Podium DD unboxing - The wait is over

Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator
edited April 2019 in Blog
The day has finally come.

I am happy to tell you that we started to ship the first Podium Wheel Bases today to our customers.  We started with the Podium Racing Wheel but DD1 and DD2 will follow soon so we will deliver all pre-orders of the first batch on or before April 30th, as promised.

Here is the first unboxing video:



The additional software package is not final yet but we will make it available by the end of the month as well. Driver and firmware are ready of course so you can immediately use it. Only the stand alone version of the Podium Advanced Paddle Module does not make it in time as we had to postpone the shipping date to mid June due to a production shortage.

I can't wait to see the first customer reviews and impressions. We worked many years and we never invested so much money into anything in the history of Endor / Fanatec so I really hope we made it right and you like it. Let me know once you receive your Podium Direct Drive Wheel Base.
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Comments

  • Youness AmalYouness Amal Member
    edited April 2019
    Last arrived, First served :smile: . Can’t wait for my DD2! (my arms less).
  • Baj DhaddaBaj Dhadda Member
    edited April 2019
    Great news, shame you didn’t prioritise customers who ordered first but at least they are shipping now so hope to get my DD1 soon. Do you have any news on the killswitch and side mount brackets? Will we be get to order them for delivery with our wheel base?
  • Day 1 DD2 pre-order, when can I expect my tracking info?
  • Why did the console version get prioritized over those who had supported you the earliest?
  • How will my DD2 function on pc prior to software release?

  • Day 1 DD2 pre-order, when can I expect my tracking info?

    DD1 and DD2 will follow soon so we will deliver all pre-orders of the first batch on or before April 30th
    Any further questions? ;)
  • Great news Thomas.  Many congratulations to you and the team - I have no doubt this thing will be awesome!

    Thank you for all the hard work.

  • Day 1 DD2 pre-order, when can I expect my tracking info?

    DD1 and DD2 will follow soon so we will deliver all pre-orders of the first batch on or before April 30th
    Any further questions? ;)
    Thanks.
  • I am happy to hear the the DD wheels are shipping but it seems backwords to be prioritizing the DD1 PS4 wheel when you have customers that ordered and paid for DD1 and DD2 wheel bases before the PS4 version was even announced. Just to clarify I am not a day 1 pre order customer but I do understand the frustraition. Is there a reason for the Prioritization? again I will get mine on or before 4-30 and im happy with that as I placed my preorder at the beginning of march just before the first batch cutoff.
  • So with orders such as mine. My DD2 is bundled in the same order as the APM that I also ordered. I am scheduled to be in the first batch. Because of the delay of the APM does that mean your delaying DD bases that were under the same order number as the APM's? Or will you be shipping them separately or at least giving that option? Because if not that is messed up. I'm fully expecting to be able to have my DD2 shipped on time even though my APM was delayed. 
  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator
    So with orders such as mine. My DD2 is bundled in the same order as the APM that I also ordered. I am scheduled to be in the first batch. Because of the delay of the APM does that mean your delaying DD bases that were under the same order number as the APM's? Or will you be shipping them separately or at least giving that option? Because if not that is messed up. I'm fully expecting to be able to have my DD2 shipped on time even though my APM was delayed. 
    Of course we will ship separately
  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator
    Great news, shame you didn’t prioritise customers who ordered first but at least they are shipping now so hope to get my DD1 soon. Do you have any news on the killswitch and side mount brackets? Will we be get to order them for delivery with our wheel base?
    DD1 and DD2 were produced first and shipped by sea. We did not make it in time for the Racing Wheel so we had to use airfreight and that means it arrived first.
  • Thanks for the answer Thomas, that makes sense. Excited to put the small mige on the shelf and have no more wires off my wheel.
  • Great news!! :-bd Honestly I didnt expect to have it at home sooner than in May.

    Regarding to "free" F1 2019 wheel for pre-orders, it will be send separately after it will be released? How much time there will be to decide if choose F1 2019 or use voucher to some other product? Thank you 
  • Great news, shame you didn’t prioritise customers who ordered first but at least they are shipping now so hope to get my DD1 soon. Do you have any news on the killswitch and side mount brackets? Will we be get to order them for delivery with our wheel base?
    DD1 and DD2 were produced first and shipped by sea. We did not make it in time for the Racing Wheel so we had to use airfreight and that means it arrived first.

    Any particular reason why the software isn’t being released till the end of the month? Seems a little late in the day for it not being ready, would have thought it would be more than ready considering the 5.5 month delay for that hardware problem.
  • edited April 2019
    My parcel is on the way already 8-> Pity that it has one box and rim is mounted - is it safe for transportation?  :-B
  • Thomas JackermeierThomas Jackermeier Member, Administrator
    Great news, shame you didn’t prioritise customers who ordered first but at least they are shipping now so hope to get my DD1 soon. Do you have any news on the killswitch and side mount brackets? Will we be get to order them for delivery with our wheel base?
    DD1 and DD2 were produced first and shipped by sea. We did not make it in time for the Racing Wheel so we had to use airfreight and that means it arrived first.

    Any particular reason why the software isn’t being released till the end of the month? Seems a little late in the day for it not being ready, would have thought it would be more than ready considering the 5.5 month delay for that hardware problem.
    Of course we could have released it now but we added new features and those need to be tested. The release was planned for April 30th so this is how we scheduled software development as well. But this is just the cherry on the cake. Of course the driver and firmware is ready so the base will work fine.


  • Good news for the DDs, less for the paddles.
    I ordered two of them (on a separate order) and with the handbrake, to have it all when the DD arrives.
    With this delay, am I expected to wait for the paddles to have the handbrake, or may the HB be shipped with the DD ?
    Many thanks.
  • My parcel is on the way already 8-> Pity that it has one box and rim is mounted. Is it safe for transportation?  :-B

    Is a device that is supposed to withstand 20 nm of torque inside a thick box with thick packing foam inside another thick box going to withstand travelling to you without damage to the quick release or motor column, I’d say yes.
  • edited April 2019
    Great news!! :-bd Honestly I didnt expect to have it at home sooner than in May.

    Regarding to "free" F1 2019 wheel for pre-orders, it will be send separately after it will be released? How much time there will be to decide if choose F1 2019 or use voucher to some other product? Thank you 
    I can't find it at the moment, but it was said, that those who got the voucher will be able to (pre-)order the limited F1 2019 steering wheel a little bit earlier (i think it was one or two days). So they have the chance to get one, if they want one.
    But in case you didn't use your voucher until then for something else, the steering wheel is not going to be sent automatically. In any case you have to (pre-)order it. You can use your voucher then for the F1 2019 LE or sooner/later for something else. That's up to you.
    If I'm correct the voucher is valid for 1 year (and also only for 1 order, even if you order something for only 50$).
  • Gavin DaviesGavin Davies Member
    edited April 2019
    Great news, shame you didn’t prioritise customers who ordered first but at least they are shipping now so hope to get my DD1 soon. Do you have any news on the killswitch and side mount brackets? Will we be get to order them for delivery with our wheel base?
    DD1 and DD2 were produced first and shipped by sea. We did not make it in time for the Racing Wheel so we had to use airfreight and that means it arrived first.

    Any particular reason why the software isn’t being released till the end of the month? Seems a little late in the day for it not being ready, would have thought it would be more than ready considering the 5.5 month delay for that hardware problem.
    Of course we could have released it now but we added new features and those need to be tested. The release was planned for April 30th so this is how we scheduled software development as well. But this is just the cherry on the cake. Of course the driver and firmware is ready so the base will work fine.



    Ok thanks, makes sense, can you comment on what those last minute feature additions were? And also is it just the software or is the driver also not out till the end of the month?
  • I'm in a bit of conundrum. I'm looking to buy Fanatec products for ps4, however, I think there's a ps5 coming out pretty soon. Will the products that I buy today be compatible for the newer generation? Thanks
  • Gavin DaviesGavin Davies Member
    edited April 2019
    I'm in a bit of conundrum. I'm looking to buy Fanatec products for ps4, however, I think there's a ps5 coming out pretty soon. Will the products that I buy today be compatible for the newer generation? Thanks

    No one has an answer for this, not Fanatec, not Sony, the console isn’t even designed yet, it’s at least a year to 2 years away. Fanatec have on the product page for the PS4 version “This product is currently not certified for future PlayStation™ systems.” This is not surprising considering what I already said, and when that day comes the ball is mostly if not completely in Sony’s court, there’s more chance it will as it will be backwards compatible, but Sony likes money too and might block it, if that happens it might then be up to Fanatec and Sony to work it out, if they can’t we’ll have the same situation we had before and they won’t work at all or only on PS4 games on PS5. Basically don’t buy it if you can’t risk that happening. Other possibility is someone who makes devices already that allow PC controllers to work on console including wheels might make it work on PS5 while the base is in PC Mode.
  • yes I'm sure it will be I read it somewhere, imagine how  many angry people there would be after spending 1000$ and there purchase not be future proof

  • Thanks Thomas and Fanatec for that effort!

    Can't wait to receive at home my DD2 pre-order this weeks!! :-D
  • Josh OskamJosh Oskam Member
    edited April 2019
    Bart... the simple fact is, Fanatec can't make any guarantees about what Sony will do for the PS5 when not even Sony know yet. Fanatec might make nice sim racing equipment, but I don't believe they've hired a psychic to make predictions about the future.  :-$ 

    Personally, I'd be happier if they hired someone to advise on PR and 'maintaining customer satisfaction' first.
  • yes I'm sure it will be I read it somewhere, imagine how  many angry people there would be after spending 1000$ and there purchase not be future proof


    I’m sure there were people saying something similar the last time we were in this situation, it’s more likely this time I think but it’s dangerous to assume it’s a given.
  • Thanks fanatec for starting shipping earlier !
  • My order is DD1 & P APM. I got a email. The Podium Advanced Paddle Module delayed to 18-6'2019. I'm not happy and I don't know my DD1 shipment. Fanatec , do you know what is availability date meaning?
  • Joseph GossenJoseph Gossen Member, Moderator
    Congratulations on shipping the Podium series Thomas !!! Looking forward to adding another piece of Fanatec beauty to the collection.
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