the USB hub function. Saitek also offers a separate throttle "quad". This unit is physically identical to the throttle unit that is part of the yoke, but is interfaced using its own USB and is seen by XP and Vista as a separate controller with 3 axis. I use the unpowered yoke USB hub as the connection point for the quad unit. Since a single USB port on the computer is feeding power to all three pieces, you probably want to make sure that you don't have any other USB devices on that root hub (not exactly sure how the MB sources power to the USB ports but I think the USB spec only requires a max of 500 milliamps to be supplied). Again there is a separate Saitek driver you can install for the quad, which will allow the profiler software to recognize it.I don't like the Saitek drivers because there is a feature of "auto-calibration" and you have no manual control over the calibration. I also had a problem with the 64 bit drivers in Vista 64 and uninstalled them (FSX was unable to properly identify the axis). I did not install the profile software, so perhaps that could have been fixed using a profile.Also, I think the old RS-232 (COM1), gameport, and USB interfaces are all "serial" interfaces.scott s..

Hi,I am about to pick up a new computer for FSX (ASUS 920, i7, Vista 64) and I have some questions about throttles and yokes. First, my old PFC throttle quadrant uses a serial port, which means it won't work with the new computer. It seems like lots of people are using the Saitek throttles. I'm concerned that something I read talked about the throttles using a serial port to connect to the Saitek yoke for power. The new computer has no serial port.First issues: Can I connect the throttles to the computer directly without using the Saitek yoke? Can I connect the Saitek throttles using only USB without any need for a serial port? Can I connect 2 quadrants to the computer for 6 levers as my old setup had?Second issue: I have an old but nice Vmax yoke that connects via USB. Will I be able to use this with Vista 64? (I don't think I needed any drivers with XP, but honestly it was so long ago that I have forgotten.)Thanks for any advice.HelloThis may workhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-RS232-Converte...e/dp/B00077DJIQBill

Thanks, but I think I would still have driver issues with Vista.I was able to get the Vmax yoke and my old rudder pedals working. Both are much better than the plastic stuff, so I'd rather continue using them. Does anyone know of any decent throttle quadrants that can be used without connecting to a yoke and which can be combined, if necessary, to give 6 levers for 2-engine operation such as the DC-3? I haven't been able to find any.

Have You considered GoFlight TQ6 module? Mine have spikes and is noisy, but very reliable and well build.

Have You considered GoFlight TQ6 module? Mine have spikes and is noisy, but very reliable and well build.

You can get PCI and PCIe serial port boards to add a true RS-232 port to the PC. Vista drivers work just fine that way. Seems a shame to throw out a $300 throttle quad for lack of a $45 serial I/O port.I use the $75 SIIG board with the 16550 UART in my Core2Duo machine with Vista64.Newegg: PCIe serial I/O portsCheersBob ScottColonel, USAF (ret)ATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-VColorado Springs, CO

You can get PCI and PCIe serial port boards to add a true RS-232 port to the PC. Vista drivers work just fine that way. Seems a shame to throw out a $300 throttle quad for lack of a $45 serial I/O port.I use the $75 SIIG board with the 16550 UART in my Core2Duo machine with Vista64.Newegg: PCIe serial I/O portsCheersBob ScottColonel, USAF (ret)ATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-VColorado Springs, CO

Thank you very much for the suggestion. I would love to be able to use this quadrant. I don't think PFC is in business anymore and I'm worried that even if Vista recognizes the serial port, it will not recognize the throttle quadrant because there won't be a driver for it built into Vista. (I'm not very tech savvy. Maybe a serial device doesn't need a special driver, I don't know about such things. I honestly don't remember having to install a driver for the device with XP, but even so does that mean I wouldn't need one with Vista?) The Geek Squad tech who talked to me on the phone about serial port issues said that although the port might work, the device might not due to driver issues. Things will be very unhappy on the home front if I pay for a board and installation and the quadrant does not work after that. How sure are you that the serial I/O board would work with the throttles?

G'day Bill,I just recently purchased a PFC SAAB Yoke so PFC are still very much in business.For throttles I still have my Saitek Yoke attached which still has one set of throttles running through it however I have two stand alone sets which connect directly to the computer via usb which work fine. I don't see why you can't purchase two throttles from Saitek & run them. FSUIPC sees & programs all switches & levers on these units just fine also.Cheers,Ross