Widescreen Gaming Forum

Hmmm, understood and/or already knew the above comments, except for batteries are optional but don't give you FF if you use them. If you don't get FF with batteries then they're clearly for powering the wireless feature. So why doesn't the use of the AC adapter instead of batteries power the wireless receiver? I've read at the very least it charges the batteries while it's plugged in. If so, I would probably play with the AC adapter plugged in with FF on the lowest setting if on at all, barely enough to detect the wheels sliding or completely off.

I know the G25 is much higher quality and am not surprised it supports the games mentioned well. Odd thing is, many that rave about it have wished they had it rather than actually own it. Plus the fact that I'm only a casual race gamer owning only 5 arcade type games. OK 6 once I start playing TDU that I just got, but that's arcade too. Even the 360 wheel was designed around Forza 2, which leans more toward sim style racing, but I'm not really into sims. In fact I'm not sure I'd even care to manual shift except on drag races.

The G25 would be nice, heck I might even turn into a better racer and do sims if I had a wheel like that, but $300 is a lot to spend just to find out. I beg to differ with the all wheels have sensitivity adjust feature. I bought a Saitek R440 and I saw no way in the software to adjust sensitivity nor did Saitek say there was a way to do that. Also, the Logitech Nascar, a cheap $35 wheel that mounts via suction cups, is the ONLY wheel I've seen as being advertised with sensitivity adjust.

I know there's probably lots of wheels now that you can tweak sensitivity in the software, but when I asked Saitek about it they said usually the game's menu is where you do that. If the game doesn't have such a feature and your wheel doesn't though, you're stuck with what you get.

If you would like to buy a new wheel and If G25 is too expensive for you, buy a Logitech Driving Force GT. It's a new, better version of DFP and it cost 50% less than G25 and it works with pc too. Remember, If you don't want FF, you can turn it off in the profiler ;)

But... if you don't care about a warranty you can buy a good used wheel (ex. from ebay) ;)

It's my list of wheels which I've tested (from older to newer):
Logitech Wingman (yellow rubber, no FF, no clutch, good pots, no bearing, good shifters) - very good old wheel (photos here. It's not the same as Logitech Wingman Formula GP which is newer but much worse.
Logitech Wingman Formula Force (same as above but with red rubber and FF) - very good wheel (photos here It's not the same as Logitech Wingman Formula Force GP which is newer but much worse.
Thrustmaster (a.k.a. Guillemot) Force Feedback Wheel - a little weak paddles but it's a good wheel with metal pots and good FF, now unsupported by producer (photos here, there's a two versions of this wheel with different FF and pedals, I had the older one)
Microsoft Sidewinder FF Wheel - better than Thrustmaster FF, very good wheel with optical pots (photos here
Logitech Momo Force (see my previous post) - very good wheel (which I'm still using with no problems) - photos here BTW some people call their Momo Racing "Momo Force" but it's not true.
Logitech Driving Force Pro (a.k.a. DFP) - see my previous post. Some say it's better than Momo Force. Well... if you want a 900 degrees... yes, it's better but if you don't it's not better ;) Photos here
Logitech G25 - see my previous post. It's a great wheel for simracers but expensive.
Oh, I almost forgot about ActLabs Force. It's a great "oldschool-looking" wheel with a great RS shifter (I didn't tested this wheel).
Here you can find an old but good article (it's not mine) about these wheels ;) Well, I know there's a lot of new wheels on the market so if you really want to know something about them, you can always go to forum.rscnet.org :)

BTW don't bother with wireless wheel controllers, especially with no clamp system or mounts via suction cups.

Thanks for the input TMK but I'm mainly trying to find out about the MS 360 wheel I was talking about. I don't typically like wireless stuff but everyone says it has very fast response and you can charge the batteries while playing. The one criteria you did not remark on in any of those testimonials is response, and that, as I mentioned above, is my first priority. I know you can adjust sensitivity in the software, but if you have lag you still don't have immediate response.

I have a MOMO that worked fine when I used it recently, my only issue was getting the car to move in gtr2 (I had it on the hardest settings possible) I think I wast shifting right (trying to use a button as clutch probably wasn't smart). I never seemed to have any of the issues you mentioned, I also may consider selling it if you are curious about buying it. Send me a PM if you have an interest later. All of my uses before that worked fine, if you want me to, I can try it in trackmania nations and or Need for Speed Most Wanted too (though NFSMW doesnt work great with controllers)

I can probably dig it out and test the response later if you would like, even if you want to buy a brand new one. I don't use it a ton and I probably am not the best source to test for lag, but I can test it later if you would like and give my quick impressions.

Well thanks pack but the only wheel I would buy used is a high end one like the G25, and even then I'd want it to be like new. There are others of course like the old red Momo with metal pedals and the DFP that are high end, but the only chance of buying one like new would probably be a G25 as it hasn't been out as long.

On a racing game side note, does anyone know if the 1.66 patch for Test Drive Unlimited allows you to use your saves or do you have to start a new game? Also, is there just one patch, I've read about a 1.66 and 1.66a?

Im slightly confused about what you mean by charging batteries and what not.

The Wireless adapter plugs into the USB port on your PC and is powered via that. The Wheel is only wireless and is built in. It Syncs up with the receiver via a push of the button on the wheel and on the receiver.

To power the wheel theres 3 Options:

1: Plug it into the Wall socket. This is the only method that provides any FF.

2: 2xAA batteries. Preferably rechargeable, but they cannot be recharged by the wheel.

3: A rechargeable Lith-Ion battery pack, I'm 90% sure this can be recharged by the wheel.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360rechargebatterypack/default.htm

And Yeah I would never buy a second hand racing wheel. Since it can have so much wear and tear.

No problem, it is basically like new (maybe 20-25 hours in basically mint condition) but shipping it would probably be a PITA especially packing it up into a box since I don't have original. I may just craigslist it and see if I can get a fair amount for it.

To power the wheel theres 3 Options:

1: Plug it into the Wall socket. This is the only method that provides any FF.

2: 2xAA batteries. Preferably rechargeable, but they cannot be recharged by the wheel.

3: A rechargeable Lith-Ion battery pack, I'm 90% sure this can be recharged by the wheel.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360rechargebatterypack/default.htm.

Ah, I see, then I was right, you don't have to actually use it wirelessly. I've not only seen the charge pack on that site, I've seen pics of the battery holder that comes with it on a review site reviewing this wheel and they referred to it as the charge pack. Thus that was what confused me. So you're saying it doesn't actually come with the charge pack?

I wonder if the reviewer on that site just mistook what may be a mere battery holder as a recharge pack. I did notice it looked like it had a little round thumb twist top on one side as if to access regular batteries. Since they called it a charge pack though, I thought maybe it had removable NiMH batteries or something, which is btw what the charge pack comes with, not Li Ions, though it says cell not cells so it's probably two industrial grade NiMHs shrink wrapped together.

You don't suppose it's possible they started packaging them with the charge packs do you? Like I said I've seen some with only two cables and some with three. Maybe the 3rd one is the charge adapter for the battery pack.

[quote]To power the wheel theres 3 Options:

1: Plug it into the Wall socket. This is the only method that provides any FF.

2: 2xAA batteries. Preferably rechargeable, but they cannot be recharged by the wheel.

3: A rechargeable Lith-Ion battery pack, I'm 90% sure this can be recharged by the wheel.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360rechargebatterypack/default.htm.

Ah, I see, then I was right, you don't have to actually use it wirelessly. I've not only seen the charge pack on that site, I've seen pics of the battery holder that comes with it on a review site reviewing this wheel and they referred to it as the charge pack. Thus that was what confused me. So you're saying it doesn't actually come with the charge pack?

I wonder if the reviewer on that site just mistook what may be a mere battery holder as a recharge pack. I did notice it looked like it had a little round thumb twist top on one side as if to access regular batteries. Since they called it a charge pack though, I thought maybe it had removable NiMH batteries or something, which is btw what the charge pack comes with, not Li Ions, though it says cell not cells so it's probably two industrial grade NiMHs shrink wrapped together.

You don't suppose it's possible they started packaging them with the charge packs do you? Like I said I've seen some with only two cables and some with three. Maybe the 3rd one is the charge adapter for the battery pack.

Well you have to use it wirelessly connecting to the PC. You can use it with essentially wireless power with the batteries.

In the end you will always have at least one wire, The wire that connects the foot pedals to the wheel then out via wireless to the receiver dongle.

The receiver could also be one of the cords that you seen.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360wirelessgamingreceiver/default.htm

Actually you are correct about the batteries, I just went to open the battery compartment for the second time ever, It comes with a battery pack, but its empty obviously.

I had thought the main wheel power would charge the batteries but It appears that it does not..
The only other options for recharging a charge pack are:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemsetup/xbox360/accessories/playchargekit.htm
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemsetup/xbox360/accessories/quickchargekit.htm

The 'Play & charge kit' I guess plugs into the front of the wheel, and then into a USB port on the PC/360. I highly doubt that you can then play the wheel via USB though... but I could be wrong.

Later today or tomorrow I'll plug her in and see what kinds of options it gives in windows.


I'm actually learning as we go just like you, this was very much an impulse buy while it was on sale back in the day.

I have a MOMO that worked fine when I used it recently, my only issue was getting the car to move in gtr2 (I had it on the hardest settings possible) I think I wast shifting right (trying to use a button as clutch probably wasn't smart).

If you don't have a clutch pedal, use "auto clutch" option in game. You don't have to use a button as a clutch.