CH Virtual Pilot Pro and driving games

Is anyone else out there using a CH Virtual Pilot Pro with driving games? I bought one today, hoping to mothball my old T1 wheel. The T1 pedals broke once too often, and I started using my CH pedals instead. To round out the set, and have one set of controls for flight AND driving, I bought the VPP. The VPP yoke has a very stiff detent at the center position. This helps tremendously for calibrating the "stick", but it plays havoc on fine control while driving. I've tried using non-linear steering in ICR2 and NCR, but the variable steering will take a *long* time to get used, and perversely enough, still suffers some yanking as I turn through center. I haven't been able to break 1:50 at Elkhart after 2 hours of trying. It's a nice unit, solid feel, and buttons on the yoke that work very well for gear shifting. But there's the question of control... Is anyone using the VPP yoke successfully for driving? Has anyone tried softening the detent? No matter how gently and smoothly I do this, turning the yoke through center rocks a few impulse doublets to the control, inducing a very interesting oversteer under braking. (Yuk!) (Disappointed...) Mike.

> Is anyone else out there using a CH Virtual Pilot Pro with driving > games? I bought one today, hoping to mothball my old T1 wheel. The T1 I've been using the VPP and Pro pedals for a couple years now. Could'nt be happier. In watching Hawaii replays my car seems very smooth compared to some of the others, although that could be a combo of setup and controller. I guess it's a matter of getting use to it. I don't use any flight sims but I do love F1 racing (waiting for GP2 like everyone else) and the VPP is perfect for that with the buttons positioned on the wheel, which is how I have them setup for both F1GP, ICR2 and NASCAR. As for construction, man I've been yanking on this thing for going on 2 years and it's still like new. I highly recommend it. -- -----------. __ .----------- ----- \( )/ ----- Cie Phillips --- ' \/ ` --- Phillips MotorSports --- : : --- #01 Lite Ice Chevy --' 01 '-- #01 Lite Ice Reynard Mercedes //..\\ http://www.teleplex.net/cie/ '//||\\` ''``

I have been using a plain VP for about a year now. It is ok but it seems as though it is a little "touchy" to me. I am currently collecting the parts to build a wheel. Am going to try some different gear ratios to the pot and see what happens. The first effort is going to be a three to one ratio. I have the gears, a wheel from a Mercury Lynx (with the cruise buttons) a potentiometer, just got the shaft and a cast iron pillow-block with a bearing today. I hope to have it finished by next weekend. Still have to take the shaft to a machine-shop and build a frame to hold it all. I intend to incorporate the ability to change gear ratios so I can find the one that works best. Many thanks to Walt Ottenad for pointers and the motivation to try this. I took mine apart and used judicious amounts of graphite it areas that it appeared where going to be subject to wear. You may want to try that. I would caution you to be frugal with the graphite tho', I think it *will* conduct electricity. I also use the CH pedals and intend to keep them as I can find nothing that I would want to change in them. They work about as good as anyone could want. Just my thoughts and experiences. Have Fun! Ralph<Ralphw on Hawaii>Williams /---------------------------------------------------------------------------\ /Ralph Williams My real .sig file is in the shop getting repaired.\ /---------------------------------------------------------------------------\

I just got the VP Pro this past Christmas (7 mos. ago) and LOVE IT.. I don't use it for flight sims, but I'm sure it's great for those too.. And it's almost like real when I will shift in F1GP2, buttons instead of paddles though.. please define "DETENT".. I don't notice anything wrong with it.. /|\ / |#\ David Otterness / |##\ Roid Racing / |###\ #4 Best Buy Monte Carlo / |####\ #4 Best Buy Penske Mercedes ----------- Want to talk racing? \####| / Feel free to e-mail me at: \##| / Or find me on UnderNet IRC, \#| / Handle: Roid \|/

I recently bought a VPP and its performance on NCR over my previous Gravis pad was immediately improved. My replays showed much smoother runs and a 2 to 3 mph improvement on the big tracks regardless of the setups. It's fairly inexpensive and the detent in the center of the wheel is unnoticeable while driving (at least in my experience). Darin Carr

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> I recently bought a VPP and its performance on NCR over my previous > Gravis pad was immediately improved. My replays showed much smoother > runs and a 2 to 3 mph improvement on the big tracks regardless of the > setups. > It's fairly inexpensive and the detent in the center of the wheel is > unnoticeable while driving (at least in my experience). > Darin Carr

========= Thanks all for the feedback. I've since switched back to the T1. I perceived a certain amount of "slop" in the VPP because I had grown so intimate with the T1. The difference is perhaps not in the detent, which I unjustly blamed for my sudden inability to maintain a straight line. Rather, the T1 has smooth, increasing tension on wheel travel as you turn successively farther from center. The VPP has little or no tactile feedback outside of the center detent. It appears I've delegated all responsibility for turn control to my hands. I'm sure I could get used to this given time, but the "indignity" of it all is too much. FWIW, the T1 works very well with CH pedals. I'd recommend this as a long term fix for anyone having problems with the flaky T1 pedals. Mike.

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>Is anyone else out there using a CH Virtual Pilot Pro with driving >games? I bought one today, hoping to mothball my old T1 wheel. The T1 >pedals broke once too often, and I started using my CH pedals instead. >To round out the set, and have one set of controls for flight AND >driving, I bought the VPP. >The VPP yoke has a very stiff detent at the center position. This helps >tremendously for calibrating the "stick", but it plays havoc on fine >control while driving. I've tried using non-linear steering in ICR2 and >NCR, but the variable steering will take a *long* time to get used, and >perversely enough, still suffers some yanking as I turn through center. >I haven't been able to break 1:50 at Elkhart after 2 hours of trying. >It's a nice unit, solid feel, and buttons on the yoke that work very >well for gear shifting. But there's the question of control... >Is anyone using the VPP yoke successfully for driving? Has anyone tried >softening the detent? No matter how gently and smoothly I do >this, turning the yoke through center rocks a few impulse doublets to >the control, inducing a very interesting oversteer under braking. (Yuk!)

Well, I've been using a CH VPP and CH Pro Pedals for about 6 months. I think they are a decent value if you're also into flight sims. I've never had the opportunity to try a "real" wheel like a T1/T2, TSW, ECC or GP500, but plan to purchase one this summer. I usually keep the steering lock low, 5-9 degrees on ovals, and 8-12 on road courses. I use linear steer on road courses and non-linear on ovals. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to cross up to correct oversteer, you really need about 15-20 degrees of lock to do that effectively. I'm sure my lap times suffer on the road courses because I have to be so careful about not getting into an oversteer situation. FWIW, I have a couple of top 10 qualifying times on Hawaii, so it doesn't seem to hold me back all that much, at least on the ovals. I still lust for a real wheel, though. <g> Dave "davids" Sparks Sequoia Motorsports

Hi! The best combination for me is the CH pedals (you just can't slip off them) and the Thrustmaster T2 wheel. The VPP does not have any resistance. That is o.k. for flying, but not for driving. l8er ronny

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> Hi! > The best combination for me is the CH pedals (you just can't slip > off them) and the Thrustmaster T2 wheel. The VPP does not have any > resistance. That is o.k. for flying, but not for driving. > l8er > ronnyWhat is it about the CH VPP that puts it second on your list? Just curious, I currently

have the pedals, but am waiting to get the steering. Greg Hicks

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> > Hi! > > The best combination for me is the CH pedals (you just can't slip > > off them) and the Thrustmaster T2 wheel. The VPP does not have any > > resistance. That is o.k. for flying, but not for driving. > > l8er > > ronnyWhat is it about the CH VPP that puts it second on your list? Just curious, I currently > have the pedals, but am waiting to get the steering. > Greg Hicks

========= For me, it's the lack of tactile feedback as you turn the wheel. There's almost no tension on that axis. The T1/T2, OTOH, have smoothly increasing tension as you turn the wheel further from center. The VPP's center detent is also quite stiff (the detent is sorta like a flat spot at the center point of the wheel travel; the home position). Combined with the free floating feel, fine steering adjustments zooming down a fast straight are next to impossible. Also, since the tension is so light and apparently invariable, it's very difficult to quickly toss the wheel over for a tight turn. Apparently, my hands learned to do what they do by pressure, not position. Some other guys say they have no problem at all. I suppose I could retrain myself to do this, too, but it didn't seem worth the trouble. Mike.

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> > Hi! > > The best combination for me is the CH pedals (you just can't slip > > off them) and the Thrustmaster T2 wheel. The VPP does not have any > > resistance. That is o.k. for flying, but not for driving. > > l8er > > ronnyWhat is it about the CH VPP that puts it second on your list? Just

curious, I currently > have the pedals, but am waiting to get the steering. > Greg Hicks Well, just what I said, maybe I used the wrong word: The more you turn the T2 wheel, the more 'force' you have to use. I hope, this was a little bit clearer? 8^) Another negative point of the VPP is the second axis (back and forth). I thought about blocking it somehow, but then came the T2. A few weeks ago I moved the 2 little red buttons on the dash to the wheel, so the single advantage of the VPP, the buttons on the wheel, is gone also. l8er ronny

I've got a VPP and CH pedals and they work great for me. I've read about T2 springs coming off, etc. and having to rig buttons for the wheel, no need for that here. I like the idea of the resistance on the wheel found on the T2, but the lack of it on the VPP doesn't affect your driving, you will get used to it. My spedds immediately picked up after installing these and I'm happy with them. -