Steering Wheel questions

[Pasqualz]

Now that I got my light gun questions out of the way, it's on to steering wheels:
1 -  I know there are a few USB wheel options for the computers, but what brands have people used specifically with MAME32??
2 - Are the steering wheels easy to use with MAME32 on Win XP? Do you have to calibrate often?
3 - Do all MAME driving games work with a USB steering wheel and pedals?

[NoOne=NBA=]

3 - Do all MAME driving games work with a USB steering wheel and pedals?

I haven't used MAME32, or the USB wheels, but I can tell you that they will NOT work on ALL driving games.

The USB wheels emulate the X-axis on an analog stick, and will only work with driving games designed for use with a 270 degree wheel (one that steers from center, and then recenters itself when released).

Games like Pole Position use a 360 degree wheel.
The 270 wheels won't work on 360 games because the 360 games expect a free-turning controller like a Tempest spinner.

On the other side of this, the 360 wheels don't do well on 270 games because they don't automatically recenter themselves.
This causes your car to continue to turn, rather then coming back to straight when you release the wheel.

[Aceldamor]

I have a USB wheel, and use it just like NoOne has mentioned....only good for the 270 degree driving games (outrun, spy hunter, chase hq, ect.) It works pretty well for being a cheap wheel,  mine also has 4 buttons that you can use for weapons or turbo or gears 1-4 and 2 shifter paddles on the back of the wheel for hi and lo shifting.

for the others you'll either have to bite the bullet and get a 360 wheel (Pole Pos, Super Sprint, Ivan Stuart, ect.) or use your spinner to steer.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I don't know that "biting the bullet" is the proper term for it.

I picked up my Turbo dash for $1.04 ($15.03 shipped) on ebay.
The wheel had VERY light surface rust, that buffed right off, and the center cap was in great condition.
I had the optic card and mouse hack I needed already from my spinner; but if you add a $7.50 optic card and $9.00 mouse hack from Oscar, it's still not that expensive.
Most of the Pole Position wheels I've seen usually sell for $5-20 + shipping, depending on condition, and whether you get the shifter with them.

Compare that pricing to buying a higher end 270 wheel, or a spinner, and it's not really that bad.