Dead Zone on Nascar Pro Digital!!!!!

Does anyone know how to fix it.

Sure don't - I didn't know these were on the market yet. Where can you get one? Are there any reviews yet? Other than the dead zone, how do you like the wheel? <remove 7of9 for e-mail replies> -- Bill Jones e-mail addresses: (860) 701-1201 WWW: http://pages.cthome.net/billj

I just hooked up my wheel about 1 hour ago and am disappointed. Just going down the backstretch at Talladega it wanders to the left, as if the car were out of alignment. As you pull it back to the right, it reaches a point where it will then jerk to the right. As with previous NASCAR PRO wheels this sounds like it is out of calibration. I have checked the calibration several times. Win98/Celeron at 550/Abit BXR-2 motherboard. Ordered it from Buy.com 2 or 3 weeks ago, received it today, was released from backorder earlier in the week. Gene

I too just got a Nascar Pro Digital and it also had a dead zone around the center. After calibrating the wheel in Grand Prix Legends, it would be centered at a raw value of 320 and I could turn the wheel 5 to 10 degrees left or right before the value would jump from 320 to about 360 turning right or 280 turning left. The calibration results under Nascar 1999 were almost identical to those of GPL. The dead zone caused eratic steering behavoir around the center in both games. Here are the things I tried to fix the problem as well as the results: 1) Action: I downloaded and installed the latest driver, DTPRO-9X-303c.exe from the http://www.thrustmaster.com web site. Result: No improvement, still a dead zone. 2) Action: Removed the base from the wheel and sprayed electrical contact cleaner in the steering potentiometer. Result: Maybe a slight narrowing of the dead zone, but that could have been my imagination as the calibration wierdness did not change when viewed from games. 3) Action: Went to SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->GAME CONTROLLER and removed Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. I then selected the ADD button and chose Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. Result: The wheel worked great. No more dead zone and smooth steering response around the center. It's hard to say if just removing the controller and then adding it again fixed the problem, or if it was a combination of things, or maybe I just got lucky. In any case, it is working correctly now. I ordered the wheel about a month ago from http://www.buy.com and just got it last Wednesday. This is the first racing wheel I've owned, so I can't make any comparisons but the pedal base is awfully light. I am going to have to find a way of anchoring it since it keeps scooting out from under my feet. It looks like a review on this wheel will be posted shortly on http://www.joy-stick.net. Good Luck

Not a deadzone issue really. It's a "positioning resolution" issue. The problem is on the Firware Positioning Algorithm used on the USB chip. From what you have said..... looks like Guillemot/TM have not learned from the mistake in their WingLeader USB Joystick, and decided to use a similar algorithm in their new USB wheels. If this is true, you have a positioning resolution of about 25 to translate 270 degrees of turn. In fact.... it will be even lower if the wheel only has 180 degrees of turn (positioning resolution of about 18.... which is concurrent with the positioning resolution of the WingLeader joystick [19]). Guillemot R/D seem to think that you guys wouldn't notice such a BRUTAL positioning resolution, since after all..... we are all dummies who couldn't possibly comprehend or notice..... right Guillemot? Everything I have heard on this NG points to a BIG problem with Guillemot's USB implementation as a whole.... and from speaking with them in the past..... they are in it way over their heads in USB implementation. They should stick to analog..... Sorry Guillemot..... there is more to Wheels than putting a prancing horse and a NASCAR insignia on the product to make it function properly. I would avoid them like the plague..... Cheers, Shumi http://www.rs2league.com

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> I too just got a Nascar Pro Digital and it also had a dead zone around the > center. After calibrating the wheel in Grand Prix Legends, it would be > centered at a raw value of 320 and I could turn the wheel 5 to 10 degrees > left or right before the value would jump from 320 to about 360 turning > right or 280 turning left. The calibration results under Nascar 1999 were > almost identical to those of GPL. The dead zone caused eratic steering > behavoir around the center in both games. Here are the things I tried to

fix

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> the problem as well as the results: > 1) Action: I downloaded and installed the latest driver, > DTPRO-9X-303c.exe from the http://www.thrustmaster.com web site. > Result: No improvement, still a dead zone. > 2) Action: Removed the base from the wheel and sprayed electrical > contact cleaner in the steering potentiometer. > Result: Maybe a slight narrowing of the dead zone, but that could > have been my imagination as the calibration wierdness did not change > when viewed from games. > 3) Action: Went to SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->GAME CONTROLLER and

removed

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> Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. I then selected the ADD button and > chose Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. > Result: The wheel worked great. No more dead zone and smooth > steering response around the center. > It's hard to say if just removing the controller and then adding it again > fixed the problem, or if it was a combination of things, or maybe I just

got > lucky. In any case, it is working correctly now. I ordered the wheel about a > month ago from http://www.buy.com and just got it last Wednesday. This is > the first racing wheel I've owned, so I can't make any comparisons but the > pedal base is awfully light. I am going to have to find a way of anchoring > it since it keeps scooting out from under my feet. It looks like a review on

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> this wheel will be posted shortly on http://www.joy-stick.net. > Good Luck > > Does anyone know how to fix it.

But the weird thing is that the dead zone is only around the center position and the resolution seems fine out of the dead zone. The problem is the jump in calibration value as you move out of the dead zone. One other observation is that if you remove the wheel form the list of controllers, then add it again, then calibrate by clicking on properties via SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->GAME CONTROLLER, you will get a dead zone around the center position. Clicking on properties brings up the Thrustmaster Nascar Pro Digital software. However, if you re-add the controller but do not click on properties and instead calibrate the wheel in the game, e.g. GPL or Nascar 1999, the dead zone disappears. That leads me to believe that this is a software problem and not a firmware or hardware problem. I am going to try to get some answers from Guillemott, but based on your experience this may not be easy. > Not a deadzone issue really. It's a "positioning resolution" issue. The > problem is on the Firware Positioning Algorithm used on the USB chip. From > what you have said..... looks like Guillemot/TM have not learned from the > mistake in their WingLeader USB Joystick, and decided to use a similar > algorithm in their new USB wheels. If this is true, you have a positioning > resolution of about 25 to translate 270 degrees of turn. In fact.... it will > be even lower if the wheel only has 180 degrees of turn (positioning > resolution of about 18.... which is concurrent with the positioning > resolution of the WingLeader joystick [19]). > Guillemot R/D seem to think that you guys wouldn't notice such a BRUTAL > positioning resolution, since after all..... we are all dummies who couldn't > possibly comprehend or notice..... right Guillemot? > Everything I have heard on this NG points to a BIG problem with Guillemot's

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> USB implementation as a whole.... and from speaking with them in the > past..... they are in it way over their heads in USB implementation. They > should stick to analog..... > Sorry Guillemot..... there is more to Wheels than putting a prancing horse > and a NASCAR insignia on the product to make it function properly. I would > avoid them like the plague..... > Cheers, > Shumi > http://www.rs2league.com > > I too just got a Nascar Pro Digital and it also had a dead zone around

the > > center. After calibrating the wheel in Grand Prix Legends, it would be > > centered at a raw value of 320 and I could turn the wheel 5 to 10 degrees > > left or right before the value would jump from 320 to about 360 turning > > right or 280 turning left. The calibration results under Nascar 1999 were

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> > almost identical to those of GPL. The dead zone caused eratic steering > > behavoir around the center in both games. Here are the things I tried to > fix > > the problem as well as the results: > > 1) Action: I downloaded and installed the latest driver, > > DTPRO-9X-303c.exe from the http://www.thrustmaster.com web site. > > Result: No improvement, still a dead zone. > > 2) Action: Removed the base from the wheel and sprayed electrical > > contact cleaner in the steering potentiometer. > > Result: Maybe a slight narrowing of the dead zone, but that

could > > have been my imagination as the calibration wierdness did not change > > when viewed from games. > > 3) Action: Went to SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->GAME CONTROLLER and > removed > > Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. I then selected the ADD button and > > chose Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. > > Result: The wheel worked great. No more dead zone and smooth > > steering response around the center. > > It's hard to say if just removing the controller and then adding it again > > fixed the problem, or if it was a combination of things, or maybe I just > got > > lucky. In any case, it is working correctly now. I ordered the wheel about > a > > month ago from http://www.buy.com and just got it last Wednesday. This is > > the first racing wheel I've owned, so I can't make any comparisons but the > > pedal base is awfully light. I am going to have to find a way of anchoring > > it since it keeps scooting out from under my feet. It looks like a review

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> on > > this wheel will be posted shortly on http://www.joy-stick.net. > > Good Luck > > > Does anyone know how to fix it.

GPL has it's own calibration routine that attempts to solve this through software. It's a bit complicated to explain how it works, but they attempt to "water-down" the massive jumps, and place a buffer in between to nullify the "hopping" effect. We have to thank Papy for understanding that we DO notice these things contrary to what Guillemot thinks. The fact that you have no "noticeable" problems with the wheel when you calibrate it in GPL as opposed to the Windows calibration only confirms my fears..... they [Guillemot/TM] have completely hacked into the positioning resolution to counteract the mechanical jitter, and GPL is doing it's best to counteract the effect. GPL itself is establishing the deadzone, and any subtle deflection of the wheel from center will cause a jump to 10 degrees of turn (approximately). People are noticing it in the Guillemot Ferrari Wheel, TM Force GT (which is basically a Guillemot in sheep's clothing), and in Guillemot USB joysticks (they are BRUTAL for this). Wish I had better news..... but the more you explain.... the more my fears are confirmed ;( Cheers, Shumi > But the weird thing is that the dead zone is only around the center position > and the resolution seems fine out of the dead zone. The problem is the jump > in calibration value as you move out of the dead zone. One other observation > is that if you remove the wheel form the list of controllers, then add it > again, then calibrate by clicking on properties via SETTINGS->CONTROL > PANEL->GAME CONTROLLER, you will get a dead zone around the center position.

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> Clicking on properties brings up the Thrustmaster Nascar Pro Digital > software. However, if you re-add the controller but do not click on > properties and instead calibrate the wheel in the game, e.g. GPL or Nascar > 1999, the dead zone disappears. That leads me to believe that this is a > software problem and not a firmware or hardware problem. > I am going to try to get some answers from Guillemott, but based on your > experience this may not be easy. > > Not a deadzone issue really. It's a "positioning resolution" issue. The > > problem is on the Firware Positioning Algorithm used on the USB chip.

From > > what you have said..... looks like Guillemot/TM have not learned from the > > mistake in their WingLeader USB Joystick, and decided to use a similar > > algorithm in their new USB wheels. If this is true, you have a positioning

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> > resolution of about 25 to translate 270 degrees of turn. In fact.... it > will > > be even lower if the wheel only has 180 degrees of turn (positioning > > resolution of about 18.... which is concurrent with the positioning > > resolution of the WingLeader joystick [19]). > > Guillemot R/D seem to think that you guys wouldn't notice such a BRUTAL > > positioning resolution, since after all..... we are all dummies who > couldn't > > possibly comprehend or notice..... right Guillemot? > > Everything I have heard on this NG points to a BIG problem with > Guillemot's > > USB implementation as a whole.... and from speaking with them in the > > past..... they are in it way over their heads in USB implementation.

They > > should stick to analog..... > > Sorry Guillemot..... there is more to Wheels than putting a prancing horse > > and a NASCAR insignia on the product to make it function properly. I would

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> > avoid them like the plague..... > > Cheers, > > Shumi > > http://www.rs2league.com > > > I too just got a Nascar Pro Digital and it also had a dead zone around > the > > > center. After calibrating the wheel in Grand Prix Legends, it would be > > > centered at a raw value of 320 and I could turn the wheel 5 to 10 > degrees > > > left or right before the value would jump from 320 to about 360

turning > > > right or 280 turning left. The calibration results under Nascar 1999 > were > > > almost identical to those of GPL. The dead zone caused eratic steering > > > behavoir around the center in both games. Here are the things I tried to

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> > fix > > > the problem as well as the results: > > > 1) Action: I downloaded and installed the latest driver, > > > DTPRO-9X-303c.exe from the http://www.thrustmaster.com web site. > > > Result: No improvement, still a dead zone. > > > 2) Action: Removed the base from the wheel and sprayed electrical > > > contact cleaner in the steering potentiometer. > > > Result: Maybe a slight narrowing of the dead zone, but that > could > > > have been my imagination as the calibration wierdness did not change > > > when viewed from games. > > > 3) Action: Went to SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->GAME CONTROLLER and > > removed > > > Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. I then selected the ADD button > and > > > chose Thrustmaster ProDigitalUSB. > > > Result: The wheel worked great. No more dead zone and smooth > > > steering response around the center. > > > It's hard to say if just removing the controller and then adding it > again > > > fixed the problem, or if it was a combination of things, or maybe I

just

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> > got > > > lucky. In any case, it is working correctly now. I ordered the wheel > about > > a > > > month ago from http://www.buy.com and just got it last Wednesday. This > is > > > the first racing wheel I've owned, so I can't make any comparisons but > the > > > pedal base is awfully light. I am going to have to find a way of > anchoring > > > it since it keeps scooting out from under my feet. It looks like a > review > > on > > > this wheel will be posted shortly on http://www.joy-stick.net. > > > Good Luck > > > > Does anyone know how to fix it.

Deleting the wheel and adding it again without windows calibration works great! Guess we'll have to wait for some kind of patch to fix this. Gene

But according to Guillemot..... this isn't a problem, and the "majority" of users will not notice it. But..... who knows..... if enough people complain to Guillemot about it.... perhaps they might FINALLY listen to and fix, what I told them would happen in the first place. But..... you may end up with jitters in the end if you have your wish..... those guys have no idea what they are doing over there to be honest, and cutting into the positioning resolution is all they could come up with. Plus they seem VERY adverse to spending more money when they feel the majority of people will be happy with the product as is.... But ya never know..... start flooding their forum for the controllers and they may HAVE TO fix it to avoid the increase in egg on their face. Cheers, Shumi

You might try to delete your calibration files in your N3 directory and recalibrate and try using the direct X drivers for it... just a suggestion. Let us know how it goes, since im considering adding this wheel to my collection. For 58.00 you cant go wrong if it works good

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> I just hooked up my wheel about 1 hour ago and am disappointed. Just > going down the backstretch at Talladega it wanders to the left, as if > the car were out of alignment. As you pull it back to the right, it > reaches a point where it will then jerk to the right. > As with previous NASCAR PRO wheels this sounds like it is out of > calibration. I have checked the calibration several times. > Win98/Celeron at 550/Abit BXR-2 motherboard. > Ordered it from Buy.com 2 or 3 weeks ago, received it today, was > released from backorder earlier in the week. > Gene > >Does anyone know how to fix it.

I experienced sometning similar on a brand new Nascar Pro, and it was the collor that attaches the wheel to the pot in the steering assy. It was not crimped tightly around the shaft of the pot, and the shaft 'wondered' inside of the coller. The biggest problem I had is that it would drift up in to wall coming out of the turns in Dega... Once I took some Vice Grips and clamped the color around the pot (not too tight, it has to have some 'slide' action so you don't eat the pot up moving the wheel back and forth) it was fine. -Larry

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> I just hooked up my wheel about 1 hour ago and am disappointed. Just > going down the backstretch at Talladega it wanders to the left, as if > the car were out of alignment. As you pull it back to the right, it > reaches a point where it will then jerk to the right. > As with previous NASCAR PRO wheels this sounds like it is out of > calibration. I have checked the calibration several times. > Win98/Celeron at 550/Abit BXR-2 motherboard. > Ordered it from Buy.com 2 or 3 weeks ago, received it today, was > released from backorder earlier in the week. > Gene > >Does anyone know how to fix it.

Well shit, I just got one and it does the same thing. Funny though, that in the pro digital calibration routine, the picture of the wheel turns very fast off of center, but it takes a bit for the white ball to move. I just emailed thrustmaster tech support and we will see. If I get the run around and no real solution, I am taking it back. Has anyone notice that you have to use the pro digitals delete button when you delete a button assignment? If you right click on the field and select "select all" and then right click on the field again and select "delete" that the values seem to disappear, but if you do anything, they pop right back in. Now why didn't they just disable this little dialog if it doesn't work? That is very very poor programming practice. DR Ephemeron Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

> > Does anyone know how to fix it. > Well shit, I just got one and it does the same thing. Funny though, > that in the pro digital calibration routine, the picture of the wheel > turns very fast off of center, but it takes a bit for the white ball to

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> move. > I just emailed thrustmaster tech support and we will see. If I get the > run around and no real solution, I am taking it back. > Has anyone notice that you have to use the pro digitals delete button > when you delete a button assignment? If you right click on the field > and select "select all" and then right click on the field again and > select "delete" that the values seem to disappear, but if you do > anything, they pop right back in. Now why didn't they just disable

this

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> little dialog if it doesn't work? That is very very poor programming > practice. > DR Ephemeron > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Before you buy.

OK, well I tried the business where I would remove it from the game controllers dialog in the control panel. I then added it back in and immediatly went into nascar 3 and calibrated there and the dead spot was gone. The numbers would immediatley change with a light tocuh. I still want this software problem fixed immediatley. I don't just accept hack tricks to make things right. :) DR Ephemeron Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

> > > Does anyone know how to fix it. > > Well shit, I just got one and it does the same thing. Funny though, > > that in the pro digital calibration routine, the picture of the wheel > > turns very fast off of center, but it takes a bit for the white ball > to > > move. > > I just emailed thrustmaster tech support and we will see. If I get the > > run around and no real solution, I am taking it back. > > Has anyone notice that you have to use the pro digitals delete button

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> > when you delete a button assignment? If you right click on the field > > and select "select all" and then right click on the field again and > > select "delete" that the values seem to disappear, but if you do > > anything, they pop right back in. Now why didn't they just disable > this > > little dialog if it doesn't work? That is very very poor programming > > practice. > > DR Ephemeron > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > > Before you buy. > OK, well I tried the business where I would remove it from the game > controllers dialog in the control panel. I then added it back in and > immediatly went into nascar 3 and calibrated there and the dead spot > was gone. The numbers would immediatley change with a light tocuh. > I still want this software problem fixed immediatley. I don't just > accept hack tricks to make things right. :) > DR Ephemeron > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Before you buy.

Well it turns out that you don't really have to remove the NPD and then add it again in game controllers. Once you calibrate it in game controllers, all ya have to do is power down the system and bring it back up and the dead spot is gone. It is still a bug though! DR Ephemeron Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

My Teammate resolved that problem by d-loading Guillemot's generic drivers btw.... Hope that help you. Christian.

Got one for Christmas, had the same problem, a HUGE dead spot at the center point of the wheel. I also could never get the pedals to work in N3 properly. At first only gas worked, after installing updated drivers from Thrustmaster, I could link the pedals to one axis, then couldn't get N3 to see them at all. Pedals worked fine in GPL, but the wheel was useless. Mine has already been returned, but if there are fixes for these problems, I would consider getting another one and trying again (I spent the better part of two days just trying to calibrate it). For now, I guess I'll just get by with my 4 yr. old T2. Dave

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>> Does anyone know how to fix it. >Well shit, I just got one and it does the same thing. Funny though, >that in the pro digital calibration routine, the picture of the wheel >turns very fast off of center, but it takes a bit for the white ball to >move. >I just emailed thrustmaster tech support and we will see. If I get the >run around and no real solution, I am taking it back. >Has anyone notice that you have to use the pro digitals delete button >when you delete a button assignment? If you right click on the field >and select "select all" and then right click on the field again and >select "delete" that the values seem to disappear, but if you do >anything, they pop right back in. Now why didn't they just disable this >little dialog if it doesn't work? That is very very poor programming >practice. >DR Ephemeron >Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ >Before you buy.