Hand held wheels

[Gradius]

I wonder whether you know this kind of controllers which resemble those for radio control cars. They're a very interesting alternative to wheels. My idea is to add one of them, either as a hand controller or taking its guts it and installing it in my CP. I intend to use if with driving games and sims. They are like a gun, with a trigger for accel and brake (same axxis) and a little wheel for use grabbing it with your right hand. The problem I have is that they're nearly imposibble to find maybe because they're not very popular. In my city (here in Spain) I've found a model called Ultraracer, for Playstation. I think it's also been released for N64 and PC:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1489&item=8180068726&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

I'd like to know if any of you has ever tested this model or any other. I'm very much interested in knowing if it would work with a Smartjoy PSX-PC USB adaptor, as I intend to use it with my PC (not with a PSX). I have not used it yet but I had it in my hands and it's nice, although the rotation angle of the wheel is not very long. I know Interact has also released a more modern version for PC (with force feedback and the wheel on the side) called Panther GTX. I looks even better but I haven't found it anywhere.

I've also found information about a model my Mad Catz, the Hand Held Racing Wheel, also for PSX, but better looking and, as regards the reviews, very very good and confortable. I have not found it anywhere on the internet as available for purchase. If anyone knew where could I get it or has tested it, please let me know.

http://www.gamecritics.com/review/hhracwheel_hw/main.php

Finally I've also seen this model, even less known, called Topdrive Reactor  by Spectravideo/Logic3.

PD: I've just received a mail from Madcatz about their hand held wheels. It's years now since they stop selling them The only way would be ebay, but I haven't had any success there either. Please, if you know any other alternative to this, let me know. I love the idea of having a hand held controller for my racing games. I could even use it in my MAME cab or my PC. I've also considered the possibility of hacking a PSX pad and adapting the analogue sticks to a spinner of something alike, but I suppose it would be quite complicated.

[daywane]

I have one of those for the N64
It did not work for me.
I have heard some people have got the playstations working.

[hatrick]

Those old Pistol grip RC controlers are like a dime a dozen these days. I have a few of them myself. Why not find a "real" RC car controler on Ebay for a few $$ and hack joystick controls into the internals.
Just remember they are not 360 dgree wheels though. They probably have close to 270 of rotation and are proportional (analog).

[Gradius]

The problem is how to turn a left-right movement from analogue joystick into a circular movement.

[Tailgunner]

Act Labs made a controller like this, I have one in my box of old PC joysticks.

[Kremmit]

The problem is how to turn a left-right movement from analogue joystick into a circular movement.

It's not a problem at all.  Inside the base of an analog joystick, the handle connects to the shafts of 2 potentiometers, one for each axis of movement.  To attach a wheel instead, just remove the case from your joystick, throw away the handle, and connect one of the potentiometers to the wheel.  Done!

I was considering finding one of these controllers just for the wheel itself.  I want to build a Jakk's Ms. Pac bartop, and instead of using the cheap-o yellow joy it comes with, I wanted to put a real arcade joy on there.  I'd hack the Pole Position pot onto the little RC car wheel and mount that next to the stick on the bartop's cp.

Anybody got a little wheel for me?

[Gradius]

Kremmit, what you're telling me is filling me with hope but I still cannot see it clear and easy. It would be a dream to be able to hack an analogue stick or a PS2 dual shock analogue controls and make my own analogue hand held steering wheel. Now that you say this is possible, I don't know what would be better: a wooden box with a wheel and a kind of lever for accel/brake (somethink similar to a homemade spinner), or a hand held controller, using a rc controller for it. This would be harder (I would also have to find place to put the guts of the joystick/pad inside the controller) but I suppose the result would be impressive. But, before dreaming with that, the technical problems. I suppose this is not as easy as a digital hack, where you have 2 points which you solder and connect to a switch, and when you push the button, you close the switch and the circuit and then the action is registered. I have not idea about potentiometers. Imagine I have an analogue stick for PC with a couple of potentiometers inside and I have something like a radio dial with a spring which I intend to use as a wheel, and I have a lever with a spring for accel/brake. Now, how to connect all this? Sorry for my ignorance but I only have experience with digital hacks (PSX pads mainly). Please tell me which would be the best and easiest way to do this. Thankyou!

[versapak]

This is the controller you are talking about?

I have one of those for the N64
It did not work for me.
I have heard some people have got the playstations working.

I haven't tried my PSX version on the PC, but the N64 version works just fine with an adaptoid.



[EDIT]

Didn't even realize you had actual links to what you were talking about. I must be going blind.

Anyway... Yeah, they work. At least the one that I posted does.

[daywane]

This is the controller you are talking about?

I have one of those for the N64
It did not work for me.
I have heard some people have got the playstations working.

I only have one  usb adaptor that fits the N64 controllers. it also lets 1 playstation. analog works with playstation but not the n64. never got it working.


I haven't tried my PSX version on the PC, but the N64 version works just fine with an adaptoid.



[EDIT]

Didn't even realize you had actual links to what you were talking about. I must be going blind.

Anyway... Yeah, they work. At least the one that I posted does.

[Mojo2000]

How about the Sega Saturn RacCon which Lik-Sang has on for cheap?

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=178&products_id=3736&

[Kremmit]

Gradius-

The easiest thing would be to buy one of the toys the other guys are talking about- but if you want to build your own, here's what I would do:

• Get an RC car controller like you're talking about.
• Get a PC analog joystick.
• Take the RC controller apart.  There should be potentiometers inside- look at how they attach to the wheel and to the gas/brake.  Then remove the pots, wiring, and circuit boards from the RC controller, leaving just the housing, wheel, and gas/brake, and any buttons, switches, etc.
• Take the PC joystick apart.  There should be potentiometers inside, attached to the handle.  Remove the potentiometers, along with all of the wiring, circuit boards, etc.
• Attach the potentiometers from the PC joystick to the controls of the RC controller.  Attach the leads from the joystick buttons to any buttons on the RC controller.  Mount all the wiring, circuit boards, etc. inside the RC controller, and close it up again
• Throw everything that's left over away!

[Gradius]

hmm I see. I didn't know the joystick potentiometers were compatible with rc controls. The idea sounds great, although I suppose a little expensive. Do you recommend me to use a PC joystick or a psx dual shock? These pads have 2 analogue axxes and, if I get it working, I could use my controller with PC and consoles.

[Gradius]

Oh, thanx for the link with the Saturn controller. It's very much what I was looking for, but again, I'm not sure if it will work. I have also a Dreamcast/PSX/Saturn adaptor por PC, but my experiences with some games have not been positive with my Dreamcast pad because of the triggers. Some games such as Colin McRae 2005 understand them as a single axxis, and appears always braking. Similar problems I've found with Richard Burns Rally. With others like GTR, F1 Challenge, RFactor, LFS, it works flawlessly with one trigger for accel and the other from brake. I suppose PS2 analogue sticks will work well with all games as independent axxes, but I'll have to be sure before buying. If anyone knows, please let me know.

[Gradius]

I forgot I had a dreamcast pad pcb here. I think I'll use it for testing. I have the analogue stick and I can see the solder points by the side of one axxis and other 3 solder points by the side of the other. I suppose these are the points: one is ground, one is positive and the other negative. I'll try closing the circuit so as to see if they work (as digital). Then I'll look for a potentiometer (from an old radio) and try to connect everything. By the way, now that I think about it... with a PS2 dual shock I'd have the 3 axxes I need: left-right combined for steeting, attached to a little wheel, up in one of the sticks for accel and brake in other for braking. I wonder if accel and brake would work as separate axxes with all games...

[Gradius]

Damm! My DC pad seems be be broken. I cannot test it. Apart from this, I've been taking a look at rc controllers and they're quite expensive. I suppose this is due to the fact that they come with all the stuff: radio, batteries, etc, which I don't really need.