To experience an even deeper level of immersion in PlayStation VR, you may need a Hands On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controller. This controller gives you tons of control over your aircraft or vehicle as they have the familiar joystick for movement in one hand and adjustable throttle in the other hand.
You can get a HOTAS controller designed specifically for PS4, but PlayStation VR has a limited number of compatible games. If you want to use the PS4 HOTAS controller in all games, or if you want to use the HOTAS computer on PS4, you need something called CronusMax Plus which allows you to map buttons and use any controller with PS4.
Here’s everything you need to know about using the HOTAS controller with all your favorite PSVR games.
- What do you need before you start
- How to connect equipment
- Software you need
- How to set everything up
What do you need before you start
There are three pieces of hardware you will need to make this setup a reality.
Cronus Max Plus
CronusMax Plus is truly the bridge that makes it all possible. It resembles a USB stick, but with a couple of ports for connecting a regular controller and a computer to the PS4. It comes with all the cables and dongles needed to connect and costs about $60.
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HOTAS controller
CronusMax Plus is designed to work with just about any HOTAS controller, but if you’re buying a brand new device, you can also get one that’s already compatible with several PSVR games. Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 works with EVE: Valkyrie and Starblood Arena right out of the box, with more coming in the future. Get it working with CronusMax Plus and you can use it for just about any PSVR game.
See the best HOTAS controller for PSVR
Windows PC with two USB ports
The Cronus PLUS software only works with Windows 7 and earlier, so keep that in mind when following this path. PC with Windows must be near (or within a few feet) of the PS4 in order to connect everything with cables. You also need at least two free USB ports on your PC.
You don’t need anything fancy as all the PC does is recognize the input from the HOTAS controller, translate it and send it to the PS4.
How to connect equipment
There is no specific order for these steps as long as you make sure everything is connected correctly.
- Connect Cronus Max Plus to PS4 through the USB port.
- Paste bluetooth dongle to the back Cronus Max Plus . This is used to connect the DualShock 4 controller.
- Connect Cronus Max Plus to PC With Windows using a mini USB cable.
- Connect HOTAS controller to PC With Windows through the USB port.
Software you need
You need to download a few programs for everything to work properly.
Drivers for HOTAS PC
Certain drivers on your PC are required to recognize the HOTAS controller. These drivers may be installed automatically when connecting the HOTAS controller to a PC via USB, but you may need to install them manually.
In this case, the easiest way is to search the Internet for the name of your HOTAS controller and the word «drivers». This should open a page where the drivers are available for download.
If you have a Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4, you can get the required drivers from their website.
Download Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 drivers
Kronos PRO
The Cronus PRO software allows you to program and configure CronusMax Plus and your HOTAS controller. This is essential software and you won’t be able to set everything up without it.
Download Cronus PRO from CronusMax
