Custom VisionRacer VR3. D-box motion, Dual TH8s, Triple projection.

[museumsteve]

Not trying to start anything here just that your current setups 3 46" screens right? Went from 110" screen, if my math is correct you currently have 138" of screen. So you have went to a bigger screen. Not that triple isnt better, but you have also went bigger. Just something i noticed. My question with triple projection is how are you guys keeping the projectors from being moved? You know getting bumped into, wife deciding to dust or just a drunk buddy bumps them. Seems like it takes alot of time to get them lined up. Maybe some yellow caution tape. 💡

I'm going smaller, I'm finding 38" is my magic number personally so that's the size screens I'm making tomorrow
I normally play games in my movie room on my big projector (JVC HD1) but want the immersion of 3 screens..and this just does it for me.
I have no issues about projectors being bumped etc..it's my house, just me and my 18 year old son and this room isn't used for anything else so I have no issues.
Although saying all that, I have been considering using hi-tension wire from the ceiling to each projector as an added secirty measure (still pondering)

 

[Mayaman]

The FOV is larger for sure but the 110" single screen is much larger vertically. My point being that with a triple screen setup of this size you get a almost 1:1 real life size, not exact but pretty close to your eye from the seat.

A single 110" screen I had, I had a steering wheel the size of a wagon wheel. totally different feels and looks. And you don't get the panoramic field of view.

So I understand what you're saying but technically the 110" while not larger is "larger"

I have mine mounted on a single monopod now. I'll post a pic.

 

[fatkrakr]

I guess my real question is if the projectors or the screens get moved are you pretty much starting from scratch to get them lined back up?

 

[Mayaman]

When I post my pic you'll see that its not a big deal. Mine are on a monomount. But most people have them ceiling mounted and you can't hit them. Very simple to re-align if they move, maybe a minute.

 

[Mayaman]

This is my new monopod replacing the three projector mounts with a single, much cleaner mount. I also added the Alienware dual GTX580 rig and to top it off another TH8 in sequential mode for rally racing near the steering wheel. Oh forgot my new CSR Elite.

You can see my Dbox at the back of the rig. The surround speakers are also mounted on the monopod, you can see the small cubes under the projectors.

I have feeds for all three of my gaming platforms. Triple Xbox, Triple PS3, and PC all running up the projector pole.

 

[wavetool]

^Dang, dude. I wanna play at your house.

 

[fatkrakr]

Very nice setup you got there. My wife would have that stand all jacked up trying to dust it lol. Never thought about ceiling mounting, like I ve seen most projectors mounted. Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Mayaman]

Fat, she wouldn't move it. that base is like 25 pounds of solid steel and the Ergotron arms are torqued so to move it you've basically have to knock it over and that would take you purposefully doing that. Hope that helps.

 

[superbike81]

Can you tell me where you got your projector mount? Or if you pieced it together, can you tell me exactly what you used? Thanks!

 

[Mayaman]

Superbike, the mount is self made from several different parts which are easy to obtain.

1. Ergotech large quad monitor base. Designed to hold 4 24" LCDs so it can easily hold three projectors.

2. Chrome solid steel closet pole from Home Depot. Cut to the size I needed for my application. Comes in 72" length.

3. Ergotron dual monitor mount. Has swivel arms and allows me to place the two side projectors at any angle I want. The center projector is mounted to the closet pole.

4. I canabalized three cheap projectors from Amazon.com and just used the swivel heads. Mounted those to the dual Ergotron swivel arms with 1/4 bolts.

All in all, it looks cool and does the job.

Thats pretty much it. Just elbow grease and ingenuity.

 

[Hwangm]

love it Man, btw is the screen in front move when D-Box move?

 

[Mayaman]

Yup the screens move, but since its projection the image doesn't move.

Also for those who want a VR3 but don't know how to get rid of the middle bar here is a solution from Dubai. You can remove the center bar and weld a U arch to both wings.

Hwangm, when I get my D-box subframe I'll take a video and some more pics.

 

[Mr Latte]

Nice updates actually really nice...
Liking the triple monitor mount for the projectors.
Does the D-Box make that chirping/piston sound that many other motion solutions have?

Now before I start, I have a complaint.
You have all those tech toys and that gear, can I please encourage you to buy a decent camera to really show this amazing setup off properly, err pretty please?

Two shifters, man that is luxury all with D-Box. Certainly the most impressive setup now on the forums from a tech standpoint, no doubts about it.

Now one of the issues I have with motion is that I think motion and static screens is wrong, err like the actual Forza E3 simulator. Surely the screens need to move in sync with the seat. Sorry it's a personal thing, one of the reasons motion doesnt really light my fire. Perhaps a bit like I have with "Superbikes impressive cockpit build" you know using a real car dash and then playing an F1 car or various cars but I'm fussy in some ways is all. Maybe it isn't such a problem if the screens are static but then isn't it hard to keep focus and particularly triple screen in view at all times if your body and head are moving yet the screens are not.

Yet did I understand correctly that your screens move with the cockpit but then your fixed projected image is static. Isn't that weird and actually worse? Do you then loose parts of the image as the screen angle changes then projecting the game onto the wall behind as it moves?

Need to see a video of it in action mate.

 

[Crispy]

Now that's an amazing rig! I would kill for something like that! Although I'm starting slowly.

Now before I start, I have a complaint.
You have all those tech toys and that gear, can I please encourage you to buy a decent camera to really show this amazing setup off properly, err pretty please?

I have to admit, all I got is a camera phone now that the good one died.

 

[Mayaman]

Latte, I think you're over analyzing this a bit. This is still a WIP, what you see now is not necessarily what it will be in 6 months. I'm still fiddling with screen materials and contemplating ceiling mounting the projectors. But there are some things I know now after taking this on than I did before.

1. Motion adds so immensely to the sim I can't even convey it in words, you have to spend time with it, tweak it, experience it from game to game. I find it hard now playing without it. Its especially convincing in Dirt 3 and rFactor.

2. The screens are moving with my rig, and obviously the image doesn't move because they are projected. But this is as it should be. When I'm pulling Gs in my real car my car it doesn't lean several degrees to the left or right. But I do feel the G forces. I mean in extreme situations you have severe lean when I'm autocrossing. Also the in game car usually reflects the environment so the car does indeed bounce according to the movements of the D-box. So while my projected image isn't moving, the in game car is which coupled with the D-box is extremely immersive and convincing.

3. The image doesn't leave the screens, I have enough screen real estate that the image reaches the edges of the screen but don't leave it. Every now and then in Dirt 3 the D-box is so violent that it peeks behind but who cares. LOL

What I'm trying to accomplish with my rig is immersion. I'm getting real close to where I want it. I've got what right now is the best compromise between functionality and having a beautiful rig. That was my goal from the get go. Something that isn't just functional but also nice to look at. I've been very picky in the components I pick to achieve this.

Finally I think people will be able to grab ideas from my rig. You can take bits and pieces and see what works for you.

 

[museumsteve]

I love the projector mount...very clean
Mine's gonna be awesome but will look so much more cluttered due to my choice of projectors.
I'm very tempted to look at TM shifter but with the interface it's around £200 and I think I should start gettng my spending under control . My project started as a bit of fun but in around 3 weeks I think I've already blown around £3k and still have essential stuff to do :s

 

[Mayaman]

Forget that spending under control stuff. Get it done now or you'll regret it later. Plus, the TH8 is fantastic. you'll thank me. Here's an idea, budget on lunch or dinner the next two weeks. Problem solved.

 

[museumsteve]

Forget that spending under control stuff. Get it done now or you'll regret it later. Plus, the TH8 is fantastic. you'll thank me. Here's an idea, budget on lunch or dinner the next two weeks. Problem solved.

lol...it does look awesome.

I did have to buy a new Xbox this morning as one died but I also picked up a cheap used 60GB pro with a Forza 2 faceplate 👍 , that'll be my rear view mirror machine

 

[Mr Latte]

I'm not questioning the simulation or immersion aspects that motion can indeed bring.
Have said before tried 6DOF simulation several times.
This Type

May I reply and say that maybe your over analysing my comments, lol. Merely I am voicing my own position at times, even stated such when doing so, not to make it seem like playing (motion) down.

I did ask, "Surely the screens need to move in sync with the seat?" wanting your feedback on that and regards if keeping focus on the screen was an issue? Those are not critical comments I would not think. Also if much noise came from the D-Box motion itself? Again just general questioning on the experience. Still yet to hear your thoughts about these questions friend.

You didn't explain you had additional border space available to compensate the movement. Ah, so it made sense to question if the moving screens effected the projected image. Do not take it all as criticism or in the wrong way, take it as someone actually paying attention yet being curious. While we may all have our our ideas and preferences that doesn't mean, when questioning some of the things the comment is raised for a negative reason.

Additionally I do not think anyone assumed this was finished yet?
I do personally feel, having fixed projection and fixed screens may be better if the projectors will not be moving with the screens then it seems little point in have such large screens moving but this is your rig it will be the way "you prefer it".

If anything many community PC motion simulators have the seat moving while the steering wheel support doesn't and that has to feel weird. At least with the D Box the whole cockpit/seat and wheel moves in tandem.

Do look forward to your updates so don't take things the wrong way.

 

[Mayaman]

Nah didn't take it the wrong way. The screens moving are by neccessity since they are attached to the rig.

I don't even notice the screens moving since they are white. I only notice the projected image so its a non issue. I would dismount the screens to save weight but they are attached to the rig with no way to un-attach so I have to work with what I have.

The D-box is practically silent. The only time it makes any noise is because of the plastic casing that says D-box when the rumble effect goes off, but its not loud at all. If it weren't for that you couldn't hear it.

And don't worry, I wasn't angry or anything in my last post. Text sometimes has a way of not conveying what you're trying to say or the inflection of how you're saying it. Feel free to ask as many questions and criticisms as you want.

 

[Mr Latte]

Oh its not hard to have a row on GT Planet and that is not what I was wanting, so yeah good their is not a blow up.

I would from a tech/interest perspective like to see you do a thread just on the D-Box.
Nice photos, show the connection box, the software open it up etc. Bound to be interesting and nerdy.

The tactile it has, is this only available on coded titles and provides that effect from within the game. I guess does the quality of effects vary? Dirt 3 I believe was specifically coded for D-Box like many Codies games in the past. They seem keen supporters of the platform. I'm curious what happens to community based racing games and using say a D-Box plugin do these work different if using I presume motion effects depending on what the physic model is projecting within the game code in real time. Does the D-Box react differently with different games say but on the same track and similar car?

Are their community modified patches for games over the D Box default experience gives?
Great to see C.A.R.S get supported and I'm sure RFactor 2 will also as the first was.

 

[Caz]

Damn you maya. If my wife catches me reading all these porn threads shes gonna ban me from gtplanet

Looking great my friend!

 

[PantalonUK]

Mayaman, your rig is just mind blowing. Thanks for sharing it 👍👍👍

 

[museumsteve]

Can we get proper clarification about the multiscreen angles options?
I've just been reading this and the guy is adamant (so much so he uses capital letters lol) that the angle you set in the game is the angle you want, not the actual angle of the screens It's so tough trying to get my head round it.
Last night I tried varying degrees between 45 and 52, whilst the scenery was always very close, things like the interior mirror was mismatched (right hand screen the mirror was bigger than the other half of it on the centre screen.
I'm no mathmatician but I'm sure it has nothing to do with where you sit in relation to the screen comparison because it's a static screen.

Mayaman..is yours pretty much perfect?

 

[Mayaman]

Yeah, look at my photo's, its as good as its going to get and in the game when you're racing its pretty much a seamless image to your brain.

Remember, when you're looking at a static image on a website it doesn't really convey 100% what stuff looks like in real life.

I have my screens at 45 degrees. That is what is best for me. I have Forza set at 45 degrees and GT5 set at 45 degrees and you can see from my photos and my video that stuff is lined up pretty well. Not going to be perfect because I made my own screens and their ever so slightly crooked because I hand cut them. But its close enough for me.

I find on PC the degree of screen matters less so far from what I'm seeing. But I like the 45 degree angle. For my rig its perfect. YMMV.

Edit: So you know the degree of visible interior in Forza is not the degree of the screens. Thats what he's talking about in that article so I understand where he is coming from. IMO 45 degree is a great angle for the screens. In Forza you can assign the "degree" of visible interior. I also set that to between 43 to 47 degree depending on car.

So to make things simple. Get an angle calculator from Home Depot. Set your physical screens to 45 to 47 degree. Then in Forza set all three screens to between 43 to 47. See what works for you. If you want to see what setting extreme degree does set it to something at the polar ends of the scale and you'll see what I mean.

It sounds complicated but it really isn't.

 

[museumsteve]

The problem I have is it seems GT5 (I've only read not tried) has options to vary the curvature of the screens etc as well as degrees of view. Forza only has the FOV effectively so how does the game know what angle your screens are set at? If it assumed a default 45 degrees for example, or even if it actually didn't matter, then wouldn't any angle you set in the options still line up perfectly where the screens join, albeit at funny angles trailing off if you know what I mean.
It's disappointing that Turn10 dont seem to have given a definitive setup guide.
Maybe I'm expecting to be able to have it perfect and it never could be.. I think my biggest gripe will be that all this effort to have a bezel'less setup using projectors would be more effective with monitors that have bezels if they hide the 'joins'

I'll keep battling on, I had a rubbish night last night doing the screens and I think they went horribly wrong when my mate decided to glue the material to the frame instead of just stapling to the back of the frame. Fortunately I have enough to try again. I still had a quick blast and the pic quality is brilliant

 

[Mayaman]

The effort to go borderless far and I mean FAR outweighs the simplicity of setting up three regular monitors. Don't get frustrated.

Like I said, I set my screens to 45 Degree using a cheap angle calculator from Home Depot and then just set forza to between 43 and 47. Everything lines up perfectly as you can see from my photos and video.

I think you're worrying for no reason buddy, just keep fiddling with it. Thats what I did and I did until I reach a result which was satisfactory to me. But it is indeed possible to get perfect alignment size wise between the components of the interior using three projectors.

It should also be much easier for you because your screens are mounted to the wall. My screens are mounted to the VR3 triple stand with a home made piece meal solution which isn't 100% flat or steady and I'm still getting perfect alignment. Like I said just fiddle with the settings but since you're attached to the way you're using a 45 degree angle. Start with that.

As you can see below I'm getting perfect alignment on a not so perfectly square screen. you can do it.

 

[Mr Latte]

The more you alter the degrees then the closer or further your in game position and FOV is. Many will probably find using from 45-55 is best. I highlighted this in the GT5 setup as everything appears closer or further back depending on the value you set.

The settings do not allow for an angle to be set separate for screen angles from altering the FOV. It is a shame but that is how it is. They list the feature as "Degrees Between Screens" and do not mention FOV yet it completely changes the FOV within the game.

With projectors it is even more complicated maybe getting proper alignment as first you want to ensure your installation is properly aligned before having the issues of the game. Does your PJ have a test pattern or grid feature? Being out slightly will give you issues so anyone doing this is going to have to ensure the distance to the screens is identical for each projector to ensure the exact same image size as well as the PJ's settings all being identical. Exactly why such installation needs to have the screens and projectors fixed when the proper positions are obtained and not moved.

 

[Mayaman]

Yes Latte is correct. I forgot to mention that I aligned my screen using the test pattern with no feed. But even then it still took minute tweeks to get it perfect.

 

[paskowitz]

This is a slick rig. Do you have a total tab for this manifestation of awesomeness?