T500RS Shifter announced - October release - US$180

[Ryzza5]

From Engadget

 

Thrustmaster announces the TH8 RS: a fully-adjustable gear shifter with superior realism

 

New York, August 18, 2011 - Ready to meet the expectations of racing fans everywhere,

Thrustmaster is launching the TH8 RS – a high-end, stand-alone, versatile gearbox. The device's two

configurations – H-pattern and sequential – enable drivers to select their favorite driving style.

 

Realism and versatility:

Most sim racers cannot imagine shifting speeds without the use of a dedicated gearbox. With the TH8 RS, featuring unrivalled technical innovations supported by pending patent applications, Thrustmaster now offers a device that is realistic enough to satisfy even the most demanding drivers.

 

At first glance, the TH8 RS looks ready to be fitted to a real car. It features a 5.12" tall stick with a removable knob; the stick is also compatible with real, universal gear shift knobs. The TH8 RS includes two interchangeable shift plates, each suited to a specific configuration – ―H-

pattern‖ (7 gears plus 1 reverse gear) and ―Sequential‖ (pull the lever towards the ―+‖ mark to gear up, and push it towards the ―–‖ mark to shift down).

 

Total adjustability:

To allow users to freely adjust the TH8 RS to their convenience, the position and the rotation angles of the shift plate and clamping system can be adjusted by 360 degrees. The removable clamping system, optimized for any type of support, is also open to customization: it is suited to both table tops and shelves up to 55 mm thick and cockpits alike (built-in ―screw threads‖ are located under the TH8 RS). Gear strokes can also be adjusted via a downloadable PC application and the device's internal memory. The gear shifter's resistance is also fully adjustable.

 

Superior materials and technologies:

The internal mechanism, the lever, the outer housing and the clamping system are 100% metal. This robust design significantly contributes to the extremely realistic in-game experience delivered by the TH8 RS.

 

Thrustmaster has designed the TH8 RS with unrivalled precision, by including H.E.A.R.T (Hall Effect AccuRate Technology™) technology featuring magnetic sensors. Avoiding usage of potentiometers or tact switches eliminates wear due to contact, thus delivering an unlimited product lifespan. In addition, the firmware can be upgraded to offer all foreseeable evolutions, assuring users that the TH8 RS is here to make a lasting impression.

 

The TH8 RS with USB connectivity is compatible with the T500 RS racing wheel on PlayStation®3 (a list of compatible games is available on the Thrustmaster support website) and with all currently available racing wheels for PC.

 

The TH8 RS will be available in October at the suggested retail price of $179.99.

 

Just have to find some more pictures/videos later.

 

 

 

The price is a bit high (no surprise), but if it's as good as it sounds, I might just get one, since it's a standalone USB controller.

 

I might also pick up one of these for the PS3.

 

 

[+] Is anyone able to translate this from German to English:?

 

 

[Impreza09]

thats much much much better than my g27 shifter... which already is broken (cant put reverse in any game). Might get one!

EDIT: 150€?!?!?! NEVER!!!!

[Ryzza5]

The shifter is actually longer/taller than I expected if I'm honest - will wait for clearer imagery first I guess though.

 

 

If I was going to replace my G25 setup (I'd like to, but seems a bit of a waste), I guess I'd wait for this new Fanatec wheel and might get that (depending on reliability, cost and supply/demand, as well as X360/PS3/PC support), along with Clubsport pedals and this shifter. Total cost: I'm guessing 4 digits - that's slightly more than some of the components in my PC :eek:

[Ryzza5]

Product will be released in a few days - here's a review:

 

 

The only problems I can see with it are it's height and that for GT5, it only works if you have the T500RS wheel (won't work with a G25 or CSR Elite). It's also unsupported for most other PS3 games, which sounds bad but then I don't have any non-arcade racing games on PS3 besides GT5 anyway. It's a separate USB plug so it'll work with pretty much any PC title, but no X360 support. I like how the resistance is adjustable (so you could increase it for old muscle cars and decrease it for modern sports cars)). I also like how most of it is metal and there are no potentiometers.

 

Will have to see what the new Fanatec shifter will be like now. The big ? is whether or not I'll be able to clamp it on another surface near my seat below the wheel.