I use a USB headset dongle that came with a pair of Logitechs that I no longer use. You can find USB headphone dongles for cheap, maybe $5 - $20. Just plug your BK in the USB, select it via haptic feedback software of choice, done!
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Sorry, I meant to answer but got really busy this week. No, I’m not using an actual Buttkicker brand, but my understanding is that they work exactly like any other transducer, using sound output for their signal.
ETA: Here’s a link to a long post about my set up, from early on. I’ve since dispensed with Voicemeeter Banana entirely and am using ASIO4ALL as a 5.1 audio driver to give me 5.1 stereo effects (L/R, F/R channels). Works really well, and is ultimately simpler than VM.
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ok I deleted my post as to not clogg this thread with my issue. I made a new post if you want to come over and add any info… I added your post from the thread you linked here so I can see what you did thank you…
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The Buttkicker is an awesome addition, IMHO. I have a Secret Labs Titan (at its lowest point) as well and did have to adjust the height. It took a little to get accustomed to the adjustment. I was impacted most when setting up my wheel for racing. I attempted to remove the plastic cover on the center post, but my chair is in there and won’t budge (I really don’t want to cut it). I’m on the short side, so the extra height is acceptable but not optimal. I may ultimately build a base for my pedals so I can have a better feel while sitting in my setup.
Still, at the end of the day, I love my Buttkicker (I have the older model).
Interesting aside: My eldest son has a Woojer vest and I had the opportunity to try it with the kicker. Flying with both was over the top! OMG. I decided not to get one because I don’t want to have to strap it on every time I want to go flying. Then again, that could be part of the immersion for some. lol.
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Raising the pedals would be a good solution… I’m going to see if I can get used to flying with the seat raised. I might take the plunge and cut those plastic covers off of the seat pillar. You can’t really see them from most angles…
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I am really tempted to buy one.
Please tell us about the experience over in this thread:
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Ok I have a question since I have no clue at all about that kind of hardware:
What is the difference between the Buttkicker Gamer 2 and the Gamer plus?
I woke up today wanting this, but I seriously don’t know what to get.
Well, the line has been refreshed, so the Gamer Plus and Gamer Pro are the two options. I went with the Plus. The Pro is a bit bigger and from what I read, designed with cockpit setups whereas the Plus is a good size for office chairs (which is what I use).
done
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Ah, so the Gamer 2 (spotted in on Amazon for 200 bucks) is the older model then?
It seems to have the same specs as the plus.
Edit: Ok yeah it seems that really is the older model. Got confused there for a while.
Still considering buying it, as I can order it from Aerosoft right now. No clue when the new one will be available and I certainly don’t want to pay shipping from the US if possible.
I also read that some people replaced the amp by some standard 60 bucks subwoofer amp to improve results.
…might be worth a try, I really feel the itch to try it and so far I could not find anything about why the new one is better except “the amp has a display”.
Edit2:
Wow. Found one in a German web shop. 340€
Well I did not buy a new Gamer Plus I did just purchase 2 mini LFE’s for my setup. they will replace my single MiniConcert.
I would imagine with 2 buttkickers on my chair it should give me the desired effect. if not I may purchase a higher wattage sub amp…
now if only the 4xxx series video cards come out…
From my experience over the last few years, yes, that should be plenty. I think there’s a ‘window’ here, and of course personal taste comes into play, but if too small you don’t get enough ‘kick’. Too big and you’re probably going to annoy someone else in the house (or below you!).
Looking at the specs for pistion/puck weight/mass:
Mini LFE (what I have): Piston Weight 2 lbs / 0.91 kg
LFE = Piston Weight: 3.75 lbs / 1.48 kg!!! (just for comparison)
BK Gamer 2: Piston Weight 6 oz (0.37 lbs)
I have the LFE Mini + another brand at about .25 pounds, totalling ~2.25 lbs.
It’s more than enough for my office chair.
The little ones from other brands, though I suppose it varies by brand (diff. tech) buzzed more than kicked. There’s so much variation here. For stall and “G” effects more mass seems better. Up to a point.
The BK Gamers are at the end of an arm which likely helps.
It’s amazing how used to it all I’ve gotten: the ‘thunk’ I get for gear up/down; that extra vibration when the speed brake goes out; bombs falling off; guns (GUNS!) of course. No way I’m going without this stuff anymore. Esp. in VR.
EDIT: Oh, forgot…if the puck is too small, for how you ‘play’ (settings), then the Mini LFE can over-heat and freeze up (I guess it expands or something; turning it off/on resets it and is necessary).
That’s why I think going a little bigger may be better: you don’t have to drive it so hard to get you ‘kicks’ (couldn’t resist). This of course assumes you are outputting a signal constantly, like for the engine(s). I don’t use engine rumble because I want to feel the slightest changes in “G”. But I only do jets. So if I’m not pulling on the pole (or flaps moving, firing guns, etc) I don’t feel anything.
I too tend to run the engine effects a little lower (8-12 depending), favoring the G’s and what not being well defined.
If you have two amps, you might as well run the buttkickers in stereo, it’s pretty awesome when landing, or if an engine compressor stalls (Tomcat A, I’m looking at you!).
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umm dont give me any ideas but I like the stereo butttkicker idea…
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So has anyone here gotten their Buttkicker plus hooked up and run through the gauntlet if so how do you like it?
Yes, I have mine hooked up. I think it is a nice addition to my setup. The effects are a bit more subtle than I thought they would be. If I turn up the amp volume to where it feels as I expected, the shaker gets hot and eventually shuts down. Now, with it tuned in at a more subtle level it is still great. I think the design of the chair has a lot to do with how well the vibrations are transmitted to the seat. I also haven’t had a lot of time to fine tune things…work has been pretty crazy here of late.
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Think it might provide more feedback if it were on an arm? Looking at the product page it’s missing the long arm the BK Gamer had. Not sure why they did that (or I’m looking at it wrong). Or the advantage is only imagined…
My setup is on a metal plate underneath the seat (see pix in the article) thus moving them away from the seat post about 6 inches. Only a tiny bit of flex there.
Heat is an issue (not sure I went into that, or the cause/cure’s, in the article). Seems that this is where more power + heavier ‘puck’ can help, depending on how you set it up.
If you have constant running effects (engine usually) there’s a tendency for it to overheat. As I mentioned above (I think?) my priority is “G” and Stall effects and, with a single channel, I don’t want the engine to ‘dilute’ the feeling. This is all very subjective of course, and setup dependent.
I would think a larger puck, with a more powerful amp to match, might be working less under the above conditions versus a smaller one - you might be able to run the larger one at a lower power setting and get the same ‘feel’, but overall it’s not working as hard.
Then there’s the issue of transducer design. I think some are more prone than others. The Aurasound AST one I have never seems to seize up, and it’s not that heavy.
And I will add that it’s just different in 3D (VR) vs 2D - in 2D it’s nice but in VR it is, to me, something I have to have. Perception?
The stereo options mentioned by someone above sounds cool. I haven’t looked into it but it would seem the ideal situation, for 2-channels, would give you the ability to specify which effects go to a given channel (left or right). Then with a 2-channel amp and 2 different sized transducers you could send, say, engine stuff to the Left/smaller puck and G/Stall to the Right/Larger puck. Not sure if SSA even supports this. There’s a button for stereo but, having only a mono amp I’ve never tried it.
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I’m not sure whether SSA/SSSM supports that, but I will say that the default way L/R is used is really great. Touch down on one wheel in a crosswind, or if you shut down one engine you can tell which, fire the gun on the Viper, etc, and you can feel it on the appropriate side. It’s pretty cool.
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Nice. I only have a 1-channel amp so no dice. But, the idea intrigues me.
I’ve had the BK Gamer Plus for a couple of weeks now, so I thought I add some feedback here for anyone looking to get one of these.
It took me a solid week of tinkering to get it working to where I was happy with it. One of the problems is that a lot of the information on setup available online is based on the older version “Gamer 2” and doesn’t consider the new features in the Gamer Plus.
One thing that tripped me up was that many people recommended using a second usb sound card and/or voicemeeter to isolate sounds and haptic feedback. I later found that neither of those are needed. The Gamer Plus has a usb connection which allows it to act as its own sound card. Now I run the Buttkicker 3.5mm audio to my motherboard sound card and also have the USB connected.
To achieve both audio sourced and game telemetry-sourced feedback I run both SimShaker for Aviators/Sound Module and HapiConnect from Buttkicker. In Simshaker I set the dedicated sound card to the 3.5mm Audion connection on my MB. In HapiConnect I set the outputs to the Buttkicker USB connection and my speakers/headphones. The result is FANTASTIC. HapiConnect produces feedback from deep bass sounds and ignores sounds from things like radio messages. Without HapiConnect you won’t get any feedback from things like flak or sonic booms. Once you have this setup go out and fly through a KS-19 100mm AAA barrage! 
The other thing I struggled with was a very annoying intermittent buzzing when flying the viper or hornet in DCS. At first I thought there was something wrong with my hardware setup/connections and wasted a ton of time switching inputs/outputs around to resolve this. Finally I isolated it to Simshaker produced feedback. The culprit was the “Flaps Movement” setting in Simshaker. Even though this buzzing was occurring when I wasn’t manually moving the flaps the viper and hornet make tiny corrections to flaps position in auto mode and results in this “buzz, buzz, buzz” that was driving me insane. Thankfully SimShaker has a setting to correct this without turning off Flaps Movement all together. Under special options change the “Flaps Movement Filter” setting. I currently have mine set to 40.
I have to say the Buttkicker is one of the best simpit upgrades I’ve done in a while. Although the setup was a bit frustrating it was well worth the effort. Flying through flak, feeling munitions come off the wings, sonic booms… I could go on and on about this. It’s so great feeling the aircraft react realistically. I know why people would say they can’t fly without one now.
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