Driving Force Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3

by Logitech

Product Features

• Comfortable, full-sized rubber grip wheel with 900-degree steering -- turns 2 1/2 times, lock to lock
• Switches automatically to 200-degree mode, for compatibility with other racing games
• Wheel-mounted paddle shifters, sequential stick shift and a full set of Playstation buttons
• State-of-the-art force feedback technology lets you feel all the action
• Textured floorboard features and no-slip carpet grip system, for better control and a better racing feel

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000DC64H
• Product Dimensions: 16 x 15.5 x 13 inches ; 15.8 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 15, 2005
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,349 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #11 in Video Games > PlayStation 3 > Hardware > Controllers > Racing Wheels
  • #81 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Hardware > Controllers

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Step up to the Logitech Driving Force Pro and experience more realism, more intensity, and more fun than ever before on your PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. With 900 degrees of wheel rotation and a rack and pinion steering system, the Driving Force Pro duplicates the true-to-life steering dynamics of race cars. The rubber wheel, sequential stick shifter, and responsive gas and brake pedals all combine for an incredible level of performance. Add in today's best force feedback technology and you have the most advanced, most authentic driving experience in gaming.

The Driving Force Pro Wheel automatically switches to 200 Degree Steering compatibility mode to work with other racing games.

Features Comfortable, full rubber wheel realistically turns 2-1/2 times lock-to-lock. See a list of games that support 900 Degree Steering mode. Automatically switches to 200 Degree Steering compatibility mode to work with other racing games State-of-the-art force feedback technology lets you feel all the action Textured floorboard features responsive gas and brake pedals and exclusive no-slip carpet grip system Sequential stick shifter, wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and a full set of PlayStation buttons give you all the control you need Full rubber wheel with 900 degrees of rotation Grab the comfortable grip and turn the wheel 2-1/2 times from lock to lock, just like in a real car. Available in supported games only. Automatic 200 Degree Steering compatibility mode Automatically restricts the rotation of the wheel to 200 degrees of rotation in games that do not support 900 degrees of wheel rotation.

Force feedback technology
Feel the road, bumps, gravel, walls, and other effects in games. Logitech's latest force feedback technology delivers greater realism compared to previous force feedback products.

Solid construction with precision engineering
Steel bearings support the main shaft to provide smooth, accurate steering with minimal lateral movement. And an optical sensing system encodes all steering movement with digital precision.

Two wheel-mounted paddles and sequential stick shifter
Shift gears up or down conveniently with easy-to-access shifters. Or use the paddles as L1 and R1 buttons and the shifter as L3 and R3 buttons.

All the control you need
The 8-way D-Pad and four PlayStation action buttons (circle, square, X, triangle) give you convenient control of menu selections, view changes, car control functions, and other standard directional pad controls in driving games. Four secondary action buttons (L2, L3, R2, R3) act as L2, L3, R2, and R3 buttons of standard PlayStation 2 controller to be used for a variety of car control functions such as horn, lights, and wipers. Select and start buttons are also conveniently located on the wheel front.

Dual clamping system
For optimum control, you need the wheel tightly locked down on your desk or table. The dual clamping system keeps the wheel base secure, but it's also easy to tighten and loosen for quick installation and removal.

Gas and brake pedals mounted on textured no-slip floorboard
The pedals add to the realism and precision of your driving experience. And the exclusive carpet grip system features special teeth to prevent the base from sliding around. The system retracts for use on hardwood or other smooth floors.

Easy installation and setup
The USB port connection makes for easy plug-and-play operation. And status indicator lights tell you when wheel is powered up and calibrated, and also when the wheel is in 200 or 900 Degree Steering mode.

What's in the Box?

• Logitech Driving Force Pro force feedback steering wheel
• Gas and brake pedals
• Power supply
• User documentation packet

System Requirements

• PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system
• Games that support Logitech Force Feedback steering wheels (see list here)
• The 900 degree steering mode requires special game support, as can be found in Gran Turismo 4
  

Product Description

MODEL- 963293 VENDOR- LOGITECH INC. FEATURES- Logitech Driving Force Pro Get ready to experience the most realistic steering wheel ever made. Because with 900 degrees of wheel rotation the Logitech Driving Force Pro duplicates the true to life steering dynamics of cars like never before. Inside the advanced rack and pinion steering system lets you turn through 2-1/2 steering wheel rotations. Outside the rubber wheel ... sequential stick shifter ... and responsive gas & brake pedals all combine for an incredible level of performance. And for games that do not support 900 degree steering the wheel automatically switches to standard 200 degree mode. Combine that with state-of-the-art Force Feedback technology and you have the most advanced most authentic driving experience in gaming. Includes Steering Wheel Gas and Brake Pedals Power Supply Installation Guide customer contact card Important Information document and power supply. REQUIRES- PlayStation2 computer entertainment system Games that support Logitech Force Feedback The 900 degrees steering mode requires special game support

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

237 of 242 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ask Not Whether This Is the Best Wheel. . ., June 20, 2005

By 

D. R. Jeanclerc "Reader, Listener & Obsessive... (Brunswick, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Driving Force Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 (Video Game)

. . .but whether or not you are truly a "wheel person" at all. The Logitech Driving Force Pro is a highly-regarded accessory for the PS2. Many serious enthusiasts of racing games will tell you that it's the only acceptable controller for the ultra-popular "Gran Turismo" and "Need for Speed" series. I'm not here to dispute any of that - this is far and away the finest wheel available on the market today. However, given the number of impracticalities that come bundled with any wheel controller, anyone who's not a purist should honestly consider whether or not they'll get enough return on this hefty investment.

The chief impracticality is that any wheel must be anchored to something absolutely immovable in order to get the full effect out of it - and how many among us happen to have a chair directly in front of the TV that is angled like a car seat AND a table in front of it that's oddly enough taller than a coffee table but shorter than a dining table? Exactly - almost no one. Why do you think that stands custom-made for the Driving Force Pro sell on EBay for $80 and entire steel-framework cockpits with pre-set mounts are available at $500+ per? Your only other alternatives are to cook up a half-solution yourself. I've read how other reviewers have crafted lap desks out of boards or modified TV tables to be sturdier, but again, it raises my chief concern with any wheel controller: will you use/enjoy it enough to put in the extra money and effort necessary to properly use it?

The easiest solution is to sit on the floor and bolt the wheel to a coffee table, but that eliminates the possibility of using the pedals, which severely limits the realism. Plus, you'll feel more like an old lady hunched over the wheel about an inch from the windshield rather than a highly-skill professional guiding a performance vehicle toward the finish line. Finally, even this watered-down option won't work without cutting some foam to fit the base of the wheel; otherwise, its hard plastic will almost immediately scratch your tabletop.

The second issue is with gameplay - the wheel has a very steep learning curve in the beginning. I consider myself an expert-level player in GT3, but making the switch to the wheel with GT4 almost took all of the fun out of the game for the first several days. It was difficult to even drive in a straight line, much less execute the maneuvering necessary to succeed in any worthwhile driving game. The purists will say that once mastered, it becomes second-nature just like riding a bike and that's true; however, the road to achieving that level of mastery is a frustrating one, and if you're a casual gamer who enjoys more of an arcade racing experience, the Driving Force Pro may simply be too demanding for you.

The third issue is that when you consider the wheel, the pedals, and whatever mounting apparatus you choose, it's going to eat up a lot of storage space. The pedals are even too tall to simply slide under the couch when you're not playing, so no help there. And given the number of cords (AC power, wheel-to-PS2, pedals-to-wheel) that are required, just leaving it around when not in use looks pretty sloppy and would be easy to trip over.

Once you've finally gotten your physical setup in order and gotten acclimated to using it, the wheel is excellent. It is solidly constructed and the force feedback is a real treat. The 900-degree mode offered in select games like "Gran Turismo 4" creates a new standard in realism; however, given the stoutness of the resistance in the motor and the relatively compact size of the wheel (other reviews have hit it right on the head - it's sized like an Indy car, not a street car), your hands, wrists and/or forearms can get fatigued pretty quickly playing that way. Its motor is also pretty loud, which will be annoying to anyone else in the room not interested in hearing a never-ending symphony of mechanical grinding sounds.

(...)

The Driving Force Pro represents the best of the wheel controllers for both console and PC gaming. However, all but the most avid racing gamers would be hard-pressed to justify the undertaking of mounting, configuring and learning how to use the wheel on top of the steep price tag.

PROS
* Solid construction and nice rubber wheel wrap
* 900-degree turning really immerses you in the driving experience (for the handful of games that support it)
* Also compatible with many PC driving games via USB port

CONS
* Absolutely needs to be mounted in order to use to its fullest, often requiring a weird work-around or expensive add-on solution
* Creates a messy maze of cords when in use; very bulky to store when not in use
* A steep learning curve may frustrate more casual gamers who prefer an arcade racing feel

100 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the money!, September 1, 2004

By 

J. Beltran (Lake Powell, AZ. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Driving Force Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 (Video Game)

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.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Works great!, February 24, 2005

By 

Randy Rathbun "total nerd" (Independence, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Driving Force Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 (Video Game)

This thing rocks when it comes to driving games. There are a few things I wish were changed though.

First, the clamping mechanism needs to open just a wee bit wider. I mean, like 1 mm. That's all I need to be able to attach the thing to a countertop. However, even having it on a countertop would not work really well, so I need to find something else to mount it to.

The other problem is the manual - there really isn't one. This caused me a bit of confusion when I hooked it up the first time to play Gran Turismo 4 - The thing powered on, did it's self centering, then proceeded to be ignored by the game. Only after some time spend messing around did I figure out that you need to remove the Player 1 joystick from the console when you want to use the wheel.

Other than that, this thing is killer.