Starting my first 2DOF DIY motion rig

Hi X-Simulator community,

I already started building my first DIY motion rig with the goal of putting it together with my PS4.
I read a lot of Tutorials, build reports and FAQ to feel prepared to start my first project like this, I've never dealed with an Arduino before but I was trained in electronics 20 ywears ago , let's see what is still in mind.

I'm a bit afraid of the PS4 connection. Noorbeast told me vinthel is the PS "crack" here but searching the forum there was no tutorial for the console connection (exept one for the Xbox one which is not suitable i guess). Can anyone give me hint of a build thread or a tutorial how to connect PS4 and SimTools, or at least a tutorial about UDP?

Actually I'm doing SimRacing on PS4 with Logitech G29 and a Playseat as you can see below.



Parts I've chosen were:

Arduino Mega 2560 - (I've ordered a clone from ELEGOO)
Monster Moto Shield

Power Supply 12V - 360W

cardan joint - (out of Yamahe 650 motobike)

Worm Gear Motors - (60rpm/60W - hopefully fast and powerful enough)

10K linear pots

Now all the parts arrived and I started mounting a small test stand to wire and check the combination of Arduino, Driver and Motors with the SMC3 Software and code from RufusDufus, many thanks from my side .

Putting all together, unfortunately the first problems raised when trying to connect with SMC3. An error with Kp response of motor occured and finally (after checking this forum) I found the Mega is communication slightly different than the UNO RufusDufus used.

So I made the decision not to modify the code but to order an Arduino UNO (again clone from ELEGOO) and try again --> it works . Both motors are acting as expected --> SO I think SMC3 code is not working with Arduino Mega without modification.

Today I'm going to make some pictures and a small video of the test stand.

Next steps will be installing SimTools and therefore I want to go with to code of RacingMat, as he was using the same setup than me and had shared all the parameters for interface, axis and so on, hopefully this makes my life easier . Again many thanks from my side .


BR
Chris

Thanks noorbeast,

I already read these instructions by vhinsel but how to do the connection between PS and PC. In my setup the PS is connected to my home network via network cable and PC is connected via WiFi. Is it just the included .exe?

I'm going to try the SimTools - PS connection within this week. I'll come come up with more detailed questions when I made fist experience.

BR
Chris

As promised here are some pictures of my test stand.

The gears are 3D printed and designed with Fusion 360 (with an additional module the software has for free )

I installed and tested SimTools... it seems that everything moves like expected for now.

But I think the motors are too slow, has anybody experience with slower wormgear motors (60rpm)? I also have the feeling the motors move slower backwards than foreward (see video here: https://youtu.be/s_gg9T_CfIE ).

BR Chris

Also made a spontanous bargain buy yesterday. I originally planned to go with the chair of my existing playseat but... than this inevitable offer came up... .



BR Chris

Got it with the video, thank you.

Regarding MM, I have another one to test but I was wondering both motors (and so on both channels of MM) behave similar. So I'll test the other MM and see what's the matter.

What do you think about 60rpm? I've read some build reports where people go with wiper motors and they are also slow (no idea of wiper rpm but should be <60??).

By the way, seeing first movements under SimTools Output testing I was enthusiastic to see "real moves" coming from a game. So I installed LFS on my Laptop, but never got momement to my test stand.

What I have done:

Install and test (via Output testing) SimTools/Motors - ok
Install LFS - ok
Patch LFS with GameManager - ok
Game Manager and Game Engine running in Game mode - ok
Drive a round and see motors moving - damn, nothing happens

As I am a console player I haven't added a Joystick or steering wheel to my Laptop (only driving with arrow keys for testing).

I had a spare Corbeau seat left over from when I sold my Spec Miata but later sold it too thinking I didn't need it anymore. Then I stumbled onto this site and now I really wish I had kept it.

If you're using 360º pots, could you change the gearing coming off your motor to make the pots use all 360º? From my readings on this site it should increase resolution.

It should be easy to use other (unequal) gearings. When using something in between 120 and 180° of the wiper motor and a 360° pot it should be around 2:1. Maybe I try, just have to print new gearings.

BR
Chris

Update!

Made some progress this weekend. As the electronics perform more or less as expected, I started mechanic work this weekend. I really like the design of Halloween2go, so maybe some similarity is recognizable .

First i built the frame for the seat and checked seat balance where to mount the kardan joint and tested on a wooden plate cause I was crazy about to see the seat moving.



It was getting really late this first day .

Then building the lower frame and connecting both elements.



Getting late again (or dark early).

Thats the result of this weekend:


I think I have to add some more stiffener to the motor holding fixtures.

BR Chris

HELP!!

Still the same topic.

I'm running SMC3 code and within SMCutils everything is fine and moving. Closing Simutils and opening GameEngine, in Output Test Mode (DOF Output) everythings is fine too with these settings:


So far so good. But trying LFS with SimTools I get no communication.

What have I done:
- Going to Pluginupdater and Moving LFS Plugin to the Window --> Files installed succesfully
- Closing Pluginupdater, opening Gamemanager and Gameengine (still same setup), than patched LFS --> Files installed succesfully
- Opening GameEngine and Tuning Center
- Starting LFS --> Gameengine shows "Game on"
- switching to virtual axis, Turn on --> NOTHING
- switching to Axis Output with "Game on" --> NOTHING

The config.txt from LFS folder is attached. Any idea?

BR Chris

Thanks for the quick response @noorbeast. I did, no success. Do you know which files will be created mentioned in the thread? Maybe I can lokk at the folder if they exist? By the way, just another stupid question from a german guy , what is "first pirson mode"? Can you show me a screenshot which shows this setup point? I used single player race and tried normal cockpit view and also the view wich shows just the tires which is named "self view" in german. I guess that's first person mode, maybe this is someting different.

I unpatched, closed Simtools and LFS, restart LFS, start single player race (in 2 differentviews) and drove a round than started gamemanager and patched LFS --> no success, nothing moves, upper line in tuning center still empty and also virtual axis shows no movement.


BR
Chris

Ok, I'll give it a try in the evening. Am I correct with my guess due to FPM?

Yes, I copied my axis parameters from default to LFS (see the first picture in the thread before.

BR Chris

This was just a try to eliminate hard Motor movement and I also tried without filter, this should not be the reason.