Universal Racing Wheel Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have long searched and I mean LONG searched for a good racing wheel and this is it. I have personally tried out almost every wheel and pedals on this site and this one is far superior to all. It has sensitivity tuning so you can customize it to your own needs and has easy button remapping at the press of a button. Some people who own this product refuse to spend the 5 minutes needed to read the simple instructions and correctly tune it for each game. It now even comes with instructions specifically on how to set it for Gran Turismo 3 on the PS2, undoubtedly the greatest consol racing sim ever.Many things make this a great buy:
First of all, it has digital and analog modes, so it can be used on almost any game, Playstation or Playstation 2, despite what this site says.
It can be fully callibrated for sensitivity and dead-band.
It has suction cups for hard surfaces and retractable leg supports for comfortable lap placement.
It has all of the standard playstation buttons, plus a very nice shifter and two-way butterfly buttons mounted on the back of the wheel, which are great for Formula One shifting.
On the main body there is an LCD guage that measures accelorator throttle. (very cool)
The pedals have rubber pads that keep them in place during the most abusive acceleration, though it is little needed because of the vertical vector pedal collumns that change the center of gravity to keep it in place. There is a foot rest on the side for when you are not braking and the pedals have grip textures to keep your feet from unwantedly sliding off.
Everything is very durrable and can widstand lots of abuse unless you are bent on breaking shifter with unnecissarily hard shifting habbits, though trust me, I have only heard of one breaking and everyone else seems quite happy.
Very comfortable grip.
Even though this is the best wheel I have ever used, it is still not perfect. The wheel is a little to small, and does not turn 900 degrees like a real car (few game wheels do this anyway), though it makes turning a little easier. Sometimes when you set the shifter it also remaps the up or down d-pad buttons, but they are not used during raceing and can be easily set right when needed. Some people complain that the leg-wells are to close together, but it is more snug than tight and does not hinder lower leg movement, so there is no difference in use of the pedals. As I have said, this is the best wheel and pedals I have ever used other than that of my own car and it is worth your money. If you dont happen to like it then you obviously have not used some of the junk out there and you can return it anyway. Have fun!

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Product Description:
MAD CATZ UNIVERSAL GAME SYSTEM MC2 RACING WHEEL WITH PEDALS

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Playstation 2 Driving Force EX Racing Wheel Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Although the wheel has quirks with both the PS2 & PS3, the wheel is still definitely worth its price! With a full day of trials & errors, I was surprised that the force feedback was equally inconsistent with the PS2 and PS3. Sometimes I started the game and the wheel worked fine with force feedback; sometimes the wheel worked but the force feedback didn't; sometimes the wheel only worked for multiplayer mode but with no force feedback; and sometimes the game didn't work at all - all this for the SAME game. As you can see, quite frustrating, but when it did work, it's was SOOO awesome that I decided to experiment all day with it. I did more testing with the PS3, so I'll focus on that. For the PS2, some games do state that you must plug the USB into the top port (for older systems - for newer PS2 systems, I don't know which is the preferred port). Similarly, the PS3 has a preferred port.

THE BEST CONFIGURATION FOR THE PS3 IS: 1. plug the USB into port #3 (port #1 also works, but I had more success with #3), 2. turn on the system manually - DO NOT use the PS3 controller to turn it on! This allows for the wheel to be assigned to controller #1 - MOST driving games can not be played in single-player mode when the wheel is assigned to controller #2. Unfortunately, the wheel does not have a PS button to re-assign the wheelor quit the game. If your system was on and a controller was previously assigned to #1, then the wheel usage will be inconsistent. Therefore, it's best to plug in the USB in port #3 and turn on the system manually. This way, I was able to reliably play games with the wheel with force feedback.

GAME COMPATIBILITY: Currently, I only have 8 driving games. The most reliably were Burnout 3: Takedown and Midnight Club 2 (I would assume later games in the series would also work, but not sure about earlier games). Gran Turismo 4 and Need for Speed 2 also worked fine, but it sometimes took several attempts to start the game. Like plugging new USB devices into a computer, sometimes the drivers load correctly, sometimes they don't, so try several times. These 4 games all worked with the wheel with force feedback.
MotoGP3 and Tourist Trophy worked with the wheel, but without force feedback AND it required Pelican's PS2 USB adapter ($15) to be plugged in also. Pelican's PS2 USB adapter is worth it though 'cause it was the only way I could adjust the sensitivity of the wheel. Once the sensitivity is adjusted, it should remain the same as long as the system is on (you can change games and have the same sensitivity). However, I am not sure if the wheel returns to default sensitivity once you turn off the system.
Dirt for PS3 worked wonderfully - great force feedback and a joy to drive! However, World Rally Championship was the MOST inconsistent (even though Logitech stated that it's compatible). Sometimes it worked with the wheel, and sometimes it didn't (actually, when I got this game to work, Gran Turismo didn't work).
You can see the full list of supported games (up to end of 2005, they haven't updated the list) on Logitech's website. The manual really sucks.

As for people deciding between this wheel (EX) and the Driving Force Pro, the main difference is that the Pro has 900 degrees turn for SOME supported games (see Logitech's site). While 200 degrees turn for the EX model is arcade-like driving, 900 degrees turn is kinda overkill. Some purists say that 900 is like simulating a race car, but you can only comfortably turn the wheel 270 degrees in each direction (try it for yourself and you'll see) - therefore, 540 degrees would have been more ideal. I think this is a practical observation since several reviewers indicated that it was hard to adapt to the Pro wheel. Besides, the blue rubber of the EX model looks cool and the stick shifter of the Pro model looks bulky (EX's paddle shifter works fine). The final difference between the 2 models (besides price), is the vibration/ resistance motor. The EX model weighs in at 9 lbs, while the Pro weighs in at 15 lbs - that 67% heavier because of it's stronger motor. You may get better vibrations with the Pro model, but many reviewers complained that it was noisy. I did not find that problem with the EX wheel.

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Product Description:

Product Name: Driving Force EX
Marketing Information:
Combining industry-leading force feedback technology with a standard PlayStation2 racing wheel, the Logitech Driving Force EX gives you unprecedented control for all your driving games. The Force feedback technology provides realistic directional resistance as you encounter bumps, ridges or potholes on your way to victory lane. Even in games that don"t support Logitech force feedback, the controller port connection will keep you on the starting grid. Comfortable rubber grips, responsive gas and brake pedals, and wheel-mounted shifters round out the most complete racing wheel available. The checkered flag will be yours!Product Type: Steering Wheel
Technical Information

Connectivity Technology: Cable
Buttons & Controls: 1 x 8-way D-pad
Buttons & Controls: 4 x Action Button
Buttons & Controls: 2 x Pedal
Interfaces/Ports

Interfaces/Ports: 1 x 4-pin Type A USB

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XL20 Xlerator Regular Adjustable Stand for Logitech G25/27 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I already owned the 360 wheel stand from Xlerator and have been using this new one with my Fanatec Porsche 911 wheel for 2 weeks now.

This stand is perfect if you play on a couch and want maximum stability:
- no matter what level of force feedback you select, the stand never moves thanks to the 2 contact points on the floor and the 2 contact points on the couch. There's no forward sliding either, even on carpet (the contact points have rubber caps).
- the gear stick attachment is very sturdy (so much better than fanatec's default design with those 2 flimsy rods).
- the whole thing folds up instantly when you need to get up. Once vertical it's pretty stable and won't topple easily (esp if you own the heavier metallic pedal set).
- when it comes to storage space, you really can't make anything tighter than this.
- it just takes seconds to take the stand out of the closest and set it up. You can tape all the wires between the wheel/pedals/stick to the frame itself, so the only thing that's hanging is the power cord.

Short of setting up a full cockpit, that's simply the best solution.

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Product Description:
This is the new XL20 Regular Xlerator Wheel Stand for the Logitech G25 and G27 steering wheels. Redesigned from the ground up from the regular stand. This stand has an extra stand-up leg for greater stability while standing up. New adapter plate that bolts wheel and shifter to the stand. New larger pedal pan that accepts larger pedals with clutch and still fold up for easy storage. New clamps that hold stand better than push button. Regular stand has adjustable lap bar extension legs like the Big Boy stand. Stand is made from 1" 16ga steel tubing, sheet metal and 3/16" flat steel. Stands are powder coated gloss black for a long lasting durable finish. Stand is fully adjustable for leg length and lap bar height. Lap bar width is 18 ½" inside and will fit up to 6'2" and 220lbs, over that size and you will need the XL21 Big Boy Stand that will go up to 6'4" and 290-300lbs. These stands are hand made in the USA and are very cool. Will be available in very limited quantities. If out of stock please check back.

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Gran Turismo 3 - PS2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)At the time of its release this was perhaps the most realistic driving game around. Having already played the first two Gran Turismo games, this was just another step towards racing simulator perfection on the console. The game can be endlessly complex or as simple as you want it to be with any number of tuning and upgrade options. This game is only bested by Gran Turismo 4 on the PS2. Anyone who is a fan of race simulation games and owns a PS2 should already own this game and if not I suggest you buy it and waste a whole lot of time trying to achieve 100% completion as this is truly an achievement. Be warned, this game introduces endurance races which will take several hours to complete. Only the hardest of the hardened racers should even attempt these races. I wasted a whole chunk of my childhood playing this game and I can say with confidence that I do not regret it.

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Product Description:
You've never seen anything this suped up. Viciously fast. Gran Turismo 3 keeps getting better and faster. Designed for gameplay on Sony Playstation 2 game systems.

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Midnight Club 3 (DUB Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition ups the ante from the last game with more insane speed, 8-player online competition and the best vehicle customization ever seen in a video game to date. You can drive muscle cars, choppers, and more & trick them out in the latest rims, trims, and upgrades just like in the pages of DUB Magazine. The level of detail dedicated to your car's look and feel is simply amazing. The race editor is even better this time around. The thing I love most is getting to race in Atlanta, San Diego, and Detroit.

My biggest gripe, however, is the loading times. Seems like it takes forever to get into a race. I am speaking of the PS2 version, of course, not the PSP version(which is even worse). Once getting past that; this game, literally, rocks hard.

I'm a huge fan of Need for Speed Underground and love both of the games in that respective series right now but, after playing MC3:Dub Edition, Need for Speed Underground is going to have to work even harder impressing me. I tip my hat to Rockstar North, they did a dadgummed awesome job with this edition. I love it!

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Product Description:
Rockstar Games has partnered with DUB Magazine -- the authoritative source on automotive lifestyles -- to redefine the racing genre with Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition. With this installment, the series that took racing from the tracks to the open urban streets is back, and the stakes have never been higher.
Get ready for insanely fast driving with open-city racing in Atlanta, San Diego, and Detroit. The online competition brings together up to eight players with the most comprehensive vehicle customization every seen in a video game. You'll be driving the hottest licensed real-life SUVs, import tuners, muscle cars, choppers, and luxury rides on the road today. Plus, you can trick them out with the latest rims, trims, and upgrades just like the pages of DUB. Without a doubt, customization goes above and beyond any other game with Midnight Club 3. The level of detail dedicated to your car's look and feel is unprecedented. Not only can you trick out your car, but you can select your favorite chassis, brakes, exhaust, and even power-boosting nitrous oxide!
Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition has more speed, more choices, and more chrome than any game has ever packed under the hood. It rocks hard, and delivers slick, fast, intense driving action in challenging environments. Step up, pimp your ride, and get ready to hit the streets for high-adrenaline urban racing!

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P3 Racer for Playstation 3 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First of all, I have had no problems getting this wheel to work as it is evidently supposed to.The problems some are having with this might stem from the fact that the gas and brake pedals are designed in an odd way.The problem with these pedals is that when you press the gas it is the equivalent of pressing the x button on the controller.Since the gas is not usually placed on that button by default, the gas and brake pedals will not do what you are intending them to do, unless you can change the controller configuration to put the gas on the x button.The brake works in a similar way.The problem that results from this is that many assume that when you hold the gas pedal down farther, it will result in more power coming from the engine.The truth is that since the designers made it so that the gas pedal triggers the x button, the gas is either on or off.This is the reason why the gas is usually placed on the left or right trigger buttons that do have the ability to have more levels of power than on or off.Now I am not sure if there is a game that could actually work with this wheel to do more than just turn the gas on or off, but my guess is that you are probably stuck with out being able to use the gas pedal anything like a real one.One other problem comes from the fact that some driving games are not equipped to change the controller configuration enough to use this wheel properly.If you are playing a game that cannot radically alter its controller scheme, then you probably will be stuck using the gray triggers underneath the steering wheel to slow down and speed up.That is very inconvenient.

Another problem I have with this this product is that it has a small dead zone right when you start to either turn right or left.This has the effect that when you are in a section of road with more than just a gentle turn, you will have to do a good amount of correction to overcome the dead spot where it does not respond. Racing games require smooth subtle movements.This is especially true when the steering wheel is not designed with the 900 degrees of movement that other products have.The dead spot right in the middle is just enough to throw off the controls so that smooth steering is not possible. I am certain that this is not just a flaw with my unit.

This wheel is counterproductive.It does work at what it is designed to do.The build quality is such that I am sure that it will not break in the very little that I will possibly ever use it.A traditional controller will be much easier to use.I regret that the person who gave it to me for Christmas wasted her money.

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Product Description:
P3 Racer. Home Button accesses main menu, 10 high performance action buttons provide superior control, Double injected steering wheel with rubber coating, Rubberized paddles with analog and digital input, Full response analog gas and brake pedal, Detachable lap and table mount for versatile placement, 4 controller port indicator LEDs

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Race Pro Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I LOVE this game. I love racing in general. I watch Formula 1, ALMS, LMS, SCCA Racing, WTCC, and Rallying. Forza Motorsport 2 provided me with my racing fix on 360 for a long time, but RACE Pro replaces it almost completely.

RACE Pro is about one thing: racing. Don't expect to be able to buy new wheels, turbos, or cams for your car. Don't expect to be able to apply custom paint jobs or sell cars in an auction house. Don't even expect to take place in online tournaments (unless they are organized by a fan community) or play split screen.

DO expect to have realistic physics (seriously). DO expect to have a BLAST racing online. DO expect to be punished for any mistake you make when you have all assists off.

Overall, this game replaces Forza in the "I want to race online against my friends" catagory (thankfully, I have a group of friends who also have the game - racing against them is obviously more enjoyable than racing strangers). Unfortunately, it does NOT replace Forza in the "polished game I can have fun with when I'm not online" catagory. In RACE Pro there are only two reasons why anyone would want to race the AI: To unlock achievements and to unlock cars. In Forza, you really don't want to race the AI either... but at least you can have a slightly less-boring time doing it (you can rank up in career mode, and the types of races are muchmore diverse and interesting). But to me, there is no denying that the physics and actual racing are better in RACE Pro. For example, you can rub without spinning instantly (like in Forza) but if you hit someone on the wrong way, you both will end up in the wall - the way it should be. The tire model is fantastic, and the way the game treats braking without ABS is 100 times better than Forza's system. These are just small examples - you really need to experience this game (WITH A WHEEL!!!) for yourself to appreciate it.

The Good:
-Awesome physics
-Racing is great
-Microsoft Wheel is implemented beautifully (almost - see cons) - you don't have to struggle to be fast with it like in Forza
-Interior/Cockpit view
-Diverse range of race cars
-Sound effects are awesome
-Flag Rules! Both offline AND online!
-Qualifying rounds! Again, both offline and online.
-Cool lobby system. It's like NASCAR 09: you join a room and enter a pre-race practice mode where you can drive the track, adjust your setup back in the garage, and then head back out to check how your changes affect your lap time. The host can choose when to end the practice session and move on to qualifying (or skip to the race if he has qualifying off).
-My favorite console racing game I've ever played

The Bad:
-So far, the online service is kind of lame. Sometimes you randomly lose connection to the host and you are booted back to the main menu. Adding to the frustration, if the host goes off the track and gets frustrated, they sometimes just quit - closing the entire game for everyone else. Hopefully a patch can fix at least the game drops.
-Force feedback is very weak with the wheel. This doesn't seem to be a constant problem for everyone - some people report that their feedback is fine, and others, like me, feel amost nothing. Some people don't have any feedback. This seems to me like a bug in the way the wheel and the game see each other, but who knows. If you have a modified MS Wheel where you can adjust the FF level right there on the wheel, then you should be fine - but for the rest of us, you can adjust pretty much every parameter of the racing wheel in game EXCEPT for force feedback (so we're SOL).
-Graphics are pretty meh. I wouldn't say the game looks worse than Forza but it doesn't look better (except for Cockpit View! That makes everything look amazing - seriously).

That's it! If you are expect GRID, don't buy this. If you are looking for a sim, buy this.

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Product Description:
RACE Pro recreates a breathtaking reality giving gamers the ultimate racing simulation experience so that nothing gets closer to the action and thrill of professional car racing.RACE Pro provides unrivalled realism and deep immersion into the racing world through ultra realistic car models and official FIA championships and tracks. RACE Pro offers a wealth of cars ranging from 200 to over 1000 horse power, as well as a host of championships including WTCC (World Touring Car Championship), Formula 3000 and Formula BMW. Gamers and racing fans alike will experience the thrill of racing these powerful cars on 13 real life tracks covering all continents, of which Macau, Porto and Pau are city tracks exclusive to RACE Pro, and US tracks Laguna Seca and Road America are brand new to SimBin fans.

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