Good idea Mikecertainly would save a few $$.

Good idea Mikecertainly would save a few $$.

Nice triple post :DMicrosoft or Saitek if you want cheap yet good joysticks is my advice. Saitek is a bit better and is also more easily available IMHO. Have tortured a Saitek Cyborg Force stick for years in car sims where they are used much more than in racing sims and more violently and never managed to wear it out before I replaced it anyway for a force feedback joystick as well as getting a MOMO Force for my racing games.

Anyone know where i can get a Saitek in Brisbane Australia?

I have had a Microsoft Sidwinder 2 for years and love it. I have never had to calibrate it. It is just plug and play, and has held up very well. Unfortunately, Microsoft left the joystick market about a year ago, so I don't know what I'll do when it comes time to replace it.Tony

I've used a WingMan Force 3D stick for two or three years. Great stick. No problems.Dan

>I've spent my last penny on anything Logitech makes. I've>been through 2 sticks so far. I'm currently using the>"Freedom 2.4" wireless stick and it sux. The elevator axis>"lurches" one way or the other with very slight movements>around neutral lately, getting worse by the minute. It also>has a "sleep" function, where the stick "goes to sleep" after>about a minute of inactivity apparently to save batteries. >You must click a button to "wake it up" and sometimes it may>take up to 20 seconds to connect and become operative again. >During this 20 seconds, it sends freaky signals to the sim,>like full left aileron or down elevator or something so you>get to watch your beautiful approach get absolutely trashed by>the stupid stick for 20 seconds and you can't do a thing about>it until the stick becomes active again. By then you're so>messed up you may as well CTRL+C your way out and go have a>beer. There's no way to disable the "sleep" function, believe>me I've tried. This stick may be fine for some fast-paced>"shoot 'em up" game, but it's worthless for Flight Simulator>IMO. Let the buyer beware!>>JimThis little utility named "caffeine" takes care of this problem. (I have the same stick).http://www.wingmanteam.com/latest_software...ts.htm#Caffeine

Thanks, Ricardo, I'll give it a try. "Caffeine", LMAO :) .Jim

One more Extreme 3D user here jumping on the pile of those who have lost calibration after about a year. I got the first one at Wal-Mart, so I simply traded my defective one for a new one - no questions asked. It's a good enough stick that I'm okay with returning them once a year if Wal-Mart continues to stock them.

Same story as Warren, only I just went back to the trusty Sidewinder. Still going strong. But I do love the feel of the Logitech.Todd

Well i bit the bullet and ordered a Saitek AVO hope it last a few years more than the Logitech.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/103405.jpg

I received my Saitek Cyborg Evo yesterday, and spent three hours flying with it. Quite different than the Logitech!First impressions? It doesn't fit my hand as well as the Logitech, but the adjustable handrest on the stick is really nice in placing my thumb right where it needs to be on the hat switch and buttons. The extra button up there is nice to have, too. The adjustability of the button positions on the stick is a real bonus, an excellent idea.The stick requires much less force to move, which feels awkward after the stiffer moves of the Logitech. It almost seems too easy, I think I prefer the Logitech there. One area the Logitech is much better at is the stick twist action, very necessary for rudder and ground steering. It may just be the size of my hand, but twisting the Saitek is very awkward and doesn't come naturally at all.I like that the Saitek has lighted buttons on the base, very handy for night flying, when there are no lights on in the room.The aircraft seem much more responsive with the Saitek, I don't know if this is the Saitek driver or what. However, combined with the very easy movement of the stick, this gives me the impression of a lot less "feel" for the airplane movement. So far, I don't like that. Trimming the plane seems to be more direct and positive, however, which is great.One thing about the Logitech that I definately like more than the Saitek, is that on the Logitech there's somewhere to put your thumb and forefinger when you don't need to use those buttons. On the Saitek, my thumb, for instance, is always on a button, and when moving the stick I sometimes accidentally click that button. Annoying. Same with the trigger button. To be fair, I probably just need to get used to it.I like the Saitek's bigger throttle paddle, feels better than the little rotary thing on the Logitech.Overall, I'd say that the Logitech is a much better design for aviation simming, better designed for the hand. However, the Saitek does a pretty good job, not quite as good, but given that it cost a little more than HALF of what the Logitech did (including free shipping, wow, how do people make money on these things?), and that it supposedly won't need to be replaced twice a year, that's all money that can go to buy addons, and that's a good thing. :)Those are my first impressions....Mike F.

I have both the Wingman 3D and MS Sidewinder, both perform admirably but the Sidewinder is more precise and "feels" slightly better. In Logitech's favour the wingman it is a neater design, the sidewinder being more bulky! You can't go wrong with either!Del.