Recommended joysticks?

[tubeheaD37]

Does anyone have a good source of cheap, robust, ambidextrous joysticks? I have looked around and everything seems to be either really expensive or made to break within an hour of opening the box. I've been hoping for $30-$50 each, but I can't say the google products search results make that seem promising if I want something solid and I don't have much PC gaming experience so I don't even know if that is reasonable to ask for.
In terms of extra buttonage simpler is better. All I really want on it is three buttons. Having at least one of them be in trigger position would be nice, but not critical.

[Lowfategg]

I have one of these. Get joystick, also I know a lot of teams use these.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/gaming/pc_gaming/joysticks/devices/291&cl=us,en

CH products also makes some good stuff.

http://www.chproducts.com/

[whitetiger0990]

It was before my time, but iirc CH products provided the joysticks for FIRST awhile ago. Flightstick something. We still have one and it's our favorite driving stick. Ambidextrous too. But now they are just USB and expensive. (though USB isn't really an issue anymore). http://www.chproducts.com/retail/j_flight_pro.html would be awesome if not for the price.

We have one of the first joystick Lowfategg said, but it's not ambidextrous. Good quality though.

[wilsonmw04]

I have one of these. Get joystick, also I know a lot of teams use these.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/gaming/pc_gaming/joysticks/devices/291&cl=us,en

CH products also makes some good stuff.

http://www.chproducts.com/

The Logitech is not ambidextrous and the CH stuff always seems a tad expensive for what you get. They are good sticks though. As a Lefty, I have become a huge fan of the Saitek sticks. They are truly ambidextrous and are great sticks for the price you pay.

This guy has a very small footprint and is cheap.
http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/st90.htm

This is what i use for my personal gaming
http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/evoforce.htm

Here's the link to Saitek's Joystick site:
http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/joysticks.htm

[tubeheaD37]

I have become a huge fan of the Saitek sticks. They are truly ambidextrous and are great sticks for the price you pay.

I was looking at the Saitek sticks and they looked like they might be easily breakable. If its not, the ST90 would be good stuff. Anyone have any experience about how long these things last before they start falling apart?

[wilsonmw04]

I was looking at the Saitek sticks and they looked like they might be easily breakable. If its not, the ST90 would be good stuff. Anyone have any experience about how long these things last before they start falling apart?
I've used the same stick for 5 years with no failures. I think I saw one of the teams at VCU using the ST90's for their controls. Sorry, but i can't remember the team number.

[Tom Line]

I have this one at home:

http://computers.pricegrabber.com/joysticks-gamepads/m/1057474/search=joystick/st=product/sv=title/

It IS ambidextrous, and has a great firm feel to it. Hasn't worn out in 3 years.

$23 bucks after shipping.

[Lowfategg]

I have this one at home:

http://computers.pricegrabber.com/joysticks-gamepads/m/1057474/search=joystick/st=product/sv=title/

It IS ambidextrous, and has a great firm feel to it. Hasn't worn out in 3 years.

$23 bucks after shipping.

Forgot about that one. Good idea.

[R.C.]

This is what I really want to use next year:

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-MC2-Racing-Wheel/dp/B000BQUV5M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1218166658&sr=8-1

and

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-882224020824-Xbox-360-Controller/dp/B000B6MLTQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1218166715&sr=8-3

Do you think the racing wheel with work with the new controller???

[hurtzmyhead]

I am not a driver, nor a programer (or gamer) would you say that this is a good joystick: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9136 ?

[Tom Line]

The joystick you have linked to has 4 axis, and doesn't have potentiometers to sense motion. It uses momentary limit switches, so when you push the joystick to one side, it closes a circuit to tell you that you've moved.

This isn't what you'd necessarily want for most FIRST applications.

[The Lucas]

This is what I really want to use next year:

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-MC2-Racing-Wheel/dp/B000BQUV5M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1218166658&sr=8-1

and

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-882224020824-Xbox-360-Controller/dp/B000B6MLTQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1218166715&sr=8-3

Do you think the racing wheel with work with the new controller???

Xbox 360 controllers are not standard HID and will not work per the DS datasheet. (http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/3-FRC%20Control%20System-Component-Datasheets-Rev-0-5a.pdf) Make sure any joysticks you link are Standard HID and you have tested them.

The DS only supports joysticks that use the standard HID interface. This means that if a joystick
requires special drivers on windows, it won't work with the DS. Unfortunately, this means the
XBOX 360 controller won't work.

As I have said before (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?p=831035#post831035), I highly recommended the Saitek AV8R (http://www.buy.com/prod/saitek-ps33-aviator-joystick-saitek-aviator-joystick-cable-usb-ps33/q/loc/108/203277896.html). Used 1 for the driver last year and 2 (both pilots) this year. They are only $35 with free shipping, ambidextrous, have 5 axis (twist & dual throttle), 12 easily accessible (without looking) buttons, straight stick (we don't like angled forward sticks), optional screw on handrest.

Plus they look cool (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?p=831081#post831081) :D

[gwytheyrn]

I'm a fan of using the extreme 3d pro for operator and attack 3s (they're free...) for driver. The attack 3 has everything needed for driving, and the extreme 3d pro has a lot of nice stuff such as the 4-way hat thing at the top (they're linked to axis 5-6 I think). Beware: the throttle is actually axis 4 and the twist is axis 3 (labeled throttle in the unbundle in LV).
Only thing I have against Saitek is that I don't like how they look.