Game Pad/EQMOD

[leelee970]

A little help needed. Sorry if this has been mentioned before.

I’m looking to buy a game pad to use with my EQMOD/PC, any suggestions?

Are wireless ones fully reliable? Or should I stick with a cabled one?

Are there any pitfalls with either type?

Many thanks.

[Spikey]

I prefer to use a wired gamepad as some have experienced wireless gamepads go into sleep mode when not in use.

Mine is a cheap logitech clone, think it was about £7. It's been out in freezing conditions and frozen; also sat there with dew dripping off it, I've dropped it; stood on it in the dark and given the scope a wild slew of in some random direction.

It's never failed so far - famous last words!

[Stephen]

As per SImon, I prefer a wired one as well. I've seen too many issues (not EQMod related) due to controllers disconnecting and having to reconnected through the software.

I went for the Microsoft XBox PC Wired controller, it has about 9 foot of cable!

[Ant]

I use a 3rd party wireless PS3 controller. Having it go to sleep after a while is usefull - in the year to 18 months I've had it, it's only needed to be charged once

If it turns off, a push of the middle button turn it's back on again !

Ant

[r3i]

A wired one is likely to be a more reliable connection than a wireless over the long run.

However I wouldn't want to swap my wireless gamepad (a cheapo Saito one that I got off ebay) - it's worked fine for me and the ability to wander around the scope without having to worry about snagging the cable more than compensates for any potential wireless disconnects, which I fortunately haven't come across so far.

[Stephen]

I use a 3rd party wireless PS3 controller. Having it go to sleep after a while is usefull - in the year to 18 months I've had it, it's only needed to be charged once

If it turns off, a push of the middle button turn it's back on again !

Ant

I believe that is not the case with all wireless (the specific example being the standard XBox controller) : you have to reconnect from EQMod when it goes to sleep

[ncjunk]

I have a wireless one and it works ok but sometimes i have to resync it to its usb transmitter. there is a button on the gamepad and one on the transmitter and you press them both within a few seconds of each other.

Its been really usefull on a number of occasions.

[chrisshillito]

I've been using a logitech wireless rumblepad II for five years now. Never had any problems. Yes it does go into a power saving mode if not used for a period of time but pressing any button (but not moving the joysticks) will bring it out of this mode. As others have said this is actually quite a useful saftey feature. I always pop one of the batteries when I've finished observing and I'm still on my original pair or duracells! (perhaps that says more about the practicality of astronomy in UK than anything else).

Chris.

[Si W]

Wired, as above, the wireless once have a tendency to go into sleep mode, also if you forget to charge it, the batteries might go flat mid session, plus cold and batteries don't mix, and the battery will go flat in no time. As for mine, it just packed up, mind you it was a couple of years old, so played it safe a got a new wired one.

[pilkinn]

I use an Xbox wireless controller and yes when it goes to sleep you have to wake it up by pressing the centre button and then press the connect button in eqmod. This can be a bit of a pain. I only use mime at the start of an imaging session to align the mount then put it away so this isn't a big problem for me. If I was using it for visual observing I would have to change it.

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2

[leelee970]

Thanks guys, at least I'll look at buying a wired one, most of my time is spent visual (when these lovely big fluffy things in the sky clear).

Now just need to decide which model.

Lee