Standard Joysticks

[EricWilliams]

2 years in a row now we've had problems with the standard joysticks in the kit of parts. Last year one joystick had no X-Axis control, the potentiometer was dead. This year every time we move the sticks, we have to re-adjust the trim, because the potentiometer is too loose. We're going to get some new joysticks, does anyone have any ideas on a good one?

[SoftwareBug2.0]

My team's first year, we just disabled the trims and made it so that they couldn't move at all. I know that this isn't what you're hoping for, but it might help you in the mean time.

[Astronouth7303]

Buy a pre-2004 pair off a defunct team. We're still using them.

From what I've heard, analog joysticks are really hard to find these days. I wish you the best of luck.

[EricWilliams]

Another awsome idea from Astro... you're my hero man. We still have a few pre-2004 joysticks lying around somewhere, which we definitely might use. The only problem with new/old joysticks... we'll have to find the pinout diagrams .

[SoftwareBug2.0]

I may be mistaken, but I believe the pinout should be the same except that pins that go to buttons that don't exist on the old joysticks won't do anything.

[Astronouth7303]

They're identical. The D-Pad/POV hat on the new sticks actually hooks up to an analog channel.

On the old sticks, you have:

• p?_x
• p?_y
• p?_wheel
• p?_sw_top
• p?_sw_trig

Everything else is wide open. (Just don't screw up you're sticks to badly, as they're hard to replace.)

[kaszeta]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

Buy a pre-2004 pair off a defunct team. We're still using them.

From what I've heard, analog joysticks are really hard to find these days. I wish you the best of luck.

I'll second this recommendation. CH Flighsticks (what they used in previous years) are frequently sought after items. I'm thinking of cleaning up some of our team's ancient crusty ones (and I mean crusty!) and seeing if we can trade them to newer teams.

Ebay is still a decent resource for these, as well as some of the more rare gameport devices such as Flightstick Pros (with a full hat on them like the current sticks, but still ambidextrous), CH Throttles, Pedals, etc. We're probably going to use a CH Throttle and Flightstick Pro combo this year, although we also have a handmade throttle that's worked well in the past (made from a pressure cylinder and transducer, actually).

[samson234]

This may be a stupid question, but why is it FIRST changed to a different joystick? I have driven with both new and old, and the old joysticks are far superior? Also, why is it they give us two right handed joysticks? Is FIRST trying to phase out left handed drivers?

[Alan Anderson]

Stupid question or no, the answer is easy. The new joysticks are available; the old ones are not.

[kaszeta]

Originally Posted by samson234

This may be a stupid question, but why is it FIRST changed to a different joystick?

The answer is simple enough: the company that made the old joysticks (CH Flightsticks) stopped making them. FIRST can't supply what they can't get.

[DjAlamose]

If I was you I would just use ps2 or x-box controllers. Most good drivers play video games of some kind and what better to give them than something that they are used to?? Plus you will have all sorts of options with what you can do, 10 buttons and two analog sticks.

[computer411]

I hear you my friend. We were a brand new team last year and were fed up with the joysticks. So we wwent to CH products OEM Department that makes industrial joysticks. They still sell models that use 100k computer potentiometers. The only drawback is they are slightly expensive and you have to wire them into the OI yourself, no preassembeled connectors.

[TimeOut]

We are looking for a standard joystick that has rudder control built in. But finding standard gameport joysticks is getting difficult.

Anyone have any ideas for a knob that is self centering? The idea is to be able to turn the knob and then release it so it will move back to neutral. (rotation control). I was thinking of maybe a Jog control from an old VCR but that's even getting hard to find!

Sean

[Dillon Compton]

Hey all,
I'm on a computer at school right now so I dont have the web address, but when I was researching joystick options for my team earlier this year I found an online supplier of dexxa gameport joysticks (after some significant digging through froogle), w/ hat and 5 buttons, I believe, for about ten dollars each. We ended up going with a local supplier for gameport joysticks, and havent purchased or used these dexxa's yet(but we are planning on purchasing 4 or 5 so that we have some stockpiled...). Additionally, I contacted CH systems and their newer, USB sticks use the same model of 100k potentiometer that their gameport sticks did. If I am not completly mistaken, these new CHs should then be fairly easily moddable to a gameport output with our friend the db-15 solder cup and some wire + basic wiring/soldering skills.

I'll post the link to the Dexxa stick supplier in the morning, so stay tuned.


-Dillon Compton

[Dad1279]

The MacIntosh version of the CH Flightstick also uses the same potentiometers. Just found a new(old) one on ebay. It would need to be rewired also.