Saitek X-56 Rhino

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Telengo
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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Telengo » Tue Jan 24, 2017 7:52 pm

I have the Thrustmaster and love it to bits. I kept looking at the new X56 though at work, and a colleague lent me their X55 to test drive. It was just too big for my desk, the throttle footprint alone was massive.

So don't think I will be getting one, the X52 looks a better replacement. But with all the complaints about about soft the spring is I might as well just keep the thrustmaster and use voice attack

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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby thebs » Wed Jan 25, 2017 12:31 am

I started out with a HOTAS-X I bought years ago for US$30. It was fine for early on, and makes for a great backup HOTAS.

I then opted for a X-55 when it was on-sale for under $150 at Amazon. After about 250 hours in ED, the thumbstick broke off. Even though it was only the throttle, upon returning it, Saitek replaced it with a full X-56. But as I didn't want to wait for the turnaround time, I bought a X-56, and let the replacement be a spare.

Other than the twist rudder on one X-56 stick, which I had to overly 0/deadzone, the X-56 QA seems a lot better than the X-55. The only major issue seems that the throttle takes awhile to 'break in,' but it's pretty good. I'm about 100 hours on one set, and 100 hours on another. No issues thus far.

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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Taranava » Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:02 pm

Thanks for that review! It's making me consider it again. I'm already thinking of hacks to give the bottom hand rest an additional boost for small hands.
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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Lazlo Thon » Sun Mar 12, 2017 7:26 pm

Taranava wrote:I'm looking at an upgrade to my HOTAS setup and am likely getting an X-56. Does anyone have this particular one? If so, what are your thoughts on the setup and use with Elite: Dangerous? Any caveats?


I recently purchased the x56 and here's what I can tell you from my personal experience. First let me give you a little bit of my background. I started as a electronics tinkerer at the age of 8. My Father was an engineer in the space program in the 60's . He had a room in the house devoted to electronics and model railroading. He came home one day and found his multimeter taken apart in pieces on his bench and went Ballistic..pun intended.. Took me by the hand and started explaining the complexity and expense of such delicate equipment. I told him I didn't mean any harm I just want to be like my daddy and see how it works. Looking back on that what could a dad do? I asked him if he wanted me to put it back together? I'll never forget the look on his face. He said sure and proceeded to watch me, offering some helpful information along the way.

Since then I've been a life long electronics junkie which naturally branched into computers. Repairing electrical systems and avionics systems in the Air Force and then building home computers.
Sorry if I board you to sleep. I thought it's important to get some background from the person giving advice!

Now to business.. The X56 has received some really bad press. Along with Saitek.. some maybe well founded but you have to understand the materials used are massed produced in a country that has no other interest than the bottom dollar. Especially when it comes to...Yes...toys.. Now I know that's blasphemy to us flight/space simmers. But in today's world of computer games we are a Niche, not worthy of high quality electrical components.

The design and build planing of the X56 is sound and in some ways better than the X55 . The truth is the switches, wiring and circuit board connectors are somewhat cheap and assembled in quick fashion to save time and money. The real truth is get ready for it.... All the company's that build factory produced flight sticks use the same electrical and electronic components... That's right.. ALL...including the venerable Warthog!!! Now I know I'll take some heat for that but take a breath and search in your head, not your heart and you know it's true.

Some things to be aware of with these electrical devices is, connections in the white connector plugs, the pins have a tendency to become loose and back out of the connector, I push them back in using a small wood toothpick, make sure the wiring looms are loose and not binding at the "choke" points for the throttles. If you receive a new unit and just some of the switches or axis are not working, that's probably your problem. After that run the reset and calibration procedure given on the Saitek website to bring everything into proper alignment. I'll give a link below.. the next week point I've heard about is the yaw return spring in the yoke handle. Now I personally have not had a problem with that but I've seen a lot of press regarding it breaking rendering your twist grip loose and floppy. I've had an X52 for 13 years and have more than 1000 hrs on it playing DCS, ILII, MS FS and Elite Dangerous and have had no problems and is still fully functional and still working. Now it may be a weaker spring or heavy handed use but in any case I've seen Saitek say they have shipped new springs out to their customers.

Here are my final recommendations should you decide to get this stick. First purchase from a company that has a good return policy. I bought mine from Amazon and purchased the extra 2 year warranty for about 10 bucks. I feel pretty confident in my purchase. Second if you have any experience in electronic repair their are few non repairable pieces in this unit.

Final disclaimer.. I am not an employee or professional advocate for any electrical or electronic company including Saitek or Logitech.

Just a fellow flight/space simmer trying to help people out and get the straight story.

Now hears some helpful links.

https://logitechsupport.force.com/saite ... Rhino-axes

Some helpful YouTube post as well

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=1Nth2UD1jIY





https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=wRnoc9a72hw

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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Cmdr Kharma » Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:31 pm

13 years.......1000 hours......

You sure you're not missing a few zero's ?

Or are not primarily a gamer ?

Just wondering.......

As my in game stats equate to 216 hours in 9 weeks of playing.......
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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby TorTorden » Mon Mar 13, 2017 12:22 am

Cmdr Kharma wrote:13 years.......1000 hours......

You sure you're not missing a few zero's ?

Or are not primarily a gamer ?

Just wondering.......

As my in game stats equate to 216 hours in 9 weeks of playing.......

I was wondering about that one.

I bought my hotas, maybe a few dozen hours into having elite.
That was over 2000 hours of play time, and that has only been two years ;)
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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Lazlo Thon » Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:44 pm

Cmdr Kharma wrote:13 years.......1000 hours......

You sure you're not missing a few zero's ?

Or are not primarily a gamer ?

Just wondering.......

As my in game stats equate to 216 hours in 9 weeks of playing.......


I know I have way over 1000 hrs at least but this is an estimate as I don't want to over exaggerate. My job and real life have been very full and time consuming. 72 hrs work week for 30 years and a lovely but high maintenance wife :lol: . But now I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor and am retired. :D And totally into Elite Dangerous when the boss lets me. Anyway she's a good find. She let me buy a Nvida 1070 and a X56 and puts up with a lot of time spent on the forums I'm also a founder/moderator for a Facebook group called American Elite Commanders and 5 hrs in the game every night as she plays egg buddies and casino games on 4 different computers at the same time. I guess we have an understanding after 29 years. But still have time for the more important things in the relationship "to keep it fresh" you know. ;)

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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Lazlo Thon » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:17 pm

Also I have a small list of links that may help the do it yourselfers to switch companies and arcade parts
Hardware and other useful items.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/b/omron/swi ... mt|bb|prd|


https://paradisearcadeshop.com

Please don't get me wrong. Normally a person should not have to open their new HOTAS and repair something, it's wrong to spend $250.00- 400.00 or more only to have it break either out of the box or 2 days after the warranty expires. It infuriates me the levels of institutional mediocrity and the acceptance thereof. But until the quality control and the resistance to accept crapp go up this is what we are left with.

I leave you with this final link that kinda says it all.


https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=THKqXGAYLiM

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments please ask.

Commander; Lazlo Thon

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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Lanceor » Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:50 pm

And it has happened yet again - a crucial button on my X-55 has just died meaning that I won't be playing Elite Dangerous for a while. Even if I had the time to drive around town on a warranty run (which I don't), the warranty has run out.

I'll pull it apart tonight and see if I can fix it. If not, the whole thing is going where it should have been all along - the rubbish tip.

OP, you've probably made up your mind long ago, but if anyone is still deciding, don't waste your money on a Saitek product unless all you need is a limited-use disposable product.
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Re: Saitek X-56 Rhino

Postby Lazlo Thon » Mon Mar 20, 2017 4:36 pm

Lanceor wrote:And it has happened yet again - a crucial button on my X-55 has just died meaning that I won't be playing Elite Dangerous for a while. Even if I had the time to drive around town on a warranty run (which I don't), the warranty has run out.

I'll pull it apart tonight and see if I can fix it. If not, the whole thing is going where it should have been all along - the rubbish tip.

OP, you've probably made up your mind long ago, but if anyone is still deciding, don't waste your money on a Saitek product unless all you need is a limited-use disposable product.


I'm truly sorry to hear about the failure of your x55. I definitely feel your frustration, it's maddening. Which switch has failed?
I've been collecting some Omron switches from the company's on order catalog for future repair of my unit. I'm willing to offer my experience and help if I can.


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