VKB TECS: MODULARITY FULL AHEAD

[Zyll]

To fully test the extent to which this board is being moderated, my reco to you miksmax is to consider the Winwing Orion throttle. It appears to only ship with the F18 joystick as well, but that you could easily sell it if you only want the throttle. The price is good, I would put this ahead of the Warthog and Virpil throttles in terms of value, but its obviously not as functional as Virpil.

Redkite did a review of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z84mg16Efk

[miksmax]

Thanks Zyll for reminding me of the Winwing option.
Regarding the moderation, it appears to be lacking, to say the least...

[bravoleader]

My throttle is slowly abandoning me so I'd love to get this one. I hope the current one will last long enough for me to see this VKB out or I'll have to find something else
I have already a gunfighter mk3 and would love to have the VKB set

F

[Outlaw24]

I'm in the same situation my current throttle is starting to show it's age and needs replacing, I just hope it keep working until this one is released.

[Woolie Wool]

Will this throttle's modularity allow it to be used with a left-handed stick? I recently got a Gladiator L expecting to one day buy a throttle to make it a HOTAS...only to discover that all existing HOTAS setups are right-handed. D'oh!

[fallout9]

Sorry Woolie, there are no plans at the moment for a right hand throttle.

[miniDev]

Will this throttle's modularity allow it to be used with a left-handed stick? I recently got a Gladiator L expecting to one day buy a throttle to make it a HOTAS...only to discover that all existing HOTAS setups are right-handed. D'oh!

Your only hope seems to be the DIY way. Realrobots(.net) is doing super cool kits for DIY controllers that you can probably mirror.
It will be nowhere near the quality and finish of a retail VKB product though (But you made it yourself which can be so cool when it works well)

[Wildpat01]

Adding my $0.02:

I own also the Alpha yoke and Bravo throttle quadrant from Honeycomb. They are really great for GA in MSFS2020. Like for those who also like GA and followed the Bravo initial distribution, my order took about 6 months for delivery. In the meantime, Honeycomb kept a steady information flow through their site, FB and Twitter. Besides a few sour pusses, I can tell you 95% of the people ordering were very patient and ecstatic BECAUSE of the great and honest communication on top of a very well made product.

In conclusion, don't pull the wool over your prospective clients' eyes. We're adults and can understand that things happen. Simply and honestly keep us in the loop, that cost is basically zero and will net you a lot at the end. Just sayin'....

[milo1973]

Here's a thought: Gunfighter is already at Mk.III, the T-rudder is ak Mk.IV, and the improvements are not insignificant (though not fundamental either, GF at least is upgradeable). So it may be worth tempering your enthusiasm for a Mk.1 product, no matter how long it takes to show up.

Not that I doubt VKBs fine engineering competence (of which I have first-hand experience), however any good engineer will tell you, one always have something to learn, from having a few hundred units in the field.

Well this is a point but who do you think those few hundred early adopters, who will be inadvertently building the snag list will be?

It'll be the suckers on this thread (me included)

Eh, currently my financial situation might actually save me from being a version 1 tester but then, the Rail version won't be out first anyway so who knows

Totally fair, good point. My old Saitek X52 has been trucking away for years and I finally got sick of the sloppy stick.

So I now own Gunfighter, and T-rudders, and oh my god, what amazing pieces of kit! I feel like I had been using a rusty DIY-store hatchet, and someone gave me a pristine, perfectly balanced Katana, forged by Masamune himself and quenched hardened by the sacred waters of the Sagami-gawa... but I digress.

I finally I gave in a few months back and got a Warthog throttle. That will do the trick for a few years, which is the time-frame I now expect for a Mk.3 TECS to show up That said, I do hope you get to test the Mk1 soon ...

[rtrski]

Thanks Zyll for reminding me of the Winwing option.
Regarding the moderation, it appears to be lacking, to say the least...

Or, they're not sufficiently threatened by any one competitor to feel the need to be that censorious?

They know as well as we how long it's been, and that there is a market out there for both their products, and someone else's. I'd be more concerned if they felt the need to be draconian in moderation.

[Catseye]

If I recall, sometime back they advised that some information would not be forthcoming until near release in order to protect the product and its new innovation(s) from competitors.

Back in the day, memory fading, I seem to recall a release of a joystick by a competitor that appeared to be a close copy of a VKB product.

Just sayin'

[OnionSpider13]

I'm in the same situation as many of you. My TM TWCS is showing its age and starting to act up. I got the T-Rudder Mk4 and Gunfighter Mk3 last year, and I'm super happy with them. I just really hope the old throttle holds out until I can get TECS, I don't want to buy outside of the VKB ecosystem.

[Masque]

If I recall, sometime back they advised that some information would not be forthcoming until near release in order to protect the product and its new innovation(s) from competitors.

I hardly think keeping us posted on currently expected release timeframes presents a threat to their intellectual property. We’re not asking for feature disclosures.

[Catseye]

It would indeed be nice to get some disclosure in the "where we're at" context. I'm trying to make a good decision on which way to go with a throttle purchase. I already own several VKB products and can attest to their quality. I'm expecting no-less for the throttle but, my throttle's current condition and the market right now are pressing me to make a sooner-than-later buy.

[Nomad_AC]

I totally get the need to protect themselves from being ripped off by competitors, but would be nice to know approximately when we should expect to hear something. I bought the Gladiator and would love to match it with a VKB throttle, but I don't see myself waiting till the fall to order something, and will need to look for alternatives.

Hope to hear a little something soon as to whether I should wait or not.