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Logitech Driving Force Pro for Play Station 2 ( 963293-0403 )

Logitech Driving Force Pro for Play Station 2 ( 963293-0403 )

List Price: $149.99
Your Price: $104.89
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Verry realistic
Review: (...)This wheel has changed the way I play GT4: Prologue. Instead of mashing buttons with the DS2 controller, I am now 'driving' the cars that I use in the way that I normally would in real life. Using the McLaren GTR in Fuji Speedway is incredibly amazing now that I have the wheel. The cool little paddle shifters behind the wheel help to heighten the sense of speed as well as the feeling of being in one with the car.

But somehow, driving the rally course in Grand Canyon still sucks. Its like 95 percent of the course requires you to drive in 1st/2nd gear with the optimum speed at 50kph. Translated to mph, its 30mph....Grand Canyon is by far the most boring track in GT4P. I hope they fix the rally physics by this fall.

(...) To sum up, this wheel is just damn sexy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best Wheel for the PS2
Review: All right, let my start by saying that this is indeed the best wheel on the market, but that doesn't say very much since 95% of the wheels out there suck. The Driving Force Pro and the Mad Catz MC2 are really the only ones worth paying for. If you are shopping for a wheel I'd suggest looking at the MC2 also. It is a lot cheaper and has a few better qualities than the DF Pro, although it doesn't have force-feedback or 900-degree steering.

The Driving Force Pro is Logitech's second attempt at a steering wheel for a game console. Its most notable feature is the 900 degrees of steering, which is something that no other wheel on the market has. However, the 900-degree steering is only compatible with certain games. I am not sure which yet, but I do know that Gran Turismo 4 (scheduled for release in January/February 05) will. It will automatically switch to 200-degree steering for games that do not support 900-degree. The wheel's other big feature is the force-feedback. It is a little loud, but it really brings the game to life. Since it has force-feedback it has to be plugged in, so make sure you have a free outlet.

Other features include a textured rubber grip, easily adjustable clamps for your table or set-up, very nice styling with a steel GT (Gran Turismo) logo in the center of the wheel, paddle shifters which move with the wheel, L3 and R3 buttons, a sequential stick shifter, USB connection to the PS2 (Works with PC's too, but I haven't been able to get the Force Feedback to work with it yet), and a very functional carpet gripping system for the pedals. I do have a few complaints about it. For one, the wheel is a little bit small at 10 inches in diameter. The MC2 is about 11. It also doesn't have dual-shock (vibrating motors) like the MC2, but this is made up with the force-feedback. The addition of a sequential stick shifter is good, but I personally feel that they put it a little too close to the steering wheel. It also doesn't have much movement when you shift, which kind of takes the fun out of it.

Pros:
-900-Degree steering
-Force Feedback
-Nice design
-Steering unit and pedals stay in their respective places well

Cons:
-No Dual Shock
-Shifter leaves something to be desired
-No calibrating controls or throttle guage
-Price

I should also mention that I had a little bit of trouble with it freezing up briefly while playing GT3. It has happened a few times, but I'm not sure if it's a defect with my unit or an actual incompatibility with the PS2 or GT3. I plan on exchanging it for a new one soon to see if this is a universal problem. I hope this has helped.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: [PS2's]GT Longitech Driving Force
Review: Hi there, I belive that since the announcements of GT4 and its innovative technology SONY has done for many fans out in the world, I believe it's the best they've done since the release of GT3. With the introdution of the Longitech Driving Force Pro. for PS2, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT is at its peak of the gaming world. I give real credit to this guys, they have done an extraordinary job with their new steering wheel that no other gaming company, not even XBOX has ever done for the bublic, to introdue a steering wheel with its own gear shift knob; back in the days, the steering wheels only included the triangle,square,circle and x-button, and also the directional arrow keys which made life a lot harder for racing game players to shift from gear to gear by pressing buttons. Now that SONY has brought the gear shift knob on its steering wheel it does not only makes life a bit fun, but it makes it more challenging for the racing fan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bought this for my husband
Review: I bought this wheel for my husband and he loves it! I never purchased an item like this before, especially for a toy that cost over $100. After reading the reviews, it seemed like it was worth the price and my husband would never expect me to buy something like this so it would be a good surprise. I of course searched through the web for the lowest price. I played it a few times and it was really fun to use. It felt like I was using the arcade steering wheel. I have tried other wheels before and it never comes close to that. My husband plays GT3 A-spec and Initial D the most on it right now. I'm planning to get him GT4 when it's released. I think the only complaint from my husband was the area where you lock the wheel in place. You have to turn these two plastic things to tighten it to a table, which is a hassle but it does keep the wheel secure. Overall, it's a good buy for gamers who like to race and experience the realism using a wheel instead of a controller. I thought it was really fun to use although I'm not into racing games. I would definitely recommend this product.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best wheel yet
Review: I have both this wheel and the older 200 degree model. While the old model was light years ahead of using the D-pad, it did not give enough fine control to be consistent on the infamous GT3 licence exams and you would find yourself constantly oversteering. This new wheel with its 900 degrees has is much more comparable to a real car and I have been able to get good consistency as I have progressed through GT4-Prologue, which in is essentially licence exams. The pedal unit has also been improved with a larger base that you can get your heel on it with even my size 12 (US) foot, so it plays well even on my tile floor. It has toothed grips for firmer mounting on carpet. The sequential shift knob is placed too high for it to be useful as a gear shift when the unit is mounted on a table, but one of the controller configurations in GT4 Prologue allows you to use it to go in reverse and I have found that handy. To get the most out of this wheel, it needs to be clamped on a table.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Gran Turismo Lover? This is YOUR Wheel!
Review: I picked up the Driving Force Pro last night and I must say, it is the single most important piece to the Gran Turismo puzzle. Heading home from work early, I decided to stop by the local electronics store to check out some of the latest toys. I saw a display setup of GT3 and the Logitech Driving Force Pro. I immediately jumped on it and couldn't stop playing. People were crowding around to see how well the wheel worked with the game. I had to buy it right then and there.

The wheel is well built; excellent materials and craftsmanship. The steering wheel has a very ergonomic feel to it with thumb depressions and compliant vinyl/rubber padding. The shifter clicks are mature and solid. The brake and accelerator pedals have a long range for great modulation. Although GT3 allows only a 200 degree turning range, it works really well. I can only imagine how the 900 degree range will be for GT4!

Ask yourself this question; do you love Gran Turismo? If your answer is yes, pull out that credit card and order this wheel. Yes the dualshock controller with the analog sticks are great, but with this wheel, it's just unbelievable! I've never had a wheel for GT before, much less ever driven with one. It didn't take long to get used to it and once I did, it was hard to stop playing.

I have a totally new respect for Gran Turismo. You really do see how much the designers of the series implemented much of the realism that comes with driving; overcorrecting your wheel during a turn will send you off the track. The feedback is amazing as well. IF YOU THINK GT IS GREAT NOW, WAIT TILL YOU PLAY IT ON THIS!

Hope this review was helpful.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Well worth the money!
Review: I wasn't very sure of my purchase at first, given the price tag on this PS2 Wheel.
As the racing game freak I am, I decided to give it a try.
A couple of years ago I bought a MadCatz racing wheel for PC, I played with it for two or three weeks, and decided that it was easier and, in fact, more fun, to play with the keyboard instead of the wheel.
This totally changed when I got the Driving Force Pro.
The looks of this wheel is the first thing that let you realize that you made a good purchase, it looks really cool, and feels comfortable in every way. It doesn't feel like a cheap wheel at all.
Hooking it up is really easy because of its clamp system, which makes it very solid if you attach ot to a table...in my case I put a board across the arms of my Tv chair and attached the wheel to it. I works pretty good like that. The pedals feel real, the brake pedal is a little harder, just like in a real car.
When you connect the wheel and restart our PS2, it automatically turns left and right and finds the center point for you.
Once playing it takes a little while to get used to it...it took me about 1 hour to start matching my times on Grand Turismo 3, and about 2 to start cutting time down.
Now I'm playing Pro Race Driver, and it can't be better...I can't wait for the release of GT4 to test this baby on 900 degree mode!.
If you are thinking about buying a racing wheel for the PS2 this is the way to go, the money you pay for it is totally worth.
There's only one thing I didn't like too much about this wheel: there's too many cables hangin' around the pedals (power, connection to the wheel, and connection to the PS2), and sometimes you get those around your legs....no big deal though, just try to put them away, on the side, and you won't have anything to complaint about.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Just got the wheel in tonight and I've been putting it through its paces with GT3. GT3 only uses 200-degree mode, so that's all I can talk about, but it's very cool indeed. It's going to take some getting used to, but the feedback is good, the wheel itself is very responsive, and rally is just plain awesome! In rally, I found myself not thinking about the wheel at all, just about controlling the drifts with the gas pedal. My arms were completely on autopilot, doing all the steering by instinct. Very cool. The pedals are excellent as well, light and linear on the gas, and heavy and tight on the brake, just like a car. I haven't seen any other pedals that are like this; Logitech definitely thought of everything. The paddle shifters don't stick out very far, but that makes them very non-flimsy. You definitely need some kind of table to mount this to (I use a fold-out dinner tray), or your knee is going to bump the power cord out while it bounces around on your lap. I believe there's a $20 lap attachment accessory that probably also works, but a table is better.

I was very pleased to get this for $35 less than MSRP ($150 for even this wheel is a bit much) and with free shipping. Overall, great buy, and a must for racing fans!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Some things to be aware of when purchasing this device!
Review: Logitech's Driving Force Pro for PS2 is an excellent input device for novice and more advanced users in driving simulation games. The response is excellent, the feel is decent, and the functionality is superb.

Those who purchase this unit must be aware that the 900 degree turning can only be used by games that support this type of input. If 900 degree movement is not supported by the game (such as Gran Turismo 3) the user will find that this wheel automatically detects this and adjusts the steering locks accordingly. When this author purchased the wheel for use with Gran Turismo 3, he found that the standard turning radius of 200 degrees seemed to create a problem for fine tuning the position of the wheel. Because of the smaller rotation area, minute movements are much more pronounced than when 900 degree rotation is allowed.

The steering feel of this device is as close to true as one will find in a gaming device. The force feedback power can be manually adjusted from full power to 60% power directly on the device. Some games may allow further tuning of force feedback power in-game. The footpedal unit feels firm, with different resistances for gas and brake, adding some to the realism of most games. The buttons on this wheel are not pressure sensitive like the Dual Shock controllers and other accessories are. This device is all digital, using the PS2's own USB port to connect. An outside AC power source is required for use.

Technical note: This device is listed as Force Feedback, but with all technicality, this is not correct. Force feedback devices use pressures from the users hand and responds by generating its own force which opposes the hand. Typically in these devices, the counter force generated by the device is proportional to the force applied by the user. This wheel uses a different mechanism that does not require a force from the user to be present. In a nutshell, this all means that this device will move on its own, independantly of whether or not a user is present.

Overall, this device is unique, and a great buy.

The goods:
Great feel, as close to realistic as you're gonna get
Excellent range of motion
Solidly built, Heavy duty. Nothing flimsy about it
Table clamps are very strong, with no extra movement
Learning curve is at a minimum
Quick and easy setup. Up and running in no time
GT emblem on the wheel. Looks GREAT!

The bads:
Force Feedback is a little noisy, though not exceedingly loud.
200 degree motion makes it difficult to fine tune steering on the fly.
Initial price seems a little high. (well worth it, however)
Too addictive! Can't seem to put it away!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Wheel
Review: Sony did not make this steering wheel. It was made by Logitech. Stop giving sony the credit and with that said XBox could easily have a wheel like that since Logitech also makes wheels and other stuff like that for XBox.


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