Playseat with vibration effects

  • Thread starter Thread starter Invader
  • 30 comments
  • 25,903 views
I

Invader

Messages
26
Messages
KThor
Hi all

Just wanted to show my latest "project" here :)

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a Playseat and a G25 wheel for use with GT5P and other racing sims.
It works really nice. Especially having a clutch and the 6-speed shifter makes for a more complete and enjoyable experience (I've been using the DFP wheel before this one).

Then I got the idea of installing a "bodyshaker" (or "butt kicker") in the seat to complement the force feedback from the wheel. After having tried this out for a couple of days now, I couldn't imagine racing without this effect :lol: Being able to actually feel the engine revving and the bumps on the track makes the games come alive as never before :cool:

At first, I had just one bodyshaker installed, but have since added another for reasons I will explain shortly. A single shaker will be more than enough, though. They are quite powerful.

The shaker(s) is/are to be connected to a speaker terminal on your amplifier. Whatever the shaker is mounted to, will actually function as the membrane of a loudspeaker, i.e. it will vibrate.
The vibration effect is of course very dependent of what material you strap the shaker on to.

I'm using an old stereo amplifier to drive the shakers. The input to this amp is coming from the sub and center pre-out channels from my surround receiver which drives my normal speakers.
Here is the reason why I have chosen to have two shakers instead of just one: One shaker reacts to the subwoofer channel and the other reacts to the center channel. I have experimented with connecting a single shaker to the subwoofer channel alone and then the center channel alone. This works OK, but for GT5P not perfectly well as one channel alone leaves out some of the effects. Using both of these channels in combination gives you the best from both at the same time.
The sub and center pre-outs from the surround receiver go into the left and right phono input on the stereo amp. How strong you want the shakers to vibrate can then be controlled from the stereo amp.

As can be seen on the picture below, I have mounted the shakers on a chipboard below the seat. I guess you could also find a way to mount the shakers directly on (or into) the seat itself, but I didn't want to ruin my new seat. Besides, this solution with the chipboard works great.

Note that the depicted wiring on the shakers does not reflect the above description. The picture is from an earlier configuration.
Also note the distance pieces between the shaker and the chipboard. The shaker needs some clearance in order to vibrate.
 

Attachments

  • playseat1_640x480.jpg
    playseat1_640x480.jpg
    71.5 KB · Views: 712
  • playseat2_640x480.jpg
    playseat2_640x480.jpg
    59.2 KB · Views: 640
It´s nice isn´t it? One other configuration you should try is one to the left and one to the right... In some games like Forza 2 for example the rumble effects is rendered in stereo so if you hit them with the left wheels the sound comes from the left speakers... Since you have two you can then get stereo vibrations.

I ran a buttkicker gamer on my evo. It worked really well with it mounted on the shift mount and took very little space. Drawback of the gamer is how noisy the amplifier is though but for 50$ it´s a steal... If you live outside of US it gets more expensive of course with shipping. I have now invested in a new nixim cockpit and going for the ultimate solution the buttkicker LFE with it´s awesome power amplifier :)

Kind of overkill most would find mini LFEs to be a better solution or bass shakers such as yours. But really like how you can tailor the effects with the buttkicker amplifiers... Regular amplifiers is generally not made for this task but can be made to work really good indead. As you say it´s not the same gaming, watching movies, listening to music without it.
 
One thing to be aware of when using a setup like mine is not to put too much load on the amplifier for the shakers. Bass frequencies require much more power than higher frequencies. I'm using a 2x100W amp and the volume control is at about 20%. This setting gives more than enough vibration effect and the amp is not stressed.

The type of shakers I have used can be fed with up to 100W each. Also be aware of the impedance of the shakers. "My" type is 4 ohms and your amp should - ideally - be specified for this impedance. Actually, my amp is for speakers with an impedance of 8-16 ohms, but since I don't turn the volume more up than I do, it will be OK.
 
Wow, great work there, wish you were my neighbor so you could come over and try helping me to build one :)
 
Thanks. For the neighbor thing, I guess I'm a little too far away (across the Atlantic) :)
Actually, there is not much to it. If you already have a seat (factory made or home made), all you need is the shaker(s), something to mount them on (e.g. a board like I did) and an amplifier.
 
Yes, I have the same seat as your. My father (and sometimes I) work on construction and what not, so i got plenty of boards and am good with craftsman myself ;). But doing the electronic stuff, not so good haha. I'm planning to buy a surround system in a month or so, will that do to hook it up?
 
That depends.

A shaker must be connected to a speaker terminal and your upcoming surround system will probably have a second set of speaker terminals ("B" speakers) which could be used at the same time as the "A" speaker set (depends on the actual system). However, this will put (a lot of) extra load on your amplifier and I don't recommend it.

Even if you are able to connect a shaker directly to the surround system, you would also want to be able to control the volume sent to the shaker independently of the sound volume sent to the "A" speakers.

Another possibility is to connect a shaker on the same terminal used by one of the normal speakers. This configuration doesn't let you control the shaker volume independently for sure.

You will be much better off (and much safer from frying your new surround system) with a separate amplifier as described in my initial post. This amp doesn't have to be anything special, it just needs to have a decent power output (70-100W). I'm sure you would be able to pick up such an amp somewhere really cheap.
 
Jaguar C-Type
Yes, I have the same seat as your. My father (and sometimes I) work on construction and what not, so i got plenty of boards and am good with craftsman myself ;). But doing the electronic stuff, not so good haha. I'm planning to buy a surround system in a month or so, will that do to hook it up?
Click to expand...

Jaguar just buy a buttkicker gamer then... You could by mine since I have a LFE now but I suspect it will be more expensive then buying a new since you are in the us... Tip watch simracingtonight they have rebate codes for the buttkickers :)

Then you get a dedicated amplifier (And yes you have to tweak the output for different games) and the gamer of course that requires no modding to fit on the playseat.

Just get the shifter holder if you havent... Attach it backwards and you mount the gamer up towards the back of the seat... Really elegant don´t steal any space at all :)
 
oqvist
It´s nice isn´t it? One other configuration you should try is one to the left and one to the right... In some games like Forza 2 for example the rumble effects is rendered in stereo so if you hit them with the left wheels the sound comes from the left speakers... Since you have two you can then get stereo vibrations.
Click to expand...

I have now connected my stereo amp to the front left and right pre-outs instead. This gives me the stereo effect. When I drive over the rumble strips, I can actually feel which side of the car has contact with the strip :D
Plus, on my surround system, I can direct the LFE channel to be output in the fronts as well as the sub. So I don't miss out the LFE with this new configuration :)
 
Can someone help me out with some advice? I'm thinking of getting a Buttkicker but I would be using it with my headphones (which I generally use when racing in order to maintain my marriage. ;)

Using the headphones, I just plug them into the headphone jack on my TV. If I get the Buttkicker Gamer does it come with all the parts & connections I would need to set up my PS2/3 with the TV & headphones?
 
Depends on what type of headphone jack the tv has? If it´s the minijack that is also on soundcards you don´t need to buy any extra adapter cable a 4$ or something.

The gamer supports the PC jack and the rca cables so should be no problem
 
Depends on what type of headphone jack the tv has? If it´s the minijack that is also on soundcards you don´t need to buy any extra adapter cable a 4$ or something.

The gamer supports the PC jack and the rca cables so should be no problem
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I guess what I'm not clear about is this: the Buttkicker Gamer comes with it's own amplifier, right? Is that connected to the TV or the PS3? Do the headphones continue to plug into the TV or the Buttkicker amp? :dunce:
 
The buttkicker amplifier is just for the buttkicker not your headphones... You just run with a splitter so the sound goes both to your headphones or whatever and to the buttkicker amplifier.
 
The buttkicker amplifier is just for the buttkicker not your headphones... You just run with a splitter so the sound goes both to your headphones or whatever and to the buttkicker amplifier.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Got it (had a look at the Buttkicker web site).

Ordered my unit from a flight sim company for $59.99. I let you know what I think when I try it...
 
Hi I noticed you are from Canada. What did you order for $59.99?
Click to expand...

I ordered it from a US company, not in Canada:

http://www.fspilotshop.com/index.php?cPath=1_47

IMO the Buttkicker is a good product for gaming & extremely good value. The thing that would make it much better, is if it responded to programming cues within the game (like a FFB wheel does) rather than just to sound. This would make the buttkicking much more realistic.
 
You mean like Ivibe? But the thing when you go by sound it never feels wrong either so plus and minus.

But well in rFactor the Ivibe gives a lot more then the buttkicker for sure :). But generally the better the audio is the better the buttkicker works.

It´s interesting how poor the ivibe performs in audiosense mode compared to the buttkicker though.

To bad the game support on the ivibe is extremely limited but well worth it if you use ms flight simulator and rFactor a lot. There is also some use for it in games that don´t have directly support. Rumble based on how much you press the throttle. You can map special effects for each button press etc. If you want to get a good thump in the back when shifting gears it´s easilly done. But really it´s game with native support like rFactor where it really shines.
 
for my buttkicker i got a splitter for rca jacks and split the signal where i plug my out cables to my surround sound from the tv. it works great because you get the stereo sound running straight to the buttkicker. the only drawback is that my splitter for some reason will not carry a surround sound signal so when i play my racing games i only hear eveything in stereo. i am going to start looking for a splitter though that will carry a surround sound signal .
 
Buttkicker works well with F1:CE. It does not work so well with GT4 - there is a simple reason for this: the wind noise. This is a noticeable feature of GT4 - & one I have always enjoyed - as your speed gets over about 100 mph, the wind noise gets really loud. Unfortunately this causes the Buttkicker to start vibrating wildly in a way the bears no relationship to the "action" within the game.

As I've said before, it would be great if it was possible to programme the Buttkicker to respond to the FFB cues within the game rather than just to sound. Surely this would not be too difficult?
 
I'm not sure if this would solve the problem of wind and how it registers with the ButtKicker, however, on the ButtKicker amp there is a low/high frequency switch which will allow you to cut out any high frequency "interference." Also, as you may already know, the ButtKickers sensitivity to the in-game noise can be dialed down using the ..... dial.

ERacer
 
I'm not sure if this would solve the problem of wind and how it registers with the ButtKicker, however, on the ButtKicker amp there is a low/high frequency switch which will allow you to cut out any high frequency "interference." Also, as you may already know, the ButtKickers sensitivity to the in-game noise can be dialed down using the ..... dial.

ERacer
Click to expand...

Have you not tried it with GT4, yourself?

Adjusting the dials does not seem to help because the "wind noise" isn't particularly high or low frequency. If you turn down the dial enough to eliminate the response to the wind noise, it won't respond to any other noises either...
 
Yep. I have it on my setup. I'm thinking that perhaps, because my frame is very heavy, that the wind induced vibration is not as pronounced on my rig as it may be on other peoples'.

ERacer
 
Yep. I have it on my setup. I'm thinking that perhaps, because my frame is very heavy, that the wind induced vibration is not as pronounced on my rig as it may be on other peoples'.

ERacer
Click to expand...

I don't really understand that: it's not the amount of noise per se, it's the amount of noise relative to the other in-game noise.

If you turn down the vibration control to eliminate the wind noise vibration, it results in cutting out all the other vibration. The problem is, that the wind noise is surprisingly loud & if you're travelling at speed, it's constant. I'll try fiddling around with it some more, but I don't really see a way around it.

Also, I don't notice any changes when adjusting the High Frequency adjustment knob: it doesn't seem to make any difference that I can see?
 
I see what you mean now. I had a thought that perhaps adjusting the in-game sound effects in the options menue may solve your problem, but as you already mentioned - it is the sound relative to the other effects. Are you using a seperate amp/receiver for the sound?

ERacer
 
No, I use the supplied Buttkicker Gamer amp. It really works quite nicely with F1:CE. It's just the wind noise issue in GT4 that's the problem. It seems to me that wind noise in GT5P demo isn't as pronounced, so maybe it will be less of a problem with GT5P.
 
i'm using a buttkicker gamer mounted on a playseat evolution with GTHD and i'm getting really good results. you just have to mess with the controls on the amp a little bit. it's really easy to make it too powerful, which just makes it feel like you are driving offroad all the time. it really shakes everything in the room like crazy so i have it turned down so it feels more like what you'd feel in a real car, but it's a great effect and adds to the overall experience. for the price, i think it's totally worth it. i can't imagine doing a full LFE setup, it must be amazing though.
 
For anyone interested:

I just tried the Dirt demo with the Buttkicker. The Buggies are wild with the Buttkicker - really translates into a whole new experience. Try it!
 
oqvist
You mean like Ivibe? But the thing when you go by sound it never feels wrong either so plus and minus.

But well in rFactor the Ivibe gives a lot more then the buttkicker for sure :). But generally the better the audio is the better the buttkicker works.

It´s interesting how poor the ivibe performs in audiosense mode compared to the buttkicker though.

To bad the game support on the ivibe is extremely limited but well worth it if you use ms flight simulator and rFactor a lot. There is also some use for it in games that don´t have directly support. Rumble based on how much you press the throttle. You can map special effects for each button press etc. If you want to get a good thump in the back when shifting gears it´s easilly done. But really it´s game with native support like rFactor where it really shines.
Click to expand...
I have an iVibe and a Buttkicker gamer for my Playseats Evo working together, used 95% of the time for GT5:P and not PC games. The iVibe is most impressive with rFactor or another PC sim it has modules written for, no doubt, since it can simulate G-forces and other metadata directly from the game.

However, on GT5:P (and PGR4 and Forza 2 before on my 360), Audiosense works well when adjusted. I have the L/R channels split and going to L/R inputs on the iVibe. I have the center & sub channels mixed together as one mono signal to my Buttkicker to enhance the iVibe. It works AMAZINGLY well together. I really couldn't stand to race without it now. I can feel when the car hooks up or is slipping on most cars right through the seat. I also pulled out the six iVibe tranducers from their portable cushion and mounted them into the foam of the Playseat, so it's a nice clean install.

I'll have to take some pics sometime. I mounted a 40" 1080p LCD tilted down at an angle on a cantilever swing-out mount from the wall just in front of the wheel, so it is in about the right place (right in your face) and about the same size as 3/4 of a windshield, so it works well with the cockpit cam view on GT5:P!

PS- the iVibe software is nice since you can adjust a bunch of EQ and other filters on it, so I was able to tweak out a lot of the wind noise to just get more road data. The reason I hooked the buttkicker up to center AND sub channels is I seem to get a lot of the engine noise from the center (good for the rumble of revving the engine on some cars.) Having the iVibe in stereo off the L/R channels gives directivity to the tire squealing and curbs too!
 
I have my buttkicker connected to subwoofer connection on my surround receiver via power amp. Would i get a better effect if connected to the centre front or center back speaker connection?
 

Latest Posts

Back