Is it possible?
 

Hey everybody,

I was playing around with my rc car and wondered if it was possible to hook up a steering wheel as a controller. The steering wheel you can get for ps2 and xbox. The ones for racing games. Could it be done?




Is it also possible to put a camera on the car so you can watch what youre doing from a tv screen?



Thanks

Sorry bout the pics

RE: Is it possible?
 

It certainly could be done, but it will require modification. The easiest way I can think of to do it would be to attach a potentiometer to the steering wheel with a standard servo plug attached to it. The transmitter would have to be modified a little bit with a jack for the steering wheel plug and a switch to switch between the steering wheel and the transmitter steering wheel. If you are lucky the steering wheel already uses a potentiometer and if you are even luckier it is the right value potentiometer, in which case all you would have to do is tap a plug into the wiring. The gas and brake pedals might be tricky because they are separate pedals, I wouldnt know how to do it without a wiring diagram. I have an old N64 steering wheel/pedal set, Ill crack it open and see how it works if you want.

RE: Is it possible?
 

Yeah I have a camera that I frequently attach to an RC car, theyre not too pricey

RE: Is it possible?
 

Sure if you don't mind. But i need you to explain some stuff to me though. Whats a potentiometer and a servo plug?

RE: Is it possible?
 

A potentiometer is a variable resistor. A potentiometer has 3 leads, a right, middle, and left lead. As you turn the potentiometer to the right the resistance between the middle and the right lead decreases and the resistance between the middle and left lead increases, the opposite happens when you turn it the other way. The actual way to turn them and leads vary from potentiometer to potentiometer but thats the general idea. They come in different values rated in Ohms which is the max resistance between the middle lead and another lead. Transmitters and servos and many other analog devices use potentiometers to determine position. Servos usually use a 5000 (5k) Ohm potentiometer but it varies from servo to servo and Im sure it varies from transmitter to transmitter.

A servo plug is just a small three wire plug that servos use.

Ill open the steering/pedal set I have tomorrow if I remember and let you know a wiring diagram and how it works. The wiring diagram will be probably be different than other steering sets but it will give you an idea of how it works, and if all else fails Im sure you could find a set like mine somewhere second hand for cheap.

RE: Is it possible?
 

it has been done. i drove one at a local fair. it was a monster truck.

RE: Is it possible?
 

that would be awsome.but me i dont think it could be done[&o]

RE: Is it possible?
 

are you going to try it?

RE: Is it possible?
 

It would be nice to drive it around you neighborhood or the track by the steering wheel only, maybe in a room so you can't see it.

RE: Is it possible?
 

shouldn't be too hard to get the controls. I tear apart my old Playstation steering wheel and inside was a potentiometer for steering. replace it with the one in your controller and wire it up. pretty sure the pedals were the same. don't remember.

the hard part of the project seeing where its going and moving the thing. I always wanted to build one with a chair and bring it to the track for racing. imagine the looks on the other racers. haha:D

RE: Is it possible?
 

on you tube i saw a guy that got sumthin like this dun but with a wii controller. very kool
here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSSH65y1xJQ

RE: Is it possible?
 

Thats insane!!![X(]

RE: Is it possible?
 

Thats sounds so freaking gnarly man.

RE: Is it possible?
 

I do not think it is real. Just because there is so many fake look what my wii remote can do videos and at some points timing seems slow.

At bush gardens in tampa they have rc boars and monster trucks hooked up to steering wheels that you can pay like a dollar for 5 mins. I just dont rember if they used petals for gas/brake or gave you a lever like in a boat. You know they kind that the father you push forward the faster it gose.

RE: Is it possible?
 

Yeh I know what you mean, the ones near where I live have peddles to accelerate/brake, steering wheel, and like an automatic gear shift for forward/reverse..

RE: Is it possible?
 

With the right radio and a few additional electronics it's quite possible. I am working on a prototype system now that will be installed in a 1/4 scale car as raced by the guys in the Quarter Scale Auto Club (QSAC). My goal is to put together a whole race ready system.

Bryan

RE: Is it possible?
 

yeah, it would be easy to mod the thing to work with the steering. For the brake, I would say take a reading of the "pot" at dead center and full gas. For brake do the same. once that is done wire them up and test it out, hope that helps, cool idea for a telerobot (with a cam. on it). If it is an electric I would mount a cammera and a radio system so you can talk to all the amazed kids... To see somthing like what you want to do goto www.atomiczombie.com the site has tons of cool pics...

RE: Is it possible?
 

you know when i first saw this post i thought i was a really dumb idea. Now that i have thought about it for a awile i say lets do it. I am ready to go find a cheap steering wheel some where lol.

RE: Is it possible?
 

I checked that wheel set for you. The wheel and pedals use 10k pots which are wired into a central controller. If you wanted to use it for rc all you would have to do is replace the pots with ones that work with your tx.

RE: Is it possible?
 

just get a pair of sony glasstron glasses in stead of using a t.v.. with the wheel in your hands and the petals at your feet it would be like sitting behind the wheel. like a vitual reality if you will!!