Logitech G940 Opinions invited

[Naismith]

OK my 6 year old Saitek X52 is starting to give problems, uncontrollable spikes in the control surfaces etc.. so I am looking into the possible purchase of the Logitech as it comes with pedals and the split throttle. But it is expensivo, so I wonder if owners can give me some pro and con feedback before I commit. Or maybe I may just get another Saitek and forego the pedals.
TIA

[Tako_Kichi]

I went through this same dilemma last year as my X52 was showing wear on the rotary controls and had a couple of intermittent buttons after many hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of use. I actually ordered a G940 online only to get a message that the supplier was no longer supplying that item despite it showing in their online store. As a result I bought another X52 and the Saitek rudder pedals and have been very happy with both units and saved some money as a bonus.

[Naismith]

That is an option.. Tkanks .... next!
Come on girls I need input and especially long term testing reports.

[Xilence]

I have no long-term experience as I just recently (couple of weeks ago) acquired my G940 second hand. So far I have been loving it, except for one MAJOR flaw. In FSX, the force feedback has a pretty big delay. For example, when you roll, it doesn't push back right away, it takes a second or so before it violently (depending on roll-rate ofcourse) tries to push you back. But, if you disable control surface ForceFeedback, the flight set is amazing. Haven't tried the Saitek's though so I can't give you any comparison.

[rvn817j]

The G940 is good, the mechanisms are slick and the stick is real nice, but I think it could be great if you have time to fiddle with it. Except for the 6 or so major axes that are set up within FSX, all other functionality is set up in the Logitech profiler software and you then start FSX through the profiler software. (If you acquire the G940 pay attention to the set up instructions (and maybe supplement it with a google search).) I have not had any feed back issues. The set up instructions specificall say this is a "precision" controller so all null zones except the rudder pedals should be set to zero (0).

I'm not so sure I am thrilled with this set up as there could be conflicts with FSUIPC and other issues of a minor nature. For example, I recently acquired the Razbam Kestrel and wanted to 'drop' ordnance, but the Logitech profiler software did not have a selection for the 'cabin alert' needed by the Kestrel to drop ordnance. I simply don't have the time to research how (or the knowledge to do a work around) to make that item work. (If anyone has an idea on how I can fix that issue, I would appreciate a tip.) Little stuff like that sort of puts me off the G940.

I don't want my criticisms to be too loud as I would like to see more folks get this flight controller and tell me how to set up a really good FSX profile. The online reviews of the G940 are favorable, but....... Hope this helps.

[Xilence]

Hmm. Since I bought it second-hand I don't know anything about a setup guide. is it in the form of documents? Could you scan and upload them? Or possibly upload your profile? I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me get rid of this delay!

[rvn817j]

The Logitech site will have the software available for D/L. If you google "G940 Setup" or "G940 Setup Guide" you should get lots of hits and lots of information.

[OleBoy]

I don't want to sound harsh. Though getting the G940 configured, is not an easy thing to accomplish. The settings within FSX are very limited and cumbersome. The profiler that 's included within the software for the G940, I don't use it, nor recommend anyone using it because it tends to be a real PITA. FSUIPC is what's needed for most of the control settings to work as you want them too. To start, delete ALL controller settings within FSX for the joystick, throttles and foot controls. Then jump in FSUIPC and start reading. There are plenty of buttons to handle everything you need to configure. Then the harder to get programmed commands can get set up via FSX, and your keyboard if needed.

Some of you will likely ask me now, how, where etc, etc. Well, I never have been good at giving instructions unless you're physically in front of me to show you. So, all I can say is, start reading and experimenting with the calibration and axis tabs through FSUIPC after all above I mention and, start reading. But you won't get it figured out in 20 minutes I can assure you of that. I didn't anyway.

Bye the way, toss the G940 manual after a quick skim through it for reference. That's useless also.

After about a week I had mine configured the way I needed it for the average aircraft. It got me by. The more I used it while flying different aircraft, the more I experimented and added/changed other settings to make the G940 more user friendly. I was frustrated getting it figured out. And I still don't have it configured to perform the way a actually want it too. But it works great!

[Naismith]

Thanks all for the feedback. I'm still in a quandry as there seem as many plusses as minuses. Even a scan of YouTube doesn't categorially answer the question. It is a lot of maoney to splash out so I will have to give it careful consideration. With my Saitek, I never ever used the profiler as it seemed clunky to use (the s/w I mean) so I wonder if the G940 will be the same. As for the FF, many moons ago I had a MS stick and the FF was interesting to say the least, sometimes it could be so violent as to be hazardous. lol
I wish there was a place where you could try before you buy!

[Alan_A]

I used the G940 for about a year and had a good experience with it. I didn't use FSX force feedback - instead, as recommended by a number of other simmers, I paid a little extra for FS Force (http://www.fs-force.com/), which gives you much more accurate stick forces and a number of good (tweakable) profiles. This "Heavy Prop (http://www.dirks-software.ca/fs-force/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73&highlight=heavy+prop)" profile is a blast with the A2A B-17 and the Aerosoft Catalina, among others. There's also a good profile that Bill Womack developed for the Piper J-3 Cub, available here (http://iblueyonder.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/fs-utilities-the-unseen-unsung-heroes/) (along with a good writeup on FS Force itself).

I never used the Logitech profiler - I handled all the axes and assignments either through FSX or through FSUIPC. Had no problems with either method.

Mine died for unexplained reasons a few months ago. At the time I was considering going over to a yoke anyway, so I used that as an excuse. However, I couldn't get a yoke to give me enough precision (was using CH and Saitek, not the heavy gear like PFC), and eventually I shelled out fairly large bucks for the Thrustmaster A-10 Warthog HOTAS. Have never looked back. The degress of control made possible by the Hall Sensors (magnetic, not mechanical) is like nothing I've ever experienced. And the stick is so good, I don't really mind the fact that I'm missing force feedback.

My advice is, if you're considering a big investment in a controller, take a good look at the Warthog. It's costlier than the G940 but it pays you back in quality. If you do want to go with the G940, FS Force is a must.

Let us know how you come out.


Best,
Alan

[JohnC]

I'll echo Alan's recommendation on the Warthog. I've owned a G940 for about 2 years now:

Positives
- Profiler takes a while to get configured, but I love the flexibility.
- Force feedback with FS-Force is great
- You can remove the stick centering force (great for helos)

Negatives
- Reliability. About a year in, the signal for throttle 2 started bleeding into one of the rotaries. A month or so ago it started bleeding into throttle 1 and both hat switches on the throttle have at least one position that responds intermittently.
- Throttle resolution is good, but not fantastic

[Naismith]

Thanks very much both of you for the feedback. I have to say that the reliability seems an issue given the cost of the unit which is a worry. 2 years!! My saitek is 6 years old and only now causing spikes.

[Phantom88]

The Thrustmaster WartHog is incredible,Expensive but The Quality is beyond my expectations

[Mach3DS]

Just went through this same decision. I had the X52 for years, and it's worked great. I did a lot of research. My advice is to go a handle them in person if you can. I went to FRYS electronic store. They have all of them, every mainstream flightsim gear available actually. If you can, this will give you a feel for what each one is like. I was looking at Saitek X65F and TM Warthog. I ruled out Logitech from the beginning, because I didn't want to deal with the mechanical issues, or motor wear and tear. I started with the X65F. Amazing system. Very solid. But ultimately I spent my money on TM. Yes, extremely expensive. But it's the most solid stick I've ever used outside of the real airplane. I love the heaviness and smoothness of the stick movement, and the precision of the movement. The buttons required different amounts of force to push (very realistic) I went back to the X65, and the buttons just felt more like a toy than a combat stick. The other reason I didn't go with X65 is that I fly GA quite a bit, and still wanted some actual movement translating in the stick. That way I can fly all types, not just the F-16! ;) I am extremely happy with my purchase. The only draw back are the profiles, which if you're not familiar with the TARGET software, can be a challenge to learn. But there are plenty of ready made profiles out there. I would HIGHLY recommend the TM, if you budget allows for it. You won't really go wrong with a purchase of any one of these 3 items, it really comes down to what you like, want to deal with, and feel are "must haves" for your new purchase.

[Naismith]

Thank-you very much for that in depth.. Finding a store that actually stocks these sort of higher end things is itself a challenge. You are fortunate that Fry's is a) that type of store and b) nearby. If only they were a bit further north like, oh Bellingham for instance, Renton is a bit of a trek for me. I must get around to renewing my insurance, I won't go into it here but I have just learned a very valuable lesson re the importance of having medical insurance when going south in the past I have tended to poo-poo the necessity....

[Mach3DS]

Well, you could make the excuse be to visit the Boeing Museum of flight...Then, just make the trek a few more miles South :)