What controller do you use for PC?

[shutyertrap]

Curious to know what controller everyone is using on their PC. I currently am using the Logitech f710, but I'm not completely happy with it. I chose it because I prefer the DualShock layout over the 360 controller, and I wanted rumble. I don't like that the wireless can act up mid game, usually during multiball it seems. I also don't like that the shoulder buttons are not analogue sensitive.

Yeah, I'm one of those guys that liked to do the half flip, so that I could cradle a ball on the lower flipper but still flip with the upper.

I know some people have said they use their PS3 and PS4 controllers. I downloaded the Better DS3 software for running my PS3 controller, but it screwed up my f710 from communicating with Windows 8.1 then. I heard the PS4 controller is plug and play? I just don't know if my wanting to use analogue buttons is $55 worth of need for me.

Anyway, what does everyone use? Any custom pinball specific setups out there?

 

[wolfson]

XBOX 360 WITH cable,works fine for me.

 

[suffocater]

XBOX 360 WITH cable,works fine for me.

Same here, happy for years now.

 

[p6800]

360 wireless with adapter for many years. The best pc controller to date.

Never ever has it acted up.

 

[Jeff Strong]

It has two pinball buttons on each side so I use the extras for left and right nudge buttons. It's a really comfortable setup that makes it feel a bit more like real pinball than a controller.

And of course it's awesome for arcade and other emulators too.

 

[Biff]

I'm using a wired xbox360 controller ...

I didn't know about X-Arcade - Great stuff.
The Solo controller has also Pinball buttons on each side.

 

[Jeff Strong]

The only drawback with the solo is it only has 1 pin button on each side so you don't get the extra nudging buttons.

 

[Biff]

Oh true, there is only one button in the video.
Also bad for tables like BK or HD which require a second button ...
and the nudging ... hard to reach the stick with the thumb ..

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Wireless X360; I agree with the wireless acting up mid-game. Oddly DX9 detects that happening and auto-pauses, DX11 doesn't do that.

I may look at upgrading to an XONE controller when Windows 10 comes out, if the wireless support is better.

 

[p6800]

What it that "acting up"? I've had zero issues with it. It only disconnects when the batteries go out...

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

What it that "acting up"? I've had zero issues with it. It only disconnects when the batteries go out...

It loses connectivity to the dongle, and I have to reconnect it. It doesn't happen so much with fresh batteries, but once the batteries get to about 50% it starts happening more frequently. Long before the lights start cycling to indicate the batteries are low.

 

[p6800]

It might sound strange, but mine has not ONCE lost connectivity during a game, not even when the lights are cycling because of low batteries. I'm fairly close to the receiver, at ~ 1 meter max.

Could it be related to some violent shaking?! I remember i had an older controller that had an issue with the battery holder and somehow the contacts could be interrupted. Check if it's all snug...

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

It might sound strange, but mine has not ONCE lost connectivity during a game, not even when the lights are cycling because of low batteries. I'm fairly close to the receiver, at ~ 1 meter max.

Oh I'm not far either - 1.5m (or 5ft in "old money"!) at most. The dongle is sitting next to a WiFi dongle as well, not sure if it's interfering. Or maybe it's just a wonky controller. Or dongle. Not sure how I test it out.

 

[shutyertrap]

I've had a host of connectivity issues with my f710, not the least of which was when it suddenly couldn't pare with the computer for a few weeks! Logitech doesn't seem to care that Windows 8.1 screwed up something. Had to find a workaround through many web searches, but now it works. Mostly.

There will be times, and like I said it seems usually during multiball, where it will either act as if the button is being continually depressed and the flipper remains up, or the more common occurrence where I push the button and it flips a second late. The quick fix is I move a foot to the left or right. The perfect storm of frustration is it happening just as 3 or 4 balls come bouncing on your flippers, they dead pass, I regain control, and then the balls pass through the flipper due to so many being there at the same time.

I do have a wired 360 controller as backup, but it is awkward in my hand. I can't nudge at all with that thing. And then the same problem with the shoulder buttons not being analogue.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

There will be times, and like I said it seems usually during multiball, where it will either act as if the button is being continually depressed and the flipper remains up

I got this constantly with the triggers on my X360 controller, so much so that I re-mapped the flippers to the bumpers. (Annoyingly this mapping is not honored when TPA takes control when you're entering your initials - but only when TPA takes control, if there's a delay - BSD is the best example - then you can still use the bumpers for initial entry for a bit.)

Anyhoo - the trigger thing, I'm beginning to think it's a TPA thing now since you're experiencing it with a different controller. The triggers on the X360 controller are analog - they are officially the "Z-Axis" buttons. And I've not had issues with them in other games, albeit with limited tryouts. Maybe an excuse to start playing GTA again!

 

[shutyertrap]

Funny, I'm playing GTA III now! Almost finished, then moving on to Vice City.

I tried playing with the triggers before, but it's such a long button press. I need that twitch sensitivity of the should button, plus I like the feel of the 'click'. If I did play using the triggers though, using the analogue stick for nudging would no longer be an issue since in that grip, my thumb is right there for it.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

Logitech K120 keyboard

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Logitech K120 keyboard

I have one of those too....
There's also a dead one sitting on top of one of the storage bins on my desk at work (the S key went completely spongy).
Then there's also the small matter of... well over 10,000 of them sitting my company's various warehouses at the moment!!

 

[SmoothBalls]

I use a modified Dreamcast stick, i am thinking about drilling 2 holes one either side to give it a even more realistic feel as the casing fits perfectly in both hand

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[nudnick]

I use 2 keyboards mounted on to the the sides of my home-made cab (both go into USB Hub). I popped out all of the keys that I do not use ... ugly and horribly low budget ... but the feel is actually really good. I also have xbox360 controller hookup, but almost never use it as it does not come close to the sim feel I get with the keyboard setup.