GTP_WRS Pit Box : Want to chat? - Need help? Post here.

[Speedy6543]

Ah ok, didn't know that.
That kind of sucks.
Ah well, a sacrifice you're willing to make I guess.

 

[ASH32]

You can get a step down transformer but it's probably easier to sell everything and buy it again in the US. Good luck with the move.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Thanks Ian - the cost here vs the cost there will make it a nil cost change or thereabouts, and it comes with a new warranty.

Christophe, you make it sound like having to buy new TV's and playstations is a bad thing

Appreciate all the help guys.

Tim, we'll be in Ann Arbor which I think is nowhere near Lefty... And yes I plan on keeping my Wednesday evenings free!

 

[Speedy6543]

Christophe, you make it sound like having to buy new TV's and playstations is a bad thing

Depends on how you look at it.
If/when all your current stuff is already pretty up to date or not. (which in my case it is )

And yes I plan on keeping my Wednesday evenings free!

I'll have to get up at night again then if I want to race you.

 

[AspecBob]

Hey Jon! Good luck with the move, and I'm looking forward to meeting you online

Christophe, I'm not sure I get that disc swapping thing you and Marc did. Do each of you have two discs now (one NTSC and one PAL)? If so, it makes sense, if not, I just don't get it.

 

[Speedy6543]

Christophe, I'm not sure I get that disc swapping thing you and Marc did. Do each of you have two discs now (one NTSC and one PAL)? If so, it makes sense, if not, I just don't get it.

Yes Dan, we both have 2 GT5 discs now.

 

[EDK]

Guys, we're moving to the US at the end of May and so I will be selling my PS3 and G27 (the PS3 won't work and I can sell my G27 here for the approximate cost of a new one in the US so it's a no brainer).

Question: if I back up my PAL game save to a USB drive can I then load it onto my new NTSC US PS3? I suspect that I may need to continue to use my PAL disc for this to work.

Can anyone confirm? Thanks

PAL savegame won't work on a NTSC copy of GT5.

However,
I don't think you need to sell your PS3 as those are universal.
Marc (Hydro) and I exchanged GT5 copies a while back and now we both have our original PS3 with our respective GT5 copy. (My PAL and Marc his NTSC) + a copy of GT5 of eachother so we both have a PAL and NTSC version of GT5 working on only one PS3.
The PS3 automatically makes two seperate savegames. 👍

Yes, in fact if you wanted to I think you can install both versions (NTSC and PAL) on the same PS3. You could view replays from either system. Not really necessary for most, but I believe a few of the admins have this setup already as it's useful for being able to review any type of replay.

Edit: Tree'd by Speedy [again].

PS> We will welcome you to the US with open arms! Australia's loss is our gain for sure. Come join us for our online events now that you are in a time zone where it makes sense and hopefully have access to decent internet. We're a bit behind some of Canada and Europe as far as massive bandwidth connections, but it's still pretty good here depending on your location. (Don't move next to Lefty if you want fast internet )

Just quoting all of this mainly to confirm the accuracy.

You can indeed run either game format on any PS3, and you can maintain separate game saves for each game format. PAL and NTSC are not interchangeable in terms of loading any saved data, including game saves and replays.

Big move you are making, Jon. I've relocated twice for work, first to Texas (from Oregon) and then to California from Texas. They say Texas is like its own country, and I would agree with that for the most part. But the moves I've made are nothing like the one you are making. Good luck to you. 👍

 

[Cats_PJs]

Thanks Ian - the cost here vs the cost there will make it a nil cost change or thereabouts, and it comes with a new warranty.

Christophe, you make it sound like having to buy new TV's and playstations is a bad thing

Appreciate all the help guys.

Tim, we'll be in Ann Arbor which I think is nowhere near Lefty... And yes I plan on keeping my Wednesday evenings free!

Hope all goes well with the move, that sounds like quite an undertaking.

I wish I could make the Wednesday races, but it's hard to switch from offline to online physics without more practice time than I can manage.

The ones I did compete in were lots o' fun, always tough competition.

 

[ConRollins]

Guys, we're moving to the US at the end of May and so I will be selling my PS3 and G27 (the PS3 won't work and I can sell my G27 here for the approximate cost of a new one in the US so it's a no brainer).

Question: if I back up my PAL game save to a USB drive can I then load it onto my new NTSC US PS3? I suspect that I may need to continue to use my PAL disc for this to work.

Can anyone confirm? Thanks

Welcome to the U.S.A.. Where abouts are you relocating to? If it's anywhere near Phoenix, AZ. Stop by and I'll get you a good deal on a tv and if we have any PS3's I'll get you a deal on one too. As a pawn broker, I can get you a good deal on almost anything.

 

[Gravitron]

Looking forward to hearing about the move, Jon! 👍 And to finally getting to race you online! Good luck.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Thanks for all the kind words guys, much appreciated. We actually relocated once before, from the UK to Australia, but that was in 2005 and before we had kids. Sold up everything and started again from scratch.

This time we have two kids and a whole bunch of associated junk. It's less daunting to a degree though because we are much more familiar with the US.

Our end destination is Ann Arbor in Michigan, and I'll be working about 20 minutes away at our global HQ.

It's an expensive exercise to undertake, especially twice, but rather regret the things you do than the things you don't do. We're all very excited and are just counting down the days now. My visa paperwork is due to turn up today, so I need to fill that in and have my visa interview at the US consulate in Melbourne. Hopefully we will have visas by the end of next week

Will keep you posted

EDIT: Given that the US and AUS dollars have approximately the same value, I'm looking forward to not paying $55 for a case of beer and $24 for a case of coke. I'm also trying to convince myself that a Mustang GT is a sensible daily driver We'll be renting for the first year so that a) we can get a better idea of the areas we like, and; b) to build up a credit history for a (small) mortgage. The property market is low at the moment and I don't see it making a massive recovery in the next 12 months so we should still be able to get a good deal when it's time to buy. Other than that, we'll be hitting Best Buy pretty hard when we get there, and buying a minimum of furniture until our 20' container arrives.

 

[Allibubba99]

Good Luck Jon!

Al

 

[Cats_PJs]

Cheap beer and Coke, you'll have a U.S. waist line in no time.

 

[LeftyWright69]

Hay Carlos I thought I'd introduce you to some of your new neighborzzzz.......

 

[viper84]

No - wrong voltage for the US (240V vs the US @120V). We have to buy all new electrical equipment

I have read an article about the PS3 Hardware (PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown) some time ago. One of the things I remembered was that the PS3 slim has a universal power supply (100-240V, 50/60Hz) although the sticker on the PS3 case states otherwise.

I did some more searching and found this site: http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Power_Supply

All the PS3 models (except early FAT, see table below) have a built in universal power supply, and supports multivoltage. What this means is that even though a specific voltage is written on the outside of the PS3, the PS3 can actually be plugged into any voltage anywhere in the world and work (as long as you have the correct cable). Therefore, if you opened up the PS3, the supported voltages should be stated (on the power supply) as 100V-240V, which is the range for all power outlets in the world.

There is no need to sell your PS3 and buy a new one as long you don't have a very old PS3 model.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

That's very interesting Viper thanks. It does indeed state 220-240V on the underside of the machine, but if it does take a 100v+ supply then that would save me some hassle.

Like I said though, the secondhand value here is similar to a new PS3 in the US so it's not a big deal really.

 

[Usual Suspect]

Guys, we're moving to the US at the end of May

Jon, hope that all goes well, would be freaking me out if i had to live on another country
If you need an harbour in Portugal let me now

 

[millross]

Any Trials Evolution or Fez players among the WRS community? I've had a fun month with XBL arcade =D

-----

Jon - all the best with your move mate! A big undertaking, I wish you a smooth logistics operation!

 

[GTP_Plato]

Any Trials Evolution or Fez players among the WRS community? I've had a fun month with XBL arcade =D

-----

Jon - all the best with your move mate! A big undertaking, I wish you a smooth logistics operation!

Spud is hooked on trials at the minute, he used to play the first trials a lot as well. 👍

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Jon, hope that all goes well, would be freaking me out if i had to live on another country
If you need an harbour in Portugal let me now

Jon - all the best with your move mate! A big undertaking, I wish you a smooth logistics operation!

Thanks guys

 

[Biffy]

Hi guys, I've been thinking about this for a while now as I'm tired of being limited by the DS3, but could someone point me to a wheel and pedals combo that I could get on a small budget? I'm talking around £50-100, as I really don't have that much money, but I want to be able to improve beyond using my small and now rusted controller

I don't really have any clue about this stuff, like which wheels are better etc, so I could really do with some pointers. Could there be much difference between a cheap wheel and a G27 beside brand name? Stuff like that, I want to make my virtual racing experience as enjoyable as possible while still finding the speed I have with the DS3

 

[EDK]

Hi guys, I've been thinking about this for a while now as I'm tired of being limited by the DS3, but could someone point me to a wheel and pedals combo that I could get on a small budget? I'm talking around £50-100, as I really don't have that much money, but I want to be able to improve beyond using my small and now rusted controller

I don't really have any clue about this stuff, like which wheels are better etc, so I could really do with some pointers. Could there be much difference between a cheap wheel and a G27 beside brand name? Stuff like that, I want to make my virtual racing experience as enjoyable as possible while still finding the speed I have with the DS3

A good starter wheel is the Logitec DFGT, and you should easily be able to find one within your price range. It does have some limitations as compared to the next step up (G25/27), and it's mainly down to the pedals. Here are some pics to illustrate.

DFGT Pedals

G25/27 Pedals

As you can see, the DFGT pedals are plastic. They also have much softer springs for both pedals, making it more difficult to accurately modulate. Some people have made alterations, such as stronger springs, sponges, or even bungee cords, in an effort to make the pedals on their DFGT stiffer.

The wheel itself, in terms of the feel and the Force Feedback out of the box is actually very similar to a G25/27, in my opinion. You also give up the clutch and the shifter by going DFGT, but we don't allow that in WRS anyhow.

We've seen some people set very competitive (even winning) times with DFGT's here, so the design is certainly sound and capable. The only other thing I would say is that the quality is such that they may degrade more quickly. As far as I recall, they have just one motor, whereas the G25/27 have 2 Motors. I don't think that makes a huge difference in feel, but I do think it tends to make the DFGT's force feedback wear down a little more quickly.

The other thing that the DFGT's pedals are susceptible to is intermittent issues with the pedal "pots". You sometimes have to disassemble the pedal pack to clean and grease them, and they occasionally even have to be replaced. There are instructions here on GTP on how to do that, and it's not an incredibly difficult job. But it seems like once you have to do it one time, the frequency with which you have to do it really picks up. And it can become frustrating, where either the brake pedal sticks on at a small %, or the gas pedal flickers at full throttle, both of which make a big difference in lap time.

Hope you find this feedback useful, and I would strongly encourage you to get that wheel. You're fast now, you will quickly be competing for (overall) wins with a change to a wheel.

EDIT: BTW, looked at pricing in Britain on the DFGT. Looks like Logitec MSRP is £129. If you go on Amazon, there are some used wheels for less than £100. I'm guessing Ebay would also be a good place for you to have a look. 👍

 

[FordMKIVJ5]

EDIT: BTW, looked at pricing in Britain on the DFGT. Looks like Logitec MSRP is £129. If you go on Amazon, there are some used wheels for less than £100. I'm guessing Ebay would also be a good place for you to have a look. 👍

I know I'm not a WRS member but I'd like to help out:

Argos have them for about £90. 👍

 

[WRP001]

What are the paddles like on the DFGT? If i recall lounge conversations correctly Hydro installed a 3rd party upgrade kit from ebay for those. Chuk went with foam for the brake mod.

 

[Racingworld68]

I am extremly happy with my G27, and it was only double price as the DFGT

 

[mohitraina91]

I'm a DS3 to DFGT convert in the past few months. The wheel itself is very good, the pedals, like Kevin said, are cheap plastic, and the paddle shifters are actually buttons behind the steering wheel, so they take time getting used to.

But if you're on a budget (like myself), there's definitely no question about it, the DFGT is the way to go. I've had it for 4 months now and I'm definitely happy.

 

[Biffy]

A good starter wheel is the Logitec DFGT, and you should easily be able to find one within your price range. It does have some limitations as compared to the next step up (G25/27), and it's mainly down to the pedals. Here are some pics to illustrate.

DFGT Pedals

G25/27 Pedals

As you can see, the DFGT pedals are plastic. They also have much softer springs for both pedals, making it more difficult to accurately modulate. Some people have made alterations, such as stronger springs, sponges, or even bungee cords, in an effort to make the pedals on their DFGT stiffer.

The wheel itself, in terms of the feel and the Force Feedback out of the box is actually very similar to a G25/27, in my opinion. You also give up the clutch and the shifter by going DFGT, but we don't allow that in WRS anyhow.

We've seen some people set very competitive (even winning) times with DFGT's here, so the design is certainly sound and capable. The only other thing I would say is that the quality is such that they may degrade more quickly. As far as I recall, they have just one motor, whereas the G25/27 have 2 Motors. I don't think that makes a huge difference in feel, but I do think it tends to make the DFGT's force feedback wear down a little more quickly.

The other thing that the DFGT's pedals are susceptible to is intermittent issues with the pedal "pots". You sometimes have to disassemble the pedal pack to clean and grease them, and they occasionally even have to be replaced. There are instructions here on GTP on how to do that, and it's not an incredibly difficult job. But it seems like once you have to do it one time, the frequency with which you have to do it really picks up. And it can become frustrating, where either the brake pedal sticks on at a small %, or the gas pedal flickers at full throttle, both of which make a big difference in lap time.

Hope you find this feedback useful, and I would strongly encourage you to get that wheel. You're fast now, you will quickly be competing for (overall) wins with a change to a wheel.

EDIT: BTW, looked at pricing in Britain on the DFGT. Looks like Logitec MSRP is £129. If you go on Amazon, there are some used wheels for less than £100. I'm guessing Ebay would also be a good place for you to have a look. 👍

Big thanks for all this info, very sound advice 👍 So it seems the main difference between the two wheels is throttle control.. which is my main weakness lol. But if that's the only real limitation, I can live with that and I'd be happy to go with the DFGT. I just discussed it with my parents however and they gave me something very interesting to think about - if I get high grades in my A-levels at the end of this term, I'll get a £2000 grant from the University I aim to go to, and they say I could use that money to buy the wheel I want So it's game on, but it's going to be much tougher than it sounds, although that G27 is something real good to aim for.

The way I read it from your comparison though, is that the G27 is much better in the long-term, especially considering I have no experience with maintaining this kind of equipment, and I have difficulty following written instructions GT5 isn't the only game I plan to use a wheel for, so it makes sense to go for that wheel. Going to take a hell of a lot of effort to get that money though

 

[Usual Suspect]

Hi guys, I've been thinking about this for a while now as I'm tired of being limited by the DS3, but could someone point me to a wheel and pedals combo that I could get on a small budget? I'm talking around £50-100, as I really don't have that much money, but I want to be able to improve beyond using my small and now rusted controller

I don't really have any clue about this stuff, like which wheels are better etc, so I could really do with some pointers. Could there be much difference between a cheap wheel and a G27 beside brand name? Stuff like that, I want to make my virtual racing experience as enjoyable as possible while still finding the speed I have with the DS3

Just a friendly warning, I must have used DS3 for a week so i don´t know how hard is the change, but a long time ago i read this excelent topic by Synwraith a true alien, it´s like a romance
Bottom line, don´t give up it will make you faster, but don´t expect that to happen on one day 👍

 

[Biffy]

Just a friendly warning, I must have used DS3 for a week so i don´t know how hard is the change, but a long time ago i read this excelent topic by Synwraith a true alien, it´s like a romance
Bottom line, don´t give up it will make you faster, but don´t expect that to happen on one day 👍

Yeah I'm under no illusions that it will take some time, I am actually one of those people who wonders whether I'm getting better or worse But I know I'll have to give it some patience, hopefully it'll do the same to my driving. I've heard different time scales from several people, ranging from 1 week to years - as long as the experience is worth the price, I'll be happy 👍

 

[Vagabond]

Yeah I'm under no illusions that it will take some time, I am actually one of those people who wonders whether I'm getting better or worse But I know I'll have to give it some patience, hopefully it'll do the same to my driving. I've heard different time scales from several people, ranging from 1 week to years - as long as the experience is worth the price, I'll be happy 👍

When I bought my first wheel I was full of optimistic enthusiasm about adding a new dimension to my driving games (primarily GT4 at that point)... and then I was so bad with it, so clunky and awkward. I couldn't even manage a full lap with the majority of cars I'd loved driving for so long with a Dual Shock. Gutted, and disillusioned, I put the wheel and pedals straight back in the box and hid them in a cupboard, where they remained for nearly 18 months. If I could go back and give myself advice....