Saitek ST290 Programmable Joystick with Throttle Review

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(More customer reviews)There are few games I play that require a joystick. I love playing flight sims but am typically more attracted to other types of computer games that seldom require them, so when I hooked up with my old buddies on "Aces High 2" I needed a decent, working joystick to replace my old Gravis Blackhawk analog stick that stopped working on my PC years ago. I drove down to the local ubiquitous low-cost super store (you know it's name) and this was the *only* joystick that they had in stock. This made me a bit nervous as I like to browse through any potential gaming-related hardware I purchase for my computer, but the price was right (under $20) and my experience in the past with Saitek products hasn't been bad. Ultimately I'm pleased with the purchase and despite a few shortcomings this has been a reliable and sturdy joystick.

The joystick itself is, as pictured, largely comprised of hard black plastic mounted on a spring base. There are 6 programmable buttons, a POV hat switch, and an adjustable hand rest to give you a more comfortable grip. At the bottom is your throttle adjust, basically a large plastic flap, and the stick itself can be twisted left or right to act as one's rudder. There's also a clear, blue plastic piece on the top that lights up, but serves no other purpose but for looks. Neat-O.

I have two problems with the stick. The first revolves around the throttle control. This may be more due to the setup of my desk...I have no place to hold the joystick but on my lap and that presents a throttle problem of its own. Its positioning on the tail end of the stick makes it tricky for me to cut throttle in mid flight since leaning forward to hit buttons on the keyboard will usually push the thing back up. Bad idea when you're making a dive bombing run or an approach for landing. My second issue has to do with the style of the stick's rudder. Dogfights are fast paced and intense affairs and usually involve a lot of frenetic jinking and weaving, and lots of use of the rudder. The rudder turns well and responds fine but the problem is that when yawing left you're liable to accidentally push a button with the area of your palm nearest the thumb. Depending on what you've programmed into that area of the joystick this can have disasterous results in a pitched dogfight, and not something that reprogramming buttons is going to fix.

Still this joystick has been well worth the meager investment involved and has proven itself of great value to me. Definitely a must-buy for anyone looking for a good, solid starter joystick.

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Product Description:
Radical design and styling to provide gamers precision and style. 3-position Handle Adjustment fits all hand sizes. Adjustable Palm Rest and central level throttle for left- or right-handed gaming.

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Saitek JI3G Cyborg 3D Gold USB JoyStick Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had my share of joysticks in the past, and have never really been satisfied with any of them. This is due, in part, to my being left handed and not wanting to 'stick with my right. The Cyborg is different. This is a joystick that is truly a joy to use. The most readily apparent feature of the Cyborg that sets it apart is the ability to adjust the various parts of the stick. Not only can you swap things around from right handed mode to left handed mode, but you can also adjust the depth and angle of the thumb triggers on the top of the stick. You wouldn't guess that this is a comfortable stick just by looking at it; it is very industrial looking. But I have not had any of my usual hand cramps or sore thumb joints using it. The buttons are arranged in such a way so as to make four of them easily accessible without adjusting your grip on the stick (trigger and three thumb buttons). You also have an 8 direction hat in easy reach. I find the buttons to have a nice amount of play (very little), though this is a personal preference, and they all have an audio and tactile response. One of the nicest features of the Cyborg is odd looking external spring at the base of the stick. This spring not only gives the joystick a nice amount of resistance to movement without making you really torque on it to get to the extreme angles, but it also keeps the stick perfectly centered when you aren't applying pressure. Every other joystick I have used relies on internal methods in the base of the unit for centering, and all of them inevitably fail, resulting in annoying drift. The only potential drawback to the Cyborg is that it isn't force feedback. That's great for me because I have found FF devices to be pretty silly, but some folks like them. For a sturdy, reliable, comfortable joystick, I have yet to find anything that comes close to the Cyborg.

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Product Description:
Designed to suit any player and any joystick-oriented title, theversatile Cyborg 3D Gold USB joystick features both a customizable, ergonomicgrip and fully programmable controls. Featuring four buttons, twocommand-doubling shift buttons, a rotary throttle wheel on the base, three firebuttons, and an eight-way point-of-view (or "hat") switch on the top of thecontrol, the Cyborg boasts up to 24 programmable functions plus a trigger andpush throttle. The included Saitek Gaming Extensions (SGE) software lets youquickly and easily assign button functions and also allows you to createspecific profiles for different games, auto loading them into the joystick atthe start of a game.
A built-in hex head wrench allows you to modify the head tilt, head roll, palmrest, and throttle for flexible left- or right-handed gameplay orientation. Andthe comfortable, rubberized palm rest, minimizing fatigue during prolonged play,can be raised or lowered to accommodate either small or large hands.
For flight sims, the precise 3-D twist function of the stick offers smooth,precise rudder control. And for driving games, in which the joystick is steadilypushed forward for acceleration, the stick's long-throw, spring-loaded tensionand accurate electronics provide excellent tactile response.
Featuring easy-to-use USB plug-and-play connection, the Cyborg 3D Gold USB iscompatible with both PC and Mac computers. It comes with a one-year warranty.

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Saitek Cyborg Graphite Joystick USB Review

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(More customer reviews)The best thing about this Saitek joystick is that is still works flawlessly after multiple years of abuse. The spring base of the stick is a vast improvement over the old Wingman and Wingman Extreme joysticks I used way back in the day (those puppies died about every 6 months from plastic part failure inside the base of the joystick). Another great feature is the ability to adjust the height of the hand rest on the stick, the angle of the trigger and top-hat assembly. The joystick meets my needs now as it always has, and while it's not a 'professional' joystick, it is great for all the simulators that I play.

5/5. Well worth the money, very reliable, and easy to adjust to fit your hand size.

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Product Description:
Adjustability on a BudgetThe Cyborg Graphite features the full ambidextrous adjustability of the original Cyborg in a basic function joystick.

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Sony PlayStation 2 - Game console Review

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(More customer reviews)The Playstation 2 is, without a doubt, one of the best video game systems of all time. It has such a diverse library of games that you are bound to find something to apease everybody. So why am I giving it 4 stars instead of 5?

There are two factors about the current PS2 design that you won't find anywhere on the box. The first is reliability/quality of design. My first PS2 broke 2 weeks after I bought it. It started making a quiet rattling noise while the games were playing, so I would check the games when I heard the noise and they would be fine... well one day they weren't fine. In fact, Blockbuster wasn't amused when I told them my PS2 lacerated the bottom of their disc like a Cat from Pet Cemetary. That's one experience right?

My friend is on her 3rd PS2 (keep in mind the PS2 has only been out for about 4 to 5 years). Another couple I know is experiencing their first problem with their PS2 2 years after they bought it. It won't play any discs that are black on the back (Almost all PSone discs, and a lot of early PS2 discs).

A lot of people will tell you that the PS2 only has problems if you stand it upright (which Sony says is perfectly fine and even sells a stand for). That would be inconsistent with my experience because mine still malfunctioned and it was sitting horizontally. I even have a horizontal stand which is supposed to increse airflow (thehorizontal stand made by Sony). Also, the friend I mentioned who is on her third PS2 console has never stood her's upright.

I'm not saying that every PS2 is going to up and die on you, but I think all consumers should be aware that the PS2 has reliability issues, and a quick browse through these reviews will confirm that. It doesn't mean it isn't still an awesome system!

The next thing you will want to consider is whether or not you want THIS model of PS2. You may have read lately that the PS2 got a major overhaul unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show. Well, that revised version of the PS2 will be available in the US on Nov. 1st 04 according to Sony. In my opinion, they may be responding to the quality problem with this new system... but that is speculation and really doesn't belong in a review so scratch that from the record books. The difference between the new and old version is sheer mass. In all ways the new design is much smaller. It can also be stood upright. It is some 75% smaller and 50% lighter. You can see it on Playstation.com. It will also be 150 bucks, no price difference. It looks a lot more solid. HOWEVER!!! If you plan on playing Final Fantasy XI get the current design before it is gone. So far the redesigned PS2 doesn't support the HDD Hard Drive necessary to play FFXI and Sony hasn't expressed any plans for that. So, the question becomes do you want the classic design or the updated version that hits in Nov. Me? I can't really wait until Nov. because MK Deception comes out in a few weeks hehehehe.

A word about accessories. As I mentioned before I have a horizontal stand for my PS2. The horizontal stand is supposed to increse airflow. Supposedly, this does good things for the system. The stand is worthless. It doesn't really connect to the system, the system just sits on top of it. It's kinda cool looking... other than that you should be aware that neither the horizontal or vertical stands are necessary because the system is designed so that it can stand or sit without a stand. The vertical stand adds a little extra balance but I recommend you never put your system on carpet or an uneven surface. The carpet causes static issues and, like uneven surfaces, can result in the system falling if shaken too hard (take note parents of energetic kids). The PS2 already has quality issues, don't give it any additional trauma to help the process along.

Third party controllers (Controllers made by a company other than Sony) just aren't as good as factory controllers. Plain and simple. They all have cool little features and they are getting better, but stick to the controllers made by Sony and avoid the headache of unresponsive controls. This is, of course, unless you absolutely need a wireless controller so people aren't tripping when they walk by, or if your hands (or your little gamer's hands) are too small for a standard controller, there are "mini" controllers available.

As far as online game play goes, the PS2 leads the pack for play features while the Xbox leads the pack for... instant messaging and lan party-esque mass multi-player gaming. Sometimes the Xbox is a little more like a computer that I approve of. NOTE- if you want to play online you need to make sure the PS2 you are buying comes with the online adapter (or if you wait till Nov. for the redesign it will be intergrated). If you don't have highspeed internet, don't worry! According to Sony 40% of it's online market is tapping online gaming with dial-up. Dial-up is an option if you have an online adapter.

That's about it. Hope this was helpful. PS2 Rocks!

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Product Description:
The PlayStation2 is equipped with a 128-bit Emotion Engine processor that enables lightning-fast gameplay and impressive graphics power. The console builds on its home entertainment value by doubling as a DVD player and accommodating most of the original PlayStation's vast library of games. PS2 is known for its excellent selection of titles for the older gamer.

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Jakks / Namco Arcade Classics Plug and Play TV Games Review

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(More customer reviews)Being a nostalgia freak, I'm always on the lookout for products that allow you to bring the arcade classics into your home.While this device gets major points for convenience (just plug it into your TV or VCR and go), I found the actual gameplay disappointing...and considerably different from the original arcade versions.
All of these games have the difficulty kicked WAY up.If you remember the arcade versions of Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Rally-X, you will be amazed at the speed of your pursuers.And if you remember the patterns that "expert" Pac-Man players employed to get high scores, don't bother.They don't work here.
This wouldn't be such a big deal if there were some configurable options, such as difficulty level and bonus thresholds.However, the manufacturer has solidly locked these games down - you can't even specify a two-player game.
Visually, the games look like the real deal, although there has been some reformatting of the screens to fit the aspect ratio of your TV screen.You'll recall that the original Pac-Man and Galaxian games featured long vertical screens.Here, they are squared off and the score counters moved from the top to the right side of the screen.No complaints there.But the attract modes of the games are not consistent with the arcade versions.Pac-Man and Galaxian are faithfully recreated, but Dig-Dug has only a static title screen.No character animation or instructions are provided.And, to my ear, the game sounds and music (for all of the games) are not authentic.Close, but not quite.
Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Dig-Dug were released a while back by Microsoft in their "Return of Arcade" product.While you need a Windows PC to play these, they are much more authentic recreations of the original games than what is provided here.Plus, they are fully configurable.
Regarding durability - I see some folks have issues, but my unit has held up fine.The only fit/finish issue I have is that the small metal cap at the base of the joystick is not fastened to anything, and slides up and down.Perhaps that is by design, but it seems flimsy.
If you just want to put the kids in front of the TV and keep them quiet, these issues probably don't matter.However, I have my doubts that young kids will show much interest in these antiques.I suspect the real target audience for this toy is people like me who remember the originals and want to recreate them at home.And for me, this falls short.

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Product Description:
Now you can relive some of the classic video games of the 80s with the Namco TV Games Video Game System. It's so easy to use -- just plug the handheld joystick into your TV or VCR and you're ready to play Pac-Man, Galaxian, Rally-X, DigDug or Bosconian. Requires 4 "AA" alkaline batteries (not included).

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Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2 with Vibration Feedback (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had this unit for about a month, used it to play Half Life, and Need for Speed 2 Underground. Outstanding performance in both cases. I'm running a dell p4 2.GHz 512mb WinXP Pro SP2. Easy installation, no problems of any kind so far. The original batteries are still going strong. Hope this review is helpful.

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Product Description:
MODEL- 963326 VENDOR- LOGITECH INC. FEATURES- Cordless Rumblepad 2 2.4GHz Cordless Dual Analog Sticks Mac PC USB Vibration Feedback. Experience the freedom and eliminate the clutter with the Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2. Logitech developed 2.4 GHz Cordless Freedom technology specifically for gaming -- 30 feet of freedom with no lag! With its two vibration feedback motors you will experience every turn bump dip and crash. And it feels great in your hands with its familiar button layout and all the controls you need to dominate. Includes Cordless Rumblepad 2 2.4 GHz wireless receiver 2 AA batteries User documentation and Gaming software.* 2.4 GHz cordless performance with 30-foot range High-speed data transfer for precise control with no lag.* 100 hours of battery life Proprietary power management for longer battery life* Dual vibration feedback motorsFeel all the hits crashes explosions andmany more effects.* Familiar button layout 10 programmable action buttons plus Mode and Vibration selectors and8-way D-pad.* Analog control Two analog sticks give you a performance edge with smooth 360-degree control.* Software includedCustomize buttons download game profiles assign shift-button andmore.* Quality constructionAs if you would expect anything else from Logitech.-- SPECIFICATIONs --------------------------------------CONNECTOR- USB portREQUIRES - PC with Pentium processor or compatible 64 MB RAM 20 MB of available hard disk space CD-ROM drive USB port Windows 98 2000 Me or XPMacintosh with USB port Mac OS 9 or Mac OS 10.x or higher

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