TWCS review

By CheckSix (in French)

http://www.checksix-fr.com/thrustmaster-twcs-throttle-t16000m-hotas/

Here's one in English. Any idea on availability? They said September but...

What I wanna know is how it feels to use in game.Stuff like slew hat sensitivity in game.Also,how is the t-bar resolution.

That' is the problem with "review" today, authors concerned in show how is, not how it works, does not show internal details.

The last joystick "review" that worth the name was the Warthog there in SimHQ.

Release should be late December.

Looks good for the price point.

My major concern is TM's build quality. Their high end is good but even that has some questionable points. Their low end like the T-Flight is really poor. I am not speaking so such as to the ruggedness of the builds but more to the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship--such as it is--of the assembled product.

I might consider picking one up to test it out. Might be interesting for "lighter" simming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PW94g8LHnM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kXmbkwVyTQ

Finally a good video review (not just another of this "unboxing" reviews BS of YT era) showing axis working in software* and internals, including the hyped S.M.A.R.T. (a kind of drawer rails ) that have stiction.



* Compare TWCS axis behavior with CH Throttle (spikes):

https://youtu.be/YN4F9Qm5NCM?t=711

It's now available here in the UK but I'd love to hear from a fellow SimHQ'er if they decide to purchase one shortly.

I see it can be bundled with the T-Flight pedals,are they a decent make? I've never owned pedals before so have no idea what's good or bad.

This is probable TWCS "Achilles Hell": Low cost potentiometer, rated to 10.000 cycles.

http://sunhorizon.manufacturer.globalsou...tentiometer.htm

Similar from Panasonic, rated to... 1.000.000 cycles. Cost - per unit - 0.75$ (less in quantity) against ~0.40$ from the fist:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en...426TR-ND/637161
https://industrial.panasonic.com/cdbs/www-data/pdf/ARE0000/ARE0000CE3.pdf

A little better "video review" - fortunately not only under "Kosmosimova" POV.

Ordered the full set from Amazon since it was on $20 more expensive than the throttle alone. It should arrive on Wednesday. Looking forward to trying out that throttle with the F/A-18 looks. I think it'll work out better than the WH throttle when flying the F-15C in DCS.

Don't know if I'll use the stick, but for $20, it was worth it.

I'm currently using both a center-mounted WH with 10cm extension and a side-mounted FSSB R3 with the WH handle (and a WH PCB in it). I also use my WH and Cougar throttles and Saitek combat pedals.

Managed to find the time to set this up last night in the middle of doing a Windows reinstall. The feel of both units is excellent. The throttle even has a bit of a soft detent around where the orange thrust markings are on the base. I am pleasantly surprised by the feel of the T16000m, and plan on using it in at least some games (I setup a TARGET profile for X-Wing Alliance last night).

I'll try it out flying today.

The only issues I had with my TWCS were the grease used on the rails for the throttle forward, backward movement (too thick- replaced with white lithium grease and no more sticking) and poor quality pots on the mini joystick. The up/down pot had a dead spot in it. I disassembled the pots and found one of tracks actually had a "pot hole" in it, thus explaining the dead spot. I desoldered and replaced the pots with two nearly identical ones from a Logitech Gamepad and everything is perfect now. It gives me the fine control I wanted for the Ka-50 and Su-25T cameras in DCS.

Sokol1,

Thank you very much for listing what looks like a compatible replacement potentiometer for the throttle axis. I don't suppose you'd happen to know the manufacturer and type of the switches used for the hat switches and up/down rocker switch, would you? I think the voltage and amperage are what matter most?

Some day I'll get around to figuring out how to replace pots with hall sensors, but until then I'll make due with longer-life pots.

Ratty,

I dont know, this pot's spect's was speculated by one VKB engineer, used to deal with Chinese joystick manufactures, who always are ready for use the most cheap models available.

If you plan replace the micro-switches voltage/amperage don't matter (our Chinese friends already use the most sub-rated possible) only the physical size need be equals for avoid mechanical adaptations, typically is 6x6x5 mm.

So pick one from good brand, e.g. OMROM - some models rated to 100.000 cycles or more.

And keep eyes open for pot', this ones in TWCS will not last longer.

Thanks Sokol1.

I'm ordering replacement pots and switches. When the chinese ones die, I'll have some nice 1M or 10M rated switches ready to solder in.

Someday I'll work out how to replace the pots with hall sensors...

More on the throttle:

The TWCS switch placement gives you more switches at your fingertips than the Warthog throttle and a nice mini stick for TDC or camera slewing instead of the stupid mouse nub. The hat switches are better shaped and placed than the ones on the x56 and the TWCS has two more axis than the CH throttle as well as higher resolution for the axis. If it were a split throttle (and had top-quality switches and pots), it'd be perfect IMHO.

The flapper axis on the front, intended I think to work as a stop-gap rudder for those lacking pedals and a twist stick, works well and returns to zero well when released but takes your fingers away from the rocker switch, last two orange buttons, and the wheel axis. I find it most useful for something temporary, like zooming in view in DCS. Pull for zoom, release to return to normal, push away for wide angle.