USA Identity Yoke

Yoke

Manufactured By:

Retail Price: $29.99

Review Date: 7-28-99

By all means available, USA Identity could not be located. It is believed that the company no longer exist. During the search other companies were found that carried a near identical yoke in the past. The only discernable difference seemed to be the final packaging and the logo in the center of the yoke. None of them actively sell or support this item any longer.

Features 72%-

• 2 buttons
• Throttle control
• Rudder Control
• Trim adjustments

Appropriate For-

• Flight Sims
• Racing

System Requirements-

15 pin gameport.

Price -

Even at 1/2 the price I found the Yoke listed for it is severely overpriced. The yoke just isn't a good buy at any price.

Warranty-

None Specified.

Performance 40%-

The USA Identity Yoke was virtually useless for any type of game. Considering it has but only 2 buttons it is very limited in its usability as a total control controller. This is not its only problem though.

Both the throttle and rudder controls are dial knobs on the side of the yoke base. To operate either you must unhand the yoke with your left hand, rendering the left button un-usable. Both have no assistance in determining the center point; a major flaw with the rudder control. Any attempt to use the rudder will result in more time spent trying to find the center offsetting any benefit you received from using it in the first place.

The Yoke movement is also problematic. The turning axis is fine but the pitch control is very harsh. It is almost like it needs lubrication because the movement is not smooth at all.

Putting the yoke to use was a real chore. None of the sims thrown at it played well. All of the problems listed above made play into work. Work to find the rudder center, work to find the keyboard command because there were not enough buttons and work to control the pitch of the plane because the yoke was rough.

Setup 80% -

Setup was fairly simple. The yoke was connected to the gameport and configured as a 4 button flight yoke with rudder pedals checked in the game controller setup panel (although only 2 buttons were used). Calibration went without a hitch.

** Software -

** No software is included or necessary.

Documentation 40% -

There is very little in the way of documentation included with the yoke. A very brief pamphlet is included that covers basic setup of the yoke and another controller made by the same company. Without prior setup experience a user may not be able to properly configure the controller in a Windows environment.

Overall Rating 43.5% -

The USA Identity Yoke is no longer a production item. Thats one of the good things it has going for it. Unfortunately they can still occasionally be found for sale on-line and at computer shows. Do not become intrigued with its fair set of features (integrated throttle and rudder controls) or low price!

The Yoke is not recommended.

Pros-

Cons-

• Only 2 buttons
• poor rudder/throttle controls
• creaky response

Similar to-**

• CH Products FlightSim Yoke PC