Logitech Formula GP Steering Wheels

[DrewKaree]

My buddy called me about some place that has about 20 of these @$25 apiece.  If I buy 5+, they'll knock off $5 EACH.  They want them OUT of the store.  Evidently some yokel made a mistake, as they had about 40 of 'em.  

In researching them, I've found that they're analog wheels, and that's the most info I could find on 'em.  If I were to use Analog+, would I be able to use 4 of them simultaneously?
Also, can anyone tell me if these would be good for 270 degree games AND 360 degree games, or just one type?

I want to buy 6-7 of these, but if I can't use 4 simultaneously, I can't justify buying enough of them to get the $5 off.  

[GGKoul]

If I remember correctly, they are 270..

Where can you get them that cheap?

[DrewKaree]

I live in WI, it's at a "little bigger than a mom & pop shop" here.  They take in used equipment and overstocks from other places, so they've got some sweet deals on stuff once in a while.  

This place has old dead hard drives for $1, I'm gonna pick up a fistful and hack 'em for a spinner idea I saw on someone's site!  

Thanks for the 270 info, that's what I thought, but confirmation helps.

[Tiger-Heli]

My buddy called me about some place that has about 20 of these @$25 apiece.  If I buy 5+, they'll knock off $5 EACH.  They want them OUT of the store.  Evidently some yokel made a mistake, as they had about 40 of 'em.  

You can find the same prices by going to www.pricewatch.com and searching on "logitech formula"

In researching them, I've found that they're analog wheels, and that's the most info I could find on 'em.  If I were to use Analog+, would I be able to use 4 of them simultaneously?

AFAIK, 4 simultaneous would work.

Also, can anyone tell me if these would be good for 270 degree games AND 360 degree games, or just one type?

Only for 270-degree games.

[DrewKaree]

Thanks for the pricewatch tip.  I never even thought to check them for this type of thing.

Since I now see that this isn't a "super sweet hot deal of the century", is there a comparably priced steering wheel that someone prefers over this one? I myself actually prefer their MOMO wheel, but I've never seen it for anything close to this price.

[jerryjanis]

As long as they are USB, there shouldn't be any reason why you couldn't hook up at least 4 of them.

http://www.tigersurplus.com/ has the "Logitech Wingman Formula GP Wheel +Pedal Set *Retail " $18.50, or $17.00 if you buy 3 or more.  They've got cheap USB hubs, as well.  Their shipping is usually quite reasonable.  I've ordered from them a lot.  If I had more money and friends, I would DEFINETLY

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks for the pricewatch tip.  I never even thought to check them for this type of thing.

Since I now see that this isn't a "super sweet hot deal of the century", is there a comparably priced steering wheel that someone prefers over this one? I myself actually prefer their MOMO wheel, but I've never seen it for anything close to this price.

Actually, I've heard it's a pretty good wheel, just wanted you to know that wasn't a super bargain.  (Not a bad price though, especially with the convenience of walking in, seeing the item, and leaving with it.)

[bigmoe]

Any advantage to buying these as opposed to using a PS2 wheel with an adapter?

[DrewKaree]

Actually Tiger, I'm thinking it helped me....mebbe I'll print out a price listing from there and go in and see if they'll match the price at the very least, maybe I'll strike it rich and they'll beat it by a few bucks or throw in one or two more for free!

I'm headed over there tomorrow to see what I can work out.  Here's hopin'!

[Tiger-Heli]

Any advantage to buying these as opposed to using a PS2 wheel with an adapter?

Well, you typically need one PS/2-USB adapter per wheel.
Only thing I can think of is price for multiple wheels - for a 4-wheel example (Mario Kart above) -

Logitech - 4 x $20 = $80.
PS/2 Wheel - (4 x $20 wheel) + (4 x $15 adapter) = $140

Another thing is that the wheels and pedals work with this set-up and I'm not sure if that would be true with multiple PS/2 wheels with USB adapters.

[Tiger-Heli]

Actually Tiger, I'm thinking it helped me....mebbe I'll print out a price listing from there and go in and see if they'll match the price at the very least, maybe I'll strike it rich and they'll beat it by a few bucks or throw in one or two more for free!

I'm headed over there tomorrow to see what I can work out.  Here's hopin'!

Yep, knowledge is power.  Good luck!

[paigeoliver]

Also, if you are just buying for Mame (not Mario Kart), then as far as I know there aren't any 270 games with more than two wheels. Actually, I can't even think of a 270 game with more than one wheel.

Every multiplayer arcade driver I can think of uses 360 wheels. Seems like only single player stuff like Out Run uses 270 wheels.

And most of the 360 multiplayer drivers are top down stuff (Sprint series and clones), and that type of game is so NOT SUITABLE for a 270 wheel.

[Tiger-Heli]

Also, if you are just buying for Mame (not Mario Kart), then as far as I know there aren't any 270 games with more than two wheels. Actually, I can't even think of a 270 game with more than one wheel.

I think there might have been some networked games (Suzuka 8hrs), Daytona USA, that were multiple 270 wheels.

Also, I'm not sure if Badlands, and Bump N Jump, etc. were 360 or 270, probably 360, though.

Not sure if MAME allows two wheels for this, or if you'd have to use something like Killerera (sp?) in which case you're back to single 270 wheels per PC.

[G@M3FR3@K]

This place has old dead hard drives for $1, I'm gonna pick up a fistful and hack 'em for a spinner idea I saw on someone's site!

Do you happen to know the url to this site?  I already have quite a few dead hard drives and would be interested in doing the spinner-hack-thing.

[Magnet_Eye]

I have one of these wheels...got mine on ebay for $9.00.

It works pretty well in MAME ...and the wheel has a good amount of buttons so you can play Road Blasters, Spy Hunter, Hydra, etc...

A decent wheel, especially for the price.  

[GGKoul]

Hello

I had one of this wheels and I was able to plug my PC version into my PS2 and it worked.

[DrewKaree]

Paige, thanks for the Brain Fart Beano^TM, as I didn't even check MY OWN POST! or the info I HAVE SAVED ON MY FRIGGEN HD! *smacks forehead with heel of hand*.  I've done this homework and forgot to even look!  

Let me pose this question:  Isn't a 360 wheel essentially a spinner with a steering wheel attached to it, or is there some vital part/assembly I'm not understading? I'd like to use an actual steering wheel, but I may just be a victim of overamitious brain activity on this.

I'm still considering picking up a few of these (the guy's willing to drop the price to $18/wheel).  I think with a multi-monitor videocard (Matrox Parhelia?) I could send the game info out to multiple TV's, or at the very worst, I'd have a bunch of extras to scavenge parts from!

GameFreak, links all over this place, but here you go....first is Doug's HD Spinner.
http://www.doughansen.net/arcade/spinner.htm
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=7753;start=msg55906#msg55906

[Tiger-Heli]

Let me pose this question:  Isn't a 360 wheel essentially a spinner with a steering wheel attached to it, or is there some vital part/assembly I'm not understading? I'd like to use an actual steering wheel, but I may just be a victim of overamitious brain activity on this.

Not positive where you're going with this, but  . . .

Yes basically, a 360 wheel is essentially a spinner with a steering wheel attached.   They won't work well for 270 games and a 270 wheel won't work at all (generally) for 360 games.

Keep in mind that the shaft on a 360 wheel is usually thicker than a spinner would require to account for the added weight of a wheel as opposed to a knob.

I'm still considering picking up a few of these (the guy's willing to drop the price to $18/wheel).  I think with a multi-monitor videocard (Matrox Parhelia?) I could send the game info out to multiple TV's, or at the very worst, I'd have a bunch of extras to scavenge parts from!

You could, but I'm not sure that gets you anywhere . . .

For console emulation, or for multi-player 270 games (if there are any), the game is set up to show both cars on the same screen (or MAME would modify it to), so all you are doing is having the freedom to physically separate the two wheels.

For single 270 games (OutRun), there's only one car, so you just end up with the guy on the left being able to fight with the guy on the right about which fork in the road the car will take.

[bigmoe]

Any advantage to buying these as opposed to using a PS2 wheel with an adapter?

Well, you typically need one PS/2-USB adapter per wheel.
Only thing I can think of is price for multiple wheels - for a 4-wheel example (Mario Kart above) -

Logitech - 4 x $20 = $80.
PS/2 Wheel - (4 x $20 wheel) + (4 x $15 adapter) = $140

Another thing is that the wheels and pedals work with this set-up and I'm not sure if that would be true with multiple PS/2 wheels with USB adapters.

Never know quite what to believe in the brag sheets of those PS2 USB adapters...and the pedals would be...important.

Not sure I'd bother w/ MarioKart...using this math, 1 PC wheel and 2 PS2 wheels would be about $60...or $80 for two of each...thanks for the input!

[paigeoliver]

Bump N Jump is an 8-way joystick game actually.

Badlands, and all other Sprint type games use 360 wheels (had a Badlands in my apartment until recently).

And networked 270 games (which are VERY common) don't really count because #1 Mame doesn't seem to support that anyway, and #2 if it did it would just do it mega widescreen, which would look terrible.

Also, if you are just buying for Mame (not Mario Kart), then as far as I know there aren't any 270 games with more than two wheels. Actually, I can't even think of a 270 game with more than one wheel.

I think there might have been some networked games (Suzuka 8hrs), Daytona USA, that were multiple 270 wheels.

Also, I'm not sure if Badlands, and Bump N Jump, etc. were 360 or 270, probably 360, though.

Not sure if MAME allows two wheels for this, or if you'd have to use something like Killerera (sp?) in which case you're back to single 270 wheels per PC.

[Rocky]

I think Spy Hunter II uses two 270 wheels (but that games stinks).

What about Lucky and Wild?

[paigeoliver]

I think Spy Hunter II uses two 270 wheels (but that games stinks).

What about Lucky and Wild?

On Lucky & Wild the second player only has a gun.