How to you create a "deadzone" for your joystick

[SuperDave156]

I have bought two game pads so far, with twin sticks (so it's just like flying a model aircraft). The first one I bought was a Saitek for £8 from Maplins which was OK although a bit too sensitive and difficult to line up with your target. After a couple of weeks it started to drift when in "neutral" and the ailerons were constantly twitching which I took to be because I should get my ship serviced (for @1600). I spent the credit but the drifting remained. I was in PC World and had the compulsion to buy another joystick and had a look at the one you have bought but it looked too big and anyway I like the twin stick format so I bought a Cyborg for £20 after testing the various models on display for "feel". This one is much better and has a handy hidden button underneath that reduces the sensitivity when pressed so when you are lining up a shot you hold this button and it's a lot easier to aim. it was better value than the ship servicing...
SD

[luminous]

I have bought two game pads so far, with twin sticks (so it's just like flying a model aircraft). The first one I bought was a Saitek for £8 from Maplins which was OK although a bit too sensitive and difficult to line up with your target. After a couple of weeks it started to drift when in "neutral" and the ailerons were constantly twitching which I took to be because I should get my ship serviced (for @1600). I spent the credit but the drifting remained. I was in PC World and had the compulsion to buy another joystick and had a look at the one you have bought but it looked too big and anyway I like the twin stick format so I bought a Cyborg for £20 after testing the various models on display for "feel". This one is much better and has a handy hidden button underneath that reduces the sensitivity when pressed so when you are lining up a shot you hold this button and it's a lot easier to aim. it was better value than the ship servicing...
SD

Good advice, I think its time I went shopping. Looks like my Precision Pro is going to find ebay.

[Ganelon]

Hi Luminous.

As El Viejo mentioned, I use an old Sidewinder Precision Pro. I run it on an Ubuntu machine, and have no problems with it. In fact, it has some sort of auto centering circuitry and was one of the first sticks to use optical rather than potentiometers for the axes, so drift is not a common problem with them. One possibility is Win 7 just doesn't like it.

The other possibility is that it's damaged or worn. The stick came out back in '95, and most of them saw pretty heavy use over the years. They're a good stick, but nothing lasts forever.

Either way, a newer stick will probably fix the issue. Saiteks are nice, so are Logitechs. I have a Saitek Cyborg that I liked almost as well as the Sidewinder. But I loaned it to a hamfisted friend for a while and it's never been quite as snappy on the clockwise roll as I like ever since that. I'm thinking of hardware hacking it into a set of yaw pedals.

Anyway, I run my Sidewinder with no deadzone set On very rare occasions, it may drift into a very slow roll when I'm cruising hands-free, but nothing a light tap on the stick doesn't fix. I'd say you either have a stick that has too much wear and tear on it or that your OS doesn't like. Either way, probably the best solution is to go toy shopping.

Oh, and on the topic of PSUs, I like Diablotek.

[luminous]

Hi Luminous.

As El Viejo mentioned, I use an old Sidewinder Precision Pro. I run it on an Ubuntu machine, and have no problems with it. In fact, it has some sort of auto centering circuitry and was one of the first sticks to use optical rather than potentiometers for the axes, so drift is not a common problem with them. One possibility is Win 7 just doesn't like it.

The other possibility is that it's damaged or worn. The stick came out back in '95, and most of them saw pretty heavy use over the years. They're a good stick, but nothing lasts forever.

Either way, a newer stick will probably fix the issue. Saiteks are nice, so are Logitechs. I have a Saitek Cyborg that I liked almost as well as the Sidewinder. But I loaned it to a hamfisted friend for a while and it's never been quite as snappy on the clockwise roll as I like ever since that. I'm thinking of hardware hacking it into a set of yaw pedals.

Anyway, I run my Sidewinder with no deadzone set On very rare occasions, it may drift into a very slow roll when I'm cruising hands-free, but nothing a light tap on the stick doesn't fix. I'd say you either have a stick that has too much wear and tear on it or that your OS doesn't like. Either way, probably the best solution is to go toy shopping.

Oh, and on the topic of PSUs, I like Diablotek.

Thanks for the detailed reply. I think I will have to just conclude that Win7 does not like the stick. I did manage to see the raw data coming from it from a Logitech utility. I could see that things were nice and central etc. Just touching the stick with the lightest of feather touches, not even moving the stick, resulting in some reading for one of the axes. This kind of sensitivity of course means that I always get drift Back when I was running Win98 I am sure I had some sort of utility for the stick that let me set the deadzone. I guess I have had good life from it, its native connection is via parallel port with a USB adaptor that shipped in the box with it (one of the first USB sticks). Just a shame to send it out to grass, as there is not even a single scratch on the whole stick

[luminous]

This is the one I have:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Microsoft-Sidewin ... 2eaf4a3930

Although I really doubt that seller is ever going to see that much money for a second hand stick....unless I am missing something.

[Ganelon]

I left Windows for Ubuntu some time ago, but I took a look around the net to see if I could find any mention of issues with the Sidewinder under Win7. Yup.

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/For ... 0bb6de7baf

Might be worth a try, unless you already have your heart set on a shiny new stick.

I also recall that I needed to push the stick all the way to the extreme of one axis before pressing the key to set the axis and then move it to the other side to get it to work right using the in-game setup. After that was done, though, it's always worked like a charm.

Another difference other than operating system is that I run it into a gameport rather than USB. I got my Sidewinder in a secondhand store for 2 or 3 bucks and it didn't come with manuals, installation software, or the usb adapter. But I have a second soundcard on my machine that I use for MIDI, and it has a gameport, so the lack of an adapter has never been a problem. I don't know if that could make a difference or not.

[luminous]

Thanks for taking a look for me I too had found that thread, and well, its not helped the issue. I have a small wobble on my stick when its in the central position (the stick always has had this). It is in this area that the drift occurs.

I think its going to be a new stick.....something that looks a little more modern I think, perhaps a Cyborg

I left Windows for Ubuntu some time ago, but I took a look around the net to see if I could find any mention of issues with the Sidewinder under Win7. Yup.

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/For ... 0bb6de7baf

Might be worth a try, unless you already have your heart set on a shiny new stick.

I also recall that I needed to push the stick all the way to the extreme of one axis before pressing the key to set the axis and then move it to the other side to get it to work right using the in-game setup. After that was done, though, it's always worked like a charm.

Another difference other than operating system is that I run it into a gameport rather than USB. I got my Sidewinder in a secondhand store for 2 or 3 bucks and it didn't come with manuals, installation software, or the usb adapter. But I have a second soundcard on my machine that I use for MIDI, and it has a gameport, so the lack of an adapter has never been a problem. I don't know if that could make a difference or not.