Saitek (Logitech) X-56

Hardware & Tech Questions
1

From reading other threads it would seem that people are in hardware buying mode. I am putting this up as a placeholder with the thought of doing a real review someday. In the meantime I didn’t want to hijack another thread. I wiuld like to suggest that this hotas may now not be the turd that Saitek originally released. I’ve have had this, their revised version, for 3 months and find it to be the best stick I have owned yet—although I admit to a habit of generally buying cheap stuff. I did have a dealbreaking issue with phantom button presses on the throttle. I put it back in the box and was ready to ship it back as yet another dumb mistake on my long list of them. Fortunately I saw a mention about a similar issue with the previous version of the kit that was resolved with a powered USB hub. That resolved it for me as well. Button placement is not ideal. The throttle is a tad stiff if not used but once I slide it a few times before flying, the resistance suits me perfectly. The stick is the most precise I have ever used (again, I have only used cheap).

Sorry to post something so uninformative. But I thought it best to get something out there as a data point in my fellow Mudspiker’s purchasing process. The X-56 was released as mostly a failure and therefore easily overlooked as suitable only for Elite players who don’t know any better. But I think it might be OK.

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2

I thought that I had read somewhere that Logitech (who now own the Saitek brand) had made some fixes to the manufacturing of that HOTAS combo that had improved a lot of the problems people were experiencing. A review would be great! I can see if I can dig up that article/review/youtube vidwo or whatever it was I remember that from if you necessary :slight_smile:

3

That Hotas looks pretty sweet. Does that hat on the joystick get in the way of the pickle button?

4

A little. I have long dainty fingers so reach isn’t a problem. All the ministicks work precisely. But the one on the stick is useless so I reprogrammed it as keypresses.

5

I’ve always been interested in this setup. Currently using the t16000m, which has a great throttle, but the joystick only has 3 buttons a hat and a trigger on it. The other buttons are on the base. If you have to take your hand off the stick to push a button, might as well use the keyboard binds in my opinion.

6

I agree, I am using the t16000m for some time now and never used a single button on the base. I gues these butons are more useful for the use without throtle unit, where you have your left hand on the sliding throtle on the base.

Regarding the X56, I would like to see complete map of all the controls on it, like these are butons, this rotary encoder, these are 4way hats, these are ministicks etc.

7

I cannot find a diagram for the stick. I want one too just so I can make paper control guides for each sim.

This may not help but I will go through the trouble anyway…

THE STICK

Comes with 3 springs. I prefer the lightest. Very precise. Harrier, helicopters and AR are a cinch.

Top/back, facing player: 3 8-ways. I use the left for trim, the right for TMS-type functions and top-right for DMS-type functions. Between trim and top-right is button “a”, Weapon Release. On the right side is a single button that I use for NWS. The trigger is single stage. There is a pinky button that I use for “shift” and, forward of that, a big pinky paddle that in Falcon I use as the A/P disconnect. In helicopters I use it for force trim. Where one’s thumb rests is a useless mini-stick. If this were an 8-way, I would use it for CMS. Instead I have it programmed as 4 keypresses which, when at the extreme 10 percent of its range, are mapped to MP comms.

THE THROTTLE

Thrust levers are independent but can be locked together. They move with a very pleasant fluidity that reminds me a bit of the actual sidestick in the A320. They no longer have the bothersome breakout force issues that the previous X-56 suffers. But with your hand resting on the throttles it is easy to unconsciously drift them forward. This is a bit frustrating with the F5 where I find myself in unintended burner too often. Friction would help but I like it light for helicopter flying.

Thumb (starting at bottom and working up and/or forward): Perfect ministick with a down press pb which I don’t use. Forward of that is an 8-way. Above that is another awkwardly placed 8-way (which I use for CMS). Behind that and above the mini-stick is a flat pb. Above the pb is a slider that I use as a safe pb (usually canopy in IL2 where actuation requires a full slide aft then a slide forward). This could also be used for eject. Facing down from an overhang and very close to what I utilized as “CMS” is a nice dial which I use for radar elevation. Inside that is a pb which I use for F10 or “Map”. On top of the throttle is another dial with another pb. I use this as a throttle for helicopters that have them (Ka50).

Index- and fore-fingers. Two PBs which I use as DF and MRM (quick guns or missile modes).

Pinky. and up-down switch with I use unshifted as VR center and zoom. Shifted they become speedbrakes. Left side of throttle is an entirely useless dial. Every game I have sees each detent as a pushbutton so I leave this unmapped. Below that is the dual throttle lock which cannot be actuated by accident.

Forward and right of the throttle (on the base) are 4 2-ways with centering detents. Below those are 2 dials. Aft of the throttle starting from the left is a 3-way Mode Selector (I don’t use it) and 4 centered 2-ways. Those four switches have nice guards of the type you find on CB panels to prevent actuation if you rest your wrist on the throttle base.

Unless you have read otherwise, based on my experience, I would consider a powered USB hub a requirement for the throttle.

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