T2 Ignorance (is Bliss)

Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). 1. Why do I need it? 2. What are the benefits? 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16. Replay by e-mail if possible...don't want to miss anything. Thanks.

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> Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). > 1. Why do I need it? > 2. What are the benefits? > 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? > I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16. > Replay by e-mail if possible...don't want to miss anything. Thanks.

(first off, wanted to tell you that asking for a direct email response is rude in the newsgroups, so I'm posting this message for the people who ALSO want to know the answer to your question.) I have a AMD 5x86-133 mhz, and Thrustmaster said that people who have pentium's or higher should get a dedicated game card. Ehh. I don't use my SB16 for my joystick port, though, I use a midi adaptor that has 2 ports. But anyway, I have no problems controlling my games, and I don't see how a game card will help...it all depends on your setup I guess. I say just try it. If it messes up, try a game card... Ray

It is not needed, but some people still swear by it. Mine works just fine from my SB16. I initially had trouble, and Thrustmasters tech support said I need to get the ACM, but what else were they going to say? I did break down and buy a no-name brand gamecard for about $9.00 from Wally World for my Pentium, but my 5x86 AMD 133 works fine with my SB16 value. I am sure someone will give them to you. I don't have one, so I don't know. The advantage of having one in my Pentium is that I now have two JS ports available without a Y-Cable. Functional? No. To the max, probably. Supposedly makes for a more precisely calibrated joystick. Maybe so. I you have a slot and $30+ to spare, go for it. I am out of slots at the moment, so it is not a possibility at this time.

He wanted a direct response so he would be sure to get the answer. This is rude? In newsgroup land, this seems more practical than anything else. Messages here are easy to miss, while direct email is pretty hard to. Lighten up the rules some, *** cop. Oh, and if someone else wanted to know the answer, why haven't they bothered to ask the question? Let the lurkers beware!!

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> Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). > 1. Why do I need it? > 2. What are the benefits? > 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? > I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16.

I am using the Thrustmaster T2 with NASCAR Racing, and have no problem with it. I have a 133MHz Pentium system with 32 Meg of RAM. I have it hooked up via a MIDI port adapter to my sound card, which is an Ensoniq wavetable card. The MIDI port adapter is for my MIDI electronic keyboard. Hope this helps. -- Emerson <><><><><><><><><><> Writing from Pasadena, Maryland, USA

> Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). > 1. Why do I need it? I needed it because my Soundcards gameport did not have the power capabilities required. My computer would not even boot up. Put an ACM card in & it rocked. In my case the computer booted :-) Plus the card is built for *** with the best componants. Pretty much a rock- solid setup now. You may *not* even need it. I suggest trying without first. Then if you have problems, go to a speed adjustable card. BTW, the TM-ACM card is just one of many. Mine is a P5-133. > Replay by e-mail if possible...don't want to miss anything. Thanks.

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> > Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). > > 1. Why do I need it? > It is not needed, but some people still swear by it. Mine works just fine > from my SB16. I initially had trouble, and Thrustmasters tech support said > I need to get the ACM, but what else were they going to say? I did break > down and buy a no-name brand gamecard for about $9.00 from Wally World for > my Pentium, but my 5x86 AMD 133 works fine with my SB16 value. > > 2. What are the benefits? > I am sure someone will give them to you. I don't have one, so I don't > know. The advantage of having one in my Pentium is that I now have two JS > ports available without a Y-Cable.

One benefit is that the ACM has 2 game port connectors. Each is (I believe) a dual game port. I saw that TM had a utility on their web site which allowed the T2 to be plugged into the second gameport plug. So you can leave your joystick/WCSII plugged into your normal gameport plug. The main benefit of this is that you would not need the $50 JOYSWITCH thingie.

: > Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that : > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). : > 1. Why do I need it? : > 2. What are the benefits? : > 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? : > : > I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16. I've got mine hooked up through a soundblaster 8 clone with no problems. I have a P-90 with 16 meg of ram. -- Regards, -Dirt- ******************************************* * Mechanical Engineering 1996 * * University of Missouri, Rolla * *******************************************

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> Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster). > 1. Why do I need it? > 2. What are the benefits? > 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? > I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16.

My T2 is running perfectly on a SBPro (Pentium 120) Paco Nostromo Racing Team http://edafo1.usc.es/gp2.html

Try a Win95 calibration. You'll probably need a game card then. > > Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by Thrustmaster).

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> > 1. Why do I need it? > > 2. What are the benefits? > > 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? > > I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16. > My T2 is running perfectly on a SBPro (Pentium 120) > Paco > Nostromo Racing Team > http://edafo1.usc.es/gp2.html

Nope, calibration works fine in Win95 and a SB16.

> Try a Win95 calibration. You'll probably need a game card then. I repeat: My T2 is running perfectly on a SBPro (Pentium 120)

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> > > Just ordered a T2 for use with IC & WC (among others)...now I hear that > > > I'll need an adjustable game card (coincidentally made by > Thrustmaster). > > > 1. Why do I need it? > > > 2. What are the benefits? > > > 3. Is this all I'll need to make it functional and usable to the max? > > > I've got a 486 DX2/66 w/ 12megs of RAM + 6xCD-ROM & SB16. > > My T2 is running perfectly on a SBPro (Pentium 120) > > Paco > > Nostromo Racing Team > > http://edafo1.usc.es/gp2.html

Regarding the necessity of game cards... I needed one. Why? Because I have a cheap no-name sound card, that's why. Sound Blaster cards seem to have better joystick ports than some of the other cards. It is an area where the no-name guys can save a little $$. Anyway to make a long story short, when I put the card in my new pentuim motherboard (upgrade from a 486).... The joystick was uncontrolable. It wouldn't stay calibrated, and was generally jerky in movement. I then disabled the joystick port on the sound card, bought a thrustmaster game card, and everything is smooth as silk again. However ... Does everybody need a game card? I think not. I chose to buy the game card for a few dollars now and I'll probably be throwing it away as soon as I can afford the killer sound card I really want.

>> Try a Win95 calibration. You'll probably need a game card then. > I repeat: My T2 is running perfectly on a SBPro (Pentium 120) To this and many other comments like them (referring to Game cards on Pentiums) all I have to say is this...I bought a P166 recently, with the SB32PnP card. Played GP2 with joystick until my T2 showed up...then used that with the SB joystick port...all was (in my opinion) fine, until I got the T2 F22 stick...couldn't get the F22 to calibrate, so I went to my local computer shop to get a game card...they were out of TM ACM, so I got the CH3 card. Used it, but didn't really see any difference. Then, yesterday, I recieved in the mail the T2 ACM card (I had forgotten I had ordered it from Chip/Bits). I installed that in the system in place of the CH card...WOW! I picked up, had to be, 2-3 seconds at Adelaide in GP2. Everything was so much smoother...the funny thing was, I didn't even think I had a problem with the SB32 port (and, really, I didn't have a "problem"), but what a difference that TM card made. Things will "run perfectly" as I was running everything perfectly...at least, everything was "running", but as I found out, not optimally. Just my 0.02 worth... John Wehman

I'll state the details of my experience. Cyrix 5x86-120 / Galaxy Sound card / Thrustmaster Grand Prix I. Nascar, Indycar2, and Screamer 2 all calibrate and run fine through cheapy sound boards' joystick port. Win95 Calibration fails WITH the axis adapter. Using Thrustmasters directions. Additon of ACM game card allows Win95 Calibration and ultimately Monster Truck Maddnes! Thrustmaster said my experience was common. They surmised that the value and or range of the Grand Prix's potentiometers were different than standard joystick pots. If you'd like my comments about how I like my Grand Prix 1, email me. Regards D. Blackburn

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>> I repeat: My T2 is running perfectly on a SBPro (Pentium 120) >with: >To this and many other comments like them (referring to Game cards on >Pentiums) all I have to say is this...I bought a P166 recently, with the >SB32PnP card. Played GP2 with joystick until my T2 showed up...then used that >with the SB joystick port...all was (in my opinion) fine, until I got the T2 >F22 stick...couldn't get the F22 to calibrate, so I went to my local computer >shop to get a game card...they were out of TM ACM, so I got the CH3 card. >Used it, but didn't really see any difference. Then, yesterday, I recieved in >the mail the T2 ACM card (I had forgotten I had ordered it from Chip/Bits). I >installed that in the system in place of the CH card...WOW! >I picked up, had to be, 2-3 seconds at Adelaide in GP2. Everything was so >much smoother...the funny thing was, I didn't even think I had a problem with >the SB32 port (and, really, I didn't have a "problem"), but what a difference >that TM card made. >Things will "run perfectly" as I was running everything perfectly...at least, >everything was "running", but as I found out, not optimally. >Just my 0.02 worth... >John Wehman

Absolutely on the money John. Particularly in GP2, in my experience using a TM ACM gamecard with one's T2 makes a huge difference in terms of controller input finesse and overall car responsiveness. Of course someone who hasn't tried this and therefore has no actual basis of comparison other than the hypothetical, isn't going to either appreciate this subtlety or acknowledge it. If others are content to call mediocrity "perfection", who are we to attempt to enlighten them? <SMILE> * * *