Steering wheel controls and Linux

2L_SS · 04-24-2008, 04:57 PM

What is the best option for interfacing steering wheel controls in Linux ICE/ Nghost? The fusion brain looks like the way to go but is there a plugin for it? Or would I be better off with a hacked up gamepad or joystick?

greenman100 · 04-25-2008, 02:15 AM

There is currently no support for the fusion brain outside of Windows.

kev000 · 04-25-2008, 04:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by greenman100

There is currently no support for the fusion brain outside of Windows.

why not? seems like a good idea since the whole universe (including aliens and robots) is moving to Linux.

Are there at least docs on interfacing with the device that are available if someone wants to "support" it?

2k1Toaster · 04-25-2008, 04:34 PM

Anyone wanting to program something for it that can run in the linux/mac environment, let me know.

We are not opposed to it at all, just dont have the time to devote to something like that.

I can try and point you in the right direction such as the "linusb" libraries. They should be able to read and write to the Fusion Brain.

We have documentation on the low level protocol back and forth between the PC and the FB, so it is just a matter of getting a USB connection going and formatting a 64 byte array correctly back and forth.

wirelessdreamer · 04-25-2008, 05:47 PM

a joystick would be your best bet, i'm almost done with the joystick input plugin for nghost right now, it should be out within the next month or so.

2L_SS · 04-26-2008, 02:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by wirelessdreamer

a joystick would be your best bet, i'm almost done with the joystick input plugin for nghost right now, it should be out within the next month or so.

Is this joystick mod for the resistor network type steering wheel controls? If so how many inputs can it handle? Also will it be compatible with nghost 2 whan it comes out?

wirelessdreamer · 05-04-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by 2L_SS

Is this joystick mod for the resistor network type steering wheel controls? If so how many inputs can it handle? Also will it be compatible with nghost 2 whan it comes out?

to use a joystick for input all you need to be able to do is short 2 points together, you could most likely bypass most of the internal controls and wire it up directly to the buttons. If you don't want to modify the hardware I'd need to see schematics of how they're wired up, and I could give you some other ideas.

Yes Nghost will support joystick input, I have a few more features to add to the plugin and it will be committed to the main source tree to be packaged for release.