CSR pedals (Non Elite, non Load cells) connected to PC rig or TM TS PC racer wheelbase

[nolive721]

Hello,

As posted on another forum, I confess that I am not completely happy with my recent Purchase of CSL Elite wheel with the standard P1 rim. Maybe I was expecting too much but I feel the wheel being bit sluggish and not very reactive against over-steer situations.

I am considering to buy a Thrustmaster TS PC wheel instead since its damn cheap here in japan these days but would like to keep my FANATEC CSR pedals (Non ELITE, Non Load cell) since they are still running strong.

Do you know any product/adapter that would allow to get them either connected to my PC via USB?

what about connecting them directly to the Thrustmaster wheelbase through the RJ12 port hoping that the signal woudl be recognized?

Not very optimistic it would work that way lets be honest so maybe getting a board between the TM wheel and the pedals to get them to work together?

any advice/guidance is appreciated.

thanks so much

Olivier

 

[Jens Roos]

If you have the pinout of both you could (i would guess) make a adapter/cable. I had the pinout of the ts-pc before but not sure I have saved it but can check.

The bigger problem is the connector used in the base it's not very common as the guide is not in the center, should be MMJ and I found it not so easy source a connector

The easy way is to buy a usb adapter from fanatek, would guess that it is availible.

 

[Jens Roos]

.

 

[nolive721]

I have seen that FANATEC sells a RJ12 to USB adaptor https://www.fanatec.com/ja-en/sim-racing-hardware-accessories/clubsport-usb-adapter-japan.html but it doenst list the CSR pedals as compatible and it seems expensive for what is.

its difficult actually to find any information about this thing working or not.

what do you reckon?

 

[AJ McDaddy]

You should be able to do something with the a joystick controller as the CSR's are potentiometers plugged into a board that converts the pinouts to RJ-12.
http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=204

Here's the wiring:

Pin # 1 = Gas
Pin # 2 = Brake
Pin # 3 = Ground
Pin # 4 = +5v
Pin # 5 = Clutch
Pin # 6 = Not Used

This info was skanked from ISRTV so I'm not taking credit if it works (npt blame if it doesn't ).
https://www.isrtv.com/forums/topic/16390-fanatec-csr-pedals-pinout-solved/

 

[Warren Dawes]

If you are considering the Thrustmaster TS-PC, you may want to read this thread.

https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/thrustmaster-ts-pc-issues.162095/unread

Maybe you might be luckier than me and a few others.

 

[RasmusP]

I would suggest you just call fanatec and ask them if they have such an adapter still around.
I read/read about quite a few cases where people called them and asked for separate parts they don't sell on their page.
Maybe the adapter for the csl elite and v3 pedals works anyway?

Just give them a call or write an email. Their support seems to have some issues sometimes but my overall impression is that they still kinda like to provide custom solutions when approached nicely

 

[nolive721]

thanks all for your replies.I will definitively contact FANATEC Tech team to see what they can advise

I understand some of you are going through issues with the TS PC but I should have mentioned that I had to RMA my CSL from Day1 since the Fan was also really loud on the wheel base and even worse there was a serious glitch on the Rim Revstripe display since I was getting continuous flickering of the leds by just powering up the wheel and it remained in game (all I tested exhibited the same issue) which was very distracting

FANATEC could not figure the root cause so they sent me replacement of both base and Rim but the latter has a dent on the Revstripe display and the left peddle already making some strange noise compared to the right side.
and on top of that, they sent me UK/EU power cord whereas I live in Japan.....thats not very serious to be honest

so horror stories may exist on both sides

I should also have mentioned that the CSL Elite Xbox+P1 rim comes at 54,000JPY or 495USD but I am getting the TS PC for 43,000JPY or 395USD. Money that the extra feature of the CSL cant justify and as I said, from what I read (a lot now) about the CSL Elite being bit rubbery and lack of speed has been confirmed by my own experience so decision made.

If the CSR pedals connection dont work, I might do a stop gap with T3PA basic ones before moving to FANATEC CSL LC down the road since they can be used as stand alone

thats my take on where I am going from now

 

[nolive721]

Thanks AJ McDaddy

I have contacted FANATEC tech support as well as Basherboards site owner since the Mechanical Engineer I used to be ages ago is not very good at electronics I am afraid lol)

i am still at work but my wife sent me a message saying the TS PC wheel has arrived already!

 

[RasmusP]

i am still at work but my wife sent me a message saying the TS PC wheel has arrived already!

Let the hype train roll!
I just posted in the "issues thread" and I wish you great fun with it! Report back if you think that the ffb is better. I surely do!

 

[nolive721]

I contacted Leo Bodnar support and they dont have a product to work for my CSR pedals to PC.

But Simon suggested the FANATEC Clubsport RJ12 to USB adaptor as well.

FANATEC tech support hasn't replied to my inquiry but what I found sort of gives me hopes although bit confusing from them

On their website, in the Product section
CSL ELITE (non load cell, just 2 pedal kit)

INFORMATION
Driver (for PC)
As these are analog pedals, you will have to plug the pedals into a compatible Fanatec product with dedicated pedal port by RJ12 cable connection. Following this, there are no individual drivers for these pedals and the driver of the Fanatec product they are connected to will also support them. Please check and download the concerned driver, e.g. for your Fanatec wheel.


On the discontinued Product section
CSR (my current pedals)

INFORMATION
Driver (for PC)
As these are analog pedals, you will have to plug the pedals into a compatible Fanatec product with dedicated pedal port by PS/2 or PS/2 on RJ12 cable connection. Following this, there are no indicidual drivers for these pedals and the driver of the Fanatec product they are connected to will also support them. Please check and download the concerned driver, e.g. for your Fanatec wheel.

so basically both are Analog and they say the same thing about them but then FANATEC list the newish CSL Elite as being compatible.
promising for my CSR although confusing as I said above

Controllers:

• ClubSport Shifter
  
  • ClubSport Shifter SQ
    
    • ClubSport Handbrake
      
      • CSL Elite Pedals (analog pedals without CSL Elite Pedals Loadcell Kit)

 

[nolive721]

I am disappointmed FANATEC Tech support came back to me suggesting the Clubsport Adaptor would not work
thinking about buying a set of standard CSL Elite pedals now but thats an extra budget line I wanted to avoid

 

[Jens Roos]

If you figure out the pinout of your pedals, there is an option as mention above to create a adapter if you can get hold of a connectors or cables with connectors. The pinout of the thrustmaster pedals going into the base should be something like this:

Of course I would first try to verify this by measuring pin 4 to 6 in the connector at the wheelbase.

Your pedals should be connected like this inside:

 

[nolive721]

hi Jens

thank you but can you please forgive the mechanical engineer that I used to be who was not a big fan of electrical/electronics class

I have contacted the guy at Bashboards but he hasn't replied so what exactly do I need to do?

the TM ha a very unique RJ12 port shape so I cant plug in the RJ12 to PS2 cable I used to connect my CSR wheel to CSR pedals

I have been using an RJ12 to RJ12 cable to connect my CSR pedals to CSL Elite XBOX base and it was working perfectly fine

I am still suspicious that FANATEC dont want people to know that the RJ12 to USB adaptor they sell actually work for the CSR pedals as well so I am willing to throw the 25bucks to try this out unless you can guide me at what I really should do instead

the ISRTV thread is just showing somebody who had to repair the RJ12 to PS2 cable for his CSR pedals but thats not what I want to achieve here


sorry for being a pain but I am a bit lost to be honest

 

[Jens Roos]

I'm not familiar with the Fanatec range, but you could try to find and compare the pinout of both pedal sets connectors.

If they are the same there should be no reason for the adapter not working. Also if needed, sourcing and reconnecting the RJ12 is much easier than the thrustmaster asymmetric connector.

 

[AJ McDaddy]

the ISRTV thread is just showing somebody who had to repair the RJ12 to PS2 cable for his CSR pedals but thats not what I want to achieve here

The ISRTV thread that I linked was to give you the wiring so that you can use it with the Leobodnar adapter with a bit of soldering.

I guess the Fanatec adapter won't work as the wiring is different - taking into consideration the load cell and the vibration motor?

 

[nolive721]

@AJ
sorry if my message came across the wrong way.It was helpful to access this ISRTV thread to understand the wiring but could not figure out, still cant, how to build this adaptor with the board and get it to work
Leo bodnar hasn't replied to my inquiry so that doesn't help

I would rather buy an out of the box working solution. Trying to figure out the pinout of the CSL Elite (Std and LC) seems not easy from the quick search I did last night. Will try again after work today but I am leaning towards buying the FANATEC adaptor.If it works, happy bunny.if it doesnt work then I buy the std CSL Elite which we are sure work as standalone
I see however that these CSL Elite pedals lose resolution from 12 bit when connected to wheel base to 8bit when connected via USB to the PC
Does that really make a substantial difference in the real world?

 

[AJ McDaddy]

It didn't come across the wrong way, just thought you misunderstood what I was posting.

Good luck with the Fanatec adaptor. Let us know how you get on.

 

[nolive721]

received the Clubsport just now, plugged in the PC via USB, flashed firmware for CSL Elite pedals and.....................my CSR pedals were recognized in the Control panel!!!!

just head up to PCARS2 and I could assign and calibrate the pedals in there, me happy bunny.

I had only praise for FANATEC Tech support and Sales team with the issues I had with the CSL wheel and rim but they were not honest suggesting the Clubsport adapter wouldn't work with my pedals.Well now you guys know.

now I need to start tuning the FFB on my new TS PC wheel as well as working out fine tuning of my Jetseat KW908...addicting hobby Simracing is!

 

[llcamino]

So to clarify, you were able to use the adapter to make CSR non load cell pedals work USB directly to computer? And use a Thrustmaster base at the same time?

Could you link the adapter you bought or point me in the right direction?

I emailed Fanatec and also got the "we have no adapters that would work" response.

My Fanatec GT3 RS is starting to lose center while driving and I may upgrade to a Thrustmaster base. I like my CSR pedals though. I have the spring set very heavy and added RC shock mod. So I feel as though I am braking based on pressure and not distance. I dont want to have to spend money on pedals right now if I can avoid it. Your solution has made me excited that I might be able to upgrade wheel without pedals!