Fanatec GT2 Mini Review and my Cockpit

  • Thread starter greekbull
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How quickly does the wheel return to center? I have a Carrera and thinking of upgrading, but it's weakest point IMO is the speed of which it re-centers. It's good for small rotations...but the speed drops as you increase the steering angle. Especially if you go full lock, you pretty much have to spin it back yourself or else it's going to react too slow. I rehooked my G25 up, and wow that thing spins back to center with furiousity.
 
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I think it whips back to center pretty quick. I don't notice any difference from my experiences with the Logitech wheels. Of course I don't have one anymore. But also the GT2, GT3 and PWTS are a completely different technology than the Carrera. The other three are belt driven with very strong motors. And I believe the Carrera is gear driven right?
 
To OP, I wish i had the room and the climate like that, a perfect place to make flying laps, also your tv is tempting as hell, the picture is at its finest with big sceen!. The only thing missing is a 3d glass and your wife cheering for you wearing cheerleader suit!
 
Have Fanatec wheels always been lethargic in their centering behaviour? I have tried all sorts of settings now and it seems it is easier to use this wheel (GT2) if I set Force Feedback to 0 and simply "drive it" myslef.

The wheel is fantastic, well made it seems and behaves exactly the way a I would expect a Force Feedback wheel to behave, its a pity they didnt make it feel like a real cars wheel once you get past the FF and Vibraiotn demo so to speal.

It needs to be much faster to the center if it is to represent the real "feedback' ye get from a car when the front wheel sare in motion.

This is the behaviour Logitec got done really well with the G25/27. The Fanatec feels like a car with a binding steering rack. It is just a "stiff wheel with variable resistance".

Ant tuning secrets to getting this really expensive Alcantara wheel to feel as good as it looks?

"Confused new Fanatec wheel owner"
 
Does it center quickly or slowly? I can manually center the wheel faster than it does on its own.

I have hooked it up to the PC, and in PC mode, the wheel shows the XBox360 symbols. And they are convinced my rFactor is installed in someplace other than it is so their driver/plugin cant find it.

The PC driver also shows the 911 Turbo wheel, so I am thinking this wheel is just a repackage of the 911 Turbo - and if you conenct it to the PC in PS3 "mode" the PC thinks it is a Logitech G25 - so that is their PS3 compatibility right there - they clone the Logitech behaviour for the PS3 (which is probably why they needed to rev the GT3 wheels to rev2 to work with GT5 - it was not emulating Logitech as well as they needed to) GT5 is quite pcky about what device it talks to.

So far I have to say for this much money, this wheel is a mediocre package in total - the only thing it has going for itself so far is the Forza3/XB360 support.

But as an all round wheel, it is not as robust in behaviour or software setup as the very mature G25/27 - which is to be understood. Small boutique company vs multi-naitonal behemouth.

Let's see if the Fanatec folks can back their wheel up with technical support. :)

*edit*

Removing and reinstalling their drivers made the software behave better - so 1 less issue to worry about :)

Butnow to get it to not go into XBox mode when puttign itinto PC mode. I hope being in XBox mode wont mean it doesnt perform all its PC functions - I really want to give this setup a fair shake.
 
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I have to say that my experience is quite opposite. I think this wheel feels superior to the G25 I had in just about every category. Overall feel if the wheel, force feedback, it has vibration. One the wheel adjustments and team that with the CS pedals and it's not even close IMHO.

I haven't hooked it up to the PC yet lol too busy playing as much as I can.

Suggestion try turning your drift setting up higher that's the "dri" setting. The higher the setting the quicker the wheel seems to return to center. I've got mine at 3 out of 5 and it seems to be plenty quick.

BTW I just finished a race on the Nürburgring in the German Touring Car Championship using the Lexus IS F Racing Concept and I can't take the smile off my face. This wheel and pedal combo is just amazing. The pedals almost make it unfair with the loadcell tech. That and the Buttkicker translating bumps and it's the most fun I've ever had driving in a game.
 
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I am giving the tunign a try.

*edit*

The secret to the centering is the SPr setting set to 3. Pretty much looks like it will break your thumbs off if you dont watch out :)

*edit*

Wow - their platform is very immature. I guess I just have to get used to it. It seems their own documentation contraricts themselves. Their docs claim PC mode has no wheel illumination, perhaps they shoudl add the little detail that their driver software has adefault checkmar "Wheel Illumination" and that this "illumination" is the XBox symbols.

Chasing a bloody issue that is not a bloody issue because the vendor doesnt complete their testing loop.

Next, their driver sometimes seems to drop the wheel mid-session on the PC, and then the wheel pretty much just becomes a rotating controller, Buttons do stuff but the wheel is just to make the car weave.

I have to say, when it works it is fantastic, even Fanatecstic - but the glitchy behaviour makes me want to hook up the G25 for GT5 and rFactor - making this a very expensive Forza3 controller ;)

Oh well, one lives and learns doesnt one.
 
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Fanatec...
Did you try the new driver 107 we uploaded today? It will better match your wheel.
Click to expand...

No, the driver was still 104 when I downloaded it about 4 hours ago.

I will try this new 107 driver out. Maybe that will cure the last issues.

Thanks.

BTW, is the brake pedal vibration of the Clubsport Pedals supported by the GT2 wheel?

*edit*

The driver loaded first time, calibrated properly and now even ahs the GT2 Graphic.

The driver window also does not have the CSP checkbox greyed out anymore - that's gotta be good. I can't wait for the CSP'd to arrive now.
 
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In regards to firmware, if we are only using it on the PS3 do we still plug it in to the computer to update firmware or does that even need to be done if we aren't doing any PC racing? I think my wheel and clubsports are arriving today, at least that is what UPS says and they are usually right on with my deliveries.
 
Strange there are 2 different experiences between greekbull and RC45. Sounds like either it is a PC issue or a setup issue as I don't think greekbull has tried it on his PC. Proabably a setup issue. Let us know how it turns out RC45. Hopefully it is just a setup issue and you get it going to your liking. All I play is GT5 so for me if it works there I will be happy although someday maybe PC and XBOX so it would be nice to know it works on those as well.
 
I'll have to try that firmware out later. LOL it'll be a little hard since I have the steering wheel hard mounted and all of the cords zipped an stowed. But honestly I have no complaints with the wheel now. Works just awesome.

RC45, did that firmware help with your issues?
 
I will check later tonight. I have been out delivering invoices today - gotta pay for the toys somehow :)

It is just software drivers on the PC, not firmware.

And if they had told me I needed to update/flash the firmware on a brandnew product I would have just sent it back and asked for a refund. There is no way O am going to start a relationship witha $500 controller that arrives buggy and glitchy.

I would rather spend the $500 on something that works and just live with the 100% reliable and fully functional G25.

There is no doubt that Fanatec are a boutique manufacturer and the quality you get is a crap shoot - I would not recommend someone spend their last $500 onthis setup, you will be dissapointed in the amount of effort to keep your setup going strong - if you have the spare $500, go for it.
 
Well it sounds like it's working for you on both PS3 and 360 now is that right? So hopefully that driver is the answer on the PC. Don't know for me I don't play in the PC. But I can say from my personal experience the G25 is not in the same universe as the GT2 with the ClubSports.

Of course I'm the kind of guy which prefers cutting edge high end electronics and I love the smaller companies like Fanatec that are more responsive and can come out with new products quickly. Just like the upcoming CS Shifter and CS Handbrake. Logitech could never come out with something like that.

I would absolutely tell my friends to get this wheel over the G25 no doubt. But that's my personal experience.
 
Thank you very much to Greekbull and Rc45 for your feed-back. Now the question is : Gt2 or T500rs ? :)

I own a G25 and I will only consider to change my wheel for a clear improvment. The Gt2 offers a lot : Xbox 360 compatibility, clubsport pedals, real Time settings, great build quality. The T500rs get fix paddles (could be nice to switch From fix to link to the wheel), high precision sensor, suspended pedals. Will it beat a Gt2 with clubsport ?
 
One thing is for certain, this new driver rendered the tuning I had done on the wheel in rFactor useless. I have had to start over - so it did something.

My biggest hassle right now is that the single best feature of the GT2 is now lost on the PC until I can figure out which rFcator tuning setting impacts it.

The wheel now has the classic G25 violent rocking natire at rest and at speed. It clinks in and out of the center position like a G25 at 110% FF. At least with the old driver it didnt do that.
 
RC45
One thing is for certain, this new driver rendered the tuning I had done on the wheel in rFactor useless. I have had to start over - so it did something.

My biggest hassle right now is that the single best feature of the GT2 is now lost on the PC until I can figure out which rFcator tuning setting impacts it.

The wheel now has the classic G25 violent rocking natire at rest and at speed. It clinks in and out of the center position like a G25 at 110% FF. At least with the old driver it didnt do that.
Click to expand...

Post your wheel settings here.
 
After a few days, what is your feeling with the GT2 ? I read a lot about problems with the GT2 but I know that people who do not have problem with a device do not post : "I do not have problem with my new device" :)

So I am still considering switching from my G25 to the GT2... but there is also the T500RS :ouch:
 
K_Soze
After a few days, what is your feeling with the GT2 ? I read a lot about problems with the GT2 but I know that people who do not have problem with a device do not post : "I do not have problem with my new device" :)

So I am still considering switching from my G25 to the GT2... but there is also the T500RS :ouch:
Click to expand...

Well I had a problem with my wheel. It went out mid game and would not power back up. I contacted Fanatec and they replied back within one day and had a replacement wheel shipped out. I should have the replacement GT2 here tomorrow.

Up until that point I couldn't have been happier with the wheel. It was working flawlessly and I thought it was a real big improvement over the G25.

I will say I was very impressed with the response time and service I received from Thomas and Fanatec. I will have a replacement wheel a week after my issue. They also had me do some investigating to see if we could narrow down the problem. It looks like the problem was somewhere in the board.

Anyway I will post up some thoughts after the replacement is here and I can get a lot of laps in it.
 
In the rFactor settings I had to switch the FFB strength to negative numbers for my Fanatec wheels to work properly. Perhaps the new drivers corrected that issue and you need to switch FFB back to positive values? Just a guess. I haven't installed 1.07 yet.

RC45
One thing is for certain, this new driver rendered the tuning I had done on the wheel in rFactor useless. I have had to start over - so it did something.

My biggest hassle right now is that the single best feature of the GT2 is now lost on the PC until I can figure out which rFcator tuning setting impacts it.

The wheel now has the classic G25 violent rocking natire at rest and at speed. It clinks in and out of the center position like a G25 at 110% FF. At least with the old driver it didnt do that.
Click to expand...
 

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