Stream Deck puts control of your apps, games and setup on customisable keys, and there’s a plugin for almost anything you use on your computer.
But did you know sim racers can also use it as a telemetry and data display, a button box and for making real-time hardware adjustments?
This is thanks to the Fanatec Stream Deck Plugin, and here’s everything you need to know.
The Fanatec Plugin enables sim racers to use their Stream Deck to alter wheel settings on the fly and also display live telemetry, such as tyre temperatures and pressures. It includes a customisable setup and easy-access adjustments, without the need to use Fanatec’s PC or mobile apps mid-race.
It’s worth downloading for keen sim racers looking to save screen space and make adjustments on the fly.
Upon connecting your Stream Deck to your computer, install the latest Stream Deck software from the Elgato website.
Then, the Fanatec Stream Deck Plugin is available via Elgato Marketplace. Simply search for the “Fanatec Plugin” within the marketplace, log in with your Marketplace account and click ‘Get’ to install.
This will add the plugin to your existing Stream Deck software, which will then transfer any settings, profiles and changes via plugins to your connected Stream Deck device.
In the Stream Deck software on your PC desktop, you will be asked to install Fanatec profile presets.
These are pre-made profiles (layout) for both Stream Deck XL and Stream Deck + included with the plugin, so if you are using either of these devices, click ‘Yes’.
Do keep an eye out on Elgato Marketplace for further updates to the Fanatec plugin, as more profile presets may be added in future.
Alongside the pre-made Fanatec profiles, you can create your own custom layout, regardless of your Stream Deck model. This is particularly useful for non-XL or + devices that do not currently offer their own Fanatec profiles.
For example, you can combine a number of useful data displays in a way that works for you, whilst adding a second accessible page to switch to Fanatec Tuning adjustments.
You could have as much as possible on one page, picking and choosing just a few key elements, or creating multiple layers of integration to maximise efficiency in a way that works for you. Alternatively, simply load up one of the aforementioned Fanatec-created presets.
But whatever you do, don’t forget to customise the colours and make it look good on your rig. A simple set of options allows you to pick between a selection of colours for text and background changes.
The Fanatec plugin for Stream Deck has a range of features that, when used in conjunction with a modern Fanatec direct-drive sim racing wheel base, will elevate your experience.
These functions can be split into two main categories: Fanatec App Tuning Menu adjustments (for wheel settings) and Data Displays.
These tuning menu options allow you to use the keys on Stream Deck to tweak your wheel settings on the fly. All of the following parameters can be adjusted up and down:
Having these settings on your Stream Deck and reachable when driving makes it far easier to make a required change in the heat of battle. There’s no need to reach for your mobile phone, or pause the game and ‘tab out’ to play around with the sliders. It can all be done with a tap of a key, without you losing concentration at the crucial moment.
For instance, a change to the ‘SEN’ while racing can change the wheel’s rotation limit.
Because the Fanatec Plugin facilitates a direct and instantaneous link between the Stream Deck app and the Fanatec App (PC software), it can also use this integration to pull telemetry signals from the games themselves.
Most contemporary simulations, such as iRacing or Assetto Corsa, can already deliver data directly to your Fanatec hardware via its app, allowing the likes of LED rev lights and telemetry displays on steering wheels to function accurately. The Fanatec plugin means Stream Deck can also display certain data.
This is very much dependent on the game you are playing (and therefore which specific data the Fanatec App receives), but the plugin allows your Stream Deck to show numerous flag signals, electronic settings (such as lights, traction control levels and your pit lane speed limiter), race information (such as a lap counter and position indicator), and even tyre information, both pressures and temperatures. A full list is below.
iRacing, for example, can show you flag signals, your pit limiter, position and lap counters, and brake bias, but cannot show you your traction control or anti-lock brake settings, and will only show you the tyre temperatures of your previous tyre set, once you have changed them in a pitstop (a feature of the game itself).
Please note that while these functions are accurate as of Version 1.2.1, more features and profiles continue to be added over time, so check the Fanatec plugin on Elgato Marketplace for the latest up-to-date information and a full list of features and profiles.
When combining the live data displays from the Fanatec plugin with your own custom adjustment functionality (matching the keys to certain keyboard combinations, which are replicated in-game), you can turn your Stream Deck into a sim racing-focused button box.
Some of these devices can be over €400, although more entry-level models are available for similar prices when compared to a Stream Deck (model dependent). However, unlike a Stream Deck, a dedicated sim button box doesn’t have additional functionality.
For instance, Stream Deck has a variety of plugin options regularly used by sim racers, such as Discord, changing camera angles in OBS if you choose to live stream, or simply muting your mic or adjusting audio levels.
| Category | What you get |
|---|---|
| Telemetry (keys) | Position, Fuel, ABS Value, TC Value, Engine Map, Brake Bias, Gear, Pit Limiter, ERS Value, DRS Allowed, DRS Active, Current Lap |
| Tyres (keys) | Temperature (°C/°F) and pressure for each tyre |
| Flag signals (keys) | Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Black, White, Orange, Checkered |
| Lights (keys) | Lights On, Rain Lights, Lights Flashing, Turn Indicator Left, Turn Indicator Right |
| Tuning Menu (keys and dials) | All 12 settings listed in the Tuning Menu section above |
| Profiles | Two for Stream Deck XL, two for Stream Deck + |
Whether you start with a ready-made profile for Stream Deck XL or Stream Deck + or build your own layout from scratch, the Fanatec plugin puts live telemetry and wheel tuning a tap away while you drive. Get it free on Elgato Marketplace.
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