Podium DD's VS Simucube 2's

[Darren Byrne]

Hi guys, the past while I was trying to find good comparisons between these two models of dd's. Has anyone tested both ? I understand that the software for these aren't complete yet but is there any clear winner here ? thanks.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Not only that, but I've been told flat out that I should visit the Granite State forums, which I have and use the profiles that various people have already spent time tweaking. I was given specific names per sim for the guys who have the best results. Most people tell me that they start from a known good and then typically dial back the overall power to taste.

It's all BS, to be honest. Once you understand what affects what, you don't need someones' else settings, most of them are misguided anyway. KISS principle.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Ps. The dd2 five year warranty is also a nice bonus...

Couldn't resist.

 

[DiLFe]

Not only that, but I've been told flat out that I should visit the Granite State forums, which I have and use the profiles that various people have already spent time tweaking. I was given specific names per sim for the guys who have the best results. Most people tell me that they start from a known good and then typically dial back the overall power to taste.

Ok that's nice to hear. I actually like to tweak the FFB, the concern was that in the simucube forums there are a lot of threads about not getting the FFB to work properly att all. E.g. phrases such as "grain" etc when the setup just plain and simple is not working at a basic level. But as always, I guess the worst problems are the ones that get published on the forums.

 

[RCHeliguy]

In a couple weeks I'll have a bit more experience with this. I do have Kart Kraft, which is a newbie to the sim world. I could see what it takes to make that work well.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

T
So many threads on how to get games to work (except iracing).

Because iRacing folks hang out on their own board.
The problem with SC2 initial release was that it was primarily tested with iRacing, and other titles use different effects, etc.
But from what I am reading all these issues are solved by now and you shouldn't have any problems running any major sims.
Older OSW and SC1 don't have any.

 

[DiLFe]

Damn you, time to flick back to the simucube tab on my browser and discard my fanatec cart... To buy or not to buy...

 

[RCHeliguy]

Damn you, time to flick back to the simucube tab on my browser and discard my fanatec cart... To buy or not to buy...

FWIW, if you are still bouncing back and forth, I'd wait off until you are absolutely sure. At some point things will crystallize and you will feel like you know what you want. Until then as long as your current system works I would wait.

I tried to wait, but failed miserably. No regrets on my purchase just my weak will power.

 

[DiLFe]

This is just live, game profiles shown for almost all sims I own. Talk about a coincidence!

 

[super_gt]

 

[Deleted member 197115]

This is actually better than superb.
A must watch for any Simucube owner including SC1 as most filters are the same with a few exceptions.
@super_gt, thanks for linking it here.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Boosted Media has come a long way!

I remember laughing at the early click bait videos about what his wife would say when she got home and saw his new rig etc..

This was a very informative and nicely put together video.

These products are starting to get past the early adopter phase where you have to plow through everything yourself and are moving into the better supported product phase where there is plenty of documentation and guides from people showing how to do everything.

 

[Spinelli]

Ok that's nice to hear. I actually like to tweak the FFB, the concern was that in the simucube forums there are a lot of threads about not getting the FFB to work properly att all. E.g. phrases such as "grain" etc when the setup just plain and simple is not working at a basic level. But as always, I guess the worst problems are the ones that get published on the forums.

The FFB in the SC2 works fine with all games as far as I know. FFB tweaking, as Andrew stated, is being overblown and pretty straight-forward. The only time I've heard people mentioning grain has coincided with them using insanely low amounts of any filtering like no damper, no friction, no reconstruction filter. Even Granity themselves have repeatedly said using absolutely no filtering on these devices is a no, no cause of how fidelic they are and stuff like that (most users should be able to tell how ridiculous and unrealistic the FFB is with no filters and should never even be running into this problem in the first place).

 

[DiLFe]

Well, finally pulled the trigger on the Simucube 2! Those last clips, in particular Boosted Media, clarified things a lot.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Well, finally pulled the trigger on the Simucube 2! Those last clips, in particular Boosted Media, clarified things a lot.

Ha-ha, welcome to the club

 

[RCHeliguy]

Sort of ironic that mine arrived before I can use it. At least my video card finally arrived. So far I've only had time to fire it up in VR and make sure it works.

 

[Spinelli]

I love this guy's passion but he seems a little in over his head with some things he's saying:

• He makes claims like the Simucube almost fully saturates the entire USB bandwith of your PC. I believe a claim like this needs evidence, either from Granity themselves or from USB bandwitdth tests/benchmarks or even verbal things like "I did USB benchmarks, trust me, it almost fully saturates it." But he just makes the claim with literally no evidence or explanation.

• says DD wheels feel exactly like real life. Does he have racecar driving experience? If so, how much? Granity and other FFB/wheel companies wouldn't be working so hard to create filters and even game-telemetry based filters if FFB feels exactly like real life. Also, almost every racing driver says that game FFB is too harsh/aggressive and overall powerful compared to real-life when the game/wheel is set to apparently the same 1:1 Nm.

• continuing with his "DD wheels feel exactly like real life" claim, this is barely currently technically possible anyways, mainly (but possibly not limited to) the following 3 reasons: 1) real-life FFB is passive/reactive, game FFB is active, 2) real-life FFB is torque-based, game FFB is position / velocity based, 3) Microsoft Direct Input is old FFB tech from the 1990s with it's own limitations aside from points 1 and 2 (what I've been told by multiple FFB gurus). Most of these limitations aren't really a problem with "regular" consumer wheels but it's a different story when using the insane power, acceleration, etc. of DD servo/stepper motors

• different filters continue to become implemented - part of this reason is exactly my previous 2 points, to try and makeup or "cover-up" issues/limitations of FFB.

• he says it's incredible that there's no perceived lag of FFB from Granity's (Simucube's) SC2 settings. Yes, this is true but there's no perceived lag from even the Simucube 1's settings nor even the OSW non-Simucbe settings nor Leo Bodnar's settings (from my research) nor the Accuforce's settings. He's making it sound like the SC2's lack of perceived lag is some incredible thing that no one's ever done before.

• he says higher sample rates are what make robots' movements smoother, this is partially true but there's more to it than just cranking up higher and higher sample rates as he makes it sound, for eg. velocity control VS torque control VS position control (read the description regarding picking up an egg using position/velocity VS torque control here: https://robotics.stackexchange.com/...control-vs-velocity-control-vs-torque-control )https://robotics.stackexchange.com/...control-vs-velocity-control-vs-torque-control

He's relatively new to simracing (at-least on the PC) but he makes it sound like he's been doing/studying it for years from the way he talks.

The problem with having a combination of someone who is a very good speaker + great passion + good overall presentation skills + videos w/ good production value is that it's then easier to assume everything that person says is the truth. He seems to be in that state of awe and shock when you first get a new item and you're so overjoyed that it seems incredible and perfect. He doesn't seem critical enough...I think his overjoyment of having a new DD wheel + his great love & passion for simracing is slightly blinding him from really looking at things from more of a critical point of view. Plus, he got a $4000 Simucube 2 Ultimate and gets to keep it for completely free; take what you want from that but that's gotta at least bias you slightly.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

All the poetry and personal feelings aside, the guy gave very nice overview of True Drive settings and filters. Pretty sure that was the whole intent of the video.
Agree on saturation part, USB bandwidth depends on the generated by game FFB signal frequency and should not depend on used hardware. Slowly processing this signal HW can impact the title though, reason there is FFB_SKIP_STEPS settings in AC to help lesser wheel deal with 333Hz update rate. SC2 processing is far from slow though.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Please don't take us all for gullible fools.

I think Barry has more credibility, but I've seen him make mistakes and assumptions.

That said, that video was well done especially from that source. He's upped his game and I think he is heading in the right direction.

 

[SRC Brian]

Another Fanatec fan boy converted to SC2. Pro base due mid October hopefully. I couldn't justify dropping 1500 on a fanatec with that QR compromise due to requirements to keep backward compatibility. The simucube2 pro just looks an all round better product. I will keep my clubsport rim and add a simucube wheel side qr as I run that button free with a shifter but I think the formula and uni hubs will go to make way for an Ascher racing rim.

 

[AlexN]

Couldn't resist.

My dump in a box (DD2) just crapped itself after 3 months of very light use. Not looking forward to Fanatec's customer support