Building Up a Top Notch Car Sim Cockpit

[Jaybmw]

My attempt for the kid..works really well actually

[Rick101]

Panclan said:

I've been sim racing online since the days of GPL,

I remember that photo from my UK&I hardware share thread on iRacing a few years back

[Altrezia]

I used to love spending time on my 'rig' but since I got busy I kinda stopped and the kit has got a bit old in the tooth.. still love sim racing though - I think it's one of those things that you never really stop.

I keep flip-flopping between VR and 3-screens, both of which have advantages.

[skinny]

I'm all for realism but not sure about seatbelts on a gaming set up!

[Altrezia]

skinny said:

I'm all for realism but not sure about seatbelts on a gaming set up!

Can't beat a bit of immersion!

[Jon_Bmw]

This thread running over the last couple of months has cost me a couple of hundred quid! Even that is a very small amount compared to you guys mind!!

I have always liked my super old school Microsoft Sidewinder wheel, so I wanted to retain that, especially after having a go on a logitech g29 which I didn't like as much. For many years I was content with the very basic 2 pedal setup and paddle shift.

So I ordered some Thrustmaster T3PA pedals which annoyingly don't come with the USB adapter to run them standalone. Everywhere including Thrustmaster themselves didn't seem to stock the trj12-usb adapter which was a pain. Eventually I spent £25 and got one from the States, frustrating when it's cost over here should be about £12.

I have ordered a SHH shifter as someone on here said they liked it and I watched a few reviews and it appeared to do a few things better than the Thrustmaster th8a shifter. I'm still waiting for the shifter to arrive as they have a long lead time.

I'm looking forward to getting back on the racing games (assetto, dirt) as I haven't played for 9 months since my son was born. I'd love to try a VR setup at some point but I don't think my graphics card is good enough. Anyhow not a patch on your setup guys, but I just thought I'd thank/blame you for getting me back into it!

[ROSSinHD]

Don't know if you guys have seen but Thrustmaster has released a hand brake, which doubles as a sequential shifter and has a bracket that will accomate both the handbrake and the TH8A for easy mounting. Pretty decent but I really want to see Thrustmaster release a shifter that does H and Sequential at a flick of a switch rather than remove knob, remove plate, turn and re assemble.

[Twistygit]

That thrustmaster handbrake is quite a chunk of money though, I think,
I was looking at the ssh shifter is it any good? Will it work with Xbox?

[itsallyellow]

I would like to add a proper shifter to my rig.

What H pattern shifters are people using?

The pro sim shifter looks really good but I don’t know anyone who has used one. A lot to spend on something that might not be that great?

http://www.pro-sim.co.uk/shop/shifters/h-pattern-s...

The other option I was thinking of is the Fanatec shifter. Nice and cheap but is it realistic enough!?

Cheers

[ROSSinHD]

itsallyellow said:

I would like to add a proper shifter to my rig.

What H pattern shifters are people using?

The pro sim shifter looks really good but I don’t know anyone who has used one. A lot to spend on something that might not be that great?

http://www.pro-sim.co.uk/shop/shifters/h-pattern-s...

The other option I was thinking of is the Fanatec shifter. Nice and cheap but is it realistic enough!?

Cheers

I am using a Thrustmaster TH8A at the minute. I like to keep as real to the car as possilbe so if it is paddle I use paddle, H I use H and sequential stick I can change the T3PA to sequential. It is not a bad shifter but if you wanted to dip in and out of H to sequential stick then it is a faff.

I have a Fanatec currently clearing customs so should have it tomorrow. Would be able to report back on it Wednesday if you would like. I went Fanatec as H to sequential is just a switch rather than changing the plate etc.

Another known good one is http://www.shiftershh.com/en/. I couldnt live with the 3D printed finish though but the price is great.

I am interested, if you looking to drop that much on a shifter what other gear do you use? love seeing other set ups.

[Rick101]

SSH is good and is finished to an excellent standard.

Recommend.

[itsallyellow]

ROSSinHD said:

itsallyellow said:

I would like to add a proper shifter to my rig.

What H pattern shifters are people using?

The pro sim shifter looks really good but I don’t know anyone who has used one. A lot to spend on something that might not be that great?

http://www.pro-sim.co.uk/shop/shifters/h-pattern-s...

The other option I was thinking of is the Fanatec shifter. Nice and cheap but is it realistic enough!?

Cheers

I am using a Thrustmaster TH8A at the minute. I like to keep as real to the car as possilbe so if it is paddle I use paddle, H I use H and sequential stick I can change the T3PA to sequential. It is not a bad shifter but if you wanted to dip in and out of H to sequential stick then it is a faff.

I have a Fanatec currently clearing customs so should have it tomorrow. Would be able to report back on it Wednesday if you would like. I went Fanatec as H to sequential is just a switch rather than changing the plate etc.

Another known good one is http://www.shiftershh.com/en/. I couldnt live with the 3D printed finish though but the price is great.

I am interested, if you looking to drop that much on a shifter what other gear do you use? love seeing other set ups.

I have a vesaro rig, I went for a static rig rather than full motion. I tried the motion system and although very fun and very cool decided it didn’t make 30k worth of difference! However I did go for there tactile feedback system and surround sound. The tactile feedback is very very good, you feel the kerbs and gear changes and it even changes the vibration frequency with engine note, very immersive!




For the actual sim equipment I have a Fanatec club sport wheel base and Fanatec V3 pedals with all the upgrades. The pedals are amazing and I’m very happy with them.

I’ve been using this set up for about 3 years now and feel like it deserves a real top end direct drive wheel.... the fanatec unit is amazing if you compare it to the more basic Logitech offering etc but it isn’t perfect.

I only use it with Iracing as I find the sim very good and realistic as is the racing. However I don’t actually use it that much. My main use is for keeping my eye in when I’m not racing during winter. When I have a race at a track that is on iracing I try to get a good few hours in before hand. I find this really does help in the real world.

Mike

[ROSSinHD]

wow thanks for that. That is something else. I am planning my "full" set up for when we have our second child and I convert the garage to a gaming / chill out zone, my plans also include tactile feedback rather than motion.

Edited by ROSSinHD on Monday 29th January 19:42

[SturdyHSV]

itsallyellow said:

I have a vesaro rig, I went for a static rig rather than full motion. I tried the motion system and although very fun and very cool decided it didn’t make 30k worth of difference! However I did go for there tactile feedback system and surround sound. The tactile feedback is very very good, you feel the kerbs and gear changes and it even changes the vibration frequency with engine note, very immersive!




For the actual sim equipment I have a Fanatec club sport wheel base and Fanatec V3 pedals with all the upgrades. The pedals are amazing and I’m very happy with them.

I’ve been using this set up for about 3 years now and feel like it deserves a real top end direct drive wheel.... the fanatec unit is amazing if you compare it to the more basic Logitech offering etc but it isn’t perfect.

I only use it with Iracing as I find the sim very good and realistic as is the racing. However I don’t actually use it that much. My main use is for keeping my eye in when I’m not racing during winter. When I have a race at a track that is on iracing I try to get a good few hours in before hand. I find this really does help in the real world.

Mike

There are relatively few reviews of the pro-am shifter, presumably due to the price.

If you haven't already, check out "sim racing garage" on YouTube. He has a review of the pro sim (spoiler... It's amazing), and to say that his reviews are exhaustingly detailed would be selling him short.

His reviews are perhaps a little tailored towards the 'money no object' point of view, whereby yes, obviously the £3,000 wheel is better than the £500 wheel, and to him thus it is worth the extra money. He has an excellent review of the various direct drive wheels, accuforce at the bottom end, OSW in the middle (although with very expensive controller thus not really in the middle pricing) and then the leo bodnar, the holy grail of wheels.

He gets in a whole bunch of sim racers to try them all out and it's really interesting to see people's preferences and interpretations.

[itsallyellow]

Thanks I will take a look

[neilus]

itsallyellow said:

What H pattern shifters are people using?
...
The other option I was thinking of is the Fanatec shifter. Nice and cheap but is it realistic enough!?

I've got the Fanatec Shifter and think it's pretty good, it does add another dynamic to the game and I use it when the car I'm using has a manual box.

However, I must caveat this view with the fact I haven't tried any of the others.

[Hoofy]

SturdyHSV said:

There are relatively few reviews of the pro-am shifter, presumably due to the price.

If you haven't already, check out "sim racing garage" on YouTube. He has a review of the pro sim (spoiler... It's amazing), and to say that his reviews are exhaustingly detailed would be selling him short.

His reviews are perhaps a little tailored towards the 'money no object' point of view, whereby yes, obviously the £3,000 wheel is better than the £500 wheel, and to him thus it is worth the extra money. He has an excellent review of the various direct drive wheels, accuforce at the bottom end, OSW in the middle (although with very expensive controller thus not really in the middle pricing) and then the leo bodnar, the holy grail of wheels.

He gets in a whole bunch of sim racers to try them all out and it's really interesting to see people's preferences and interpretations.

Mental. Be funny if you paid all that (£3k on a wheel) and were no better than a racer using a £100 wheel sitting at his desk on a wheelie chair.

[skinny]

Hoofy said:

Mental. Be funny if you paid all that (£3k on a wheel) and were no better than a racer using a £100 wheel sitting at his desk on a wheelie chair.

To be fair not everyone does it to be better, its just more enjoyable. I have nothing like the above, more like £500 worth of stuff. Yet I'd still get wupped by a thousand kids on their game pads. I'd like to think I'm having more fun (at least that's how I justify it! )

[SturdyHSV]

skinny said:

Hoofy said:

Mental. Be funny if you paid all that (£3k on a wheel) and were no better than a racer using a £100 wheel sitting at his desk on a wheelie chair.

To be fair not everyone does it to be better, its just more enjoyable. I have nothing like the above, more like £500 worth of stuff. Yet I'd still get wupped by a thousand kids on their game pads. I'd like to think I'm having more fun (at least that's how I justify it! )

Some people steer using the mouse and I'm sure they're still faster than me with a wheel

I will have had my G25 for ten years in March, and I'm planning on going a little more serious for my next wheel / pedals later this year (an OSW ~£1,000 and possibly pedals ~£400), but believe me I don't expect to be any quicker , just for an even bigger smile on my face

[itsallyellow]

Do the OSW wheels require a lot of setting up and user input? I’m a bit of a numpty when it comes to computers etc which is one of the reasons I originally went for the fanatec wheel base as it’s pretty much plug and play.

Mike