DIY Project: USB Camera Mount for Sim Rigs

DIY Project: USB Camera Mount for Sim Rigs

Many sim racers stream their races on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube and others. The camera arm presented here is an inexpensive and easy way to add a pedal cam or driver cam to your stream.

Materials required

The list of materials required for this project is short. Since the camera module usually comes with a USB cable, all we need is the appropriate housing and the freely adjustable arm for mounting. Additional screws and, if necessary, nuts are also required for this. You will find a detailed list of the required parts in the Assembly chapter.

As an alternative to the used IMX179 sensor, various other sensors of different quality levels and price ranges can also be used. The IMX179 sensor used here offers relatively good image quality and a frame rate of 30 FPS at 720p resolution.

The only additional tool required for this project is a 3D printer. The other accessories are only needed if you want to customise the included 2-metre USB cable.

• DIY Tools
  • 3D-Printer: Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo – (Test / Review)
  • Soldering Iron: TS101 (Aliexpress*) / Amazon.de*
  • Solder: Aliexpress* / Amazon.de*
  • Soldering Flux: Aliexpress* / Amazon.de*
  • Wire Stripping Pliers Aliexpress* / Amazon.de*

3D Print

The individual 3D-printed parts for this project can each be printed completely without additional support. When printing the ball joints, it is important to note that the screws must be inserted during printing, as they cannot be slipped over the ends of the ball joints. To do this, printing is paused at the appropriate layer.

Assembly and mounting

No additional tools are required for assembly, only screws and nuts. The standard ball joints allow the camera arm to be adjusted by around 25 degrees, while the angled ball joints allow a maximum angle of around 90 degrees. All parts can be rotated relative to each other as desired.

• Four M2 screws with a length of at least ten millimeters are required for the camera module housing.
• If you want to use more than one ball joint, you will need a double connector consisting of two individual connectors. To do this, place a nut in the appropriate recess on one side and screw in an M6 screw with a length between 18 and 20 millimeters on the other side.
• All parts can then be secured to each other using the hand nuts; no other tools are required.
• To attach the camera to the rig or another location, a connector is used, which is secured with an M6 screw. Of course, the appropriate slot nut is also required on the rig. This allows the camera to be used as a pedal cam or driver cam, for example, and aligned very precisely.

Examples shown in the picture, which can be extended as desired using the same pattern:

• Short: Camera-housing | Straight Ball Joint + 2 Screws | Base 
• Long: Camera-housing | Straight Ball Joint + 2 Screws | Base x 2 | Angled Ball Joint + 2 Screws | Base

Software

No additional software is required for the USB camera, as it is recognised directly by Windows. The settings for the camera image (brightness, contrast, gamma, etc.) can then be adjusted either in the Windows camera settings or in the software used, such as OBS.

Video

30 FPS – 720p

60 FPS – 1080p

Conclusion

The DIY camera arm presented here is an inexpensive (approx. €20–30) and flexible solution for a pedal or driver cam in a sim rig. With the help of a 3D printer, a few screws and a USB camera module, you can create a fully adjustable, expandable arm with ball joints that can be assembled largely without tools. It is ideal for sim racers who want to upgrade their stream professionally without spending a lot of money on ready-made mounts or expensive cameras.