Simulator Manager

AiM Simulator Manager reads live telemetry from a simulator running on your PC and sends it to a connected AiM device. The device can display the values and record them for later analysis.

The simulator choices are iRacing, AssettoCorsa, AssettoCorsaCompetizione and rFactor2. The manager connects to one AiM device at a time.

Importing a simulator’s previously recorded files is a separate operation, available under Preferences > Conversion of Files. See Conversion of Files.

Opening Simulator Manager

In RaceStudio 3, open Preferences > AiM Sim Racing > Launch ‘AiM Simulator Manager’. The same submenu lets you add or remove a desktop shortcut and enable or disable starting the manager at Windows startup.

The manager has its own icon in the Windows notification area. Click the icon to show its window, or right-click it and choose Show dialog.

Important

Simulator Manager suspends communication with devices while RaceStudio 3 is running. Close RaceStudio 3 after configuring the device. The manager then tries to start the selected simulator connection automatically.

Preparing the device

Before starting a simulator session:

  1. In RaceStudio 3, open the configuration for a device that supports simulator streaming.

  2. In its ECU stream settings, select the SIMULATORS manufacturer and the protocol matching your simulator. Enable the channels you need, then save and transmit the configuration to the device. See Configuration of Devices.

  3. Power on the device and connect it to the PC using a supported USB or network connection. For Wi-Fi, join the device’s network before closing RaceStudio 3; you can also join it from the Windows Wi-Fi menu. See Wi-Fi Networks.

  4. Launch Simulator Manager, then close RaceStudio 3 so the manager can communicate with the device.

The channels available on the device depend on the selected simulator protocol and the configuration transmitted to it. Check the device’s recording indication if you want to save a session: receiving live values does not by itself confirm that recording has started.

Choosing and starting a simulator

  1. If a stream is already running, click Stop Simulator Stream.

  2. Click the small simulator-selection button between Start Simulator Stream and Stop Simulator Stream, then choose the simulator from its menu.

  3. Click Start Simulator Stream. If no simulator has been selected yet, this button opens the selection menu first.

  4. Start your simulator and enter a driving session. For rFactor2, complete the plugin setup described below before launching the simulator.

  5. Check both status lines: Simulator reports the simulator connection and then live RPM and speed; Device(s) identifies the AiM device the manager is trying to use. Confirm that the expected values also appear on your device.

The manager remembers the selected simulator. At its next launch, it tries to start that connection automatically if RaceStudio 3 is closed.

Choosing the AiM device

The field below the device status accepts the serial number of a preferred device. Enter the serial number if several devices are connected and you want to use a particular one. With this field set, the manager only attempts to connect to that device.

Leave the field empty to let the manager use an available device. If the expected device does not connect, check the serial number, its power and its connection to the PC. An unavailable preferred device is not automatically replaced by another one.

rFactor2 plugin setup

rFactor2 requires the AiM plugin supplied with RaceStudio 3. Simulator Manager checks the plugin when you select rFactor2 and when you start its stream.

  • Close rFactor2 before selecting it for the first time or updating its plugin. If the manager reports NEW PLUGIN INSTALLATION REQUIRED!, close rFactor2 and try again.

  • NO rFactor2 INSTALLATION DIR FOUND! means the manager could not find the simulator’s installation. Check that rFactor2 is installed; contact AiM Support if the message persists.

  • rFactor2 PLUGIN INSTALLATION FAILED! identifies a folder where the plugin could not be copied. Check that the folder exists and can be written to, then retry.

  • If the simulator status shows rFactor2: PLUGIN NOT INSTALLED, streaming has not started. Resolve the installation message and press Start Simulator Stream again.

Hiding, stopping and downloading

  • Hide in Tray hides the window while the manager continues running. Click its notification-area icon to show it again.

  • Stop Simulator Stream stops the simulator and device connections. Stop the stream before choosing a different simulator.

  • Exit closes the manager and stops its communication. It is also available from the notification-area menu.

To download a session recorded on the device, stop the stream and open RaceStudio 3. Opening RaceStudio 3 also suspends the manager automatically. Use the device’s Data Download window, then open the session in Analysis; see Devices and RaceStudio 3 Analysis.

If the simulator status never reaches live values, check the selected simulator and that a driving session is running. If live RPM and speed appear in the manager but the device does not show the expected channels, check the device connection and the simulator protocol in its configuration.