Flight Stick For Vista?

[Col. Richard J. Hucker]

Hello Gang:

I have a new HP Pavilion Elete with all the top of the line features.
My Old Flight Stick won't work. I have a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback
Pro. Model #96755 and it has the old 10 pin gaming adapter. This new
computer system has a number of USB Ports.
I was hoping to find an adapter for a 10 pin to USB . . . no luck.

I have . . . but not yet installed Microsoft Flght Sim Deluxe Edition.
I need to buy a new flight stick. Some have the USB connection but the
specs. don't mention Vista.
Logitech has a nice wireless stick . . . but the last mouse I bought from
them came with spyware loaded in the software.
Price is not a concern.
Does anyone have a recomendation for a Flight Stick with all the control
features and is heavy enough, or stable enough to stay where I put it on the
desk surface.

I would appreciate your suggestions.

Regards,
Col. Huck

 

[RobertVA]

Hello Gang:

I have a new HP Pavilion Elete with all the top of the line features.
My Old Flight Stick won't work. I have a Microsoft Sidewinder Force
Feedback
Pro. Model #96755 and it has the old 10 pin gaming adapter. This new
computer system has a number of USB Ports.
I was hoping to find an adapter for a 10 pin to USB . . . no luck.

I have . . . but not yet installed Microsoft Flght Sim Deluxe Edition.
I need to buy a new flight stick. Some have the USB connection but the
specs. don't mention Vista.
Logitech has a nice wireless stick . . . but the last mouse I bought from
them came with spyware loaded in the software.
Price is not a concern.
Does anyone have a recomendation for a Flight Stick with all the control
features and is heavy enough, or stable enough to stay where I put it on
the
desk surface.

I would appreciate your suggestions.

Regards,
Col. Huck

You must mean your existing joystick has a FIFTEEN pin connector, as the
standard PC game port has 15 pins.

Force feedback requires the transmission of signals from the computer to
the game controller. The four analog axis circuits and four button
circuits supported by most game port controller on USB adapters only
support detection of game controller status. Game port force feedback
controllers have to use the bidirectional Musical instrument Digital
Interface (MIDI) circuits.

While I am pleased with my current USB joystick and analog pedals, they
are both years past being discontinued by their manufacturers. If I were
purchasing new I would be tempted by the CH Products Pro Pedals and
either the Flight Sim Yoke (if I didn't want to try the helicopters) or
one of their joysticks (Combatstick or Fighterstick). A Really nice set
for multi engine operations (especially the Boeing 747 or an Airbus
380 add on) would include the SIX lever CH Throttle Quadrant.

I hope you ruled out a false detection by your anti spyware software
before concluding the Logitech mouse software included malicious code.
Please post more information about that issue.

 

[Col. Richard J. Hucker]

Robert . . .you are correct. I said a 10 pin adapter and I have to belay
that. Actually, the female
connection at the game port is a 15 pin. However the Sidewinder Force
Feedback stick actually
has "9" pins at the male connector. (my wife never did understand this
male/female description. I
guess she just doesn't understand electrical connections . . . or
something). But that's Ok, I still
can't operate her fancy coffee maker either.

I appreciate your comments Sir. Perhaps this stick will work if I can find a
MiniMidi to Midi connector.
I didn't understand the "music" connections . . . I guess I better study
some more. Or better yet. Buy
an updated Force Feedback stick. I don't really understand the technology.
It's apparent that you are
an old hand at this. Thanks again. Semper Fie my friend.

Regards,
Huck

 

[Col. Richard J. Hucker]

Robert . . .you are correct. I said a 10 pin adapter and I have to belay
that. Actually, the female
connection at the game port is a 15 pin. However the Sidewinder Force
Feedback stick actually
has "9" pins at the male connector. (my wife never did understand this
male/female description. I
guess she just doesn't understand electrical connections . . . or
something). But that's Ok, I still
can't operate her fancy coffee maker either.

I appreciate your comments Sir. Perhaps this stick will work if I can find a
MiniMidi to Midi connector.
I didn't understand the "music" connections . . . I guess I better study
some more. Or better yet. Buy
an updated Force Feedback stick. I don't really understand the technology.
It's apparent that you are
an old hand at this. Thanks again. Semper Fie my friend.

Regards,
Huck

 

[Col. Richard J. Hucker]

Robert . . .you are correct. I said a 10 pin adapter and I have to belay
that. Actually, the female
connection at the game port is a 15 pin. However the Sidewinder Force
Feedback stick actually
has "9" pins at the male connector. (my wife never did understand this
male/female description. I
guess she just doesn't understand electrical connections . . . or
something). But that's Ok, I still
can't operate her fancy coffee maker either.

I appreciate your comments Sir. Perhaps this stick will work if I can find a
MiniMidi to Midi connector.
I didn't understand the "music" connections . . . I guess I better study
some more. Or better yet. Buy
an updated Force Feedback stick. I don't really understand the technology.
It's apparent that you are
an old hand at this. Thanks again. Semper Fie my friend.

Regards,
Huck

 

[Col. Richard J. Hucker]

Robert . . .you are correct. I said a 10 pin adapter and I have to belay
that. Actually, the female
connection at the game port is a 15 pin. However the Sidewinder Force
Feedback stick actually
has "9" pins at the male connector. (my wife never did understand this
male/female description. I
guess she just doesn't understand electrical connections . . . or
something). But that's Ok, I still
can't operate her fancy coffee maker either.

I appreciate your comments Sir. Perhaps this stick will work if I can find a
MiniMidi to Midi connector.
I didn't understand the "music" connections . . . I guess I better study
some more. Or better yet. Buy
an updated Force Feedback stick. I don't really understand the technology.
It's apparent that you are
an old hand at this. Thanks again. Semper Fie my friend.

Regards,
Huck

 

[RobertVA]

Robert . . .you are correct. I said a 10 pin adapter and I have to belay
that. Actually, the female
connection at the game port is a 15 pin. However the Sidewinder Force
Feedback stick actually
has "9" pins at the male connector. (my wife never did understand this
male/female description. I
guess she just doesn't understand electrical connections . . . or
something). But that's Ok, I still
can't operate her fancy coffee maker either.

I appreciate your comments Sir. Perhaps this stick will work if I can
find a
MiniMidi to Midi connector.
I didn't understand the "music" connections . . . I guess I better study
some more. Or better yet. Buy
an updated Force Feedback stick. I don't really understand the technology.
It's apparent that you are
an old hand at this. Thanks again. Semper Fie my friend.

Regards,
Huck

Original concept for game port controller support was to include
circuitry for two joysticks, each with two axis and two buttons (for two
player capability). As the plug on each joystick cable would be wired to
use the pins for joystick number 1, a Y cable could be used to duplicate
the computer's game port with the second socket cross wired so the
joystick connected to it was read by the circuitry intended for joystick
number two.

Many game controller manufacturers designed equipment that would use the
circuitry intended for both joysticks. The vertical axis for the second
joystick was usually used for a throttle lever or thumb wheel. Pedal
manufacturers usually used the circuitry intended for the second
joystick's horizontal axis. A few manufacturers used one of the second
joystick's axis for a Point Of View (POV) hat switch, connecting
different resistor values to the axis for each position.

The game port's MIDI capability was provided to support the interest
some user's had in recording electronic keyboard/organ key strokes in
compact computer files (at that time the size of a MP3 file would have
been considered extravagant) for subsequent playback. The MIDI circuitry
could also be used export files to the electronic music keyboard to be
played by its digital sound production circuitry. These capabilities
were handled in a user friendly manner by software purchased for those
purposes.

Since the game port was at one time more widely available on computers
than USB, the bidirectional MIDI interface was utilized by some
manufacturers of force feedback joysticks and racing wheels to transmit
force information to the electronics in the control. some manufactures
used one the computer's serial ports instead. The MIDI serial data
capabilities were also useful in implementing functions beyond the game
port "game controller" circuitry's capabilities (like multiple hat
switches, toggle switches and "radio tuner" thumb wheels).

The added versatility of USB has resulted in the near abandonment of the
game port by game controller manufacturers and computer manufacturers.
The higher speed of the USB 2 ports has resulted in a similar shift for
printers (once used parallel ports, although there were some serial port
printers), mice (usually used serial or PS2 ports) and flat bed scanners
(often used a different parallel interface called SCSI).