The online racing simulator
#276 - JEP
Guys mybe you will make a test movie?

Kamkor did you mount it properly? Open the levers, put the fastening thingie up to the table, screw it up and lever it into place? It' still too flimy, the wheel cna be flexed downwards (not upwards, since the base prevents that) but the + is it can be mounted and unmounted in a second.
Quote from niels1 :Any of you have a new driver yet ??

Vista drivers were promised for today or tomorrow
Quote from Primoz :Kamkor did you mount it properly? Open the levers, put the fastening thingie up to the table, screw it up and lever it into place? It' still too flimy, the wheel cna be flexed downwards (not upwards, since the base prevents that) but the + is it can be mounted and unmounted in a second.

Yeah I did. I actually did "took the thing" off the wheel LOL Was showing to camera how long it is.. I will show on vid.

New impressions after playing. First of all consider that the drivers said that they installed sucesfully, but in updater it said some things failed. I couldn't find any GUI where I can change settings etc so I've set 900 degrees on wheel with buttons, turned off throttle vibration effect and went to LFS. I've set in lfs wheel to 900 and wheel compensate to 1.0 so wheel was 720.

With G25 I can often just let the wheel spin and catch it, sometimes help it, but it is always very responsive and nice to turn.

With 911 Fanatec wheel the wheel kinda gave a feeling that it turns fast, but I can't trust it. It's not always very responsive. It also kinda feels "muddy" when turning, while G25 feels light. On the other hand it feels smooth, which is nice. It's weird.. Sometimes it's like fast and cool, and sometimes it's a bitch and it fails you. But on the other hand the cooling was ON full power when I was drifting, so maybe it was automatically turning FFB down sometimes? Or maybe it is because my drivers might not be installed properly. Not sure.

So far I have mixed feelings. Positive, but mixed.. I will say more once I've played more.

Brake pedal - i can't get used to it. Working with clutch and throttle is ok.

Shifter is nice, but I have to get used to it, and it's not very steady.

Quote from deggis :And please (also) upload them to youtube. Much more people are going to find them there than only from a dl link here.

First dl link, then youtube. Gonna start capturing first footage now.

And to all. Those are first impressions. Those might change when I get used to the wheel, or if the new drivers work better. Also my wheel wasn't centered, it was few degrees off.

edit:

Also my system is Windows XP SP2
there are drivers for the centering problem. I cans end them to you or drop a mail to fanatec, you'll get them in minutes. That is if you're using the USB key drivers now. And remember to uninstall the old drivers first.
Dunno if it has been mentioned before, but how big are the paddle shifters on the wheel? Sod the stupid shifter, paddles shifters is what makes you fast. So are they tiny little things, or wide enough to fit 3 fingers on them?

Because small paddles = big failure
Quote from Tweaker :Dunno if it has been mentioned before, but how big are the paddle shifters on the wheel? Sod the stupid shifter, paddles shifters is what makes you fast. So are they tiny little things, or wide enough to fit 3 fingers on them?

Because small paddles = big failure

Paddles are small, I reach them with the end of my 2 longest fingers if I hold the wheel "properly". They are wide enough for those 2 fingers, not for 3.

Thanks for the info Primoz.

Compressing video now. Will first upload to YT after all.
Quote from Primoz :there are drivers for the centering problem. I cans end them to you or drop a mail to fanatec, you'll get them in minutes. That is if you're using the USB key drivers now. And remember to uninstall the old drivers first.

Could you send them to me ??
Quote from Tweaker :Dunno if it has been mentioned before, but how big are the paddle shifters on the wheel? Sod the stupid shifter, paddles shifters is what makes you fast. So are they tiny little things, or wide enough to fit 3 fingers on them?

The paddles are approx 28mm high, compared to 20mm on the DFP, and only a DFP style single bit of plastic design. They're not really big enough to shift with but ok for look left/right. Unfortunately they do have a bit of a ridge on the end of them (to stop your fingers slipping off them) which gets in the way when racing, could be fixed by filing them down. Personally I'd rather either have big aluminum paddles set sufficiently far forward to not interrupt your use of the wheel when your not using them like the Frex has (I'm not sure if the G25s are set forward like this).

On a side note for those interested the wheel is 300mm (11.5") in diameter, much bigger than the DFP (10") and the 11" I've got on the Frex (the G25 is also this size). Being slightly larger and chunkier really make it a road car feel, driving a formula with this wheel really doesn't feel as good as with a real wheel. It seems my fear of this being the case with this wheel and less so the G25 were valid.

The FF in LFS is brilliant, it really feels smooth unlike the geared wheels and the band drive is almost silent, only a tiny bit of noise when you make it slip but nothing you'd actually notice. When it gets hot a small fan comes on, but again I only noticed this after I stopped racing, it makes a much quieter and more consistent noise than the DFP. What's particularly impressive about this wheel is its seeming ability to deal with the low speed/stationary FF, where every other wheel I've seen has done something weird, it just stays still and doesn't start shaking back and forth, I'm starting to wonder how much the current limitations in FF are in the actual technology or simply in the (almost entirely gear driven Logitech) hardware we've been using. In rF with real feel it felt more chunky, probably a result of raw more truly physics based FF without enough smoothing and possibly to small a step size. It seems this wheel likes smooth inputs rather than every last tiny knock on the steering column, with properly setup rumble feedback doing the bumps and small knocks on the steering shaft the result could be amazing even with current hardware limitations.
Ok here's the vid. http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=RKKEuWAM6Ow

I have said earlier that I can't always count on its forcefeedback and indeed I can't. You can see on the vid that this wheel can countersteer fast, but sometimes it just starts reacting too slow. I hope that proper drivers will solve the problem. My impressions might change a lot then.

If you want me to record something specific in the next video - then feel free to make requests.

Kamkor, did you make that video in the brightest point of a pitch black night?

It's terribly dark.
Quote from dawesdust_12 :Kamkor, did you make that video in the brightest point of a pitch black night?

It's terribly dark.

I can see things clearly on it. It's not daylight, but I wanted to make vid as soon as I received the wheel. More vids coming. Tommorow as well.
The first bit would be nice to be redone, the LFS bit was clear, showed a lot of it. Why not using Handbrake bound to the wheel?
Sure, will redo it tommorow. I won't be taking out the "mounting" thing again I coudln't put it back inside at first, was scared my testing was over

Handbrake bound to the wheel?
I was always wondering why people reach over to press a button to the right of the shifter in that one turn... so it's the handbrake?
What does the motor feel like in this wheel? What I mean is, on my G25 the feeling of the motor is a bit bumpy/notchy (it's hard to describe but it feels "mechanical"). An example of what I mean is try lightly brushing your finger across a row of keys on your keyboard and the bumpy gaps as you go across feels like the motor in the G25.
Does this wheel have that feeling?

Also what is the FFB like when the wheel is centred? The G25 sucks at this because of the dual FFB motors.

Cheers
Quote from Jertje :I was always wondering why people reach over to press a button to the right of the shifter in that one turn... so it's the handbrake?

If you mean me pressing spacebar then yes it is a handbrake Better solution would be custom build handbrake, but..

PaulH: Perfect place to test this is south city chicane route. The first part of track is very bumpy. In G25 ffb there feels very sharp and "direct", in 911 it feels more "muddy". But then.. I'm not even sure if I have proper FFB for 911 with current drivers. I hope drivers problem can be figured out so I am 100% sure I'm testing it properly.

What do you mean about FFB when wheel is centred? Can you explain more please.
Thanks for the quick reply.

About the FFB in the centre. What I mean is, on the G25 when driving in a straight line the FFB is almost non-existant because of the dual motors trying to fight each other and a lack of centring spring (Logitech have acknowledged this as part of the design).

What i'm asking is, is the FFB as strong in the centre of the wheel as it is around the complete rotation?
I think it is. But I will do some tests tommorow to make sure. Will get back to this in my next impressions post.

Also before I said that compared to g25 over the bumps it feels "muddy", I think "Softer" is a much better word here. More "classy", less "racey" style
Quote from PaulH :What does the motor feel like in this wheel? What I mean is, on my G25 the feeling of the motor is a bit bumpy/notchy (it's hard to describe but it feels "mechanical"). An example of what I mean is try lightly brushing your finger across a row of keys on your keyboard and the bumpy gaps as you go across feels like the motor in the G25.
Does this wheel have that feeling?

Like I said earlier the wheel feels completely different in a way it's probably a bit less responsive and a bit less detailed in responding to the small motions but gives better overall feel than the Logitech solution by really actually being like driving a car just on a very smooth road. In comparison the Logitech is more of a notchy mechanical device like you described although probably quicker on paper, I wouldn't really say that is the be all and end all though.

Quote :
Also what is the FFB like when the wheel is centred? The G25 sucks at this because of the dual FFB motors.

I've not done anything to test it specifically but it doesn't seem an issue.
Quote from kamkorPL :If you want me to record something specific in the next video - then feel free to make requests.

Of course that kind of what Niels did, but if you're cabable of doing that, then most useful in a contrast to that drifting video could be just normal racing, with some gtr or single seater and with very high FFB setting, to somehow show the how strong it is. Or how about pedal view, use flashlight if the room is dark
OK a few comments I would like to make:



1)I was excited until I saw kamkorPL's vid. The wheel appears to make the same horrible "ZipZip" noise as all of Logitech's wheels do. Are you guys sure this is a belt driven wheel? Because the sound of it gives the impression that it's gear driven. Of all my pet peeves in FFB steering wheels, the ZipZip noise whilst turning left and right is the biggest one. It is annoying beyond belief.

2)My wheel is almost done, and I am so soooo happy I had the patience to continue to wait. My buddy's had some great progress getting my *WHEEL* towards completion. It is truly a belt driven, heavy duty, industrial beast of machinery, and is silent as a baby's butt. I don't think I will ever go back to a consumer FFB wheel from Logitech, or any other plastic toy wheels for that matter.


3)As good as my wheel's going to be, I am still expecting to buy Frex' new wheel when it hits this summer. His wheel looks to trump even mine, and that is no small feat. Mine will not have shift paddles, only a mounted separate gear gear shifter(TSW BTW) but that's cool because I hate using paddles anyway. I can't help but wonder why any of you decided to buy this plastic Fanatec wheel, with Frex' wheel right around the corner? I mean seriously, have you guys *seen what ShigeT has in store for us?*

4)For those of you who complain about shifters and pedals that come with these Logitech and Fanatec toys.....what do you expect? These are wheels that are made of plastic and are targeted towards console owners. Fanatec and Logitech will never manufacture an industrial quality set of pedals or shifter on par with the likes of ECCI, Frex, TSW, or A1. Why not simply purchase a set of ECCI pedals and an A1 H-gate shifter? They are the best of their bunch. I mean we're talking a PC system here....a system that, unlike a home console, allows you to plug in multiple controllers from several different manufactures. I don't see the problem.
Quote from kamkorPL :Someone in Italy has already opened it:

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4687/pedalierauz7.jpg - pedals
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8449/cazzatabw5.jpg - "wheel unplugged"
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8449/cazzatabw5.jpg - insides of wheel
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5990/intern2vv7.jpg - insides of wheel 2
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/8532/internolt2.jpg - and 3

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5813/elettob3.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/374/volantekt4.jpg

source: http://www.slipangle.it/forum/index.php?showtopic=8935

That's me. :P

I own a G25 with Frex Pedals,so i can't make a good review about the pedals.

i found it normal, maybe a little bit easier to heel and toe.

BTW the wheel hardware are at the top, imho.

i think that the real problem is the angle and position of the wheel.
G25 is more straight and vertical, the 911 Turbo is more angled and it feels like the old Mini Minor wheel.

it's a great wheel for street cars,not for formulas.

an intersting thing to try, will be to put a lighter wheel (ala G25), because sometimes it feels a bit heavier and it smooth the little FF input; probably is the bigger elettric motor that has some inertia itself.

this is always in my opinion and i think that is a good start for Fanatec, just some tweaks to do to improve the product (i really don't like the H-shifter and its "clamp" system)

Sorry for the english guys.
isamu, you seem to be forgetting one little detail - take Frex wheel, Frex adapter, Sparco/OMP wheel, Frex or VPP pedals, TSW or Frex shifter, and it costs you what - 10 times as much as this set? You can buy a nissan 200X for that and drift and race it like you stole it.

Also, let me tell you, it is much more difficult to make a decent wheel at a realistic price like the Fanatec wheel, than to make a monster machine a few maniacs like yourself will buy regardless of the price.

So kindly put your money where your a..e is and leave Fanatec alone, will ya!

FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG