SPEEDLINK Competition Pro USB PC Joystick lags?

[hexaae]

On Ebay I've seen this interesting remake of good old Prof Competition by Suzo (far better than the common Pro Competition) fully microswitched (also buttons), auto-fire, and with short lever movements....



Then I googled around for some reviews and read a few negative comments complaining about lags with WinUAE.
Someone's got this joystick? Is this true and there is an annoying delay? Was this an issue with old versions of WinUAE and DirectInput, now fixed?

[Toni Wilen]

AFAIK it is hardware problem, it has too slow USB controller/reporting rate. (Unless there is newer hardware revision?)

[hexaae]

The problem is that all reports are from very old posts (2007-2010)...
As you say in the meanwhile new hardware revisions with the same product commercial name may have been released. I've found an old (?) transparent version + C64 games CD in bundle f.e.... but maybe new models are better... it's hard to understand.
In short: bad reviews and lags are valid for current model (SL-6603-SPORTS-EU)?
I'd need a recent review to make my choice and buy it or not

[s2325]

Most games are still playable, just avoid faster titles. If you want 0 lags real computer may be the only option.

[hexaae]

As far as I can see from this review it has no lags: [ Show youtube player ]

[dirkies]

these USB clones use clicky microswitches compared with the original DB9 using spring switches(EDIT: FOR THE FIRE BUTTONS ONLY of course), which allow a lot faster FIRING.
I was quite disappointed with them, moreover they break fast, the build quality looks and feels too much plasticky, instead I used a Donald DB9 to USB convertor (NO LAG) and that one is spot on, much better feedback.
See: http://eab.abime.net/support-other/5...tml#post734384

[mombasajoe]

Mine was slow and broken after half a year.

[Retro-Nerd]

Of course the current CP USB still have lags. Do you really think they revised this joystick which is marketed as a toy/gadget? They did a few new production runs, no changes.

[dirkies]

they should just have copied the suzo mechanics 1:1 and add USB, but instead they changed the internals quite a lot with inferior (cheaper) mechanics. It looks almost same from outside, but just the lighter weight already indicates it is less robust. Once you open it you realize it is virtually a totally different joystick

[TCD]

@hexxae
The only way to find out is to buy one, but the old batch had a serious lag. So unless they redesigned it and used better components there will be still at least some lag. Like Retro-Nerd I'd also think that they didn't invest and just made a new batch = same horrible lag.

[Retro-Nerd]

Originally Posted by hexaae

As far as I can see from this review it has no lags: [ Show youtube player ]

And the techguruuk gave you already the answer: "I'm sure i was better 20 years ago." No, he wasn't. WinUAE adds a bit lag and the CP USB too.

[s2325]

And it's so stiff you can not cheat in decathlon-style games! You know, just grab base of joystick and wiggle-waggle like mad.

[hexaae]

Originally Posted by s2325

And it's so stiff you can not cheat in decathlon-style games! You know, just grab base of joystick and wiggle-waggle like mad.

LOL! I did this with Winter Sports games and a cheap old Quickshot joystick

[FrodeSolheim]

I have a Competition Pro USB Blue edition (Pictured here: http://www.speedlink.com/?p=3&cat=41...c=faqs199#faqs).

I haven't noticed what I would call severe lag. I made a small Amiga program to test (relative) latency between gamepads/joysticks a while ago, and I don't remember the exact results, but I think the Competition Pro USB Blue ended up with 10-20 ms more input lag in FS-UAE than when I used a Dual Shock 3 controller, and I think the Competition Pro was the worst performer among those I tested.

The one I had was identified in Linux as Mosic SPEED-LINK Competition Pro (i.e. the real manufacturer was Mosic I guess). It is possible that there has been a production run by the same or another company with worse latency...

EDIT: I don't really use it by the way, I use a real Zip Stik with a DB9 to USB converter from retronicdesign.com. Turns out I don't really like the feel of the Competition Pro...

[Zak]

I have had many Competition USB from Speedlink until earlier this year. I did not have much lag. But... they only lasted for half a year! I play WinUAE very often and after half a year some directions started to not react properly any more.

I opened the micro switches and found out that they looked a little burnt inside, like there must have been electric arcs in it.

I got a real Amiga Competition Pro and used it´s micro switches in the USB. Same result after half a year. Burnt micro switches.

Now I am trying to cope with a XBox 360 gamepad and elder gameport gamepads with adapter. Don´t want to buy a new crappy nonsense joystick twice a year!

I did not read anything about this problem anywhere, but I suppose it´s only because I really game a lot! I think most others that got that joystick only play it on occasion, so they will need ten years until this error occurs.

[s2325]

Try to play in dark room without joystick case to see any sparks

[demolition]

Maybe the design is running way too much current through those switches? You hardly need any current just for sensing the connection.

[Zak]

@s2325: You still wouldn´t see anything. Remember a Competition Pro micro switch? They got full plastic case themselves. And you can´t use them without.

@demolition: Yeah that´s my theory also. Too much voltage.

[Retro-Nerd]

Actually the lag is that worse that it filters too fast actions (pressing the buttons/moving the stick very fast) completely.

[hexaae]

Got SPEEDLINK Competition Pro USB PC Joystick! 24€ from U.K.
Works absolutely fine, no lag at all on my system. Tested with a lot of games including TraumaZer0, ProjectX, BattleSquadron, Lionheart, James Pond 2, Apidya, Marvin's Marvelous Adventures, BCKid, Leander, KickOff 2, Goal, IK+ etc. Never had a delay or slow response feeling. Autofire and second button working flawlessly too.
Hope will last enough...