rec.autos.simulators

by **Haqsa** » Sat, 08 Sep 2001 08:45:45

I was wondering about that too. I bought a TM Ferrari wheel a few
months ago and took it back the same night because the clamps didn't fit
on my desk. But before I took it back I tried it in N4 (clamped to a
writing tray) and it felt every bit as notchy and gritty as the gear
drive Logitech that I have now. I would have sworn that the TM was gear
drive, although I did not look inside and do not know that for a fact.

> Jim I have been using the Ferrari race wheel since it came out. To me,
> it always had a 'tiny bit' of a mechanical feel when you turn the
wheel
> but nothing decernable. So it can be the older or it can be the newer?
> Yea I know this didnt help one bit, did it? "O" well I tried..lol

> | The more I turn the wheel, the more I get the feeling that it is
gear
> | driven. First I tought the friction I heard
> | was from the motor, but it is also present in non-ffb games.Going
from
> | normal cornering to oversteer correction is something which is not
as fast
> | as with my previous T2 because of that friction. With FFB enabled no
> problem
> | at all (GPL runs just fine). Maybe it needs some extra running-in
time.
> |
> | It is definetely precise to steer. more precise as my T2. But then
again
> it
> | had completely worn pots.
> | no jittering at all, nice stable calibration readings.
> |
> | I should advice you to try to test the wheel tough, if you are not
so sure
> | about it. You just have to feel it, I guess
> |
> | Jim

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by **Krunc** » Sat, 08 Sep 2001 12:00:20

Yep. Something has changed for sure with these wheels. I bought the Ferrari
wheel last year and it had the serial plug as well as the USB. Last week I
helped my Father-in-law buy one and guess what - no serial link.

Furthermore the shop also says this wheel is compatible with the PS2 which
is probably why Guillemot removed the serial connector.

Also THIS WHEEL FEELS DIFFERENT TO MINE. It is more notchy and is LOUD. When
turning the wheel it makes a loud grinding noise and the power LED lights
up - even when switched off. It is definitely designed differently to mine
even though it is visually identical. It's still a very good wheel though.

> I was wondering about that too. I bought a TM Ferrari wheel a few
> months ago and took it back the same night because the clamps didn't fit
> on my desk. But before I took it back I tried it in N4 (clamped to a
> writing tray) and it felt every bit as notchy and gritty as the gear
> drive Logitech that I have now. I would have sworn that the TM was gear
> drive, although I did not look inside and do not know that for a fact.

> > Jim I have been using the Ferrari race wheel since it came out. To me,
> > it always had a 'tiny bit' of a mechanical feel when you turn the
> wheel
> > but nothing decernable. So it can be the older or it can be the newer?
> > Yea I know this didnt help one bit, did it? "O" well I tried..lol

> > | The more I turn the wheel, the more I get the feeling that it is gear
> > | driven. First I tought the friction I heard
> > | was from the motor, but it is also present in non-ffb games.Going from
> > | normal cornering to oversteer correction is something which is not as
fast
> > | as with my previous T2 because of that friction. With FFB enabled no
problem
> > | at all (GPL runs just fine). Maybe it needs some extra running-in

time.

- Show quoted text -

by **ymenar** » Sun, 09 Sep 2001 05:48:13

> Also THIS WHEEL FEELS DIFFERENT TO MINE. It is more notchy and is LOUD.
When
> turning the wheel it makes a loud grinding noise and the power LED lights
> up - even when switched off. It is definitely designed differently to mine
> even though it is visually identical. It's still a very good wheel though.

So it looks like another case of a joystick company that degrades it's FF
wheel. What a shame, it looks like they all have passed by that by now.
The only FF wheel who hasn't "downgraded" is the ACT-Labs I guess...

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- May the Downforce be with you...
-- http://www.ymenard.com/
-- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimato Dominguez
Corporation - helping America into the New World...

by **Chairm** » Mon, 10 Sep 2001 22:08:58

I just gotta say...my wheel is currently sitting in a box waiting to
be exchanged as it is a mite stuffed (very loose), but apart from that
(lol) i was very happy with it. First FFB wheel. But I digress...

FWIW, my wheel did have both the serial and the USB, and it wasn't as
smooth as the spring wheels when I turned it, and the light lit up
when turning the wheel, even with FFB off (this is probably normal,
BTW, given that you are turning the motor). But it was definitely a
belt-driven one. I know because I had a look. I've only had it for a
couple of weeks.

> Yep. Something has changed for sure with these wheels. I bought the Ferrari
> wheel last year and it had the serial plug as well as the USB. Last week I
> helped my Father-in-law buy one and guess what - no serial link.

> Furthermore the shop also says this wheel is compatible with the PS2 which
> is probably why Guillemot removed the serial connector.

> Also THIS WHEEL FEELS DIFFERENT TO MINE. It is more notchy and is LOUD. When
> turning the wheel it makes a loud grinding noise and the power LED lights
> up - even when switched off. It is definitely designed differently to mine
> even though it is visually identical. It's still a very good wheel though.

> > I was wondering about that too. I bought a TM Ferrari wheel a few
> > months ago and took it back the same night because the clamps didn't fit
> > on my desk. But before I took it back I tried it in N4 (clamped to a
> > writing tray) and it felt every bit as notchy and gritty as the gear
> > drive Logitech that I have now. I would have sworn that the TM was gear
> > drive, although I did not look inside and do not know that for a fact.

> > > Jim I have been using the Ferrari race wheel since it came out. To me,
> > > it always had a 'tiny bit' of a mechanical feel when you turn the
> wheel
> > > but nothing decernable. So it can be the older or it can be the newer?
> > > Yea I know this didnt help one bit, did it? "O" well I tried..lol

> > > | The more I turn the wheel, the more I get the feeling that it is gear
> > > | driven. First I tought the friction I heard
> > > | was from the motor, but it is also present in non-ffb games.Going from
> > > | normal cornering to oversteer correction is something which is not as
> fast
> > > | as with my previous T2 because of that friction. With FFB enabled no
> problem
> > > | at all (GPL runs just fine). Maybe it needs some extra running-in
> time.

> > > | It is definetely precise to steer. more precise as my T2. But then
> again it
> > > | had completely worn pots.
> > > | no jittering at all, nice stable calibration readings.

> > > | I should advice you to try to test the wheel tough, if you are not so
> sure
> > > | about it. You just have to feel it, I guess

> > > | Jim

by **Ken MacKa** » Tue, 11 Sep 2001 20:15:26

Thanks for all the replies. Strange that the FF wheels are getting worse
instead of better with each redesign. I can understand having a lower
price model to reach more people, but why stop offering the better quality
systems? And in this case TM doesn't even have that excuse, the gear
driven Ferrari is exactly the same price as the previous model. That and no
mention of this model change posted anywhere on the thrustmaster
site...even the sales/techsupport people couldn't tell me for that
matter...certainly doesn't give me a warm feeling about TM. Hmmm, makes it
tempting to save up a little more money to place an order with Act-Labs.

Ken

by **Haqsa** » Wed, 12 Sep 2001 07:52:42

See Chairman's reply. The model he describes sounds exactly like the
one I had, which I would have sworn was gear driven (due to the gritty
feel), but he opened it up and confirmed that it was belt drive. I
wonder if the newer Ferrari's are just shipping with very tight belts
that perhaps loosen up a little after some use.

by **Thom j** » Wed, 12 Sep 2001 20:02:51

fwiw
Both of my Ferrari wheels had this feel out of the box but it did
feel less 'gritty' as I used it.. Maybe this was only me gettng use
to the wheel but I don't think so?

| See Chairman's reply. The model he describes sounds exactly like the
| one I had, which I would have sworn was gear driven (due to the gritty
| feel), but he opened it up and confirmed that it was belt drive. I
| wonder if the newer Ferrari's are just shipping with very tight belts
| that perhaps loosen up a little after some use.
|

| > Thanks for all the replies. Strange that the FF wheels are getting
| worse
| > instead of better with each redesign. I can understand having a lower
| > price model to reach more people, but why stop offering the better
| quality
| > systems? And in this case TM doesn't even have that excuse, the gear
| > driven Ferrari is exactly the same price as the previous model. That
| and no
| > mention of this model change posted anywhere on the thrustmaster
| > site...even the sales/techsupport people couldn't tell me for that
| > matter...certainly doesn't give me a warm feeling about TM. Hmmm,
| makes it
| > tempting to save up a little more money to place an order with
| Act-Labs.
| >
| > Ken
| >
| >
|

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by **Ken MacKa** » Wed, 12 Sep 2001 20:15:57

Even the Force RS is reported as being notchy until the belts get broken
in. Chairman's was probably the "older" version as he said it had both USB
and serial connectors, the one in the local EB is USB only. I'm fairly
certain that the current version is gear driven, although no-one has
answered my post at the TM forum.

Your post got me thinking about the clamping system and I don't think the
Ferrari would work on my desk anyway, the keyboard tray would be in the way
as its only a couple inches below the desk. The Force RS should fit on it
nicely however. This, the 100% satisfaction guarantee, supposedly wonderful
customer service, and reported high quality of the wheel was enough to
convince my wife that the extra money for the Force RS was worthwhile in the
long run. Ordered one yesterday. :-) Only problem is that they've been on
backorder and my order probably won't get filled until next week. Should be
worth the wait though.

Ken

> See Chairman's reply. The model he describes sounds exactly like the
> one I had, which I would have sworn was gear driven (due to the gritty
> feel), but he opened it up and confirmed that it was belt drive. I
> wonder if the newer Ferrari's are just shipping with very tight belts
> that perhaps loosen up a little after some use.

> > Thanks for all the replies. Strange that the FF wheels are getting
> worse
> > instead of better with each redesign. I can understand having a lower
> > price model to reach more people, but why stop offering the better
> quality
> > systems? And in this case TM doesn't even have that excuse, the gear
> > driven Ferrari is exactly the same price as the previous model. That
> and no
> > mention of this model change posted anywhere on the thrustmaster
> > site...even the sales/techsupport people couldn't tell me for that
> > matter...certainly doesn't give me a warm feeling about TM. Hmmm,
> makes it
> > tempting to save up a little more money to place an order with
> Act-Labs.

> > Ken

rec.autos.simulators

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?

Guillemot/TM Ferrari FFB: new vs old?