Ultimarc "Pole Position" steering wheel

[TPB]

Does anyone have this Ultimarc "Pole Position" steering wheel ?? :

http://www.ultimarc.com/JShopServer/section.php?xSec=9

http://www.ultimarc.com/controls.html#cabparts


How does it perform ??  Does it have sufficient resolution to give you the finest possible control, allowing you to properly play all the driving games ??

What's the durability like ?? ... it looks pretty damn solid.

How does it mount on your panel ??  The steel bracket on the bottom, while solid, looks pretty ugly - does that go below the panel, so it'll be out of sight ??  If the bracket goes below the panel, is the steering shaft long enough to allow mounting on a wood panel ??

Is it best to interface it to the MiniPac, OptiPac, or Opti-Wiz ??  Alternatively, has anyone tried connecting it as a "slave device" to the TT2 or TT-HL spinner's interface board ?? :

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=86&products_id=268

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=86&products_id=311


I know the TT2 and TT-HL both have Steering Wheel options themselves, and that's what I'll probably go for (should be sufficient for my needs)... I'm particularly attracted to the 7" Steering Wheel option on the TT2.

But, as I'll have two panels, I'm thinking "maybe" I might make the second one a bit of a dedicated driving panel, and investigate the option of adding a dedicated steering wheel.

[Stobe]

I don't have one of those, but it appears to be an arcade quality optical "360 wheel".  It should definately have enought resolution to handle all the 360 racing games for sure.

Using the optipac would be ideal, but you can also use a mouse hack if you had one and save a few bucks.

Alternately, you could find a used pole position (or any other 360 arcade wheel) on ebay or something, as long as the optics still work, hook it up to a optipac or mouse hack as well.

And if the optics are no good, check with fixemdude (stickied in this BST area) for a replacement optic board.

Hope some of this helps.
-Stobe

[u_rebelscum]

I'm just guessing as I don't have one, but it looks like the happs 360 steering wheel, but with a different wheel.  If you go to the link, you can click on the exploded view and see how it's made.

I think you need a round hole in your CP the diameter of part # 50-2040-00.  I'm guessing the piece is 3/4" tall, so it would fit on a 3/4" wood CP, so the square metal part would be mounted on the back of the CP.

It's a geared wheel (both happs and ultimarc's), so the res should be fine for all 360 driving games.  FWIW, Pole Position was geared, Super Sprint wasn't.  Though maybe not enough for arkanoid...

Again, I don't have it, so I'm making a lot of guesses.   Hopefully someone will conform or correct me.


As for what to hook it to, it will be fine with all the ones you listed (MiniPac, OptiPac, Opti-Wiz, or "slave device" to the TT2/TT-HL).

[TPB]

Thanks for your help guys.

If anyone has actually tried the Ultimarc wheel "in the flesh", please let us know.

With regards to resolution ... as long as the Ultimarc wheel can properly play all the 360 driving games, that'll be fine.  It doesn't matter if it's quite up to Arkanoid standards, I'm still planning to get a dedicated spinner for that purpose, either the TT2 or TT-HL ... having said that, it would be a blast playing Arkanoid with a 12 inch spinner.   

urebel - I hadn't seen the Happs wheel - thanks for the link - although at that price, I wouldn't be interested.

Why is the Happs stuff so expensive ??

I thought the Ultimarc wheel was a bit pricey itself, after Andy whacked the price up ... it used to be $99.00, but sometime over the past 12 months, it had a fairly steep 20.2% price increase to $119.00.   

But compared to the Happs wheel, Andy's one still looks like a good buy.

P.S. Andy ... I realise all businesses need to adjust their prices "from time to time" ... this is the nature of business ... but from a consumer's perspective, you'll never hear us cheering about a price increase ... we just have to begrudgingly accept it.   

Mind you, quality and service are worth paying for, and by all accounts, you get those with Ultimarc.      (as with other quality vendors ... GGG, Mamemarquees, etc.)

[patrickl]

I thought the Ultimarc wheel was a bit pricey itself, after Andy whacked the price up ... it used to be $99.00, but sometime over the past 12 months, it had a fairly steep 20.2% price increase to $119.00.   

Maybe this is also related to the fact that your dollar is simply worth less against the pound/euro?

[AndyWarne]

The wheel is the same as the Happ, it comes from the same manufacturer.
The main reason for the price increase was shipping. This thing is HEAVY and we were losing out on the shipping cost. There was also a price rise from the manufacturer. It has a huge cast bearing housing and a thick steel mounting plate. To be honest it is rather over-engineered for Mame use as its designed to withstand deliberate abuse in an arcade.
Andy

[ChadTower]

Maybe this is also related to the fact that your dollar is simply worth less against the pound/euro?

It probably is as that's around the same distance that the dollar has fallen in that time period.  I recently got whacked a little bit on the Black Knight pinball playfield repros... when the project started, it was priced at US$575... but by the time it was ready to send payment, they had had to adjust it to CAN$575, which ended up costing me a good amount more in US dollars.

[TPB]

The wheel is the same as the Happ, it comes from the same manufacturer.

Awesome Andy.   

** Can this diagram therefore be used to ascertain (a) the dimensions of your product, and (b) the components contained within your product ?? :

http://www.happcontrols.com/driving/50283700e.htm


Andy, I'd appreciate if you could also help out with these questions :

** The resolution of the wheel ... is it sufficient to properly play ALL the 360 driving games ... do you know the number of transitions per revolution ??

** Does it interface with both the MiniPac and OptiPac, and is there a preference for either (I won't mention any option of interfacing to competitor's interfaces, as naturally I would not expect you to comment on this).

** It appears from the Happ's diagram (above) that the mounting plate is affixed UNDER the surface of panel ... correct ??

Assuming the mounting plate goes UNDER the surface of panel :

** Is the steering shaft "long enough" for mounting on a wood panel, without the purchase of additional components ??  As urebel's mentioned, the diagram appears to show a part # 50-2040-00 at the base of the shaft ... is this part included within the construction of your product, or must it be purchased separately ??


P.S.  Andy, don't pay too much attention to my discussion of your price rise ... this was more just "an aside" ... I understand you need to cover your costs, and your price is still favourable in comparison to the equivalent offering from Happ's.   

[ark_ader]

The wheel is the same as the Happ, it comes from the same manufacturer.

Awesome Andy.   

** Can this diagram therefore be used to ascertain (a) the dimensions of your product, and (b) the components contained within your product ?? :

http://www.happcontrols.com/driving/50283700e.htm


Andy, I'd appreciate if you could also help out with these questions :

** The resolution of the wheel ... is it sufficient to properly play ALL the 360 driving games ... do you know the number of transitions per revolution ??

** Does it interface with both the MiniPac and OptiPac, and is there a preference for either (I won't mention any option of interfacing to competitor's interfaces, as naturally I would not expect you to comment on this).

** It appears from the Happ's diagram (above) that the mounting plate is affixed UNDER the surface of panel ... correct ??

Assuming the mounting plate goes UNDER the surface of panel :

** Is the steering shaft "long enough" for mounting on a wood panel, without the purchase of additional components ??  As urebel's mentioned, the diagram appears to show a part # 50-2040-00 at the base of the shaft ... is this part included within the construction of your product, or must it be purchased separately ??


P.S.  Andy, don't pay too much attention to my discussion of your price rise ... this was more just "an aside" ... I understand you need to cover your costs, and your price is still favourable in comparison to the equivalent offering from Happ's.   

And one more question:  When are you going to use Parcel Force instead of  DHL?