Tutorials & Guides

iRacing Low Frequency Effects

Capture iRacing Low Frequency Effects audio via VB-CABLE for enhanced motion and bass shaker effects.

ForceSeatPM is able to use iRacing's LFE (Low Frequency Effects) to enhance wheels related effects on motion platforms and QS-BT1. This works similar to Marvin's Awesome iRacing App (MAIRA) and requires a virtual sound card to redirect and capture sound.

1 Installation

Information

VB-CABLE is a free driver that can convert any output into input.

1. Download VB-CABLE driver.

2. Extract the contents of the zip file and start VBCABLE_Setup_x64.exe as the administrator.

3. Reboot the PC after installation.

2 Configuring VB-Cable

In order to get to advanced sound settings, open system Settings → System → Sound → More sound settings.

2.1 Scenario: iRacing LFE is NOT used to drive tactile transducer (bass shaker)

The default VB-Cable configuration allows to use iRacing LFE with ForceSeatPM with no additional modification. Refer to the screenshots below to confirm that configuration has not been modified.

2.2 Scenario: iRacing LFE is also used to drive tactile transducer (bass shaker)

Information

Skip this section if you don't use iRacing LFE to drive your bass shaker setup.

If you have a tactile transducer (bass shaker) and you wish to have iRacing's LFE signal to go to both your bass shaker and ForceSeatPM, then additional configuration is required.

1. Click Recording tab → CABLE Output → Properties.

2. Switch to Listen tab, enable Listen to this device and select the audio output device your bass shaker is connected to.

2.3 Configuring iRacing

Information

In order to reach settings in iRacing, you must enter any game session (e.g. Test drive) with vehicle remaining in pits.

1. Go to Settings → Driving → BassShaker Force Feedback.

2. Enable LFE and select CABLE Input (not CABLE Output) as LFE Device.

3. Adjust audio levels according to the recommendation below and your personal preferences.

2.3.1 Added effect for wheel slip only (which is missing in telemetry data):

2.3.2 A few more additional effects mixed in:

2.4 Configuring ForceSeatPM

1. Go to any iRacing profile (sound card settings are shared between profiles) and click Configure.

2. Select CABLE Output (not CABLE Input) as LFE audio device and click OK.

3. Open iRacing profile, go to SFX tab for motion platform or QS-BT1, find LFE component, enable it and adjust gains to your preferences.

2.5 Tuning LFE

1. Go to iRacing profile and click Input Diag. to open Input Diagnostic window.

2. Start the game and the race in the windowed mode so you have Input Diagnostic visible.

3. Confirm that ForceSeatPM receives LFE data.

4. Disable all other motion components and effects in iRacing profile, leaving only LFE enabled so you know what LFE adds and tune it to your preferences.

5. Once you are happy with results, turn back on all previously disabled components and effects.