Qubic System - QS-BT1 Multi-purpose, Dual Channel, Direct Drive Seat Belt Tensioner

[simracingfanatic]

All reports seem to be praising how excellent this is. What I havnt seen yet is the perspective of how it compares to other solutions...

Probably because not many people own the other solutions. And many reviewers are unlikely to say bad things to avoid disappointing the companies that send them products to test, so they probably won't point out any shortcomings of each system.

I do like the Qubic solution. I've been thinking a long, long time about purchasing Simxperience's G-Belt, but my main hesitance was due to its noise. Qubic's belt tensioner, on the other hand, is marketed as being very quiet, and all the review videos back it up. The fact that it uses two direct drive motors makes it a very appealing product.

 

[Mr Latte]

Probably because not many people own the other solutions. And many reviewers are unlikely to say bad things to avoid disappointing the companies that send them products to test, so they probably won't point out any shortcomings of each system.

I do like the Qubic solution. I've been thinking a long, long time about purchasing Simxperience's G-Belt, but my main hesitance was due to its noise. Qubic's belt tensioner, on the other hand, is marketed as being very quiet, and all the review videos back it up. The fact that it uses two direct drive motors makes it a very appealing product.

Valid points, and I agree but I am hoping we may at some point, see some owners of people having experienced G-Belt / Tension R or d.i.y solutions getting this to be able to offer additional views.

This does look to be the best performing option now though and it being quieter as well as safe are factors I was concerned about.

 

[pwrightmd]

I just received and installed one of these and it is fantastic. I have not owned a G belt or TensionR before but based on youtube videos of those products, this seems a whole lot quieter. I do not hear it at all with my speakers on (and it’s a cheap 2 speaker system).

The other thing worth noting is that I own a NLR v3 seat mover which is also made by motion systems. When I installed the Qubic manager - it replaced the NLR app and automatically imported my seatmover settings. So now I can adjust belt tension effects and motion platform effects in one app. That was a really nice unexpected bonus.

It was a bit tricky to mount but I can post pics here if anyone is interested. Happy to answer any questions as well.

Steve at SimStix was also fanatastic to deal with if you are in the US. Responds to emails immediately and helped me troubleshoot how to safely mount this. Excellent service from preorder several months ago until this week when I received the BT1. Highly recommended.

 

[Mr Latte]

Be great to see how your install went and images, please do share...
The cool thing is that in a few months I assume their will be quite a few user profiles that can be shared for various titles.

Look forward to more input from you in what effects you enjoy most and just curious, even though each will bring its own thing. If you had to now do without the belt tensioner or V3 which do you think now adds more to the fun and immersion?

 

[pwrightmd]

Sure. Happy to share pics. The BT1 needs to be mounted to the platform and reduces the max weight to 257 lb for the seat mover.

My seat mover is mounted to the cockpit using Simlabs recessed mounts so it is much lower in the cockpit than it would be otherwise. I installed two small pieces of profile perpendicular to the top of the platform and have the BT1 and seat sliders/brackets mounted on the profile using the standard brackets that come with the BT1 and some 90 degree elbows attached to the profile. See pics below.

 

[pwrightmd]

Regarding effects and integration with the seat mover - let me get back to you. I just got the software installed this morning. I spent all day yesterday figuring out the best way to mount this but am really happy with how that turned out. I installed the software and jumped straight into an F3 race in iracing. It ran perfectly on the first try. I haven’t adjusted anything yet. Once I get it all dialed in - I can post my settings if anyone is interested. I’m also running a single bass shaker for LFE in iracing and need to figure out which effects to put where.

I don’t know which is adding more to the experience yet as I haven’t tried the BT1 without the motion platform yet.

 

[simracingfanatic]

Thanks for sharing some up-close photos of the mounted tensioner, pwrightmd.
My initial impression was that it would be difficult to mount, but your photographs proved otherwise.
I hope you get everything dialed in well. I'm interested in knowing what settings you would run for optimum lap times, vs immersion.

 

[worms14]

@pwrightmd
Great.
I'm still facing the choice of NLRv3, I'm beating myself up over whether it's going to be for me, due to its movement when the system is switched off, it scares me( working slack). The other issue is that I already have a DYI belt tensioner that I made myself based on the Wotever - SimHub project and I didn't quite know how to fit it with the NLR v3, I've read a lot about these units breaking down when they receive a higher load. Now that BT1 has arrived I already have two products to buy and no money for either, haha.
But the BT1 is probably more tempting because it is so much quieter compared to this solution I have and certainly under load it doesn't lose steps like the belt tensioner from Wotever does.
I look forward to further descriptions of your gear, photos, anything that comes your way to post here. I would also like to know where you have fitted the Basshake LFE. Anything you post here will be music to my ears and eyes.
I have 2 LFEs in my system, Slip Angle 4 BST1, 2HPR, 2 BST1. Bringing it all/combining it all with NLRv3 and BT1 is going to be a big challenge.

 

[pwrightmd]

Quick update after a day.

While the BT1 motors are very quiet - because the unit is mounted so close to my seat the mounting bracket was banging into the back of my bucket seat whenever there was a quick tension adjustment and making an awful racket.

I ended up adding 1/8” self adhesive foam padding to the back of the brackets and my seat as pictured below. It’s dead silent now.

I’m still working on settings and will update the thread once I’m happy with integrating them all.

As it stands my haptics/motion consists of the following:

2 pedal haptics
1 bass shaker at rear of cockpit
NLR v3
Qubic BT1
Wind sim

 

[Mr Latte]

Another update from this user with 6dof setup...

 

[Mr Latte]

Quick update after a day.

While the BT1 motors are very quiet - because the unit is mounted so close to my seat the mounting bracket was banging into the back of my bucket seat whenever there was a quick tension adjustment and making an awful racket.

I ended up adding 1/8” self adhesive foam padding to the back of the brackets and my seat as pictured below. It’s dead silent now.

I’m still working on settings and will update the thread once I’m happy with integrating them all.

As it stands my haptics/motion consists of the following:

2 pedal haptics
1 bass shaker at rear of cockpit
NLR v3
Qubic BT1
Wind sim


View attachment 775951
View attachment 775953

Yeah this was one thing I was wondering about....

I seen this in the manual to have more space away from the back of the seat. Was concerned about this factor you raise as my own seat has a carbon back I wouldnt like to get badly marked or all scratched up.



Having the VR3 motion, maybe makes this more difficult as you would need to extend some form of profile coming from the seat base thats connected to the VR3.

 

[R8cerX]

Does anyone know if this Qubic system will work with a DOF P3 motion rig? I have modified my seating frame and chassis with aluminum extrusion pieces so I think mounting would not be an issue, just not sure about the movement of the P3 with traction loss.

 

[PolyGone]

Review by The Simpit

 

[Mr Latte]

Looks like its going to be a hit in simworld...

 

[worms14]

I'm looking forward to September, then I'll be able to try it out in a local shop, I'll compare it to the DYI from Wothever, but I already know that because of how quiet this product is, it's on my shopping list for the Rig.

 

[Hoernle]

I would like to see someone opening this belt tensioner to understand how they attached the belts to the drive shaft. Do they use gearing? Which servos are in use?
Maybe we could learn something for the DIY designs.
If it is just a traditional solution, I don't see a benefit over a 90st based DIY tensioner except for the obvious buy and use advantage.

 

[Mr Latte]

Guys any views on using 2" or 3" harness.
Pros / Cons regards comfort, I like the Sabelt options...

 

[No Depth]

Guys any views on using 2" or 3" harness.
Pros / Cons regards comfort, I like the Sabelt options...

I just got the unit over the weekend and am doing heavy testing. Will post thoughts soon as I have a lot to say(very positive mostly).

I have used both 3” and 2” belts using an G-Belt for a couple years and personally I much prefer 2”. It’s subjective but the 3” barely fit my seat windows and they are wide enough that they can chafe my neck. Eventually I switched to 2” and they feel perfect. I didn’t feel any real loss of feeling making the change. Further, the buckles on the BT-1 that attach to the belt have groove spacing perfectly fit for 2” belts(though 3” are fine with them too).

I’d also argue 4-point harnesses work perfectly fine. My 3” belt was a 6-point and the anti-submarine was really not necessary I found after switching to a 2” 4-point. But others may disagree on that but I felt no appreciable difference other than the 2” 4-point was far, far more comfortable and the effects felt were the same.

Hope that helps. I’ll post more later on the actual BT-1. It’s very high quality.

 

[MarkModdy]

2” belts are best on my G-belt too… 3” would be overkill and remove some of the directly applied strength of the belt action I suspect (my opinion only as not tested this theory out, as I only have 2” belts, and is all I have ever used to be fair)

I remember at the time @RCHeliguy mentioned he had tested both and settled on 2”… l also ditched my shoulder pads to ensure direct belt pull on shoulders too.

 

[Mr Latte]

Okay guys thanks for heads up regards 2" belts.

I was wondering if different seats may also be a factor to how comfortable or well this product can be experienced. For a while I was considering buying a new seat for my own current build and even from an improved tactile perspective. The new Sabelt formula seat has been on my radar.