Thrustmaster T500 RS: no compromise

About ten years ago I dreamed of a game steering wheel with feedback. But then I was an insolvent teenager and could not afford such a thing. Therefore, as well as 99 percent of young fans of auto simulators, drove along virtual tracks using the noname keyboard switch box. Over time, this became a habit, and the craving for the game “wheel” somehow subsided by itself. But here recently came another part of NFS called Shift 2 Unleashed, which is impossible to play from the keyboard: it is designed for analog control, and if you press the arrow to the left, the wheels get out all the way, you press up - the sneaker sinks into the floor ... In short I “used the connections” and took the Thrustmaster T500 RS racing kit to test. And now I'm torn between the desire to purchase it and the understanding that 20k is a bust ...


')

What is what?

In general, this steering wheel was developed specifically for the Gran Turismo 5 simulator and came out exactly one month after the start of sales of the game - on the eve of the Catholic Christmas, to the joy of all PS3 owners and fans of the series. And the trick is that this is actually a practically complete auto simulator - everything is so monumental and uncompromisingly done.

Design and ergonomics

Just so go and buy yourself this system Thrustmaster will not work. And I mean not the impressive amount that will have to pay for it. In addition to twenty thousand, it would be nice to have a real car, because the whole kit weighs so much that it is difficult to carry it on your own two. The steering wheel itself draws 4.6 kilos, the pedal unit - another 7.3 kg, plus a kilogram power supply, a thick manual on a pile of tongues and every small thing. In short, about 15 kg in a huge uncomfortable box.



However, all these kilograms allow you to fix the design on the table very securely and not to fear for the integrity of the kit. It’s better to be afraid of the table, because inside the steering box there is an industrial motor, operating at a speed of 3000 rpm, which creates a very plausible illusion of a resisting steering wheel. Realistic adds coating "under the skin" (for such grandmothers, and this could sheathe, indeed!), Quite the real diameter of the "donut" (30 cm) and 17 cm chrome-plated paddle paddles that are attached in an adult way - to the base - and allow you to change gears even in the corners.



Special attention is given pedal unit. These 7.3 kilograms stand firmly on the floor on flat rubberized legs and do not even think to move. Pressing on grooved racing lining is a pleasure, the sensations are really very similar to those that you experience while driving this car. And I am particularly pleased with the opportunity to adjust the force for the brake and the freedom to choose the mounting of the pedals: from above (a la GT) or below (a la F1).



And the manufacturer stated that he intends to release a manual gearshift lever in addition to this set, so that the third pedal will not stand idle. The truth is worth noting that the T500 RS is almost half a year, and the accessory still does not work out.

Mount

In the meantime, the lever did not hit the shelves, you can play and so. First you need to attach the steering wheel to the table. As I have already said, the table is better to choose strong and heavy, so that the device does not sway it much, otherwise the pleasure from the game is lost - you “go” and you are afraid that the tabletop would not fall to its feet :) This thing is fastened with just one complete clamp, but if you tighten it properly, nothing should fall off. At least I had everything ok. After that, the pedals are connected to the steering unit using an RJ-15 cable, all of this is powered from the network, and only after that (important!) It is connected via USB to the computer.

Connection

As I said, the gadget was designed primarily for the PS3 and it connects to this console without problems: it is immediately determined, and you can go to the track. But with the PC is not so smooth. Anyone who wants to make friends with this steering wheel with a computer will have to sweat a little. After connecting the T500 RS to the PC, it is better to go far away, as the steering wheel begins to spin wildly at all of its 1080 degrees during calibration (hereinafter, the number of revolutions can be limited by using a motorized stopper). Hands inside at this moment certainly do not poke, as carefully reminded in the instructions. But the universal drivers that will be able to find "Windows" will not be enough. You will need to go to the manufacturer's website (thrustmaster.com) and download newer software from there. The only problem is that most likely these “firewood” will also not be enough for correct operation. The device will be determined both by the system and all games, but I have neither of the two computers (Windows 7 is on both), nor the final drivers could work the pedals in either compatibility mode. They were perceived simply as buttons - no matter how much you click, it’s still either full forward or full back. The problem was solved only after installing the RC-labeled drivers that were not posted on the official website, which I obtained through the company's PR department. The question is, what would an ordinary user do in this case? Bought a PS3?

Impressions

But after everything finally worked for me, the annoyance of dancing with a tambourine was gone, since in reality this thing is simply unrealistically cool. When you take a quality thing in hand, you immediately realize that it is made to last. Here and there as well. If you do not take into account the problems with the software, otherwise this steering wheel is perfect. Recognized by all games (tested on Race Driver: GRID, NFS Shift 2 Unleashed and Live for Speed).



65-watt engine works out all the collisions and bumps in the road as if you really are sitting in the seat of a racing car. And the game reacts to the steering angle exactly as you want it. Thank you for this, you need to say HEART (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) technology, which uses magnetic sensors that give out 65536 steering wheel positions. And yes, due to this over time, accuracy will not fall. Plus, over the entire surface of the steering wheel, additional buttons are evenly distributed, which, of course, can be customized as you please.

Summary

In my opinion, Thrustmaster T500 RS is pretty darn good! I probably would have bought it if I loved computer games in general and racing simulators in particular. But my moderate dedication is not enough to cope with innate thrift. I am not ready to spend 20 thousand rubles on a steering kit that has problems with drivers for a PC and has a rubberized coating under the skin, while cheaper counterparts are covered with genuine. No, this monster is meant for the PlayStation owners who love the Gran Turismo series. And I, perhaps, will go to the store for lodzhitekovskoy "wheel".

PS If something concrete interests, ask - I will try to answer.