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New Microsoft Sidewinder "Site of Champions" Website | |
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| Time: 14:35 EST/19:35 GMT | News Source: ActiveWin.com | Posted By: Robert Stein | ||
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New website promoting the upcoming Sidewinder products. Includes funny videos, games, sweepstakes, newsletter, etc. Check it out! | ||
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| #1 By 2960 (68.100.112.199) at 8/24/2007 12:31:41 PM |
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Microsoft really screwed us the last time they had Sidewinder products.
Why should I trust them again? Buying hardware from Microsoft is a sure fire way to find yourself with unsupported, driverless devices. TL |
| #2 By 84248 (86.56.27.212) at 8/24/2007 2:51:04 PM |
| What are you talking about? The Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 was and still is a great product. I'm still using it and it's the best joystick I used so far. It was a shame they stopped producing it. It's much better than the Saitek cr*p. |
| #3 By 23275 (172.16.10.31) at 8/24/2007 3:34:27 PM |
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#2, We have two of them and the wheel, too and all three are awesome. I agree that there are still none better [they certainly "fee" a lot more substantive. and Vista saw them immediately - no extra driver needed.
Also, we all still use the Game Voice equipment in my company - the mic pass-through is still the best out there and the Plantronics built mic is still great. I miss the GV integration, which was the best of its kind before Games for Windows Live - it worked so well with so many games. I have new lighted KB and mouse from Razer/Microsoft - the Habu and the Reclusa. They are very solid and well built products with great drivers and control SW. While not "SideWinder" per se, they are in the same category and if the new SW products are as good, I'd certainly consider them. ***The Reclusa KB will spoil a user very badly and very quickly, so be prepared to shell out some more to equip any/all rigs you spend any time at, http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/productdetails.aspx?pid=093 |
| #4 By 2960 (68.100.112.199) at 8/24/2007 4:18:13 PM |
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Ok, where to start...
First, a lot of people made a large investment in SideWinder Devices (such as myself). Joysticks, wheels, I had them all. All of a sudden, boom! Microsoft decides they don't line controllers any more and discontinued the entire shebang without warning. And lets talk about the software. The profiler, if you will. I had several of the MSFFW Wheels. They were very nice. But they NEVER got a software update. Not ONE. The Serial version used V3.0, and the USB wheel used V4.0. Serials could not use V4.0. Not so much as a bug fix over FIVE years. That tells me right there their heart wasn't really in it, even though the MSFFW was the biggest selling racing wheel at the time. Oh, and the funniest part. The SideWinder software was made only for windows 95/98. They never released an official upgrade for Win2K or even WinXP. In fact, when you tried to install it on WinXP, it outright told you that it was for 95/98 only. However, it did work. UNTIL Windows SP2 was released. Then it broke. If you tried to go to the Macro tab in the profiler, it would immediately crashed. Was it ever fixed? No. Two years that was broke and they never fixed it. And here's what really brings to light the fallacy of their WHQL labs bullshit. They took that SAME incompatible w/sp2 software driver/profiler package, and magically applied the "WHQL Certified for Windows XP" certification to it. They didn't even bother to remove the "Designed for Windows 95/98 Only" warning from the installer! So basically the best controllers got the worst software, no updates, and seemingly no support from Microsoft at all. Maybe a quick death was the best move afterall instead of a slow death from neglect. And that's not the only time Microsoft has abandoned hardware users. Anyone remember their DVR service? It was great. It beat the hell out of Tivo. It was only $5 a month, and DirecTV used it. They promised all sorts of wonderful upgrades on it's web site. Then one day, GONE! No warning, no nothing. A $400 box destined for the junk yard. Then there was the Networking components. While I don't know why anyone would use them, they did sell a lot and then, all of a sudden... Gone! No warning, no nothing! Just a sudden notice they were no longer sold/supported. I've had my fill of being screwed by Microsoft hardware. TL |
| #5 By 37 (68.190.114.234) at 8/26/2007 8:45:03 AM |
| While I only have 1 sidewinder product, I have numerous MS hardware products. The DS 80 Sound System, wireless router and wireless access point, Xbox 1 wireless adapter, numerous keyboards and mice, Xbox 360, Xbox 1, Xbox 1 and 360 accessories. Every single product works like a charm. While I don't use the sidewinder product (I am not a PC gamer), everything else works great. Even the ancient DS80 still works on Vista, and Vista recognizes the product and it's name. |
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