> Doing more than starting a petition..... we are making a wheel for
y'all
> that will kick ass over current USB implementations. We will be
> EXPONENTIALLY more precise than the closest compare-sake, and the
> performance will be lightning fast. The company is PDPI, and we have
done
> for USB what we did for the gameport.
> We approached many of the major wheel manufacturers with licensing
> opportunities for our technology, and the fact that it would cost
literally
> $1.00 more than their current implementations seemed to turn them off
(even
> though they would save that buck in R/D). They ALL admitted that our
> technology was substantially superior, but they couldn't justify the
price
> since they didn't feel you guys would notice the pathetic positioning
> resolutions currently employed.
> Let it be known that PDPI (me particularly) have been listening to you
guys
> on RAS, and other forums, and we are paying very close attention to
what you
> want. We will be launching controllers that you yourselves have asked
for,
> and basically built for us with feedback on this NG. We WILL NOT
ignore the
> customer, and we will accept all suggestions/recommendations, as well
as
> providing unprecedented support for the individual and Sim Racing as a
whole
> (throughout all the genres).
> So the way we see it... they dropped the ball repeatedly and we
decided to
> enter the controller market and build the best controllers available
at a
> very reasonable price, because you guys are asking for it....
> You should start to see some of our controllers on store shelves by Q2
2000.
> A lot of development is still under wraps since we have made further
> advancements in the FF area that should also increase performance
there 2
> fold.
> Please don't ask me details yet. I will be announcing some REALLY big
things
> in the coming month(s).
> Cheers,
> Jason "Shumi" Murray
> Director of Marketing & Business Development
> PDPI
> 2591 East Lee Street
> Simi Valley, CA 93065
> ei...@home.com
> Andi Cole <andic...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:83fpgk$o8i$1@gxsn.com...
> > Shumi,
> > Maybe we should get a petition going, you can put me down for a
start, and
> I
> > know Tim Haynes will also support a move that way (I work with him).
If
> you
> > haven't done this already maybe we should focus the petition on
> 'simracings'
> > forum.
> > I was testing my old Thrustmaster Force GT last night and yes I go
> wandering
> > down straights zig zaging somewhat. I assumed it was just
knackered.
> > Regards.
> > Andi.
> > Shumi <coordina...@rs2league.com> wrote in message
> > news:Off64.50424$ri.107890@news1.rdc1.bc.home.com...
> > > I do not have the Guillemot Wheel in my hands yet, but what you
describe
> > is
> > > VERY familiar to me. In fact I can say with 90% certainty I know
what
> the
> > > problem is (only 90% because I haven't had the chance to determine
the
> > > positioning resolution of the wheel yet).
> > > The problem is "Overshoot" in the positioning resolution. This
anomaly
> > > occurs VERY noticeably when you cut into the positioning
resolution too
> > far
> > > to combat mechanical jitter that occurs in the axis. This
algorithm to
> cut
> > > into the positioning resolution is in the firmware of the USB chip
> itself
> > > (programmed by the controller manufacturers individually), and
using
> other
> > > drivers will not solve it. Here's what's happening in this
anomaly;
> > > You have to understand first that you are trying to translate say:
270
> > > degrees of turn into the game. However if you have cut into the
> > positioning
> > > resolution too much (Guillemots WingLeader USB Joystick is
HORRIBLE for
> > > this...... positioning resolution of 19!), you do not have enough
> > > positioning resolution to translate every degree of turn. e.g. You
have
> a
> > > positioning resolution of 50 that must translate 270 degrees of
> turn.....
> > > leaving you with only every fifth degree of turn that can be
translated
> > and
> > > reported. The way they "hide" this is by registering a change in
> position
> > > whenever the axis is deflected even slightly past the center
(Microsoft
> > was
> > > BRUTAL for this). The problem is that you move the wheel perhaps a
> degree,
> > > and it jumps 5 degrees of turn over (you don't have a high enough
> > > positioning resolution to interpret 2,3,or 4th degree of turn). So
it
> > makes
> > > the change..... but it "overshoots" the actual position bye 4
degrees.
> > This
> > > is why when you turn the wheel slowly through the 2nd, 3rd, 4th,
and 5th
> > > degree of turn..... nothing changes (the wheel position is just
catching
> > up
> > > to the jump to the 5th degree). When you turn to the 6th degree of
> > turn.....
> > > the position will jump to the 10th degree of turn, and so on. The
end
> > result
> > > in the experience is that you will have slow responses from the
> > controller,
> > > because the wheel is constantly trying to "catch-up" to the jumps
in
> > > positioning resolution.
> > > I have had direct talks with the Head of R/D at Guillemot in
person
> > > regarding this issue, and they seem to think that you guys
wouldn't
> notice
> > > it..... I am VERY pleased to see that you have, because PDPI have
a
> > > solution for it (USB) that is going to take this industry by
storm. No
> > > details to be released yet..... but it's going to BLOW every other
> > > controller manufacturer away by a WIDE margin, BANK on it :)
> > > Cheers,
> > > Shumi
> > > Tim Haynes <t...@theisland.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> > > news:38592F4B.C1BBDB45@theisland.freeserve.co.uk...
> > > > I have recently purchased one of the new Guillemot Ferrari Force
> > > > Feedback racing wheels. I first noticed playing Rally
Championship
> 2000
> > > > that I had much less control in a straight line than with my
previous
> > > > wheels, and that I tended to zig-zag on straight road. I found
this
> to
> > > > be the same in other driving games such as TOCA2. I used
DXTweak to
> > > > remove the deadzone (which I thought was causing the problem)
however
> > > > this had no effect. I have done some testing using DXTweak and
other
> > > > games and have found that the steering problem seems to be
caused by a
> > > > lag between the input (my movement) to the output (down the USB
port)
> of
> > > > the steering wheel, i.e. as you turn left or right from any
stationary
> > > > wheel position it takes time for this to be registered as
movement, in
> > > > fact it is possible to move the wheel very slowly and for it to
take
> > > > ages for the movement to be registered. This is obviously not
good in
> a
> > > > racing game, as it prevents the fine control necessary to get
fast
> > > > times.
> > > > This does not appear to be a problem with the guillemot driver -
as it
> > > > does exactly the same using the thrustmaster force gt driver.
The
> > > > problem appears to be introduced by the wheel electronics which
are
> > > > probably trying to smooth the output from the potentiometer.
> > > > Is anyone else experiencing this problem?
Before you buy.
