Saitek X56

[Cmdr Kharma]

Also used my AmEx Platinum to purchase, both the old (charge) and new (points),

Not Black then !!!!



Tsk Tsk.....

[thebs]

Also used my AmEx Platinum to purchase, both the old (charge) and new (points),

Not Black then !!!!



Tsk Tsk.....

I don't spend (let alone make) US$250K/year to qualify for Black.

I'm just glad I'm grandfathered in on pricing for the Platinum and it's added benefits. It's 2.5x the cost for new members these days.

Disclaimer: Please excuse any grammar, pathetic typos, or satanic versus known as "auto-correct" as this was posted via Tapatalk from my budget Honor 5X

[Schmobius]

What do you use that for?

[thebs]

What do you use that for?

Unlike virtually every other 'hat,' which are simple, digital toggles, the "Thumb Nipple" on the X-55 is analog, 0-15 values on two axes. So I use it for lateral thrusting up <-> down, left <-> right.

Ever lateral when boosting?

The new, full-size stick on the X-56 has even more value range, for more precise movement. All of which goes back to my very first post in this thread.

Saitek X55 owner here. Caught it on-sale at Amazon last year for the price even under an US$150 X52 Pro. Before that I was using a US$30 Thrustmaster Hotas X, but glad I went with the Saitek X55. My only complaint with the X55 is the precision of the throttle's "nipple stick," which I use for up-down/left right.

Now they have seemingly corrected in the new Saitek X56 design, so I'm interested how well it works if anyone buys one of those.

'New Mini Analog Stick Control Surfaces

In modern space sims control is becoming more complex than in traditional atmosphere-based flight simulations, with many more inputs required to achieve true control of the space craft. Pitch, roll, yaw, backwards, forwards, up, down, left and right (the titular 6DoF) all need to be accounted for.



This is why the new mini analog sticks are required; providing four more axes of control. Assignable to any in-game axis function, or programmable using the included software, running out of control options is no longer an issue.'

Tomorrow night I'll let everyone know how well it works ... or doesn't.

[Xebeth]

Also used my AmEx Platinum to purchase, both the old (charge) and new (points),

Not Black then !!!!



Tsk Tsk.....

I've heard the monkey has a black credit card, although that may not be its natural colour

Popped for a X56 with my AmEx points and will get Tuesday.

Congrats, looking forward to hearing how you get on with it.

[Schmobius]

Interesting, I didn't know you could assign anything but mouse functions to that stick. I utterly ignore it. May have to look into that.

[thebs]

I've heard the monkey has a black credit card, although that may not be its natural colour

I don't know anyone who has one that doesn't have a million-dollar budget, and usually it's not in their name (at least not on the 2nd line for the business name). You have to literally spend US$250K/year on your Platinum (which is already US$25K/year expenditure to qualify), to get Black last time I checked.

Me? I was born with a rusty metal spoon in my mouth, and all my savings are from my own hard work. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if I'm un-Platinum'd at some point, being that I don't travel much any more. I'm just saving for retirement at this point ... and not doing very well on that front as of late (just took a 40% pay cut in March).

Popped for a X56 with my AmEx points and will get Tuesday.

Congrats, looking forward to hearing how you get on with it.

Will definitely report the X-55 v. X-56 experience by Wednesday.

[thebs]

Interesting, I didn't know you could assign anything but mouse functions to that stick. I utterly ignore it. May have to look into that.

The "Dials" are 1-D analog axes, and the "Thumb Nipple" is a 2-D analog device. You have to tell Windows about those additional axes, or they will not be available.

I.e., when you plug in the X-55, they are very much ignored by Windows by default, even after you load up the driver.

The analog axes of the dials and nipple are not like any other 'hats,' which are digital and, ultimately, 'just a button.' The easiest way I found to enable them was to load a registry hack as part of Aussiedroid's Ultimate X-55 Rhino Guide (SteamCommunity Link). I only load the registry hack inside of that ZIP file download, and then program it inside of Elite itself. I use no other files in that archive.

Furthermore, I do not use the Saitek software at all. I only enable the added axes, in Windows, with the aforementioned registry hack.

E.g., inside of elite I program my "Thumb Nipple" to become my up <-> down, left <-> right laterals. I also program the dials do everything from change the zoom on everything from the radar (bottom, horizontal dial), to system to galaxy maps (top, horizontal dial), especially since the mouse is not as useful in VR.

I'm hoping my existing mappings for the X-55 translate over to the X-56 without issue, including the Windows registry hacks enabling those added, analog axes. I think the X-56 has some additional axes for that stick though, like rotate. I'll find out, and then I can look deeper and modify the registry hack to enable them, if so.

[Cmdr Kharma]

Also used my AmEx Platinum to purchase, both the old (charge) and new (points),

Not Black then !!!!



Tsk Tsk.....

I've heard the monkey has a black credit card, although that may not be its natural colour

It's not......

Iirc....That started off as Platinum....

Till the......

*Cough*

"Incident at Riff Raffs"

[Schmobius]

That makes more sense now. I tried from within the saitek software and elite to map it, and failed. Thanks for the link, I'll take a look.