back to article Steelseries SRW-S1 PC gaming steering wheel

Admittedly, until recently my idea of a racing game was Super Mario Kart as I don't play too many driving games. However, the Steelseries SRW-S1 steering wheel certainly had me intrigued enough to want to take it for a spin. Steelseries SRW-S1 gaming steering wheel Custom job: Steelseries' SRW-S1 gaming steering wheel …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    No flightsim pilot would use this

    This wheel is very much alike modern F1 steering wheel, where the pilot can control a lot of car parameters. Planes have a very different "user interface", even those using a yoke and not a stick. Moreover flighsims requires controls that can be set at a given position and stay there - unlike a car ones.

    1. Shades
      Facepalm

      Re: No flightsim pilot would use this

      I don't think the author was being entirely serious. Do you always take everything so literally?

      If the author had of suggested it would be more at home in an actual F1 car would you be pointing out that it doesn't actually connect to a steering column and that the driver doesn't need the extra paddles for acceleration and braking*?

      *although the extra paddles would come in useful for their dual clutch systems! ;)

      1. bigphil9009

        Re: Re: No flightsim pilot would use this

        Flight-simmers:Serious

  2. Neil 55

    Fails as an enthusiast wheel

    I saw this online last year and got one for Christmas.

    I love the design, the feel, the weight and can play with it for hours.

    I accept that the Leds only work on simraceway, though it would be cool if i could get them to work in F1 2011...

    My single issue is that I can not drive quick in it. I am right handed and I can easily co-ordinate the throttle, upshift and steering. But I can not, after hours of practice, co-ordinate braking, downshifting and turn in with my left hand. I need pedals. And I would probably buy some to go with it if I could find them.

    It's a bit disappointing really, as the major benefit IMO would have been a gaming accessory that has the convenience of a controller with the finesse of a wheel.

    Maybe I am the exception; I know I am the reason it falls short. I will keep practising but after buying it I race so much less than I used to.

    1. Shades

      Re: Fails as an enthusiast wheel

      If you're having trouble coordinating your left fingers have you tried, if its possible, to put the accelerator and brake both on the same side (right, if your right handed) and the gears on the other side? This way, you only have to use one finger at a time, on your left hand, for up/down shifting while your right fingers, the ones that should be a little more dexterous, have the job that requires a little more finesse.

      Just a thought.

      1. Neil 55
        Happy

        Re: Re: Fails as an enthusiast wheel

        good idea! but wouldn't work; the paddles are different types of switches; the gear changers are microswitches (on/off) and the throttle / Brakes are connected to Potentiometers so go from 0% to 100% gradually.

  3. Shades

    I stopped reading...

    ...as soon as I realised that it doesn't physically connect to anything that could provide force-feedback and "free-floats" in your hands.

    The designers really have missed a trick here. If they had of made it a detachable wheel, like in F1 and a few other formulas, with a force-feedback base unit then the wheel could have been used to store your settings... attach it to a base unit and the game automatically changes its settings to your preferences. Would be great if you have a few mates (that also have the wheels) round for a few beers and a "Who's the best/fastest driver" session[1].

    My cousin has the right idea... Official GT steering wheel and pedals attached to a specially made wooden cockpit (that you have to slide into, like a real open-wheel racer), with a real bucket seat, in front of a mahoosive TV that basically fills your field of vision!

    [1] Using a game, I'm not condoning or encouraging drink driving IRL before anybody says it!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wot? No Pedals?

    This kind of thing is alright for Mario Kart and the likes, but for proper racing even the likes of a Mad Cats wheel has pedals.

  5. Dabooka
    Facepalm

    I love the comment...

    when it was realised that "ultimately, the SRW-S1 is really all about the steering".

    No shit.

  6. Joe K
    Flame

    Is it sexist of me to say.....

    ....you let a woman test things like this?

  7. Speeder
    Happy

    it is possible to mount it on logitech g25

    With a bit of googling you can see that is mountable on a logitech system ;)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c4eehEMCr4

    Also the leds work with F1 2011 with a plugin which downloable at the website of the makers ;)

    1. Shades

      Re: it is possible to mount it on logitech g25

      By the looks of it though the SRW-S1 requires a custom mounting bracket, or a bit of a DIY job taking things apart (invalidating any warranties in the process) then drilling and screwing/bolting various bits together, to mate the two units... and its still only worthwhile if you already have a spare g25 lying around that you don't mind butchering.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If you're going to review a wheel...

    either get someone who has used other wheels to do it, or review in a group test.

    As it is, you're looking at one of the more unique wheels on the market and there's no indication of how it stacks up.

  9. MarkusFarkus
    Devil

    nice but...I like this better

    Who wants to hold that up all the time. For the most precise control of a racing sim, check out the precision Steer-o-matic controller at www.steer-o-matic.com.

  10. davew_uk
    FAIL

    nice wheel, shame about the game

    The wheel looks pretty neat, but the game it is designed for is underwhelming.

    After finally getting it downloaded, I tried a few practice laps and the graphics are a throwback to five years ago. Looks suspiciously like the rFactor engine dressed up a little.

    1. Andy Enderby 1

      Re: nice wheel, shame about the game

      It is indeed the gMotor2 engine, or "rFactor in drag". Having said that, a bit of fiddling with driver settings and installation of third party shaders can make rFactor look rather good. Check out rFactor and the Enduracers mod (modern LeMans series) to get a handle on how it can look.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Using this thing to play iRacing is like going to Navy SEAL training in a pair of Hawaiian-print swiimming trunks .

  12. feathers

    FAIL

    I purchased this, used it for a day and a half and by the following morning it was dead. It was unplayable with Shift2 because of lag (shift2 bad design), Simraceway was responsive, no lag. The surprise was F1 2011. That proved to be very responsive and easy to drive with the SRW-S1.

    None of that matters now though because on the 3rd morning I switched on PC and all of the lights came on the SRW-S1 and stayed on. The wheel was no longer detected in windows. I checked to see if any of the switches or buttons were jammed (they were not), unplugged, plugged back in, tried on a second PC, same result. All the lights were on but the wheel no longer detected. The wheel was screwed after approximately 4 hours of use. I registered on Steelseries website and then went to open a support ticket. FAILED!! The page failed each time I tried to post a support so the support is as dead as the wheel.

    I posted my story on tweaktown and one of the tweaktown guys who had recently reviewed the SRW-S1 said he would contact Steelseries to see if they could help? Stil no word so I guess this is my first and last Steelseries.

    The broken wheel is due for return to the shop today for refund.

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