undecided-playseat or gameracer or ?

[smudger00000000]

hello all,i have read with intrest some of the reviews of seats/cockpits that have been posted here on gtp,and some of them have offered some good advice,the problem i have is that most of the reviews are quite old and not really helping me make a final decision on what to do.i have just made the big switch over from pad to wheel-dfgt and allthough im slower at the moment by roughly 1-2 seconds per lap,i have never enjoyed gt so much as i am at the moment,even though i miss seattle city course like crazy,but love fuji so not all bad except with the teggie,i hate that thing,anyway,sorry for going off the point off the post-now i have the wheel,i have managed to convince the wife that our(my) life would be so much better with a chair/cockpit,so with joyful glee(well,0ne of us was happy)-she has finaly agreed to let me bash the credit card and get one,the big choice for me was which one,so after many days of searching,i think i have it down to two,unless you lot can help me with some more suggestions,ok,first off is the playseat,either the evolution or raceroom,allthough the evolution is much better value for money and of course i have to watch the budget so the evolution is probably the one out of these two,and the other choice is the game racer chair,which i also really like,a little more expensive but still if i shop around,i may be able to find one around the same price as the playseat,i would really appreciate it if anybody has any more suggestions in likewise products,and if you have a playseat evo or gameracer-i would be very grateful for some up to date reviews and stuff like where to buy and best prices,i would like to thank all my gtp friends for their help in advance as one thing i know i will get from you all is honest reviews as we are all true gt racers with the spirit of the game being upmost,thanks very much and see you on the track...GTP_smudger

 

[Kryz11]

I myself have the PlaySeats Evo chair, I go it with good discount from Amazon back when they had a sale on it.. Was about 6 months ago. I still enjoy it to this day. I never had anything other then ATLAS BOOK on my lap with DFP lol. For G25 I had to get a decent cockpit. And EVO was my anwser.

I never had the Gameracer, but if you look at the pic. you can tell it's way lower to ground then EVO and the pedals are bit higher.. But thats only judging from the pic..

Another Alternative is the recently GTPlanet approved lol.. the Wheel Stand PRO. It might be one of the most convinent ones if you are looking to play and put it away in closet. So your wife will be happy about it. All you need is decent driving seat or even office chair.
My EVO chair is damn heavy and it's just hard to take it from room to room by yourself... or even hide it.. Of course I have a PC/Gaming room So I dont mind it sitting there in corner.



So here is how you will look sitting in Gameracer

The legs are way more up from your BUTT..

http://playseats.biz/takuma-sato-driving-simulator/
In this link you see sitting position for EVO chair. Looks way more comfortable for longer plays.

 

[calaby01]

Something to remember is the height relationship between the seat and where your tv is mounted/sits.

 

[smudger00000000]

thanks for the information so far,i do agree that the playseats driving position seems to be the better of the two,especially for longer stints behind the wheel,and if im honest,i prefer the look of the playseat,and with regards to the weight of the playseat and moving it,i will probably have it in one place more or less all the time so moving it shouldnt be that much of a problem,anyway,if the wife complains about it being in the middle of our living room-she can allways go and sit in the broom cupboard or garden shed lol,got to have priorities dont you think lol,cheers

 

[Kryz11]

HAHA Honey you can have any other room and garden, it's yours, but this TV room is my!

Yeah you can always build some retractable wheels undrer the seat. That way you just tilt the leg portion and move it with ease.

As well the SEAT itself can be folded in half.

 

[Flagmo-T]

I told my wife about other good friends ( Race drivers ) wife's that they are totally hysteric about having any kind of toys in the Room, the only thing she said was, how Much !! and then i bought this setup, and made it more fit for a livingroom, everybody that comes here is totally up on it, so please don't ever give up, just let your Wife or girlfriend feel that they will be considered as A cool Girl if they make room for our playground.. I love my playseat setup, still waiting for my 37" LG Widescreen to mount on the wall infront..

I further more have bought a usb switch, so i can switch between PC and PS3, Just like that, and it works brilliantly, then i can drive my beloved Richard Burns Rally (PC) and PS3/GT5p/GT4.. http://www.mkcables.com/konig-two-way-manual-usb-switch-box-1-x-type-a-to-2-x-type-b-p-1694.html

I hope you find a good solution for your needs m8.

Dream Extreme
Flagmo-T Aka Team_MoFF-No2[DK]

PS (EDIT) I forgot to tel you , that i've also added a rather cheap Sub-woffer under neath the seat, and yes please, It's amazing how little rumbling is needed, for a great experience, When I drive I've often use some nice headphones ( Ice maT) together with the Sub sound, No one is disturbed about it, it's really giving a more realistic feeling, specially when driving Pro.. Uhhm just imagine F40/DB9/R8 WOW..

 

[bevo]

You might also want to consider the obutto ozone chair. http://www.obutto.com/home.html
I have the playseat evolution, and really like it, but the obutto looks like it would be better for the pedals. The playseat flexes a little under the g25 pedals. But if you never plan on getting anything but the dfgt pedals, then it will work out great. The playseat actually works pretty well with the g25 pedals, but I am upgrading to the fanates clubsport pedals, and am worried about the pedal plate on the playseat with them.

Anyway, the playseat will really work well with your setup. Don't worry about the bar in the middle, because it is almost unnoticeable, and after you get a few hours in on i, you won't notice it at all. The obutto does look like it's a little more solid, but the playseat looks more adjustable. The playseat also is a little cheaper. What really sold me on the playseat, was the free shipping through amazon. It saved me 100$.

 

[Mr Latte]

Hi, Ive actually used both and also another so can give you an unbiased personal experience.
I dont know if the products have changed much in the last 1-2 years but i would doubt much if anything i can see is different apart from the extras that are now available.

Quick run down in order:

Game Racer
Playseats Evolution
Game Pod

Im currently in the process of building a d.i.y solution around the Game Pod frame as its the most stable of the three. I just want a more serious product now and think i can build adapt this to be better than a "Renn Sport" or other type of more expensive sim frame.

Some quick notes:

Game Racer
Build quality is fine but it really needs the extras to make it good.
I would say definately go for the seat risers as this is awkward to get in and out of when low to the ground without them.

I wasnt fussed about the seat, comfort is decent but its rather small, tight figure hugging and im a small to medium build.

Plenty of options for adjustment and self comfort in pedals,wheel,seat positions. Believe it or not but all three of these products offer better adjustments than many more expensive racing sim frames.

Playseats Evolution Models
This is a good product and personally i would say overall better than the Game Racer.
Its's biggest drawback is actually from its seat. Comfort is decent and the seat itself fits bigger people better. The issue is that the seat is designed to be folded in two and as such isnt like a proper bucket seat. You dont really sit within the seat as you do with the Game Racer or Game Pod.

The seat also creaks with its springs, that was my biggest criticisim with the product. Additionally the central upright can get in the way a bit of the pedals but the pedal base can be adjusted to a Left/Right position if using clutch on a 3 pedal wheel product.

It wouldnt be too big of a job to replace the set with a proper racing bucket or recliner seat in the future so worth considering if you dont need a seat that folds.

Game Pod
This product only has one flaw. Its not long enough and i find the position of the pedals too close. Notice on the other two the pedals can be much more forward in their positioning past the wheel section.

The effect of this is that your knees are more bent up and the pedals are sitting flat rather than at an angle. This also has an effect on the positioning and comfort. Yes you can move the seat back but then like i found you may be at a stretch with your arms to the wheel. The design of the product does allow the wheel to get closer to the seat but then it also gets higher so the design is limited slightly in settings/comfort. Personally i would say if the pedals could be positioned a further 6" in front of the wheel (diy could be possible with this) then it would improve the design and driving comfort.

The benifits of the Game Pod is that it is much more stable. It also includes a proper seat runner included in the price and not as an extra and this makes adjusting the seat position much less hassle out of the three products. The seat itself is the best of the three but then again thats because it actually is a "Cobra Clubman" racing bucket seat. Finally with this product you have no restrictions of a upright in front of the pedals unlike the other two.

Hope its of some help to you and other readers.

Oh and btw ive got the G25 and X360 adapters up for grabs for the Playseat if someone wants a bargin...

 

[Mr Latte]

Game Pod

 

[smudger00000000]

just wanted to say thankyou to everyone who has posted with some good and useful information,i would just like to ask one more question in regard to the playseat,would anyone please be able to tell me how large the box is that the playseat comes in,the reason i ask this is i have family in the states and they will be coming over for a visit soon and seeing as the chair is cheaper in the states due to the exchange rate,i may get it there but obviously if its huge,i cant see british airways allowing it on as hand luggage ,anyway,your help and advice as always is very much appreciated,see you on the track

 

[fishfash]

Im currently in the process of building a d.i.y solution around the Game Pod frame as its the most stable of the three. I just want a more serious product now and think i can build adapt this to be better than a "Renn Sport" or other type of more expensive sim frame

Hi,

Thanks for the insight, I also have a gamepod and would be interested in how your project develops

I have to agree with regards to the gamepod pedal arrangement. It really would be nice to have a sort of custom stand made for the pedals to sit on at an angle. I did try to make one out of plywood but it just didn't feel right and was very uncomfortable.

 

[Jordan]

Smudger, I'm about to do an "official" review of the VisionRacer VR3 for the GTPlanet News blog, which should go live in another day or so. Although it is at a higher price point, you may want to take a look at it.

 

[smudger00000000]

i will do,and in some ways,im really hoping i dont like it too much,if i do-you will have to explain it to the wife for me jordan because i just about got away with what i can spend on a playseat,seriously though,looking foward to the review,cheers

 

[Mr Latte]

Smudger, I'm about to do an "official" review of the VisionRacer VR3 for the GTPlanet News blog, which should go live in another day or so. Although it is at a higher price point, you may want to take a look at it.

I hope your review takes into account not just GT5 or indeed consoles.
Its a beautifull product though but in a practical sense is lacking in some areas of design/features as a sim cockpit.

Look forward to your comments and an honest review oh and by all means take into account my criticisims or short comings of it in the VR3 thread when reviewing.

 

[smudger00000000]

i agree,that is one of the best looking designs i have seen as seats/cockpits go,it really looks the part but £699.99 is steep,but if i had the money,on appearance alone,i grab it with both hands,stunning,but the proof is allways in the pudding,lets see how it handles in the review

 

[Mr Latte]

Hi,

Thanks for the insight, I also have a gamepod and would be interested in how your project develops

I have to agree with regards to the gamepod pedal arrangement. It really would be nice to have a sort of custom stand made for the pedals to sit on at an angle. I did try to make one out of plywood but it just didn't feel right and was very uncomfortable.

Thanks for that, the project is quite a big one but its going to look pretty ace. I researched forums for the past 3 months and havnt seen anything like what i have planned but at the same time ive taken alot of inspiration from some of the best out there.

Regards a flat platform i have to agree i also prefer the pedals to be at an angle to replicate a proper car more. Still when the Clubsports arrive i think they allow for the angle to be changed looking at their design.


Playseats Box:
Its about 36"x24"x24" but weighs 20KG approx so much to heavy to take on a plane.

 

[smudger00000000]

just wanted to say thankyou to everyone who has posted with some good and useful information,i would just like to ask one more question in regard to the playseat,would anyone please be able to tell me how large the box is that the playseat comes in,the reason i ask this is i have family in the states and they will be coming over for a visit soon and seeing as the chair is cheaper in the states due to the exchange rate,i may get it there but obviously if its huge,i cant see british airways allowing it on as hand luggage ,anyway,your help and advice as always is very much appreciated,see you on the track

thanks for the info mr latte,will just have to try find it cheaper here in the uk then,just read your posts in another thread,the one with captain slow,phewww,heated,but i could see both points,once again-thanks for the info

 

[smudger00000000]

thanks for the info mr latte,will just have to try find it cheaper here in the uk then,just read your posts in another thread,the one with captain slow,phewww,heated,but i could see both points,once again-thanks for the info

then again,dont you get 2 x 23 kilo per person now -intresting

 

[Mr Latte]

Cheapest in the Uk as far as im aware of are here

The Euro Playseats.Biz site is more expensive.
They also pinched my own review/photos from a 2007 review. (My room and seat)

 

[Flagmo-T]

I Ordered My play seat with a carpet, so I've got two packets, but the playseat comes in one packets, I for one loves the idea of the play seat can be folded, it makes it better suited for a little living room with other family members hehe.. I love it, and i do make extra stuff for it, as a little pillow like thingy for my back, it's awesome..

best of luck M8

Flaggie..

 

[Jordan]

i will do,and in some ways,im really hoping i dont like it too much,if i do-you will have to explain it to the wife for me jordan because i just about got away with what i can spend on a playseat,seriously though,looking foward to the review,cheers

Hey Smudger, my review has been posted. Please take a look!

 

[Wardy 944]

You see alot of these race seat's with the upright between your legs, is this annoying either when getting in and out, or wilst playing?

 

[Biggles]

You see alot of these race seat's with the upright between your legs, is this annoying either when getting in and out, or wilst playi

I wonder why nobody makes a tripod arrangement, with the support for the wheel at the sides & front, instead of a support in the middle?

 

[Jordan]

You see alot of these race seat's with the upright between your legs, is this annoying either when getting in and out, or wilst playing?

That's actually a very good question, and I am surprised more people don't bring it up. I admit that I was very concerned about that myself, but after owning and using both the VisionRacer and Wheel Stand Pro, I can confidently say that it is not an issue. I know it doesn't look that way - but I suppose you just don't move your leg over as far as you might think.

 

[Stevisiov]

I wonder why nobody makes a tripod arrangement, with the support for the wheel at the sides & front, instead of a support in the middle?

I think its essentially to do with ease of use, getting into the cockpit with supports either side is harder than getting into the cockpit with one central support.

You see alot of these race seat's with the upright between your legs, is this annoying either when getting in and out, or wilst playing?

It has never affected me, infact I don't really notice its existence. If the support is really close to the pedals then it may begin to make heel toe shifting a bit trickier. That said it doesn't make engineering sense to have the support closer to the wheels anyway, as its job is to prevent the wheel arm moving around too much, the further away for the wheel (closer to the pedals) the less it suppresses the wheel movement.

It's not easy to get into most cockpits with racing buckets seats, but its hardly what I would describe as difficult, it really depends on the seating position, if you left it far back from the steering wheel then you can pretty much fall into the seat without any effort, if you left the seat really far forward you may have to clamber a bit. Some cockpits sit very low to the ground others don't it depends on the cockpit, most are fairly effortless.

Its worth mentioning that being hard to get into isn't a bad thing either, the more 'snug' is often the more immersing. Racing cars can be difficult to get into in reality don't forget.

 

[Mr Latte]

Excellent review Jordan.

Job well done and good photos as well.
Thank you for mentioning my keyboard concerns, i think its a relevant issue for many potential buyers. Id like to ask you and other owners a few other points that might help people/readers with queries they may have which I dont think were covered.

Firstly though regards your wooden floor I would recommend a rubber backed floor matt, bit like retail shops use, it shouldnt slide about on the wooden floor but still let the VR3 sit stable on top mate.

Oh and btw nice Ferrari shoes, they looked new


Appreciate some thoughts on the following:

Positioning & Suitability
Firstly im glad to read you found a good comfortable driving position as well even if your knees did seem rather close to the wheel in the video.

If I can add to what you mentioned Id say the type of person that might have more of an issue with comfort or positioning with this product rather than a tall person is actually someone with shorter legs and longish arms.

Okay firstly to point out not many people have this but some do, (suit retailler for over 10 years so know) but because you cant bring the pedals closer to the seat yet keep the distance of the wheel and seat to say a users liking it still might compromise some or optimium postioning. Also some people prefer the pedals further away than others so for me it would loose a few points here, not that its a major crime but more because many other cockpit frames allow such adjustments.

Easily Scratch?
Because it looks so bleedin nice is it easy to scratch? Again users can comment on this, shiny chrome is lovelly, but scratched shiny chrome maybe isnt so nice, a few concerns to what will it look like in 3-6 months time after clambering in and out alot guys?

Subconciously Unaware
For me you mentioned two very important factors regards a racing cockpit. These are the purpose of finding a comfort level both for seating/driving and achieving that partial illusion.

The what, no Im not bonkers what I mean is its when you feel more involved or part of the race your racing in, your more relaxed but at the same time more focused on what your doing and I would say most people with a good sim frame would agree with this. Theirs something about sitting in a racing seat particulary one your snug in that feels like a racing seat or in this case is a racing seat which tbh a Playseat doesnt quite encapture. When you achieve this then indeed the product has succeeded in its goal and compared to a "Wheel Stand" device, Im sure you would agree the comfort from a racing seat makes a huge difference to the total enjoyment too.

The Keyboard Issue
I dont see any reason why VRs R&D cant perhaps come up with an optional solution in the future which could be attached to the seat mounts on the opposite side of the shifter arm is placed. This would allow a keyboard to be positioned and moved out of the way when required possibly. Alternatively some form of attahcment perhaps that attaches to the current shifter extension arm but is angled so not directly in the way when driving.

Different Wheels & Pedals
G25 seems a very big part of the VR3 design. Okay but id say a GT3RS buyer is the potential kind of customer that very much might be a VR3 buyer. Will a GT3RS wheel and Clubsport pedals fit to the VR3. Do you have even access Jordan to the Fanatec Porsche wheel or can any other owners give input on this?

*Jordan if you could measure the size of the base for the pedals I would appreciate this as others may also who have the CS pedals on order from Fanatec. Also did you find the angle of the pedals okay or would you liked more angle on the pedal section or is it changable?


Once again thanks very much and sorry for this long and questioning reply but I think the product deserves the attention and hope the queries I have asked here help others.

 

[Mr Latte]

That's actually a very good question, and I am surprised more people don't bring it up. I admit that I was very concerned about that myself, but after owning and using both the VisionRacer and Wheel Stand Pro, I can confidently say that it is not an issue. I know it doesn't look that way - but I suppose you just don't move your leg over as far as you might think.

It is a bit of an issue with Playseats Evolution model but the upright is much thicker on those than on a VR3 and i suppose would get in the way more.

 

[smudger00000000]

i would just like to say a big thankyou for all your imput and help with the seat/cockpit problem that i had,i have decided on the playseat evolution,it wasnt a easy choice to make but feel the evolution is ticking most of the boxes that i asked for when choosing a seat,resonable value,comfortable,nice looking and above all it will make my GT experience complete.I have decided to wait until the new playseat collection comes out in the hope of a price reduction on the evolution but dont hold up much hope on that,but worth a try,amazon uk has the evolution up at around the £240 mark and they also have the A1GP at the same price,so,i look foward to the day that my evolution arrives on the doorstep and look foward to trying to knock a few seconds of my lap times with the help of a seat rather than a sofa and table,and of course to race my fellow gtp friends and kick a little backside(if only),so once again thankyou all and see you on the track,cheers for now

 

[Mr Latte]

Id say with what has ticked your boxes actually ticks alot of peoples boxes and is why including their price point that they seem to get a a big percentage of the market.

Personally id still recommend you eventually get a piece of wood cut and add on a proper racing seat on sliding runners. It makes such a big difference to the enjoyment and comfort of your sim even if the Playseats own seat isnt that bad for comfort it just doesnt hold you snug or let you sink into it the way a proper seat does, oh without the creaking.

Auction sites have bucket seats for sale all the time for about £50+ or if your after new about £110 or so upwards (Recommend Cobra Clubman)

Look forward to your views and opinion when you get it.

 

[Simmpa]

Hi, Ive actually used both and also another so can give you an unbiased personal experience.
I dont know if the products have changed much in the last 1-2 years but i would doubt much if anything i can see is different apart from the extras that are now available.

Quick run down in order:

Game Racer
Playseats Evolution
Game Pod

Im currently in the process of building a d.i.y solution around the Game Pod frame as its the most stable of the three. I just want a more serious product now and think i can build adapt this to be better than a "Renn Sport" or other type of more expensive sim frame.

Some quick notes:

Game Racer
Build quality is fine but it really needs the extras to make it good.
I would say definately go for the seat risers as this is awkward to get in and out of when low to the ground without them.

I wasnt fussed about the seat, comfort is decent but its rather small, tight figure hugging and im a small to medium build.

Plenty of options for adjustment and self comfort in pedals,wheel,seat positions. Believe it or not but all three of these products offer better adjustments than many more expensive racing sim frames.

Playseats Evolution Models
This is a good product and personally i would say overall better than the Game Racer.
Its's biggest drawback is actually from its seat. Comfort is decent and the seat itself fits bigger people better. The issue is that the seat is designed to be folded in two and as such isnt like a proper bucket seat. You dont really sit within the seat as you do with the Game Racer or Game Pod.

The seat also creaks with its springs, that was my biggest criticisim with the product. Additionally the central upright can get in the way a bit of the pedals but the pedal base can be adjusted to a Left/Right position if using clutch on a 3 pedal wheel product.

It wouldnt be too big of a job to replace the set with a proper racing bucket or recliner seat in the future so worth considering if you dont need a seat that folds.

Game Pod
This product only has one flaw. Its not long enough and i find the position of the pedals too close. Notice on the other two the pedals can be much more forward in their positioning past the wheel section.

The effect of this is that your knees are more bent up and the pedals are sitting flat rather than at an angle. This also has an effect on the positioning and comfort. Yes you can move the seat back but then like i found you may be at a stretch with your arms to the wheel. The design of the product does allow the wheel to get closer to the seat but then it also gets higher so the design is limited slightly in settings/comfort. Personally i would say if the pedals could be positioned a further 6" in front of the wheel (diy could be possible with this) then it would improve the design and driving comfort.

The benifits of the Game Pod is that it is much more stable. It also includes a proper seat runner included in the price and not as an extra and this makes adjusting the seat position much less hassle out of the three products. The seat itself is the best of the three but then again thats because it actually is a "Cobra Clubman" racing bucket seat. Finally with this product you have no restrictions of a upright in front of the pedals unlike the other two.

Hope its of some help to you and other readers.

Oh and btw ive got the G25 and X360 adapters up for grabs for the Playseat if someone wants a bargin...

I have read this whole thread now but did you review the Gameracer model that was close to the ground? Becuse here´s a model that looks pretty much like the Playseat evolution.

http://www.gameracer.co.uk/detail.aspx?ID=105#