The Thrustmaster T500RS Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter TomN
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Hello.
Someone posted my video of the T500 RS which is dead on arrival...
This seems not to be an issue that TM causes.. I called GameStop Germany where I bought it and they said that the DHL man has left the package dropped.. In the traffic from DHL you can see that the packet was delivered damaged to the department.
TM was really supportfull.. They saw my video and contacted me via email.. So TM is really fair.. But their tips to check if the usb port is damaged or the power supply were not soo helpful.. I plugged the wheel into a pc port, same issue. I checked the power supply - all cables are connected and the blue led is lightning.
So now I wait for another response from TM..
Here are some pictures.. Fanatec GT3 vs TM T500 RS :D
GT3 looks like a toy.. :D:D
img0537ut.jpg

img0539oi.jpg

img0540uzf.jpg

img0543ee.jpg


http://img407.imageshack.us/f/img0537ut.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/f/img0539oi.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/f/img0540uzf.jpg
http://img695.imageshack.us/f/img0543ee.jpg



And sorry for bad english..^^
Best regards
 
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Mr Latte
Anyone able to comment on Emulation Mode with other games.
Very little has been reported on this so far. Yes it may suck but be interesting to hear peoples thoughts on it.

* Limited to 270 Rotation and no FFB

Does the wheel support rumble motors like a DS3 in emulation mode?

Sega Rally
Dirt 2
F1 2010

Or others......
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On the Thrustmaster support page (linked firmware page) they have a PS3 compatibility mode guide in PDF. Has some information in there that I had not read about before.

[PS3® Games Compatibility Mode] 337 KB
 
RC45
I have tried this, but not having any other PS3 driving games was of no use. I can say for sure that none of the PS2 titles tried detected the wheel, while every one of the PS2 titles detected the Fanatec GT2 as some form of Logitech wheel. either DFP or Logitech Force Wheel..
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Interesting about the PS2 games..

In the PDF they say "In these games, the T500 RS emulates the official PlayStation®3 gamepad.". Maybe in the PS2 games the Sixaxis controller is emulating a PS2 controller so a link is missing. (i.e. the wheel would have to emulate the PS2 controller instead of PS3 controller...)
 
RC45
And interestingly enough the Fanatec GT2 on the XBox360 had a hard time working with FM1. The wheel worked but the gas and brake where the shift paddles.

You would have thought since fanatec had the Xbox Speedster3 wheel they would have at least built in some backwards compatability to emulate their own wheel for Xbox games on the 360.
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you know i am no fanatec fanboy ;), but FM1 is xbox title AFAIK and not 360, i had some issues also with MS wheel on that game
 
Of course on PS3 Fanatec wheels works with old & new title because they use Logitech VID/PID and so they use directly Logitech SDK (exactly like a chinese copy). So they don't need any contact with any developers 👍
 
My T500 RS got delivered this afternoon and I've been playing with it for a few hours now. My previous wheel is a G25 and that's all I can compare this new wheel with.

First, it is massive. A very tall friend of mine (2m10) once told me that everything about him is big, everything... The same goes for this wheel: It's power supply is big, the foot peddle mount is big, the wheel housing is enormous and the wheel's diameter is larger than that of the G25. Quite the thrust master indeed. ;)

Installing the T500 RS on my Playseat didn't take much time, mostly because the wheel housing has the screw holes in the right place. So I don't need to use the clamp. The peddles are simply placed on the floor and rest against the TV table. Connecting the cables is just a matter of plugging them in. I had to fiddle a bit with the Playseat though, to get a comfortable racing position.

After I started-up the PS3 and GT5, the wheel was instantly recognized and ready to use. I changed one thing, and that was the force feedback which I had at 10 for the G25. I put it on 6 and that seems to be OK for now.

Next I started racing (the GTP WRS qualifier sectors) and immediately was in trouble because of the paddle shifters. On the G25 they rotate with the wheel, but on the T500 RS they are stationary (mounted on the wheel housing). It has taken me hours to get used to this new situation. :scared:

There are a few important things to note: There is no dead zone (like with the G25) and no rattling when turning the wheel. It feels all very smooth. The lack of dead zone (as it should be) became most apparent later on, when I raced the X2010 on Monza: driving in a straight line is much harder, but taking corners like Curva Grande and Parabolica is much smoother. The steering also seems to be much more responsive, so at first I kept crashing into the inside barrier at Lesmo 1. :dopey:

With the SLS AMG on the Nordschleife it became clear how well and direct this wheel (and peddles) responds to your input and how good its feedback is. For example: feeling and catching oversteer has become child's play.

So far I'm very happy with this wheel. 👍
 
Denur
First, it is massive. A very tall friend of mine (2m10) once told me that everything about him is big, everything...
Click to expand...

That's one of those things you should keep to yourself, me thinks.
 
RC45
The point is that the title works on the XB360. It would have been in Fanatecs interest to at least build some backwards compatibility into their wheel to emulate their own hardware.

This is my major gripe with the T500RS, they did not build in ANY backwards compatible interface - and TM have many of their wheel devices they could have chosen to emulate - at the $600 price point these are features that should be included.

Imagine if Logitech release a G45 Uber Wheel - and it has zero DFP, DFGT or G25/27 emulation capability thereby dropping all hope of working with a laundry list of titles.

I believe this lack of backwards Thrustmaster emulation is going to be the undoing of the T500RS

The number of software vendors willing to go back and write driver support into their older PS3 titles to support the T500RS is going to be few to zero.

Thrustmaster have then effectively halved their target market.

Those few of us early adopters with more toy money than sense will not be representing any type of on-going revenue stream. The fewer people who buy the wheel, the fewer retailers will be willing to stock it. If you think its tough getting hold of Fanatec wheels now, wait till the T500RS goes out of favour with the retailers - there is not even a direct-buy option for Thrustmaster.

Of course this is just my opinion. ;)
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The T500 RS is a new wheel, and GT5 is a new game, w/ more support coming from Thrustmaster (hopefully) later on for other titles, there's no way that it's going to be the undoing of such a superb wheel for a game it was made for, unfortunately some racing fans of some PS2 games will have to move on, but I imagine many people buying this wheel will be for GT5 and later next gen games that will hopefully indeed see T500 support.
 
AntDX316
I want to see drift videos. Hoestly the fanatec GT3RS cannot turn left and right fast enough. To do insane near 90 degree drifts right to left the wheel has to turn left and right super fast like in real life like in this video. If it can it is the best wheel you can buy in the world. If PC support will work with this wheel and not a revision then it's best to buy it now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjaxez9OIX8

It seems like it can in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07e0Xk-cYVw
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Judging by the end of this video, it's pretty fast and smooth. Looks about the same speed as my non-power steering work van when coming out of a full lock turn, ie faster than the other wheels I've seen :)




And just unwinding it in the menus

 
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RC45
The point is that the title works on the XB360. It would have been in Fanatecs interest to at least build some backwards compatibility into their wheel to emulate their own hardware.

This is my major gripe with the T500RS, they did not build in ANY backwards compatible interface - and TM have many of their wheel devices they could have chosen to emulate - at the $600 price point these are features that should be included.

Imagine if Logitech release a G45 Uber Wheel - and it has zero DFP, DFGT or G25/27 emulation capability thereby dropping all hope of working with a laundry list of titles.

I believe this lack of backwards Thrustmaster emulation is going to be the undoing of the T500RS....
Click to expand...
Fanatec wheels did not have "G25" emulation either at first. This was added later. So it's possible Trustmaster will work something out in the future.
 
RC45
They should have still built in backwards compatibility. There are screeds of PS3 driving games people woul dbe stuck NOT enjoying decent support for - games that even a discount $60 DFP supports.

Without more compatability this wheel is dead on the vine.

Gt5 will be a Platinium $19.99 title in 3 months, it is already showing up used at Gamestop etc.

TM where stupid to not at least try have support for the rest of the titles out there without forcing the game author to spend money on old titles - because they will not do that.

Already the shine is wearing off the T500 and it is barely 20 days old.

That is the way of the short attention span modern consumer ;)
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What happen to all the love you had for this wheel RC45? I was stoked to maybe pick one up if the PC drivers show... and then it seems you have changed your opinion?
 
This wheel is official PS3 (not only GT5) and is the new benchmark. So probably all PS3 developers have already received their samples with corresponding SDK...
 
RC45
So there wheels where not usable on PS3 at first? I would hope the T500 quickly learns how to pretend to be a TM Clutch Wheel. They sell for $60 at Fry's.



No - I still love the wheel, I still use it. I am just a realist and know that just because I bought one, doesnt mean it will always be the mdeia nd reviewers favourite son.

Hell - they better deliver those PC drivers by Jan 31 - otherwise I have to keep using the Fanatec and we can't have that :lol:
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Ok good. I kept the CSPs and picked up a Lightning SST, but scratched all the other Fanatec stuff I had ordered just because I was sick of the madness. If I can find a T500 and some PC drivers in the next month or so, I think I will be a happy man.
 
RC45
And interestingly enough the Fanatec GT2 on the XBox360 had a hard time working with FM1. The wheel worked but the gas and brake where the shift paddles.

You would have thought since fanatec had the Xbox Speedster3 wheel they would have at least built in some backwards compatability to emulate their own wheel for Xbox games on the 360.
Click to expand...

Did you go into options and change the controller layout to one of the wheel options? This is happens as well with the XB wireless wheel until you go in and pick a wheel. I think the only options is Madcatz and Speedster...but it remaps to the XB kinda ok. The only thing is the paddle shifters don't work right...so basically you have to play in auto mode unless you want to push a button on the wheel face itself.
 
MisterStatic
Ok good. I kept the CSPs and picked up a Lightning SST, but scratched all the other Fanatec stuff I had ordered just because I was sick of the madness. If I can find a T500 and some PC drivers in the next month or so, I think I will be a happy man.
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MisterStatic, welcome to the club. I got so fed up with having to wait until mid-March for the GT2 as well. Just some advice: Frys is the best place to order the T500 RS at this point. You, however, (along with me) have a 2 week wait at least until it ships. I just talked with Frys today and they said there is a 17+ person waiting list for wheels and only 9 wheels are coming in this Saturday...

Also, why did you keep the CSPs? For PC use only? I thought about picking up a set also since they are supposedly amazing. I would love to hear your thoughts once you get the T500 RS regarding how much better the CSPs are compared to the T500 pedals.
 
Siefex
Also, why did you keep the CSPs? For PC use only? I thought about picking up a set also since they are supposedly amazing. I would love to hear your thoughts once you get the T500 RS regarding how much better the CSPs are compared to the T500 pedals.
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We will see. I kept them because they are good pedals. I'll let you know.

RC45
If y'all pickup the cost, freight and taxes and $10 gas money, I will go get the last local T500 and ship it to you tomorrow...

I wonder if they will let you pay online for instore pickup by UPS ?
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I appreciate the offer RC45. I am going to head up to San Jose tonight. There are 3-4 Fry's up there within a pretty tight area. We will see. Any pointers?
 
Whooohooo

Amazon UK now has them in stock as of this evening - mine should be here by thursday 👍

a bit more expensive at Amazon but first place in UK to release them - otherwise save £80 and wait 2 weeks
 
Well, Amazon.com just had a seller offering a T500 RS for $650 so I just got it since it will ship tomorrow. Hopefully it will get here by early next week instead of 3 weeks from now if I waited for Frys.
 

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