Took delivery of a Logitech DFP today. Couldn't justify getting a G25.
My old wheel (Wingman FFGP) hasn't quite expired yet, but it is getting a rather worn feeling - it has done well. Consequently, I didn't want be in the position of needing to buy and familiarise myself with something new in a hurry.
Of course, I just want to plug it in and get going, but once I've changed over then it needs to be permanent. So I'm trying to make a sensible timeline with plenty of offline practice time so that I'm not embarrassed online. If I can fit in a couple of hours tomorrow then I may use it in the evening.
Anyone else got one of these and would like to pass on any tips ?
I'm not expecting a speed increase in NR2003, but I still think I have some stuff in the box for GPL.

I think that I'm getting there, but it is un-nerving to be self-spinning and not know why. The biggest change that I have made to stop the car getting loose on exit (the biggest problem I've had in NR2003) to to switch off the in-game damping. I think that this was stopping me from making quick steering adjustments, and was also pulling the steering at random times.

Derek, is your new wheel primarily a PS2 wheel? I know it doesn't make much difference - I myself am currently using a PS2 Logitech wheel. But just wanting to check I'm looking at the right one:

http://www.darkplanets.co.uk/ps2/logitech-driving-force-pro.asp

That's the one. As far as I know there is only one version. It is not advertised as PC-compatible because I think that Logitech do not support it as such, consequently, you don't get a CD with utilities / Logitech Profiler. However, if you take a look at the Wingman Team page http://www.wingmanteam.com , then it is clearly OK.
quote:
"The Logitech® Driving Force Pro™ product is designed/qualified/marketed/sold as a PlayStation® 2 product. The device is "HID" compliant and thus has basic functionality on platforms that support HID standard (Windows® 98 or later, MAC OS 9 or later), However, "unofficial" support has been added in release 4.20. This "unofficial" support includes force feedback, custom control panel, and Profiler support."

Wheel ordered.

Won't be using it this week, but after that I have two weeks to get used to it before Dover.

Thats same as my wheel barring the gearstick as mine has small buttons on the wheel and as designed for the pc. i did get the ps2 adapter for a wheel as orignally i did have a ps2 wheel until it broke. so do you find it ok in comparison?

Wheel arrived last week, but I decided to wait until today to try it out. Should give me a week and a half to get used to it before my next Inters race.

Derek, what settings have you chosen within the profiler and in-game? I've had to reduce the FF force in game from 30% to 10%, but it still doesn't feel the same as my old wheel. Brake feels odd - it has a completely different feel. That will be the thing that takes most getting used to, I reckon.

Brakes was my biggest problem - it is essential (on my system) to re-calibrate on each usage.

Settings:-

Profiler:
Overall effects strength: 96%
Spring effect strength: 0%
Damper effect strength: 0%
Enable centre spring: tick
Centering spring strength: 0%
There is a reason for the slightly skewed logic of the above 2 settings, but can't remember what it is.
Degrees of rotation: 200%

In-game:
Force feedback strength: 35%
Damping: 0%
Latency: 0%
Input momentum, steering assistance, etc - all 0%
Linearity: 100%
Slow speed steering hack: on

I'm just about used to it now. But for 5 races I was close to going back to my old wheel. I am setting some faster times in GPL, but that might be a coincidence.

Thanks Derek. I think I'm largely similar, but will try out the differences later on.

Now to find something to assign to the wheel's plethora of buttons. So far, I have look left, look right, shift up, shift down, and push-to-talk. What else would be useful?

BTW, I like the pedal grip - very effective. I used to have two videos end-on-end between the pedals and the wall to keep them in place, but no longer needed.

I have F1, F2, F3, and F4/F5 cycle on the 4 buttons on the right.
R2 is push-to-talk.
L2 is F9.
L3 is "Thanks"
R3 is <space>
And the rocker on the right is for "pit in", "pit out", "pass low" and "pass high", in logical (to me) places so that I don't need to think about it.
Oh, and the naff gear stick (I use the rockers behind the wheel) is <arrow up> and <arrow down>.

Guys, I think it's new wheel time for me. I've got to get away from my MSFF with it's reliance on Win 98 as my Win 98 machine won't cut it for COT.

I've been lent an Act Labs Force RS but the pedals are notchy and I'm spinning all over the place in-game. Also I'm not about to take apart someone elses stuff and lubricate it.

What are your thoughts on this wheel almost 18 months down the line and how much did you pay for it?

Looks like the "Driving Force GT" is the sequel to it.

I still like my DFP and it seems to be wearing well. My initial problems were due to the need to calibrate it each time I used it in either GPL or NR2003. I get the occasional steering spike, but not so many since I upgraded to the latest Logitech Profiler.

Can you hang on till Xmas and ask Santa for a G25? For the money they appeat difficult to beat especially when you consider the quality of the pedals, a usual weak point.

Is anyone here running a G25 ?

Might go for a lightly used 2nd hand DFP for now if I can find one.

Bit expensive for a G25

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-1-off-Orange-arrows-AX3-F1-racing-car-simulator_W0QQitemZ190249163334QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190249163334&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I don't have a useful opinion on this as my need for hand controls has limited me to various Thrustmaster POS wheels. I am working on a hand built wheel, will post some pics when I get it sorted. My old pal Mark Paterson did swear by the ECCI 6000 Trackstar if you've got some plenty of ready cash....

Damn, I missed out on sniping a winning bid for a local DFP last night cos my Step-dad still has a 56k modem running at 44k - that'll teach me to leave bidding until the last minute!

I'm experiencing another of the joys of ebay right now - shill bidding. I've lodged a complaint, but what I really wanted was a fair shot at the golf club I was bidding on.

Went out on a limb a bit and picked up the Driving Force GT PS3 wheel. It's the successor to the DFP but not yet supported by the Wingman drivers.

Had a bit of a wobble but seem to have got it installed - detected as a DFP - just can't use a couple of buttons.

Have used the settings Derek and Alan mentioned and initial impressions seem excellent

Have all the buttons mapped and am ready to go.

One queer thing on my XP PC is that the combined mouse and keyboard I use seems to throw in a "Print Screen" if you use the arrow keys. Consequently if you try to change fuel load the screen hangs for a couple of secs while you are driving!!

I have got round the problem by mapping the arrow keys to the joypad on the wheel but may dig out another keyboard/mouse for safety's sake

This means I'm defo signing up to COT this season - which I couldn't have done last time due to the Win98SE machine not making it on the FPS front.

Good times.

Mmmm, super arcadey!