I’m considering the purchase of the Saitek Multi-Panel, but I know there has been numerous problems with it in the past. Have these issues been solved or is the unit still bug-ridden? Thanks for the help…
Steve in Kansas
The panel works just fine, and only requires the stock driver to integrate with the sim. That being said, it will not work with every aircraft in this configuration (which is maybe where you are confusing it with being bug ridden).
Not all variables are accessible via the sim natively and the driver, so for allot of third party / more complex aircraft you need third party programs like Spad or Axes and Oh’s to expose the events and make the panel work for those types of aircraft.
The panels are also power hungry, so, if your USB bus is already loaded up, it may be a good idea to get an externally powered USB hub.
I run the Radio panel and AP panel and before I got the external hub they wreaked havoc.
5 Likes
I have a few of the Saitek Panels, and use SPAD to configure them. Mine are plugged into a 15 port powered USB 3 hub.
My 3 panels work without any problems after installing the universal driver from logitech. You don’t need Spad…
1 Like
That depends on the aircraft you fly… To use that as a blanket statement is incorrect.
There are allot of payware aircraft that some functions of various panels do not work with without an external program.
2 Likes
Not need perhaps, but it benefits greatly from having it. There are some planes that you just cannot do things with without SPAD connectivity, or another tool like it. SPAD isn’t the only one.
One example would for me is when starting the engines of a twin engine plane. I use the autothrottle switch to determine whether I am starting the left or right engine. The Logitech drivers just can’t do that, and you would have to use the mouse to control them directly.
There are many more examples like that, things that are just outside the scope of what the Logitech drivers are capable of as you have in effect a single config across all planes, and that just doesn’t cut it for many of us.
A couple I just thought of. The Cessna 414AW has a small delay when turning on the landing lights. This gives time for the lights to animate into their final position before actually turning the light on. I can add that small delay with SPAD.
Another would be the landing gear for the Comanche. When I lower or raise the gear, it waits a split second before return the switch to the centre position, making my two position gear lever pretend it has a third position.
2 Likes
I know, i use spad myself for using the panels in Euro truck simulator 2 and American Truck sim.