usb "tron sticks" check it out

[JayTea]

I just bought this off e-bay.  Its a USB stick for mac and PC.  The guy usually has a few of these up for sale at any one given time.  My efforts to come up with an affordable solution to a Tron joystick (both look and playability) have led me to this joystick.   The RaiderPro Blue joysticks are unsightly IMO.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2782056414

The reviews of this flight stick are not very positive, but the reviews usually end with "it would be a good beginner flight stick".  This is fine by me since you need a trigger and maybe 2 buttons to run most MAME flight games, and of course, TRON!

Let me know what you think of this solution or if any of you have tried this stick.  

This also gives me another excuse to build another CP , maybe a multi-level one this time!

[Stingray]

At $10 that's not a bad solution. As an interesting coincidence, the seller on that auction was a local Mac store that's about 2 miles from where I work. I may stop in and see if they have more at that price.

-S

[Brad Lee]

Only concern would be that this is definitely a right handed stick- if youve got it on the right side of your CP then it's all good.. If you need the stick on the left side, then youve got problems

[JayTea]

I have tried to locate a tron stick, but now that I think about it, it almost seems sacrlidge to part out a Tron for the stick.  This way I have a clean conscience, and similar looking stick.  I am thinking of shining a black light underneath it for added effects.

And at $10 + shipping it's not a bad deal.  That's funny that you live near this guy, I wonder if he's making a little extra on ths shipping/handling.  Curious.

[JayTea]

Only concern would be that this is definitely a right handed stick- if youve got it on the right side of your CP then it's all good.. If you need the stick on the left side, then youve got problems

It's going to be on the right, spinner on the left (TRON setup) and probably a dedicated 4 way in the middle of those when I'm finished.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Not sure if this helps any...but here's the PRO version of that stick.



http://www.blackfire.com.au/product-detail.php?no=2032

"The FunStick Pro inlcudes 7 fully-programmable buttons, including 1 throttle wheel and 1 rudder wheel."

[SS427]

 $4.99 here

http://www.welovemacs.com/istick.html

ss

[MinerAl]

I've hacked the F-108 "PRO" version onto a Happs Super.

Here's the thread about it.

If you have a digital camera handy, could you post some different pictures of the F-106 when you get it?  I've really only seen the one pic that's on every ad for it, I'd like a better picture of the whole stick if you can get one.

Al

[JayTea]

I've hacked the F-108 "PRO" version onto a Happs Super.

Here's the thread about it.

If you have a digital camera handy, could you post some different pictures of the F-106 when you get it?  I've really only seen the one pic that's on every ad for it, I'd like a better picture of the whole stick if you can get one.

Al

Will do.  The happs hack looks interesting, but I think I might just keep the analog controls, depending on how it feels.

[spidermonkey]

I bought one of those from the same guy a while back just to have for maybe a future project as I already have a Tron stick on my cab. I couldn't get it to work with windows me. I might try it with my MAME computer which has 98 se just to see how it performs. I also may hack the handle off and mount it over a Happ tulip top fire button joystick. What os is your computer using ? Let me know if you get it working.

[crashwg]

Is the 106 actually right handed?  I couldn't tell by the pics.

[Smittydc]

Definitely looks nice for $10.  I've always wondered how easy those are to hack out and mount.  Has anyone actually done it?  Would you do it again?

If anybody's still interested in a tron stick, I'm selling one from a xenophobe -- very similar.  There's a thread in the buy/sell forum group for it.

cheers,
smitty

[JayTea]

I bought one of those from the same guy a while back just to have for maybe a future project as I already have a Tron stick on my cab. I couldn't get it to work with windows me. I might try it with my MAME computer which has 98 se just to see how it performs. I also may hack the handle off and mount it over a Happ tulip top fire button joystick. What os is your computer using ? Let me know if you get it working.

I'm running 98 se.  

The pics suggest a neutral grip, but you never know.  The 108 is very right handed with the thumb button sticking way out there...  These just seem to be a 8/10 solution for a replica tron stick, and B's get Degrees where I'm from  Especially if you can manipulate a black light underneath it, remove the top buttons and put a tron sticker on it.  I doubt if I'll do this, but it wouldn't be too difficult.

[Zathras]

I picked up two of the 4.99 f106s to hack to a standard joystick base like MinerAl did (thanks for the writeup by the way).  They came quick and in good condition (they still have the compusa stickers on them even ).  What is funny is that of all the expensive bits I've ordered for the cabinet these were the only thing that came signature required.

They feel pretty sturdy - I don't think they would handle arcade play but for home use they will be fine.  The handle is different from the one in the pic (it is lot more swoopy) and the buttons are pretty recessed - I don't know if they are too recessed to be useful but I'll find that out when I get it finished.  I'll post pictures then.

One plus for the 106 is that the hat switch is just wired with the directions each as a separte button.  I'm thinking that could come in handy to use as the up/down DOT spinner buttons.

[JayTea]

I've finally got around to hacking this stick - I'm going to do a "half hack".  I am hacking the stick to fit on a regular joystick, but I'm going to keep the buttons and hat functional via the usb gameport.  All it will require is splicing extension wires to the current ones, run them down the new shaft, and reconnect the wires to the original base.  With this type of hack, I am getting true 8 way feel (joystick handle hack) and full button and hat functionality (connect buttons to original base, stored in the CP.  All I have to do is allow joystick input on Mame.  I'll get pics up when I'm done.  So far all it has cost me is $1.89 for a 6 inch 3/8 threaded pipe from ACE, $10 for the iFunstick.  The joystick was given to me by APFelon.  Thanks!

Trigger stick grafted to regular joy------->Button Wires-------Original trigger stick base------USB port

[mushmouth]

Keep us posted, and PLEASE, pics... I have a Happs Tulip style super fire-top that, if I could convert to a more authentic looking tron stick, I'd do in a heartbeat. And for 10 bucks it'd be a no-brainer...

I'd like to see close-ups of the button areas on the 106 to see how easy it'd be to remove them/change them.

Finally something new to look forward to... Most excellent.

[MinerAl]

Keep us posted, and PLEASE, pics...

I second that! Or maybe I third it, or re-first it... whatever.  POST SOME PICS PLEASE!

[Sasquatch!]

Just ordered a couple from the link that SS427 posted.  I already have a hacked Raider Pro, but at $14 with shipping, ya can't go wrong.  Thanks for the tip!

[SS427]

Sasquatch,

This may be to little to late (haven't checked the boards in a while),,,,The stick that I got from them was not as "blue" as the picture on the board or there website.  It was clear and another color split on the stick.  I still plan on using them as I planned to illuminate the stick and liked the feeled better than the raider pro.   They could have sent the wrong sticks, but I never checked back with them.  Hope it arrives as expected or you might try getting ahold of them before it ships to verify.

ss

[JayTea]

The funstick 106's are near perfect "Tron Blue".  The 108 seems to be a lighter blue from the pics I've seen.  It's my wife's birthday tomorrow and I have basketball games to coach all week, so I'll get to picture posting this weekend.