Is this wheel any good?

[Grasshopper]

Universal MC2 Wheel (Xbox/PS2/GameCube)

I'm thinking of buying one to use with my Dreamcast and my PC (using converters which I already own).

Thanks in advance.

[PacMon]

In my opinion, its very good for the price.  The settings on the wheel we're easily adjustable.  I own both the MC2 and the xbox fanatec 3 wheel.  The fanatec is in a different league, but it's quite more expensive ($150 vs. $50 retail). 

Also, don't assume a  converter will work for your dc.  I have a ps2 to dc converter, and it didn't work.  I have not tried to use the wheel on my pc.  Maybe your converter will work. but mine didn't.  If I recall, my converter is the pellican brand.

If you do go ahead with it and you make it work, please let us know. 

[SNAAKE]

its pretty good overall. doesnt work with dreamcast converter but dreamcast doesnt really have any good racers anyway so whatever. just use it for xbox

[Grasshopper]

Thanks for the replies.

Snaake, can you tell me which DC converter you tried it with?

[rumpelstiltzkin]

Im sure it work with the total control plus converter that you can get from play asia . com. All my favourite racers are on the dreamcast i might get a wheel myself sometime. 

[Grasshopper]

Im sure it work with the total control plus converter that you can get from play asia . com. All my favourite racers are on the dreamcast i might get a wheel myself sometime. 

Interesting you should say that because my converter is the Total Control 2 which I think is manufactured by the same company. It's worked flawlessly with everything I've tried it with so far including a ps2 steering wheel and an Ipac. An excellent converter IMHO.

[Grasshopper]

Well I ordered the wheel from Amazon about a month ago. The site said delivery would take between 4 and 5 weeks. However Amazon have let me down. I've just had an email from them saying they are unable to source the item and therefore my order has been cancelled. 

I'm having trouble finding another source for this wheel at the same price so I've started looking at alternatives. PacMon mentioned that the Xbox Fanatec wheel is very good and I've noticed that Fanatec also sell a Playstation 2/PSone compatible wheel. It occurs to me that I could also use this wheel with converters. Has anyone here had any experiences with this wheel?

http://www.fanatec.de/html/index.php?id=230&lang=en

Thanks in advance.

[Grasshopper]

Hmm, from what I've just been reading the Fanatec wheel doesn't appear to keep its setting when you switch the power off. Can someone confirm this?

[versapak]

Hmm, from what I've just been reading the Fanatec wheel doesn't appear to keep its setting when you switch the power off. Can someone confirm this?

I know nothing about that Playstation one, but the Xbox Fanatec wheel does. It has 4 different saved settings slots. The Xbox one is a pretty different beast from the one you linked to though, being that it is force feedback, so it has far more settings to begin with.

There is a PS/PS2 version of the wheel that is on Xbox, and I imagine it performs equally to. If so I highly recommend it.

http://www.fanatec.de/html/index.php?id=220&lang=en

[Grasshopper]

Hmm, from what I've just been reading the Fanatec wheel doesn't appear to keep its setting when you switch the power off. Can someone confirm this?

I know nothing about that Playstation one, but the Xbox Fanatec wheel does. It has 4 different saved settings slots. The Xbox one is a pretty different beast from the one you linked to though, being that it is force feedback, so it has far more settings to begin with.

Lack of force feedback doesn't really bother me. In any case I doubt whether it would still be available when using a converter.

In terms of build quality how would you say the Fanatec compares with the Madcatz?

[versapak]

Hmm, from what I've just been reading the Fanatec wheel doesn't appear to keep its setting when you switch the power off. Can someone confirm this?

I know nothing about that Playstation one, but the Xbox Fanatec wheel does. It has 4 different saved settings slots. The Xbox one is a pretty different beast from the one you linked to though, being that it is force feedback, so it has far more settings to begin with.

Lack of force feedback doesn't really bother me. In any case I doubt whether it would still be available when using a converter.

In terms of build quality how would you say the Fanatec compares with the Madcatz?

If the force works like it does on Xbox, then it actually might work with an adapter. On Xbox it uses the vibration feedback, and adds gear driven force feedback according to the type and strength of vibration.

Since the description of that wheel says it works for force feedback on PS1 games as well, then I assume it works the same as the Xbox one.

That being said...

Since force feedback is a somewhat moot point anyway...


The build quality of the Xbox Fanatec wheel is pretty darn good. I found the MC2 wheels to be built pretty nice as well actually.

I'd say they are probably pretty comparable.

Since you are talking about the spring resistance version (non-force feedback), the feel of that could be a totally different story from over all build quality.

I found the MC2 springs to be a little light, but it still felt ok, and it was pretty easy to open up and install heavier springs.

I don't know anything about the kind of springs you would find in that Fanatec wheel.

[Grasshopper]

Thanks for the info Versapak. It's interesting that you think the force feedback might still work with a converter. Sounds promising.

FWIW, I downloaded the manuals from Fanatec's site and it appears the standard PS2 compatible Speedster 3 does not keep its setting on power off but the Forceshock version does.

Anyway, you've talked me into it. 

I've just bought a "refurbished" Speedster 3 Forceshock off Ebay (link)

It's a bit risky buying non-new items off Ebay but the low price makes the risk worthwhile IHMO and the seller has good feedback.

Also, there aren't many other sources at the moment. For some reason all the shops in my area only seem to stock Logitech wheels these days. The Logitechs are pretty good, but USB only, so they cannot be used with converters.

If it's no good then I'll buy a Madcatz sometime after Christmas when hopefully there'll be more available.

I'll let you guys know how well the wheel works with my converters.