FF Wheel perf. hit - MS game port vs USB

Hi all you racers, I'm sure I read somewhere that the earlier MS FF wheel (the game port model) did not chew up much CPU power, whereas the later USB model apparently does. Can anyone confirm this? Cheers, John

On Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:13:19 +0100, "John Fryatt" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Hi all you racers, > >I'm sure I read somewhere that the earlier MS FF wheel (the game port model) >did not chew up much CPU power, whereas the later USB model apparently does. >Can anyone confirm this? I can't confirm that the USB model eats CPU cycles, though I have read it here and trust some of the sources. I have an early gameport model and have not found any appreciable CPU sucking in the games I play with it compared to keyboard or mouse control, or to a MS sidewinder 3d joystick. ~daxe

John Fryatt wrote:

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> > Hi all you racers, > > I'm sure I read somewhere that the earlier MS FF wheel (the game port model) > did not chew up much CPU power, whereas the later USB model apparently does. > Can anyone confirm this? > > Cheers, John

Hi, I can confirm this. I have a K6/2 400Mhz, 160MB Ram and a Voodoo 3 2000 PCI with the latest drivers. Playing GPL with Forcefeedback results in a FPS rate about 18-25 (depends on the track). Without FFB I have constant rates about 35-36! Other games do not have the performance hit with FFB! I have tried GP3, F1 2000, Colin Mac Rae. It seems that GPL is more CPU hungry than other games. But its even fun to play GPL without FFB. Yours, Gerhard GPLRANK: Sorry, damn ring

I've never used the gameport version, but I did own the USB version, and it produced about a 20% slowdown (maybe more) in GPL and Sports Car GT. Wasn't just on my PC either, I tried it on a second PC, and then the shop (PC World) tested it and found the same problem before giving me a refund. Just in case you're interested, the problem was instantly cured by switching off force-feedback (obviously no solution). Also, it's possible the slow-down could have been a driver bug or something, and it could have been fixed by now. "John Fryatt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:8t5523$ri$[email hidden]... > Hi all you racers, > > I'm sure I read somewhere that the earlier MS FF wheel (the game portmodel) > did not chew up much CPU power, whereas the later USB model apparentlydoes. > Can anyone confirm this? > > Cheers, John > > >

I believe there is a performance penalty, but if its even noticable or not depends on your system. If your running under a 500mz it may be, for me with a PIII 800 at 916mz with a V5 5500 it isn't. G Patricks

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>On Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:13:19 +0100, "John Fryatt" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Hi all you racers, > >I'm sure I read somewhere that the earlier MS FF wheel (the game port model) >did not chew up much CPU power, whereas the later USB model apparently does. >Can anyone confirm this? > >Cheers, John > >

On Sun, 29 Oct 2000 15:42:05 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus spoke: >I believe there is a performance penalty, but if its even noticable or >not depends on your system. If your running under a 500mz it may be, >for me with a PIII 800 at 916mz with a V5 5500 it isn't. I read here in this group that someone said he lost 10-15fps in GPL. That would even be noticeable on a P3@916mhz. -- eX

Your right, it would be noticable if it were true for a 916mz, but it isn't. I stay at maximum FPS with everything turned on max at 1024x768. The point here is it depends on how much power (both CPU and video) you have to start with. My guess is I would be at 75fps if it were possible, so achieving 30+ with FF is not a problem... G Patricks

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>On Sun, 29 Oct 2000 21:35:46 GMT, [email hidden] (eX) wrote: >On Sun, 29 Oct 2000 15:42:05 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus >spoke: > >>I believe there is a performance penalty, but if its even noticable or >>not depends on your system. If your running under a 500mz it may be, >>for me with a PIII 800 at 916mz with a V5 5500 it isn't. > >I read here in this group that someone said he lost 10-15fps in GPL. >That would even be noticeable on a P3@916mhz.

On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 00:19:34 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus spoke:

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>Your right, it would be noticable if it were true for a 916mz, but it >isn't. I stay at maximum FPS with everything turned on max at >1024x768. The point here is it depends on how much power (both CPU and >video) you have to start with. My guess is I would be at 75fps if it >were possible, so achieving 30+ with FF is not a problem... > >G Patricks

Well, I bought the MS FF2 stick and in European Air War I ran a test and there was over a 10 fps loss. I run a P3 800 with a Voodoo5 and even though my frame rate was still high I still took the stick back. 10fps is like the dif between a P3 700 and an 800. I didn't pay all that extra money to have my 800 turned into a 700 by a joystick. See my logic? -- eX

Your right, it would be noticable if we were talking about the new, known to be a resource hog MS FF2 Stick for flight sims, but we are talking about (in this case) the MS FF USB WHEEL for racing sims, which works great in N3, N Heat, and GPL that I personally know of. Lets try to stay on track, see my logic? 8-) G Patricks

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>On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 02:22:33 GMT, [email hidden] (eX) wrote: >On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 00:19:34 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus >spoke: > >>Your right, it would be noticable if it were true for a 916mz, but it >>isn't. I stay at maximum FPS with everything turned on max at >>1024x768. The point here is it depends on how much power (both CPU and >>video) you have to start with. My guess is I would be at 75fps if it >>were possible, so achieving 30+ with FF is not a problem... >> >>G Patricks > >Well, I bought the MS FF2 stick and in European Air War I ran a test >and there was over a 10 fps loss. I run a P3 800 with a Voodoo5 and >even though my frame rate was still high I still took the stick back. >10fps is like the dif between a P3 700 and an 800. I didn't pay all >that extra money to have my 800 turned into a 700 by a joystick. See >my logic?

On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 14:17:52 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus spoke: >Your right, it would be noticable if we were talking about the new, >known to be a resource hog MS FF2 Stick for flight sims, but we are >talking about (in this case) the MS FF USB WHEEL for racing sims, >which works great in N3, N Heat, and GPL that I personally know of. >Lets try to stay on track, see my logic? >8-) No. :=) They are both resource hogs. See the connection? -- eX

Your right, it would be noticable if I saw the connection... ;-) G Patricks

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>On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 22:20:13 GMT, [email hidden] (eX) wrote: >On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 14:17:52 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus >spoke: > >>Your right, it would be noticable if we were talking about the new, >>known to be a resource hog MS FF2 Stick for flight sims, but we are >>talking about (in this case) the MS FF USB WHEEL for racing sims, >>which works great in N3, N Heat, and GPL that I personally know of. >>Lets try to stay on track, see my logic? >>8-) > >No. :=) >They are both resource hogs. See the connection?

On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 22:58:55 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus spoke: >Your right, it would be noticable if I saw the connection... >;-) Well, I'm interested in the MS FF wheel so is it possible for you to post some controlled tests with FF on and off. I would like to know how much of a performance hit there is before I fork over the dough. I had to return the MS FF2 stick once I saw the performance hit. I like the stick otherwise. Just returned the new Logitech FF stick *and* wheel because they are too flimsy, although they don't cost anyhting in performance that I noticed. -- eX

Be glad to eX. Give me an idea of what game, resolution, etc. and i'll run something. I have Nascar Heat, Nascar 3, and GPL on hand. Not sure if N3 has a frame counter... i.e. GPL on the grid with 19 cars, 1024x768, all details, full mirrors, etc.... G Patricks

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>On Tue, 31 Oct 2000 05:22:58 GMT, [email hidden] (eX) wrote: >On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 22:58:55 GMT, G Patricks <[email hidden]> thus >spoke: > >>Your right, it would be noticable if I saw the connection... >>;-) > >Well, I'm interested in the MS FF wheel so is it possible for you to >post some controlled tests with FF on and off. I would like to know >how much of a performance hit there is before I fork over the dough. >I had to return the MS FF2 stick once I saw the performance hit. I >like the stick otherwise. Just returned the new Logitech FF stick >*and* wheel because they are too flimsy, although they don't cost >anyhting in performance that I noticed.