A Direct Drive Wheel for UNDER $400...

  • Thread starter Leadfoot53
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Leadfoot53

Leadfoot53

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A couple weeks ago, I came across this upcoming Direct Drive racing wheel, and thought it may be interesting to share with you guys:



Since I released this video, I was able to get in contact with the makers of this wheel, and they definitely have ambitious goals:

- Aiming for 12NM torque (approximately double the strength of the T500RS)
- 45KG Load cell for the brake
- Looking to add native console compatibility in the future, but will be PS4 compatible with DriveHub
- After the wheel is released, the price for the wheel will go up to around $700-$800

I'm a little skeptical of it, but I'd prefer to be cautiously optimistic. The founder of the company mentioned he wants to have me test drive the wheel in early 2018, so let's hope this could be real!
 
Leadfoot53
A couple weeks ago, I came across this upcoming Direct Drive racing wheel, and thought it may be interesting to share with you guys:



Since I released this video, I was able to get in contact with the makers of this wheel, and they definitely have ambitious goals:

- Aiming for 12NM torque (approximately double the strength of the T500RS)
- 45KG Load cell for the brake
- Looking to add native console compatibility in the future, but will be PS4 compatible with DriveHub
- After the wheel is released, the price for the wheel will go up to around $700-$800

I'm a little skeptical of it, but I'd prefer to be cautiously optimistic. The founder of the company mentioned he wants to have me test drive the wheel in early 2018, so let's hope this could be real!
Click to expand...

When something seems too good to be true it often just is. But looking forward to your own tests. This could be a game changer!
 
PocketZeven
When something seems too good to be true it often just is. But looking forward to your own tests. This could be a game changer!
Click to expand...
This is only the price for early birds though. It will be $800 or so. The bottom line here is its best to only buy into this currently if you are prepared to lose $400. It will also be on kickstarter soon.
 
lancia delta hf
This is only the price for early birds though. It will be $800 or so. The bottom line here is its best to only buy into this currently if you are prepared to lose $400. It will also be on kickstarter soon.
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Even at 800 with loadcell pedals and a steering wheel it still a bargain. I mean the T-GT retails at 800! I’m not a pc gamer so wouldn’t be interested anyways, but it could be a game changer in the sense that the big players might need to lower their prices.
 
PocketZeven
Even at 800 with loadcell pedals and a steering wheel it still a bargain. I mean the T-GT retails at 800! I’m not a pc gamer so wouldn’t be interested anyways, but it could be a game changer in the sense that the big players might need to lower their prices.
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I totally agree. At the the moment there are as you'd expect due to the price many sceptics who think this is a scam. They also do motion rigs. I would actually buy this for console if I wasn't skint because it works with Drivehub and they claim they are going to get official console licence next year.
 
A couple of things to note. The Sim-Plicity 7nm wheel will use a much smaller motor, power supply and less accurate encoder, than the big MiGe OSW tested by Will. So you do get your money's worth with the more expensive kits. (Heck, I just ordered a 28nm kit a week ago).
 
super_gt
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That comparison is pointless though because a 30Nm big Mige tuned down won’t be the same as the 7Nm motor, just as it feels different to a small Mige even if both are only powered for 20Nm or a 20.5Nm Kollmorgen. Different motors can and do feel completely different.

Looking at the motor specs on the Mige website is what’s most interesting as it’s peak torque is 7Nm but holding torque only 2.4Nm 1/4 less than the Small Mige which is only 1/3 higher on peak torque. A larger motor detuned will have the same torque capability across its entire range and feel much stronger and not clip when working against it.

Let’s wait and see how the actual motor performs.
 
F Inferno
That comparison is pointless though because a 30Nm big Mige tuned down won’t be the same as the 7Nm motor, just as it feels different to a small Mige even if both are only powered for 20Nm or a 20.5Nm Kollmorgen. Different motors can and do feel completely different.

Looking at the motor specs on the Mige website is what’s most interesting as it’s peak torque is 7Nm but holding torque only 2.4Nm 1/4 less than the Small Mige which is only 1/3 higher on peak torque. A larger motor detuned will have the same torque capability across its entire range and feel much stronger and not clip when working against it.

Let’s wait and see how the actual motor performs.
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I would say that this comparison is more about smoothness,precision and speed in comparison to gear/belt driven wheels.
 
super_gt
I would say that this comparison is more about smoothness,precision and speed in comparison to gear/belt driven wheels.
Click to expand...

But as you already know, ANY Direct Drive wheel only has 1 moving part (the motor shaft), which means the motor would have to be damaged (or just plain crap), to be less smooth than a belt/gear driven wheel. The precision depends on the encoder resolution up to a point, I guess.
 
super_gt
I would say that this comparison is more about smoothness,precision and speed in comparison to gear/belt driven wheels.
Click to expand...
The motors are really too different to compare though, not to say it couldn’t be similar but it’s best to wait and see. The specs and capabilities are very different but it will be good to answer the question of what’s better a cheaper motored DD wheel or a belt driven wheel with the same torque.

It should still have less deadline and more feedback detail but how it delivers that and how it feels will be interesting to see. The raw output of the Accuforce can feel terrible in some games for example without smoothing which is never the case on a Clubsport wheel and if this motor needs it, depending on how much it needs to feel good it could end up smoothing out the small details anyway.

Sprocket
But as you already know, ANY Direct Drive wheel only has 1 moving part (the motor shaft), which means the motor would have to be damaged (or just plain crap), to be less smooth than a belt/gear driven wheel. The precision depends on the encoder resolution up to a point, I guess.
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A CSW V2 is much smoother than both an Accuforce and Mige because the motors still have friction which you can feel when idle.

The smooth belts of the Clubsport wheels I suspect dampen out any motor notichness but it is incredibly smooth hence why when it’s compared to Thrustmasters notched belts everyone says they aren’t as smooth.
 
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Pricing Update
Hey everyone,

The last few months have been crazy for us. We've been working day and night to prepare for our Kickstarter launch, constantly making adjustments and improvements to our product. After doing a ton of testing and attending SimRacing Expo in Germany, we've received some incredible feedback. So, we implemented some new features to Feel VR, which means we had to recalculate manufacturing costs.

Our goal has always been to be affordable, but without compromising quality. So we're sticking to our motto. We want to give you guys the best possible product, for the best possible price.

We also did some more in-depth cost calculations to make sure we're not one of those Kickstarter campaigns that don't deliver the product as promised. We're in this for the long run.

The new pricing is as follows:

Pedals:
  • Early Bird: $149
  • Regular: $199
(Retail will be $299)

Wheel:
  • Early Bird: $399
  • Regular: $449
(Retail will be $669)

Wheel + Pedals:
  • Early Bird: $549
  • Regular: $599
(Retail will be $899)

In other news, we've decided not to limit the quantity of Early Birds. What does that mean? You've got a full 48 hours to purchase Feel VR at Early Bird prices once the campaign launches! To sign up for updates and to learn more, visit http://get.feelvr.game. We appreciate your support so far, and we can't wait to finally share Feel VR with you all.

Sincerely,
Feel VR Team
 
And even if it is, the fact that it would so easily fail completely removes one of the big pros of DD wheels, same reason I’m worried about Fanatec using their own custom built motors.
 
Sprocket
From the look of things, that doesn't appear like a product that's ready to launch anytime soon...
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Yep... If fanatec keeps the pricing of its DD wheel low this project will be doa.... But if Fanatec prices its DD wheel € 1k+ it might still have a following... But the design is just :drool:
 
Having just received my Sim-Plicity SW28 open sim wheel, my impressions are that I't doesn't feel as far removed from my old Fanatec Clubsport V2.5 as some Youtuber's and reviewers would suggest. So if the Feel VR ends up in the same price range as the Clubsport series, I'd say get the Fanatec. Direct Drive or not, it's a proven product with a longer warranty.
 
Sprocket
Having just received my Sim-Plicity SW28 open sim wheel, my impressions are that I't doesn't feel as far removed from my old Fanatec Clubsport V2.5 as some Youtuber's and reviewers would suggest.
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Could you say something about what the differences are, and in what way those differences aren't as big as you expected?
 
People on Youtube mainly talks about the "fidelity" of the OSW, compared to consumer wheels. I think the detail of the force feedback on the Clubsport V2.5 in Assetto Corsa and Project Cars 2 is very, very close to the OSW. Granted, I haven't spent that much time with the OSW yet, so these are just early impressions. But naturally, the 28nm OSW is waaaaayyyyy stronger and more brutal with high FF settings, literally enough to seriously hurt the user.
 
Sprocket
People on Youtube mainly talks about the "fidelity" of the OSW, compared to consumer wheels. I think the detail of the force feedback on the Clubsport V2.5 in Assetto Corsa and Project Cars 2 is very, very close to the OSW. Granted, I haven't spent that much time with the OSW yet, so these are just early impressions. But naturally, the 28nm OSW is waaaaayyyyy stronger and more brutal with high FF settings, literally enough to seriously hurt the user.
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What about how smooth the delivery of the force is? That’s one thing I’ve always read about and is one of the reasons I hope to upgrade by club sport wheel for the new fanatec dd wheel.
 
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PzR Slim
What about how smooth the delivery of the force is? That’s one thing I’ve always read about and is one of the reasons I hope to upgrade by club sport wheel for the new fanatic dd wheel.
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Very curious about that too. Im the only one in simracing in my community... So never had the chance to use a DD wheel. From what I understand there is no friction and latency. Feedback should be ultra clear and direct. I am not planning to upgrade anytime soon.. but if my current wheel bites the dust I might as well upgrade to a DD if the offers stay below €1k plug and play (incl. electronics, nice wheel with buttonbox, QR etc.)

On an other note they should build in a USB hub into the wheelbase. That way you only need 1 usb port to your pc/console. This will illiminate the need for a connector in the QR.
 
Regarding the latency and smoothness, I'd still say Clubsport and OSW are very close. The Clubsport is by far and away the smoothest and most friction free belt driven wheel on the market. One of my main reasons for getting the OSW was that personally, I could sort of feel all the moving parts working against each other in the Clubsport wheelbase, especially using high force feedback settings, which made me feel like the wheel would fall apart in my hands. The OSW feels rock solid in comparison and doesn't generate rattle noises and squeeks like the Clubsport and other belt/gearr driven wheels. The force feedback latency of the OSW feels lower as well, making the steering feel slightly more precise during hard conering. But again, Clubsport users who can't afford (or don't want to spend the extra $$$) shouldn't feel short changed, as the difference is most noticeable under high force loads.
 

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