Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback wheel

[RADAR_Brian]

Well, I have mainly been testing NFS Porsche edition.... I get zero FF effect even though the light is lit. I run it on my 98 machine and the wheel operates perfectly. So yeah the light comes on, and the wheel auto centers with the FF motors, but I get no FF in XP... weird...

[Kj]

I have problems in XP with the MS FF Wheel in older games. In the game Driver, the break is always on, causing the car to be in reverse all the time, but it does have force feedback. Sega Rally 2 does not have FF, but the break pedal is also always on...

Is this something to do with the split up/down axis for the pedals? Is there any tweak tool out there which let's you choose a single axis?

[EndobioticChaos]

Phew! One more reason not to touch MS hardware, even with a 10 foot pole.

Don't you just love the way they try to force you to buy their new hardware?

[RADAR_Brian]

Well, it's not just MS hardware... I've read where lots of FF wheels aren't funtioning properly since XP. I think it has to do with the serial port or something and how XP addresses it.. but it's still a load of crap. They could write a driver. If it worked fine before it should now. I think it's just a matter of there aren't that many folks still using the old serial gameport FF wheel so it wouldn't profit them to update the driver for the gameport....

It works in some games in XP, it's just very iffy. It's still a great regular wheel.

I really can't complain a whole lot about it since I only gave 14.95 for it on ebay. hehe..

[Kj]

I'm not sure if my problem is with just the older games. My gameport FF MS wheel doesn't seem to act correctly in the test and calibration in the Control Panel in WinXP.

The brake pedal part starts off fully pressed even though it's not, when you do press it, it looks like it acts normal. Also when I calibrate it. The brake seems to be flipped; the bar reads 100% when it is not pressed at all, when you press it all the way, it goes to 0% (is it supposed to be this way?).

Any ideas?, other than buy the USB version?

[Dudster]

I had the exact same problem with the brake on my MS FF gameport wheel. Though I didn't notice any other problems with it. I dunno if the brake problem was caused by XP, I just figured it was a slight hardware fault - like the potentiometer in the brake pedal, or maybe both pedals.

I believe that being able to set pedals as a single axis would prevent it but AFAIK it's not possible (though I never actually tried installing SideWinder software 3.0 on XP). Even if it was possible, I want split-axis anyway so I boxed my MS wheel up and bought a Logitech MOMO Force USB wheel - much better in pretty much every way. I will prolly never recommend a MS steering wheel again. Overpriced rickety plastic type things with poor support.

I think there are some games you can play that won't be affected by the screwy brake. I managed to get it working with Grand Prix Legends, I can't remember if I had success in other games.

Oh yeah, I did try recalibrating it in Game Controller Properties but it made no difference.

PS - replacing the pot/s in the pedals or doing some kind of software tweaking might fix it for all I know but I wouldn't know where to start with such a job so it wasn't an option for me.

[Kj]

OK m8, thanks for the reply anyways...

Bucking Microsoft, more trouble than they're worth. The funny thing is I had the USB version, this version I couldn't get working in WIn98, now I get the gameport version, and I can't play the games I want in XP?! lol

[Janff]

I have XP pro and tried both the 3.02 and 4.0 MS drivers, well they work the same with my USB wheel but i cant get the pedals to work analogue in any game..

its reads smoothly in the driver screen but in every game its on/off like. If anyone got some info on that id be really pleased to make them work again.

ps: pot's and wheel are all rebuilt and worked fine on win98 and FF works all right. this really is the last time i bought MS hardware

[mrxcol]

Just on simple question. A friend of mine bought a FF gameport wheel with no adaptor nor a power cord. I have never seen the original one. Does it have a power adaptor or simply a power cord (the adaptor is inside the wheel?) ?

Also, if somebody can help me, what voltage it uses ? how many watts it consumes ? If the original has an adaptor, the adaptor should say this on a label on it. Thanks.

[RADAR_Brian]

if it's the Microsoft FF wheel and is the original one you need a power adapter. The later versions had them built in.

For the original wheel the power adapter is at Radio Shack.

part number 273-1779 It's a 12v 1500 mA adapter

You'll also need the tip for the plug, However, I can't remember what the part number for it is. I do know that when you put it on be sure and plug it to the cord so that the POS end if the plug and the TIP end of the cord line up.

Hope that helps

[mrxcol]

Thanks a lot. That's the info i was looking for. I even called Microsoft and they said (i live in Colombia, southamerica) that they don't have support for hardware here. Anyway i'll get a multi-voltage adaptor here. I know places where i can get it almost custom made. Again, thank you.

[Hint of Lemon]

Does anyone know anything about why the USB ff wheel is so slow? When I play EA's f1 2002 with a Logitech ff USB wheel I get about 20 more fps than with my Microsoft ff USB one.
I read that apparently they have some trouble with VIA motherboard chipsets (which is what I've got), I haven't got the patch because the link on the MS site seems broken.

Any suggestions?

[Hint of Lemon]

(BTW, I just managed to get the MS/VIA update patch from another source but it's no use coz it's just for Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 which is not my wheel.)

[Panzer]

dudster , i tried what u said, installing it on control panel/joysticks, but after i chose microsoft sidewinder(auto detect) it says the wheel isnt connected, but it is!!
its gameport version also..

[Supermoto]

Hi,

I have a sidewinder wheel,it's the gameport version but my pc doesnt have a gameport,so i bought an adaptor to make it a usb plug but it still doesnt work,I have the version 4.0 software installed and it still doesnt work,even if i try and install my wheel through the xp drivers it say please configer or update your gameport drivers?is there anyway i can get my gameport sidewinder wheel to work on XP?I cant get hold of any other sidewinder product either .

I hope you can help
Thanks
Supermoto

[RADAR_Brian]

As far as I know the gameport to usb adaptor doesn't work with the ms forcefeedback wheel. I tried the same thing. Apparently, the hardware inside the wheels is different for the gameport versus the usb. How do you not have a gameport? Your soundcard doesn't have a gameport built in?

Hope that helps.

[Supermoto]

errr i dont have a soundcard,well it's built onto the mb i think?but no I dont have a gameport at all.

Thanks
Supermoto

[RADAR_Brian]

Well, I have a built in sound also *although I disabled it to use my Creative Audigy* but it still has a gameport built in as well. Look again. If you don't, well...you can purchase gameport cards fairly cheaply I think.

[Supermoto]

Hi,

So where does a game port go?and how cheap are they?also can i install it my self?.Thanks or all the help guys.

Cheers
ben

[RADAR_Brian]

Here's one for 5 bucks

http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=ACMGAMEPORT

I think you are not going to be happy with this wheel's performance in XP. The gameport version offers no setup for force feedback, and sometimes games won't even use it with your wheel in XP.

I am guessing you were like me and bought the thing for 15 bucks on ebay. In that case, hey, what's five bucks? You can still steer and play games fine.