 |
|
|
|
|
ave you ever
found yourself at a critical moment, holding the joystick with one
hand, and scrabbling desperately on the keyboard with the other? Can
you really find "Shift G" or something, whilst touching down, or
turning hard in combat? If this sort of problem seems familiar -
read on...Without doubt, using the keyboard is the least realistic and most awkward part of flight simulation on a PC. That's why we have joysticks with extra buttons. Unfortunately this is only a partial solution, as there are generally only a few buttons available, and your flight sim might not recognise all of them with the less well-known makes of joystick. Things are improving here - on some instrument panels (such as the excellent ones on the technic direct HQ Collection 2 CD for MS Flight Simulator) you can use the mouse to click knobs and switches, change VOR bearings or radio freqs etc. Also (although I haven't tried it) you can now download a utility program which claims to let you program your joystick buttons to your own requirements when using Windows 95 (but NOT when using DOS).
But without doubt, the best all-round solution (and the only real one for DOS users) is to have lots of buttons on your joystick/throttle - and then be able to program them all to do whatever you want in each of your various flight simulations. Believe me, this can make a big difference to your flight sim satisfaction. So...enter the CH Pro Throttle.
To install, you plug your existing joystick into the throttle (it has a standard gameport) and plug the throttle into the PC gameport. There is also a lead with a special adapter which attaches to your keyboard plug (DIN or PS2). If you use CH rudder pedals you can include them in the arrangement. A software disk and instructions are provided.
The really great part, however, is that after connecting whatever joystick you currently use to the throttle, you can then program all the buttons on your stick (as well as the ones on the throttle) to do whatever you wish. There is a limit to 20 buttons for the stick (how many have you got?) in addition to the 20 on the throttle. The on-screen programming system is straightforward, using the DOS-based software provided, and works by assigning keystrokes to the buttons. The keystrokes can either be single, or a group ("macros"). They can also be a single press, or held (repeated). You should be able to program any command which is listed as a keyboard input in your particular simulation handbook, however complicated.
Another useful function is that you can program different keyboard repeat rates for the buttons. (I used this to increase the panning speed when looking around, for example).
If this sounds a bit complicated, it becomes clearer when you use the programming utility and read the on-line manual provided on the accompanying software disk. Obviously you will need a different button setup (they call them "templates") for each of your flight sims. The software disk includes ready-made templates for quite a number of flight sims and games, although I preferred to make my own versions. There is also a picture map of the throttle buttons with label spaces which you can view and print out in Windows "Paintbrush" or any similar application - very useful for keeping a record of your own programmed templates as you develop them.
|
Although the throttle and stick set-up is aimed primarily at military sims, I find it's also great with FS2004. Here, just one of the gains has been my decision to use two 4-way hat switches for views - a weak area in FS2004. Being able to snap the view half or full left/right, and pan quickly up or down has made a huge difference joining and flying visual circuits. The throttle/joystick system has really made a big difference to all the sims - I'd really hate to go back to joystick-only now.
There is another version with less features - the CH Throttle - half the buttons and doesn't program your joystick as well as the throttle. I haven't tried it, but if you are going to spend the money I reckon you'd do better to spend a bit more and get the Pro Throttle.
Graham Waterton
Happy landings!
Graham4916@aol.com
