Thrustmaster Hotas X

[chris18p]

I expect this has been asked before so apologies straight away.

 

I have recently purchased the above joystick, replacing my old Black Widow.

 

I believe that it has a configuration by default for FSX but not sure what that does. I have read several threads about a deadzone on the stick and wonder if that is what makes slight movements in flight difficult, especially as I am also a newbie having just got back into FSX.

 

I find that when "flying" if I try to make minor adjustments to my direction there is a tendency for the aircraft movement to be exaggerated and the aircraft can become hard to get back under control.

 

Would appreciate any advice on how to set it up correctly for FSX so I get smooth movement.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

[PhantomTweak]

You know, I've known a lot of pilots, in the Corps and the airline industry, and every one of them pronounced that "Hot-A$$", not "Ho-Taws" like the do for the public...

 

Anyhow. There are two main possibilities. First and foremost, yes, I am sure Windows can install the proper driver on it's own vreey nicely. If not, the new stick should have come with a disc with a driver on it. You can use that.

 

As to Null-Zones: They are the amount you can move the stick off-center, or the null point, before it starts giving input to the Sim. The newer sticks, using tunnel diodes vice the older potentiometers, don't really NEED a null-zone any more. Pots do, because they always have a dead-zone somewhere in the center of travel, larger or smaller depending on how, and how well, they are made. Tunnel diodes don't have that, and as soon as you move the stick off-center, they can provide input to the Sim. The farther off, the more input. Even a slight pressure is enough.

FIRST and FOREMOST, you have to make sure you do a calibration of the stick. I do it every time I start the Sim up, but at the very least, any time you reboot the PC. This is critical.

Second, in the Settings Menu, under Controls, there are two sets of sliders. One is for the size of the nullzones, the other is for the sensitivity. How MUCH input from the stick the SIm receives for a given distance the stick is displaced from the null zone. With a tunnel-diode type stick, you can set the null zones almost to zero, and the sensitivty to max, and you will have a great joystick setup.

EXCEPT the rudder axis. Humans, being the incredibly imperfect beings we are, tend to make inputs they don't intend sometimes. Especially with a twist type joystick. So you should probably set the Rudder axis nullzone a littler higher than zero. Not very high is required, but a little bit. Maybe 5-10%. This also prevents any input you may make unintentionally, as well as any "noise" from the other axes from affecting the rudder axis.

If the stick is the older, potiometer type, then you have to try and see, during hte calibration, how wide each axis' null-zone is, and try to match the slider to it, so the stick provides input from the moment it's displaced off center far enough. Same for the Sensitivies. No two pots are the same, so if one provides input X to the Sim for a specific displacement off center, the one for another axis will provide, let us say, less. So you would want to make the sensitivity slider of hte second one slightly higher (farther right) than you do the first one, so that when you displace the stick a specific amount off center, it will always give the same result.

 

Hope all my babbling helps out some...

Pat☺

[chris18p]

Thanks for the reply Pat.

 

I bought my Hotas X about 2 months ago from a large UK retailer. Looking at the base it is v2 but the Thrustmaster site from December 2015 mentions v4. Have no idea what the differences are and a bit surprised and annoyed my version isn't more current. Don't know if it has potiometer or tunnel diodes.

 

I have previously installed the Thrustmaster drivers but have just downloaded them again and will do a reinstall, this time I will follow the Thrustmaster advice and uninstall the existing driver first.

 

Have noted your comments and will take another look at the settings after the driver update and see if I can make an improvement.

 

I have seen mention of FSUIPC on various sites. I am aware of it but never used it but from what I have read it might effect smoother control. Does seem a bit complicated to use however. What do you think???

 

Out of interest would a Yoke give better control??

 

Regards

 

Chris