Grainyness in firmware releases

Hi all,

We’ve gotten feedback recently that the feel is somehow more grainy than it was before. Some comments were already way early this year, but we haven’t found a direct cause for it.

However, we did find something that may or may not have started to happen in 2021.11 and later, and are now testing some improvements.

We would like to hear your thoughts on whether the feeling has been more grainy, or if there has been some additional “sand in the wheel” kind of sounds in 2021.9 compared to earlier, and 2021.11-12 compared to any earlier version.

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I have switched recently to 2021.9 from 2020.10, and found that the ultra low latency filter is much more aggressive now. Previously used 16% and above, which with 2021.9 adds some uneven graininess to the FFB signal. Did some back to back testing between the two firmware, and that added notchy feeling wasn’t present in 2020.10 (tested in rF2 with the same car/track/conditions combo).

After reducing the ULL to lower levels in 2021.9 the FFB felt the same as 2020.10. So I think this filter might be causing the notchy feeling, as it is set by default to 16% (if I am not mistaken).

As for the loudness of the device, I don’t find any differences between the two firmware with my SC2 Sport R2. In general the games with higher FFB rate and without dynamic damping implemented (as BeamNG), would produce more audible sound with the device. The FFB feels great, though. Very detailed and smooth (after applying some damping from TrueDrive of course). The sound is nowhere near the levels of noise produced by a CSWv2 for example, let alone the mainstream and the low end wheels :).

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Been running ULL @9 since 2021.4-4, never though of diferent grainy feel but something feel weird when I upgraded from 2020.4

This is very unlikely, as that code is completely the same in all released firmware versions.

Maybe it’s the interaction with other filters. I used exactly the same settings in both TrueDrive Classic and rF2, on the same machine, usb port, etc.

In TrueDrive used 12.1Nm, 1080deg., recon 1, Damping 10%, Friction and Inertia 0%, Static Force Reduction off, Slew Rate Limit 0.3, ULL 16%, Notch Filter off, DI effects Damping, Friction, Spring at 0%, the others at 100%.
In rF2 the standard SC2 profile with FF Strength 32%+, 0% Smoothing, 0% around wheel center (forgot the exact name :slight_smile: ).
Quick race weekend with GT3 class on default settings, used the Audi GT3 on Zandvoort GP 2020, first practice session. The graininess can be felt immediately when exiting the pits and changing direction left right left quickly, similar to heating the tires. It’s not even, but comes in patches (first one lets say is at 45deg) and feels like something added, which is not present in 2020.10.

Changed various settings, but only after reducing ULL, the added grainy feeling disappeared. I don’t have performance problems - it’s 90-120fps constantly with vsync off, etc. Maybe it’s been on the threshold (the ULL 16%) for rF2 and I needed to reduce it anyway in 2020.10, but it felt smooth there. Maybe it’s a placebo, although I did the test several times with the same result.
I can do an USB traffic capture, to find out if the FFB rate (~400Hz for rF2) is getting any dips in the background.

if you use 0 smoothing on rf2 there are no filters that can help from feeling grainy ffb.

It’s reduced to acceptable levels with the Slew Rate Limit. Feels very good on my machine. And the grainy feeling is uneven and comes in patches.

Check Resonance Reduction, it gets reset to ON after installs and used to cause extra graininess when ON, yes, opposite to what it’s supposed to do.
ULL was always a problem due to predictive nature esp in rF2, AMS, Neil was demonstrating it during his review of SC2.

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Thanks. I have Resonance Reduction turned off already, as I read an advice about that somewhere in the forum. Tested it back then and found out that indeed it made the FFB more clean and accurate, without any implications to the loudness of the device. I think the post was yours, so thanks again :slight_smile:

I agree about ULL. Seems it doesn’t do well with rF2, esp. in 2021.9. In the past used it to smooth the FFB, and stay with lower recon values. Now settled to mostly turning it off and control the FFB through the other filters and the dynamic damping present in modern games (ACC, AC, AMS2).

The 2021.9 is pretty much similar to 2020.10. It just somehow requires lower ULL values on my system with some games like rF2. This is what I am trying to say, since Mika asked if we feel difference between recent and earlier firmware :slight_smile:

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That is my findings as well as far as smoothness goes, at least in Classic which shouldn’t matter I guess, and I rarely touch ULL at all.

I’m happy to report, that we have improved the “safe torque mode” performance in such way that some wheels that used to resonate in that mode very easily, will not resonate anymore. This will allow us to possibly remove the automatic toggling of resonance reduction to ON after firmware updates.

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Well that is good news!

So that was the reason it always got reset to On?
Who drives in safe torque mode anyway. :man_shrugging:
Glad you’ve figured the issue out, can probably just get rid of this useless crutch altogether now.

The Simulaje F1S wheel will buzz even in the High Torque Mode, and if I recall correctly, the resonance reduction is a notch filter for the frequency.

Hi, I have an issue that might be fixed here. When i play iracing, the SC2 is absolutely perfect. But I cant get Assetto Corsa any good.
The feeling is OK, but when parked, there is a knocking sound from the base, en when in windows, it vibrates like hell when turning the wheel?.

To me, these are not the grainyness issues that were the topic of this thread.

Hey Mika,

What do you think this is?

SC2 Pro grainy noise

Hi Mika,

Is this the noise/grainyness you are referring to? Only just noticed this on my unit after seeing someone posted the same issue on the facebook page. This unit is only 2 months old.

If you could please advise . TIA

Sounds normal to my ears and nothing for you to worry about.

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That sounds completely normal. And there will be a fix regarding some smoothness things in the next firmware release - it appears that some features were accidentally turned off sometime last year.

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