New Windows app that combines multiple devices to emulate ONE G27 on PC!!!!

[isamu]

Hello gentlemen,

I would like to introduce you to a new windows controller app called GIMX.

This are GIMX's homepages:

http://gimx.fr/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

http://blog.gimx.fr/



GIMX just released a new version! This is a program that normally  allows you to emulate a Logitech G27 wheel on a Playstation 3 or 4, but now there is a new version that allows you emulate them on a Windows PC using *another* Windows PC!!!!!

That's right...using two windows machines, one acting as one big controller "hub", you can connect all your devices to that machine and emulate a G27 using one PC as the "Target PC" and the other PC as the "Controller Hub", if you will. So here's what I've found interesting....

Because GIMX has now essentially turned my Bodnar wheel into a "Virtual G27", my wheel now works beautifully with FXT, except for the fact that it doesn't deliver a Spring effect properly. This is strictly a GIMX issue and the author is aware and working on it. But otherwise, ALL other effects from FXT work as they're supposed to!!!!!!!!!!! I'm assuming this is because Howard has coded the effects to work well and be as compatible as possible with Logitech wheels, since that is the only wheel he has access to and that is completely understandable and perfectly OK. Other wheels like my Bodnar wheel however, don't play nice with FXT so you fixing the device ID bug no longer matters in my case, since I no longer plan on using my Bodnar wheel directly with FXT. Instead I will be using my "Virtual" Logitech G27, via GIMX emulation, to play the game, and once the author of GIMX addresses the Spring effect issue, everything will be gravy and FXT will be working properly 

What I love about GIMX is the fact that by using two PC's, it means that one acts as a controller hub..... which means the other one only needs ONE USB connection, and sees the other PC(the one with all your USB devices) as *ONE* Logitech G27 wheel! That is awesome! No more messing around with games that don't work properly with multiple USB devices! Now I have, for all intents and purposes, a G27, that's customize-able to MY liking, and I can combine as many controllers as I want and map any button or axis to ANY function on the "Virtual G27" that I want. Absolutely ridiculously badass!!! And yes, all force feedback effects work and are delivered to my Bodnar wheel, except spring. Once he fixes this it's a wrap!   


Mathieu has JUST decided to make this Virtual G27 firmware public and posted on his forum. We are looking for other beta testers so we can get down to the bottom of the center spring issue. If you want to participate in the beta test you will the following:

1)An extra windows machine. Doesn't matter how weak or powerful the PC is, I picked up a crappy laptop on ebay for $100 last week specifically for this purpose and it works perfectly.

2)A GIMX adapter. You can build your own or order one from here: http://www.steve-marton.com/gimx/?product=diy-usb-adapter-for-gimx . And yes, I know it says ".....on PS4", but this new firmware is custom and designed specifically for windows.

3)The firmware: available in this GIMX forum thread.... https://forum.gimx.fr/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1804 . You can skip the first few posts. Scroll down to the one with the date Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:22 am.



That's pretty much it guys. I know most people on here already own Logitech G25 or G27 wheels so this probably won't really interest you, but for those like me with wheels and hardware that fall into the "niche" category, and who uses multiple devices simultaneously, this application is a GODSEND!!!  

[Howard_Casto]

That's very nice. 

Since I'm building everything from scratch with a generic Logitech as a base it would be nice to have this for those games that can't quite figure out what to do with the wheel. 

[isamu]

That's very nice. 

Since I'm building everything from scratch with a generic Logitech as a base it would be nice to have this for those games that can't quite figure out what to do with the wheel.

Indeed^

[Boomslang]

Sorry i don't fully understand what this does

Why do I require a second pc? Can it make my logitech g29 and fanatec clubsport shifter show up on windows as 1 logitech g27 with logitech shifter attached?

[isamu]

Sorry i don't fully understand what this does

Why do I require a second pc? Can it make my logitech g29 and fanatec clubsport shifter show up on windows as 1 logitech g27 with logitech shifter attached?

Yes Boomslang this will most certainly accomplish that goal, and more.

You need a second PC because it will act as a USB device "HUB".  In your case you would connect your fanaetc shifter, G29, and any other device your laptop or pc can take, then you connect the GIMX adapter from *that* PC, to your Gaming PC. Your gaming PC will then see the other PC as *ONE* device....that device will be a Logitech G27.  The scenario I describe above is if you want to game on PC.

Now, if you only want to combine your G29 and Fanatec shifter into one controller and use it on your PS4, then you don't need a second PC. Just connect your devices to the PC, then connect the GIMX adapter to the PS4 and make sure the GIMX software is configured and running properly, and the PS4 will see them as one G29.

Keep in mind bro....there are several different firmware you can use on the GIMX adapter. If you plan on using your PS4, you will need to flash the adapter with the G29emu firmware. If you want mainly to use your devices to play PC games, then you need to flash it with the G27PC firmware. Flashing the adapter with different firmware is fairly painless. Just follow the step by step by step instructions. But for me personally, I would rather not go through that hassle of having to keep flashing different FW back and forth to one adapter, so I own three of them  One with the G27PCemu FW, one with a G27PS3emu FW, and the third one with a Logitech Driving Force emu FW. The latter allows me to play Ridge Racer 7 on PS3 with my Bodnar wheel, which I'm estatic about.

If you don't wanna build the adapter yourself(a relatively easy task if you're into that sorta thing) then buy one from Steele_3D. He's making a bunch more of 'em this weekend.

Let me know if you have any more questions brother. I'll be happy to answer and help you out as best I can. Believe me this entire solution was a bit intimidating for me at first, as someone who browsing around their site a while back and trying to figure out just what the hell this does. But once I read more about how it works and how to set it up, I decided to take the plunge and boy am I glad I did!

It's not for everyone, because most people aren't that hardcore that they would want to obtain a second PC just to use as a controller hub, but the GIMX solution has been a GODSEND for my racing setup! I can't begin to describe how many problems it has solved for me, between games bitching and moaning about multiple controllers being attached, or not being able to place my steering wheel at the top of the Windows Controller #ID List, or the game simply not delivering the proper FFb effects to my Bodnar wheel, because it doesn't know what the hell a "Bodnar wheel" is.

Hell, even that issue in Sega Rally that I complained about a while back when it would make my wheel pull to the left all the time for some stupid reason, has been fixed because the emulator now sees it as a G27. Absolutely bananas!!! 

[Boomslang]

Sweet man!!

Where do I buy it?

I'm not sure who Steele_3D is

[Boomslang]

I saw that stuff about a raspberry pi running it?

So can I use that as a computer to do it? or does it need a normal pc

[isamu]

Sweet man!!

Where do I buy it?

I'm not sure who Steele_3D is

Here ya go man. If you have the money and don't wanna keep flashing back and forth I'd buy a couple of 'em. At around $20 they're a steal IMHO. The one he sells already has the G29emu firmware flashed on it

https://forum.gimx.fr/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1723&p=10259#p10259

http://www.steve-marton.com/gimx/

[isamu]

I saw that stuff about a raspberry pi running it?

So can I use that as a computer to do it? or does it need a normal pc

raspberry pi is one route you can go, though I've never used one of those before. You'd have to ask Matlo about how it works through Raspberry Pi. I've heard of Raspberry pi before but don't know ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- about it :

I went with a ssecond laptop because of all the devices I have, and I'm already familiar with Windows.

[Boomslang]

Cool man

Just ordered 6 for my twin cabs.

1 each for Windows use, 1 each for ps3 and 1 each for ps4

[Howard_Casto]

Question:  could it work the other way around?   

I have a spare wii and since it takes a buttload of horsepower to emulate f-zero gx/ax properly I was thinking of just using it instead.  The problem of course is how do you get a pc wheel to show up as a gamecube one. 

[isamu]

Someone would need to make an FW that emulates the Logitech SpeedForce GameCube wheel, and then you can use GIMX to use your G27 on the GC(not the wii). Does the wii even accept USB steering wheel devices?

Question:  could it work the other way around?   

I have a spare wii and since it takes a buttload of horsepower to emulate f-zero gx/ax properly I was thinking of just using it instead.  The problem of course is how do you get a pc wheel to show up as a gamecube one.

[isamu]

Boomslang did you order the Rasberri Pies bro? I saw your posts on the GIMX thread and it looks like matlo says it should work! 

[isamu]

By the way Howard, I don't think it takes too much of a monster rig to run F-Zero GX anymore. Have you tried the latest version of Dolphin, the one that supports DirectX12? I heard there's a HUUUUGE speed up performance boost especially in F-Zero GX. Give it a gander!

[Boomslang]

Yeah I'm gonna order 2 to try out. Otherwise I'll just use a couple old laptops or such. Raspberry pi will be great if it works though as its a tiny little computer basically so I can hide it in my cabs easily and they are cheap

Thanks for sharing about this btw. I was about to create my own little adapter somehow as I found how logitech and fanatec shifters work and the voltages they run at but it was still gonna be a bit difficult. This does what I want anyway!!

But yea he told me to test it in Linux mint 18 so I made a bootable usb stick and managed to get it going and it seemed to be picking up my wheel and shifter fine

[Howard_Casto]

By the way Howard, I don't think it takes too much of a monster rig to run F-Zero GX anymore. Have you tried the latest version of Dolphin, the one that supports DirectX12? I heard there's a HUUUUGE speed up performance boost especially in F-Zero GX. Give it a gander!

Yeah.  Most games run 100% ... except f-zero.... it chugs if there are more than 4 cars on the screen. 

[Boomslang]

Ok so I brought 6 gimx adapters and 2 x raspberry pi 3 units off him and recieved them yesterday

After me trying to understand it for bit I managed to get it going today emulating my Logitech g29 wheel and Fanatec Clubsport Shifter (on usb adapter) using the raspberry pi I got it working on my pc showing up as a Logitech G27 with logitech shifter attached to wheel

as isamu said it works really well and im pretty happy now to have it going. I flashed 2 of my adapters as emulating g27 wheels on pc, flashed another 2 as emulating g27 wheels for ps3 and other 2 are emulating g29 for ps4

[isamu]

Ok so I brought 6 gimx adapters and 2 x raspberry pi 3 units off him and recieved them yesterday

After me trying to understand it for bit I managed to get it going today emulating my Logitech g29 wheel and Fanatec Clubsport Shifter (on usb adapter) using the raspberry pi I got it working on my pc showing up as a Logitech G27 with logitech shifter attached to wheel

as isamu said it works really well and im pretty happy now to have it going. I flashed 2 of my adapters as emulating g27 wheels on pc, flashed another 2 as emulating g27 wheels for ps3 and other 2 are emulating g29 for ps4

Glad you got it working mate. I'd be interested in hearing whether or not it works flawlessly, particularly the G27PC one. I occasionally lose the GIMX signal while racing, where my wheel pulls to the left and no buttons work. Then about 10-15 seconds later, everything works fine again. Let me know if this happens to you.