DIY Fanatec Podium Hub Steering wheel (and extra info for connecting buttons to the Podium Hub)

[Bitacaia]

Hi,

ATM I’m returning slowly to Sim Racing again and I’m mostly racing with ACC. So I decided it was time to have one more steering wheel. A GT3 style, since I only have the Fanatec BMW GT2. And I decided to make my own, since I love to design parts and I have a 3d Printer.

Background:
For the hub, I was going in the direction of the Sim Racing Machines Emulator Hub, but the final price was almost the same as the Fanatec Podium Hub (probably 30€ dif). So I decided to go with the official hardware.

For the Steering wheel, I was thinking about buying one from 3drap.it. But, at the last minute I saw for sale a brand new Thrustmaster Open Wheel (TOW) steering wheel rim with a really good price. (Someone bought a TOW and replaced the rim with one from https://acelith.com/. So, I was lucky to get it brand new!!!)

The Idea:
Since the Podium Hub doesn't come with buttons, just the connectors for the buttons, I had to make some investigation on how to connect my wheel buttons on the hub. Unfortunately I didn’t find all the answers on the internet, so I had to make some investigations, and now I will share all the secrets of the Hub here. (Later in the post you will find them, be patient).

But the Fanatec Hub only accepts 10 buttons and 2 potentiometers, and for me that isn’t enough, I will have in parallel an ESP32 board to have more buttons and rotary encoders.

The advantage of using the TOW is the quality. Already painted and the handles are really well made (sorry 3drap and acelith, but yours aren’t that impressive). But unfortunately not everything is perfect. The hole pattern from the Podium hub is 6xØ70mm M5 or 3xØ50mm M5. And the hole pattern of the TOW is 6xØ58mm M4. So, I had to make an adapter plate, but unfortunately I didn’t find, so far, a good solution for using all the fixing holes from the hub and the TOW rim. This is a problem I will try to solve later on.

The 3D model of the wheel:

Free to use and modify at Onshape:

Onshape

Sign in to Onshape, the #1 fastest growing CAD system in the world with over 4 million users.

cad.onshape.com

Electronics:
The goal is to have 4 Rotary Encoders and around 12 press buttons. Since the Podium Hub is limited with the quantity of inputs, I will connect all the Encoders and some extra buttons on the ESP32 board.
This will give me a lot of flexibility. Because when the wheel is connected, even if the board stops working, for some reason, I will have the buttons attached to the hub working (ex. Paddle Shifters).
The ESP32 board will be connected to the PC with bluetooth, and it will be powered by the USB C port on the bottom of the hub. So, I will not have any cable coming out of the wheel.

ESP32 sketches:
I’m using the software made by “real robots”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXi-fkZu0hYgSBQV7Pagrw

Sketch (arduino and esp32):
https://gitlab.com/realrobots/rr_controller
Software to configure the controller
https://gitlab.com/realrobots/rr_configurator

For more info, check his youtube channel and his tutorials. The way it works is easy and you don’t need to know how to write arduino code.

Finally the Podium Hub schematic:

All the power output in the electronic board is 3.3V. The USB C power output is 5.0V

All the JST connectors needs to be trimmed the hooks on both sides, like in this pic:

USB C power will be taken with this USB C pcb board:

...coming soon...

finally. In my google photos shared folder I will add pic of the wheel.

GT3 Steering wheel

30 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

Tiago Viana

 

[RosettenKlaus]

Well done!

 

[DaStivi]

thats incredible! just got this post linked from the fanatec facebook group... i'll still just wonder if anyone found out the pinout of the middle JST XH Socket...

 

[Bitacaia]

thats incredible! just got this post linked from the fanatec facebook group... i'll still just wonder if anyone found out the pinout of the middle JST XH Socket...

Hard to tell the function... A normal USB uses 4 wires. A USB C uses allot more then 4.
Looking to the Fanatec Universal HUB, there is a RJ12 connector (6 wires). I believe it has the same function...

The Fanatec Podium Button Module Endurace is connected via USB-C to the Podium HUB, and via RJ12 to the Universal HUB.

Anyway, I doubt we will see something outside from Fanatec using the availeble USB or RJ12 connector on both Hubs.

Would be nice to use the USB on the hub to comunicate with the PC like a normal USB. Would make the hub much more versatile and easy to make addons (LCD screen, LED Lights).

 

[DaStivi]

Hard to tell the function... A normal USB uses 4 wires. A USB C uses allot more then 4.
Looking to the Fanatec Universal HUB, there is a RJ12 connector (6 wires). I believe it has the same function...

The Fanatec Podium Button Module Endurace is connected via USB-C to the Podium HUB, and via RJ12 to the Universal HUB.

Anyway, I doubt we will see something outside from Fanatec using the availeble USB or RJ12 connector on both Hubs.

Would be nice to use the USB on the hub to comunicate with the PC like a normal USB. Would make the hub much more versatile and easy to make addons (LCD screen, LED Lights).

could be really just the "internal" USB-C pins... yeah sadly the usb-c isn't really usb, they just used the usb-c socket with proprietary "protocol" behind..

but honestly i love your esp32 idea for the rest of the buttons, rotary...
would it be possible to also drive an tft from the esp32? is there any firmware/program for the chipset available allready to simulate the hid ?

 

[Bitacaia]

could be really just the "internal" USB-C pins... yeah sadly the usb-c isn't really usb, they just used the usb-c socket with proprietary "protocol" behind..

but honestly i love your esp32 idea for the rest of the buttons, rotary...
would it be possible to also drive an tft from the esp32? is there any firmware/program for the chipset available allready to simulate the hid ?

100% sure you can connect a LCD to a ESP32.

a quick search, I found this Post in Simhub:

https://www.simhubdash.com/community-2/simhub/ili9341-esp32-added-to-simhub-support/

The next question: Does the Podium Hub give enough power to run a ESP32 and LCD or other stuff???
Does the Hub receives from the wheel base 5v, and them steppes down to 3.3v for the Mainboard. Or, receives 3.3v and boost up to 5v???
No Idea about this question... But I can check this.

And, so far, my Experimente with Bluetooth is not good... Windows Bluetooth doesn't work well... I need to delete the ESP32 entry, and then reconnect again every time I Use it... I haven't found a good solution, so far... That can be connected with a windows problem or can be the sketch I'm using...

 

[andreifrz]

Hi,

ATM I’m returning slowly to Sim Racing again and I’m mostly racing with ACC. So I decided it was time to have one more steering wheel. A GT3 style, since I only have the Fanatec BMW GT2. And I decided to make my own, since I love to design parts and I have a 3d Printer.

Background:
For the hub, I was going in the direction of the Sim Racing Machines Emulator Hub, but the final price was almost the same as the Fanatec Podium Hub (probably 30€ dif). So I decided to go with the official hardware.

For the Steering wheel, I was thinking about buying one from 3drap.it. But, at the last minute I saw for sale a brand new Thrustmaster Open Wheel (TOW) steering wheel rim with a really good price. (Someone bought a TOW and replaced the rim with one from https://acelith.com/. So, I was lucky to get it brand new!!!)

The Idea:
Since the Podium Hub doesn't come with buttons, just the connectors for the buttons, I had to make some investigation on how to connect my wheel buttons on the hub. Unfortunately I didn’t find all the answers on the internet, so I had to make some investigations, and now I will share all the secrets of the Hub here. (Later in the post you will find them, be patient).

But the Fanatec Hub only accepts 10 buttons and 2 potentiometers, and for me that isn’t enough, I will have in parallel an ESP32 board to have more buttons and rotary encoders.

The advantage of using the TOW is the quality. Already painted and the handles are really well made (sorry 3drap and acelith, but yours aren’t that impressive). But unfortunately not everything is perfect. The hole pattern from the Podium hub is 6xØ70mm M5 or 3xØ50mm M5. And the hole pattern of the TOW is 6xØ58mm M4. So, I had to make an adapter plate, but unfortunately I didn’t find, so far, a good solution for using all the fixing holes from the hub and the TOW rim. This is a problem I will try to solve later on.

The 3D model of the wheel:

Free to use and modify at Onshape:

Onshape

Sign in to Onshape, the #1 fastest growing CAD system in the world with over 4 million users.

cad.onshape.com

Electronics:
The goal is to have 4 Rotary Encoders and around 12 press buttons. Since the Podium Hub is limited with the quantity of inputs, I will connect all the Encoders and some extra buttons on the ESP32 board.
This will give me a lot of flexibility. Because when the wheel is connected, even if the board stops working, for some reason, I will have the buttons attached to the hub working (ex. Paddle Shifters).
The ESP32 board will be connected to the PC with bluetooth, and it will be powered by the USB C port on the bottom of the hub. So, I will not have any cable coming out of the wheel.

ESP32 sketches:
I’m using the software made by “real robots”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXi-fkZu0hYgSBQV7Pagrw

Sketch (arduino and esp32):
https://gitlab.com/realrobots/rr_controller
Software to configure the controller
https://gitlab.com/realrobots/rr_configurator

For more info, check his youtube channel and his tutorials. The way it works is easy and you don’t need to know how to write arduino code.

Finally the Podium Hub schematic:

All the power output in the electronic board is 3.3V. The USB C power output is 5.0V

All the JST connectors needs to be trimmed the hooks on both sides, like in this pic:

View attachment 495123

USB C power will be taken with this USB C pcb board:

...coming soon...

finally. In my google photos shared folder I will add pic of the wheel.

GT3 Steering wheel

30 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

Tiago Viana

so if i still want to connect the normal shifters from Fanatec, how many buttons i can have separately? I was hoping i can connect the shifters (this means already using 2 buttons) and plus 10 more buttons. But i don t see how i can do this. In the JST ZH 4 pins, i can connect 6 buttons (3+3) and then from the 6pins at the shifter, i can use 2 pins for shifters and the rest 1+1 for buttons, but still i don have enough buttons Maybe you can give an idea. Thanks!

 

[Bitacaia]

so if i still want to connect the normal shifters from Fanatec, how many buttons i can have separately? I was hoping i can connect the shifters (this means already using 2 buttons) and plus 10 more buttons. But i don t see how i can do this. In the JST ZH 4 pins, i can connect 6 buttons (3+3) and then from the 6pins at the shifter, i can use 2 pins for shifters and the rest 1+1 for buttons, but still i don have enough buttons Maybe you can give an idea. Thanks!

You are correct... But get worse...

You get from the two 4 Pin connector 3+3. Here, there is no tricks...

Now comes the problems.

The theory:
From the 6 Pin connector: You get 2 buttons (shifter + Top paddle) and one slider multiply by 2. So 4 Buttons and 2 sliders.

Problem nr1:
If the Hub doesn't detect a slider connected, the 2 paddles will not be active. If you connect a button, they will act like the shifter.
So, you need to have a slider connected or a button connecting Yellow with Red (check the colors on my diagram).
If you go for the button, you need to press the button every time you connect the wheel, and from that point on, the two extra buttons will be active.
Note: You can use the Slider/Button as a button. If the game you use accepts sliders as button input. Or, use Autohotkey or something similar, to bind the slider with a keyboard stroke (Autohotkey doesn't allow joystick to simulate joystick strokes. or keyboard to simulate joystick strokes).

https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/misc/RemapJoystick.htm

Problem nr2
The Slider on the left and on the right are connected (they work as one)...
I have a CSW V1 wheel base. I have a very limit capacity to change parameters on the Hub. I have no experience with the new hardware from Fanatec. I saw a video from the McLaren wheel, and it is possible to change how the slider works. Connected, separate and bite point clutch. For me, it is impossible to change that...

Conclusion.
The Hub is really limited with the quantity of buttons. Unfortunately this is what it is... 10+1 slider...
The way i have it working is running well (ESP32 connected via Bluetooth). I need to reconnect the bluetooth every time I connect the wheel, but is OK...

 

[DaStivi]

You are correct... But get worse...

You get from the two 4 Pin connector 3+3. Here, there is no tricks...

Now comes the problems.

The theory:
From the 6 Pin connector: You get 2 buttons (shifter + Top paddle) and one slider multiply by 2. So 4 Buttons and 2 sliders.

Problem nr1:
If the Hub doesn't detect a slider connected, the 2 paddles will not be active. If you connect a button, they will act like the shifter.
So, you need to have a slider connected or a button connecting Yellow with Red (check the colors on my diagram).
If you go for the button, you need to press the button every time you connect the wheel, and from that point on, the two extra buttons will be active.
Note: You can use the Slider/Button as a button. If the game you use accepts sliders as button input. Or, use Autohotkey or something similar, to bind the slider with a keyboard stroke (Autohotkey doesn't allow joystick to simulate joystick strokes. or keyboard to simulate joystick strokes).

https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/misc/RemapJoystick.htm

Thank for pointing me to this.... Had the issue that the top paddles on my dual Paddle modules just do the opposite of the main paddles.. so I could shift up and down on the same side.... Couldn't map these extra small paddles...

Now after your explanation I'll tried to "short" yellow and red of the clutch/potentiometer pins.. and voila I do have additional 2 buttons , and also fanatec control panel recognize it as an Advance Paddle module!

So I did reconnected my fanatec button module, but strange thing thing the lower right yellow button does not work anymore... Not sure If it's some limit, but I would wonder, how could fanatec sell all this together having buttons not working then???

 

[DaStivi]

Conclusion.
The Hub is really limited with the quantity of buttons. Unfortunately this is what it is... 10+1 slider...
The way i have it working is running well (ESP32 connected via Bluetooth). I need to reconnect the bluetooth every time I connect the wheel, but is OK...

Oh and by the way... It has to be more then 10 buttons...

Because the fanatec button module , has 10 "normal" buttons, but an additional 2 on the "joysticks". And also there are another 4, 2xup/down on the toggle switches...

And then the 4 from the paddles.. so it has to be more then 10, but as said in my prevoius post, after adding the dual paddles, on of the normal buttons "stopped" working, even more strange i still can confirm high torque mode warning... And I would assume it just shares with another paddle one, but it just doesn't lit up anymore...

 

[mechsicko]

Oh and by the way... It has to be more then 10 buttons...

Because the fanatec button module , has 10 "normal" buttons, but an additional 2 on the "joysticks". And also there are another 4, 2xup/down on the toggle switches...

And then the 4 from the paddles.. so it has to be more then 10, but as said in my prevoius post, after adding the dual paddles, on of the normal buttons "stopped" working, even more strange i still can confirm high torque mode warning... And I would assume it just shares with another paddle one, but it just doesn't lit up anymore...

The advanced button module plugs into a different port on the hub using the jst2.54 p6 port and opens up a bunch of additional inputs digitally that you can't utilize without their proprietary hardware shaking hands between chips. The analog buttons on the hub itself though are indeed limited to 10 + 1 slider

 

[DaStivi]

Oh.. yeah that make sense... So you could buy sh BME and shred it , and reuse it in your own design ...

Did you get with esp32 further ?

I am not ah huge fan of additional sprial cable, propaply not even noticeable? Never had such ah setup...

 

[Bitacaia]

So I did reconnected my fanatec button module, but strange thing thing the lower right yellow button does not work anymore... Not sure If it's some limit, but I would wonder, how could fanatec sell all this together having buttons not working then???

This button stops working only after you activate the slider? Or since you tried the DIY paddle Shifter, it stop working? (i will assume that it stops working after you press the slider)

Can you test the wheel (for exemple in this webpage: https://apps.nektro.net/gamepad/) and see the button number from that yellow button. And see if it is replaced for something else after pressing the slider...
If my memory works well, the button number from the top paddles are really big, like 96 and 97. I expect this to be a problem for some old games and for some buttons press tester. Probably they will not recognise this bigger numbers.

Oh.. yeah that make sense... So you could buy sh BME and shred it , and reuse it in your own design ...

I had the idea of using the CSL universal Hub, and remove it from the plastic covers, reconnect all the buttons to a DIY wheel. This way I would have the "LCD" plus all the buttons and encoders.
But, the price of the Hub + the metal QR would make it 250€... and the podium hub is 200€...

But the way you are doing, Podium Hub + Button Module Endurance= 400€. It is possible to save some money going the CSL U Hub way. Of course you will not be able to add a more fancy paddle shifter module. Just have Shift up/down. No Dual Clutch. And I don't know how well the middle hub would survive a DD base torque, in the long run. My CSW V1 would not make a dent... (but my intention is to upgrade the base in the future, in 10 years or 30...)

And since we are in the topic of destroying expensive stuff...

This BMR, is looking perfect for removing the Carbon fiber plate, and replace it with a carbon fiber plate with a wheel shape (hello Acelith and 3dRap!!!)

Tiago Viana

 

[DaStivi]

button module rally is nice yes... still miss the Shiftlights on this too... (also on the way to expensive BMW GT3 wheel...)

i did find out why the button stopped working... it is because i use mouse emulation and had the button assigned to di/enable this feature... so somehow, of course, the button isn't useable anymore, so all fine, eveything works as expected...

to sum up, just "shorting" red+yellow of the slider/potentiometer pins makes the hub to think its connected all the time, without having to press anything upon startup of the wheel!

 

[OTBC_14]

Thank for pointing me to this.... Had the issue that the top paddles on my dual Paddle modules just do the opposite of the main paddles.. so I could shift up and down on the same side.... Couldn't map these extra small paddles...

Now after your explanation I'll tried to "short" yellow and red of the clutch/potentiometer pins.. and voila I do have additional 2 buttons , and also fanatec control panel recognize it as an Advance Paddle module!

So I did reconnected my fanatec button module, but strange thing thing the lower right yellow button does not work anymore... Not sure If it's some limit, but I would wonder, how could fanatec sell all this together having buttons not working then???

You have the Acelith Podium Button Module mod. I've been looking for anyone who has it!
I'd like to get one, but width is a slight concern! How do you find it?

 

[torsteinvh]

You have the Acelith Podium Button Module mod. I've been looking for anyone who has it!
I'd like to get one, but width is a slight concern! How do you find it?

I know you didn't ask me, but I have an Acelith mod as well, and tought I could share my opinion. It is a nice rim, but I find it a bit wide, and don't really like the shape of the grips.
But I recently came across this guy:

Wheel Addon for Podium Hub - MZW Sim Hardware

Compatibility Hub Fanatec Podium Hub Fanatec Clubsport Universal Hub V1 + V2 Compatibility Shifter Fanatec Podium Advanced Paddle Module Fanatec Clubsport Magnetic Paddle Module Compatibility Button Fanatec Podium Button Module Endurance more pictures Mclaren-replica 115€ 310mm 3mm steel 700g...

mzw-simhardware.com

I now have his McLaren replica for my Podium Hub, and like it a lot better than the Acelith rim. It is a bit less wide, the grips have a better shape for my hands, and being carbon it is a lot less weight.

 

[OTBC_14]

I know you didn't ask me, but I have an Acelith mod as well, and tought I could share my opinion. It is a nice rim, but I find it a bit wide, and don't really like the shape of the grips.
But I recently came across this guy:

Wheel Addon for Podium Hub - MZW Sim Hardware

Compatibility Hub Fanatec Podium Hub Fanatec Clubsport Universal Hub V1 + V2 Compatibility Shifter Fanatec Podium Advanced Paddle Module Fanatec Clubsport Magnetic Paddle Module Compatibility Button Fanatec Podium Button Module Endurance more pictures Mclaren-replica 115€ 310mm 3mm steel 700g...

mzw-simhardware.com

I now have his McLaren replica for my Podium Hub, and like it a lot better than the Acelith rim. It is a bit less wide, the grips have a better shape for my hands, and being carbon it is a lot less weight.

Thank you for this! Those rims might be the alternative I was looking for.

 

[Bitacaia]

I know you didn't ask me, but I have an Acelith mod as well, and tought I could share my opinion. It is a nice rim, but I find it a bit wide, and don't really like the shape of the grips.
But I recently came across this guy:

Wheel Addon for Podium Hub - MZW Sim Hardware

Compatibility Hub Fanatec Podium Hub Fanatec Clubsport Universal Hub V1 + V2 Compatibility Shifter Fanatec Podium Advanced Paddle Module Fanatec Clubsport Magnetic Paddle Module Compatibility Button Fanatec Podium Button Module Endurance more pictures Mclaren-replica 115€ 310mm 3mm steel 700g...

mzw-simhardware.com

I now have his McLaren replica for my Podium Hub, and like it a lot better than the Acelith rim. It is a bit less wide, the grips have a better shape for my hands, and being carbon it is a lot less weight.

I Couldn`t find prices in the web site. And origin of the company. Can you share some info? tnx

 

[torsteinvh]

I Couldn`t find prices in the web site. And origin of the company. Can you share some info? tnx

Send him a PM on Instagram, that's how I got in touch:

David Mzw (@mzwsimracing) • Instagram photos and videos

330 Followers, 30 Following, 47 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from David Mzw (@mzwsimracing)

www.instagram.com

 

[StuyoDGr8]

And now I want to get back to the dual clutch topic. As I sold my APM module and started building Bentley GT3 replica wheel I am considering making a DIY APM using potentiometers. Has anyone tried already using 10kOhm for the sliders and do they calibrate ok or need other resistance? Also it will be little complicated to use the full range of the pots with paddles but will test short enough.

@DaStivi thanks for the idea, I am building rally module replica now and will add this shift light - either way i have some spare faceplate space and wanted to fill it in with something. Maybe i can fit up to 4 LEDs below the oLED display.