Big update to the Brunner FFB base

[Gunfreak]

So Brunner seems to just recently have released a firmware update and an app that lets you use their Brunner FFB base in any flight sim that uses Microsoft DirectX driver for FFB effects(so basically all of them).

 

I've tested it a lot today, there is a huge improvement in IL2 with the update and app, Machineguns and cannons now have a FFB effect, and before you mostly felt resistance and some FFB actions, now you have almost constant small movements if you fly on the edge. It feels much more lively and when both my simshaker pad and stick vibrate as I fire my guns it feels great. The feedback you get feels very intuitive and just made flying the S.E.5 so much fun.

 

Still, some odd behavior to sort out the Tempest wanted to nose up no matter how much trim I had and it didn't change with speed either. Same happens in the F14 and Spitfire in DCS, While not in the 109 in DCS or Cliffs over Dover blitz and not in the P51 in DCS either. So rather odd. But a massive improvement from just yesterday with this new app. 

 

 

 

[Mtnbiker1998]

Good to see ffb making a comeback. Always strange to see how its the standard for racing sims but us flight guys got screwed by some patent trolling and have had nothing but springs for nearly, what, 2 decades?

 

But damn, 1200 bucks for just a base? Hopefully we get some more mid-tier options soon

[[CPT]Crunch]

I would not want anything shaking my stick while firing, the pit is OK, but not on the stick, the lead needs to get on target.  Nothing but flight dynamics should be piped through it, the rest can be done with shakers on the bass.

[Gunfreak]

36 minutes ago, [CPT]Crunch said:

I would not want anything shaking my stick while firing, the pit is OK, but not on the stick, the lead needs to get on target.  Nothing but flight dynamics should be piped through it, the rest can be done with shakers on the bass.

 The shaking isn't enough to do anything to the sight. 

[Gunfreak]

 

2 hours ago, Mtnbiker1998 said:

Good to see ffb making a comeback. Always strange to see how its the standard for racing sims but us flight guys got screwed by some patent trolling and have had nothing but springs for nearly, what, 2 decades?

 

But damn, 1200 bucks for just a base? Hopefully we get some more mid-tier options soon

 

I sold a crap ton of painted miniatures to buy it(that then got damaged in transit and I had to pay back half. So now I'm up crap creek with half a paddle. I had to cancel my virpil order. Luckily I had a Virpil grip already. But just the base, monstertech mounting, shipping and taxes cost me like $2000

[DragonDaddy]

Makes me happy that I have (2), and use, MSFFB Sidewinder 2. I am very interested in anything new in FFB sticks but not at this price with its current limitations.

 

If VKB or Virpil made a highly-functional FFB stick I would order it immediately. But I don’t ever expect to see this. 

[Gunfreak]

20 minutes ago, DragonDaddy said:

Makes me happy that I have (2), and use, MSFFB Sidewinder 2. I am very interested in anything new in FFB sticks but not at this price with its current limitations.

 

If VKB or Virpil made a highly-functional FFB stick I would order it immediately. But I don’t ever expect to see this. 

If anyone of the mainstream guys are gonna make a true FFB thing,  it will be winwing, they've already said its in the plans. How many years into the future and if they actually make it work is a different matter. 

[moespeeds]

I'm not able to get my Brunner CLS-P working. I updated firmware to 642, and the brunner USB software sees the stick. 

 

In game pitch feels ok, but the stick just wants to go full left or right and stay there. It won't center. Gotta mess with it some more tomorrow. 

[Guest]

On 3/14/2023 at 12:10 PM, moespeeds said:

I'm not able to get my Brunner CLS-P working. I updated firmware to 642, and the brunner USB software sees the stick. 

 

In game pitch feels ok, but the stick just wants to go full left or right and stay there. It won't center. Gotta mess with it some more tomorrow. 

Any luck with this Moe? I've been chatting with the Brunner guy and as DX is now natively sorted AND they can supply the stick to work in Japan I'm close to ordering one.

[Gunfreak]

On 3/14/2023 at 4:10 AM, moespeeds said:

I'm not able to get my Brunner CLS-P working. I updated firmware to 642, and the brunner USB software sees the stick. 

 

In game pitch feels ok, but the stick just wants to go full left or right and stay there. It won't center. Gotta mess with it some more tomorrow. 

 

I've had simlar things happeing, for me it works to go out of the game, disconect the base, and connect it again, it will do its little configuration and after that it will work.

[Guest]

I've ordered one. God, the shipping cost to Japan, my eyes are still bleeding. ?

[Gunfreak]

8 hours ago, Hetzer-JG51 said:

I've ordered one. God, the shipping cost to Japan, my eyes are still bleeding. ?

Jupp, I know. I don't know about Japanese VAT rules, but in Norway with shipping and VAT the total ended up well over $2000 before I had it, and that's with out the Monstertech mount I bought. I was lucky enough to have a vipril grip already so I saved a few hundred on that.

[Guest]

Import duty in Japan is 8%. I also have the Virpil grip and extension already. Not cheap but hopefully the added immersion will be worth it.

[FredWest]

One issue you are going to run into with the Brunner CLS-E ( the " affordable " entry level base ) is the motor protection circuit.
This limits the current to the motors and once it hits a set of parameters mostly to do with temperature then it'll drop the forces down to a very low level.
I'm not sure what the duty cycle is, but if you are doing air combat and have the base set for what I'd call medium to heavy forces then you'll run into the protection limits fairly soon.
It's a great base for just flying around and is especially good for helicopters, but simulated air combat is not something it likes very much.

There is a company in Eastern Europe called VPForce, run by a very nice guy who calls himself Walmis. He's developed his own stick base, or will sell you a DIY kit with motors and a driver board if you can build your own base. It will work with any sim that provides FFB output. The cost is much less than a Brunner CLS-E but last I heard he's back ordered for maybe a year. I bought his motor kit but I haven't built it into a gimbal yet, as I had to build a complete workshop first - and it still isn't finished ?

[Guest]

Well, zero aileron force with it running in the game and I see no way to fix that. The stick checks out in MSFS, so it's not the stick's hardware. Maybe their DX software is still not mature enough.