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Author Topic: Steering Wheel  (Read 5785 times)

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EssexMame

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Steering Wheel
« on: March 26, 2015, 07:26:19 am »
The more I look, the more confused I become. I'm looking for a decent, but inexpensive, second hand steering wheel. I'd use it for Mame Our Run and the like, maybe Hard Drivin and all it's gears and peddles. I'd identified the Logitech G25/G27 but they still go for a whopping £150+ on Ebay.

What wheels still have a decent strong force feedback wheel, pedals (2, or 3 if possible) and gears (hi/lo and 4/5/6 speed shifter style) for around £30. Things like the momo seem to fulfil some/all of that criteria but is it a good one to go for and are there others/better?

For PC and also use on PS/PS2/PS3 would be a bonus - I'd probably play Gran Turismo if I'd got the wheel even if just for a little bit ;-)

Ultimately I'd like to put it into a cabinet but for now it would just to have some fun playing the games (I have Dirt 2(?) on my PC - free with my graphics card and never played). I always loved driving games in the arcade and at home and want an inexpensive way to experience them as intended....

Oh, a 360 - Pole Position/Champ Sprint/APB/Ivan Stewarts would be a future thing but can any of these be played on a 270 type wheel? I know Pole Position gives problems but do others work? Ivan Stewarts seems playable on a PS2 analogue DS stick so expect it would work with a 270 wheel too??

The Logitech Driving Force GT comes up a lot on Ebay, and is inexpensive at £25+. Is it any good?
Of the G25/27 I'd probably go for G25 - cheaper and both are identical in most respects (I even prefer the G25 sequential shifter option). These are £130+ though and I don't think I'd go anywhere near that, yet..
Fanatec wheels get a lot of mention online but I can't actually see these for sale, new or Ebay, so perhaps they don't really exist any more?
Any other good, cheap options??

Lot of questions there - sorry!
« Last Edit: March 26, 2015, 08:22:16 am by EssexMame »

MrThunderwing

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2015, 04:23:04 pm »
The Logitech Driving Force GT comes up a lot on Ebay, and is inexpensive at £25+. Is it any good?

I've got one and I'd say you can't really go wrong for that price. It does everything I want a wheel to do and the force feedback is pretty decent. It'll also work on your PS3. It's the only wheel I've tried at home with force feedback though, so I've got no idea how it stacks up next to some of the more top-of-the-range wheels and the FFB they provide, and it doesn't have a proper stick shifter (even though it looks like it does).

_Scott

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2015, 05:13:20 pm »
The Logitech Driving Force GT comes up a lot on Ebay, and is inexpensive at £25+. Is it any good?
I'm not sure it's that cheap, you know. I had a quick look (Buy It Now, sorted from least to most expensive) and the cheapest was £60 and pick-up only. The next up was £70. Who knows what the final price of the auctions are. I think I'll watch a few to see what happens.

EssexMame

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2015, 06:51:49 am »
I've seen a few end at £25 for it - the Buy it Now is a little hopeful I think. Still, if it was those sort of prices and higher new then that in some ways is more reassurance its decent/solidly built. Edit: £25 is probably optimistic looking again, but hopefully £30-£40 especially if unboxed.

Thanks for the endorsement - it helps a lot, esp. regarding the force feedback. No idea how I setup Out Run Force Feedback via mamehooker yet, but I'm sure I'll have fun trying. Actually, the thought of Out Run again with a steering wheel is a good one right now.

On the gearstick - is it a sequential shifter - like a paddle and you push up/down through the gears? It'll work for Out Run Hi/Lo in some way I'm sure and an option for a semi-automatic game like Super Monaco GP and even Hard Drivin' (with some other buttons for clutch, key etc etc - I've some setting up to do for that one I know).

I'll go for one on ebay then. I can always upgrade to a G25/G27 and sell it on Ebay in the future can't I...

For now, I'm back to moving Teddies to pickup men (some others here will know what I'm talking about, it's not what it sounds like!)
« Last Edit: March 27, 2015, 08:17:59 am by EssexMame »

_Scott

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2015, 08:27:48 am »
This rewrite of Out Run has force feedback https://github.com/djyt/cannonball/wiki

BadMouth

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2015, 09:57:17 am »
On the gearstick - is it a sequential shifter - like a paddle and you push up/down through the gears? It'll work for Out Run Hi/Lo in some way I'm sure and an option for a semi-automatic game like Super Monaco GP and even Hard Drivin' (with some other buttons for clutch, key etc etc - I've some setting up to do for that one I know).

Look up RacerMAME and the author's h2seq shifter utility.
It allows you to play 4 speed games as well as hard drivin' with the sequential shifter.

MrThunderwing

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2015, 08:12:12 pm »
This rewrite of Out Run has force feedback https://github.com/djyt/cannonball/wiki

+1 this. Cannonball is awesome.

RetroArcadePro

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2015, 09:44:33 pm »
I have a G27, it is definitely a good wheel especially for the price it costs.

Fursphere

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2015, 12:39:03 am »
I have a G27, it is definitely a good wheel especially for the price it costs.

Ditto.   I've got one as well and have been very happy with it.  They're a little pricey, but they're the cheapest of the mix when you get in the "sim" wheels...

Drnick

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2015, 03:09:11 am »
I've seen a few end at £25 for it - the Buy it Now is a little hopeful I think. Still, if it was those sort of prices and higher new then that in some ways is more reassurance its decent/solidly built. Edit: £25 is probably optimistic looking again, but hopefully £30-£40 especially if unboxed.

Thanks for the endorsement - it helps a lot, esp. regarding the force feedback. No idea how I setup Out Run Force Feedback via mamehooker yet, but I'm sure I'll have fun trying. Actually, the thought of Out Run again with a steering wheel is a good one right now.

On the gearstick - is it a sequential shifter - like a paddle and you push up/down through the gears? It'll work for Out Run Hi/Lo in some way I'm sure and an option for a semi-automatic game like Super Monaco GP and even Hard Drivin' (with some other buttons for clutch, key etc etc - I've some setting up to do for that one I know).

I'll go for one on ebay then. I can always upgrade to a G25/G27 and sell it on Ebay in the future can't I...

For now, I'm back to moving Teddies to pickup men (some others here will know what I'm talking about, it's not what it sounds like!)

Not sure about the Teddies but it is bootsale season, Just hit up a few of the bootsales and I'm sure you will find steering wheels for pennies :) I picked up a Driving force GT for £5 last year. I have seen a few momo's for about £10 and the occassional G25 but they are more like £50.  Anyways how you doing with your cabinet?

ant2

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2015, 05:17:37 am »
I put a g27 in for my main cabinet, i play arcade and racing sims and this is the best for the money.

I use a logitech driving gt for my mario kart rig. If you don't want to stretch to a g27 this is the best alternative, if you don't mind missing out on an h shifter. I got mine for £45 which was boxed, never used over a year ago.

EssexMame

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2015, 06:27:20 am »
Not sure about the Teddies but it is bootsale season, Just hit up a few of the bootsales and I'm sure you will find steering wheels for pennies :) I picked up a Driving force GT for £5 last year. I have seen a few momo's for about £10 and the occassional G25 but they are more like £50.  Anyways how you doing with your cabinet?
Boot sales a good idea - how many do you think you'd need to go to to see a G25/G27 and/or a GT wheel? I've never been to one before but if I knew I could go and get a GT or even a G25/G27 for those prices I'd go tomorrow! I suppose you need to go early too to get them before others do?

The cabinet is as it was a year ago (woodwork wise at least). TBH, I spend too much time clearing the garage and adding/configuring/setting up emulators, games, controls and old PC's to use "in the future". At least the hardware and software will be more than sorted when I do get round to it. Easter is normally a good time - when we have a few days off and before the summer distractions hit - so let's hope I get something done soon...

EssexMame

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2015, 07:53:41 am »
Any thoughts/opinions on the Logitech MOMO or Logitech Formula Force EX?

These seem to come out a bit cheaper and I think I want to go for a sub-£30 second-hand wheel (with force feedback) if at all possible. At least initially until I can see I get a lot of use of it and can justify a G25/G27 upgrade. I can justify £30 for something to experiment on and hopefully get some decent driving (over a gamepad) that I can maybe put in a cabinet and some point and then buy a G25/G27 for "bests" :-)

BadMouth

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2015, 11:39:16 am »
I used the MOMO for years.  I like it.  It's not as strong as the G25/ Driving force GT, but it's new enough that a lot of the PC games I installed had a preset for it.


No experience with the Formula Force EX, but steer clear of the original old Formula Force.

It's from a time when the USB interface was still new and the protocol it uses doesn't  match any current standard.
As a result, the force feedback only works with games specifically made for that wheel. 
(I cannot name a single one)
Same goes for the Microsoft sidewinder wheel.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2015, 11:52:29 am by BadMouth »

EssexMame

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2015, 06:48:24 am »
A few misses on the auction ends for the Driving Force GT ended up in me being interested in a G25 auction. I won it, at £92 (!). So, I've spent double at least what I'd planned but hopefully I get a decent wheel (it arrives Tuesday) that will last a while and will give me all I need.

In truth, I probably won't have much use for 6 manual gears and a clutch pedal that often but I do like the look and style of the wheel, pedals and that the gear is a separate entity and not attached to the wheel unit.

Thanks for all your advice and help. I've spent over the odds but I'll survive [assuming the wife doesn't find out how much it cost!]

Fursphere

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2015, 09:47:46 am »
In truth, I probably won't have much use for 6 manual gears and a clutch pedal that often but I do like the look and style of the wheel, pedals and that the gear is a separate entity and not attached to the wheel unit.


The G25's shifter has two modes.  Six speed and ratchet (up and down).  I think Logitech made a mistake by removing that from the G27

EssexMame

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2015, 11:41:35 am »
Yeah, that's what appealed to me over the G27 also. There are some nice features on the G27 and I understand it's more solid feeling but not a massive difference.

SegaOutrun

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #17 on: April 05, 2015, 02:50:13 pm »
i own the momo, driving force gt, xbox wireless wheel and a g25. The driving force gt is my favorite for emulation.  while the g25 is better built, the clutch gives me a lot of issue in emulators since they always read it as fully pressed. The Gt has an up/down shifter and a ton of easy to reach buttons. Its cheap too. its hard to beat.

Fursphere

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Re: Steering Wheel
« Reply #18 on: April 05, 2015, 03:45:48 pm »
while the g25 is better built, the clutch gives me a lot of issue in emulators since they always read it as fully pressed.

I've considered wiring in a disconnect switch to the clutch for this very reason.