Another PDPI or USB-TSW question.

I am still trying to knock the dust off my TSW, and get back into sim racing after being off for more than two years. I have a question for those of you who have tried both (or just have an opinion). Which one of these two options is the best combination for N2003 using a TSW wheel? Don't factor in any other uses for the computer. Money is not an issue as far as these two choices are concerned. In other words, I can afford the ($200.00) TSW/USB modification route, but I prefer going with the one that will provide the best performance. 1. The TSW on Windows 89SE with a PDPI card (I would do a dual boot, with XP used for everything other than N2003). 2. The TSW with the "factory" USB modifications running on Windows XP. Here is the computer: CPU......AMD Athlon 1200 MHz MB.......Abit KT7A MB Video.....Nvidia Geforece3 Ti 200 Sound....Turtle Beach Memory..512 mb pc 133 Thanks

"LA45" <LarryAnderson(nospam)@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:8NVDd.13421$[email hidden]... :I am still trying to knock the dust off my TSW, and get back into sim racing : after being off for more than two years. : : I have a question for those of you who have tried both (or just have an : opinion). Which one of these two options is the best combination for N2003 : using a TSW wheel? Don't factor in any other uses for the computer. Money : is not an issue as far as these two choices are concerned. In other words, : I can afford the ($200.00) TSW/USB modification route, but I prefer going : with the one that will provide the best performance. : : 1. The TSW on Windows 89SE with a PDPI card (I would do a dual boot, with XP : used for everything other than N2003). : : 2. The TSW with the "factory" USB modifications running on Windows XP. : : Here is the computer: : : CPU......AMD Athlon 1200 MHz : MB.......Abit KT7A MB : Video.....Nvidia Geforece3 Ti 200 : Sound....Turtle Beach : Memory..512 mb pc 133 Not a direct response to your questions, but I had the Rockfire adapter for my TSW, and had problems with it. I sent my unit back to TSW and had the USB mod installed. Has performed flawlessly.

"Triathlete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> > "LA45" <LarryAnderson(nospam)@hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:8NVDd.13421$[email hidden]... > :I am still trying to knock the dust off my TSW, and get back into sim > racing > : after being off for more than two years. > : > : I have a question for those of you who have tried both (or just have an > : opinion). Which one of these two options is the best combination for > N2003 > : using a TSW wheel? Don't factor in any other uses for the computer. > Money > : is not an issue as far as these two choices are concerned. In other > words, > : I can afford the ($200.00) TSW/USB modification route, but I prefer > going > : with the one that will provide the best performance. > : > : 1. The TSW on Windows 89SE with a PDPI card (I would do a dual boot, > with > XP > : used for everything other than N2003). > : > : 2. The TSW with the "factory" USB modifications running on Windows XP. > : > : Here is the computer: > : > : CPU......AMD Athlon 1200 MHz > : MB.......Abit KT7A MB > : Video.....Nvidia Geforece3 Ti 200 > : Sound....Turtle Beach > : Memory..512 mb pc 133 > > Not a direct response to your questions, but I had the Rockfire adapter > for > my TSW, and had problems with it. I sent my unit back to TSW and had the > USB mod installed. Has performed flawlessly. > >

If $ and time (shipping) aren't concerns then go the usb conversion. I don't have it but tried the rockfire. It will not give you the results you are looking for imho. DC

On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 04:06:46 -0500, David Ciemny wrote: > > If $ and time (shipping) aren't concerns then go the usb conversion. I don't > have it but tried the rockfire. It will not give you the results you are > looking for imho. Not meaning to hijack the thread, but what kind of resolution do you get on the "factory converted" tsw units? With the rockfire adapter and high spec spots, GPL calibration gives me around 200 separate values on the steering axis and around 60 on the brake axis. I'd really like to find out how the tsw conversion units fare in this department. OT, I can drive "ok" with the el-cheapo rockfire usb adapter, it's not great and nothing like GPL's original "generic" input routines, but I can live with it for now (unless you tell me the factory conversion is miles above it in terms of resolution, now that would be a different matter ;-) Cheers, uwe -- GPG Fingerprint: 2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F 67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61

Uwe Sch�rkamp wrote:

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> On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 04:06:46 -0500, David Ciemny wrote: > > Not meaning to hijack the thread, but what kind of resolution do you > get on the "factory converted" tsw units? With the rockfire adapter > and high spec spots, GPL calibration gives me around 200 separate > values on the steering axis and around 60 on the brake axis. I'd > really like to find out how the tsw conversion units fare in this > department. >

I know that after a simple and non permanent modification to the wiring my TSW2 wheel, I could increase the resolution a lot. My gameport would only recognize it when I turn the wheel to the left :p Have not tried it with the pedals yet, but it should be possible there too. Pascal

"Uwe Sch�rkamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... : On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 04:06:46 -0500, David Ciemny wrote: : > : > If $ and time (shipping) aren't concerns then go the usb conversion. I don't : > have it but tried the rockfire. It will not give you the results you are : > looking for imho. : : Not meaning to hijack the thread, but what kind of resolution do you : get on the "factory converted" tsw units? With the rockfire adapter : and high spec spots, GPL calibration gives me around 200 separate : values on the steering axis and around 60 on the brake axis. I'd : really like to find out how the tsw conversion units fare in this : department. : : OT, I can drive "ok" with the el-cheapo rockfire usb adapter, it's not : great and nothing like GPL's original "generic" input routines, but I : can live with it for now (unless you tell me the factory conversion is : miles above it in terms of resolution, now that would be a different : matter ;-) I have the factory converted TSW and my values are close to what you're getting. Steering = 223, brake = 71 and throttle = 72. The main difference I'm seeing compared to the Rockfire adapter I was previously using, is the overall smoothness of the wheel and pedals. Also, there were times that the Rockfire just wouldn't work. When I would start a sim, the controller wasn't recognized. I would have to do a reboot to get it working.

I have the factory converted TSW and my values are close to what you're getting. Steering = 223, brake = 71 and throttle = 72. The main difference I'm seeing compared to the Rockfire adapter I was previously using, is the overall smoothness of the wheel and pedals. Also, there were times that the Rockfire just wouldn't work. When I would start a sim, the controller wasn't recognized. I would have to do a reboot to get it working. ----------------------------------- You know that you can alter the length of the pedal throw by taking off the cover and lengthening or shortening the screw arms on the pedal mechanism? If you want more of the pot to be used, you'd probably need the lengthen the screw arms. Steering can be shortened by adding a few screws to act as stops. I changed my TSW steering to 180 degrees because I like it that way. Sorry you don't like the Rockfire Uwe, I find it just as good if not better then gameport. -- Richard "ZZ" Busch Member: Screamers Racing League oAo AoA MARA TransAm GT Rank +57.022 GT Rank Monster 1414.955 GPL Rank + 14.768 MoGPL Rank + 308.654 N2003 Rank -18.8060 ---------------- Remember racecar is racecar spelled backward ----------------- ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 12:08:02 -0500, ZZ wrote: > Sorry you don't like the Rockfire Uwe, I find it just as good if not > better then gameport. Hi ZZ, thanks for your suggestions. I am not saying I don't like my new setup, it's just that I expected a bit more from all the hassle (not that Dave Jr. didn't warn me ;-) However it probably has as much to do with the psychological side ("gnaah, GTR made me upgrade to XP Pro, something I'd sworn I'd never do") of things as it has with the hardware side. I'm neither slower nor faster in GPL, F1C, GTR or N2003 than before with the new Rockfire setup, so on the face of things nothing has really gone from "good" to "bad" or whatever. Just ignore my moaning from now on; now that I've heard that $100 conversion kit from Thomas doesn't really mean all that much of an improvement over my custom el-cheapo setup, I already feel a lot happier ;^) cheers, uwe -- GPG Fingerprint: 2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F 67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 17:45:41 +0100, Pascal Dukers wrote: > I know that after a simple and non permanent modification to the wiring > my TSW2 wheel, I could increase the resolution a lot. My gameport would > only recognize it when I turn the wheel to the left :p Have not tried it > with the pedals yet, but it should be possible there too. Care to tell us what you did then? All the best, uwe -- GPG Fingerprint: 2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F 67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61

Larry, Don't overlook the fact that needing a mobo w. an ISA slot (for the PDPI) is going to seriously limit your future choices, not to mention being a PITA if you have to dual-boot each time you want to play to N2003. The PDPI was a great workaround back in the days of analog gameports, but nothing more than a boat anchor today. "LA45" <LarryAnderson(nospam)@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:8NVDd.13421$[email hidden]... > I am still trying to knock the dust off my TSW, and get back into simracing > after being off for more than two years. > > I have a question for those of you who have tried both (or just have an > opinion). Which one of these two options is the best combination forN2003 > using a TSW wheel? Don't factor in any other uses for the computer.Money > is not an issue as far as these two choices are concerned. In otherwords, > I can afford the ($200.00) TSW/USB modification route, but I prefer going > with the one that will provide the best performance. > > 1. The TSW on Windows 89SE with a PDPI card (I would do a dual boot, withXP

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> used for everything other than N2003). > > 2. The TSW with the "factory" USB modifications running on Windows XP. > > Here is the computer: > > CPU......AMD Athlon 1200 MHz > MB.......Abit KT7A MB > Video.....Nvidia Geforece3 Ti 200 > Sound....Turtle Beach > Memory..512 mb pc 133 > > Thanks > >

"Triathlete" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:

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> > "Uwe Sch�rkamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... >: On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 04:06:46 -0500, David Ciemny wrote: >: Not meaning to hijack the thread, but what kind of resolution do you >: get on the "factory converted" tsw units? With the rockfire adapter >: and high spec spots, GPL calibration gives me around 200 separate >: values on the steering axis and around 60 on the brake axis. I'd >: really like to find out how the tsw conversion units fare in this >: department. > > I have the factory converted TSW and my values are close to what > you're getting. Steering = 223, brake = 71 and throttle = 72. The > main difference I'm seeing compared to the Rockfire adapter I was > previously using, is the overall smoothness of the wheel and pedals. > Also, there were times that the Rockfire just wouldn't work. When I > would start a sim, the controller wasn't recognized. I would have to > do a reboot to get it working.

Just to confuse the issue. With the 250K ohm pots that came stock in my ECCI system, GPL gives me a range of 2083 for steering, 1186 for throttle, and 1076 for brake. Also, on the ECCI site they sell the Rockfire USB Adapter and specify that it requires 250k pots. http://ecci6000.com/products.asp?id=ALL&pg=6 DonS

Pascal Dukers wrote:

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> Uwe Sch�rkamp wrote: > >> On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 17:45:41 +0100, Pascal Dukers wrote: >> >>> I know that after a simple and non permanent modification to the >>> wiring my TSW2 wheel, I could increase the resolution a lot. My >>> gameport would only recognize it when I turn the wheel to the left :p >>> Have not tried it with the pedals yet, but it should be possible >>> there too. >> >> >> >> Care to tell us what you did then? > > > Fist a disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible for invalidation of any > warranty on your steering device or a not working steering device > resulting from making these modifications :) > > You need to connect a wire from the spare potentiometer pin through to > the Ground on the connector block (see pic). You will need to solder the > wire to the potentiometer in order to get a suitable connection. > > If the steering does not work correctly then it may be because the wiper > and Vcc wires are the wrong way round on your potentiometer. You can > check to see if you need to change this by seeing if the white (centre) > wire connects to the pin 3 on the 15-pin connector (see pic). If it does > not and it is connected to pin 1 instead then you will need to swap the > two corresponding wires around where they connect into the connector block. >

And of course I can't guarantee it will work for you. It was not intended for an usb converter, I was just bored back then :p

Thanks to all for the info., and suggestions. I've decided to send the wheel back for the USB upgrade. Larry

Thanks to all for the info., and suggestions. I've decided to send the wheel back for the USB upgrade. Larry