Advice on sim racing gear

[RichTT]

honda_exige said:

I have the previous 4 speaker version of this

https://www.simracingstudio.com/product-page/srs-u...

Really is excellent and game changing for immersion, feels wrong without it now. Not very loud and there's no bass that travels away from the rig if that makes sense. Comes with their own software so you can fine tune exactly what effects you want and how strong, feeling the little thump of the gear changes is great along with road rumble, engine, abs, suspension etc

• if cost is a concern you can apparently build your own version for cheap and there are guides out there I think.

I have a singe buttshaker gamer pro on my setup, positioned on the frame right behind my seat. Only used for engine RPM, gearshifts and kerbs. Honestly, you get so used to the feedback that the one or two times it's overheated I feel like I've lost 90% of my inputs from the car. Almost undrivable. I don't understand how I drove without it before.

Had a look at the haptic cushions before and sort of wrote them off, might have another look.

[M1K3]

I find these two brands pretty good and very reasonable in price, Dayton Audio and Aurasound. I have them installed rear of rig left/right, 1 under each arse cheek, 1 on jinx shift and one under the pedals.

When I first got them, i had everything turned on, but it was just a muddy mess of vibration and of little use. Very much less is more, so think about what you want to feel:

Rear wheel slip (I don't have this on so much as I feel the backend loose through the wheel, prefer track surface feel)
Track surface
Gear shift
Engine
ABS activation/front wheel lockup

Excuse the wiring mess, currently ripping it out.

[RichTT]

I've got two of the dayton pucks and the little amp you show there. I've not hooked them up yet. Was going to add one to Brake pedal for ABS activation and one to the throttle for RPM. Just need to figure out how to best attach them to my pedals.

[M1K3]

RichTT said:

I've got two of the dayton pucks and the little amp you show there. I've not hooked them up yet. Was going to add one to Brake pedal for ABS activation and one to the throttle for RPM. Just need to figure out how to best attach them to my pedals.

I've got mine bolted directly to the pedal deck. From memory I drilled out the holes on the puck to a larger diameter to accept bolts from the pedals. Will try and find a picture. I know I have one from when I ripped out the hydraulic pedals

[RichTT]

Just direct to the deck? Ok, wasn't sure that they would be strong enough to transmit enough feedback so was planning on finding a way to attach to the back of the pedal plate somehow.

[julian64]

all this money spent on sim setups, and no 3d headsets or 4D chairs. Does anyone go to that level?

[M1K3]

RichTT said:

Just direct to the deck? Ok, wasn't sure that they would be strong enough to transmit enough feedback so was planning on finding a way to attach to the back of the pedal plate somehow.

Mine is direct to the deck and seems more than powerful enough mate. I'm using the larger dayton audio though.

Edited by M1K3 on Monday 27th February 14:17

[M1K3]

julian64 said:

all this money spent on sim setups, and no 3d headsets or 4D chairs. Does anyone go to that level?

I haven't gone VR purely for the fact I want to see the stuff I spent money on

4D chairs?

I do have a TensionR belt tension system that tightens for corners/braking etc, that does add quite a lot to the immersion aspect.

[RichTT]

M1K3 said:

Mine is direct to the deck and seems more than powerful enough mate. I'm using the larger dayton audio though.

Edited by M1K3 on Monday 27th February 14:17

Ah ok, I just have two of the smaller pucks. I'll give them a go when I get home from this work trip.

Seatbelt tensioner on the wish list

[honda_exige]

julian64 said:

all this money spent on sim setups, and no 3d headsets or 4D chairs. Does anyone go to that level?

I use mine exclusively with a quest 2 VR headset.

Considering this seatmover which can be picked up for around £1k 2nd hand

https://youtu.be/m3u9YFAoD90

[Blib]

honda_exige said:

I use mine exclusively with a quest 2 VR headset.

Considering this seatmover which can be picked up for around £1k 2nd hand

https://youtu.be/m3u9YFAoD90

I use that setup. Together, they're fantastic!

The first time that I used them with DIRT 2.0 I got motion sickness!

Recommended!

ETA: Add a butt-kicker and you're sorted.

[julian64]

Blib said:

honda_exige said:

I use mine exclusively with a quest 2 VR headset.

Considering this seatmover which can be picked up for around £1k 2nd hand

https://youtu.be/m3u9YFAoD90

I use that setup. Together, they're fantastic!

The first time that I used them with DIRT 2.0 I got motion sickness!

Recommended!

ETA: Add a butt-kicker and you're sorted.

I looked at these and the YAW2 . The big difference I thought would be the fact that the pedals and steering wheel stay still with this and move with th e YAW. The disadvantage is the YAW doesn't go up and down.

Review say you quickly get used to not having the pedals or steering wheel move. Is that true?

[Blib]

julian64 said:

Blib said:

honda_exige said:

I use mine exclusively with a quest 2 VR headset.

Considering this seatmover which can be picked up for around £1k 2nd hand

https://youtu.be/m3u9YFAoD90

I use that setup. Together, they're fantastic!

The first time that I used them with DIRT 2.0 I got motion sickness!

Recommended!

ETA: Add a butt-kicker and you're sorted.

I looked at these and the YAW2 . The big difference I thought would be the fact that the pedals and steering wheel stay still with this and move with th e YAW. The disadvantage is the YAW doesn't go up and down.

Review say you quickly get used to not having the pedals or steering wheel move. Is that true?

True. I just don't notice it. It's not an issue.

IME, after the initial desire to be thrown around just 'because', I've now tweaked the various parameters so that the movement, though there all of the time, is more subtle.

This gives great feedback on what the car is doing. However, it has its limitations as try as it might, it can't reproduce G forces, for example.

All in all, I wouldn't now think of driving without it, any more that I would without a direct drive wheel.

I'm still useless though!

[honda_exige]

Blib said:

True. I just don't notice it. It's not an issue.

IME, after the initial desire to be thrown around just 'because', I've now tweaked the various parameters so that the movement, though there all of the time, is more subtle.

This gives great feedback on what the car is doing. However, it has its limitations as try as it might, it can't reproduce G forces, for example.

All in all, I wouldn't now think of driving without it, any more that I would without a direct drive wheel.

I'm still useless though!

Good to hear that it works well, I guess in VR you only need a bit of movement to really massively up the immersion.

I also saw a clever thing with it where they mounted harness' fixed to the sim rig via some stretchy bungee cords to make a free seatbelt tensioner as the seat moves around.

Do you have to run any motion compensation software for the Quest 2?

[Blib]

honda_exige said:

Good to hear that it works well, I guess in VR you only need a bit of movement to really massively up the immersion.

I also saw a clever thing with it where they mounted harness' fixed to the sim rig via some stretchy bungee cords to make a free seatbelt tensioner as the seat moves around.

Do you have to run any motion compensation software for the Quest 2?

I've done the bungee thing too. It kinda works. But, maybe I need stronger cords?

As for Quest 2 - the NLR software has a click through option to either use Quest or Steam VR. It is idiot proof.

I know, coz I'm an idiot!

Edited by Blib on Tuesday 28th February 16:06

[RichTT]

Blib said:

I've done the bungee thing too. It kinda works. But, maybe I need stronger cords?

As for Quest 2 - the NLR software has a click through option to either use Quest or Steam VR. It is idiot proof.

I know, coz I'm an idiot!

Edited by Blib on Tuesday 28th February 16:06

I played ACC on the Quest 2 before i bought my 49" UW and it was fine. A bit blurry but ACC is super intensive graphically for VR it seems. I didn't try to optimise it yet but will give it another go soon I think.

[Blib]

I wear glasses. Investing in prescription lenses for the Quest changed everything.

Plus, there's loads of YT videos explaining how to get better performance from the Quest.

[RichTT]

Blib said:

I wear glasses. Investing in prescription lenses for the Quest changed everything.

Plus, there's loads of YT videos explaining how to get better performance from the Quest.

Glasses for the screen, contacts for VR.

Yeah I know, there's a massive thread on racedepartment I think. Its pretty complex and indepth, just havn't had the time. I'm not even sure if I've managed to optimise settings for the monitor yet!

[Chamon_Lee]

halo34 said:

RichTT said:

Due to the curvature of the screen I have if the game thinks you're running on a flat screen it will look strange when you sit in front of it. The image at your peripheral will be distorted.

Using the error correction brings this more in line with what should be your real field of view.

Ahh gotcha!

I tried VR but it doesnt run well in ACC.

If anyone is looking for a decent group to drive/race with drop me PM - we are recruiting (rookies are more than welcome)

ACCi s a great game but lets be honest nothing bloody runs well with ACC!

[UTH]

I've taken the first step towards getting a sim setup......PS5 and GT7 arrive later today.

My only experience of a racing wheel was at Christmas where my brother bought his 8 year old a fairly bog standard wheel and pedals and a little stand to play an old version of GT on a PS3, but even that was such fun, I knew I'd need to end up getting one.

For now the outlay on the PS5 will have to do, but when i can justify more ££ I'll get the rest of the kit......in terms of budget I think I'm more of a person who wants to wait until I can drop fairly big money on the good stuff than go for the cheaper end, so I've been looking at the Thrustmaster T-GT 2 https://limeprogaming.com/products/thrustmaster-t-... and also Fanatec stuff. From what I've read, Fanatec is the way to go as it's direct drive? And it sounds like I'll def want the loadcell pedals (if that's what they're called) - Any suggestions on the best combo of wheel and pedals to fit that brief?

In terms of chair (or rig?) space is a bit of an issue, so I'm thinking something that folds away like this is my only option: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playseat-Challenge-PS4-PS...

But having read this thread am I going to find that too flimsy for the rest of the kit I'm aiming to buy? Any better alternatives that can still be put away pretty easily? I think I'll have some room in the living room for it and will hook it up to the TV, but would still want the option to pack it away. At some point I think I'll be getting the PSVR2 which means I imagine I can move the chair into my office as I won't be needing a TV screen.

Any thoughts welcome, sadly this is looking likely to be a few months away from buying it.

Edited by UTH on Tuesday 7th March 17:35