04.11.2017

Game steering wheel from a mouse. computer steering wheel from the keyboard

Do-it-yourself steering wheel and pedals for a computer

As you probably know, playing various car simulators with a steering wheel and pedals is much more convenient and realistic than using a keyboard. The steering wheel device allows you to set a certain angle of rotation, which allows you to smoothly turn the steering wheel as much as necessary to fit into the turn exactly. The gas and brake also need smooth control, so the pedals are a must-have addition to the steering wheel. When pressed, they allow you to maintain a certain speed on the track.

If you do not want to spend extra money on buying a factory steering wheel, I suggest making a simple steering wheel with pedals and a gearbox yourself, especially since they can be easily made at home without special skills. Plus, it won't hurt to break it. Of course, this is far from the factory model of the steering wheel, equipped with all the bells and whistles, but in order to feel like a racer and enjoy the game, it will do just fine.

steering module

Scheme of a homemade steering module

The design of the steering wheel itself is very simple, and with the necessary tools and materials, making a steering module at home is not difficult at all.

Try to plan what you are going to do first with simple sketches. It doesn't have to be masterpieces, ordinary thinking or ideas. It's amazing how often you can spot errors in your thinking before they become real. This will save you a lot of time later.

The drawings above show the general plans of the module: top, front and side. The base of the tablet is made of thick plywood to give strength to the structure.
A long bolt with a diameter of 12mm is used as a steering shaft. The steering wheel and two bearings with an inner diameter of 12mm are fixed to it with nuts. U-shaped metal clamps press the shaft with bearings to wooden poles. The limiter keeps the shaft from turning in the center position. It is necessary so that a sharp movement does not damage the variable resistor.
The resistor (potentiometer) is attached to the base through a simple steel angle and connected to the shaft directly using a piece rubber hose. For ease of connection, a small plastic handle is put on the axis of the resistor, matching the diameter of the steering shaft. You must ensure that the centers of rotation of the steering wheel and shaft are exactly the same.

Making a wooden steering wheel

First, you must design your steering wheel. Then, armed with a ruler and compass, draw detailed drawing steering wheel. The shape of the finger grip is especially important, so you need to find the most comfortable position for your hands. Remember, if you are an avid racer, you will be spending long hours clutching this wheel in your hands.
Making a steering wheel for a car simulator is not as difficult as you might think. It can be made from one or more layers of fonera, gluing them together. Saw with a jigsaw, clean the sharp edges with sandpaper and cover with several layers of black paint, sanding each layer in between.

Then you will need to make a hub for the rear of the steering wheel. It is nothing more than a square or round block of wood that provides space between the wheel and the front panel and also adds extra strength. Fix the hub firmly to the back of the steering wheel with furniture glue or screws. Drill a 12mm hole in the center for the steering shaft (straight! Preferably on a drill press) and the steering wheel can be painted.

Rudder return mechanism

First of all, a good return force is required from the steering wheel, which, when turning, will return the steering wheel to its original position. This centering method is to drill a horizontal hole through the steering shaft and insert a 5mm cut-off head bolt into it. Grind off the ends of this bolt on both sides with a file and drill holes in the resulting sites. They will allow you to fix the springs in this place. The steering shaft also needs to be ground off on both sides for a good fixation of the nuts.

Then turn the bolt into drilled hole on the axle and tighten firmly on both sides with nuts. The other end of the spring clings to the steel L-bracket. When the steering wheel is turned, the springs are stretched, when the steering wheel is released, the springs return to their original position and return the shaft back to the middle position. You can adjust the return force of the steering wheel by tightening or loosening the springs.

Steering wheel to table

An important factor in the manufacture of the steering wheel is the system of fastening to the table. This locking system allows quick installation and removal of the steering module, with a sufficiently rigid fixation.

We bend the U-bracket from the steel plate and drill 4 holes for self-tapping screws, as shown in the figure. After sawing a special presser foot out of hardwood, it is necessary to drill an 8mm hole in the middle of it for a 5mm bolt. Then, screw the foot to the U-bracket with self-tapping screws so that the foot moves freely in it. The distance from the base of the module to the foot should be approximately equal to the thickness of the table to which you are going to install it.

Drill a hole through the base of the steering module and firmly insert a threaded T-sleeve or threaded insert into this hole, into which a 5mm bolt can be screwed. Then screw the U-bracket to wooden base module with two self-tapping screws, pass the bolt with a rotary handle into the hole of the tab and screw it into the T-sleeve. Make sure that the presser foot is free to move down when the clamp is loosened. For less slip, you can glue a piece of thin rubber on the edge of the foot.

Pedal construction

Building DIY Pedals

Everyone who loves to drive in car simulators knows how important it is to have pedals in addition to the steering wheel. They allow you to free one hand and work your legs, increasing the realism of control and at the same time simplifying some maneuvers.

This design is very reliable and easy to manufacture. The base and pedals are made of plywood and are attached to each other using segments. furniture hinges. A hole is drilled in the base under the pedals (approximately 10mm) for the free play of the lever.

The lever is made from a metal rod and is bent to one side on both sides, as seen in the figure. You can fix it to the pedal bent in U shape small nail.

Springs are needed to return the pedals to their original position and must provide enhanced pressure. It is not necessary to fasten them, because. they will be sandwiched between the pedals and the base.

Variable resistors (100k) are attached to the base via L-brackets on reverse side basis. A handle is inserted onto the resistor shaft. It is made from wood or plastic. Use whatever material you have. Two holes are drilled in the handle. The shaft of the resistor is tightly inserted into one, and the lever into the other, so that it spins freely. The handle will still be a backstop, so make it stronger.

As you can see in the picture, the pedals are connected to a resistor through a lever. When the pedal is depressed, the lever passes through the hole in the base and moves the handle down. This increases the resistance of the resistor. With the help of springs, the pedals return to their original position.

In the same way, you can additionally add a clutch pedal to the pedal set if your car simulator fully supports three pedals.

Gear shift

gear shift mechanism

Almost all modern car simulators support "direct" gear shifting: the player, as in a conventional manual gearbox, shifts the lever to the desired gear. To do this, high-end computer steering wheels make a direct shift lever for 6-7 gears. In this article I will tell you how to make a seven-speed shifter, made in the form of a separate block, fixed in any convenient location separate from the steering wheel. It will be a 6-speed "direct" shifter (not counting reverse), mimicking a conventional manual transmission.

The main mechanism is made on the principle of a conventional joystick and allows the lever to tilt along the X and Y axis.

Forms for the mechanism can be made from 1mm steel. Bend as shown in the figure and connect to each other through the holes with a sleeve.
The lever itself is made from an ordinary steel rod (about 8mm). A hole is drilled in the lower part of the lever and a sleeve is inserted through the mechanism. This will be the center of rotation of the lever in the Y axis, which directly presses the buttons.

Slightly above the axis of the lever, the hole is not completely drilled. A spring and a small ball from the bearing are inserted into it, coinciding in diameter with the hole. In addition to this, two holes are drilled on the top of the mechanism. The ball falls into these holes and does not allow the lever to move freely from the button, leaving it on.

This is necessary in order to fix the pressed button, because. when the button is released, many simulators automatically turn on neutral.

To prevent damage to the buttons from being hit by the lever during pressing, the buttons are mounted on spring steel plates that are directly attached to the base. The lever presses on the button, which, after being turned on, will be bent in the opposite direction through the plate. Plates of such steel can be obtained from unnecessary VHD video cassettes.

A plate with guide grooves for gears is sawn out of aluminum and mounted on top of the structure. At the ends of each guide, from the bottom side, 7 plates with buttons are attached.

It immediately becomes clear that 4 buttons available from the Gameport will not be enough, so you need to find a way to get 7 independent buttons. The easiest option would be if the electronics were an old USB joystick or gamepad. There are usually enough buttons on it and you don’t have to suffer with soldering a new device.

There is another way to connect the device to the Gameport by soldering a small board. As you can see in the picture below, by connecting 4 buttons from the Gameport with diodes together, you can get a configuration with 7 buttons and one POV.

I can’t say anything about the performance of this scheme, because I myself have not used it. It is quite possible to recognize her operating system, special drivers are required.

To switch gears, you can still make paddle shifters, as on some sports cars and in Formula 1. The levers are located on the back of the steering wheel and can be used with your fingers, allowing you to keep contact with the gearbox when turning the steering wheel. This device is supported by all games, since two buttons are enough to operate it.

On the left is shown simple circuit, which shows the basic location of the control levers. The lever can be made of wood, metal, plastic, or whatever. At the end of the lever, two holes are drilled for the screws on which it will hold. The screws must be the right length so that they do not press too hard and restrict the movement of the lever. Two springs are needed to keep the levers in the neutral position. To fix the buttons, you can glue them to the base of the steering wheel in the right place.
After choosing a place on the back of the handlebar to attach the levers, make sure that they will not interfere with the control. If necessary, you can come up with your own convenient form for them.

Wiring diagram

Wiring diagram for connection to Gameport

To connect a steering wheel and pedals, it is necessary that a sound card with a GAME/MIDI port be installed on the computer, to which gaming devices (joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels) are connected, or a gameport can be built into motherboard system block.

The steering wheel circuit is no different from the circuit of an ordinary joystick and does not require any drivers or special programs. The gameport supports 4 variable resistances (100k resistors) and 4 momentary buttons that are on while pressed.

In order for the computer to determine the gaming device, it is enough to connect two resistances to the X and Y axes to the gameport. In our case, these are variable resistors of the steering wheel, the X (3) axis and the gas pedal, the Y (6) axis. The X1(11) axis is used for the brake pedal. And the remaining axis Y1(13) can be used for the clutch pedal.

Resistors should be linear (not from volume controls!) from 50k to 200k (better to take 100k). The red wire (+5V) always goes to the middle pin of the resistor, but the axis (3, 6, 11 pins) can be connected to any of the side ones, depending on how the resistor is installed. If the cursor goes to the right when turning the steering wheel to the left, you just need to swap the outer contacts of the resistor. It's the same with pedals.

A standard 15-pin joystick plug can be purchased at any electronics store or radio market.
It is better to choose resistors from expensive ones right away, they will be more durable. Cheap ones will begin to "make noise" in a couple of months (the steering wheel will twitch). In this case, cleaning and lubricating them (for example, WD40) can help.
It is better to take a shielded 10-core wire.

Steering wheel calibration

Before connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer, it is necessary to calibrate the resistors. For a more accurate adjustment, you will need a special measuring device. The steering resistor must be set to the center position. If you are using a 100k resistor, you can measure the resistance between two adjacent pins and set it to 50k. The main thing is that when adjusting, the center of the steering wheel coincides with the middle of the resistor stroke. Well, so that the working area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe resistor does not end at the edges of the steering wheel travel. The throttle and brake pedal resistor can be set to minimum resistance (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the resistor should increase if you press the pedal. If this does not happen, then you need to swap the external contacts of the resistor.

Attention! It is forbidden to connect / disconnect the joystick when the computer is turned on! This can lead to the failure of the sound card or motherboard of your computer!

Before connecting to a computer, it is necessary to check the wiring of the steering wheel and pedals so that there is no short circuit between the + 5v contact (1, 8, 9) and ground (4, 5), otherwise the gameport may burn out.

We connect the plug to the sound card. In the control panel, select "Game Controllers" then the "Add" button. In the menu, select - "joystick 2 axis 2 buttons" and press "OK". If everything was done correctly, then the "status" field should change to "OK". After that, we need to calibrate the gaming tablet. In "Properties" click on the "Settings" tab, then on the "Calibrate" button and follow the instructions. When calibrating, I recommend additionally using the DXTweak2 program. The tuning criterion is smooth movement in the entire range of rotation of the corresponding axis without a "fall" of the cursor at the edges of the range.
That's it, download your favorite car simulator, select your device in the settings, customize it and have fun!

For greater durability, instead of variable resistors, you can put an optical pair (LED + photodiode). There are no rubbing parts in such a device, and therefore there is practically no wear. Optocouplers can be obtained from an old computer mouse. + 5V is soldered to the middle leg of the photodiode, the output of the corresponding axis to any of the extreme legs. A 100 ohm resistor R limits the current through the LED.

The best modern car simulators

Need for Speed ​​SHIFT

Need for Speed ​​SHIFT is a new racing simulator. It not only combines realistic physics, beautifully modeled car models and varied tracks, but also offers players the most authentic racing car driving experience. NFS SHIFT focuses on spectacular and unprecedented realism. Here you not only see the car and the track, but feel every turn, every hill and every pebble under the wheel. You roll slightly on corners, toss up on hillocks and ruthlessly shake, flip and shake in accidents. Colliding with another car or a static obstacle, you really feel like you're in a serious accident. A complex combination of sound and visual effects creates a stunning illusion of presence. You can get behind the wheel of 70 photorealistic cars meticulously copied from real cars.
Need for Speed ​​SHIFT takes realism in car simulation to a whole new level.

The GTR2 provides for the calculation of a huge number of vehicle parameters, so that the control is as close to real as possible. Physics is real to the smallest detail - as it should be in a modern simulator, everything is felt - uneven surfaces, the difference in grip on asphalt and curbs, tire temperature. Braking and acceleration present a real challenge, forcing the throttle and brake to work hard and subtly. A huge plus of the game is that it includes a serious driving school, consisting of two parts, in the first of which we are taught to slow down, accelerate and correctly take turns and their bundles, and in the second - they make it possible to learn all the tracks available in the game sequentially, section by section. The set of cars is as wide as possible. The game uses 144 vehicles recreated from real blueprints and telemetry data. The behavior of different machines is adequately different. The races take place on 34 tracks with photorealistic environments, which were created using GPS and CAD data. The sound in the game is extremely informative and gives a clear idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe behavior of the wheels.

Live for Speed

Live for Speed ​​is a serious racing simulator. The main distinguishing feature of LFS is its high level realism. No arcade modes or steering assistance. The most important attributes of auto racing have been implemented, in particular, the setting of various nodes, fuel consumption, temperature and tire wear, asphalt and dirt tracks, which affect the behavior of the car and its characteristics. This advantage is achieved by modeling car models according to the rules of mechanics. Suspension is detailed in LFS, its arms break from impacts. The cars themselves in LFS also receive damage, which is modeled in the process of car contact with an obstacle. You can compete with computer opponents or with real racers from all over the world. And the game has the best network code to date. You can even play on a modem and have a tight, even contact, fight with more than 20 riders at the same time. LFS turned out to be a very successful car simulator, with excellent performance and an excellent set of features, despite the low system requirements for the computer.

rFactor

rFactor is another contender for the title of modern simulator. Initially, only a few fictional cars and tracks are available in the game, but along with the game we get an editor that allows us to modify most of the game to suit our needs, or connect to the Internet and download the creations of other players. It is thanks to the efforts of the players that the rFactor engine still looks acceptable. In addition to the ring racing tracks, there is a full-fledged garage where you can tune the car almost to the brand of metal from which the body is made. The car provides for an upgrade at the expense of earned funds, which, however, are removed without warning for violation of the rules, such as speeding in a pit stop or running a red light. By downloading the demo, you can get yourself a small mini-simulator for free, in which there is something to break the head of a sophisticated "simulator". It should be noted that the game does not suffer from a lack of popularity, and there will always be a company on the servers for the race. Yes, and the developers groom and cherish their child with constant updates and additions.

Racer is a completely free, freely available for download, non-commercial racing simulator. The strengths of Racer are its physics and graphics. Advanced shader systems are used, and the effects in the game surprise with realism. All cars and tracks in Racer can be freely modified by the user. What's more, some editing tools for Racer come bundled with the game you're downloading, so you don't have to surf the web to find desired programs. Thanks to this policy, a huge range of cars is available for the Racer game: Formula 1 cars, trucks, ordinary sedans and expensive supercars. Even exotic vehicles can be found, such as shopping carts. Any Racer user can create their own car using existing tools, or side programs such as 3D Max. The same goes for trails. Thanks to the numerous fans of Racer, their choice is also huge: from mountain serpentines to the famous racing rings. Racer can be considered perhaps the best non-commercial car simulator.

3D Instructor 2.0 Home version

The new educational car simulator is a completely new development in relation to the first version. The main emphasis in the program is on the training of novice drivers and the realism of driving. This one-of-a-kind program will help you prepare for the practical exam in the traffic police and feel more confident on the congested streets of the capital. You will be able to drive a car in test mode, trying to score the least number of demerit points, or just drive around the city, practicing driving skills in difficult traffic situations. The ability to set different traffic intensity - from empty streets to dead traffic jams, will help you choose traffic congestion for your driving experience, hone the attention and reaction necessary in order to avoid an accident. Here you can drive cars different models: VAZ 2110, VAZ 2106, Toyota Corolla, GAZ 3302 (Gazelle onboard), as well as evaluate the variety of areas of the virtual city included in the game.

Textbook

Virtual driving technique

Learning how to drive a virtual car using the steering wheel and pedals is not as easy for a beginner as it seems. It may take a week or two just to learn the steering wheel, a month or more to learn the basics of driving technique and pedaling.
Almost all serious car simulators have an arcade racing mode, but if you want to achieve the maximum realism of virtual driving, then I recommend refusing to use driving assistance. You will have to constantly learn, work and improve your riding skills. Thus, at first you will make many mistakes, but the process of mastering the simulator will be faster.
Any car simulator needs a steering wheel and pedals like air, so take care of making or buying them in order to take full advantage of the tips from this article. All driving technique tips can be applied to any car simulator you like. So, let's begin.

Choose a view from the cockpit.

All the arcade "rear views", although they give a more complete picture of the dimensions of the car in the context of the track, but do not provide information about drifts and drifts. When you're in the cab, you see the world as it really is, so you can always easily recognize a skid by seeing how it rotates or shifts relative to the car. In addition, if possible, you should always choose a view in which there is some part of the car in the frame - the hood, the pillar windshield etc. The shift and rotation of the world is always better seen when there is some object in the center of the field of view. In the absence of such, it is necessary to refer to best case on the virtual instruments in the corner of the screen. This leads to reaction delays and increased fatigue. In addition, driving with a view from the cab develops an internal sense of the dimensions of the car.

Don't fly in the air.

After a wrong ski jump, when the car flies sideways, there is a great temptation to taxi it out before landing. Don't give in. Even if you drive so well that you can get your front wheels right on course while still in the air, just by gut feeling, don't do it. Leave the steering wheel in the middle position. Keep in mind that the car will not behave as it normally does when landing - it will have much more traction due to vertical acceleration, so any wheel turn, combined with the sharp increase in steering due to the fall, will result in at least to a skid. Put the front wheels in the middle position and after landing, let the car slide a little, then, when it has already risen on the suspension, and its steering returns to normal, smoothly level it. Although, of course, it is even better to follow the following advice.

Don't jump.

Try not to get off the ground. Of course, the jump is spectacular. But jumping on an unfamiliar track, often in a blind spot, as close as possible to the next turn, is very dangerous. Press the machine down over bumps by slowing down just before liftoff. This will increase steering and prevent the car from jumping over bumps. Just let off the gas or apply the brake lightly. Of course, you will lose a few hundredths of a second, but otherwise you can beat the car and lose everything.

Properly prevent coups.

When cutting a turn, the car often runs with its inner wheels on a higher than the roadbed, shoulder, stone and other obstacles. This may cause the machine to stand on the two outer wheels. It would seem that everyone knows how to ride two-wheeled bicycles and knows that in this case you just need to turn the steering wheel in the direction of a possible fall. But that's just lip service, as the problem isn't usually limited to roll. A collision with an obstacle located inside the turn leads to a straightening of the arc, and the car begins to go out tangentially to the turn arc. The instinct in such cases makes you turn the steering wheel inward, which inevitably leads to the car turning over. Control yourself, steer outward, put the car on wheels, and only then solve the problem of leaving the trajectory.

Learn to Drift.

The steering wheel, oddly enough, is a very minor part of a racing car during Drifting. The radius of the turning arc is set by gas and brake, and the steering wheel makes corrective movements for the optimal drift angle. Increasing traction results in more slip and the car goes out. A decrease in thrust leads to a narrowing of the arc up to the cessation of sliding. As you already understood, the task here is not to get the car out of the skid as quickly as possible, but vice versa - to take revenge with the back of the car in a controlled skid as long as possible.

Usually turning the steering wheel is needed at the beginning to get the front of the car inward before the start of the slide in sync with the braking or jerking the handbrake. Then, after the start of the skid, the steering wheel returns to the middle position and makes corrective movements throughout the entire slide. If the rear of the vehicle is skidded more than required by the trajectory, you must immediately turn the steering wheel in the direction of travel while maintaining engine speed. Then the car will go in the direction of the front wheels. In order to complete the cross slide and straighten the car, you need to smoothly release the gas. Remember that if you use the steering wheel too often to keep the car on the track, it means that you are pedaling incorrectly.

Combine multidirectional turns.

If you have two oppositely directed turns that follow one after the other, get ready to go through them in one go. In the event that you are cornering with controlled skid, then use the pendulum effect by applying the skid of the first turn as a counter-shift for the second. At the moment of a break in the arc, sharply increase the steering by releasing the gas and / or braking and turning the steering wheel, throw the car in the opposite direction. If the turns aren't tight and don't skid, then just try to carefully smooth out the line.

There is one general reception, which allows you to pass a bunch of turns faster and safer. Usually the pilot tries to slow down as late as possible, seemingly gaining time on this, but on turns, late braking, on the contrary, leads to the loss of several hundredths, or even tenths. Consider what happens as a result of late braking. We fly into the first turn on high speed, saving some time on braking. We enter the skid, slide to the outside, as is done in a single turn. But in the case of a single turn, we simply get out of the skid and accelerate, gradually returning to the middle of the track, here we need to go through another turn, which we are forced to enter from the inside, along a steeper arc and at a lower speed. As a result, we exit the link more slowly to the next straight section of the track. Now let's do the opposite. Let's brake in the first turn early, carefully "lick" the inner edge of the first turn and in a wide arc, with more speed and with acceleration, and not with braking, as in the first case, we will enter the second. The output speed will be much higher, which will give us an advantage on the next straight line. It turns out that we are killing two birds with one stone - gaining time and driving more reliably. So, if you are faced with the choice of which turn of the bunch to go faster - the first or the last, always choose the last one. It's both faster and safer.

Combine unidirectional turns.

Everything seems to be a combination of multidirectional turns with one "but" - the second turn is usually not visible, so you need to proceed with extreme caution. There is also a special situation - when the turns are twisted. In this case, you need to write out a special arc. As always, we must resist the temptation to go through the first turn as a solo, remembering that there is a second turn that is much steeper than the first. When approaching a turn, calculate braking by looking at the rightmost visible point on the far edge of the first turn. This is not difficult, since we do not need to fantasize about the blind zone - we just focus on the farthest visible area. Bearing in mind that the second turn is steeper, we put the car into a skid in advance, and keep the car nosed into the second turn. This opens us full review the second part of the bundle, and all that remains for us to do is just add an arc and leave. The advantages are obvious - we do not take risks and write an arc only in visible sections, we combine both turns into one arc, without risking underbraking in the turn, we go through the last turn faster, which gives us a speed advantage on the next section of the track.

Some computer games require the use of additional peripheral devices - joysticks, for example, or a steering wheel with pedals.
All these devices, of course, are sold in specialized stores, but you can make them yourself.

In this article, we will talk how to make your own steering wheel and pedals for the computer.

Most personal computers used for gaming have a sound card. This map has a gameport that you can connect joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels and more. All these devices use the capabilities of the game port in the same way - the difference is only in the design of the device, and the person chooses the one that is most suitable and convenient for the game he plays.

Gameport The personal computer supports 4 variable resistances (potentiometers) and 4 momentary pushbutton switches (which are on as long as they are pressed). It turns out that you can connect 2 joysticks to one port: 2 resistances each (one left / right, the other up / down) and 2 buttons for each.

If you look at the sound card, you can easily see the game port, as in this picture.

The blue color indicates which pins in the port correspond to the functions of the joystick: for example, j1 X means "joystick 1 X axis" or btn 1 - "button 1". Needle numbers are shown in black, count from right to left, top to bottom. when using a gameport on a sound card, connections to pins 12 and 15 should be avoided. The sound card uses these outputs for midi for transmit and receive, respectively. In a standard joystick, the X-axis potentiometer is responsible for the movement of the handle left/right, and the resistance of the Y-axis is responsible for forward/backward. With regard to the steering wheel and pedals, the X-axis becomes the control, and the Y-axis becomes the throttle and brake, respectively. The Y axis must be split and wired so that the 2 separate resistances (for the gas and brake pedals) act as one resistance, just like in a standard joystick. Once the idea of ​​a gameport is clear, you can start designing any mechanics around the main two resistances and four switches: steering wheels, motorcycle grips, aircraft traction control... as far as the imagination can go.

steering wheel for computer

This section will tell you how to do Rudder Main Module: A desktop casing that contains almost all of the mechanical and electrical components of the steering wheel. circuit diagram will be explained in the "wiring" section, but the mechanical parts of the wheel will be covered here.

In the figures: 1 - steering wheel; 2 - wheel hub; 3 - shaft (bolt 12mm x 180mm); 4 - screw (holds the bearing on the shaft); 5 - 12mm bearing in the support casing; 6 - centering mechanism; 7 - bolt-limiter; 8 - gears; 9 - 100k linear potentiometer; 10 - plywood base; 11 - rotation limiter; 12 - bracket; 13 - rubber cord; 14 - corner bracket; 15 - gear shift mechanism.

The illustrations above show the general plans of the module (without gearshift mechanism) from the side and top view. To give strength to the entire module structure, a 12mm plywood chamfered box is used, to which a 25mm ledge is attached to the front for fastening to the table. The steering shaft is made from a conventional mounting bolt 180mm long and 12mm in diameter. The bolt has two 5mm holes - one for the stop bolt (7) to limit the rotation of the wheel, and one for the steel pin of the centering mechanism described below. The bearings used have a 12mm inner diameter and are bolted to the shaft with two screws (4). Centering mechanism - the mechanism that returns the steering wheel to the center position. It must work accurately, efficiently, be simple and compact. There are several options, one of them will be described here.

The mechanism (fig. left) consists of two aluminum plates (2), 2mm thick, through which the steering shaft (5) passes. These plates are separated by four 13mm bushings (3). A 5mm hole is drilled in the steering shaft, into which a steel rod (4) is inserted. 22mm bolts (1) go through the plates, bushings and holes drilled in the ends of the rod, fixing it all together. The rubber cord is wound between the bushings on one side, then over the top of the steering shaft, and finally between the bushings on the other side. The tension of the cord can be changed to adjust the resistance of the wheel. To avoid damage to the potentiometer, it is necessary to make a wheel rotation limiter. Almost all industrial steering wheels have a 270 degree rotation range. However, a 350-degree rotation mechanism will be described here, reducing which will not be a problem. A 300mm long steel l-bracket (14) is bolted to the base of the module. This bracket serves several purposes:
- is the place of fastening of the rubber cord of the centering mechanism (two m6 bolts of 20mm at each end);
- provides a reliable stop point for wheel rotation;
- reinforces the entire structure at the moment of cord tension.

Bolt-limiter (7) m5 25mm long is screwed into a vertical hole in the steering shaft. Directly under the shaft, a 20mm m6 bolt (11) is screwed into the bracket. To reduce the sound when struck, rubber tubes can be put on the bolts. If you need a smaller angle of rotation, then two bolts must be screwed into the bracket for necessary distance. The potentiometer is attached to the base through a simple angle and connected to the shaft. The maximum rotation angle of most potentiometers is 270 degrees, and if the steering wheel is designed to rotate 350 degrees, then a gearbox is needed. A couple of gears from a broken printer will fit perfectly. You just need to choose the right number of teeth on the gears, for example 26 and 35. In this case, the gear ratio will be 0.75:1 or a rotation of 350 degrees of the steering wheel will give 262 degrees on the potentiometer. If the steering wheel rotates in the range of 270 degrees, then the shaft is connected to the potentiometer directly.

Computer pedals

The basis of the module " pedals" is made in the same way as a 12mm plywood handlebar module with a hardwood crossbar (3) for mounting the return spring. The sloping shape of the base serves as a footrest. The pedal post (8) is made of 12mm steel tube, to the upper end of which the pedal is bolted. Through the lower the end of the post goes through a 5mm rod that holds the pedal in mounting brackets (6) bolted to the base and made from angle steel.The crossbar (3) runs the full width of the pedal module and is securely (must withstand full extension of the springs) glued and screwed to the base ( 2) The return spring (5) is attached to a steel eye screw (4) that goes through the crossbar just below the pedal. a simple L-bracket (14) at the back of the module The linkage (11) is attached to the actuator (12) on bushings (9, 13), allowing rotational resistance be in the range of 90 degrees.

Computer shift knob

The gear lever is an aluminum structure, as in the picture on the left. A threaded steel rod (2) is attached to the lever through a bushing (1) and passes through a hole drilled in the L-bracket on the base of the handlebar module. On both sides of the hole in the bracket, two springs (1) are installed on the rod and tightened with nuts so that a force is created when the lever moves. Two large washers (4, 2) are located between two microswitches (3), which are screwed one on top of the other to the base. All this is clearly seen in the figures below.

The figure below shows an alternative gear change mechanism - on the steering wheel, as in Formula 1 cars. Here, two small joints (4) are used, which are mounted on the wheel hub. The levers (1) are attached to the hinges in such a way that they can only move in one direction, i.e. towards the wheel. Two small switches (3) are inserted into the holes in the levers, so that when pressed, they rest against the rubber pads (2) glued to the wheel and work. If the circuit breaker is not pressurized enough, then the return of the levers can be ensured by springs (5) mounted on the hinge.

Connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer

A little about how does a potentiometer work. If you remove the cover from it, you can see that it consists of a curved conductive path with pins A and C at the ends and a slider connected to the central pin B (Fig. 11). When the shaft rotates counterclockwise, the resistance between A and B will increase by the same amount as it decreases between C and B. The whole system is connected according to the standard joystick scheme, which has 2 axes and two buttons. The red wire always goes to the middle resistance pin, but the purple one (3) can be connected to any of the side pins, depending on how the resistance is set.

Pedals are not so easy. Turning the steering wheel is equivalent to moving the joystick left / right, and pressing the gas / brake pedals, respectively - up / down. And if you immediately press both pedals, then they mutually exclude each other, and no action will follow. This is a single-axis connection system that most games support. But many modern simulators such as GP3, F1-2000, TOCA 2, etc. use a two-axis throttle/brake system, making it possible to practice the control methods associated with the simultaneous use of gas and brake. Both diagrams are shown below.

Since many games do not support dual axis, it would be wise to build a switch (fig. right), which will allow you to switch between one- and two-axis system with a switch installed in the pedal module or in the "dashboard".

There are not many details in the described device, and the most important of them are potentiometers. First, they must be linear, with a resistance of 100k, and by no means logarithmic (they are sometimes called audio), because they are intended for audio devices, such as volume controls, and have a non-linear resistance trace. Secondly, cheap potentiometers use a graphite track, which will wear out quite quickly. More expensive ones use cermet and conductive plastic. These will last much longer (about 100,000 cycles). Switches - any that are, but, as it was written above, they must have an instantaneous (that is, non-locking) type. These can be obtained from an old mouse. A standard 15-pin D-type joystick connector is available at any radio hardware store. Any wires, the main thing is that they can be easily soldered to the connector.

All tests must be carried out on a device disconnected from the computer. First you need to visually check the solder joints: there should be no extraneous jumpers anywhere and bad contacts. Then you need to calibrate the steering potentiometer. Since a resistance of 100k is used, it is possible to measure the resistance between two adjacent contacts with the instrument and set it to 50k. However, for a more accurate setting, you need to measure the resistance of the potentiometer by turning the steering wheel all the way to the left, then all the way to the right. Determine the range, then divide by 2 and add the lower measurement. The resulting number must be set using the device. In the absence of measuring instruments, you need to set the potentiometer to the center position as far as possible. The pedal potentiometers should be turned on slightly when installed. If a single axis system is used, then the throttle resistance must be set to the center (50k on the instrument) and the brake resistance must be off (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the entire pedal module, measured between needles 6 and 9, should decrease if you press the gas, and increase if you press the brake. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to swap the external contacts of the resistance. If a bi-axial connection is used, both potentiometers can be set to zero. If there is a switch, then the scheme of a single-axis system is checked.

Before connecting to a computer, you need to check electrical circuit so that there is no short circuit. Here you will need a measuring device. We check that there is no contact with + 5v power (needles 1, 8, 9 and 15) and ground (4, 5 and 12). then we check that there is contact between 4 and 2 if you press button 1. The same is between 4 and 7, for button 2. Next, we check the steering wheel: the resistance between 1 and 3 decreases if you turn the wheel to the left, and increases if you turn it to the right. In a single axis system, the resistance between pins 9 and 6 will decrease when the accelerator pedal is depressed and increase when the brake is applied.

The last step is connecting to a computer. After connecting the plug to the sound card, turn on the computer. Go to "Control Panel - Game Controllers" select "Add - Custom". We put the type - "joystick", axes - 2, buttons 2, write the name of the type "LXA4 Super F1 Driving System" and press OK 2 times. If everything was done correctly and the hands grow from where they should, then the "state" field should change to "OK". We click "properties", "configuration" and follow the instructions on the screen. It remains to launch your favorite toy, select your device from the list, if necessary, further configure it, and that's it, good luck!

. Steering wheel diagram + for computer

2016-02-14

Steering wheel diagram + for computer

Do-it-yourself steering wheel and pedals for a computer - Computers and peripherals - Articles - Site of amateur radio operators As you probably know, playing various car simulators with a steering wheel and pedals is much more convenient and realistic than on a keyboard. To precisely fit into the turn, you do not need to repeatedly press the keyboard buttons, but simply smoothly turn the steering wheel as much as necessary. The gas and brake also need smooth control, so the pedals are a must-have addition to the steering wheel. Of course, this is very far from real driving in a real car, but after trying to play with a computer steering wheel, you will no longer want to play with the keyboard.

If the cost of a normal factory steering wheel can kill all your desire to purchase it, the best option would be to make the steering wheel and pedals yourself, especially since they can be easily made at home without special skills. Plus, it won't hurt to break them.

Steering module design
The design of the steering wheel itself is very simple, and if available necessary tools and materials, making a steering module at home is not difficult at all.

Try to plan what you are going to do first with simple sketches. It doesn't have to be masterpieces, ordinary thinking or ideas. It's amazing how often you can spot errors in your thinking before they become real. This will save you a lot of time later.

The pictures above show the general plans of the module: top, front and side. The base of the tablet is made of thick plywood to give strength to the structure.
A long bolt with a diameter of 12mm is used as a steering shaft. The steering wheel and two bearings with an inner diameter of 12mm are fixed to it with nuts. U-shaped metal clamps press the shaft with bearings to the wooden supports. The limiter keeps the shaft from turning in the center position. It is necessary so that a sharp movement does not damage the variable resistor.
The resistor (potentiometer) is attached to the base through a simple steel angle and connected directly to the shaft with a piece of rubber hose. For ease of connection, a small plastic handle is put on the axis of the resistor, matching the diameter of the steering shaft. You must ensure that the centers of rotation of the steering wheel and shaft are exactly the same.

Steering wheel design

First, you must design your steering wheel. Then, armed with a ruler and compass, draw a detailed drawing of the steering wheel. The shape of the finger grip is especially important, so you need to find the most comfortable position for your hands. Remember, if you are an avid racer, you will be spending long hours clutching this wheel in your hands.
Making a steering wheel for a car simulator is not as difficult as you might think. It can be made from one or several layers of fonera, gluing them together. Saw with a jigsaw, clean the sharp edges with sandpaper and cover with several layers of black paint, sanding each layer in between.

Then you will need to make a hub for the rear of the steering wheel. This is nothing more than a square or round block of wood that provides space between the wheel and the front panel, as well as giving extra strength. Fix the hub firmly to the back of the steering wheel with furniture glue or screws. Drill a 12mm hole in the center for the steering shaft (straight! Preferably on a drill press) and the steering wheel can be painted.

Steering wheel centering

First of all, the steering wheel needs a good return force, which, when turning, will return the steering wheel to its original position. This centering method is to drill a horizontal hole through the steering shaft and insert a 5mm cut-off head bolt into it. Grind off the ends of this bolt on both sides with a file and drill holes in the resulting sites. They will allow you to fix the springs in this place. The steering shaft also needs to be ground off on both sides for a good fixation of the nuts.

Then screw the bolt into the drilled hole on the axle and tighten it firmly on both sides with nuts. The other end of the spring clings to the steel L-bracket. When the steering wheel is turned, the springs are stretched, when the steering wheel is released, the springs return to their original position and return the shaft back to the middle position. You can adjust the return force of the steering wheel by tightening or loosening the springs.

steering module retainer

An important factor in the manufacture of the steering wheel is the system of fastening to the table. This fixing system ensures quick installation and removal of the steering module, with a sufficiently rigid fixation.

We bend the U-bracket from the steel plate and drill 4 holes for self-tapping screws, as shown in the figure. After sawing a special presser foot out of hardwood, it is necessary to drill an 8mm hole in the middle of it for a 5mm bolt. Then, screw the foot to the U-bracket with self-tapping screws so that the foot moves freely in it. The distance from the base of the module to the foot should be approximately equal to the thickness of the table to which you are going to install it.

Drill a hole through the base of the steering module and firmly insert a threaded T-sleeve or threaded insert into this hole, into which a 5mm bolt can be screwed. Then screw the U-bracket to the wooden base of the module with two self-tapping screws, pass the bolt with the rotary handle into the hole of the tab and screw it into the T-sleeve. Make sure that the foot is free to move down when the clamp is loosened. For less slip, you can glue a piece of thin rubber to the edge of the foot.

Pedal construction

Everyone who loves to drive in car simulators knows how important it is to have pedals in addition to the steering wheel. They allow you to free one hand and give work to your legs, increasing the realism of control and at the same time simplifying some maneuvers.

This design is very reliable and easy to manufacture. The base and pedals are made of plywood and are attached to each other using pieces of furniture hinges. A hole is drilled in the base under the pedals (approximately 10mm) for the free play of the lever.

The lever is made of a metal rod and is bent to one side on both sides, as seen in the figure. You can fix it to the pedal with a small nail bent into a U-shape.

Springs are needed to return the pedals to their original position and must provide enhanced pressure. It is not necessary to fasten them, because. they will be sandwiched between the pedals and the base.

Variable resistors (100k) are attached to the base via L-brackets on the back of the base. A handle is inserted onto the resistor shaft. It is made from wood or plastic. Use whatever material you have. Two holes are drilled in the handle. The resistor shaft is inserted tightly into one, and the lever into the other so that it spins freely. The handle will still be a backstop, so make it stronger.

As you can see in the picture, the pedals are connected to a resistor through a lever. When the pedal is depressed, the lever passes through the hole in the base and moves the handle down. This increases the resistance of the resistor. With the help of springs, the pedals return to their original position.

In the same way, you can additionally add a clutch pedal to the pedal set if your car simulator fully supports three pedals.

gear shift mechanism Gear shift knob
Almost all modern car simulators support "direct" gear shifting: the player, as in a conventional manual gearbox, shifts the lever to the desired gear. To do this, high-end computer steering wheels make a direct shift lever for 6-7 gears. In this article I will tell you how to make a seven-speed shifter, made in the form of a separate block, fixed in any convenient place separately from the steering wheel. This will be a device with a "straight" shift lever for 6 speeds (excluding reverse), simulating a conventional mechanical box gears.

The main mechanism is made on the principle of a conventional joystick and allows the lever to tilt along the X and Y axis.

Forms for the mechanism can be made from 1mm steel. Bend as shown in the figure and connect to each other through the holes with a sleeve.
The lever itself is made from an ordinary steel rod (about 8mm). A hole is drilled in the lower part of the lever and a sleeve is inserted through the mechanism. This will be the center of rotation of the lever in the Y axis, which directly presses the buttons.

Slightly above the axis of the lever, the hole is not completely drilled. A spring and a small ball from the bearing are inserted into it, coinciding in diameter with the hole. In addition to this, two holes are drilled on the top of the mechanism. The ball falls into these holes and does not allow the lever to move freely from the button, leaving it on.

This is necessary in order to fix the pressed button, because. when the button is released, many simulators automatically turn on neutral.

To prevent damage to the buttons from being hit by the lever during pressing, the buttons are mounted on spring steel plates that are directly attached to the base. The lever presses on the button, which, after being turned on, will be bent in the opposite direction through the plate. Plates of such steel can be obtained from unnecessary VHD video cassettes.

A plate with guide grooves for gears is sawn out of aluminum and mounted on top of the structure. At the ends of each guide, from the bottom side, 7 plates with buttons are attached.

It immediately becomes clear that 4 buttons available from the Gameport will not be enough, so you need to find a way to get 7 independent buttons. The easiest option would be if the electronics were an old USB joystick or gamepad. There are usually enough buttons on it and you don’t have to suffer with soldering a new device.

There is another way to connect the device to the Gameport by soldering a small board. As you can see in the picture below, by connecting 4 buttons from the Gameport with diodes together, you can get a configuration with 7 buttons and one POV.

I can’t say anything about the performance of this scheme, because I myself have not used it. It is quite possible to recognize it by the operating system, you will need special drivers.

Paddle shifters
To switch gears, you can still make paddle shifters, as on some sports cars and in Formula 1. The levers are located on the back of the steering wheel and can be used with your fingers, allowing you to keep contact with the gearbox when turning the steering wheel. This device is supported by all games, since two buttons are enough to operate it.

This is a simple diagram that shows the basic layout of the control levers. The lever can be made of wood, metal, plastic, or whatever. At the end of the lever, two holes are drilled for the screws on which it will hold. The screws must be the right length so that they do not press too hard and restrict the movement of the lever. Two springs are needed to fix the levers in the neutral position. To fix the buttons, you can glue them to the base of the steering wheel in the right place.
Having chosen a place on the back of the steering wheel for attaching the levers, make sure that they will not interfere with the control. If necessary, you can come up with your own convenient shape for them.

Wiring diagram

To connect the steering wheel and pedals, it is necessary that the computer has a sound card with a GAME / MIDI port, to which game devices (joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels) are connected, or the gameport can be built into the motherboard of the system unit.

The steering wheel circuit is no different from the circuit of an ordinary joystick and does not require any drivers or special programs. The gameport supports 4 variable resistances (100k resistors) and 4 momentary buttons that are on while pressed.

In order for the computer to determine the gaming device, it is enough to connect two resistances to the X and Y axes to the gameport. In our case, these are variable resistors of the steering wheel, the X (3) axis and the gas pedal, the Y (6) axis. The X1(11) axis is used for the brake pedal. And the remaining axis Y1(13) can be used for the clutch pedal.

Resistors should be linear (not from volume controls!) from 50k to 200k (it’s better to take 100k). The red wire (+ 5V) always goes to the middle pin of the resistor, but the axis (3, 6, 11 pins) can be connected to any from the side, depending on how the resistor is installed. If the cursor goes to the right when turning the steering wheel to the left, you just need to swap the outer contacts of the resistor. It's the same with pedals.

A standard 15-pin joystick plug can be purchased at any electronics store or radio market. It is better to take a shielded 10-core wire.

Calibration

Before connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer, it is necessary to calibrate the resistors. For a more accurate adjustment, you will need a special measuring device. The steering resistor must be set to the center position. If you are using a 100k resistor, you can measure the resistance between two adjacent pins and set it to 50k. The throttle and brake pedal resistor can be set to minimum resistance (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the resistor should increase if you press the pedal. If this does not happen, then you need to swap the external contacts of the resistor.

Before connecting to the computer, it is necessary to check that there is no short circuit between the +5v contact (1, 8, 9) and ground (4, 5), otherwise the gameport may burn out!!!

We connect the plug to the sound card. In the control panel, select "Game Controllers" then the "Add" button. In the menu, select - "joystick 2 axis 2 buttons" and press "OK". If everything was done correctly, then the "state" field should change to "OK". After that, we need to calibrate the game tablet. In "Properties" click on the "Settings" tab, then on the "Calibrate" button and follow the instructions. Download your favorite car simulator, select your device in the settings, customize it and have fun!

Optics

For greater durability, instead of variable resistors, you can put an optical pair (LED + photodiode). There are no rubbing parts in such a device, and therefore there is practically no wear. Optocouplers can be obtained from an old computer mouse. + 5V is soldered to the middle leg of the photodiode, outputting the corresponding axis to any of the extreme legs. A 100 ohm resistor R limits the current through the LED.
More information about optics can be found here >>

Old as the world. But I think that it will be interesting for you to read it - especially if at least once, while playing races on a computer, you thought about buying a steering wheel.

Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask) In an accessible language, in detail and clearly. Traffic.

In fact, at the beginning there should be a small introduction about the types of games that may require the above manipulators. I am not a seasoned player (I don’t know, fortunately or unfortunately ... I just don’t have time for this, although sometimes I want to play), but I think I won’t be mistaken if I name two types of racing - arcades and simulators.
The first ones are more effective, but simpler in terms of management. The developers do not make great efforts to create a realistic physical model of the behavior of the game car, but simply give you the opportunity to drive to your heart's content. Due to their entertainment and gameplay, as a rule, such games are in great demand among many categories of players. Typical example- series NFS, Race Driver: Grid.

Simulators are a more serious matter, and therefore less common. The main trump card in such games is realistic controls and many settings that really affect the gameplay in one way or another. Examples - NFS Shift, Colin McRae Rally, Live For Speed, GTR and GTR2, rFactor, Richard Burns Rally.

Even if my classification is not correct, it does not change the essence - it is obvious that the steering wheel in racing allows you to achieve more immersion in the game than a couple of buttons on the keyboard.

As you know, the main task of the steering wheel is to accurately measure the angle of deviation of the axis from the “origin”, and then transfer these values ​​to the game. Those. if the steering wheel was physically rotated by 15 degrees, the same value (no more, no less!) should be transferred to the game so that the car turns in the right direction.

The same with the pedals - the more sneaker on the floor, the faster we take off;) But here the most interesting begins ...

I think it's not a secret for anyone that every manufacturer of gaming peripherals is trying to invent something of their own - then there is a chance that the product will be bought. Therefore, at the moment, there are several technologies that are used in such devices. To be precise, there are three solutions to the problem (if someone else knows something about this - add it!) - mechanical, optical and magnetic. Let's figure out what's what and where are the pitfalls.

Variable resistor (potentiometer)

The simplest and cheapest solution - you could see it many times in a huge number of devices, even in bearded years.

The principle of operation is simple - on the axis of the steering wheel (under the body, we do not see this), a small gear is attached, which is connected with its teeth to another gear mounted on the axis of the potentiometer. By turning the steering wheel, the mechanism comes into action - the contacts of the potentiometer transmit the values ​​​​of the angle of rotation of the steering wheel to the controller, and that one - to the game. It also happens that the axes of the pedals are directly connected to the potentiometers, but this does not matter - these “clocks” are arranged in such a way that in any case there will be backlash.

They, in turn, are the cause of "dead zones" of the steering wheel, when the game does not see minor turns of the steering wheel. And the mechanical wear of parts will only contribute to this.

But the owner of such a device is not fed up with backlash alone. The main problem is the destruction of the engines and the erasure of the resistive track of the potentiometer. One engine slides along the rotor, the second - along the resistive track. Nothing lasts forever - all these elements are erased. For a better visualization, below is a picture.

As a result, after a while, the potentiometer starts to give incorrect data (those who found Soviet TVs and radios, on which the volume was controlled just by potentiometers, should remember how the sound began to “wheeze” when the knob was turned - this is how the internal destruction of the potentiometer manifests itself) . That is why the potentiometer cannot work for a very long time - you cannot violate the laws of nature ... and everything that rubs will fail sooner or later. And the more vigorously you rub, the faster it will happen.

The result - an expensive device in a short time will become just a "visual" addition to the game, but not a means for getting pleasure;)

pros
- Simplicity and low cost of manufacture.
Minuses
- Fragility to mechanical wear;
- "Dead zones" of the steering wheel and pedals.

Optical sensor (encoder)

Another, more reliable solution to the problem is to use an optical sensor.
The principle of operation can also be familiar to many from a school physics course. A rotating disk with slots is fixed on a special stand, the indications of rotation from which are read by a fixed photocell. Due to the fact that there is no mechanical contact between the “wheel” and the photocell, mechanical wear is minimized. BUT ... due to the fact that this disk does not have a "center" (reference point), it has to be calibrated every time it is turned on.

That is why, some steering wheels, when you turn on the computer or reboot it, with the built-in drive, first turn the steering wheel to the end in one direction, then in the other. By dividing this value in half, the device knows from which position of the slotted disc it should report.

Despite the fact that the cheapness of the sensor itself takes place, the steering wheels on optics cost much more than steering wheels on potentiometers. It is precisely because of the need for calibration that the developer of the steering wheel on optics is ambushed. The sensor is cheap, but when you turn it on, how do you know if the steering wheel is in the central position? A widely used solution is to put an electric motor that will turn the steering wheel to find the center. But in order for the electric motor to turn the steering wheel, it is necessary to install a gearbox that will translate the high-speed rotation of the motor shaft into the smooth movement of the steering wheel. As a result, a cheap sensor entails expensive mechanics - an electric motor and a gearbox.

There are usually no dead zones, but they can occur as the gears of the gearbox wear out, which, with the help of powerful feedback (Force Feedback), can be killed even faster.
Next on the list are the rather large sizes of the sensor and gearbox, due to which the optics are inserted only into the steering wheels. Therefore, all steering wheels operating on optical sensors are equipped with pedals on ... variable resistors, which were mentioned above)

The result is a similar song, but for more thousands. "Sweeten" emotions from additional costs can Force Feedback (force feedback), which is implemented by the above-mentioned engine. Do not stand idle for him just like that) But this does not solve the problem with the pedals! ...

pros
- Non-contact, no friction;
- Cheapness of the encoder itself;

Minuses
- Forced calibration required;
- Large dimensions of the gearbox, it is difficult to install in the pedal;
- The high cost of manufacturing a gearbox and an electric drive for calibration.

Now is the time to make a small lyrical digression, because gradually we crept up to the most interesting;) If we consider a more global field of activity, at least such as the automotive industry, we can pay attention to the fact that all leading companies in most cases have long abandoned variable resistors and optical sensors in their vehicles. Magnetic sensors are widely used, the largest supplier of which is the well-known company Philips, or rather its subsidiary Philips NXP Semiconductors.

Such sensors can be used anywhere - in reclining car seats stuffed with electronics; in the pedals and in the steering wheel, in the wipers, in the elements of the engine … but in many places!

It is unlikely that manufacturers would choose unreliable solutions ... so why not apply this technology in gaming products? Indeed, in this case, the steering wheel will be like in good foreign cars;)

Magnetic sensor

The principle of operation is as follows - a diametrically magnetized magnet is taken, which is securely installed in the moving part of the case, in our case it is the steering wheel itself.

In a fixed case, the sensor itself is mounted directly, which processes the values ​​of the magnet rotation angles.

Due to the fact that smart electronics are able to work with a magnet at some distance from it, there is no mechanical wear as such. There is nothing to break either - small fragile parts are simply absent.

The second barrel of honey in a fly in the ointment is the highest accuracy, which is obtained with this approach - the electronics are able to register turns in hundredths of a degree!
Well, the third no less pleasant bonus - small size magnet and sensor, which makes it possible to install them even in the steering wheel, even in the pedal. Actually, that's what they do.

pros
- Non-contact operation, no friction and mechanical wear;
- High accuracy and registration of the slightest deviations of the steering wheel or pedals;
- Small size.

Minuses
- More expensive than resistors and optical encoders.

When writing the text about the third type of sensors, a feeling of pride for “ours” involuntarily arises - until recently, no one except a domestic company Gametrix this technology in available gaming devices did not seem to be used.

They have sensors named MaRS (Ma genetic R essential S sensor, Ma rotten R existential With sensor).

Theory vs practice

folk proverb hints that it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times;) Well, let's reinforce what has been said with a practical test.

For the experiment you will need:

- Three steering wheels (on three types of sensors - resistor, optical and magnetic)
- Program JoyTester(to visually display the data received from the steering wheel controller and pedals)
- 2006 NFS World Champion - Alan Enileev :)

So, at first three steering wheels were taken, which were connected in series to the computer. We will not play yet - just small field tests in the JoyTester program. This program draws lines in the coordinate plane corresponding to the angles of the steering wheel or the degree of pedaling.

Sensor on the potentiometer

Let's start with the fact that the rudder does not handle small rudder deviations to the right and left, which occur directly near the "center of coordinates" at all. Those are the dead zones that I spoke about. Those. if you are rushing in a straight line in the game, then you can not pretend to be a seasoned carrier, who with small turns keeps full control over the road) In other words, the game will not notice your efforts) Moreover, the movements that are made in maximum angles turn. Because of this, many people get the impression that all steering wheels and steering wheel games are bullshit. They say you turn the steering wheel, and at least henna to the car. This hits the pride of really experienced motorists a lot;)

The manufacturer is proud of the steering angle of 270 degrees (and sometimes 900!), They say you can twist-twist-not flip. Well... given that almost everywhere an 8-bit controller is used, which produces 256 readings, the minimum perception angle is 270/256 = 1.056 degrees. This same degree, or rather the "ladder" that the game receives, we can see in the program, significantly deflecting the steering wheel.

Another emerging drawback is non-linearity. Those. the difference between the actual deflection angle of the gaming device and the data passed to the game.

Pedals are also something. It all starts with the fact that the pedals do not process the dead zone at the very beginning, and it is neither more nor less - about 30% of the entire range (15-30 degrees). The same 30% is the dead zone at the end of the range that the kit offers. In total, we have only 40 percent of the total pedal travel at our disposal.

The result - we press the slipper on the floor, and the game looks at it and frankly laughs) Accordingly, you will not be able to accurately "dos" the gas and brake - pressing the pedal by 70%, the game will take them for all 100. Where is this good?)

optical sensor

Everything is better here. Firstly, there are no dead zones, and secondly, the accuracy is much higher. The data flows smoothly, there are no “steps”. The teeth of the gearbox gears, which are clearly felt when the steering wheel is rotated, are a little straining, but you quickly get used to them.

But ... steering wheels on optical sensors are equipped with pedals on resistors)
Pedals included:

The data comes in jerky (steps are clearly visible), at the beginning and at the end there are large dead zones. Which, however, is not surprising.

Magnetic sensor

The Gametrix Viper steering wheel has three magnetic sensors - one in the steering wheel and two in each pedal (allows you to process turns and pressures from 0.06 degrees).

For a more obvious difference in behavior, a layout was assembled in which two sensors are used for one steering wheel at once - magnetic and resistor.

We launch the program and ... I think comments are superfluous.

But if you didn’t understand anything, the magnetic sensor registers even the smallest deviations of the steering wheel from the center, fully fulfills the entire range that the steering wheel provides ... and the same goes for the pedals. I think this is exactly what game developers are counting on when releasing their masterpieces.

3... 2... 1... GO!

Well, perhaps the most interesting part of the test. Alan Enileev, the best virtual race car driver in the world in 2006, was invited to ride in the game under the supervision of programs such as JoyLogger and wheel tester.

Analyzing the recording of Alan's game, it was found that the most requested rotation angles in the game are in the range from -20 to +20 degrees from the center. It is those degrees that are in the dead zone on the rudders on the potentiometers;)

It also turned out that on average the player makes one movement of the steering wheel per second. And given that the resource of the budget potentiometer is only 800,000 cycles (800,000 seconds), the playing time for which the steering wheel is designed is only 250 game hours! Well, or a little more than 10 days of continuous play ... hmm.

If you play 2-4 hours a day, then the pleasure will last only 4-6 months (in fact, here you can pay attention to the warranty period provided by most manufacturers). Even if after this time the steering wheel remains alive, the readings transmitted by it to the game will be far from real.
But this is just a crumb inside the device, which we don’t even see ... I’m not even talking about other artifacts that will come out on cheap devices.

Total

If you are really partial to car simulators on the computer, then without a steering wheel and pedals, "the joy will be incomplete." The range of gaming devices on the market is now very wide, but in fact, they are all the same - only the “peel” changes. Therefore, the first piece of advice - do not enter into the scattering of buttons, heaps of pedals, all sorts of little things and other zakosy under famous brands like a Ferrari (oh, there was an association with Cherkizovsky majors in Harley Davidson jackets by chance). Yes, all these fashionable finishes can be beautiful, but ... 15 kilobytes of text above are confirmed by practice and numerous forum topics.

Nothing lasts forever - any product, and even more so, subject to active mechanical impact, will fail sooner or later. But the lifetimes of these devices vary greatly. Therefore, I think it is better not to have a separate expense item, buying a new set of handlebars and pedals once a year, but to buy a once, but durable and more functional product.
After the purchase, game developers will remain in debt - really high-quality car simulators can now be counted on the fingers.

*UPD: Programs

As you probably know, playing various car simulators with a steering wheel and pedals is much more convenient and realistic than using a keyboard. To precisely fit into the turn, you do not need to repeatedly press the keyboard buttons, but simply smoothly turn the steering wheel as much as necessary. The gas and brake also need smooth control, so the pedals are a must-have addition to the steering wheel. Of course, this is very far from real driving in a real car, but after trying to play with a computer steering wheel, you will no longer want to play with the keyboard.

If the cost of a normal factory steering wheel can kill all your desire to purchase it, the best option would be to make the steering wheel and pedals yourself, especially since they can be easily made at home without special skills. Plus, it won't hurt to break them.

Steering module design

The design of the steering wheel itself is very simple, and with the necessary tools and materials, making a steering module at home is not difficult at all.

Try to plan what you are going to do first with simple sketches. It doesn't have to be masterpieces, ordinary thinking or ideas. It's amazing how often you can spot errors in your thinking before they become real. This will save you a lot of time later.

The pictures above show the general plans of the module: top, front and side. The base of the tablet is made of thick plywood to give strength to the structure.
A long bolt with a diameter of 12mm is used as a steering shaft. The steering wheel and two bearings with an inner diameter of 12mm are fixed to it with nuts. U-shaped metal clamps press the shaft with bearings to the wooden supports. The limiter keeps the shaft from turning in the center position. It is necessary so that a sharp movement does not damage the variable resistor.
The resistor (potentiometer) is attached to the base through a simple steel angle and connected directly to the shaft with a piece of rubber hose. For ease of connection, a small plastic handle is put on the axis of the resistor, matching the diameter of the steering shaft. You must ensure that the centers of rotation of the steering wheel and shaft are exactly the same.

Steering wheel design

First, you must design your steering wheel. Then, armed with a ruler and compass, draw a detailed drawing of the steering wheel. The shape of the finger grip is especially important, so you need to find the most comfortable position for your hands. Remember, if you are an avid racer, you will be spending long hours clutching this wheel in your hands.
Making a steering wheel for a car simulator is not as difficult as you might think. It can be made from one or several layers of fonera, gluing them together. Saw with a jigsaw, clean the sharp edges with sandpaper and cover with several layers of black paint, sanding each layer in between.

Then you will need to make a hub for the rear of the steering wheel. This is nothing more than a square or round block of wood that provides space between the wheel and the front panel, as well as giving extra strength. Fix the hub firmly to the back of the steering wheel with furniture glue or screws. Drill a 12mm hole in the center for the steering shaft (straight! Preferably on a drill press) and the steering wheel can be painted.

Steering wheel centering

First of all, the steering wheel needs a good return force, which, when turning, will return the steering wheel to its original position. This centering method is to drill a horizontal hole through the steering shaft and insert a 5mm cut-off head bolt into it. Grind off the ends of this bolt on both sides with a file and drill holes in the resulting sites. They will allow you to fix the springs in this place. The steering shaft also needs to be ground off on both sides for a good fixation of the nuts.

Then screw the bolt into the drilled hole on the axle and tighten it firmly on both sides with nuts. The other end of the spring clings to the steel L-bracket. When the steering wheel is turned, the springs are stretched, when the steering wheel is released, the springs return to their original position and return the shaft back to the middle position. You can adjust the return force of the steering wheel by tightening or loosening the springs.

steering module retainer

An important factor in the manufacture of the steering wheel is the system of fastening to the table. This fixing system ensures quick installation and removal of the steering module, with a sufficiently rigid fixation.

We bend the U-bracket from the steel plate and drill 4 holes for self-tapping screws, as shown in the figure. After sawing a special presser foot out of hardwood, it is necessary to drill an 8mm hole in the middle of it for a 5mm bolt. Then, screw the foot to the U-bracket with self-tapping screws so that the foot moves freely in it. The distance from the base of the module to the foot should be approximately equal to the thickness of the table to which you are going to install it.

Drill a hole through the base of the steering module and firmly insert a threaded T-sleeve or threaded insert into this hole, into which a 5mm bolt can be screwed. Then screw the U-bracket to the wooden base of the module with two self-tapping screws, pass the bolt with the rotary handle into the hole of the tab and screw it into the T-sleeve. Make sure that the foot is free to move down when the clamp is loosened. For less slip, you can glue a piece of thin rubber to the edge of the foot.

Pedal construction

Everyone who loves to drive in car simulators knows how important it is to have pedals in addition to the steering wheel. They allow you to free one hand and give work to your legs, increasing the realism of control and at the same time simplifying some maneuvers.

This design is very reliable and easy to manufacture. The base and pedals are made of plywood and are attached to each other using pieces of furniture hinges. A hole is drilled in the base under the pedals (approximately 10mm) for the free play of the lever.

The lever is made of a metal rod and is bent to one side on both sides, as seen in the figure. You can fix it to the pedal with a small nail bent into a U-shape.

Springs are needed to return the pedals to their original position and must provide enhanced pressure. It is not necessary to fasten them, because. they will be sandwiched between the pedals and the base.

Variable resistors (100k) are attached to the base via L-brackets on the back of the base. A handle is inserted onto the resistor shaft. It is made from wood or plastic. Use whatever material you have. Two holes are drilled in the handle. The resistor shaft is inserted tightly into one, and the lever into the other so that it spins freely. The handle will still be a backstop, so make it stronger.

As you can see in the picture, the pedals are connected to a resistor through a lever. When the pedal is depressed, the lever passes through the hole in the base and moves the handle down. This increases the resistance of the resistor. With the help of springs, the pedals return to their original position.

In the same way, you can additionally add a clutch pedal to the pedal set if your car simulator fully supports three pedals.

gear shift mechanism

Gear shift knob

Almost all modern car simulators support "direct" gear shifting: the player, as in a conventional manual gearbox, shifts the lever to the desired gear. To do this, high-end computer steering wheels make a direct shift lever for 6-7 gears. In this article I will tell you how to make a seven-speed shifter, made in the form of a separate block, fixed in any convenient place separately from the steering wheel. It will be a 6-speed "direct" shifter (not counting reverse), mimicking a conventional manual transmission.

The main mechanism is made on the principle of a conventional joystick and allows the lever to tilt along the X and Y axis.

Forms for the mechanism can be made from 1mm steel. Bend as shown in the figure and connect to each other through the holes with a sleeve.
The lever itself is made from an ordinary steel rod (about 8mm). A hole is drilled in the lower part of the lever and a sleeve is inserted through the mechanism. This will be the center of rotation of the lever in the Y axis, which directly presses the buttons.

Slightly above the axis of the lever, the hole is not completely drilled. A spring and a small ball from the bearing are inserted into it, coinciding in diameter with the hole. In addition to this, two holes are drilled on the top of the mechanism. The ball falls into these holes and does not allow the lever to move freely from the button, leaving it on.

This is necessary in order to fix the pressed button, because. when the button is released, many simulators automatically turn on neutral.

To prevent damage to the buttons from being hit by the lever during pressing, the buttons are mounted on spring steel plates that are directly attached to the base. The lever presses on the button, which, after being turned on, will be bent in the opposite direction through the plate. Plates of such steel can be obtained from unnecessary VHD video cassettes.

A plate with guide grooves for gears is sawn out of aluminum and mounted on top of the structure. At the ends of each guide, from the bottom side, 7 plates with buttons are attached.

It immediately becomes clear that 4 buttons available from the Gameport will not be enough, so you need to find a way to get 7 independent buttons. The easiest option would be if the electronics were an old USB joystick or gamepad. There are usually enough buttons on it and you don’t have to suffer with soldering a new device.

There is another way to connect the device to the Gameport by soldering a small board. As you can see in the picture below, by connecting 4 buttons from the Gameport with diodes together, you can get a configuration with 7 buttons and one POV.

I can’t say anything about the performance of this scheme, because I myself have not used it. It is quite possible to recognize it by the operating system, you will need special drivers.

To switch gears, you can still make paddle shifters, as on some sports cars and in Formula 1. The levers are located on the back of the steering wheel and can be used with your fingers, allowing you to keep contact with the gearbox when turning the steering wheel. This device is supported by all games, since two buttons are enough to operate it.

This is a simple diagram that shows the basic layout of the control levers. The lever can be made of wood, metal, plastic, or whatever. At the end of the lever, two holes are drilled for the screws on which it will hold. The screws must be the right length so that they do not press too hard and restrict the movement of the lever. Two springs are needed to fix the levers in the neutral position. To fix the buttons, you can glue them to the base of the steering wheel in the right place.
Having chosen a place on the back of the steering wheel for attaching the levers, make sure that they will not interfere with the control. If necessary, you can come up with your own convenient shape for them.

Wiring diagram

To connect the steering wheel and pedals, it is necessary that the computer has a sound card with a GAME / MIDI port, to which game devices (joysticks, gamepads, steering wheels) are connected, or the gameport can be built into the motherboard of the system unit.

The steering wheel circuit is no different from the circuit of an ordinary joystick and does not require any drivers or special programs. The gameport supports 4 variable resistances (100k resistors) and 4 momentary buttons that are on while pressed.

In order for the computer to determine the gaming device, it is enough to connect two resistances to the X and Y axes to the gameport. In our case, these are variable resistors of the steering wheel, the X (3) axis and the gas pedal, the Y (6) axis. The X1(11) axis is used for the brake pedal. And the remaining axis Y1(13) can be used for the clutch pedal.

Resistors should be linear (not from volume controls!) from 50k to 200k (it’s better to take 100k). The red wire (+ 5V) always goes to the middle pin of the resistor, but the axis (3, 6, 11 pins) can be connected to any from the side, depending on how the resistor is installed. If the cursor goes to the right when turning the steering wheel to the left, you just need to swap the outer contacts of the resistor. It's the same with pedals.

A standard 15-pin joystick plug can be purchased at any electronics store or radio market. It is better to take a shielded 10-core wire.

Calibration

Before connecting the steering wheel and pedals to the computer, it is necessary to calibrate the resistors. For a more accurate adjustment, you will need a special measuring device. The steering resistor must be set to the center position. If you are using a 100k resistor, you can measure the resistance between two adjacent pins and set it to 50k. The throttle and brake pedal resistor can be set to minimum resistance (0k). If everything is done correctly, then the resistance of the resistor should increase if you press the pedal. If this does not happen, then you need to swap the external contacts of the resistor.

Before connecting to the computer, it is necessary to check that there is no short circuit between the +5v contact (1, 8, 9) and ground (4, 5), otherwise the gameport may burn out!!!

We connect the plug to the sound card. In the control panel, select "Game Controllers" then the "Add" button. In the menu, select - "joystick 2 axis 2 buttons" and press "OK". If everything was done correctly, then the "state" field should change to "OK". After that, we need to calibrate the game tablet. In "Properties" click on the "Settings" tab, then on the "Calibrate" button and follow the instructions. Download your favorite car simulator, select your device in the settings, customize it and have fun!

For greater durability, instead of variable resistors, you can put an optical pair (LED + photodiode). There are no rubbing parts in such a device, and therefore there is practically no wear. Optocouplers can be obtained from an old computer mouse. + 5V is soldered to the middle leg of the photodiode, outputting the corresponding axis to any of the extreme legs. A 100 ohm resistor R limits the current through the LED.
For more information about optics, see