Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 "Digital" Throttle?! July 15, 2005
I. Hayles (Seattle)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
This stick was an excellent price and worked great out of the box. However, it's got two buttons (+,-) for a digital throttle. It's implemented per throttle stick protocol, too, so Windows will make you run through a calibration routine for a Z-Axis and games will pick up on the presence of a throttle control. However, some games (Jane's F-15), will eliminate keyboard control for a throttle when it senses throttle control on the stick. I don't know why - pretty bad implementation idea there. Thus, the ONLY throttle control was on the stick...and it's digital! That'd be fine if it had, say, 0.9901% resolution (101 positions, 0 to 100 in steps of 1), but it doesn't - it's only got 20% resolution (5 positions). Thus, when landing an F-15, if I couldn't bring it down with 25% thrust, then my only two other options were 0% or 50%.
Good stick for the short time I had it! Hence, 5 stars. But make sure you understand what your games will do in the event of throttle control. Make sure they still allow keyboard control or make sure they allow you to disable the throttle input. Don't get stuck in a landing pattern with your only options being "off", "low", "medium", and "high", etc.
The Throttle August 25, 2006
Jacob R. Sullivan
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
I see a lot of gripes about this hoystick's digital throttle here. Just so that everyone knows, if you HOLD DOWN on the throttle buttons instead of tapping them, then the amount of throttle will change at a slower rate. The "20%" resolution exits for when you want to greatly increase your throttle in a hurry, but there is a method for getting 27% throttle when you need it.
 An excellent joystick overall April 9, 2005
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
A very nice joystick. The tripod legs give it exceptional stability. I can't remember it ever tipping over when I spin ridiculously in my Jane's USAF (A very good game, by the way).
The only serious problem I have with it is the throttle. It was a great idea, but it's one of those things that looks good on paper but doesn't work in real life. It isn't very precise in adjusting. A quick tap will send you up or down roughly 30%. This is a problem when my flight instructor (in the game, of course) says, 'You'll need about 80% thrust to get it moving.'
Of course, if you can control your throttle with your keyboard, it isn't really a problem at all.
Pros:
Excellent stability
responsive
looks cool
folding legs
Cons:
Bad Throttle
Only 3 buttons
 Joystick review May 28, 2005
Johnathon P. Nelson (middle of nowhere)
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
The Saitek ST90 is a fair joystick. I am using it with Battlefield 1942 and the Galactic COnquest mod, some vehicles have a more difficult time with it than others, the inability to adjust sensitivity of the joystick does not reflect on the joystick but rather the game. The stick has difficulty with helicopters, I have noticed. The price cannot be beat though, it is probably the cheapest stick available, and it's a WinXP native, no software needed and no gripes from the OS, just plug and play.
Pros:
Price ($12.00 -$22.00)
looks
stability
USB
Windows XP compatible
Cons:
helicopters
Not too good. January 30, 2006
J. Herman (sf, california)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
I couldnt invert the axis with this joystick... it had no program that will let me and the game wont let me even if i click the invert axis box. It is ugly, the package is horrible, design is poor. The buttons are pretty good though and it feels OK.
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