I'm glad I could help although to be honest, I think I've been the recipient of some great info from the community. I've learned a lot over the past half day and have been presented with and implemented solutions to most of the minor issues I had. Amazing community!
Nice showcase video! Looking forward to a more in-depth review, if you were to do so eventually. ;) I believe the white 3-pos flap switch on the STEM panel can be configured as an axis, much like the flap and gear levers on the GNX SEM. It uses a MARS sensor and by default it functions by using 2 virtual buttons for the up and down positions, I think. It stands to reason a third virtual button, for the middle position, can be configured in the software therefore as well.
Thanks! I can certainly post a more detailed review. I had actually cut a bunch of stuff out since I was aiming more for "here it is and here is how I am using it / stuff I figured out so far" and I didn't want it to drag on more than it should. I did confirm by a VKB rep on Reddit and from others that that white 3-position flap switch can be set as a 3 way or even as an axis. That's cool to know and a great feature. I just need to seek out help from the folks on the VKB discord to get that set up right.
I mapped mine on A10 C II and i have toggle it couple of times to full, middle wont go there in one click but I'm flying great now after few hours and mapping out some flight controls. The video helped me understand DCS configs and where to find things. I'm off VKB discord now.
Thanks! Great to hear you have your new throttle! Also make sure you watch the followup to this as I resolved all of the issues which I was having (mentioned in the Video Description). As for where to start.. If you have the extra buttons / button caps, figure out what you want to add. You can also move the buttons (I moved the three way hat switch to the front of the right throttle grip for example). Next, I would suggest figuring out the afterburner detent placement (if you ware using it). I personally would at a minimum set the bottom one for shutting down / starting the engines but again, personal preferences and what yo plan to use it for). Figure out what throttle tension you like. Lastly will be the button assignment. It was tough for me for a while as I had spent years on my old throttle which obviously has different button placement but it's all natural to me now. Feel free to ask if you have questions.
The way you say "but-tin" is very... unique. I just ordered my own Max halfway through watching your review. I can't wait to start pushing all of the but-tins on my new throttle when it gets here, assuming the Port of Long Beach doesn't screw me for 3 extra weeks like they did on my Gladiator NXT when I got it. Also: but-tins. BUT-TINS.
LOL! Okay! I get it! I'm a weirdo! :P I think you will be happy with it. The software seemed a little daunting for me at first but eventually I got it sorted out (at least to do the things I needed). I know that I havew barely scratched the surface with respect to the configuration options. I doubt I'll ever need to do much more however it is nice to know that if I want to change something, there's probably a way to do it. Let me know how you like it! (all those shiny new but-tins!)
@@StrIIker-TV I've been super thrilled with the build quality, ergonomics, and utility of the Gladiator NXT, and I have every expectation that the STECS will be just as good. Next up will be the pedals, I suppose, since the old T16000m set are getting a bit, uh, "worn," let's call it. One of these days I need to actually figure out how to fly the Tomcat that I pre-ordered all those years ago but never had the time to learn.
@@noiwonttellyoumyname.4385 the Tomcat’s been sitting on my system for a long time as well! I’m finally working on the Strike Eagle. It’s a cool jet. Lots to learn though. I had the older plastic Thrustmaster ones. I upgraded to the pendular ones from ThrustMaster. They are so much better.
@@StrIIker-TV I... don't even remember what I had before the T16000 FCS combo pack. As far as the Tomcat goes- I don't really have any aspirations of being able to fight it. I don't have the reflexes for that anymore. I'll be happy if I can just take it off and fly it around and look at things. Probably going to try and spend some time in the Scooter first, just to get used to flying jets again- I've mostly been playing Elite Dangerous / SW Squadrons / IL-2 Flying Circus for the past little while.
So I've had the STECS-Max for a few weeks now, and the new MkV rudder pedals too. Daaaaaamn. What an upgrade from the Thrustmaster. This is just a whole new world. I've been flying the Skyhawk for a while now, and I've got the button mapping set to the point where I can do damn near everything in the jet without having to even touch the mouse. This throttle is FANTASTIC.
10:21 FWIW you can also map the detent to the 1 >.< 2 event (it was added after the first videos came out, requires the latest version of the configuration program), which triggers one set of buttons below the detent and another set of buttons above it. So if you map OFF to the below mapping and IDLE to the above mapping, you don't have to do the back and forth maneuver on startup.
I am definitely going to do that! Thanks! I really appreciate hearing of suggestions to fix up these little things. This is my first VKB device so I am not aware of all which can be done with it. I was sure that there would be some silly little mistakes or missed settings which could make life easier for me. :)
@@StrIIker-TV I will be the first to admit that their configuration software is by no means the easiest to work with, but it is immensely powerful. For example by default the two analog sticks on the MCG Pro grip act as indeed analog sticks, or as 4/8-way hats if you use the push-in functionality. But they can be configured to also act as analog sticks and 4/8-way hats simultaneously, sending both outputs at the same time. So you don't even need to change the modes, if one plane is better with an analog stick, you bind it in the axis menu, if another is better with a 4-way hat you bind it in the buttons menu. This also frees up the push-in function to always act as a normal button. You can also add boolean logic and all kinds of other things to how they work, the options are immense. BUT wrapping your head around any of it doesn't necessarily come easy. =)
@@StrIIker-TV And also THANK YOU for your unbiased look into the whole thing, and talking about some of the specifics like the knob on the ATEM being a 7-way (4-way + push + 2-way encoder), and how well the locking function works etc. I'm absolutely delighted to hear that it's a significant improvement over the Warthog! =) EDIT: Also I hope you manage to get more usage out of the STEM module. I don't have one yet (EU), but I do have the SEM standalone module, which basically has the same kinds of switches on it. One of the best things about it is that all the buttons and switches have a very individual feel, they're fairly easy to locate by just feeling around, and they activation forces are also pretty high so you're unlikely to accidentally press them.
@@jubuttibMy pleasure and thank you! I am sure that I will make use of the STEM module. I really liked using the rotary dials on it for the Hornet's radios. It felt so much better to rotate them rather than click a bunch of times to change the radios via the PointCTRL. I really want to use the flaps and gear switches because looking down to click flaps and gear with the PointCTRL often results in the aircraft angled wrong because it dipped down or banked a bit. Same with cat shots. Looking down for a second or two to find and click the flaps and gear can be dangerous when the aircraft is 60 feet above the ocean and possibly sinking a bit.
Thanks! Yeah I was giving serious consideration to the Virpil CM3. I heard that VKB was making a new throttle and it would be modular and customizable so I decided to wait. The Thrustmaster Warthog throttle was working fine.
Thank you! I made a followup video and addressed some of the issues which I mentioned. Really can't complain about it any more and I really appreciate the quality and support.
Alternatively, you can add your throttle axis curve in VKBDevCfg software. It makes a straight line between whatever two endpoints you want. But of course almost every DCS module has a slightly different location for afterburner, so it makes sense to tweak that in-game anyway. PS: you can change your rotary encoders into axes too, using VKBDevCfg.
"PS: you can change your rotary encoders into axes too, using VKBDevCfg." Of course this comes with the caveat that they won't have end stops, and will go up and down in steps rather than smoothly (though the steps can be very small). So it's not a 100% direct replacement for having actual axis there, but it can be a great option for certain things.
Hmm, yeah I will try that out. I guess I can swap out the detent frame for other aircraft. I also obviously need to learn the VKB software! It seems that it can do a lot. I had a quick look and had sparks flying out of my ears. To be fair, I was just poking around to see if there was somewhere to set that flap switch to have a button press in the middle position (could not find that though).
@@Darrylx444 That's great! Thanks for letting me know! I actually got it sorted out the day after I posted this video. Several people helped out including the developer of the configuration tool from VKB. I just finished a video in whic I show all of what I have learned over the past few days and am uploading it to CZcams now. I'll publish it once the system finishes rendering to 4k.
In thrustmaster is artificial weight You can remove that by opening the bottom plate. It is mounted on the bottom plate. If you remove it, then it becames extremely light. The weight is there intentionally to make it stable.
Thanks! I was completely unaware of that fact. It’s not an issue if you screw it down like I did. I also am completely happy with the build quality and am not worried over plastic or whatever VKB used because it’s solid and feels like it will last for a very long time.
I hope this was helpful! Definitely check out the followup video which I linked in the video description as I found solutions to most of the issues mentioned in this video. Enjoy your new throttle!
Happy to have helped! There is a follow up as well in which I do solve the issues presented in this video. Give it a look as I feel that it illustrates the great underlying software for customizing the controls. I guess you just have to order and wait for your shipment. I see that more and more these days with other companies.
If you set the detent for idle to crv% to 0 it will read zero while on the detent. Then for the afterburner detent you set the crv% to just below afterburner kicks on, so when you go past it will kick on the afterburner.
Setting the idle detent curve to 0% did the trick! I had to adjust the position of the detent slightly up to get 0 at idle (it was sitting at 0.3 and I was being anal). I will give the afterburner idea a shot as well. Thank you for your help. This has all shown me how powerful the VKB configuration software is. This is so much better of an experience than my Thrustmaster Warthog throttle.
Great review, thank you. I've just bought the STECS standard with a SEM. I'm really enjoying the configure options the detents give, but I can't work out how to set the idle detent curve to zero while it's on the detent? In DCS my throttle curve is at zero when my physical throttle is off, so when I move it past the off detent, when it should be at idle my engine rpm is not.
@@AlpineGTAYou are in luck! I am finishing up my follow-up video in which I show how to resolve this! There are a few steps needed. The solution will allow you to get rid of the user throttle curves in DCS. Simply put, in the detent setting in the VKB software, set the curve to zero (it defaults to off). This will get it close to zero while on the detent. I also had to adjust the position up a few decimal places to get it perfect. Also make sure you set after making these changes (as in upload to the device). If it’s not clear in how I am describing it here, give me a little more time and you can see it.
I hear ya man! DCS and really any flight sim can be an expensive hobby! The nice thing with throttles and control sticks is that once you get a good one, you should be set for quite a few years. I had my Warthog (still have it but don't use it anymore) for.. 10 years + I think. Computer hardware on the other hand.. that's a constantly moving target! There's always an upgrade wanting your money! Take the time you need, save up and pick a throttle, stick base and stick which you think will work best for you. You should be using it for many, many years! If you divide the cost by the number of years it becomes less painful to think about. :). It's why you want to get the best you can afford and is why sometimes you may want to wait a little longer to be able to get a good quality one. You're on the right path at least and are looking at reviews and asking questions and you're not getting blinded by advertising.
Replying to 4:00. Not sure if you know this, but I have those bound to button 70 and 71 OFF in DCS. They need to be assigned manually. That way, I can use half flaps in the hornet!
Thanks! I actually got this issue solved and I demonstrated it in the follow up video. I was able to get the flap switch to function for auto, half and full (3 positions). Works like a charm now.
Yeah I had considered that as well. I guess there are many options to address what I was commenting on. Thankfully though, I was contacted with instructions on how to address this in the software and I demonstrated all that I learned in the follow up video this one. Now my STECS hums along perfectly. Only issues still outstanding are around manufacturing. The TDC hat is not the best and I really wish they would offer a replacement to purchase. Also the lack of extra boat switches to purchase. Not showstoppers by any means and I am very happy with my throttle now.
Nice throttle ! looks pretty smooth. Although its great to have buttons to bind in DCS, I find it more realistic interacting with the cockpit instruments. I use a roller ball mouse but I think I may look into the point track device. Enjoy your new throttle.👍
Yeah, I use PointCTRL to interact with the cockpit. I only use extra buttons for things which I can't directly click on. Stuff I have bound to other buttons include.. salute, flashlight, NVG, NVG Gain up / down, VR zoom, spy glass zoom, etc. I do think this throttle would be great for flat screen pilots who want some added buttons to press though. I haven not used any of the other latest throttles so I don't know how well they work or compare to this. If you ditch all of the add-on buttons etc, the throttle is pretty well priced I think.
@@StrIIker-TV - Yeah, I have been through Thrust,master WH hotas and Virpil and Virpil is reaaaalllly good ! I'm done with gear right now I'm gtg on that. Well if I ever go back to flat screen I would go full blown Winwing F-18 Hornet Full SETL and that winwing Super Taurus on a Monstertech desk mounts LOL ! but nah I love VR/Varjo Aero to much. And plus I'm still alittle broke from the aero purchase a few months ago. I would love a pit style rig one day... one day.
@@Mako-sz4qrIf you want to take your VR experience to the next level at a low price, get in line for a PointCTRL. It has saved me a ton of money on not buying frames etc. I know the shipping is painfully slow and the guy who makes them, Miles, took a break due to real life activities but it's a must have for DCS VR. Virpil is rock solid gear AND support as well!
You should be able to bind a on-off-on switch in DCS to the flaps. There are toggle options for that kind of switch. Also I think there is a spare TDC head included, but might be wrong (the black one)
Yeah I have heard that the flaps switch is actually an axis and that the middle position can be programmed. I just do not (yet) know how. I'm going to go see if the folks on Discord can help out. That TDC head is removable but unfortunately I did not receive any spare or replacement (I got excited for a moment!). The other caps are all designed to replace the swappable buttons. Perhaps it will be something which I can purchase soon before my muscle memory builds up on the pointy one.. but by then I guess it would not matter.
@@VKBSim That’s great news. I actually was able to get it working thanks to the advice from others here and from users on Reddit. AlexOz also was immensely helpful and took time to provide help with this plus a few other questions I had. I am actually making a follow up and plan to demonstrate how I overcame these challenges so that I can hopefully help others out. By the way. I am very impressed with just how much I can configure with the software! It’s pretty cool.
@@StrIIker-TV Alex should know about it, he's the developer :) But I agree, if you have the patience to see how it works the native software is extremely useful.
Your cockpit is basically my ideal setup. I have pointctrl as well and thrustmaster warthog hotas. Using fanatec driving pedals as rudders. Wanting to upgrade to this or virpil throttle as well as vkb metal stick one day. Do you feel this is a true upgrade over the warthog? Do you miss the nice metal feeling?
Hi! Thank you for watching the video. I hope it was informative. There's a follow-up video which I made shortly after when I got a lot of help from the community as well as from the lead VKB dev! Make sure you watch it as almost all of the issues I identified were solved. If you have a pointCTRL, you probably don't need all of the buttons on the new throttle base. I am almost done with a video in which I show what the few buttons that I use are mapped to. I almost don't want to post it as it's laughably few! I do use the hats on the throttle stick itself. I use PointCTRL for everything else. The only deviation from clicking in the cockpit with PointCTRL involves the landing gear and the flaps. Looking down after a catapult shot to flip them was not the best thing and made me nervous. Is this a true upgrade from the Warthog.. I would say yes but.. (of course there's a but!) It has it's downsides. The TDC (mini stick) hat sucks and there's no replacement for it (yet). I don't like having the TDC on the side because "up" varies based upon where the throttle levers are. It took some time to adjust to this and I internally moaned about it for a week or so). Having looked at the Virpil's placement of the mini-stick, I think that might have been a better choice to avoid this headache as it's under the index finger which makes more sense. The Virpil looks more "plasticy" and less solid with button presses based upon videos which is one reason I decided to try the STECS. I do have my STECS screwed to my little simpit so I never notice it feeling light. I heard that the heaviness of the Warthog is due to some metal weights inside the base which one can remove but I never opened mine up. I do like the feel of the throttle lever movement and the ability to adjust the tension on them is nice. The feel of the throttle for me is great and I don't feel that it is a cheap piece of plastic. When I switched over I missed the three position boat switches from the Warthog where the thumb lies (we only get one on the STECS). I hated the TDC position and hat. I only really use the Flap switch and silver switch for gear. I do use a few of the buttons on the base for exterior lights on / off, flashlight, and eject (under the flap cover) It's not a vital thing. It took a while to relearn the button placement but this will happen regardless of what you replace the Warthog with. I do like the additional buttons on the throttle levers itself as they were handy to have. The variable detents are nice but not a must have. It's nice to have the options which the throttle presents. The programming software is incredibly powerful. It's just not intuitive but if you fiddle with it and ask questions of others, it can really fine tune the throttle to what you want. I would say that if you are in the market to replace your throttle, the VKB is a great option. It looks like it would feel more solid than the Virpil CM3. Just be prepared to rewire your brain over a week or two. It's frustrating but well worth it. I am not sorry for going with this. I just hope they make more buttons which we can buy individually and fix that dumb hat on the TDC. Feel free to ask followup questions! I'm happy to give you more walls of text. :)
@@StrIIker-TV I’m surprised by your opinion that the virpil would feel less solid as it has more metal in its construction (at least in the base?) Have you had experience with it where the grip you actually hold is plastic of less quality etc than the VKB?
@@fa-ajn9881 I have never used one. I based my thoughts upon hearing the buttons being pressed from a video review once. They sounded hollow/plastic like. It’s not scientific or researched. Just a very loose opinion. I am sure it’s well built though and more importantly, well supported. Virpil has awesome customer support.
Nice review. What's not entirely clear to me is if the VKB software allows for multiple response curves for the throttle. The reason is because I would like to use the detents for the different engine regimes (max continuous, emergency power) for IL2 WW2 aircraft. The problem is that while the detents have a fixed position on the throttle, the corresponding throttle position for a given engine regime varies from plane to plane in game. Example: I could fix the detent on the throttle at, say, 68% to indicate the max continuous engine regime, which corresponds to the max continuous engine regime for a Bf-109 F4 for example. However, when I jump into a Spitfire Mk IX, the max continuous throttle setting in game is 54%. Is it possible to have the physical 68% position of the throttle correspond to 54% throttle position by selecting another profile?
I think there are a couple of solutions here for you. First, the throttle allows for 5 detent profiles and you can get 5 detent frames with enough detents (the metal thing) to match each aircraft. So you could use the red detent frame for the Bf-109 F4 with the detent set ti 68% and the green detent frame with the detent set to 54% for the Spitfire Mk IX. It's trivial to swap the detent frame out. For each detent frame, you create a corresponding detent profile with the profile color matching the frame color. In the profile, you calibrate the physical positions of the detents and can then play with other variables such as curves, positions and sizings of the detents if you want. Oh, each detent frame can hold and configure/define three physical detents (I used two for example). I was going to demonstrate this but I wasn't sure how helpful it would have been. I'm making a follow-up video to show some of what I have learned in this short amount of time and will review more aspects of the throttle to help people make an informed decision around potentially getting the throttle. So you can very quickly swap out the detent frame, activate it and be flying in no time. You don't have to launch the software to select the new detent frame. You can do so on the throttle itself by pressing a button and rotating a 5 position switch. Check this video from VKB to see this all demonstrated. (note.. the guy pronounces detent oddly at times). :) czcams.com/video/zHMS7Gctxpo/video.html I have to admit that the configurability of the throttle via the hardware modules and the software has really impressed me.
@@StrIIker-TV Thank you very much for your feedback. In the mean while, I did stumble on the video you posted which was very instructive. It looks like the software allows for a custom response curve per frame, which corresponds to 4 custom response curves (the black frame/profile doesn't allow detents to be programmed). To be clear, this _is_ really nice, however, there are dozens of planes in IL2 and though there is some overlap, many planes have their engine regimes at differing throttle positions. "Only" 4 custom response curves is sadly not enough. The good thing is that there would be no need for dozens of physical frames, just multiple selectable and customizable response curves per frame. (It would probably need something like an additional 10- or 8-way selector besides the current 5-way selector button, so I expect it's unlikely they will add such a feature later on, but one can dream I suppose). It remains a remarkable piece of harware and a very positive addition to the HOTAS market.
Hi very useful video! Wanted to ask if those fingerlifts at 5:33 can also be used as rudder. I have the vkb evo premium but I don't feel comfortable having a twisting stick. So was thinking to lock it and use stecs as throttle and rudder.
Hello! Yes they can be used as a rudder (sort of). They are treated as buttons and so can't by default be configured for a rudder. You can use the VKB configuration software and define them as a sort of virtual axis with each press equaling some amount of axial movement. You would also want to bind something to zero the axes as well. Example: Configuring the action of pressing the left finger lift equals 3 units of movement on that axis so requiring more deflection in that direction requires multiple presses. Need to adjust to the right? Press the right finger lift. Gone too far and need to recenter? Press something else (or even define pressing both as equal to zero). I think you can also define pressing and holding as a repeat button press at a configurable rate but I am not 100% certain of this. Someone in the comments on this or most likely the followup video I made had asked this very question. I went to the VKB forums and asked there and I received a quick response which I essentially shared here. It's not something which I have done myself though.
You will want to ensure that you have calibrated the axes. I can't recall if there is one for the thumb stick / TDC. The drift is due to some extraneous input. The next thing is to verify that nothing else is configured for the TDC in the aircraft control settings in DCS. The last thing you can do (but you should not have to do this for the TDC) is to set a small dead zone for the x-axis and/or y-axis (depends upon the direction of drift.) One last thing, ensure that you use curves in the axis configuration so that the initial input doesn't cause the cursor to jump too fast. This allows for fine adjustments while the more you push the TDC controller, the faster the cursor moves. Let me know if this helps or if you need additional clarification.
Also their website I believe has the instructions. Not many ship with paper instructions to be honest. I got my Virpil Apache Collective and it only had a QR code to go to their web site.
@@StrIIker-TV i have vxb dual sticks for Star Citizen I'm getting into DCS but haven't been able to bind it or understand the bindings lol. Stecs looks nice tho. I have THQ module upgrade to my left stick (also omni upgrade) and SEM module upgrade to my right stick. I love VKB modularity. I can probably upgrade my right stick to better suit DCS and leave my left stick as is.
Where do you set your airbrake switch on this throttle? I'm thinking of buying it and I am used to having the actual airbrake switch but this obviously does not have that.
The 3-way coms switch could be used as an airbrake switch. You could swap out the 3-way RADIO switch with a 5-way hat and put the 3-way hat in the BRK hat slot.
In the video, there is a 4 position castle switch located on the right side at the "BRK" spot. I use forward and backward for the speed brake (determining if I want to use uip and down for something). There IS a three way boat switch (which is probably what you are accustomed to as was I) that I moved elsewhere on the throttle which I use for flares and chaff. You could use that instead but they only gave us one boat switch for some reason. I really could have used a couple more. Hopefully I can buy some soon.
@@tverYeah this.. I might still do that but I am undecided. I am using that 3-way for something else (flares and chaff) towards the front of the throttle under the front "finger leavers". It just felt a little better to have there.
I've mostly been flying the A-4, and since that uses a 2-pos slider on the right side of the throttle for the air brakes, I've just been using the 3-way. Center button position is arm/disarm for spoilers.
How are the rotary knobs (the axis one on the right throttle I imagine is a smooth roll) as in, are they a smooth twist or do they step as they turn? The reason I ask if I fly the Mig-21 and Hind a lot and having a rotary to change your weapons is very useful. Currently I used the warthog buttons to cycle, but it'd love a nice rotary with steps :)
The Axis knob which is the grey one on the lower right side of the throttle is smooth and has a max / min. The one on the base at the back (says push on it) is not an axis but is a rotary button (I think that's what it's called) and has no limit. It is stepped. Additionally, on the left throttle, there is a wheel (rotary type, stepped) and another one under where the pinky finger would rest (rotary, stepped). So there are actually two on the base throttle, 1 more on that add-on module towards the rear PLUS the two radio buttons on the STEM (the front panel module) so I think you would be in luck. I am working on a new video to demonstrate some solutions to the challenges I had and will also do a more detailed step through of the throttle and I will include specifics such as how the rotary knobs each work.
@@StrIIker-TV Thanks, that really helps my understanding of the rotary knob. Having a stepped knob is important for me. Gosh, this throttle really does sound like the business!
@@orangespy The rotary on the back, the one that says "push" on it, isn't just a rotary with a pushbutton: it's a 4-way D-pad with a center push that you can also twist. I use it to control my knee board: down to open / close, push to bookmark, left/right to go through the bookmarks, and twist to go through the pages. Haven't put the "up" position into anything yet.
It was tricky because the throttle was brand new for me so I couldn't even make use of some of how I mapped the Hornet. Some of the decisions were around where things were on my Warthog. I made the top switch (fore and aft) into my speed brake because that's whereI had it on the Hornet. I wanted the countermeasure dispenser to be easy to get to and I also moved the boat / rocker switch to the eft most position on the front of the right throttle (right behind the "finger lift looking paddles) It's easy to get to there and remember by touch etc. The multifunction switch (button) was easy as it's at roughly the same spot as on the real Strike Eagle throttle. I decided to universally use the two forward facing paddles (finger lift things) as my VR zoom (there are two levels of zoom in VR). The rear facing paddles I used as the finger lifts which is close enough to make sense to me for engine start. MB1 I made the coolie switch (front right button) of the right throttle and used the flat pyramid shaped button. So, I basically looked at the critical stuff on the Strike Eagle on the throttle and then tried to pick locations which matched the real thing and also which matched roughly where I had stuff set in the Hornet. I can do a detail of this if you need help but that's what I did. I made sure I assigned all Strike Eagle throttle buttons to the throttle. The extra buttons on the base and that forward panel I mapped mainly stuff which don't correspond to buttons in the Strike Eagle (flashlight, active pause, etc). I use PointCTRL so I don't need to map much else as I click it all in the cockpit. Let me know if you'd like more specifics and I can throw it together for ya!
Hi. I'm looking to get into DCS in VR. Would you think that I should just get the standalone throttle? Or is there still a need for some buttons so maybe get the Mini Plus or Standard?
Hi! You are making a great choice! Flying DCS in VR is simply amazing. I do suggest getting some extra buttons and think that the Standard is perfect for DCS VR. The buttons and switches are closer to you than the Max and you will eventually master finding them by touch. DCS aircraft are high fidelity and have fully functional cockpits which you can interact with via mouse clicks (. Some functions you need to be able to get to quickly and the mouse can be a hinderance.) Some people still add more button boxes and even MFD frames to their simp pit set up but those arent' really needed. I flew for a fair amount of time just using the trackball and the buttons on my Warthog Throttle base. So, to answer your question, I believe that your experience flying in VR would be enhanced with the Standard version of the STECS which I think is the sweet spot config. The Mini adds a small number of buttons which may suffice for some but there's not much there. I always like to give me some buffer plus the layout of the additional panel on the Standard is better. Feel free to reach out if you have additional questions!
@@StrIIker-TV thank you very much for answering so quickly and comprehensively! I have a lot of decisions to make over the next 2 months because I’m not just going to be getting into VR, but also PC gaming. I’ve been saving for years and the time has finally come. I might put VR on the long finger and go with a 42 or 48 inch LG C2 and use Track IR for a while. Even with my savings a PC, monitor, VKB setup etc is going to add up fast.
@@gavancorrigan8813Hey! I'm happy to help you out with this all! PC gaming.. I've been doing that non-stop since the late 70's / early 80's when I was quite young. It will always want more money from you because it's constantly evolving and improving. I think your approach may be a sound one to start. Let me tell you though.. once you try gaming in VR, you will be blown away (and I don't just mean DCS). After all of my years (decades) of gaming on a monitor (with TrackIR too), I finally decided to buy a Vive VR headset (original generation) back in the mid 2010's. I set it up, got the software installed and ready and then put the headset on. Wow... It was simply amazing. I could gush on and on here so I'll stop myself. But I played games where zombies were attacking me in a dark tunnel.. it seriously scared me. When I first tried DCS in VR I hopped into the A-10 and could not believe how cramped it "felt". So I am not trying to push you to VR to start. It's an expensive platform, demands physical room to use and has titles which are somewhat specific to the style. Starting into PC gaming with a flat screen makes a lot more game types available to you and is the best place to start. What I am telling you though.. is to save money for VR some day. It takes many types of gaming to an entirely different level. Being there in VR is so different from "watching" on a flat screen. VR kind of "ruined" playing PC games on a flat screen for me. There are some which I will play because I REALLY love the games but I tend to avoid non VR titles now.
Thing is I have a work monitor that could do for the time being and I could put that monitor money into VR straight away instead. The games I’m most interested in are all in VR anyway - DCS, American Truck Simulator, Assetto Corsa. Note the decision is going to be what headset to go for. Varjo Aero or wait for the new Valve Index. I might also be able to stretch to the 4090.
@@gavancorrigan8813 Well, the Aero what I have and it’s an amazing headset. They just dropped the price to $990.00 (€990.00 as well). I paid $2,000 for mine over a year ago and I am very happy with it. The issue with waiting for the next thing is that you can wait a year and then just as something releases, there’s rumor of something else coming out soon etc. I don’t know when the next gen of headsets from Valve or Varjo are going to show up. You could wind up waiting a year and lose out in a year of enjoying games. The games you spoke of all would be vastly superior in VR. Car racing, truck sims and flight sims absolutely shine in VR. There’s no comparison to flat screen experiences for these types of sims. You can only understand what it really is like by experiencing it. Watching videos does not come close to it. The reason is that you experience it all in full 3D and it’s wrapped around you in all directions. The Aero is an amazing headset due to the visual clarity which is crucial in sims such as DCS because it allows you to read the displays, gauges etc. when I tried DCS in my HTC Vive, I didn’t bother to try it again until I had a headset which I could read things clearly. That happened with the HP Reverb G2. It lacks full display clarity like the Aero but the central sweet spot was very nice and clear and I started flying DCS in VR. I personally would grab an Aero, 2 base station 2.0 from Valve and get ready for some amazing experiences. If something better comes out, that’s the way it is but at least you are doing what you want. Worst case, sell off what you have and get a new one. Also, new headsets will be pricey I think.
I really dislike using the thumnb axis nipple thing to slew targets, i cannot get the orientation right in my head. Is that suppose to be used for that or what.
Yeah that is what you need to use in order to slew the TDC around. I am in the same boat as you. I did hear back from VKB about a request for them to sell different hats for the mini-stick as it’s called. They indicated that they will be selling a castle style hat for it. Regardless, it’s tough to adapt to using it because as you said, which way is up? I think you need to think I’m of up as being the position when you rotate your thumb towards your fingers. Same with the rest of the buttons on the side of the throttle. The issue is that with the throttle at idle, up is up but with the throttle forward, “up” is now forward because the button’s axes have relatively tilted due to the throttle movement.
@@StrIIker-TVactually aren't you using your joystick to slew? Anyway, if the software is so powerful is there a way to program it so that the nipple re-orient itself then the throttle is forward, back or whatever?
@@user-jx1kc3qu4b The joystick is used to maneuver the aircraft. The mini stick is used to move the throttle designator controller cursor around on the MFD or HUD. I don’t think the software can account for all variable positions of the throttle and it would also be confusing to the individual using it. It’s just something which one has to learn to use. It’s really the only design flaw which I have noticed so far and it’s not that big of a deal. I’m still happy with my purchase.
I just bought one based on your videos. Im struggling setting up the afterburner in f16c in dcs... it wont register the ab inputs, im sure this is operator error, but i dont know where im going wrong.
Hi! I haven't set up the F-16 yet on my STECS. The basic process is the same but there will be variances in how each aircraft's afterburner gets set. You can see the differences in how I set the AB detent (as well as engine idle / off) between the Hornet and Strike Eagle. I will try to play around with the F-16 to see if I can get it working.
Thank you! So to speak and have it do stuff in the game, I use two things.. 1) VoiceAttack. This is a paid program which will take spoken workds and convert them to mappable key presses etc. There is a free add-on for this called Vaicom Pro. This is a VERY cool little program in that it takes what you say and can have it execute actions without having to step through menus to get there. So When I approach the carrier, I say "Hornet Ball" (can be other aircraft like "Tomcat Ball" and it executes the Hornet ball call. When I want to tank, I can say "Approaching to refuel" and it will take that and contact the tanker on the set radio frequency and issue the proper command. Then when I am in close, "Ready precontact" does as you saw. I can also say "abort refueling" and it will issue the correct command to abort refueling. I demonstrated the software in an earlier video in which I interact with a JTAC. Check it out! czcams.com/video/5aX5N3xOJ18/video.html I will be making some new videos around this shortly. It's a lot of fun! github.com/Penecruz/VAICOMPRO-Community
How are you zooming in the view with the new throttle? I just got this and it seems like the encoder is 2 buttons instead of 1 axis like on my logitech.
As I am in VR, I don’t use an axis to zoom. I use button presses. There are two zoom levels in VR.. VR Zoom and Spyglass Zoom. vR Zoom is the lesser of the two and is what I will usually use in the cockpit to see a display closer. Spyglass Zoom is much stronger and is what I will use to look closer at a distant object. On the throttle, it is my understanding that you can set some of the radio style knobs to perform like an axis. On the throttle, I believe there are two true axes (other than the throttles themselves) The TDC / mini stick under the thumb and the rotary knob on the right side of the throttle (the grey one). As I mentioned though, I believe you can use the software to make the radio knobs behave like an axis, it just doesn’t have an upper and lower physical stop. Let me know if this is what you were asking about.
Just got mine and like it so far. In addition to idle detents, I also set a detent for afterburner but can't figure out how to bind it in DCS. Any pointers?
I have not done this yet (but I am going to test it and probably do a follow up video) but I think there are a few things you'd need to set this. 1) Configure an event in the VKB software as you pass the detent and get a button assigned to the left and right throttle. 2) Go into the controls for the F-18 and find the "Throttle Finger Lift" Left and right and set them to use the buttons are which you assigned in the previous step. Lastly, you need to go to Settings, Special and select the F-18 module. There is an option to use the detents there. If (like me) you leave them off, then it will just kick in wherever the default is (like where I demonstrated in the video). If you enable detents, then afterburners will not kick in until the finger lift buttons get pressed . If you try this and it works, let me know. I'll do the same.
I actually did this just now and it works! One difference, don't enable the "pulse" in the event config of the detent. I had mentioned this in my original response but just removed it.
Hello, I am using the Varjo Aero. Please note though that the video quality is different from any VR headset used to shoot the video (this is the case for all videos people shoot and post). The recording on CZcams is created by recording the game window for DCS. It will look different from what is viewed in the headset. Some headsets would have a significantly different quality whereas the Aero's image quality is close to what you see in the video as the lens and display technology of the Aero is exceptional. Again, this is the case will all videos shot while in VR.
Yeah it's actually pretty noce. Give my followup video a look and you can see where I was able to fix the issues which I was having. Basically everything is resolved through the software config. I've been using the STECS a lot and am finally getting my head around the new button placements and TDC. I really am happy with the throttle. I'm not sure what the downsides are but I admittedly have only ever used the Thrustmaster Warthog throttle in the past. The build quality us solid. The customer support is great. The software is very powerful and lets you configure the throttle to meet the needs of most if not all sim pilots. czcams.com/video/rvK4ksUBbPU/video.html
Hi! Thanks for compliment. I think you can use it as a modifier as I seem to recall that it has a button press assignment. I am unfortunately away from my system for another couple of weeks and can’t test it out. One suggestion is to hop onto the VKB discord or forums and ask there. You will definitely get a response quickly there!
Thanks for your great review. Do you know if the two front levers can be used for axis commands or are they just only buttons? I would really like to assign them as my rudder controls. I have a Thrustmaster TWCS which has a lever control in front which works great as a rudder control, but unfortunately the throttle slider is too sticky and really makes the TWCS pretty useless. If I could control the rudder with the two front levers, the VKB would be the perfect throttle for me.
Thanks! I asked about this over on the official VKB forums for ya. I'll drop by here if I hear back to let you know. This sounds like an awesome idea! I am certain that the knob on the left side of the throttle grips COULD be configured as a virtual axis though. It is a rotary knob so each step could be registered as an axis movement. Also, the flap lever I mentioned in the video, that is an actual axis which you could use but I don't know how convenient it would be reaching for it either out front as I have it or down to the base which it can be configured (as in the STECS standard config). forum.vkb-sim.pro/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=7830
Great news! This IS possible. Go have a look at the link which I provided in my other response to this question. Someone from the VKB community responded and stated it is possible and posted some screenshots to illustrate how. It's pretty slick! They said "Easily. Select the multiplier to your taste, pressing the buttons simultaneously resets the axis to the center." The main thing is to go look at the post as it has screenshots of the configuration tool and what you need to set. Impressive!
@@StrIIker-TV Wow! Thank you so much for taking the time to look into this for me. It looks like I'm going to have to learn some button programming, but that's what makes things more fun. Thanks again, you definitely earned my subscription!
Hey thanks! I have been in your spot before.. wanting to do something but not knowing how or where to even start looking. I'm glad I could help. I think the rudder pedal idea sounds pretty slick! I also like that pressing the two levers re-centers it. Hopefully you get it working!
Hi! It's a VERY cool device called PointCTRL. I use it in all of my videos. It allows me to control the mouse cursor in game and interact with the buttons, switches, dials, etc. It's an absolute must have item in VR. Unfortunately there is a long wait for getting one but it's well worth hopping on the list now if you think you would want one. Check their website: www.pointctrl.com . I also demonstrated it in an earlier video. I am making a more focused video to better describe how it all works. The video is pretty rough looking as my system specs back then were lack-luster but you can get the general idea from the initial part of the video of how it works.
Hey man thank you for your kind compliment! I'm very fortunate to have this. I'm particularly happy to have my PointCTRL as it has a long wait list currently. It makes a huge difference and is well worth the wait! I am (once again) hopeful that the guy who makes it will be able to ramp up production.
Heh! Yeah I have been a one-trick pony so far.Just before I got this new throttle, I had started my journey learning the F-15E Strike Eagle and I intend to continue with that. I may dust off the A-10C II and F-16 modules as well! I have the Apache as well but time to learn everything.. not so much. I intend to work on the Apache once I have some additional hardware (new stick base (VP Force Rhino.. still a while to wait on that one) and a collective). Once I have some semblance of proficiency in the Strike Eagle or others, I'll definitely take them up for some video shooting! I also have many demonstration videos lined up to make. I need to revisit the HARM for one as I learned a fair amount after making the one a while ago.
@@StrIIker-TV Oh I can't wait! The VR experience is just amazing and I think it will look epic in other modules as well. Have a good one and thanks again for all the great content.
Sorry, I know a lot of time has passed since you posted this and I meant to respond a LOT earlier. It's not too difficult to configure your throttle in DCS but there's a lot of steps and it takes time. I assume that by now you are all set though. Unfortunately getting these working takes some time to do and learn and more time to get your memory set around which buttons do what.
@@StrIIker-TV thank you for the response. i did get the stick set up watched a few videos but I'm changing thing here and there as i go so its a work in progress. i really like this game and want to make this a hobby. do you still play regularly?
@@alanlewis619 Indeed I do! I try to post a video of my DCS time a couple times per month but I ran into some challenges which I finally got resolved. It was a problem with my Varjo Aero headset. Turned out I needed to replace the cable. So I am back at it. I typically fly on the Burning Skies Command Center US server.
@@StrIIker-TV that's awesome!! One last question i have VR capability do you think i should try to learn this game in VR or should i just play flat screen with like track IR?
@@alanlewis619 I am biased so please keep that in mind. Most who try DCS in VR stick with VR and don't go back to flat screen. It's such an incredibly different experience. The aircraft is wrapped around you and you have full depth perception. So, I am a very strong advocate for DCS in VR. I will not fly on a flat screen ever again. Having said that, VR is quite demanding on system resources as there's more detail in high res displays on VR headsets vs flat screens (there are two displays in the headset, each getting their own info etc). So, if you don't have a strong system, you would need to dial back some detail to get good frame rates. Also, the headsets can vary quite a bit in terms of display clarity. I had an HP reverb G2 and it had a very nice "sweet spot" in the middle of each eye which rendered the image with sharp clarity. As you look further from center, the image is a little blurry so it can be difficult to read an instrument in the cockpit if you just move your eyes to look at it. I would move my head to center the deeply or instrument which I wanted to read which was totally fine. Then I got the Varjo Aero and wow.. what a beautiful display with full lens clarity. It also has eye tracking so you can use dynamic foveated rendering (I've made a few videos about this as well). The Aero has been discontinued by Varjo though and is End of Life in December 2025 if I recall correctly. There are other with aspheric lenses, high resolution and eye tracking out there. They do cost a lot though. So, it depends upon what headset you have an dhow clear / sharp the image is in it. I would say it's worth trying out a few times to see what it's like. Be careful though, you may become addicted and not want to go back to flat screen :) So, there are pros and cons for both flat screen and VR I guess. For me personally, VR is the hands down best and only way to experience DCS. Hope this helps! Let me know what you think of VR if/when you try it! What headset do you own?
![Str][kerTV](http://yt3.ggpht.com/nyCYJbLzftuzWPvnp7dFMOMFarXh9PS7OWoCGe3BGT_LOIXeV1ZEnnjx303oClLp4yIOSbqXfb0=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj)
I really like how you say “butt-ton”
Hah! I know! It sounds weird when I say it too. I got too focused on not saying buh-en which I hear people say and took it too far. :P
This is great. Thx for the info.
I'm glad I could help although to be honest, I think I've been the recipient of some great info from the community. I've learned a lot over the past half day and have been presented with and implemented solutions to most of the minor issues I had. Amazing community!
Nice showcase video!
Looking forward to a more in-depth review, if you were to do so eventually. ;)
I believe the white 3-pos flap switch on the STEM panel can be configured as an axis, much like the flap and gear levers on the GNX SEM.
It uses a MARS sensor and by default it functions by using 2 virtual buttons for the up and down positions, I think.
It stands to reason a third virtual button, for the middle position, can be configured in the software therefore as well.
Thanks! I can certainly post a more detailed review. I had actually cut a bunch of stuff out since I was aiming more for "here it is and here is how I am using it / stuff I figured out so far" and I didn't want it to drag on more than it should. I did confirm by a VKB rep on Reddit and from others that that white 3-position flap switch can be set as a 3 way or even as an axis. That's cool to know and a great feature. I just need to seek out help from the folks on the VKB discord to get that set up right.
I mapped mine on A10 C II and i have toggle it couple of times to full, middle wont go there in one click but I'm flying great now after few hours and mapping out some flight controls. The video helped me understand DCS configs and where to find things. I'm off VKB discord now.
Nice job, just received mine today, dont even know where to start, LOL.
Thanks! Great to hear you have your new throttle! Also make sure you watch the followup to this as I resolved all of the issues which I was having (mentioned in the Video Description). As for where to start.. If you have the extra buttons / button caps, figure out what you want to add. You can also move the buttons (I moved the three way hat switch to the front of the right throttle grip for example). Next, I would suggest figuring out the afterburner detent placement (if you ware using it). I personally would at a minimum set the bottom one for shutting down / starting the engines but again, personal preferences and what yo plan to use it for). Figure out what throttle tension you like. Lastly will be the button assignment. It was tough for me for a while as I had spent years on my old throttle which obviously has different button placement but it's all natural to me now.
Feel free to ask if you have questions.
The way you say "but-tin" is very... unique.
I just ordered my own Max halfway through watching your review. I can't wait to start pushing all of the but-tins on my new throttle when it gets here, assuming the Port of Long Beach doesn't screw me for 3 extra weeks like they did on my Gladiator NXT when I got it.
Also: but-tins.
BUT-TINS.
LOL! Okay! I get it! I'm a weirdo! :P
I think you will be happy with it. The software seemed a little daunting for me at first but eventually I got it sorted out (at least to do the things I needed). I know that I havew barely scratched the surface with respect to the configuration options. I doubt I'll ever need to do much more however it is nice to know that if I want to change something, there's probably a way to do it. Let me know how you like it! (all those shiny new but-tins!)
@@StrIIker-TV I've been super thrilled with the build quality, ergonomics, and utility of the Gladiator NXT, and I have every expectation that the STECS will be just as good. Next up will be the pedals, I suppose, since the old T16000m set are getting a bit, uh, "worn," let's call it.
One of these days I need to actually figure out how to fly the Tomcat that I pre-ordered all those years ago but never had the time to learn.
@@noiwonttellyoumyname.4385 the Tomcat’s been sitting on my system for a long time as well! I’m finally working on the Strike Eagle. It’s a cool jet. Lots to learn though. I had the older plastic Thrustmaster ones. I upgraded to the pendular ones from ThrustMaster. They are so much better.
@@StrIIker-TV I... don't even remember what I had before the T16000 FCS combo pack.
As far as the Tomcat goes- I don't really have any aspirations of being able to fight it. I don't have the reflexes for that anymore. I'll be happy if I can just take it off and fly it around and look at things. Probably going to try and spend some time in the Scooter first, just to get used to flying jets again- I've mostly been playing Elite Dangerous / SW Squadrons / IL-2 Flying Circus for the past little while.
So I've had the STECS-Max for a few weeks now, and the new MkV rudder pedals too. Daaaaaamn. What an upgrade from the Thrustmaster. This is just a whole new world. I've been flying the Skyhawk for a while now, and I've got the button mapping set to the point where I can do damn near everything in the jet without having to even touch the mouse. This throttle is FANTASTIC.
10:21 FWIW you can also map the detent to the 1 >.< 2 event (it was added after the first videos came out, requires the latest version of the configuration program), which triggers one set of buttons below the detent and another set of buttons above it. So if you map OFF to the below mapping and IDLE to the above mapping, you don't have to do the back and forth maneuver on startup.
I am definitely going to do that! Thanks! I really appreciate hearing of suggestions to fix up these little things. This is my first VKB device so I am not aware of all which can be done with it. I was sure that there would be some silly little mistakes or missed settings which could make life easier for me. :)
I just gave this a try and it works! Thanks for the suggestion! I'll note this is a follow up video. Lessons learned!
@@StrIIker-TV I will be the first to admit that their configuration software is by no means the easiest to work with, but it is immensely powerful.
For example by default the two analog sticks on the MCG Pro grip act as indeed analog sticks, or as 4/8-way hats if you use the push-in functionality.
But they can be configured to also act as analog sticks and 4/8-way hats simultaneously, sending both outputs at the same time. So you don't even need to change the modes, if one plane is better with an analog stick, you bind it in the axis menu, if another is better with a 4-way hat you bind it in the buttons menu. This also frees up the push-in function to always act as a normal button.
You can also add boolean logic and all kinds of other things to how they work, the options are immense. BUT wrapping your head around any of it doesn't necessarily come easy. =)
@@StrIIker-TV And also THANK YOU for your unbiased look into the whole thing, and talking about some of the specifics like the knob on the ATEM being a 7-way (4-way + push + 2-way encoder), and how well the locking function works etc. I'm absolutely delighted to hear that it's a significant improvement over the Warthog! =)
EDIT: Also I hope you manage to get more usage out of the STEM module. I don't have one yet (EU), but I do have the SEM standalone module, which basically has the same kinds of switches on it. One of the best things about it is that all the buttons and switches have a very individual feel, they're fairly easy to locate by just feeling around, and they activation forces are also pretty high so you're unlikely to accidentally press them.
@@jubuttibMy pleasure and thank you! I am sure that I will make use of the STEM module. I really liked using the rotary dials on it for the Hornet's radios. It felt so much better to rotate them rather than click a bunch of times to change the radios via the PointCTRL. I really want to use the flaps and gear switches because looking down to click flaps and gear with the PointCTRL often results in the aircraft angled wrong because it dipped down or banked a bit. Same with cat shots. Looking down for a second or two to find and click the flaps and gear can be dangerous when the aircraft is 60 feet above the ocean and possibly sinking a bit.
Looking good. When I was in the market for an upgrade my best option was the CM3. I would have preferred this one but release date was unclear.
Thanks! Yeah I was giving serious consideration to the Virpil CM3. I heard that VKB was making a new throttle and it would be modular and customizable so I decided to wait. The Thrustmaster Warthog throttle was working fine.
Good Job!! Thank You~
Thank you. Hope the video helped you out. Make sure to check the follow up video though. The issues which I had mentioned mostly were fixed.
Nice Throttle 😀
Thank you! I made a followup video and addressed some of the issues which I mentioned. Really can't complain about it any more and I really appreciate the quality and support.
Alternatively, you can add your throttle axis curve in VKBDevCfg software. It makes a straight line between whatever two endpoints you want. But of course almost every DCS module has a slightly different location for afterburner, so it makes sense to tweak that in-game anyway.
PS: you can change your rotary encoders into axes too, using VKBDevCfg.
"PS: you can change your rotary encoders into axes too, using VKBDevCfg."
Of course this comes with the caveat that they won't have end stops, and will go up and down in steps rather than smoothly (though the steps can be very small). So it's not a 100% direct replacement for having actual axis there, but it can be a great option for certain things.
Hmm, yeah I will try that out. I guess I can swap out the detent frame for other aircraft. I also obviously need to learn the VKB software! It seems that it can do a lot. I had a quick look and had sparks flying out of my ears. To be fair, I was just poking around to see if there was somewhere to set that flap switch to have a button press in the middle position (could not find that though).
@@jubuttibI really like the configurability of this. Thanks!
@@StrIIker-TV Yes, you can fix that flap switch too! VKB just released a new video showing how to do exactly this.
@@Darrylx444 That's great! Thanks for letting me know! I actually got it sorted out the day after I posted this video. Several people helped out including the developer of the configuration tool from VKB. I just finished a video in whic I show all of what I have learned over the past few days and am uploading it to CZcams now. I'll publish it once the system finishes rendering to 4k.
In thrustmaster is artificial weight You can remove that by opening the bottom plate. It is mounted on the bottom plate. If you remove it, then it becames extremely light. The weight is there intentionally to make it stable.
Thanks! I was completely unaware of that fact. It’s not an issue if you screw it down like I did. I also am completely happy with the build quality and am not worried over plastic or whatever VKB used because it’s solid and feels like it will last for a very long time.
Thank you to new DCS pilot and STECs Owner!
I hope this was helpful! Definitely check out the followup video which I linked in the video description as I found solutions to most of the issues mentioned in this video. Enjoy your new throttle!
Thanks very helpful I think this is my next purchase but never in stock
Happy to have helped! There is a follow up as well in which I do solve the issues presented in this video. Give it a look as I feel that it illustrates the great underlying software for customizing the controls. I guess you just have to order and wait for your shipment. I see that more and more these days with other companies.
If you're in eu get on flight sim now thru have them in stock
If you set the detent for idle to crv% to 0 it will read zero while on the detent. Then for the afterburner detent you set the crv% to just below afterburner kicks on, so when you go past it will kick on the afterburner.
I am going to go play with this stuff now. I will need to do a followup video after learning so much!
Setting the idle detent curve to 0% did the trick! I had to adjust the position of the detent slightly up to get 0 at idle (it was sitting at 0.3 and I was being anal). I will give the afterburner idea a shot as well. Thank you for your help. This has all shown me how powerful the VKB configuration software is. This is so much better of an experience than my Thrustmaster Warthog throttle.
Great review, thank you. I've just bought the STECS standard with a SEM. I'm really enjoying the configure options the detents give, but I can't work out how to set the idle detent curve to zero while it's on the detent? In DCS my throttle curve is at zero when my physical throttle is off, so when I move it past the off detent, when it should be at idle my engine rpm is not.
@@AlpineGTAYou are in luck! I am finishing up my follow-up video in which I show how to resolve this! There are a few steps needed. The solution will allow you to get rid of the user throttle curves in DCS. Simply put, in the detent setting in the VKB software, set the curve to zero (it defaults to off). This will get it close to zero while on the detent. I also had to adjust the position up a few decimal places to get it perfect. Also make sure you set after making these changes (as in upload to the device). If it’s not clear in how I am describing it here, give me a little more time and you can see it.
Thanks for the video. I want the STECs Max, cost is prohibitive right now. I play with TrackIR instead of VR.
I hear ya man! DCS and really any flight sim can be an expensive hobby! The nice thing with throttles and control sticks is that once you get a good one, you should be set for quite a few years. I had my Warthog (still have it but don't use it anymore) for.. 10 years + I think. Computer hardware on the other hand.. that's a constantly moving target! There's always an upgrade wanting your money! Take the time you need, save up and pick a throttle, stick base and stick which you think will work best for you. You should be using it for many, many years! If you divide the cost by the number of years it becomes less painful to think about. :). It's why you want to get the best you can afford and is why sometimes you may want to wait a little longer to be able to get a good quality one. You're on the right path at least and are looking at reviews and asking questions and you're not getting blinded by advertising.
Replying to 4:00. Not sure if you know this, but I have those bound to button 70 and 71 OFF in DCS. They need to be assigned manually. That way, I can use half flaps in the hornet!
Thanks! I actually got this issue solved and I demonstrated it in the follow up video. I was able to get the flap switch to function for auto, half and full (3 positions). Works like a charm now.
10:50 - or turn on the "synchronise cockpit with the hotas control" in the misc. options menu.
Yeah I had considered that as well. I guess there are many options to address what I was commenting on. Thankfully though, I was contacted with instructions on how to address this in the software and I demonstrated all that I learned in the follow up video this one. Now my STECS hums along perfectly. Only issues still outstanding are around manufacturing. The TDC hat is not the best and I really wish they would offer a replacement to purchase. Also the lack of extra boat switches to purchase. Not showstoppers by any means and I am very happy with my throttle now.
Nice throttle ! looks pretty smooth. Although its great to have buttons to bind in DCS, I find it more realistic interacting with the cockpit instruments. I use a roller ball mouse but I think I may look into the point track device. Enjoy your new throttle.👍
Yeah, I use PointCTRL to interact with the cockpit. I only use extra buttons for things which I can't directly click on. Stuff I have bound to other buttons include.. salute, flashlight, NVG, NVG Gain up / down, VR zoom, spy glass zoom, etc. I do think this throttle would be great for flat screen pilots who want some added buttons to press though. I haven not used any of the other latest throttles so I don't know how well they work or compare to this. If you ditch all of the add-on buttons etc, the throttle is pretty well priced I think.
@@StrIIker-TV - Yeah, I have been through Thrust,master WH hotas and Virpil and Virpil is reaaaalllly good ! I'm done with gear right now I'm gtg on that. Well if I ever go back to flat screen I would go full blown Winwing F-18 Hornet Full SETL and that winwing Super Taurus on a Monstertech desk mounts LOL ! but nah I love VR/Varjo Aero to much. And plus I'm still alittle broke from the aero purchase a few months ago. I would love a pit style rig one day... one day.
@@Mako-sz4qrIf you want to take your VR experience to the next level at a low price, get in line for a PointCTRL. It has saved me a ton of money on not buying frames etc. I know the shipping is painfully slow and the guy who makes them, Miles, took a break due to real life activities but it's a must have for DCS VR. Virpil is rock solid gear AND support as well!
You should be able to bind a on-off-on switch in DCS to the flaps. There are toggle options for that kind of switch. Also I think there is a spare TDC head included, but might be wrong (the black one)
Yeah I have heard that the flaps switch is actually an axis and that the middle position can be programmed. I just do not (yet) know how. I'm going to go see if the folks on Discord can help out. That TDC head is removable but unfortunately I did not receive any spare or replacement (I got excited for a moment!). The other caps are all designed to replace the swappable buttons. Perhaps it will be something which I can purchase soon before my muscle memory builds up on the pointy one.. but by then I guess it would not matter.
@@StrIIker-TV We hear you :) Working on a guide on how to get the third button on the 3 way switch and toggle, should be up in a few days.
@@VKBSim That’s great news. I actually was able to get it working thanks to the advice from others here and from users on Reddit. AlexOz also was immensely helpful and took time to provide help with this plus a few other questions I had. I am actually making a follow up and plan to demonstrate how I overcame these challenges so that I can hopefully help others out.
By the way. I am very impressed with just how much I can configure with the software! It’s pretty cool.
@@StrIIker-TV Alex should know about it, he's the developer :) But I agree, if you have the patience to see how it works the native software is extremely useful.
I thought the 3 pos “flap” lever could be programmed to have a virtual button press in the middle position
I thought the same thing when I bought it. I was disappointed when it didn’t have it but was happy when I learned how to fix this.
Your cockpit is basically my ideal setup. I have pointctrl as well and thrustmaster warthog hotas. Using fanatec driving pedals as rudders. Wanting to upgrade to this or virpil throttle as well as vkb metal stick one day. Do you feel this is a true upgrade over the warthog? Do you miss the nice metal feeling?
Just commenting again so you hopefully see my edit :)
Hi! Thank you for watching the video. I hope it was informative. There's a follow-up video which I made shortly after when I got a lot of help from the community as well as from the lead VKB dev! Make sure you watch it as almost all of the issues I identified were solved. If you have a pointCTRL, you probably don't need all of the buttons on the new throttle base. I am almost done with a video in which I show what the few buttons that I use are mapped to. I almost don't want to post it as it's laughably few! I do use the hats on the throttle stick itself. I use PointCTRL for everything else. The only deviation from clicking in the cockpit with PointCTRL involves the landing gear and the flaps. Looking down after a catapult shot to flip them was not the best thing and made me nervous.
Is this a true upgrade from the Warthog.. I would say yes but.. (of course there's a but!) It has it's downsides. The TDC (mini stick) hat sucks and there's no replacement for it (yet). I don't like having the TDC on the side because "up" varies based upon where the throttle levers are. It took some time to adjust to this and I internally moaned about it for a week or so). Having looked at the Virpil's placement of the mini-stick, I think that might have been a better choice to avoid this headache as it's under the index finger which makes more sense.
The Virpil looks more "plasticy" and less solid with button presses based upon videos which is one reason I decided to try the STECS. I do have my STECS screwed to my little simpit so I never notice it feeling light. I heard that the heaviness of the Warthog is due to some metal weights inside the base which one can remove but I never opened mine up.
I do like the feel of the throttle lever movement and the ability to adjust the tension on them is nice. The feel of the throttle for me is great and I don't feel that it is a cheap piece of plastic.
When I switched over I missed the three position boat switches from the Warthog where the thumb lies (we only get one on the STECS). I hated the TDC position and hat. I only really use the Flap switch and silver switch for gear. I do use a few of the buttons on the base for exterior lights on / off, flashlight, and eject (under the flap cover) It's not a vital thing. It took a while to relearn the button placement but this will happen regardless of what you replace the Warthog with. I do like the additional buttons on the throttle levers itself as they were handy to have. The variable detents are nice but not a must have. It's nice to have the options which the throttle presents. The programming software is incredibly powerful. It's just not intuitive but if you fiddle with it and ask questions of others, it can really fine tune the throttle to what you want.
I would say that if you are in the market to replace your throttle, the VKB is a great option. It looks like it would feel more solid than the Virpil CM3. Just be prepared to rewire your brain over a week or two. It's frustrating but well worth it. I am not sorry for going with this. I just hope they make more buttons which we can buy individually and fix that dumb hat on the TDC.
Feel free to ask followup questions! I'm happy to give you more walls of text. :)
@@StrIIker-TV Can’t thank you enough for such a thorough response.
@@StrIIker-TV I’m surprised by your opinion that the virpil would feel less solid as it has more metal in its construction (at least in the base?) Have you had experience with it where the grip you actually hold is plastic of less quality etc than the VKB?
@@fa-ajn9881 I have never used one. I based my thoughts upon hearing the buttons being pressed from a video review once. They sounded hollow/plastic like. It’s not scientific or researched. Just a very loose opinion. I am sure it’s well built though and more importantly, well supported. Virpil has awesome customer support.
Nice review.
What's not entirely clear to me is if the VKB software allows for multiple response curves for the throttle. The reason is because I would like to use the detents for the different engine regimes (max continuous, emergency power) for IL2 WW2 aircraft. The problem is that while the detents have a fixed position on the throttle, the corresponding throttle position for a given engine regime varies from plane to plane in game.
Example: I could fix the detent on the throttle at, say, 68% to indicate the max continuous engine regime, which corresponds to the max continuous engine regime for a Bf-109 F4 for example. However, when I jump into a Spitfire Mk IX, the max continuous throttle setting in game is 54%. Is it possible to have the physical 68% position of the throttle correspond to 54% throttle position by selecting another profile?
I think there are a couple of solutions here for you. First, the throttle allows for 5 detent profiles and you can get 5 detent frames with enough detents (the metal thing) to match each aircraft. So you could use the red detent frame for the Bf-109 F4 with the detent set ti 68% and the green detent frame with the detent set to 54% for the Spitfire Mk IX. It's trivial to swap the detent frame out. For each detent frame, you create a corresponding detent profile with the profile color matching the frame color. In the profile, you calibrate the physical positions of the detents and can then play with other variables such as curves, positions and sizings of the detents if you want. Oh, each detent frame can hold and configure/define three physical detents (I used two for example). I was going to demonstrate this but I wasn't sure how helpful it would have been. I'm making a follow-up video to show some of what I have learned in this short amount of time and will review more aspects of the throttle to help people make an informed decision around potentially getting the throttle. So you can very quickly swap out the detent frame, activate it and be flying in no time. You don't have to launch the software to select the new detent frame. You can do so on the throttle itself by pressing a button and rotating a 5 position switch. Check this video from VKB to see this all demonstrated. (note.. the guy pronounces detent oddly at times). :)
czcams.com/video/zHMS7Gctxpo/video.html
I have to admit that the configurability of the throttle via the hardware modules and the software has really impressed me.
@@StrIIker-TV Thank you very much for your feedback.
In the mean while, I did stumble on the video you posted which was very instructive. It looks like the software allows for a custom response curve per frame, which corresponds to 4 custom response curves (the black frame/profile doesn't allow detents to be programmed). To be clear, this _is_ really nice, however, there are dozens of planes in IL2 and though there is some overlap, many planes have their engine regimes at differing throttle positions. "Only" 4 custom response curves is sadly not enough. The good thing is that there would be no need for dozens of physical frames, just multiple selectable and customizable response curves per frame. (It would probably need something like an additional 10- or 8-way selector besides the current 5-way selector button, so I expect it's unlikely they will add such a feature later on, but one can dream I suppose).
It remains a remarkable piece of harware and a very positive addition to the HOTAS market.
Hi very useful video! Wanted to ask if those fingerlifts at 5:33 can also be used as rudder.
I have the vkb evo premium but I don't feel comfortable having a twisting stick. So was thinking to lock it and use stecs as throttle and rudder.
Hello! Yes they can be used as a rudder (sort of). They are treated as buttons and so can't by default be configured for a rudder. You can use the VKB configuration software and define them as a sort of virtual axis with each press equaling some amount of axial movement. You would also want to bind something to zero the axes as well. Example: Configuring the action of pressing the left finger lift equals 3 units of movement on that axis so requiring more deflection in that direction requires multiple presses. Need to adjust to the right? Press the right finger lift. Gone too far and need to recenter? Press something else (or even define pressing both as equal to zero). I think you can also define pressing and holding as a repeat button press at a configurable rate but I am not 100% certain of this. Someone in the comments on this or most likely the followup video I made had asked this very question. I went to the VKB forums and asked there and I received a quick response which I essentially shared here. It's not something which I have done myself though.
@@StrIIker-TV Perfect! Thank you very much for sharing this tip.
I'm finding that my DDI cursor likes to stray across the screen on its own. Ideas to stop that?
You will want to ensure that you have calibrated the axes. I can't recall if there is one for the thumb stick / TDC. The drift is due to some extraneous input. The next thing is to verify that nothing else is configured for the TDC in the aircraft control settings in DCS. The last thing you can do (but you should not have to do this for the TDC) is to set a small dead zone for the x-axis and/or y-axis (depends upon the direction of drift.) One last thing, ensure that you use curves in the axis configuration so that the initial input doesn't cause the cursor to jump too fast. This allows for fine adjustments while the more you push the TDC controller, the faster the cursor moves.
Let me know if this helps or if you need additional clarification.
I just got mine today trying to figure out where the assembly instructions are
You need to go to their CZcams channel I think. I believe it’s mentioned in some of the paperwork which you get with it.
Also their website I believe has the instructions. Not many ship with paper instructions to be honest. I got my Virpil Apache Collective and it only had a QR code to go to their web site.
@@StrIIker-TV figured it out, thx
i think u can configure each position in the software
Correct. I learned of this shortly after I made this video and I made a follow up in which I show all that I learned.
@@StrIIker-TV i have vxb dual sticks for Star Citizen I'm getting into DCS but haven't been able to bind it or understand the bindings lol. Stecs looks nice tho. I have THQ module upgrade to my left stick (also omni upgrade) and SEM module upgrade to my right stick. I love VKB modularity. I can probably upgrade my right stick to better suit DCS and leave my left stick as is.
Where do you set your airbrake switch on this throttle? I'm thinking of buying it and I am used to having the actual airbrake switch but this obviously does not have that.
The 3-way coms switch could be used as an airbrake switch.
You could swap out the 3-way RADIO switch with a 5-way hat and put the 3-way hat in the BRK hat slot.
In the video, there is a 4 position castle switch located on the right side at the "BRK" spot. I use forward and backward for the speed brake (determining if I want to use uip and down for something). There IS a three way boat switch (which is probably what you are accustomed to as was I) that I moved elsewhere on the throttle which I use for flares and chaff. You could use that instead but they only gave us one boat switch for some reason. I really could have used a couple more. Hopefully I can buy some soon.
@@tverYeah this.. I might still do that but I am undecided. I am using that 3-way for something else (flares and chaff) towards the front of the throttle under the front "finger leavers". It just felt a little better to have there.
I've mostly been flying the A-4, and since that uses a 2-pos slider on the right side of the throttle for the air brakes, I've just been using the 3-way. Center button position is arm/disarm for spoilers.
How are the rotary knobs (the axis one on the right throttle I imagine is a smooth roll) as in, are they a smooth twist or do they step as they turn?
The reason I ask if I fly the Mig-21 and Hind a lot and having a rotary to change your weapons is very useful. Currently I used the warthog buttons to cycle, but it'd love a nice rotary with steps :)
The Axis knob which is the grey one on the lower right side of the throttle is smooth and has a max / min. The one on the base at the back (says push on it) is not an axis but is a rotary button (I think that's what it's called) and has no limit. It is stepped. Additionally, on the left throttle, there is a wheel (rotary type, stepped) and another one under where the pinky finger would rest (rotary, stepped). So there are actually two on the base throttle, 1 more on that add-on module towards the rear PLUS the two radio buttons on the STEM (the front panel module) so I think you would be in luck. I am working on a new video to demonstrate some solutions to the challenges I had and will also do a more detailed step through of the throttle and I will include specifics such as how the rotary knobs each work.
@@StrIIker-TV Thanks, that really helps my understanding of the rotary knob. Having a stepped knob is important for me. Gosh, this throttle really does sound like the business!
@@orangespy The rotary on the back, the one that says "push" on it, isn't just a rotary with a pushbutton: it's a 4-way D-pad with a center push that you can also twist. I use it to control my knee board: down to open / close, push to bookmark, left/right to go through the bookmarks, and twist to go through the pages. Haven't put the "up" position into anything yet.
Have you mapped the F-15E? If so, how did you decide what was what?
It was tricky because the throttle was brand new for me so I couldn't even make use of some of how I mapped the Hornet. Some of the decisions were around where things were on my Warthog. I made the top switch (fore and aft) into my speed brake because that's whereI had it on the Hornet. I wanted the countermeasure dispenser to be easy to get to and I also moved the boat / rocker switch to the eft most position on the front of the right throttle (right behind the "finger lift looking paddles) It's easy to get to there and remember by touch etc. The multifunction switch (button) was easy as it's at roughly the same spot as on the real Strike Eagle throttle. I decided to universally use the two forward facing paddles (finger lift things) as my VR zoom (there are two levels of zoom in VR). The rear facing paddles I used as the finger lifts which is close enough to make sense to me for engine start. MB1 I made the coolie switch (front right button) of the right throttle and used the flat pyramid shaped button. So, I basically looked at the critical stuff on the Strike Eagle on the throttle and then tried to pick locations which matched the real thing and also which matched roughly where I had stuff set in the Hornet. I can do a detail of this if you need help but that's what I did. I made sure I assigned all Strike Eagle throttle buttons to the throttle. The extra buttons on the base and that forward panel I mapped mainly stuff which don't correspond to buttons in the Strike Eagle (flashlight, active pause, etc). I use PointCTRL so I don't need to map much else as I click it all in the cockpit.
Let me know if you'd like more specifics and I can throw it together for ya!
Hi. I'm looking to get into DCS in VR. Would you think that I should just get the standalone throttle? Or is there still a need for some buttons so maybe get the Mini Plus or Standard?
Hi! You are making a great choice! Flying DCS in VR is simply amazing. I do suggest getting some extra buttons and think that the Standard is perfect for DCS VR. The buttons and switches are closer to you than the Max and you will eventually master finding them by touch. DCS aircraft are high fidelity and have fully functional cockpits which you can interact with via mouse clicks (. Some functions you need to be able to get to quickly and the mouse can be a hinderance.) Some people still add more button boxes and even MFD frames to their simp pit set up but those arent' really needed. I flew for a fair amount of time just using the trackball and the buttons on my Warthog Throttle base.
So, to answer your question, I believe that your experience flying in VR would be enhanced with the Standard version of the STECS which I think is the sweet spot config. The Mini adds a small number of buttons which may suffice for some but there's not much there. I always like to give me some buffer plus the layout of the additional panel on the Standard is better.
Feel free to reach out if you have additional questions!
@@StrIIker-TV thank you very much for answering so quickly and comprehensively!
I have a lot of decisions to make over the next 2 months because I’m not just going to be getting into VR, but also PC gaming. I’ve been saving for years and the time has finally come.
I might put VR on the long finger and go with a 42 or 48 inch LG C2 and use Track IR for a while. Even with my savings a PC, monitor, VKB setup etc is going to add up fast.
@@gavancorrigan8813Hey! I'm happy to help you out with this all! PC gaming.. I've been doing that non-stop since the late 70's / early 80's when I was quite young. It will always want more money from you because it's constantly evolving and improving. I think your approach may be a sound one to start. Let me tell you though.. once you try gaming in VR, you will be blown away (and I don't just mean DCS). After all of my years (decades) of gaming on a monitor (with TrackIR too), I finally decided to buy a Vive VR headset (original generation) back in the mid 2010's. I set it up, got the software installed and ready and then put the headset on. Wow... It was simply amazing. I could gush on and on here so I'll stop myself. But I played games where zombies were attacking me in a dark tunnel.. it seriously scared me. When I first tried DCS in VR I hopped into the A-10 and could not believe how cramped it "felt".
So I am not trying to push you to VR to start. It's an expensive platform, demands physical room to use and has titles which are somewhat specific to the style. Starting into PC gaming with a flat screen makes a lot more game types available to you and is the best place to start. What I am telling you though.. is to save money for VR some day. It takes many types of gaming to an entirely different level. Being there in VR is so different from "watching" on a flat screen. VR kind of "ruined" playing PC games on a flat screen for me. There are some which I will play because I REALLY love the games but I tend to avoid non VR titles now.
Thing is I have a work monitor that could do for the time being and I could put that monitor money into VR straight away instead.
The games I’m most interested in are all in VR anyway - DCS, American Truck Simulator, Assetto Corsa.
Note the decision is going to be what headset to go for. Varjo Aero or wait for the new Valve Index.
I might also be able to stretch to the 4090.
@@gavancorrigan8813 Well, the Aero what I have and it’s an amazing headset. They just dropped the price to $990.00 (€990.00 as well). I paid $2,000 for mine over a year ago and I am very happy with it. The issue with waiting for the next thing is that you can wait a year and then just as something releases, there’s rumor of something else coming out soon etc. I don’t know when the next gen of headsets from Valve or Varjo are going to show up. You could wind up waiting a year and lose out in a year of enjoying games.
The games you spoke of all would be vastly superior in VR. Car racing, truck sims and flight sims absolutely shine in VR. There’s no comparison to flat screen experiences for these types of sims. You can only understand what it really is like by experiencing it. Watching videos does not come close to it. The reason is that you experience it all in full 3D and it’s wrapped around you in all directions.
The Aero is an amazing headset due to the visual clarity which is crucial in sims such as DCS because it allows you to read the displays, gauges etc. when I tried DCS in my HTC Vive, I didn’t bother to try it again until I had a headset which I could read things clearly. That happened with the HP Reverb G2. It lacks full display clarity like the Aero but the central sweet spot was very nice and clear and I started flying DCS in VR.
I personally would grab an Aero, 2 base station 2.0 from Valve and get ready for some amazing experiences. If something better comes out, that’s the way it is but at least you are doing what you want. Worst case, sell off what you have and get a new one. Also, new headsets will be pricey I think.
I really dislike using the thumnb axis nipple thing to slew targets, i cannot get the orientation right in my head. Is that suppose to be used for that or what.
Yeah that is what you need to use in order to slew the TDC around. I am in the same boat as you. I did hear back from VKB about a request for them to sell different hats for the mini-stick as it’s called. They indicated that they will be selling a castle style hat for it.
Regardless, it’s tough to adapt to using it because as you said, which way is up? I think you need to think I’m of up as being the position when you rotate your thumb towards your fingers. Same with the rest of the buttons on the side of the throttle.
The issue is that with the throttle at idle, up is up but with the throttle forward, “up” is now forward because the button’s axes have relatively tilted due to the throttle movement.
@@StrIIker-TVactually aren't you using your joystick to slew? Anyway, if the software is so powerful is there a way to program it so that the nipple re-orient itself then the throttle is forward, back or whatever?
@@user-jx1kc3qu4b The joystick is used to maneuver the aircraft. The mini stick is used to move the throttle designator controller cursor around on the MFD or HUD. I don’t think the software can account for all variable positions of the throttle and it would also be confusing to the individual using it.
It’s just something which one has to learn to use. It’s really the only design flaw which I have noticed so far and it’s not that big of a deal. I’m still happy with my purchase.
@@StrIIker-TV i really can't use it. I have to use the front finger one.
I just bought one based on your videos. Im struggling setting up the afterburner in f16c in dcs... it wont register the ab inputs, im sure this is operator error, but i dont know where im going wrong.
Hi! I haven't set up the F-16 yet on my STECS. The basic process is the same but there will be variances in how each aircraft's afterburner gets set. You can see the differences in how I set the AB detent (as well as engine idle / off) between the Hornet and Strike Eagle. I will try to play around with the F-16 to see if I can get it working.
@StrIIker-TV thanks, I have now managed to get it working... It just started working... not sure why. Just dcs being dcs I guess
How do you talk ingame and have it translated into actual comms? Cool review btw.
Thank you! So to speak and have it do stuff in the game, I use two things.. 1) VoiceAttack. This is a paid program which will take spoken workds and convert them to mappable key presses etc. There is a free add-on for this called Vaicom Pro. This is a VERY cool little program in that it takes what you say and can have it execute actions without having to step through menus to get there. So When I approach the carrier, I say "Hornet Ball" (can be other aircraft like "Tomcat Ball" and it executes the Hornet ball call. When I want to tank, I can say "Approaching to refuel" and it will take that and contact the tanker on the set radio frequency and issue the proper command. Then when I am in close, "Ready precontact" does as you saw. I can also say "abort refueling" and it will issue the correct command to abort refueling. I demonstrated the software in an earlier video in which I interact with a JTAC. Check it out! czcams.com/video/5aX5N3xOJ18/video.html I will be making some new videos around this shortly. It's a lot of fun! github.com/Penecruz/VAICOMPRO-Community
@@StrIIker-TV thanks, will be waiting for the new videos.
How are you zooming in the view with the new throttle? I just got this and it seems like the encoder is 2 buttons instead of 1 axis like on my logitech.
As I am in VR, I don’t use an axis to zoom. I use button presses. There are two zoom levels in VR.. VR Zoom and Spyglass Zoom. vR Zoom is the lesser of the two and is what I will usually use in the cockpit to see a display closer. Spyglass Zoom is much stronger and is what I will use to look closer at a distant object.
On the throttle, it is my understanding that you can set some of the radio style knobs to perform like an axis. On the throttle, I believe there are two true axes (other than the throttles themselves) The TDC / mini stick under the thumb and the rotary knob on the right side of the throttle (the grey one).
As I mentioned though, I believe you can use the software to make the radio knobs behave like an axis, it just doesn’t have an upper and lower physical stop. Let me know if this is what you were asking about.
Just got mine and like it so far. In addition to idle detents, I also set a detent for afterburner but can't figure out how to bind it in DCS. Any pointers?
I have not done this yet (but I am going to test it and probably do a follow up video) but I think there are a few things you'd need to set this. 1) Configure an event in the VKB software as you pass the detent and get a button assigned to the left and right throttle. 2) Go into the controls for the F-18 and find the "Throttle Finger Lift" Left and right and set them to use the buttons are which you assigned in the previous step. Lastly, you need to go to Settings, Special and select the F-18 module. There is an option to use the detents there. If (like me) you leave them off, then it will just kick in wherever the default is (like where I demonstrated in the video). If you enable detents, then afterburners will not kick in until the finger lift buttons get pressed . If you try this and it works, let me know. I'll do the same.
I actually did this just now and it works! One difference, don't enable the "pulse" in the event config of the detent. I had mentioned this in my original response but just removed it.
what VR headset do you use?
Hello, I am using the Varjo Aero. Please note though that the video quality is different from any VR headset used to shoot the video (this is the case for all videos people shoot and post). The recording on CZcams is created by recording the game window for DCS. It will look different from what is viewed in the headset. Some headsets would have a significantly different quality whereas the Aero's image quality is close to what you see in the video as the lens and display technology of the Aero is exceptional. Again, this is the case will all videos shot while in VR.
I think I gave this throttle a hard time on first sight, here it looks pretty good.
Yeah it's actually pretty noce. Give my followup video a look and you can see where I was able to fix the issues which I was having. Basically everything is resolved through the software config. I've been using the STECS a lot and am finally getting my head around the new button placements and TDC. I really am happy with the throttle. I'm not sure what the downsides are but I admittedly have only ever used the Thrustmaster Warthog throttle in the past.
The build quality us solid. The customer support is great. The software is very powerful and lets you configure the throttle to meet the needs of most if not all sim pilots. czcams.com/video/rvK4ksUBbPU/video.html
Nice video thank you. Quick question. Can I use the white selector switch to the right of the throttle as a modifier in DCS? Thank you
Hi! Thanks for compliment. I think you can use it as a modifier as I seem to recall that it has a button press assignment. I am unfortunately away from my system for another couple of weeks and can’t test it out. One suggestion is to hop onto the VKB discord or forums and ask there. You will definitely get a response quickly there!
nice reviewwwwwwww
Thankssssssss!
Thanks for your great review. Do you know if the two front levers can be used for axis commands or are they just only buttons? I would really like to assign them as my rudder controls. I have a Thrustmaster TWCS which has a lever control in front which works great as a rudder control, but unfortunately the throttle slider is too sticky and really makes the TWCS pretty useless. If I could control the rudder with the two front levers, the VKB would be the perfect throttle for me.
Thanks! I asked about this over on the official VKB forums for ya. I'll drop by here if I hear back to let you know. This sounds like an awesome idea! I am certain that the knob on the left side of the throttle grips COULD be configured as a virtual axis though. It is a rotary knob so each step could be registered as an axis movement.
Also, the flap lever I mentioned in the video, that is an actual axis which you could use but I don't know how convenient it would be reaching for it either out front as I have it or down to the base which it can be configured (as in the STECS standard config). forum.vkb-sim.pro/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=7830
Great news! This IS possible. Go have a look at the link which I provided in my other response to this question. Someone from the VKB community responded and stated it is possible and posted some screenshots to illustrate how. It's pretty slick! They said "Easily. Select the multiplier to your taste, pressing the buttons simultaneously resets the axis to the center." The main thing is to go look at the post as it has screenshots of the configuration tool and what you need to set. Impressive!
@@StrIIker-TV Wow! Thank you so much for taking the time to look into this for me. It looks like I'm going to have to learn some button programming, but that's what makes things more fun. Thanks again, you definitely earned my subscription!
Hey thanks! I have been in your spot before.. wanting to do something but not knowing how or where to even start looking. I'm glad I could help. I think the rudder pedal idea sounds pretty slick! I also like that pressing the two levers re-centers it. Hopefully you get it working!
what's that on your finger? are you using it to click buttons?
Hi! It's a VERY cool device called PointCTRL. I use it in all of my videos. It allows me to control the mouse cursor in game and interact with the buttons, switches, dials, etc. It's an absolute must have item in VR. Unfortunately there is a long wait for getting one but it's well worth hopping on the list now if you think you would want one.
Check their website: www.pointctrl.com . I also demonstrated it in an earlier video. I am making a more focused video to better describe how it all works.
The video is pretty rough looking as my system specs back then were lack-luster but you can get the general idea from the initial part of the video of how it works.
Excuse me? How amazing is your simulator??
Hey man thank you for your kind compliment! I'm very fortunate to have this. I'm particularly happy to have my PointCTRL as it has a long wait list currently. It makes a huge difference and is well worth the wait! I am (once again) hopeful that the guy who makes it will be able to ramp up production.
Epic stuff! Any chance we might see you do some content with different modules?
Heh! Yeah I have been a one-trick pony so far.Just before I got this new throttle, I had started my journey learning the F-15E Strike Eagle and I intend to continue with that. I may dust off the A-10C II and F-16 modules as well! I have the Apache as well but time to learn everything.. not so much. I intend to work on the Apache once I have some additional hardware (new stick base (VP Force Rhino.. still a while to wait on that one) and a collective).
Once I have some semblance of proficiency in the Strike Eagle or others, I'll definitely take them up for some video shooting! I also have many demonstration videos lined up to make. I need to revisit the HARM for one as I learned a fair amount after making the one a while ago.
@@StrIIker-TV Oh I can't wait! The VR experience is just amazing and I think it will look epic in other modules as well. Have a good one and thanks again for all the great content.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Please man I just bought this throttle it’s my first Hoyas and first time playing DCS I need help setting this up please help I also fly the f18c
Sorry, I know a lot of time has passed since you posted this and I meant to respond a LOT earlier. It's not too difficult to configure your throttle in DCS but there's a lot of steps and it takes time. I assume that by now you are all set though. Unfortunately getting these working takes some time to do and learn and more time to get your memory set around which buttons do what.
@@StrIIker-TV thank you for the response. i did get the stick set up watched a few videos but I'm changing thing here and there as i go so its a work in progress. i really like this game and want to make this a hobby. do you still play regularly?
@@alanlewis619 Indeed I do! I try to post a video of my DCS time a couple times per month but I ran into some challenges which I finally got resolved. It was a problem with my Varjo Aero headset. Turned out I needed to replace the cable. So I am back at it. I typically fly on the Burning Skies Command Center US server.
@@StrIIker-TV that's awesome!! One last question i have VR capability do you think i should try to learn this game in VR or should i just play flat screen with like track IR?
@@alanlewis619 I am biased so please keep that in mind. Most who try DCS in VR stick with VR and don't go back to flat screen. It's such an incredibly different experience. The aircraft is wrapped around you and you have full depth perception. So, I am a very strong advocate for DCS in VR. I will not fly on a flat screen ever again.
Having said that, VR is quite demanding on system resources as there's more detail in high res displays on VR headsets vs flat screens (there are two displays in the headset, each getting their own info etc). So, if you don't have a strong system, you would need to dial back some detail to get good frame rates. Also, the headsets can vary quite a bit in terms of display clarity. I had an HP reverb G2 and it had a very nice "sweet spot" in the middle of each eye which rendered the image with sharp clarity. As you look further from center, the image is a little blurry so it can be difficult to read an instrument in the cockpit if you just move your eyes to look at it. I would move my head to center the deeply or instrument which I wanted to read which was totally fine. Then I got the Varjo Aero and wow.. what a beautiful display with full lens clarity. It also has eye tracking so you can use dynamic foveated rendering (I've made a few videos about this as well). The Aero has been discontinued by Varjo though and is End of Life in December 2025 if I recall correctly. There are other with aspheric lenses, high resolution and eye tracking out there. They do cost a lot though. So, it depends upon what headset you have an dhow clear / sharp the image is in it. I would say it's worth trying out a few times to see what it's like. Be careful though, you may become addicted and not want to go back to flat screen :)
So, there are pros and cons for both flat screen and VR I guess. For me personally, VR is the hands down best and only way to experience DCS. Hope this helps! Let me know what you think of VR if/when you try it! What headset do you own?