| Sidewinder Pro USB by Leonard "Viking1" Hjalmarson
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SUMMARY:
Test System:
The Universal Serial Bus will eventually eliminate the tangle of cables and the endless installation hassles associated with a variety of gaming peripherals. Toward that end, Microsoft has fired the first volley in what will become a protracted battle in the new year. Have they hit the target? First, let's note that this is still the Sidewinder Pro. This stick is similar to the Thrustmaster Millennium, but was the first to make us of a twisting handle to replace the rudder pedals on your flight control system. Most people either love this option or hate it, but if you've never experienced the flexibility of separate pedals beneath your chair, you would probably find this a very nice compromise. The Sidewinder Pro also has an onboard throttle wheel, making it an all-in-one solution for many gamers. Programmability rounds out the feature set, and the software used to set up the buttons on the Precision Pro is among the most user-friendly out there. For someone who has never tried programming their gear before, Microsoft takes the intimidation factor out of the equation.
Better still, for those who would rather not make the effort, pre-existing configuration files are provided for a huge number of games. Selection is a simple point and click affair. And you don't have to download information to the stick, as you do with CH Products or Thrustmaster gear. The downside? The Sidewinder Pro isn't compatible with DOS-based games. Hmm. Not a very big issue for most gamers anymore. Running under DOS you can still get the control features, but you won't get button functions. How many functions can you actually program to the stick? You can select a total of 16 functions, plus four for the hat and the throttle function (the hat was not programmable until the new software release).
However, the "shift" feature, much like the S3 button on the F22 Pro or the toggle on the Pro Throttle, doubles the function of each switch of the eight other switches. The hat itself can be selected for Thrustmaster or CH hat emulation mode and its functions are pre-determined by the emulation and the particular game you play. If you need more functions than this or like to make your own hat choices, go for the Thrustmaster Millennium.
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The throttle control works smoothly and would satisfy the needs of many gamers. The control is set into the base of the stick and is accessed by your thumb. The stick is geared toward right-handed use. As for the guts, try state-of-the-art digital-optical tracking. This means no wear on potentiometers and none of the drift problems associated with them. It also means that you'll never have to calibrate the stick. For most people this isn't a big problem, but there are some games which can drive you to the loony bin when it comes time to make this adjustment. In this case, each time you restart Windows, the Precision Pro will automatically calibrate itself. Smart!
For the serious trials I fired up Flying Corps Gold, Red Baron II3d, and the Microsoft Combat Flight Sim beta. After a half hour in Flying Corps Gold I found I was getting used to the built in rudder function and flying about as well as I do with pedals. Movement of the stick is quite fluid, and even the throttle is acceptable. The only downside on that score is that you don't hae the same sensate feedback as with a levered stick like the TQS. In some sims this is less of a concern since you still have audio and on screen feedback of your throttle position. Now what about USB? Is it all its cut out to be? In short, yes. I verified in my Control Panel applet that my mainboard was in fact hitting on all eight cylinders and that USB was enabled, and then plugged in the stick and ran the install for version 2.0. Then I noticed that I had to download version 3.02 of the Game Device software (7 meg) from Microsoft. I ran the new software and WIN98 detected and installed the device. I was especially curious to make some frame rate observations under USB. I had previously benchmarked three simulations under both the TB Montego (digital port) and the PDPI L4 (dedicated digital port) using my Thrustmaster gear. The PDPI L4 performed better than the sound board port in each case, anywhere from a whopping 50% increase on the runway in Janes F15 to a mere 1.5 fps in the EAW beta. The USB Sidewinder Pro gave me no increase over the L4, but it did give me equivalent frame rates to the dedicated L4. Not only will future USB devices give us the best performance possible, they will also go a long way to solving the complicated and often problematic installation process. Hopefully the days of configuring, reinstalling, and puzzling over problems with gaming devices are almost done! Summary: No one doubts that USB is the wave of the future. Leave it to Microsoft to be first up to bat! I don't want to remember the hours I have spent struggling with WIN95/98 controller detection, installation and calibration. I have probably wasted more time here in the past six months than on any other setup issue. And I am a fairly adept user. I can't imagine what the average or neophyte user must endure every time they make a change in their controller setup. With the pain of installation and calibration fast becoming history, a new age of user-friendly controllers is almost upon us! If your controller needs are relatively simple, the Sidewinder Pro is a great option. Add a device like the Quickshot Masterpilot, and you can expand your programmable repertoire to close to one hundred functions. If you need more than this or need the flexibility of a two stick setup and rudder pedals, then its time to look at CH Products, Saitek or Thrustmaster (see our HOTAS page).
For a games support list check out: Microsoft Games Support
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