A Stream Deck on a sim rig used to be a nice-to-have: a few keys for pit limiter, wipers, headlights and a screenshot. That changed when Fanatec and Elgato released an official Stream Deck plugin for Fanatec hardware in early 2026. The keys can now show live telemetry and open the wheel's tuning settings directly, which turns the Stream Deck into a real part of the dashboard. The question is no longer whether it is useful; it is where you put it so you can reach it at speed without taking your eyes off the track.
This guide covers what the plugin does, where a Stream Deck should sit on a cockpit, and how to mount one on the GTR S8 Infinity Force with the Universal Stream Deck Arm.
What the Fanatec Stream Deck plugin adds
The official plugin, available through Elgato's Stream Deck software, brings two things a generic macro profile cannot:
- Live telemetry on the keys. Data such as race position, fuel, tire temperatures and flags can be displayed on the Stream Deck keys while you drive.
- Direct access to the Fanatec tuning menu. Wheelbase settings can be read and changed from the Stream Deck instead of scrolling through the wheel's own menu.
It works with all Stream Deck models, with dedicated layouts for the larger XL and the Stream Deck + with its rotary dials. If you use another wheelbase brand, the classic Stream Deck use still applies: one key per in-car function, labeled, always in the same place.
Where a Stream Deck should sit on a cockpit
A button panel is only useful if you can hit the right key without looking for it. Three rules:
- Within reach of one hand, without leaning. Your back should stay against the seat. If you have to move your shoulders, the panel is too far.
- Angled toward you. The keys should face your eyes, so a quick glance is enough to read the telemetry and you are not pressing at an awkward wrist angle.
- Fixed to the frame. A Stream Deck on a desk or a loose stand moves; one bolted to the cockpit is exactly where it was yesterday, and your hand learns the position.
The usual spots are just beside the wheel deck, on the side of your free hand when you shift, or at the front of a side rail near the seat for a panel you use in the pits rather than at full speed.
The Universal Stream Deck Arm
OPLITE's Universal Stream Deck Arm is built for exactly that placement problem.
- Holds: a Stream Deck, a button box or a smartphone.
- Fits: the GTR S8 Infinity Force and the R8 Fury, most aluminum-profile cockpits, and tubular cockpits with tubes from 1.4 to 2.0 in (35 to 50 mm).
- Installation: no drilling. Screw it on, or use the supplied magnetic strips.
- Adjustment: a triple ball joint gives three-axis adjustment, so the panel can be angled precisely toward your eyes and hand.
- Build: powder-coated steel.
- Finish and US price: black or white, $69.00.
The tube range matters on a GTR S8: the frame uses 1.9 in (48 mm) steel tubing, inside the arm's 1.4 to 2.0 in range. And because the same arm also fits aluminum-profile rigs, it stays usable if you later move to the R8 Fury.
Why build it on the GTR S8 Infinity Force
A Stream Deck is one of the first upgrades most drivers add, rarely the last. The cockpit underneath decides whether those upgrades stack up cleanly or turn into a pile of brackets. Three things make the GTR S8 Infinity Force a good base.
- A dedicated, growing ecosystem. The GTR S8 has its own range of accessories designed for the frame: the Stream Deck arm, monitor stands and the Universal Triple Screen Upgrade Kit, the ScreenLock Pro stabilizer, a keyboard and mouse tray, shifter and handbrake holders, and castor wheels. You add them one at a time, and nothing bought in month one becomes obsolete.
- One wheel deck for any base. The E355 steel wheel deck takes Fanatec, MOZA, Thrustmaster, Logitech, Turtle Beach, Asetek and Nacon bases directly, side or bottom mount. Change wheelbase and the wheel stays in the same place, so your Stream Deck position next to it stays right too. No brand-specific bracket, no extra cost.
- A real bucket seat. The Infinity Force ships with the RS2 FiberCore: a four-layer cross-woven fiberglass shell, 35 kg/m³ foam, ±8.7 in (±220 mm) rail travel, −24°/+24° tilt and five harness pass-throughs. Your body sits in the same place every session, which is what lets your hand find a key by memory.
The frame is E355 steel tubing, rated for direct drive bases up to 25 Nm and pedal loads up to 440 lb (200 kg), with the Full Force Kit in the box.
A simple Stream Deck layout to start with
- Top row: information. Position, fuel, tire temperatures, flags, if your hardware and plugin support telemetry.
- Middle row: driving functions. Pit limiter, headlights, wipers, brake bias up and down, traction control.
- Bottom row: session tools. Replay, screenshot, voice chat mute, a key that opens your wheelbase settings.
Keep driving functions in the row closest to your hand, and resist changing the layout every week. The value of a fixed panel is muscle memory.
FAQ
Does the Universal Stream Deck Arm fit the GTR S8 Infinity Force?
Yes. It fits the GTR S8 and the R8 Fury, most aluminum-profile cockpits, and tubular cockpits with tubes from 1.4 to 2.0 in (35 to 50 mm). The GTR S8 frame uses 1.9 in (48 mm) tubing.
Do I need to drill the cockpit?
No. The arm screws on, or you can use the supplied magnetic strips.
Can it hold something other than a Stream Deck?
Yes: a button box or a smartphone, for example for a dashboard or telemetry app.
Which Stream Deck works with the Fanatec plugin?
The official plugin works with all Stream Deck models, with dedicated layouts for the Stream Deck XL and the Stream Deck +.
Building your rig in stages? Start with the GTR S8 Infinity Force, add the Universal Stream Deck Arm, and compare the OPLITE cockpits to see where each range fits.
OPLITE specifications, compatibility and prices from oplite-usa.com, October 1, 2026. Stream Deck, Elgato and Fanatec are trademarks of their respective owners; OPLITE is not affiliated with them. OPLITE cockpits are designed in France.