My new racing set up.

[Allan Ramsbottom]

Here's my brand spanking new racing set-up i've just purchased. Now I'm stoney broke, still crap, but thoroughly enjoying myself.

 

[Antonio Tavares]

I have 3x 24" monitors with desktop @5760x1080, but I use bezel compensation for GTL (5940x1080). Its easy to set up with Catalyst drivers.

Nice rig you have there Alan!

 

[Allan Ramsbottom]

thanxs @Antonio Tavares,hav,nt really looked at bezel compensation as such,hmm might have to now lol..

 

[Antonio Tavares]

It's definitely worth it in my opinion, Allan.

Tip1 - overlap (physically) the bezel of your screens. If each bezel has, for instance, 1,5cm, without overlapping you will have a gap of 3 cm (2x1,5cm) between each display. If you overlap them, you reduce the gap to half.
Tip2 - after setting bezel compensation, you desktop ill be set at the new bezel compensation resolution. I don't want that, so I go to Windows screen resolution and set 5760x1080 again. Then I go to GTL Configuration and only there I set the bezel compensated resolution (next one after 5760x1080 32 bit).

My bezel compensated resolution is 5940x1080, but that depends on the size of the bezels of the monitors you're using, the angle between them, and your position/distance to monitors when you set bezel compensation. Therefore, each scenario will end up with a different bezel compensated resolution, for example 5960x1080 or 5990x1080.

Overlapped bezels:

 

[Antonio Tavares]

Well, since we speak of the devil, I'd better show his face:

 

[Allan Ramsbottom]

@Antonio Tavares wow thats 1 sweet set-up .what is the box of buttons and how do you interface it with wheel.i do overlap my screens as you do,will have a go at what you suggest with the resolution,see if it makes a difference,see you for t,nites race and be gentle on me lol..

 

[Antonio Tavares]

Now the button box looks like this, with new stickers:

Buttons are, from left to right and bottom-down: Brake Bias, Ignition, pit speed limiter, starter, pit request, mirror, hud, cycle in car lcd display views, dials and gear display on screen.
It's home made, I've bought a 8 euros joystick, used the inside circuit board and replaced the original buttons for those, by soldering wires. In windows, it is recognized as the original joystick with no drivers necessary. Then just go in game and map the buttons to the functions you want. The box was bought in an electronics shop, and it's na universal connections box (around 4 euros). the whole thing, with the buttons (those were the most expensive buy) should be around 30 euros.
Here's some pics of the process:

 

[jimortality]

this is mine.

Can you see my picture? I've posted from my phone.

 

[Nox]

@Antonio Tavares - I like it; I'll have to do something like that one day. Very nice.

 

[Dave Flower]

Great minds think alike @Antonio Tavares : heres a set of photos of my Button box build, for anyone thinking of doing something similar, my box is steel from a broken transformer bought at a car boot sale for £2.50. Sheet of perspex to mount the buttons in and then covered the perspex in carbon fibre wrap.

http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/Videodischarge/media/8c22f27e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=23

 

[Antonio Tavares]

Nice work Dave! The printed circuit board reminded me of mine with all those wires before soldering the buttons. Nice touch the front panel like carbon fiber and the big Start button!

 

[Nox]

Anyone fancy writing up a tutorial for dunces like me?

 

[Dave Flower]

@Andrew James - Its really simple - Get a USB Joypad - make sure the joypad works with your pc and that all buttons function - make sure it works and that buttons can be mapped - while your wheel/controllers for driving are plugged in and operational - no use going to all that trouble if it won't/doesn't work in the first place.
Next make a note of what buttons press which numbered buttons in Game Controllers on your PC - this helps because you can wire your box so that the numbers follow on from each other - ie, On my box the Red top left button is Button 1, The large Start button is 2, Green 3, blue 4, The first toggle switch pulled left is 5 right is 6 and so on. the bottom 4 buttons(red) on my box are Up, down, left right - which means they act as multiple press buttons, I understand you can switch this repeat rate off in windows somewhere - but I use them for seat adjustment - use them as they are for say brake bias or lights and it will cause the button to be pressed multiple times meaning you can't definitely switch lights on or off (if that makes sense)
Next pull the controller apart - what your looking for is circuit boards that are made of metal so you can solder to them - apparently some controllers don't have boards you can solder to (so I have been told).
Next you need to solder a wire to each side of the contact - try one at first - then if your confident - and making sure NO CONTACTS ARE BRIDGED you can plug the controller into your pc - touching both ends of the wires you soldered to the board should have the effect of pressing the button that corresponds to what you just soldered to. Thats just a test to make sure you haven't already fried your board.
If you logically follow the tracks on the board you will see that some will share the same 'earth' tracks meaning you can solder on wire and then connect off that to the 'earth' on your switches (saving fiddly soldering)
Don't use too high a powered solder iron or you can melt the tracks or even the chip as heat transfers through the board into the components.
Remember each button on the controller, as far as windows is concerned is simply a button - that applies even to the start,and select buttons if you controller has these - so can be attached to a button on your button box.
Ideally you should avoid programmable pads or pads with turbo modes etc because if you somehow end up programming a button it may cause major headaches getting it unprogrammed once you no longer have the casing that the board came in!
Buttons should be PUSH TO MAKE type and NOT- ON/OFF switches, as you want contact to only be made (the two wires joined together) when you are actually pushing the button - That is important PUSH TO MAKE - (push to make contact)
Thats a brief how to I hope it helps you or others as many of us have old controllers lying around maybe unused or even broken and its great to get use from something that may well otherwise end up in landfill.

 

[Nox]

Super, Dave! Thank you thank you! When I have a spare few quid hanging about, I am definitely going to try this. If successful, I may go on to make something similar for when I am using my flight sim set up.

Really, excellent, thanks for the help.

 

[Nox]

One question; recommended place to buy switches?

 

[Antonio Tavares]

I think you'll find them in any electronics parts shop Andrew.

Just take care to buy the right ones: they need to operate like your keyboard keys, when you press it's ON, when you release it's OFF.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Maplin is where i go for all electrical components CLICK ME
I got my led lights for head tracking from there

 

[Nox]

I'll have to have a look for some where I live in Cyprus. If not, I suppose there must be some I can get online. Thanks guys!

 

[Rupe Wilson]

If they don't deliver outside uk, or if Cyprus is a problem i can always post them over to you

 

[Nox]

If they don't deliver outside uk, or if Cyprus is a problem i can always post them over to you

I am not worthy!

Thanks!

 

[Allan Ramsbottom]

rite guys..UPDATE..after some great help from @Antonio Tavares and @Dave Flower i,ve made my first button box...so heres a few pics, and already on with the second 1 ..and the set up as it is now...