Fanatec CSR Elite Review: A League of its Own

  • Thread starter amar212
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thehawk05
Likely on a PC through the USB. The only way to connect a Frex, SST or a TH8 directly to a Fanatec wheel is using an Interfaceone adapter PCB.
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Hello,

Just to point out the interfaceone pcb only works with the Frex H+ shifter Not the Frex Shift+ Sequential shifter. Did not see any point in writing software for a shifter you can direct wire to Fanatec wheel.

The pcb however works with the following shifters only;

SST Lightning

Frex H+

Thrustmaster TH8RS in H and Seq modes

:cheers:
 
Question for you amar212 - How does one connect a Frex Shifter to a PS3 system with a Fanatec wheel and ClubSport pedals?

In my opinion CSRE even outperforms T500RS because of the low-speed FFB implementation. I didn't expect it to happen - I really did not - but it just happened. CSRE is really another universe. The feel of driving GT5 on CSRE is perfect.
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Im sold :)

Plan to order a CSW with a 14"+ rim as soon as available.
 
zqxwjv
Question for you amar212 - How does one connect a Frex Shifter to a PS3 system with a Fanatec wheel and ClubSport pedals?
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Very simple.

All Fanatec wheel have on-wheel inputs for pedals, shifter and microphone (that is for Xbox mic). Older models have PS/2 ports, while CSRE (and CSW probably too) have UTP-inputs, but the adapters for PS/2>UTP are available (I am not sure are those adapters included in the box of the retail unit, you should check that with Fanatec).

Frex Shifter is connected directly to the input used by *ordinary* Fanatec's Shifters and recognized as standard sequential shifter by all games on PS3. SO basically, both pedals and shifter are connected directly to the wheel, while only cable that goes to PS3 is single USB - just like with any other wheel outthere.

Notice how Frex offers two models of Shifter+ - barebone and USB - you'd need a barebone and in order to make it work you need to do an easy soldering of any PS/2 input on the barebone-wires of the shifter, with attention of splitting the wires, dependable of way you prefer your shifting - up>lower gear or up>higher gear or vice-versa.

Sound somewhat complicating, but it is not really :) It took my package only 4 working days to arrive from Japan to Croatia and they've send it to me 10 minutes after PayPal processed my payment.

It is a great, great shifter, needless to say :)
 
hello, i was just wondering if beautiful subtle ffb effects still remain when wheel is set to drift mode 5? maybe they stay in some games?
 
Yes great review! I have a question about mounting the wheel. Does it come with those black brackets underneath the wheel in order to mount it at an angle? It looks like without those, it would mount flat and the wheel would be at 90 degrees. Are the mounting holes same as the other fanatec wheels? I currently use a CSR on a playseat evo so just wondering how it would all mount up.
 
Mounting holes are not the same unless you use the included brackets.

I'm honestly not sure why people prefer that weird angle that most wheels sit at, I like it straight.
 
MadRR
Yes great review! I have a question about mounting the wheel. Does it come with those black brackets underneath the wheel in order to mount it at an angle? It looks like without those, it would mount flat and the wheel would be at 90 degrees. Are the mounting holes same as the other fanatec wheels? I currently use a CSR on a playseat evo so just wondering how it would all mount up.
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Yes it does, it comes with those black brackets straight from the box :-).
 
superbike81
Mounting holes are not the same unless you use the included brackets.

I'm honestly not sure why people prefer that weird angle that most wheels sit at, I like it straight.
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The angle is made to simulate the real wheel angle. You might like it straight but it doesn't mean that it is right to drive that way.
 
Not right? Guess you should tell all the open wheel, CSR/DSR, LMP, etc, etc racers that they are doing it "wrong"

Maybe because my real life racing history is all karts and formula cars (FF and FC), but I'm not used to having it pointed up in the air.

2009-McLaren-MP4-24-F1-Cockpit-View.jpg


Yes, I do understand that most street cars are angled up, but that is too accommodate different size drivers. Most sports cars (and even most regular cars) you can tilt the wheel down to have a more straight on angle.
 
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superbike81
Yes, I do understand that most street cars are angled up, but that is too accommodate different size drivers
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Has more to do with seating position in street cars than anything. Street cars are more about an upright, high seating position for comfort and visibility. Race car seating is much lower and often in a more laid back position so the steering wheel needs to be straight to be comfortable.

At least with the CSR E/CSW people will have the option to have it straight on rigs without wheel deck adjustment by removing the angled plate. The CSR E with the angle plate has less angle than the CSR/Porsche wheels which are angled at 25 degrees......the Elite is 20 degrees
 
Guys, I'm just saying that an angled wheel is what most of the people are used to and this is why it feels more "right" to have it angled same as a normal car. At the of the day there are not "many" F1 drivers among us...
 
Exactly. I built my rig with the wheel mount angled down just so I wouldn't have to feel like I was driving a minivan. Now that the CSR-E and CSW finally have flat mounting, it's a good thing I'm building a new rig anyways.
 
lemansfanatic
..... ive tryed using them at an angle and always felt like a bus driver
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I feel the same way.

But again that's the good thing about the Elite: You can choose

If you realy think about it : it's awesome :sly:

On top of all the things you can change in the settings menu, fanatec also gives you the ability to choose the angle of the wheel.
 
I feel that Fanatec has made some questionable choices on the wheel rim issue.

First, with the decision to use Porsche branding - I don't know how much Fanatec paid for this privilege, but I always felt it was an unnecessary marketing tool & given the niche aspect of the sim-racing accessories market, that the new wheels would have sold anyway, based on quality, rather than branding.

Second, the use of alcantara leather (which, I just google-discovered is NOT actually "leather" at all). It's a luxurious-feeling material, but personally I don't really like it as a wheel rim cover - it's just too "suedey" for my taste.

Third, the wheel rim construction of the CSR & CSRE wheels. I understand that there will be other wheel rims available in the future, but the shape & construction of the launch rim still seems like an odd choice.

Overall, my favourite wheel rim (design-wise) remains the G25/G27 - it's simple, it's generic, it looks good & it feels good. It makes sense, in a general non-specific way, for contemporary street cars, for vintage cars, for GT cars & for F1 cars. This seems like the logical "stock" kind of rim to offer, & could be added to later by more specific optional rims.

I don't really understand the "cost" argument as Logitech manage to deliver a leather wrapped wheel at a very low price-point (& Fanatec offered it on the PWTS.)
 
Biggles
I don't really understand the "cost" argument as Logitech manage to deliver a leather wrapped wheel at a very low price-point (& Fanatec offered it on the PWTS.)
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I don't understand that one either.
I thought the CSR was in place for people who wanted to save a few bucks.
 
I dont believe it was a price issue either. Hell how much was that carbon fiber center piece? Make it aluminum like on the csr and use that money for better construction. Im not sure whats the reason for the cheap rim, but cost wasnt it. From the sounds of Thomas latest blog it will be months before a new rim is avaliable. Im not sure I want to buy it with that rim. :indiff:
 
Spagetti69
I don't understand that one either.
I thought the CSR was in place for people who wanted to save a few bucks.
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Its quite straight forward really why limit the potential market for the product by putting it beyond people such as myself, whose potential business is price sensitive, Clearly the base is the lion's share of the cost of the CRS Elite both in material and research and developement. I would imagine that the cost of the latter be best amortised over as many sold units as possible as quickly as possible. Those of you in the position of being able to afford more substantial rims will clearly be served by the other rims at extra cost. By using the existing rim Thomas is endeavouring to give access to his product to as big an audience as possible.
 
fatkrakr
I dont believe it was a price issue either. Hell how much was that carbon fiber center piece?
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It's not solid carbon fiber.....it's real carbon fiber but it's overlayed on aluminum.
 
blacbul67
Those of you in the position of being able to afford more substantial rims will clearly be served by the other rims at extra cost. By using the existing rim Thomas is endeavouring to give access to his product to as big an audience, as it were, as possible.
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Buy using the existing system there are others who have to pay potentailly more too.
It's not there fault if they can afford it, they just want a complete package.

As I've said the budget gang ( of which I'm one also ) are already catered for.

Just my opinion.
 
Spagetti69
Buy using the existing system there are others who have to pay potentailly more too.
It's not there fault if they can afford it, they just want a complete package.

As I've said the budget gang ( of which I'm one also ) are already catered for.

Just my opinion.
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I agree Spaghetti, I speak not from the politics of envy, but commercial expedience on fanatec's part. Speaking for myself, I am grateful they have taken this route. Knowing of the existence and potential performance of an Elite wheel I now consider the CSR the second best multi platform wheel (which of course it now is!) So having been fortunate to have had the best multi format wheels for the last 2 years (PWTS and GT2) thats what I aspire to continue to do.

For me the wheel and the existing rim bring that desire just that bit nearer happening, so I can't really complain about the compromises needed for that to happen. I would, (if I ever felt the need to) upgrade the rim at later date.
I suppose its like getting the opportunity to first get on the property ladder!:-)
 
I think the Shifter situation very much mirrors this predicament.

It's no secret that many members here are awaiting the CSS.

Not sure of its price point but it's an investment I'm willing to take.

I had the option of waiting it out ( I'd still be waiting however ) or purchasing a 50 euro set, that I wasn't planning on keeping.

I went for the latter option because really there was no option. I wanted to shift using a stick and that was that.

Would be interesting to know when the new rims are released will Fanatec offer the base with the New rim @ a higher cost obviously. Or will you have to buy the current model and order a rim whilst doing so.

Bit of a conundrum for Thomas. If he allows units sent from the factory with upgraded rims he will be left with a lot of unused rims sitting on the shelf at a cost to him. Unless they can make to order of course.
 
Again, I don't really understand it as a cost consideration, it seems to be more of a design consideration. I think Thrustmaster made the right decision in offering a more generic wheel with the T500RS. Nevertheless, it's certainly an amazing time for sim-racers with the plethora of new wheel choices on offer out there. 👍
 

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