Re: Logitech Formula wheel (yellow, non-FF) discontinued?

Check out shopper.com or ibuyer.net. They show some places still stocking the Wingman Formula. Better yet, you might want to wait a couple of weeks and try Logitech's new wheels, the Formula GP or Formula Force GP. They're due out in mid-July and "look" like improved versions of both Logitech wheels, at much lower prices. We'll have to wait and see if they've cut corners to hit the new price points, so be sure to buy from a retailer who offers a good return policy. You can check out http://www.joy-stick.net/ for a peek at these new wheels. Cheers, Steve B. John Kozak <[email hidden]> wrote... > I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite > online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really > liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick > one up.

If I was you I would still try the ff model. It is becoming a great asset and nowadays helps driving. I have the Ferrari force feedback and find it great! -- Kieran John Kozak <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:8jq3ba$aqf$[email hidden]... > I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite > online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really > liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick > one up. > > As an aside, I tried the MSFF but didn't like it for the framerate hit > it incurred. I tried the LWFF next and didn't like it because it felt > so damn clunky and notchy. I'm really not in the mood to roll the dice > again to see if I can get a smoother LWFF. Ironically, I chose the MSFF > first because I didn't like the cheesy LWFF pedals. It turned out that > the LWFF pedals were much better than the MSFF pedals. The MSFF pedals > had a very noticible deadzone that I just could not get rid of - the > Logitech pedals were very responsive. These pedals combined with the > great paddle shifters and low-CPU hit of the LWFF could've made this one > a keeper if not for the unbearable sticking and notching I felt. There > were times where I honestly couldn't tell if I was experiencing a wheel > notch/snag or a force feedback effect. :( > > So, I'm looking for a decent non-FF wheel at the moment. If I can't find > the yellow Logitech anywhere, I will probably go with the MS non-FF wheel. > > John

I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick one up. As an aside, I tried the MSFF but didn't like it for the framerate hit it incurred. I tried the LWFF next and didn't like it because it felt so damn clunky and notchy. I'm really not in the mood to roll the dice again to see if I can get a smoother LWFF. Ironically, I chose the MSFF first because I didn't like the cheesy LWFF pedals. It turned out that the LWFF pedals were much better than the MSFF pedals. The MSFF pedals had a very noticible deadzone that I just could not get rid of - the Logitech pedals were very responsive. These pedals combined with the great paddle shifters and low-CPU hit of the LWFF could've made this one a keeper if not for the unbearable sticking and notching I felt. There were times where I honestly couldn't tell if I was experiencing a wheel notch/snag or a force feedback effect. :( So, I'm looking for a decent non-FF wheel at the moment. If I can't find the yellow Logitech anywhere, I will probably go with the MS non-FF wheel. John

www.computers4sure.com has some of the lowest prices I seen

If you don't mind not having a yellow color wheel, the original black logi is at computer geeks for about $30. The new logi wheels have changed the one thing that I really like about the it, the style of the wheel itself. -- Slot www.slottweak.com Tweaks & Reviews

Thanks for the info, Steve. I'm pretty skeptical about the new Logitech wheels though. Logitech seems to be having some quality control problems with their current LWFF (from what I've read on r.a.s.) and the new stuff is even cheaper. Another disappointment is the fact that the non-FF wheel uses a 15-pin gameport and not USB. Didn't the old yellow Logitech use a serial/USB interface? Thanks, John Steve Blankenship <[email hidden]> wrote: : Check out shopper.com or ibuyer.net. They show some places still stocking : the Wingman Formula. Better yet, you might want to wait a couple of weeks : and try Logitech's new wheels, the Formula GP or Formula Force GP. They're : due out in mid-July and "look" like improved versions of both Logitech : wheels, at much lower prices. We'll have to wait and see if they've cut : corners to hit the new price points, so be sure to buy from a retailer who : offers a good return policy. You can check out http://www.joy-stick.net/ : for a peek at these new wheels. : Cheers, : Steve B. : John Kozak <[email hidden]> wrote... :> I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite :> online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really :> liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick :> one up.

"John Kozak" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:8jq3ba$aqf$[email hidden]...

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> I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite > online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really > liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick > one up. > > As an aside, I tried the MSFF but didn't like it for the framerate hit > it incurred. I tried the LWFF next and didn't like it because it felt > so damn clunky and notchy. I'm really not in the mood to roll the dice > again to see if I can get a smoother LWFF. Ironically, I chose the MSFF

Well I did just that because I thought the wheel was THAT good. I went to several Best Buy's and finially got a brand new unopened wheel. IMHO that is what you ran into. You have to make sure your wheel had not been opened. The Best Buy near my house had 6 LWFF wheels all opened/returned. You can tell because the tape which seals the box is clear and they try to put more clear tape over the original tape. You should have heard me reaming the manager for reselling opened products. From what I have experiences, if you get a real unopened unit there is an 80%-90% chance it will be cool. Many times they get notchyfrom abuse. People that complain about *NEW* units which are notchy, probably had preowned wheels that the store or company had repackaged. -- [email hidden] > first because I didn't like the cheesy LWFF pedals. It turned out that > the LWFF pedals were much better than the MSFF pedals. The MSFF pedals > had a very noticible deadzone that I just could not get rid of - the > Logitech pedals were very responsive. These pedals combined with the > great paddle shifters and low-CPU hit of the LWFF could've made this one > a keeper if not for the unbearable sticking and notching I felt. There > were times where I honestly couldn't tell if I was experiencing a wheel > notch/snag or a force feedback effect. :( > > So, I'm looking for a decent non-FF wheel at the moment. If I can't find > the yellow Logitech anywhere, I will probably go with the MS non-FF wheel. > > John

On Thu, 6 Jul 2000 11:55:12 -0500, "Greg Cisko" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>"John Kozak" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:8jq3ba$aqf$[email hidden]... >> I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite >> online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really >> liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick >> one up. >> >> As an aside, I tried the MSFF but didn't like it for the framerate hit >> it incurred. I tried the LWFF next and didn't like it because it felt >> so damn clunky and notchy. I'm really not in the mood to roll the dice >> again to see if I can get a smoother LWFF. Ironically, I chose the MSFF >

www.compgeeks.com have the yellow logitech wheel. Dolle Dolf >Well I did just that because I thought the wheel was THAT good.

Greg Cisko <[email hidden]> wrote: : "John Kozak" <[email hidden]> wrote in message : news:8jq3ba$aqf$[email hidden]... :> I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite :> online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really :> liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick :> one up. :> :> As an aside, I tried the MSFF but didn't like it for the framerate hit :> it incurred. I tried the LWFF next and didn't like it because it felt :> so damn clunky and notchy. I'm really not in the mood to roll the dice :> again to see if I can get a smoother LWFF. Ironically, I chose the MSFF : Well I did just that because I thought the wheel was THAT good. : I went to several Best Buy's and finially got a brand new unopened : wheel. IMHO that is what you ran into. You have to make sure your : wheel had not been opened. The Best Buy near my house had 6 : LWFF wheels all opened/returned. You can tell because the tape : which seals the box is clear and they try to put more clear tape : over the original tape. You should have heard me reaming the : manager for reselling opened products. : From what I have experiences, if you get a real unopened unit : there is an 80%-90% chance it will be cool. Many times they : get notchyfrom abuse. People that complain about *NEW* : units which are notchy, probably had preowned wheels that : the store or company had repackaged. I ordered my LWFF from buy.com and it looks like it was drop shipped directly from Logitech. The shipping box had Logitech markings all over it - not the typical buy.com box. And the box and contents appeared to be factory sealed. Like you, this is something I usually check pretty carefully. Oh well, I'm having fun with my MS non-FF wheel right now and it serves me well for the kind of stuff I'm playing. Thanks Greg, John

Greg, my one was unopened *and* notchy. IMO it could be a good move to take an opened box, but checking carefully. I guess a lot of wheels are returned because of squeeking, which is almost normal for the Logi. Or the previous buyer opened all boxed to choose the best one. Things to check when buying an opened box: Everything in? Spindle bent (notchy)? anything else? Jens --------------------------------------------- [email hidden] Remove "NOSPAM" before using my email-address JensSchumi homepage at http://members.xoom.com/JensSchu/ Racing simulation, esp. GPL Logitech Wingman FF optimization Classic cars, esp. Morris Minor Radio controlled airplanes

my 1st LWFF was new and unopened, and the wheel was fine - nice and smooth, but the pedals were faulty, which i tracked down to a bad poti. I took the lot back and replaced with annothe brand new unopened one. the pedals on this one worked but the wheel was very notchy. i took it apart, and discovered that the notchiness is caused by the force feedback motor shaft having been installed squint - not likely to happen through abuse!!! i went back to the shop again the next day and the guy let me have the wheel from one and the pedals from the other :-) Now everything is fine. The real problem is the design of the wheel - probably why it has been changed - they're scrapping the cable drive FF the motor shaft only has to be very slightly squint to cause the notchiness - so you need really good quality control. bummer really, coz when it works its a great wheel - and the (diy modified) pedals are fine also. the cable drive gives a crisper less spongy feedback than the ferrari wheel my friend has - the ferrari is good, with nice strong feedback, it just feels more synthetic than the logitech. col On Thu, 6 Jul 2000 11:55:12 -0500, "Greg Cisko" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>"John Kozak" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:8jq3ba$aqf$[email hidden]... >> I can't find this wheel in any local stores or any of my favorite >> online stores. I can't even find it at Logitech's website. I really >> liked the demo model I tried at Best Buy and was hoping I could pick >> one up. >> >> As an aside, I tried the MSFF but didn't like it for the framerate hit >> it incurred. I tried the LWFF next and didn't like it because it felt >> so damn clunky and notchy. I'm really not in the mood to roll the dice >> again to see if I can get a smoother LWFF. Ironically, I chose the MSFF > >Well I did just that because I thought the wheel was THAT good. >I went to several Best Buy's and finially got a brand new unopened >wheel. IMHO that is what you ran into. You have to make sure your >wheel had not been opened. The Best Buy near my house had 6 >LWFF wheels all opened/returned. You can tell because the tape >which seals the box is clear and they try to put more clear tape >over the original tape. You should have heard me reaming the >manager for reselling opened products. > >From what I have experiences, if you get a real unopened unit >there is an 80%-90% chance it will be cool. Many times they >get notchyfrom abuse. People that complain about *NEW* >units which are notchy, probably had preowned wheels that >the store or company had repackaged. > > >-- > >[email hidden] > > >> first because I didn't like the cheesy LWFF pedals. It turned out that >> the LWFF pedals were much better than the MSFF pedals. The MSFF pedals >> had a very noticible deadzone that I just could not get rid of - the >> Logitech pedals were very responsive. These pedals combined with the >> great paddle shifters and low-CPU hit of the LWFF could've made this one >> a keeper if not for the unbearable sticking and notching I felt. There >> were times where I honestly couldn't tell if I was experiencing a wheel >> notch/snag or a force feedback effect. :( >> >> So, I'm looking for a decent non-FF wheel at the moment. If I can't find >> the yellow Logitech anywhere, I will probably go with the MS non-FF wheel. >> >> John > >