Saitek TPM Panel... Good Idea or...?

[mrBlik]

Hello All;

With the new complex engine management model in CoD my understanding is that having controls for Throttle, Prop and Mixture will be very handy when flying a spitfire. I came across the new Saitek TPM Panel and it looks very interesting. Does anyone know if it'll work with CoD or if a different set-up would be more beneficial?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated; thanks!

Blik

[MadBlaster]

Just watched demo vid on youtube. I guess it depends on your style of flying/what planes you plane to fly. If your building a sim pit or heavy into controls realism, it might be a good choice. Seems like a sturdy unit. Not for me though. Response would not be quick enough. For example, flying 109 with manual/variable prop on, where you need to be on top of the throttle and pitch at all times. I guess some guys set the throttle and adust the pitch as needed. I prefer to be on top of both simultaneous. On that unit, that would mean one of my hands would be doing a lot of jumping back and forth. But for constant prop planes, it would probably be fine.

[Sokol1]

Probable Saitek Pro Flight Throttle Quadrant is more adequate, an you need more than one:



Aileron
Elevator
Rudder
Aileron trim
Elevator trim
Rudder trim

Landing Flaps
Leading-Edge Slats
Undercarrigage
Wheel Brakes
Left Wheel Brakes
Right Wheel Brakes
Bomb Bay Doors
Impeller

Throttle ( # 1…#8 )
Throttle War Emergency Power
Propeller Pitch (#1 …#8 )
Mixture (#1 …#8 )
Radiator (#1 …#8 )
Oil Radiator ((#1 …#8 )
Supercharger (#1 …#8 )
Carburetor Heat (#1 …#8


;)

Sokol1

[ghodan]

I will use a CH Throttle quadrant for engine management.
6 axis + 12 buttons.

I will use CH pro throttle as throttle :)

And i have a Leo Bodnar BU0836X laying around , waiting to get hooked up to 32 buttons and 8 axis. (What is a BU0936X: http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/ )

[nearmiss]

IMO, If you are doing Flight Simulator like FSX or X-Plane OK.

I use pre-sets on my CHProducts MFP. Programmable keys on Panel.

Online combat you are flying against people who have everything set for immediate action, including CEM. They set 1 key to lower prop pitch, drop throttle,etc. You can set a large number of choices on MFP, and buy extra programmable keys as well.

I don't want to be pulling throttles, and twisting knobs and rotating turn switches (trim). That is great for immersive feel of flying real aircraft in a true Flight Simulator.

I see all the stuff coming out, and the more I see the more grateful I am for buying all CHProducts. I have Fighterstick,pro pedals, pro throttle, and 1 MFP. I have more than enough capacity for flying IL2.

The CHProducts Control Manager works across the board all their products. I don't have to worry with mix and match of various mfgr. Components.

The complete Hotas I have is pretty expensive, but I bought over period of time.

THen again, the controller I really enjoyed was the MSFT FF2. I've still got it, and love the twist handle rudder. You have to use pedals with CH sticks, because they don't twist. Yeah, I know the pedals are the best way... it's just setting up my desktop for all the stuff takes 4 USB ports, more time and space. I'm on vista - Win7 so I gave up on FF2 a couple years back. It was great stick. I plugged into USB port and initialized the controller and I was off, quick.

CHProducts also makes joysticks and controllers for industrial applications and real world aircraft. The quality = none better

You get a couple LEDs, but not the most awesome gamer looking control package with all the tricked out lights and stuff.

[EAF92_Brigstock]

I'm on vista - Win7 so I gave up on FF2 a couple years back. It was great stick. I plugged into USB port and initialized the controller and I was off, quick.
.

Win 7 still supports MSFFB on 32 and 64 bit. Just not the bloated control software. Which was never that good anyway. Most games have FFB settings in their GUI now making the control software redundant.

IMO MSFFB is still the first choice stick for prop sims. I have mine paired up with some simpeds and a Leo Bodnar converted x45 throttle.

[nearmiss]

Win 7 still supports MSFFB on 32 and 64 bit. Just not the bloated control software. Which was never that good anyway. Most games have FFB settings in their GUI now making the control software redundant.

IMO MSFFB is still the first choice stick for prop sims. I have mine paired up with some simpeds and a Leo Bodnar converted x45 throttle.

I spent several days a couple years ago trying to get IL2, Vista and the FF2 to work well. I remember having to go into safe mode and setup the controls, etc. I couldn't find any software, so I gave it up and went to CH Products.

When I moved to Win 7, I really wrote it off.

I guess you could say I went past my threshold for trying.

There is an FAQ type thread running now on this forums for the MSFT FF2 stick, but I've not kept up with it.

It might be nice to get out that old stick. My MFP has all the controls, except for a few buttons. I use the pro throttle switches, but several buttons I have programmed are duplicates. Don't need all the options available to me.

[EAF92_Brigstock]

There is nothing to it, adding the MSFFB. The drivers are native in win7. Just plug in a go.
It was the same in Vista. For IL2 forces could be edited with FEdit.

Not sure what issues you faced, but it isn't the norm

The MSFFB2 sticky in here is about modding them, not making them work in Win7 and IL2

[MadBlaster]

I use a couple cheap $10 logitech gampads mounted at a slight angle, a 16000m thrustmaster joy, headseat/mic and a very elaborate Glovepie script. ;) All controls are mapped, different customizations by plane type. Even made a virtual navigator. I tell Glovepie my tas, alt, distance and it tells me when I get to my destination. Or if I forget what height to drop an LTF5B torpedeo, I ask Glovepie and it reminds me in my headset.:grin:

[mrBlik]

Sounds like I've been flying FSX for too long :)...

All the panels and switches are nice for realistic flying, but I can totally see how they would make me a pretty easy target while I fiddle with them. Those WWII pilots must have grown a third arm somewhere along the way!

I'm looking at a X52-Pro (the Warthog and X65 are out of my price range); does anyone have any experience with it... other than buy it from a local shop so you don't waste gas exchanging it for a working one?

Also... would a throttle quadrant be a good idea for the Complex Engine Management (CEM) with a HOTAS or is it unnecessary?

Thank you for the replies... they're a great help!

Blik
---------------------------------
Send complaints to /dev/null

[EAF92_Brigstock]

A quadrant does the job, however a HOTAS like the Saitek X45/54 covers more bases. A HOTAS will give you rotaries and buttons. In IL2 I had the elevator mapped to one of the rotaries and prop pitch on one of the hats with 5% increments. Worked well for me in IL2 should be good in CoD too

[nearmiss]

Sounds like I've been flying FSX for too long :)...

All the panels and switches are nice for realistic flying, but I can totally see how they would make me a pretty easy target while I fiddle with them. Those WWII pilots must have grown a third arm somewhere along the way!

I'm looking at a X52-Pro (the Warthog and X65 are out of my price range); does anyone have any experience with it... other than buy it from a local shop so you don't waste gas exchanging it for a working one?

Also... would a throttle quadrant be a good idea for the Complex Engine Management (CEM) with a HOTAS or is it unnecessary?

Thank you for the replies... they're a great help!

Blik
---------------------------------
Send complaints to /dev/null

Get an X-Key with USB or CHProd MFP. They are around $200, but you won't regret the purchase. I use the X-Key for Stock trading as well, with macro change of course.

If you are looking for a stick the MSFT FF2 is still floating around on various internet sites. You can probably pick one up. They last forever, built like a tank. You can probably find one that hasn't been used much, if at all.

[nearmiss]

There is nothing to it, adding the MSFFB. The drivers are native in win7. Just plug in a go.
It was the same in Vista. For IL2 forces could be edited with FEdit.

Not sure what issues you faced, but it isn't the norm

The MSFFB2 sticky in here is about modding them, not making them work in Win7 and IL2

It may be I was having my problems with XP. I just recall I couldn't get the control panel controller interface to work unless I came into OS from safe mode. It would work, but it was a pain in the wazoo everytime I fired up the IL2.

So, I just gave it up and bought the CHProducts products over a 6 month time span. I'm loving the whole thing, but my dog keeps crawling under my desk interfering with the pedals. LOL