Fanatec General Discussion

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by DomB, May 22, 2018.

  1. CrimsonEminence

    CrimsonEminence Well-Known Member

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    EDITED:
    I have to vent some frustration, by writing about some experiences.

    I bought the Fanatec CSL Elite PS4 pack.
    At first, everything was okay, but then, after just two months, my muscle memory was telling me, something is off and indeed...something was off...the centering is not precise under forces, not much, but noticeable. Also the base was making a slight grinding noise

    After contacting support, i had to make 3 videos of the centering issue, to ensure, that they believe me. The first 2 were badly filmed by hand, though, so i made one with standing cam, after the 3rd clear visible proof, i finally got a RMA, but still with doubt, that anything is out of tolerances. But still a very nice and competent service and the guy was informing me about things, that got fixed, so thumbs up! Side note: They really asked me, if the wheel was calibrated, turned 360° off center...i mean...seriously, has this happened?? :D

    UPDATED:
    2 weeks later, i got my wheel back and a new P1 rim was lying in there surprisingly, without information, that it got replaced. BUT: I was stupid enough to not rechange the default button caps and now i own some button caps twice, would like to replace them, to get them back, even made a photo to prove it, it has taken an extra clarification, that the caps were gone, but they are replacing them...again: Thumbs up!

    The grinding noise was gone, but is now back after not even 4 days in use.

    The problem is: the centering problem remains (it got better, but is still there) and i'm tired of fiddling with the whole deal again, i don't want to give it into repair again and waste 2 weeks again and again, what should i do? Any workarounds? Insist on replacement? I will post the unlisted video, maybe anyone has suggestions:

    Let's show the centering issue then....here you can see with comparison of the white line on the screen to the red numbers from the LCD, that after a force is applied, the center is moving a bit. The driver shows 32767 notches by 0° (exact center of the CSL) on slightly different positions.
    Is this normal behaviour of the CSL? @DomB or anyone, using it? This is a 500€ package, it should keep it's centering under FFB and steering lock, or am i not lenient enough? I don't want to send it back again and make it a neverending story.:(

    Firmwares and drivers are the newest, possible.

    That's my story with Fanatec wheels. Their CSP V3 pedals are awesome, though.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2020
  2. Michael Jeffries

    Michael Jeffries Member

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    I started to use the Porsche endurance wheel (newest wheel fanatec released), but i noticed that it randomly has a hard jolt while driving straight down the track. I'm not hitting any bumps or anything but i still feel a hard jolt in my hands.
    It doesn't force the wheel to spin out of my hands, but it's like a hard jolt inside the wheel base and you can feel it through your hands. It's random and can really break your concentration during a race.

    Does anyone know what this could be? It's like going over a hard curb, but the wheel stays in place.
     
  3. Rella

    Rella Well-Known Member

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    When you check the official Fanatec forum -> beta drivers and then the thread about the driver v352/356 then you can read a lot about these random jolts. Seems to me that it's a general issue and not R3E specific. I experienced the same and it doesn't feel healthy. In addition the wheel sometimes turned with full force to the right on its own during driving and I had to cut the power and restart it. I tried v352 and 356 but downgraded to the latest non beta version because of these issues and have to watch the Porsche wheel lying in the cupboard while waiting for new drivers o_O
     
  4. Badgerous

    Badgerous Well-Known Member

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    Can the V3 pedals act as a hub for the SQ shifter, with the aim of bypassing the need for the overpriced USB dongle? (and losing another USB slot to this silly hobby.

    So:
    Shifter -> Pedals -> USB
    as opposed to:
    Shifter -> USB
    Pedals -> USB

    I recall a bunch of inputs underneath the pedals when I initially unboxed them, but I can't find any info online, and don't want to faff with my rig unless I have to. Longer term I aim to get a Fanatec wheel base as well, but in the meantime I'm trying to keep USB usage in check.
     
  5. Michael Jeffries

    Michael Jeffries Member

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    Thanks for that. I couldnt find the info about it, but i'll take your word for it. It's definitely something that doesnt feel right.
     
  6. DomB

    DomB Fanatec

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    @CrimsonEminence That is not a normal behaviour, I suggest that you continue to communicate with support.
     
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  7. CrimsonEminence

    CrimsonEminence Well-Known Member

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    Roger that.
    ------------------
    So updated situation:
    I have asked for replacement (by email) of the WB and hope for the best. The slight grinding noise is also back and i lose my patience with it.

    I'm not very spoiled, when it comes to little hickups, just the situation of constant issues is making me very concerned, that i have bought a very flawed bundle and i'm even considering to ask for a sort of a refund, unfortunately.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2020
  8. Bull Shark

    Bull Shark Well-Known Member

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    I have very good experiences with the support from Fanatec. I had problem with my McLaren rim. After 3 times a replacement. They gave me a refund.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 16, 2020
  9. CrimsonEminence

    CrimsonEminence Well-Known Member

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    They don't believe me.
    I've made a last attempt:


    The 0 changes to a 1 in the center postion, after turning it into the left lock and back.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2020
  10. fireballr18

    fireballr18 Well-Known Member

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    Well....that simply sounds that they are fullfilling laws. Not more not less....
    After 3x means, you've sent the rim 3x back for rework?
     
  11. Bull Shark

    Bull Shark Well-Known Member

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    Yes that is correct, no not the rim. 2x times the rim and 1 time a shifter.
    Of course it is the law but there are a lot of companies which are not easily refunding.
    They also could have let me send it back over and over again. As far as I know there is nothing stated about after 2x sending an item back you have to receive a refund.
    Anyway, law or not, I’m happy the way the handled in my case.
     
  12. CrimsonEminence

    CrimsonEminence Well-Known Member

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    According to support, this could be inbetween tolerances for the CSL Elite

    So yeah...fudge... o_O
     
  13. higsy

    higsy Well-Known Member

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    Hi Dom, are you aware of issues people are having with the dd bases and the f1 se and v2 wheels. I've seen videos and theres a discussion on fanatec forums... I'm experiencing the same issues with the 2019 f1 se and it seems like a compatibility issue... .my bmw gt2 wheel works fine.
    Are new drivers being worked on to fix the issue ?
     
  14. CrimsonEminence

    CrimsonEminence Well-Known Member

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    I received a mail today, after communicating with a friendly guy again on telephone, checking videos and making tests.
    They say, there is no issue and it wouldn't be noticeable (in their words: would've no effect) in any game. (Yeah, that's why i noticed the problem by feel first, not visually)

    I'm sorry, but my G27 was able to keep its centering postition better in place, so i will probably never buy a Fanatec product again, as fun as they are to drive, but if this is your tolerance chart for the underlying design, even considering the materials, so such an issue is more likely with that design (but they're definitely not the cheapest materials, even if it's still plastic in many areas) I'm still very disappointed for a 500€ product regarding the issue(!) and i can just say, that someone, who considers a CSL Elite PS4 package, should be aware, that this Issue, showed by videos in my last posts can be persistent forever, the support will not deliver a fix, because it's "normal".

    If you don't care about some degrees varying center, then get it, it's a great wheel and its only flaws are a bit noise, a slightly flexy feeling P1 Rim mount (it's no real quick release, so it's normal) and the centering, that can vary under FFB influence against the direction of force by some notches,


    That's my final story about the Fanatec products, enjoyable af, but with major flaws in quality control, it seems. You should consider going for Clubsport products or save for something better, though and leaving the CSL Products, where they are.

     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2020
  15. fireballr18

    fireballr18 Well-Known Member

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    @CrimsonEminence
    Thx for sharing this information with us. This story (not the only one) doesn't encourage me to switch from my current wheel to a dd2. At least not soon.
    If this is should be a defect which is in between the acceptable tolerances I wonder where the quality goal is set for those. Very interesting perspective.
     
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  16. Gazza

    Gazza Member

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    Bad support for an item of this cost, gutted for you.
     
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  17. CrimsonEminence

    CrimsonEminence Well-Known Member

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    The support itself was working very nice and competent.
    The question is, how they're allowed to act in certain situations.

    Disclaimer: This is not a rant or bashing against the support, they're doing a fast and socially intelligent job. It's about Fanatecs quality control and tolerances in build accuracy and their awareness about it. (Still no bashing, though :p )
     
  18. Badgerous

    Badgerous Well-Known Member

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    I've a potential problem with a brand new SQ 1.5 shifter I received today. I'm using it via their USB converter with latest drivers, but the calibration option is greyed out. Under Fanatecs test thing I can see that input '5' is intermittently flashing when it's in neutral, and when I try to map anything in (any) game it immediately assigns something from the shifter as soon as I double click on any option, which suggests a signal is constantly being sent out.

    A few searches suggests a bad batch of cables are out there, so I'm hoping I'm just unlucky there. - I've ordered an RJ12 from Amazon to try tomorrow.

    Anyone else had a similar issue?
     
  19. Bull Shark

    Bull Shark Well-Known Member

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    I had problems as well but not like yours. I had shifting problems. When I shifted up or down it shifted 2 or 3 gears lower or higher than I put it into.
    Got a new one from Fanatac. The one I have now works flawless.
     
  20. Badgerous

    Badgerous Well-Known Member

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    For future reference, it was a Fanatec driver issue.

    The latest drivers (v328) I installed for the V3 pedals don't appear to have support for the USB dongle thing. I twigged something was wrong when I noticed the Fanatec software was treating the shifter as a misc 3rd party device in the same way it does my Aiologs sequential, and wasn't displaying an official Fantatec page/options in the way my pedals do.

    I uninstalled those drivers, used the older v311 version, and it was easy from there. :rolleyes:

    The shifter is lovely, and I suck at heel and toe.
     
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