Fanatec Australian Store up and running

Looks like the Australian store is now taking orders for the CSR wheel and other bits. Due to arrive in stock mid February. CSR wheel is $260. $100 for base model pedals.
http://au.fanatec.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=236

hmmm might be in time for my birthday... :-)

So what does this mean for Pagnian?

Last time i went to a store it had stock - looks like more of the same "ill have your order by X date but there may be a delay in shipment" (once ive got enough to do a bulk order)

Yeah there stock has been sitting on Australian shores since late last year, and has been waiting to clear customs.

Guess they finally came through with there promise on supplying us aussies with there gear, it's only a good thing imo.

Not for our sponser. Who is going to pay $900 for the whole set when you can get it on the fanatec web site for much much less?

So....GT2 or CSR?

Envy The Best wrote:So....GT2 or CSR?

You have a decision to make.

Here's my 2c worth, you get a lot for your money

My GT2 is 18+ months old now and had a fair bit of use. Circuit racing only - no drifting.
Its still in good shape mechanically and the FFB and reliability is good using the latest available firmware.
There is some wear on the finish on the top of the wheel spokes where the heels of my thumbs rest when driving. The alcantara has worn a little where I always grip it, but is still holding up well.
My CS pedals just keep on keeping on (touch wood). Reliability, accuracy, repeatabilty and great brake feel are the reasons I love them.

I haven't used a CSR, but from the look of it the base section is similar to the GT2. The wheel hub, rim and button layout is different. Firmware is different to the GT2 but has the same features.

If I was buying now and the choice is CSR or GT2 - I would go for the CSR.
Accepting that the wheel bases are engineered the same way and electronics are of a similar type and standard.

Why?
1. Because I like the CSR rim design better - you don't move your hands on the wheel when driving, they're always in the 10 to 2 pos , the grips look good and it has alcantara in the areas where you need it.

2. I like the CSR button layout better for use while driving, and its closer to that on a controller. The layout of the GT2 requires you to use buttons on the bottom spoke to check telemetry, which means moving your hand from the wheel while racing.

3. On current pricing its $70 cheaper than a GT2. A good saving unless you want a Porsche badge, some plastic and some extra synthetic suede.

Whatever wheel you get, you need pedals as well and they're more important than the wheel.
Get the clubsports if you can afford them. If you can't afford them - wait until you can.

I have the csr and the clubsport pedals and I love it, after reading wolfs comments I'd agree with the csr as best choice. I'd love the elite version if I could get it. Club sport pedals are a must and the csr after a year plus of use is going strong and is just a great piece of kit one of my best ever buys! 10/10 from me. I will say one thing the actual plastic rim wheel part could be better but other than that. Its great :-)

ouch, the clubsport pedals cost more than the wheel!
That's going to take some saving... hmm with I could plug the xbox pedals in to the CSR as they work ok and I'm kinda used to them.

It's interesting how we can prefer different things in similar products, I have had both CSR with elite pedals, and GT2 with CS pedals, thankfully I got my money back with the CSR when I sold it, for me the GT2 wheel feels better and I prefer it over the CSR, the GT2 looks and feels like a real wheel and the force feedback feels smoother and not as strong which I prefer(maybe firmware has something to do with it), The button layout on the CSR was a bit better I think, but did dislike the Forza Motorsport logos on it as it made it look cheap, the CSR does offer good value and is what I think a good entry wheel for multi platform gaming, one thing that was annoying was the thumb stick goes loose as soon as you use and has alot of slack in it but still is usable and functions well, apparently its common with the csr wheel and wasnt really an issue just annoying.

Pedal wise I really liked the CSR elite, the Clubsport pedals are better but nothing wrong with the csr elite pedals either and still gives abs vibration through the wheel, BUT looking at the CS V2 pedals and I would be the same if you can afford it do it, So in conclusion I would go a bit more on the wheel and get a GT2 wheel and clubsport pedals but if price was a factor the elite pedals are still a good product and would be fine, on the shifter side of things I would either wait for the new CS Shifter from fanatec(which could be awhile or not) OR got with the thrustmaster TH8 RS and a basher boards adapter to suit the fanatec wheel, lots of good reports with the TH8 RS and offers H pattern (7+1) and sequential shifter all in one.

To anyone who is thinking of a Fanatec wheel, for me they both CSR and GT2 are really good products, with the GT2 as my preferance, which ever way and configuration you go I'm sure you will be impressed and pleased with your purchase. I have had no problems with both wheels and continue to enjoy the challenge and immersion it offers on racing games.

Cheers for the review Razor - good to see different opinions and work out how to spend my hard earned $$$.
My MS wheel has just gone mental again - doing double down shifts. Watch the gearbox be left behind on the road behind you as you drop from 4th to 2nd accidentally. argh!

Rather than make a new thread, I thought I'd resurrect this one.

So - with the possible release of an xbox 720 by the end of the year, I'm now wondering whether to go for a Fanatec setup, or wait and see as I don't want to end up with $500 worth of out of date hardware.
Then again, I guess with some sorta firmware update the Fanatec stuff may be able to run on new hardware (given it's already multiplatform).

Thoughts anyone?

I read some stuff about the next Xbox recently, and the thing that jumped out at me was that 360 controllers would not work on it because they are using some new wireless technology... Thus rendering my CSR useless for the new Xbox =( that said I think I would be up for just a wheel as opposed to pedals as well... but by the time that happens I will have had 2 happy years with it, so not too annoyed about it...

SunCrossed wrote:I read some stuff about the next Xbox recently, and the thing that jumped out at me was that 360 controllers would not work on it because they are using some new wireless technology... Thus rendering my CSR useless for the new Xbox =( that said I think I would be up for just a wheel as opposed to pedals as well... but by the time that happens I will have had 2 happy years with it, so not too annoyed about it...

Given the ability to change firmware and including wireless ability, I see no problem and feel confident that all current fanatec products will be supported on the next gen xbox, remembering the latest firmware from fanatec also included updated wirless and increased data transfer wirelessly which is more than the standard xbox controller at present. So I think it will be fine even if worst case it isnt wireless or a newer wireless dongle is made.

Makes you wonder tho why next gen xbox needs updated and newer wireless technology, maybe blutooth, maybe six axis, maybe its a motion controller...

Just my thought, with no research...

I can see MS getting rid of existing controllers when the new xbox is released, however high end equipment like the fanatec gear will simply grab an updated firmwear as SG1 said. The curent controllers are a $20 item and I am sure if you buy a new console it will come with new controllers or at least 1 controller.

I hope for your guys sake it can get an update that makes it wired still.

An already unreliable wheel that disconnects when racing + Wireless is just asking for headaches

NoRecoil wrote:I hope for your guys sake it can get an update that makes it wired still.

An already unreliable wheel that disconnects when racing + Wireless is just asking for headaches

I can not understand why Fanatec insist on using wireless... there has been heaps of problems with it (all seems sorted now) in the past. PC uses USB, so why not xbox. Maybe that will be the solution for the next gen console... we can only hope.

Dazza4610 wrote:

NoRecoil wrote:I hope for your guys sake it can get an update that makes it wired still.

An already unreliable wheel that disconnects when racing + Wireless is just asking for headaches

I can not understand why Fanatec insist on using wireless... there has been heaps of problems with it (all seems sorted now) in the past. PC uses USB, so why not xbox. Maybe that will be the solution for the next gen console... we can only hope.

It may not have anything to do with fanatec, but it's the only licensed option that MS are providing, much the same with Turtle beach, even TB new headsets only run chat wireless via a dongle to the controller not direct to the box.

RU

RU four 86 wrote:

It may not have anything to do with fanatec, but it's the only licensed option that MS are providing, much the same with Turtle beach, even TB new headsets only run chat wireless via a dongle to the controller not direct to the box.

RU

Correct, its the reason why anything Logitech isn't compatible.

Just thought would bump this as have noticed that the website has stock in now, wheels and the like ect and only one version of pedals at this stage the others are still pre order.

Will be interesting to see if anyone buys from the fanatec store and how it all goes, feedback?

Cool - I messaged them a while back through their site asking about xbox 720 and PS4 compatibility, and also asked them about some of the weird dates on the site (item out of stock - due in 00/00/00)

---
thank you for your email and the interest in our products.
Unfortunately I do not have any information about upcoming consoles and if the will be compatible with peripherals for the currently consoles.
We are already working on the issue regarding the website and the dates.
Thank you for your understanding.

Best Regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Mirko Tzschaschel
(Fanatec Support Team)
----

I have read elsewhere on Forza net that some Fanatec guy has stated they will do their best to make the compatible with either a firmware update or at worst some minor hardware change. We shall see - I'm still a little wary of throwing my hard earned $$ at something that may be redundant in six months.