The EASIEST motion system for simracers? Sigma Integrale DK2 tested and reviewed!
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- Today I’m reviewing the Sigma Integrale DK2 motion system! This is the exact system I was considering purchasing about a year ago and it’s with big thanks to RaceKraft that I get to put the system through its paces. I had two weeks with this kit, which is not quite as long as I would like overall but I still managed to put it through a number of different scenarios and learned a lot about how to get the most out of the system, as well as uncover what I feel are some current limitations of the hardware and/or software as it is.
If you want to buy a Sigma Integrale motion system and you’re in Australia, RaceKraft www.racekraft.net are definitely the people to talk to. Jon and the team live and breathe simracing and have been all around top quality people during my interactions with them. Most of the hardware seen in the video today was loaned to me from the respective manufacturers through RaceKraft so if you want a one stop shop, they are an excellent place to start. Derek at Simrigs.com www.simrigs.com has also been very helpful and is worth speaking to particularly if you’re on the East Coast of Australia - I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen so far from both these companies and you’ll see more detailed reviews, experiences and any difficulties I encountered in upcoming videos.
As stated in the video, my role with RaceKraft (and any other brands I’m working with) is purely to receive hardware, test it out, then give it back and share my experiences with all of you - I don’t get paid, I don’t get to keep any of the gear I test, and I don’t make any commissions from sales - I’m just an enthusiast sharing my experiences with you so we can have conversations about my greatest hobby.
Some of the hardware seen in the video are included below:
Sigma Integrale DK2 motion system www.sigmai.co
RaceKraft RKS-03 simulator www.racekraft.net
Exodus Racing XR1 simulator www.simrigs.com
Exodus Racing Aero seat www.simrigs.com
Simagic Alpha Ultimate wheelbase en.simagic.com
Simagic Alpha Mini wheelbase en.simagic.com
Simagic FX Wheel en.simagic.com
Simagic GTC Wheel Exodus Edition en.simagic.com
Simagic P1000 pedals en.simagic.com
Simcore DS5 dash display www.simcore.com.au
VNM V1 Pedals www.vnmsimulation.com
VNM Lite Pedals www.vnmsimulation.com
VNM Shifter www.vnmsimulation.com
Fanatec Podium DD1 PlayStation www.fanatec.com
Thanks to the following companies for their support in this video and many that are upcoming:
RaceKraft www.racekraft.net
Simrigs.com www.simrigs.com
Simagic en.simagic.com
VNM www.vnmsimulation.com
OzFDM www.ozfdm.com.au
If you’re interested in producing content for UA-cam but not sure where to start, please consider joining a membership on my website www.dralanquan.com.au to receive advice and coaching on all aspects of the process - from planning, execution, to outreach/expansion. In 5 months I went from 4 subscribers to brokering partnership deals with a number of brands to experience a wider range of simracing experiences than I would have had on my own - and I’m very happy to share how I did it.
#simracing #sigmaintegrale #motion #motionsimracing #simagic #fanatec #VNM #aluminiumprofile #simrigs
Timestamps
00:00 Opening
01:13 Introduction
03:52 Unboxing
09:58 Installation
10:46 Mistake during installation
11:08 Software setup
13:29 Driving impressions - F3
18:45 Driving impressions - dirt trucks
23:46 Smaller cockpits
24:17 80mm rigs and motion
36:17 Importance of fixed back seats
40:06 Finishing thoughts
47:53 Will I buy it?
51:06 🤪Behind the scenes - Ігри
Amazing presentation. Thank-you so much. Any additional comments and suggestions do let us know. We listen, evaluate and execute as best we can to all feedback.
@jon-racekraftsimulations4247 thank-you for providing the DK unit for this review. We were not expecting this and were pleasantly surprised. ;-)
Thank you for watching! I'm very pleasantly surprised that my video made it to you so soon.
I think your product is really solid and I enjoyed using it a lot. The ease of use was exactly what I wanted to see - a very well thought out and executed concept. The included fasteners are my only real sticking point but easily mitigated.
I saw on your website today that the DK6 is more suited to dirt racing due to the longer travel - I do see how longer travel would open up possibilities for tuning behaviour over crests - would you say the DK6 is presently able to produce what I was looking for in the DK2 over jumps?
I would very much appreciate an opportunity to test the DK6 if it's feasible! I'll tell Jon the same :)
Alan is a great guy - nice video! i could imagine though that the 6inch travel would make "more" sense when offroading!?
Any EU resellers available?
@@lindstrom26distributors list is here :) www.sigmaintegrale.com/pages/buy-try
Using a jack to lift the rig is the smartest thing ever and ima use that idea for the future lol. Happy you included timelaps
Extra points if your chassis is raised and you use a jack that can just slide under the rig. I'm using an old regular height trolley jack and the rig needs to be deadlifted onto the jack because there's not enough clearance hahaha
@DrAlanQuan lol. Yea I have a few low profile jacks that can fit under
Wow, I just found your channel and I am absolutely baffled, that you “only” have such a small amount of subscribers. Your channel DESERVES to blow up! What a hidden jewel. Presentation, production quality and delivered information are second to none! Way to go, “Doctor Sim” ☺️
Thank you so much, Heiko! It's been a real joy to watch the channel grow, to produce content in my own style and to work on all the skills that are needed to create good content. There's a lot involved and I'm so glad to hear you appreciate my efforts ❤️
All feedback is appreciated, good or bad, and I hope to see you in the comments section again 😀
Alan, thanks for the very comprehensive review. I'm also stoked to find that the supplier is right here in Perth! :)
Thank you, it's been a pleasure! And Jon is definitely doing big things for our small city. Exciting days that's for sure
The new brackets now have deeper recesses and can accommodate the same M8 x 20 mm bolt the actuator uses. Thanks for the correction once again.
Thanks so much for letting me know. I have just recently finished up with a DK6 review but for various reasons that won't release for another few weeks. If you're interested in the feedback before the video goes live please feel free to email me (details in my UA-cam channel info page) otherwise the feedback will go live with the video before long. Love your work!
Greetings from a fellow Aussie-Viet sim racer! Very well presented and informative, Love your work Alan!
Cám ơn mate 😂
Excellent review Alan! Enjoyed every minute of it! Even though this system is quite out of my price range, it's still nice to know about it's performance in case...
PS: Love the quality of your content. Soon TrakRacer and other companies will be chasing YOU to review their stuff when your channel blows up.
Hi Darren thanks for your kind comments! It's hard work but it's also really fun to make my videos look unique and distinctive.
It's true, the cost of entry is significant and it's not an easy purchase decision. Not everybody can be in a position to try before they buy, and since I got that rare opportunity I wanted to share my experiences and hopefully help others' purchasing decisions.
I'm going to enjoy the weekend and come Monday, get back to work on the next project! Thank you for your encouragement
I’ve had my DK2+ for two years now and I’m still totally happy with it.
Thanks for leaving a comment! Good to see some real world long term reviews - have you noticed anything that wasn't apparent in the first couple of weeks?
Software issues, wear and tear, noise, etc? I experienced pretty much no issues whatsoever in my time with the DK2. The biggest issue is probably the leg hop from time to time but the rig never shifted anywhere.
I haven’t had any issues since day one. Nothing bad to say.
Excellent review. Thank you very much!
That's very much appreciated, thank you! I did my best to get all my findings from my two weeks with the unit into the video. There's a couple of little things that I forgot to mention on camera but my overall feelings are exactly as seen.
First thing first. Great information that I haven't seen anywhere else. Thanks for that and I really hope you enjoy the journey you are on making these videos. I have watched a couple and you are have a truly unique style and another subscriber. (you should have more)
Secondly You know you want the motion now you just have to talk yourself into buying one. Maybe old mate could do you a great price after such a well put together video on them.
Good luck with the channel. I'll be binge watching your other videos now.
Haha what a joy to read your response, thank you. Has certainly been a journey, I've been very lucky and I've met some great people in the venture.
Be ruthless with your feedback - I hope to see you in lots of my video comments!
Excellent review, Doc! I loved the details you mentioned. Personally I had a question which you covered, about the butterfly effect to suspension reaction on landing. As always, it was a pleasure watching you review stuff.
Hi Darth thanks for watching! What was your question about suspension on landing?
@@DrAlanQuan I had a question regarding the feeling of being airborne. Which you mentioned that it does nothing. As a rally enthusiast that is exactly where my mind goes whenever I see a motion rig. 😄
Ah yes. I was thinking about this a lot. To get that feeling, the rig has to accelerate quickly downwards, but then accelerate upwards back to its baseline position slowly so it doesn't make the car feel like it's just bottomed out. Seems tricky to time, especially for a 2" travel system (which means from baseline position you have +/- 1" of travel)
I think the 6" travel DK6 should do this better (+/- 3" travel from baseline) so I'm going to try to get a DK6 in my hands. Fingers crossed!
@@DrAlanQuan Cannot wait for a DK6!
@@darthsnape The DK6 with 4" more of travel is better able to represent suspension and vehicle dynamics, as well as better representing environmental changes, such as the corkscrew drop on Laguna Seca. With that said it also moves more away from the monitors, so more attention is needed to the setup.
The 'weightless effect' being discussed is a multi-faceted, meaning the game has to provide it, the electrical system has to handle it and the algorithm support it. For example Forza Horizon algorithm, sometimes does a better job a spiking the heave motion layer than Dirt Rally 2.0, or even iRacing, however there is a health and safety layer and the system is limited in power as not to cause float or actuator slap where the actuators lift of the ground and accelerate as they are falling from the air. The best way to achieve this is with concrete anchors and more powerful systems at the compromise of cost and longevity.
Great discussion! ;-)
Awesome content. Can I ask you : is your background CGI ? It looks splendid
Thank you James! There's a lot of editing involved mainly colour correction, but the closest thing to CGI is at 13:32 at the top left (where I add the text for the chassis weight) there is a wrinkly curtain that I blur out 😂 if you look closely you can see the wrinkles through the blur
Otherwise, the 'look' is all achieved organically in camera via lighting and perspective - I like telephoto lenses because they produce a very otherworldly look, very different to what you see every day through your own eyes.
Thank you so much for commenting! It's really fun experimenting with videography and super satisfying to see the different outcomes play out.
Don't make the mistake of buying a D-Box kit, go for *Sigma Integrale* ; as good as each other, but Sigma is cheaper!
What you save ($), you can put into other components or peripherals. Great review Alan Quan!👌👍
Otherwise, what is the title of the Dirt Trucks game?
Thanks for commenting! I think value is a really important part of the equation and yes, if you can save some money here to spend it somewhere else that's definitely a good thing!
The dirt trucks were iRacing - the pro lite trucks which are free content with the iRacing subscription. And the circuit is Wild West Motorsport Park. Have fun!
Great review of another motion system, I see there are a few players and it's nice to discover more for comparison. Do you know how it stacks up against the QS-210?
Hi, thank you. No I do not have any experience with the Qubic products. I did test out the VNM motion system recently though, and I was impressed!
Great review, couldn't you simply add small washers for the bolts? I would have been interested in you installing just three actuators on the second rig to see if there was much of a difference, particularly since it's a lighter rig and would be cheaper.
I've been on the fence for a few years getting a DK2 system, I think it would be a perfect match with my GS5 seat and G Belt.
Hi Mark, the bolts are countersunk and I'm not aware of any conical washers that fit into the counter sink, and if it did exist it's such a niche item that I'd have to get them from - you guessed it - a speciality fastener store.
Interesting note on running a 3 actuator setup, it didn't cross my mind at all! If the opportunity comes up again I'll certainly explore that - thanks for commenting!
Hey Dr. 😊. Another excellent undoxing and review. This otion system looks very solid and industrial. I am wondering for the money, what is usally the expected average life span for a motion system?
Hello again Simon! Sigma Integrale and RaceKraft both have a lot of confidence in the engineering and longevity of the system. That said, it is a system of moving parts so I do imagine there are multiple potential points of failure.
I think only time will tell - and it becomes the consumer's decision to try and see, or wait potentially 10+ years to see reliability data before joining in.
@@DrAlanQuan 100% true. The system does look very promising. Thanks again for your honesty Dr.
Sigma provides a 3-year warranty with its system but all our systems are designed to last a very long time. We aim for this by CNC'ing the actuator bodies and pistons so they are extremely concentric. Very little slop or side to side movement, this prevents any premature wear and tear on the ball screw, which is usually the first component needing service. Otherwise we use a solid 2" steel piston to ensure best sideloading force over time. Kind of overkill to be frank, but we will also be releasing an extended warranty option on our website, as some of our products are now reaching a 4-year life span. All our products are made to order in USA and tested extensively by our engineers before being shipped.😎
@ Thank you for coming by and listening to what we really are concerned about. This gives us the impression that you are going to stand behind your product when we need you.
Great video, thanks. I'm currently in touch with Sigma to work out how to install the DK2+ on my NLR F-GT rig. Peter, one of the owner is incredibly helpful. I find it rare to see such dedication with companies nowadays. I have absolutely no doubt that their after sale support is outstanding. Just out of curiosity, are you a medical doctor?
Hi Michel,
Overall I've been impressed with the Sigma products and how quickly they jump on feedback. I just finished reviewing the DK6 actually and the video will be up in a few weeks.
I'm a dentist :)
@@DrAlanQuan Thanks for the reply. I just contacted Peter and he confirms that they have modified the brackets to make the bolt holes deeper so as to fix the long bolts problem. They wanted to keep the same bolts size to both bracket-to-frame and actuator-to-bracket attachments.
Ah that's good to know.
Interestingly, the DK6 kit I reviewed uses 16mm bolts for the bracket-to-actuator and 20mm bolts for bracket-to-rig (the 20mm bolts are too long for bracket-to-actuator).
Also if you can, I suggest to get the DK6 instead of the DK2+. The extra travel is 100% worth the price premium in my opinion. My review won't be out for a few weeks but my findings are the DK6 is a substantial upgrade from the DK2, and I think it's the travel rather than the motors alone that make the magic happen.
@@DrAlanQuan Thanks for the heads up but I'm not really looking for a rough ride, simply a more realistic haptic experience. The ButtKicker that I have is simply not up to the task. As far as I can tell the DK6 simply offers more movement, not more realism. But I will wait impatiently for your review before I finalize my decision.
@@DrAlanQuanhi Alan, I’m tossing up the Qubic 220 vs DK6 . Qubic has only 10 so it a between travel of Dk2+ and DK6 but has Microsoft flight and VR Compensation. Don’t think the extra 50mm on the DK6 worth it of 100mm travel? And the VR - I’m taking a risk hoping sigma introduce it down the line. I’m on the fence on which unit to get so any input appreciated . Great video!
Who makes the cheapest (but still good) 4-actuator system, that ships to the E.U.?
I wish I knew! I've only had real hands on experience with this Made in USA kit, which is not cheap - but it's good!
Using carjack on a sim rig...
Wholesome!
It's the best way! It would be better if I had a fancy, low ground-clearance trolley jack but nothing wrong with a little deadlift now and then!
What happens when a M6 pops? I just wanna see for science...
What do you mean 'M6 pops'? There's no M6 fasteners in the DK2 kit. There's a few M6 bolts here and there on the rigs but they're working well within spec, not expecting a bolt failure anywhere
@@DrAlanQuan I'm just musing sir... Tis just the sadistical engineer side of me that wants to see the potential chaos of mechanical failure (of course not in any manned scenario.). Love the content and setups, sorry if I came off cynical.
@@NuttGreez Ah no biggie, I thought you might have left a comment intended for another video (thought M6 pops might be about BMW exhausts)
But yes the Sigma fasteners are M8 high tensile steel and there's 8 per actuator mounting plate. Solid as a rock.
Thanks for commenting!
Good thing your a doctor, because you might need to have your smile surgically removed. 😂
I might just keep the smile on 🤪
Bud, turn down those settings! Intensity 10? Who does that?!
"I paid for 10 I'm using 10" haha
In all seriousness I quite liked it fairly turned up. The rig was lively, power consumption was moderate, and my pace was the same.
It seems my preferences don't align with a lot of others. I like my FFB fairly light as well (I run my DD1 at 6Nm). In any case my motion settings are at zero now since I've returned the system 😭
Fair enough, but i find Intensity 10 too distracting in a race, not to mention it'll rattle your teeth loose. Just me 2 pents
Yeah absolutely! I've heard a few people now mention their preference for motion being turned down fairly low - but I've always found that I personally like to try things out for myself and see what I personally like rather than follow others experiences as gospel. Sometimes I find I agree, other times I don't.
For instance a lot of people like their DD wheels to peak at 13ish Nm which I found too strong, but no regrets on getting a 20Nm base because I tried it and ended up back at 6Nm.
Similarly, a lot of people say 80mm rigs aren't enough to support motion but I tried it and I think it's a great combination
@@DrAlanQuanI started off at 7nm with my dd1 and every week I turn that sucker up! At 13nn rn
Anyone else get the 2:30 / tooth hurty joke?
It certainly went over my head hahaha
If only they were based in the EU.. Prices comes more expensive than the dbox here
Jon at RaceKraft runs both Sigma and Dbox motion systems in his sim centre and says he would buy Sigma Integrale instead of Dbox every day with the overall quality of the kits and software.
I haven't spent any meaningful amount of time on the Dbox kits so I don't have enough experience to comment
$220 more for a 160 vs a an 80. im not cheaping out
That's a fair rationale.
In my hands I have yet to find 80mm to be an issue - but I'm fairly light and I use low torque on my wheels.
If going big to cover your bases gives you peace of mind, 100% go for it!
Ok, your reviews are pretty good, but the whole part about the actuators being smaller than competing products and you walk into them all the time is a stretch. I have never "bumped" into my actuators and neither have my friends who run the same actuators. Almost seems like you were looking for and trying to find a justification for the system.
Hey man, thanks for the feedback. I respect that my experience may not be echoed by everybody, but it was my experience and I kind of learned to avoid the actuator after some time, but after a few months without motion I'm presently reviewing the DK6 and I also walked into it and scratched my leg the other day, only this time my knee instead of my calf since the actuator is taller 😂 only superficial scratches, no blood drawn, just little white streaks across my skin
I think because my triple monitors are fairly closely wrapped around my cockpit I've learned to walk really close to my rig as I get in, and that's exactly where the actuator is.
Not trying to create drama, just sharing my experience - that's my promise
Fair criticism since it's something you have never had issue with
@@DrAlanQuan on second thought since reading your reply. I have not used motion with triples, but instead an ultrawide because I race exclusively in VR now. I can now see how the actuators could be in the way with triple screens.
Your seating position is worrying..
Thanks for your concern! ❤️
I drive in 3 different seats in this video, what's worrying to you?
@@DrAlanQuan Ah, it's the "80mm rigs and motion" part .. I think you're way to far away from your wheel, and you're looking down to your monitors (ie your head is pointed way to much up to view the monitors correctly). I can't imagine that being a comfortable position to do longer races in?
@@frederiquerijsdijk I see! It's definitely not conventional, but I find it very comfortable to race in. In my work as a dentist I use magnifying loupes - so I'm very used to sitting with my head upright and my eyes looking down my nose - I've been doing that professionally full time for 13 years! So no issues with my head position.
As for my arms being far from the steering wheel - it feels great! I can happily drive in any of the 3 seats in this video, they are all different but none stand out in terms of comfort - they're all good 😀
@@DrAlanQuanAh well if it works it ain't stupid I guess :-)
Well I live in the US, so that eliminates me from thinking about getting one of these.
Bye!!
At least you don't have to pay for shipping half way around the world! It's awesome that the DK systems are USA-made, just had for me as an Aussie because it adds so much $$$ to land the gear on this distant land.