Just a heads up, when I was grabbing on to the deskmount to show its sturdiness it wobbled more than it should have because I was taking the thing on and off, on and off while shooting and I didn't tighten the screws all the way. It actually doesn't wobble that much if you do it right. Additionally the chair problem doesn't look that bad because my chair was lowered in that shot, but I like to have it in the highest position when playing, and that's when you can really see the issue with the arm rest. I get around it by just removing the arm rest and all is well, though I think i might just stick with having this throttle on my desk. Still not sure about that. Even though it sounds like I was being over critical of the throttle, I just need to remind you guys that I got this for free, and I needed to be as fair about this review as possible. I gave Saitek a lot more flak in my previous videos for similar things (But I've decided since to clean up my review videos for obvious reasons). I will begin shooting for the Joystick next week and hope to have that out in a timely manner. There is a bit less to discuss in that one, but I will go over the internals in detail so look forward to it! Cheers y'all!
Mate, i have almost zero interest in flysims and all the swag that are used for them, but bloody hell your videos are pure enjoyment to watch! Keep up the good work.
I own the Warthog but I am looking to replace it. It has failed in multiple ways, so I was looking to upgrade to this. My main concern is the internal components of the throttle base. On the Warthog HOTAS the ABS plastic inside will wear away and leave the throttle unable to maintain position (this happened to me). Do you know if there is any similar issue where the VirPil will wear out and become loose? Have you had any issues like that? Also, do you do any formation flying with it? Formation flying requires very small, precise changes in throttle position to do correctly. Do you think this throttle is capable of that?
Dude your reviews and the editing that goes with it is really damn fasinating.. like im not gonna buy it cos of the money but I was still watching and interested all the way through. love your channel, been here since like 2013(?) or something like that!
This thing is definitely looking like a pretty good replacement for my X-45. One thing I've always thought I would miss is the little thumb nub on the joystick throttle that I can use without taking my hand off to aim things like the maverick seeker head in the A-10, or the laser aiming in the Su-25. It's great having the little mini stick to aim while I keep my hand on the joystick.
A thing to consider is the fact that in the Sukhoi-Mikoyan family of grips, the slew control is located in the stick. On the Virpil’s Mongoos stick it’s a 4 way hat, but you can use the marginally superior Gunfighter-MCG Pro, where it’s a pure 16 bit analog. I own both and I give the edge to Vkb’s, altough native compatibility of the virpil base with the TM’s stick it’s a wonder by itself. And every flight simmer should consider to improve the warthog throttle with the analog slew kit made by D.A.L. on www.deltasimelectronics.com, and it’s IKEA-simple to mount it. Like night and day. You should make a video about reviving the warthog throttle, Ralfi.
Great equipment review as always! You consistently do these really well. Looks like a great throttle box, though I think I'll keep to my Warthog for now. That said I really do think a more generic / all-purpose layout like the Virpil is the way forward. The Warthog layout was a cool tie-in with the original DCS A-10 back in the day, but the layout of it is not very adaptable to other airplanes without a lot of tweaking. The generic buttons, rotary encoders and and momentary switches of the Virpil are much better in this regard. Only reason I say I will stick to my Warthog is that I personally love the actual throttle grips themselves, and I love the long throw they have, and also the overall benefit of the button layout going to a Virpil is not really significant enough to toss the Warthog, for me. But if they keep iterating on this design, I don't see why it wouldn't be the obvious purchase for anyone looking to get into serious sim equipment, or replacing a worn out Warthog throttle.
Just a note. The MT-50 $362USD vs $269USD for TM Warthog. But you have to add $50+ shipping to the Virpil. So it's actually $150+ more. I don't think the reviewed unit is available anymore. The new on is the T50-CM2, which will be smaller and cheaper, but not available yet according to their web page.
Hey Ralfi, for those who use the original mounting holes on the TM throttle (two at the front of the plate, two at the back of the plate), do the similarly placed mounting holes on the Virpil Throttle line up at all? Or are we going to be drilling new holes into our existing HOTAS mounts?
Why didn't they send it coupled with a T-50 stick? It is modelled after Russian HOTAS systems (particularly the one in Su-35 and Su-57 AFAIK) which have the slew sensor on the stick grip. That's why it didn't have one right away. They kinda shot themselves in the foot here.
Didn't you ever get around to reviewing the stick? I really want to buy these and your opinion would mean a lot to me :) Maybe I'll stick to my CH Pro Throttle until Virpil develops an analog stick for the throttle. I immediately figured a function for the big ass yellow-red button. Jettison! I have no problem with the looks of it and it looks perfectly distinct for such a function.
was looking for reviews on it and i guess they listened to the constructive criticism as the one in there store now has none of the negatives you mentioned XD
Yeah me neither, even though it cost a small fortune, I will be eating biscuits and cat food for the next few months, but that's the sacrifice one makes for our beloved simming.
I'm sure if you google around you can find something. There is a 3D print of something similar floating somewhere that you can swap the detent to that as well.
I thought the Thrustmaster was a replica of throttle and control cluster found in an actual A-10 Warthog. While I agree with the chincy-ness of Thrustmaster's gear (most of it as their T.flight air force edition headsets seem pretty decent imo) I would refute that the Thrustmaster was targeted toward those looking for a glimpse at what the controls of an A-10 Warthog would be like. (Btw, totally got a half chub by your professional, voice-over, review voice. You got the perfect face for radio. 👍 )
It is a replica, ergonomics aside (since it is a replica therefore no control over that), the Warthog is a beast of a HOTAS, but it still suffers from errors that Thrustmaster made internally. At 500$ that really shouldn't be happening.
@@ralfidude agreed 100% i got the chance to use one that friend has and at first touch i looked at him and asked "How much did you pay for this?" Nearly died laughing at how shafted he got in build quality compared to how much he spent. Poor soul. But yeah, there was another one that i had tried i think it was the x55 pro from saitec and that actually felt pretty damn premium for what it was selling for.
I have the Saitek X-55 and it's quality ís crap (Which is why I ordered a Virpil), but the ergonomics on the throttle aren't half bad. Most things can be reached without even taking your hand (completely) off the throttle. The only issue is the upper right hand toggles (and mostly the ones closest to the grip) being obscured by the throttle in anything but the full forward position. *(To add: this is where Virpil has its logo, so I actually consider that "empty space" a good thing)* When flying in VR, these toggles are the only ones that give me trouble (Like a blind man at an orgy, I was gonna have to feel things out), while everything else is almost second nature.
Just a heads up the newer versions of this throttle feature ever so slightly different hat switches with gates on the sides to prevent your finger from slipping, I guess they took your feedback into account. (by newer versions I do not mean the version featuring the ministick, there is a revision of the original model with slight changes, the hats being one)
Excuse my ignorance and kinda left-field question, but the discussion of your field modded Warthog brought it to mind - what's the preferred method for dealing with the lack of alignment between some modules' power settings and the Warthog's fixed detent position? The mil detent is perfect for the MiG-29 but absolutely useless in the 21, where it falls at about 75-80% RPM, and I've discovered mil power is exactly one width of the end joint of my index finger from the end of travel. I ended up pulling the mil detent because it was annoying me in the 21, but I really do kinda need it in the 29, where you get a lot less obvious "hey idiot, you're in reheat" visual/audio cues and need to watch the light panel to know. I'm pretty useless with axis settings so all I've managed to do through my own experimentation is make things worse. Great review, by the way, and you've got some pretty classy handwriting there.
That does seem like an ejection/silent running/dump heat sink/self destruct sort of button. And they're the only company I know of making dedicated left-hand grips, too
Could the variable position lever to the right of the throttles be set up to control the engine nossle position on the DCS harrier module?? If so that would then allow for some of the very interesting air combat maneuvers the type can do to be utilised very effectvely!! Great video by the way, looking forward to the next one!
Ralfi how does the mode switch work? New mode different maps and button functions? do you need their software or is this pretty straight forward in DCS? Thanks man. Great review. Mine is on the way specifically because of this review.
Nice review, it looks like the throttle levers are much firmer than the HOTAS Warthog's which flex quite a lot when split so I rarely split them as it just feels awful to me. Its still a great throttle unit though but I'm thinking of getting a Virpil one.
Did you notice any kind of spikes on the axis and rotary's, Ralfi? Besides the encoders, the other axis are build with hall sensors? Thanks for the review. It worth the wait!
3:50 how the hell do you have 3 pointer fingers!?!?!?! :D Seriously though... should I go with a Virpil Hotas set up, the warthog set up, or a vkbsim hotas set up?
I can't speak for VKB, but both Thrustmaster and Virpil have their advantages and disadvantages. They are great products either way. It's more of what you'd personally like.
How do you set the switch button ? Do you have to use any software, or can it be set as a direct x button without any programation ? May you do a video on the software of Virpil ?
The software is still WIP so I didn't show it off just yet. If they get it to where it needs to be by the time I do the stick review then I will show it off there.
I often find myself not having enough switches and axis for flight sims. Would you be able to run this throttle with the thrustnater warthog at the Same time an bond things to not of them?
Ralfi have the friction pads on your Warthog throttle worn out yet? Mine have and I contacted Thrustmaster about it and they said they would send me new ones for $30 but if I could figure out how to get to them in the first place I might be able to replace them with some rubber I already have.
Took you long enough to get this out :p haha, nice review bro. Id love to try this thing out but like I said before that throttle position doesn’t look to comfy for my desk, maybe their next iteration will bring it back some.
I don’t think any variant of throttle or joystick ever is or will be comfortable on top of a desk... It really need to be lower. I make is simple, I just place the Thrustmaster joystick between my legs, where it belongs :-) I just sit on it on a wooden chair (office chair is too soft and it wobbles too much). I then put the case for the Oculus rift beside the chair and the throttle on top of that box, it ends up being about the level of the legs which is perfect and relaxed. BTW the joystick has 15cm extension to make it more sensitive and comfortable in height. This setup didn’t cost anything extra... Simple. As for the Virpil throttle, I just love the amount of pushbuttons and rotaries! Soo vastly superior to the Thrustmaster (many of the switches on that is just vasted since mapping for many aircrafts just doesn’t work well with bistable switches).
I preordered the throttle a while ago for exactly the reasons you mention at the end of the video. But the detent issue worries me. Maybe someone comes up with a customization for this. Do you have to just restrain the axis to idle so you don't shut down the engine by accident or just hope for the best?
I don't have an idle dedent anymore, i just removed it. I shut down my engines through my keyboard instead because I don't need it desperately as part of my HOTAS in flight or anything.
Just got mine and while I'm waiting to arrive I got a quick question: Does the throttle come with the dust cover or do you have to order that separately?
Virpil is great.. until you have hardware issues that cannot be fixed by their engineer via teamviewer: I shipped my T-50 base back to them for a problem, I haven't seen it in more than 3 MONTHS and they can't give me any timing / ETA for repair and ship back. But hey, my throttle is on its way and I should received it in a few days (what I am supposed to do with it, withouth a stick?) So, amazing products, just pray your hardware won't fail. Hopefully it will get better as they finish the lauch and shipment of the new throttle and WarBRD.
I know that very well. Although, after so long, they should be able to tell me how long they need to either replace or repair it. Instead, nothing. Not nice as I've spent 1200$ on their products, right mate? Eventually, hopefully, the thing will get fixed before the end of another month. Again, that's a shame 'cause their products are the best I have ever tried in more than 25 years of flight simming.
Ralfi, your Thrustmasters slew sensor, i remember you talking about making a video how you modified it to be better to use and remembered that seeing your modified one, is that Video still planed or is it forgoten by time?
No, the MongooseT-50 base, not the WarBRD, as they are apparently fundamentally different base designs, albeit using the same grip. I look forward to your WarBRD review nonetheless, as you are pretty much the best flight sim hardware reviewer out there.
Well initially they were going to send me that one, but the BRD is newer and has desktop capability where as the 50 base I think was exclusively designed for a deskmount. It made more sense to cover the BRD where it would have a lot more customers interested in it over the other base.
piece of flat steel, small....in between the throttle mount gripping mechanism and desk. i used the warthog base for that protection....Ikea wood doesnt do too well under pressure lol
@@ralfidude it's all about the desk. I've yet to get my rich mahogany desk. My monstertech ones did a number on the underside of it. Hence the flat plate. One day my apt will smell of rich mahogany. Until then, lol
Hey Ralfi, you're a lucky guy getting one of these seeing as how they make it sound like they're making one of a kind hand crafted art pieces that will ship whenever they get around to it... But anyway, what about Logitechs updated x56? Any good? Any interest???
They moved their entire company to a new warehouse and built them by hand, filled their backlogs and got them all shipped out in order of who ordered first, of course it's going to take some time to get them out. VKB did the same exact thing. These guys are a new up and coming company, gotta give em some slack here. And as far as the X56 goes, how should I know? I don't have one and have no interest really.
Thanx for an honest & after a few weeks of usage, review! (I hate 1:st BS Impressions :-). The short-comings aren't justified for that price range IMO. Especially the short throttle travel, that I noticed 1:st time I saw the throttle, & got it confirmed by you.
The short travel distance really isn't as bad as people think. It balances out when you consider how far forward the throttle handles sit. At full forward, it matches the forward position of the Thrustmaster.
Other than the circuit board issues that Thrustmaster had with the Warthog stick in it's early production, they have been very good. The strongest part of the Warthog's design from an ergonomic point, is also it's Achilles' heel, in which it is designed specifically for the A10-C, which limits it in other applications. If you are a dedicated a10-C pilot though, it is hard to beat. Thrustmaster has really dropped the ball in my view by not coming out with a dedicated F-18 stick and throttle, which was supposed to be one of the selling points of the Warthog setup, it was supposed to be at least semi-modular and able to keep up with major releases from DCS. Lord knows they have had more than enough time to get it into production with the long delays in releasing the Hornet! At the very least, with the F-16 in the pipeline, Thrustmaster needs to get the Cougar throttle out the door. Considering they already have the molds and tooling for the Cougar, it shouldn't be all that difficult to make a USB version. Hopefully products like this coming to market will give us both better choices, as well as put some pressure on Thrustmaster to up it's game. Though I agree with you that Saitek has really gone downhill over the years, much like CH products did. Lower quality, and poor design choices.
There is one deal breaker for sure: One Virpil throttle equals two Warthog ones. In terms of the money of course. Unless you have unlimited budget (and/or you are crazy simmer) to me it is better to buy stick set either by Virpil or VKB and TM throttle than Virpil's throttle and any other stick.
ralfidude I can write them and tell them to send you one for free. They need a good review of the new, grey version, as they messed up with not changing the name of the stick, and now the internet is full of confusion regarding which version is good/bad.
Ehh... I'd be more interested in seeing a new product from them to be honest. Now that Logitech owns them it would be interesting to see where they go from here.
Do you know if this product has been updated yet? like with the slew-sensor? Seems like a big miss there, but if they've added it, I'm in !!!!! Please let me know. Subscribed!!! EDIT: Could this be the new unit? Do you approve of it? --->>>--virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongoost-50cm2-throttle.html--. so really 3 questions bundled in there, 1) is this the newly revised unit 2) did they improve upon the things you mentioned in your video 3) did they add the slewing hat-switch you were looking for ---- Again, thanks so much !!!!! -- by the way, did they take away your two radio knobs in this new one? what's your feeling about that? not sure why i'm seeing strike-thru marks through some of the above text, just ignore it.
I don't have the file anymore sorry. You can easily make your own though. Very easy design. Just don't make it too big (the surface area where your finger sits) or the nib will twist and bend when you try to move it. Will damage your sensor.
I have the same desk, and I agree about the notch. It's awesome for everything but flight simming, as it causes you to be too far away from the keyboard (and touch screen with helios in my case), especially if using desk mounts
You didn't address controller boards and firmware issues. Although my two warthogs are fine I've seen number of times that people had bricked their warthogs by some FW update or something else happening with TM hog controller.. Also some comparation of TARGET SW Vs VIRPIL SW capabilities and work..
The occasional review that you do is way better than other channels dedicated to nothing but reviews
danke!
Just a heads up, when I was grabbing on to the deskmount to show its sturdiness it wobbled more than it should have because I was taking the thing on and off, on and off while shooting and I didn't tighten the screws all the way. It actually doesn't wobble that much if you do it right.
Additionally the chair problem doesn't look that bad because my chair was lowered in that shot, but I like to have it in the highest position when playing, and that's when you can really see the issue with the arm rest. I get around it by just removing the arm rest and all is well, though I think i might just stick with having this throttle on my desk. Still not sure about that.
Even though it sounds like I was being over critical of the throttle, I just need to remind you guys that I got this for free, and I needed to be as fair about this review as possible. I gave Saitek a lot more flak in my previous videos for similar things (But I've decided since to clean up my review videos for obvious reasons).
I will begin shooting for the Joystick next week and hope to have that out in a timely manner. There is a bit less to discuss in that one, but I will go over the internals in detail so look forward to it!
Cheers y'all!
Mate, i have almost zero interest in flysims and all the swag that are used for them, but bloody hell your videos are pure enjoyment to watch! Keep up the good work.
ralfidude I have the same desk! IKEA FTW!
danke!
I own the Warthog but I am looking to replace it. It has failed in multiple ways, so I was looking to upgrade to this. My main concern is the internal components of the throttle base. On the Warthog HOTAS the ABS plastic inside will wear away and leave the throttle unable to maintain position (this happened to me). Do you know if there is any similar issue where the VirPil will wear out and become loose? Have you had any issues like that? Also, do you do any formation flying with it? Formation flying requires very small, precise changes in throttle position to do correctly. Do you think this throttle is capable of that?
Did you ever complete a review of the joystick? I looked on your channel and didn't see it.
Dude your reviews and the editing that goes with it is really damn fasinating.. like im not gonna buy it cos of the money but I was still watching and interested all the way through. love your channel, been here since like 2013(?) or something like that!
Thanks and enjoy your stay!
it's 2023 and i'm watching the video and VIRPIL actually followed through with their revisions ! I love that.
3:59...that laugh....
Your reviews are always amazing Ralfi.
Thank you for your time and dedication.
welcome!
This thing is definitely looking like a pretty good replacement for my X-45. One thing I've always thought I would miss is the little thumb nub on the joystick throttle that I can use without taking my hand off to aim things like the maverick seeker head in the A-10, or the laser aiming in the Su-25. It's great having the little mini stick to aim while I keep my hand on the joystick.
This is literally the best review I have ever seen
llOPPOTATOll you should watch Crash Laobi’s yak52 review.
Great Review!! Thank's wish there where more reviews like this one for Virpil and VKB Devices. specifically for use with DCS.. Great Job..!
A thing to consider is the fact that in the Sukhoi-Mikoyan family of grips, the slew control is located in the stick. On the Virpil’s Mongoos stick it’s a 4 way hat, but you can use the marginally superior Gunfighter-MCG Pro, where it’s a pure 16 bit analog. I own both and I give the edge to Vkb’s, altough native compatibility of the virpil base with the TM’s stick it’s a wonder by itself.
And every flight simmer should consider to improve the warthog throttle with the analog slew kit made by D.A.L. on www.deltasimelectronics.com, and it’s IKEA-simple to mount it.
Like night and day.
You should make a video about reviving the warthog throttle, Ralfi.
Ralfi reviews are my favorite
You're honestly the best when it comes to flight sim products on youtube.
Great equipment review as always! You consistently do these really well.
Looks like a great throttle box, though I think I'll keep to my Warthog for now. That said I really do think a more generic / all-purpose layout like the Virpil is the way forward. The Warthog layout was a cool tie-in with the original DCS A-10 back in the day, but the layout of it is not very adaptable to other airplanes without a lot of tweaking. The generic buttons, rotary encoders and and momentary switches of the Virpil are much better in this regard.
Only reason I say I will stick to my Warthog is that I personally love the actual throttle grips themselves, and I love the long throw they have, and also the overall benefit of the button layout going to a Virpil is not really significant enough to toss the Warthog, for me.
But if they keep iterating on this design, I don't see why it wouldn't be the obvious purchase for anyone looking to get into serious sim equipment, or replacing a worn out Warthog throttle.
Always happy to view another Ralfi video. One of my favorite channels!
"The thrustmaster has a large gap between the throttles, much like Michael Strahan's teeth" LOL
I hope he never learns of this video.
I was thinking of Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees
What about Martha McCallum of Fox-News?
3:48 Ralfi has 3 hands?
TheAirbornePotato love that shot :D
Three right hands!
Now you know why professional flight simmers can never have too many buttons, they own a shitload of fingers more than the average person
It's HOTASAD.
Hands on throttle and stick and dashboard.
Just a note. The MT-50 $362USD vs $269USD for TM Warthog. But you have to add $50+ shipping to the Virpil. So it's actually $150+ more.
I don't think the reviewed unit is available anymore. The new on is the T50-CM2, which will be smaller and cheaper, but not available yet according to their web page.
my dude this video has a very strong "how it's made" vibe to it with the way you narrate. i like it, you even got better background music haha
danke!
That flaps axis is the right size and shape in the right position to emulate the AV-8B Harrier's nozzle selector
Hey Ralfi, for those who use the original mounting holes on the TM throttle (two at the front of the plate, two at the back of the plate), do the similarly placed mounting holes on the Virpil Throttle line up at all? Or are we going to be drilling new holes into our existing HOTAS mounts?
Yes, they align perfectly
ralfidude oh my, I could kiss you right now. Thanks!
Tuuvas explains a lot really
Great review; one of the best I've seen! Thanks! Subscribed.
Why didn't they send it coupled with a T-50 stick? It is modelled after Russian HOTAS systems (particularly the one in Su-35 and Su-57 AFAIK) which have the slew sensor on the stick grip. That's why it didn't have one right away. They kinda shot themselves in the foot here.
I've been waiting for this!
Oh, it's still 360p...
First downside:
Doesn't Perform Fellatio "
Aaaaand dead.
Wait it doesn't? Fuck that. I'm cancelling my order.
Didn't you ever get around to reviewing the stick? I really want to buy these and your opinion would mean a lot to me :) Maybe I'll stick to my CH Pro Throttle until Virpil develops an analog stick for the throttle.
I immediately figured a function for the big ass yellow-red button. Jettison! I have no problem with the looks of it and it looks perfectly distinct for such a function.
The stick is fine, but I would probably stay with the Warthog stick if you already own one. The base if fantastic though.
I think the thrustmaster is better for the price plus it looks better I think.
was looking for reviews on it and i guess they listened to the constructive criticism as the one in there store now has none of the negatives you mentioned XD
Looks good, just bought a TM Warthog, so I will have to give it a few years before trying this one out.
Nevyn Tanis I love my TM Warthog and stick. Don’t regret you purchase!
Yeah me neither, even though it cost a small fortune, I will be eating biscuits and cat food for the next few months, but that's the sacrifice one makes for our beloved simming.
Where's the stick review? :D
1:32 Was not disappointed, not sure if intentional or not but still amazing
Great video pal..by the way I am a newbie and want to do what you did with your warthog throttle detents at 11:13. Do you have a video on it please?
I'm sure if you google around you can find something. There is a 3D print of something similar floating somewhere that you can swap the detent to that as well.
What did you do to your TDC slew nub on your Warthog throttle at 9:55? Is that something I can buy somewhere or did you make that yourself?
modded it myself, don't have the file anymore, sorry.
ralfidude all good man, gives me some ideas for how to mod mine at least!
Ralfi you are an absolute professional...nice work as always sir
danke!
The big button on the bottom could be an emerg store jett button or panic CMS button
Great review, thanks. Any chance of a review of the VPC MongoosT-50CM2 Throttle?
I thought the Thrustmaster was a replica of throttle and control cluster found in an actual A-10 Warthog. While I agree with the chincy-ness of Thrustmaster's gear (most of it as their T.flight air force edition headsets seem pretty decent imo) I would refute that the Thrustmaster was targeted toward those looking for a glimpse at what the controls of an A-10 Warthog would be like.
(Btw, totally got a half chub by your professional, voice-over, review voice. You got the perfect face for radio. 👍 )
It is a replica, ergonomics aside (since it is a replica therefore no control over that), the Warthog is a beast of a HOTAS, but it still suffers from errors that Thrustmaster made internally. At 500$ that really shouldn't be happening.
@@ralfidude agreed 100% i got the chance to use one that friend has and at first touch i looked at him and asked "How much did you pay for this?" Nearly died laughing at how shafted he got in build quality compared to how much he spent. Poor soul.
But yeah, there was another one that i had tried i think it was the x55 pro from saitec and that actually felt pretty damn premium for what it was selling for.
x55 was an economical failure
1.) Doesn't perform fellatio...
I mean... am I wrong?
That's what customer support is for. ;D
THRUSTmaster is missing out on a niche market
Markius Fox do we really want a HOTAS that doesn't do that??
ralfidude you got it for free. That's pretty close to fellatio :^)
I have the Saitek X-55 and it's quality ís crap (Which is why I ordered a Virpil), but the ergonomics on the throttle aren't half bad.
Most things can be reached without even taking your hand (completely) off the throttle.
The only issue is the upper right hand toggles (and mostly the ones closest to the grip) being obscured by the throttle in anything but the full forward position.
*(To add: this is where Virpil has its logo, so I actually consider that "empty space" a good thing)*
When flying in VR, these toggles are the only ones that give me trouble (Like a blind man at an orgy, I was gonna have to feel things out), while everything else is almost second nature.
I wanted to go to bed...
Yeah, fu Ralfi
The “funny” button could work fine as the emergency chaff/flare dispenser bang button on the left side of the F18 cockpit.
Just a heads up the newer versions of this throttle feature ever so slightly different hat switches with gates on the sides to prevent your finger from slipping, I guess they took your feedback into account. (by newer versions I do not mean the version featuring the ministick, there is a revision of the original model with slight changes, the hats being one)
Oh neat! I'm sure I had nothing to do with that haha.
Excuse my ignorance and kinda left-field question, but the discussion of your field modded Warthog brought it to mind - what's the preferred method for dealing with the lack of alignment between some modules' power settings and the Warthog's fixed detent position? The mil detent is perfect for the MiG-29 but absolutely useless in the 21, where it falls at about 75-80% RPM, and I've discovered mil power is exactly one width of the end joint of my index finger from the end of travel. I ended up pulling the mil detent because it was annoying me in the 21, but I really do kinda need it in the 29, where you get a lot less obvious "hey idiot, you're in reheat" visual/audio cues and need to watch the light panel to know. I'm pretty useless with axis settings so all I've managed to do through my own experimentation is make things worse.
Great review, by the way, and you've got some pretty classy handwriting there.
Ejection. Virpil is also more aimed againat Space Sims (Star Citizen).
That does seem like an ejection/silent running/dump heat sink/self destruct sort of button. And they're the only company I know of making dedicated left-hand grips, too
Could the variable position lever to the right of the throttles be set up to control the engine nossle position on the DCS harrier module?? If so that would then allow for some of the very interesting air combat maneuvers the type can do to be utilised very effectvely!! Great video by the way, looking forward to the next one!
If it's controllable through an axis then yes, of course.
Thrustmaster must have changed the magnets on the locking mechanism along the way. I have no trouble moving the mechanism on my throttle.
Great review, was considering these for Star Citizen. You got a new sub!
Ralfi how does the mode switch work? New mode different maps and button functions? do you need their software or is this pretty straight forward in DCS? Thanks man. Great review. Mine is on the way specifically because of this review.
Nice review, it looks like the throttle levers are much firmer than the HOTAS Warthog's which flex quite a lot when split so I rarely split them as it just feels awful to me. Its still a great throttle unit though but I'm thinking of getting a Virpil one.
virpil is made of metal inside, warthog is made of plastic inside...
Did you notice any kind of spikes on the axis and rotary's, Ralfi? Besides the encoders, the other axis are build with hall sensors? Thanks for the review. It worth the wait!
No jitters if that's what you're referring to. I hated that on the Thrustmasters friction lever.
I put grip tape on the thrust master throttle...helps alot with the sweaty palms
Thanks for the review! Would you recommend the VPC Desk Mount over the Wheel Stand Pro for the TM Warthog Stick/Throttle?
Thanks for the review! That's totally helpful!
3:50 how the hell do you have 3 pointer fingers!?!?!?! :D Seriously though... should I go with a Virpil Hotas set up, the warthog set up, or a vkbsim hotas set up?
I can't speak for VKB, but both Thrustmaster and Virpil have their advantages and disadvantages. They are great products either way. It's more of what you'd personally like.
@@ralfidude dam man that only makes it harder lol
The funky button strikes me as an emergency jettison button.
Just me
That was what I thought. And what I would use it for.
Or the su27 fcs override thingy
I like it. I'll wait for the next iteration and see how it holds up to. The Thrustmaster is time tested!
you should review the CH Fighterstick.
can you make a video on the mod you did to your afterburner detent on the warthog?
There should already be some videos and or forum posts on it.
How do you set the switch button ? Do you have to use any software, or can it be set as a direct x button without any programation ?
May you do a video on the software of Virpil ?
The software is still WIP so I didn't show it off just yet. If they get it to where it needs to be by the time I do the stick review then I will show it off there.
Thx for the answer.
So, may you use the profile switch (rotary button) without the software ?
You'd need to set it up first through the software. It gets saved to the motherboard on the device though, so it's a once time deal which is neat.
Ok, thx again.
Is this going in your portfolio for a shopping channel host? The shirt and watch combo gave it away ;)
I often find myself not having enough switches and axis for flight sims. Would you be able to run this throttle with the thrustnater warthog at the Same time an bond things to not of them?
Nice man. Love your vids bro
Ralfi have the friction pads on your Warthog throttle worn out yet? Mine have and I contacted Thrustmaster about it and they said they would send me new ones for $30 but if I could figure out how to get to them in the first place I might be able to replace them with some rubber I already have.
Reese McClain nope, that hasn't been an issue for me, though i don't have a very hard friction setting for it either.
Quick unrelated question, did you have the oportunity to try the saitek X-65F? Its a force-sensing controller, it works like an f-16
nope sry
Took you long enough to get this out :p haha, nice review bro. Id love to try this thing out but like I said before that throttle position doesn’t look to comfy for my desk, maybe their next iteration will bring it back some.
I don’t think any variant of throttle or joystick ever is or will be comfortable on top of a desk... It really need to be lower. I make is simple, I just place the Thrustmaster joystick between my legs, where it belongs :-) I just sit on it on a wooden chair (office chair is too soft and it wobbles too much). I then put the case for the Oculus rift beside the chair and the throttle on top of that box, it ends up being about the level of the legs which is perfect and relaxed. BTW the joystick has 15cm extension to make it more sensitive and comfortable in height. This setup didn’t cost anything extra... Simple.
As for the Virpil throttle, I just love the amount of pushbuttons and rotaries! Soo vastly superior to the Thrustmaster (many of the switches on that is just vasted since mapping for many aircrafts just doesn’t work well with bistable switches).
Ralfi. How does this thing do when you’re flying a10c dcs. Does the lack of the slew/ministick and shortage boat switch make it a pain in the ass?
not when you have a 5 way mode dial. You essentially multiply the amount of buttons you have by 5.
I preordered the throttle a while ago for exactly the reasons you mention at the end of the video. But the detent issue worries me. Maybe someone comes up with a customization for this. Do you have to just restrain the axis to idle so you don't shut down the engine by accident or just hope for the best?
I don't have an idle dedent anymore, i just removed it. I shut down my engines through my keyboard instead because I don't need it desperately as part of my HOTAS in flight or anything.
How, do you adjust the deten on the thrustmaster throttle.
Just got mine and while I'm waiting to arrive I got a quick question: Does the throttle come with the dust cover or do you have to order that separately?
I think that's extra
Virpil is great.. until you have hardware issues that cannot be fixed by their engineer via teamviewer: I shipped my T-50 base back to them for a problem, I haven't seen it in more than 3 MONTHS and they can't give me any timing / ETA for repair and ship back. But hey, my throttle is on its way and I should received it in a few days (what I am supposed to do with it, withouth a stick?)
So, amazing products, just pray your hardware won't fail. Hopefully it will get better as they finish the lauch and shipment of the new throttle and WarBRD.
New companies and huge shipping deliveries slow everything down. It's frustrating but give them a chance.
I know that very well. Although, after so long, they should be able to tell me how long they need to either replace or repair it. Instead, nothing. Not nice as I've spent 1200$ on their products, right mate?
Eventually, hopefully, the thing will get fixed before the end of another month.
Again, that's a shame 'cause their products are the best I have ever tried in more than 25 years of flight simming.
Have you changed your slew button? It looks bigger than the one i have on my TM
Could you do a long term review of the warthog?
What’s the angle on the throttles like? Would it be comfortable to use in the right hand for a southpaw?
Haven't really played around with my right hand as it's made for the left to be honest.
Ralfi, your Thrustmasters slew sensor, i remember you talking about making a video how you modified it to be better to use and remembered that seeing your modified one, is that Video still planed or is it forgoten by time?
I hit a snag with the clip on design and I haven't had the time to go forward with it.
I hope youll get around to fix those issues would realy love to know how to fix the slew since it bugs me every now and then :P
i hot glued one of those circular lego pieces to mine and it seems to work pretty well
You gotta do a review of the T-50 stick too now Ralfi!
literally the last thing I said in the video...
No, the MongooseT-50 base, not the WarBRD, as they are apparently fundamentally different base designs, albeit using the same grip. I look forward to your WarBRD review nonetheless, as you are pretty much the best flight sim hardware reviewer out there.
Well initially they were going to send me that one, but the BRD is newer and has desktop capability where as the 50 base I think was exclusively designed for a deskmount. It made more sense to cover the BRD where it would have a lot more customers interested in it over the other base.
ralfidude hope you get your hands on a vkb gunfighter one day
Looking forward to the stick review
Your giggle at your plaque
piece of flat steel, small....in between the throttle mount gripping mechanism and desk. i used the warthog base for that protection....Ikea wood doesnt do too well under pressure lol
This one seems pretty sturdy, so I don't have a problem with it for now....
@@ralfidude it's all about the desk. I've yet to get my rich mahogany desk. My monstertech ones did a number on the underside of it. Hence the flat plate. One day my apt will smell of rich mahogany. Until then, lol
Hey Ralfi, you're a lucky guy getting one of these seeing as how they make it sound like they're making one of a kind hand crafted art pieces that will ship whenever they get around to it... But anyway, what about Logitechs updated x56? Any good? Any interest???
They moved their entire company to a new warehouse and built them by hand, filled their backlogs and got them all shipped out in order of who ordered first, of course it's going to take some time to get them out. VKB did the same exact thing. These guys are a new up and coming company, gotta give em some slack here.
And as far as the X56 goes, how should I know? I don't have one and have no interest really.
When will part 2 come out?
that moment when you have owned the warthog for years and didnt know about the detent.
lol...same....feeling slightly embarassed here.
Thanx for an honest & after a few weeks of usage, review! (I hate 1:st BS Impressions :-).
The short-comings aren't justified for that price range IMO.
Especially the short throttle travel, that I noticed 1:st time I saw the throttle, & got it confirmed by you.
The short travel distance really isn't as bad as people think.
It balances out when you consider how far forward the throttle handles sit.
At full forward, it matches the forward position of the Thrustmaster.
tfw you're so early it's only available in 720p60fps
Other than the circuit board issues that Thrustmaster had with the Warthog stick in it's early production, they have been very good. The strongest part of the Warthog's design from an ergonomic point, is also it's Achilles' heel, in which it is designed specifically for the A10-C, which limits it in other applications. If you are a dedicated a10-C pilot though, it is hard to beat. Thrustmaster has really dropped the ball in my view by not coming out with a dedicated F-18 stick and throttle, which was supposed to be one of the selling points of the Warthog setup, it was supposed to be at least semi-modular and able to keep up with major releases from DCS. Lord knows they have had more than enough time to get it into production with the long delays in releasing the Hornet!
At the very least, with the F-16 in the pipeline, Thrustmaster needs to get the Cougar throttle out the door. Considering they already have the molds and tooling for the Cougar, it shouldn't be all that difficult to make a USB version.
Hopefully products like this coming to market will give us both better choices, as well as put some pressure on Thrustmaster to up it's game. Though I agree with you that Saitek has really gone downhill over the years, much like CH products did. Lower quality, and poor design choices.
What happened to the stick review?
Final semester of College is what happened
@@ralfidude Still interested in your opinion about it if you are able.
@@nwbasson Oh I will for sure!
I would use the big red & yellow as emergency jettison
There is one deal breaker for sure: One Virpil throttle equals two Warthog ones. In terms of the money of course.
Unless you have unlimited budget (and/or you are crazy simmer) to me it is better to buy stick set either by Virpil or VKB and TM throttle than Virpil's throttle and any other stick.
Ralfi, how do you feel a year later? Are you still using the Virpil throttle?
yeah, I'm using it on and off.
Su-25t stick for that button?
Somewhat off topic... @ralfidude, can you throw a link for your slew mod on the WH?
Don't have the files anymore, sorry. It's a simple 3D mod you can 3D print yourself though.
4:00 terrified me
And I still use the Thrustmaster Hotas X... I have to get something better soon...
Do you use the Steam version of DCS?
stand alone
Are you going to review the matching Virpil flightstick too?
the very last shot in this video
so sorry. must have missed that :o
Are you going to review the new Logitech X56? They seemed to have fixed all of the issues that Saitek had left.
Are you going to buy it for me?
ralfidude I can write them and tell them to send you one for free.
They need a good review of the new, grey version, as they messed up with not changing the name of the stick, and now the internet is full of confusion regarding which version is good/bad.
Ehh... I'd be more interested in seeing a new product from them to be honest. Now that Logitech owns them it would be interesting to see where they go from here.
Well, if it's anything like the G940,... sorry no, not interested
Do you know if this product has been updated yet? like with the slew-sensor? Seems like a big miss there, but if they've added it, I'm in !!!!! Please let me know. Subscribed!!! EDIT: Could this be the new unit? Do you approve of it? --->>>--virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongoost-50cm2-throttle.html--. so really 3 questions bundled in there, 1) is this the newly revised unit 2) did they improve upon the things you mentioned in your video 3) did they add the slewing hat-switch you were looking for ---- Again, thanks so much !!!!! -- by the way, did they take away your two radio knobs in this new one? what's your feeling about that? not sure why i'm seeing strike-thru marks through some of the above text, just ignore it.
Hey ralfi what's that tip you have on the warthog tdc slew ? Is it aftermarket ?
I 3d printed a larger surface to attach to the nib for slightly greater control.
ralfidude do you have the .stl ? Or is it on thingyverse ? I suppose I could Google this sorry lol
I also would like to print my own of you're willing to share your file
I don't have the file anymore sorry. You can easily make your own though. Very easy design. Just don't make it too big (the surface area where your finger sits) or the nib will twist and bend when you try to move it. Will damage your sensor.
PS: My initial concept work was this:
imgur.com/T6IzFBM
~Hey Ralfi..do you hire a hand model for your videos? How to apply?
Gotta be a big breasted 20 year old red head.
no way, I was thinking of buying that desk also *.* its ikea FREDDE pretty cool desk :p
it's a fantastic desk, I love it!
One MASSIVE downside is that stupid fucking notch in the desk in the middle. I HATE IT.
I have the same desk, and I agree about the notch. It's awesome for everything but flight simming, as it causes you to be too far away from the keyboard (and touch screen with helios in my case), especially if using desk mounts
we would love to have you join the official HOTAS/HOSAS/SIMPIT discord server here discord.gg/e6XKrbK
The axis is good for Flap control, wasted if use for gear up-down.
People can do whateeeeeeever they like with it. I use it for zoom.
ralfidude, ofcoz. 😉
any reviews on the Stick?
Still planning on finishing that up.
@@ralfidude great, thanks
You didn't address controller boards and firmware issues. Although my two warthogs are fine I've seen number of times that people had bricked their warthogs by some FW update or something else happening with TM hog controller.. Also some comparation of TARGET SW Vs VIRPIL SW capabilities and work..
Lazzy Seal their software is still WIP so it's unfair to compare.