>I am a part time sim racer. I don't have the time or the connection to
>race online. I do like to race at home from time to time. I am
>interested in making my own controller. I presently use a hand held
>steering wheel from InterNet. I have not found any other hand held
>controller like this one. I have contacted the company (British) but
>they have not responded. I do not want to get a wheel and pedals. I am
>happy with a simple hand held controller. My question is how hard it
>would be to make my own? What parts would I need or is some of the
>controllers available for PC's have the following:
>1 - A variable wheel.
>2 - A variable throttle control
>3 - A variable brake control
>4 - at least four option buttons.
>The wheel that I use connects through the sound card. I assume it is
>analog. Would a digital controller be different?
>Mack
Interact, makers of the V3 wheel, used to make a *force feedback*
hand held controler. It is no longer listed in their catalog.
There are also two options that I know of for using an R/C car
controler with a PC. One, by Dura Trax uses the shell of an old style
Futaba radio as a PC controler. It comes with an R/C car simulator
program. The other, by Serpent, is an interface box that allows you to
use an existing R/C radio as a PC controler. This is an expensive, and
less than optimum, solution unless you already own the radio.
I would consider this a fairly easy DIY project, but then I've also
designed and built my own R/C infrared transponder system, hardware
and supporting timing software, from scratch by myself. I'm the handy
sort.
All you would need is a wiring diagram for the gameport, available
from a number of sources on the web, use google, a couple of 100k
pots, you could always just go to Radio Shack, but mouser.com will
give you military spec pots if you're willing to pay for them, some
wire, four buttons and a DB-15 connector, also available at Radio
Shack, and somthing to mount them on.
Plus a bit of***ing around with the actual control interfaces to the
pots.
If you're the sort who enjoys doing this for the sheer pleasure of it,
go ahead and build.
If not, just by the Dura Trax:
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
KFG
