Introduction

Welcome to your HB Vortex MotionRig. This manual explains how to operate, tune and look after your motion platform from the IGNITE dashboard. Please read Safety First before using the rig.

What the system is

The MotionRig is a motion-simulation platform driven by electric linear actuators. It reproduces the vehicle’s motion — pitch (nose up/down), roll (lean left/right) and heave (up/down) — plus G-force and road-texture cues, in sync with your driving or flight game.

• Platform: the physical model you own (e.g. M4 = a 4-actuator, 4-corner platform; 3-actuator models are also available). The M4 is designed for the Fanatec Clubsport GT cockpit; a free-mount chassis for aluminium-profile rigs is in development.
• Actuators: the electric linear actuators that raise and lower each corner of the platform.
• IGNITE controller: the on-board controller that runs the motion engine, drives the actuators and serves the dashboard to your phone or PC.
• IGNITE dashboard: the web app you use to control everything, from any phone, tablet or PC browser on the same network — no PC software to install.

Photo of the complete rig (platform + cockpit + seat)images/rig-overview.jpg

The dashboard address

The dashboard is a web page served by the rig. Open it at http://<rig>:8100, replacing <rig> with your rig’s network name or IP address (see Getting Started). A live demo is available at hbvortex.com/ignite/dashboard.html?demo=1.

In the box

Contents vary by model. For the M4 MotionRig, for example:

• M4 MotionRig chassis (Premium White)
• 4 × 0.75 kW servo motors
• Advanced Control Unit (the IGNITE controller)
• All connection equipment

Contact your dealer if anything is missing.

Safety First

Earthing (grounding) — mandatory

Before every session

• Confirm the area around and under the platform is clear of people, pets and objects.
• Make sure the occupant is seated and secured with the safety harness/belt before motion starts.
• Keep loose clothing, hair and cables away from the actuators and pinch points.
• Do not exceed the rated occupant weight (see Weight and load, below).
• Keep the E-STOP within reach of an operator standing next to the rig.

The E-STOP

The E-STOP immediately stops the game motion and brings the platform down under control (a fast, ~1–2 second controlled descent), then cuts drive power. Use it any time something looks or feels wrong.

Photo/diagram showing the E-STOP button locationimages/estop.jpg

Weight and load

• Weight: stay within the rated moving weight (occupant + seat + wheel/pedals). [Insert your model’s rated figure.] The M4 operates comfortably in the 220–225 kg class and has been validated above that; peak acceleration naturally reduces as load increases.
• Balance: mount the seat and controls centrally and rigidly. A loose or unbalanced cockpit degrades the motion feel and stresses the actuators unevenly.

Certified motion limits

Your rig ships with safety-certified velocity and acceleration ceilings. Depending on your mounting (harness/belt and floor fixing), higher limits may be unlocked after certification. These caps are enforced by the controller and cannot be exceeded from the dashboard.

Getting Started

Power on

1. Make sure the platform is clear and at rest.
2. Switch on the rig’s main power — from an earthed socket only. The controller boots and the servo drives initialise (this can take 10–20 seconds).
3. On first boot the rig performs homing — each actuator finds its zero reference. Keep clear while homing runs.

Connect to the dashboard

Connect your phone, tablet or PC to the same network as the rig, then open the dashboard address in a browser.

• On a network: open http://<rig-name>.local:8100 or http://<rig-ip>:8100. The rig’s name and IP are shown in Support → Device Info.
• First time: if the rig has not joined a Wi-Fi network yet, ask your installer or see the Maintenance Manual (the Setup screen handles the initial Wi-Fi join).

Screenshot: dashboard home / connectionimages/dashboard-home.png

Your first drive

1. Open the dashboard. Check the state banner shows the rig is up and ready (no E-STOP, not asleep).
2. Start your game. The rig auto-detects supported titles and selects a matching motion profile.
3. Begin driving gently. If the motion feels too strong or too weak, see Tuning the Feel.
4. When you finish, PARK the rig (see Playing) before switching off.

Setup Wizard

The Wizard (on the Control screen) walks you through the safe operating envelope for your installation in a few steps — the fastest way to a correct, safe baseline.

Screenshot: Setup Wizardimages/wizard.png

Physical safety levels

Choose the level that matches how your cockpit is mounted and secured. Higher levels allow stronger motion but require a properly harnessed, floor-fixed installation.

Maximum-power confirmation

Before enabling the strongest settings, the Wizard asks you to confirm you understand the increased forces. Do not enable maximum power for an unsecured occupant.

Ride type

Pick the vehicle style so the baseline feel matches your game (see the ride-type table under Playing). You can fine-tune afterwards on the Control screen.

Dashboard Tour

The dashboard is organised into tabs. This section summarises each; later sections cover the key controls in detail.

Tab	What you do here
Observe	Live status: connection health, telemetry inputs, current game, motion output, state banner.
Control	The main tuning deck: ride/dial presets, G-force and rotation strength, suspension, Boost EQ, Effects, the Wizard.
Motors	Motion Test, Haptic Test (buttkicker), re-home.
System	Diagnostics, logs, updates, saved Wi-Fi, LED lighting, Data Out, restart/shutdown, quick navigation.
Support	Device information (hours, model, travel, health), support messaging, changelog.

Screenshot: dashboard tab bar (Observe / Control / Motors / System / Support)images/tabs.png

Playing (Operation)

Game detection

For supported titles the rig detects the game automatically and loads a matching profile. Console titles and some PC games broadcast telemetry directly to the rig over the network; other PC games feed the rig through the MotionRig Launcher (see below).

Ride types

Ride type	Typical games	Character
Formula / open-wheel	F1 23/24	Sharp, low-slung, strong G, limited angle.
GT / road	Gran Turismo 7, Forza, Assetto Corsa, LFS	Balanced rotation + G.
Rally	DiRT Rally 2.0	Big suspension/road texture, more angle.
Truck	Euro Truck Simulator 2	Slow, heavy, hybrid suspension.
Flight	Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane	Attitude-focused (bank/pitch), gentle G.
Direct / IMU / SimHub	SimHub Universal, phone/IMU controllers	An external source drives the motion (see Data Out and SimHub).

Park, Depark, Sleep and Wake

• PARK: lowers the platform gently to the floor and powers the drives down. Use it before switching off.
• DEPARK: raises the platform back to the ready position and re-enables the drives.
• Auto-sleep: after a period of inactivity the rig lowers itself and sleeps; the lights drop to ambient. Sending telemetry (or waking it) brings it back up.

Restart and shutdown

From the System tab you can restart or shut down the rig. A restart lowers the platform first, then power-cycles — the seat will not drop. Always let the rig finish parking before removing power.

PC Launcher (Telemetry for PC Games)

The MotionRig Launcher is a small Windows app that reads the telemetry from your PC simulator and sends it to the rig over your network. You need it for PC titles that do not broadcast telemetry on their own (they expose it through shared memory, a plugin or a local port). Console games and titles with native UDP telemetry (F1, Gran Turismo 7, Forza) can send to the rig directly and usually do not need the Launcher.

Install

1. Run the MotionRig Smart Installer on your gaming PC. It installs the Launcher (into %LOCALAPPDATA%\MotionRig) and creates a MotionRig shortcut on your desktop.
2. Start the Launcher from the desktop shortcut.

Set it up

1. Rig IP address: enter your rig’s IP (shown in Support → Device Info on the dashboard). The Launcher sends telemetry to this address.
2. Select your game from the list.
3. Update rate: leave the rate at the default (about 60 Hz) unless advised otherwise.
4. Start the game. The rig detects it and begins moving.

Screenshot: MotionRig Launcher (rig IP, game selector, status)images/launcher.png

Enabling telemetry per game

Most PC games need their telemetry output switched on once. The Launcher supports:

Game	What to enable
Assetto Corsa / Competizione	Nothing — read automatically from shared memory.
DiRT Rally 2.0	Turn on UDP telemetry in the game options and set the port (default 20777).
Euro Truck Simulator 2	Install the SCS telemetry plugin (scs-telemetry.dll) in the game’s plugins folder.
Live for Speed	Enable OutSim and OutGauge in the LFS configuration (cfg.txt).
Microsoft Flight Simulator	Nothing — read automatically via SimConnect.
Grand Theft Auto V	Install the provided telemetry script mod.
SimHub Universal	Point SimHub’s output at the Launcher/rig — this covers many additional titles through SimHub.

Tuning the Feel

All feel adjustments are on the Control screen and take effect instantly — change a value and feel the difference on the next corner. Start from a Wizard baseline, then adjust.

Screenshot: Control deck (sliders)images/control-deck.png

Presets (ride and dial)

Ride type sets the overall character; the dial (Soft / Medium / Hard) scales the intensity. These give a good starting point in one tap.

Strength controls

• Max angle / Max G: the maximum tilt angle and G the rig is allowed to reproduce. Lower them for a gentler ride.
• Rotation vs G-force balance: overall weight of the rotation (pitch/roll) versus the raw G cues.
• Suspension: how much road/bump texture (heave) is mixed in. The system uses the game’s own suspension signal when available, otherwise a built-in shock-absorber model.

Boost EQ

Per-axis multipliers (fore/aft, lateral, vertical, rotation) that let you emphasise the cues you care about — more lateral G for cornering feel, or more vertical for kerbs.

Signal filtering

• Deadzones: ignore tiny inputs so the rig stays still when the car is essentially flat.
• Smoothing: averages the telemetry over a short window; higher = smoother but slightly less immediate.
• Rotation curve: a geometry-aware curve that keeps small, reachable angles expressive without clipping at the extremes.

Effects

Effects are one-tap presets over the real settings above — a fast way to try a specific character and compare instantly. They apply through the same controls, so a later manual tweak simply wins.

• Soft sway: a gentle high-speed roll/heave wave that makes the car feel lighter at speed.
• Jump / vertical boost: stronger vertical kick over kerbs and jumps.
• GT lateral: extra lateral G for cornering bite.
• F1 / rally modifiers: sharper rotation response tuned for open-wheel cars.

Use the Effects section of the Wizard to try special F1- or rally-oriented setups and feel the difference in real time, then keep the one you like.

Screenshot: Effects panelimages/effects.png

Haptics (Buttkicker / Bass Shaker)

If your rig has the buttkicker hardware, the controller streams a live signal derived from telemetry — engine rumble scales with RPM, road texture from bumps, plus gear-shift and impact jolts.

Haptic Engine

On the Control screen, set the master volume and the per-channel strengths (engine RPM, gear, road). These are multipliers, shown as “x” factors.

Haptic Test (Motors tab)

Verify and dial in the buttkicker without launching a game. RPM and Dirt-Road sliders feed synthetic telemetry through the real haptic mixer (the rig does not move), and a Volume slider sets the test level independently. Demo patterns (rumble, rev, heartbeat, crash, dirt, sweep) preview specific feels.

Lighting (LED)

The Lighting card (System tab) controls the LED strip.

• Race: the lights follow the game (e.g. brake-light red flashes).
• Ambient: a calm static glow.
• Off: lights off.

When the rig sleeps, the lights drop to Ambient (unless set to Off) rather than going dark.

Data Out and SimHub Direct Mode

Data Out

Data Out forwards the incoming game telemetry to extra devices — a tablet dashboard app (SimHub, Sim Dashboard) or your own integration — as a raw UDP repeat and/or a JSON/SSE stream. It is off by default and supports multiple targets.

SimHub Direct (SimHub Universal)

For advanced users who prefer to compute the motion in SimHub: select the “SimHub Universal” source. SimHub then calculates the individual actuator position targets (front-left, front-right, rear-left, rear-right) and sends them to the rig.

For most users the built-in engine — automatic game detection, per-title tuning, effects, haptics and safety supervision — gives a richer, turnkey result. The choice is yours.

Looking After Your Rig

A few habits keep the rig performing and safe.

• PARK the rig before switching off, and keep the area under the platform clear and clean.
• Check Support → Device Info from time to time: running hours, total travel, and per-drive boot health. The rig keeps a per-actuator wear odometer, so service can be planned before problems appear.
• If the motion develops a new noise, vibration or a corner that feels weak, stop and have it checked.

System and Diagnostics

Device information

Support → Device Info shows model, serial, running hours, total travel, boot health per drive, and the torque each actuator drew during the last homing — useful for spotting a wiring or feedback problem at a glance.

Logs

The System tab shows the rig log. You can select and copy log text to share with support. Boot and diagnostics are logged in full for the first minutes after start-up; afterwards only errors, unusual events and a periodic summary are recorded.

Software updates

Updates are delivered over the air. The installer is designed to be safe: it snapshots the previous version, verifies the new one is healthy after restart, and automatically rolls back if something is wrong.

Wi-Fi management

From the System tab you can view and remove saved Wi-Fi networks. The rig refuses to delete the network it is currently using.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	What to do
Dashboard won’t load	Wrong address, or device on a different network	Confirm the rig’s name/IP (Support → Device Info) and that your device is on the same Wi-Fi.
“CHECK EMS” / E-STOP banner	E-STOP engaged, or drives offline	Release the E-STOP; wait for the drives to initialise (10–20 s). If it persists, contact service.
Rig does not move in-game	Wrong source, telemetry not arriving, or rig asleep/parked	Check the game is supported and telemetry is enabled; DEPARK / wake the rig; confirm the Observe tab shows incoming telemetry.
Motion too strong / weak	Ride/dial preset or strength settings	Re-run the Wizard, or adjust Max angle / Max G and the strength sliders (see Tuning the Feel).
A corner feels weak or noisy	Mounting, imbalance, or a drive needing service	Re-check mounting/balance; if it persists, contact service (a load/torque test can confirm).
No buttkicker	Hardware not present, or volume at zero	Confirm your rig has the buttkicker option; raise the master volume; use Haptic Test.

Specifications and Support

Specifications

The MotionRig lineup (from the current catalogue — confirm the exact figures against your order):

Model	Axes	Servo motors	Stroke	Driving style
M3 / M3L	3-axis	3 × 0.75 kW	100 mm	F1 / open-wheel
M4	4-axis, independent	4 × 0.75 kW	150 mm	GT / Rally
I4 (Intelligence)	4-axis, independent	4 × 0.75 kW	100 mm	Same platform as M4, compact travel

Item	Value
Feedback	17-bit servo encoders
Rated occupant / payload	M4: 220–225 kg class (validated higher). [Confirm per model.]
Control	IGNITE web dashboard (EN/TR/ES/DE), phone/tablet/PC browser
Connectivity	Wi-Fi; telemetry over network; MotionRig Launcher for PC games; optional Data Out to SimHub / tablets

Support and resources

• Live dashboard demo: hbvortex.com/ignite/dashboard.html?demo=1
• 3D layout planner (fit the rig to your cockpit): hbvortex.com/3D/
• Web portal — the online manual (always current), your account, and rig customization: www.hbvortex.com
• Showroom (Istanbul, Perpa) — live trials by appointment: [contact / phone]
• HB Vortex: www.hbvortex.com · NiVo Tech: www.ni-vo.com