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Computer Control (CC) Setup Guide

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This is the setup guide for the computer control (CC) automation setup. We recommend that you read this before purchasing any hardware. Cost estimates will vary depending on the method you choose.

The computer control (CC) automation setup consists of 4 main components:

  1. A computer.
  2. A Nintendo Switch.
  3. A video capture card.
  4. A controller to control the Switch.

The computer is the player. The capture card is its eyes. The controller is its hands.

Here is an example of a full setup using an ESP32 microcontroller:

Step 1: The Hardware

The Computer: (the player)

You need a full computer to run CC programs. A phone or tablet will not work.

Specifically, the computer must:

  1. Be running 64-bit Windows 10 or later on an x64 CPU. (An Intel or an AMD CPU. You cannot use a Qualcomm Snapdragon.)
  2. Be sufficiently powerful.*

*We recommend a quad-core CPU of 3+ GHz, no older than 2015. If you intend to control more than 1 switch, you will need a more powerful CPU with more cores. If you want to run 4 Switches all with feedback, we recommend a modern 8-core computer.

You will also need 2 spare USB ports. (or 2 ports per Switch if you intend to run multiple Switches)

MacOS:

CC is functional on MacOS albeit missing a few features present on Windows. A distributable is available for Intel and M1 Macs on MacOS Ventura (13) or later. For MacOS Monterrey (12) and earlier, you will need to follow an extra set of instructions to build CC from source code.

If you are an experienced developer with MacOS, your help in making MacOS feature-complete would be greatly appreciated!

Other Platforms:

Due to lack of developer support, our support of Linux is limited. While you can set these programs up on Linux, you will need to know how to run command-line build scripts.

If you are not willing to do that or you have no idea what this means, then stop. Unfortunately, you will not be able to run these programs unless you can go to Windows.

If you are willing and able to go down this rabbit hole:

  • Linux builds have broken video and are thus not usable. We would love some help here!

The Nintendo Switch

If you're going to automate a Nintendo Switch game, then you need to have a Nintendo Switch.

However, it needs to be a regular Nintendo Switch that can be docked with HDMI video output. You cannot use a Switch Lite. We need the video output for the computer to see your Switch. Unfortunately you cannot just point a camera at the Switch Lite's screen since that comes with too much loss of quality. (Even if this worked, it's bad idea anyway since 24/7 gameplay will burn out the screen.)

Video Capture Card (the computer's eyes)

A video capture card will allow a computer to capture the HDMI video output from your Nintendo Switch (or any other game console).

Example Shopping Links:

Most cheap capture cards work. Higher end-capture cards may cause issues with color detection. Ensure the capture card is capable of a video output resolution of 1080p at 30 frames per second.

The Controller: (the computer's hands)

The controller is the most difficult part to setup because there is no off-the-shelf product that will do it for you.

In the past, the only controller we supported was the wired pro controller. But as of today, we have expanded support to 3 different setups!

Wireless Wired Custom Firmware
Supported Controller Types:
- Wireless Pro Controller
- Left Joycon
- Right Joycon		 Supported Controller Types:
Wired Pro Controller


 Supported Controller Types:
Wired Pro Controller
Supported Microcontrollers:
ESP32-WROOM-32




 Supported Microcontrollers:
ESP32-S3
Arduino Uno R3
Arduino Leonardo
Teensy 2.0 / Teensy++ 2.0
Pro Micro		 Supported Microcontrollers:
None required.
Cheapest and easiest to setup for the average user. More expensive. Easy to setup for ESP32-S3. More difficult for the others. Requires a hacked Switch running custom firmware (CFW).
Runs nearly all programs including LGPE.* Runs all programs except for LGPE.* Runs most programs.* Cannot run LGPE.
Cannot run programs that require precise button timings.
Fast and reliable for most programs.
Cannot run Sword/Shield day-skippers.		 Fastest and most reliable for high-speed programs. (date-spam exploits, FCE) Runs most programs well. Slow and unreliable for high-speed programs.
Not recommended for remote access.
Not recommended for high density setups due to wireless interference.		 Very good for remote access. Not recommended for remote access.
Recommended for all users including beginners. Recommended users who want maximum performance and reliability. Recommended for regular CFW users who want to try CC programs with minimal investment.

*Please consult the program list for the full compatibility table.

If you are new to automation and are interested in trying it out, we recommend the wireless ESP32 setup.

If you are an existing user with the old Arduino/Teensy/ProMicro setup, there is no need to upgrade to these newer setups unless...

  • You wish to automate LGPE (Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee).
  • You want to get rid of your complicated and bulky wiring setup and replace it with something cleaner and slimmer.

We don't recommend the CFW/sys-botbase setup to anyone except those who already have CFW and are seasoned users of Sysbot and other hacked Switch projects. This is more of a, "Hey, try us out!" sort of thing for those who already get all their automation from CFW-land.

Step 2: General Setup: (setting up everything except the controller)

The setup is quite simple until you get to the controller. So we will cover everything before the controller here.

See: General Setup

See: General Setup for MacOS

When you are done, you should have the CC window running and looking like this:

Step 3: Controller Setup:

Here the guide will diverge depending on which controller type you have chosen. Pick the one you chose earlier.

Wireless Controller:

Wired Controller:

For wired controllers, the ESP32-S3 is the way to go as it is by far the easiest to setup. The other setups are older setups that are much more difficult to do and require manual wiring.

Custom Firmware:

Note that usb-botbase is not supported because it clashes with the capture card which needs the same USB port.

Step 4: Finishing Up

Now that you are done with your setup, go run some programs!

Computer Control Program List

Here are some misc. tips/tricks, and other hidden features of the CC programs!

  • Disable Sticky Keys: The SHIFT key is mapped to the B button. So if you press it 5 times in the row, you will get a notification about sticky keys. You should turn it off.
  • Per-Program Wiki: The top of the window is a link to wiki for the currently selected program. It will contain instructions on how to use the program.
  • Full Screen: Double click a video feed to pop it out into a separate window. Double click the popped-out window again to full screen. ESC will exit full screen.
  • Saving Settings: Settings are automatically saved when you close a program.
  • Console Settings (controller, video, audio) are saved on a per-program basis rather than globally. (This is due to the existence of multi-Switch programs where it makes less sense to save globally.) So every time you switch to different program, you may need to re-enter everything. Needless to say, this can be annoying and inconvenient. Use the "Save Profile" and "Load Profile" buttons to easily save and load console settings across programs.
  • Upgrading: To upgrade to a new version of the CC programs, download and unzip the new version. Then copy and paste the folder UserSettings/ into the same place of the new version. This will transfer over all of your settings and program stats.
  • Suppress Screensaver: If you are using the CC program to play your Switch manually using an external controller, the screensaver will likely kick on or your monitors will turn off due to inactivity on the computer. At the bottom left corner is an option called "Sleep Suppress". Check the box to force your computer to keep the monitors on so this doesn't happen. Just remember to turn it off when you are done or your monitors will stay on forever!
  • Stereo Audio: Most cheap capture cards output mono channel audio at 96 KHz. In reality, it is 48 KHz stereo. We split the channels out to give you the original high-quality stereo sound from your Switch!

You have now unleashed the power of automation. May you play more than 24 hours per day!

Discord Server: