Saitek X45 finally usable

[G.K.]

I have an old X45 stick throttle combo which I have never been able to use with FSX or P3D. The problem being: In the centre position the smallest possible movement either gives too much climb or too much decent..........1mm of movement gives either +1500 or -1500 rate of climb. Up and down like a yo-yo. Level flight was almost impossible even with the in game sensitivity settings at 1.


I did ask around on several forums for a solution a few years back but no one seemed to have an answer, one or two folk did have the same problem though. Anyway I've finally found a solution: In the [CONTROLS] section of the config file I have added STICK_SENSITIVITY_MODE=0 . It works in P3D but I haven't tried it in FSX although I'm sure it will work.

The in game sensitivity settings can then be used effectively. Mine are now up near the max.

Not sure what it does but the stick is much better. Flight is no longer a roller coaster.

[hertzie]

Hi G.K.,

Sounds good! Maybe it will work also with my X52, for that one does the same with me, especially the rudder.

But you talk about the controls section of the config.file: Which controls section of WHICH config.file?

Hope to hear from you,

Regards, hertzie.

[G.K.]

In win 7 it's here:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2


Open the "Prepar3d.CFG" file in notepad and scroll down the text until you find this bit:

[CONTROLS]
STICK_SENSITIVITY_MODE=0
Controls_Default=Standard
Controls_Current=Standard
KBDAIL=64
KBDELEV=64
KBDRUD=64

add the text highlighted in blue and then save.

You will then have to adjust the in game joystick sensitivity to suit.

[Speed of flight]

I have been using the x45 for nearly 10 years now. Until this one breaks, I will not change it.
in the [CONTROLS] section, my FSX config reads exactly this: copy/paste if you like:

[CONTROLS]
Controls_Default=Standard
Controls_Current=Standard
KBDAIL=64
KBDELEV=64
KBDRUD=64

I don't know if this will work if your driver isn't current, nor if you haven't set it up for the first time in FSX. I don't remember setting mine up, and couldn't walk you through the initial setup. However, if you've set up everything else in the "settings" tab correctly, I can't help but think it will work. Not to be the jerk who assumes that you haven't tried that, or anything, but I have to say it.

In my settings/controls tab in FSX, there's a "calibrate" tab. Have you tried to see if a slight movement causes a large output, so to say that the potentiometer is possibly bad? if you click on it, your x45 should populate a dropdown list of possible controllers. Then, when you click on that, the Saitek calibration graph and button display appears, and you can test the outputs. if a slight movement displays a full deflection, I would venture a guess that the stick is possibly bad. If not, then I wonder about the driver and windows compatibility, or an incorrect setting somewhere else.

Hope this helps!

[G.K.]

Thanks for the suggestion Speed of Light.

The stick seems to behave normally in the calibrate window.

If you google "x45 sensitivity" there are quite a few hits showing the same problem so I would guess it's a driver/compatibility issue. I have the latest drivers (6.0.4.1) for the stick and it has worked OK in other flightsims (LOMAC). Which driver version are you using?

The config fix I posted above works a treat for me.

[Speed of flight]

Well it seems to think I'm using 6.0.4.1 also, but I don't think Saitek has updated in a while. I don't know for sure.
I used to LOVE LOMAC! Best combat sim out there! Now, with tech catching up to some of those programs, a guy with decent hardware could probably crank up all the settings to max and get 150+ FPS! I might have to reinstall that 11 year old bad boy!

I'm glad your stick is working now. I haven't "upgraded' simply because it's not broken, and I don't like the twist rudder thing. The rocker analog rudder under the throttle was a great idea, and I think it's the only one available with it now.
I'm not really sure what that line you added in the config does, but if it works, DONE! Good work. You have solved it, over.