I've been getting quotes for a garden office to house my 747 sim. As a rough estimate I've been quoting 4m wide x 5m length interior space. Do you think that's enough? I could go to 6-7m length. Wall height will be 2.4m with a pitched roof.
Doing a Sketchup drawing, looks like it would be easier to use TVs rather then projectors.
Projectors take up a huge amount of space. I personally really like my 3-projector setup from the immersion standpoint, but the downside is the almost continuous faff to get it working right, considering the use of warping etc, and getting a round flat surface is a monumental battle for most. They also kick out quite a bit of heat and some noise, and of course the definition is never as good as a TV screen.
The upside, of course, is the much more expansive view, and the complete lack of join between the three screens, which defeats most users unless they have expensive calibration software, such as Immersive Calibration Pro (which I use).
I can't help but think that if and when we get large 4K curved screens at a reasonable price, with a very small bezel edge, projectors will be a secondary option.
I will take some measurements of my setup tomorrow for you..
Peter.
In the (no longer existing) UK Worldflight sim in Coventry, John used three flat panels of wood set at shallow angles, and three simple projectors. Everybody yelled bloody murder, then shut up and enjoyed the experience. It isn't ideal but your brain works around the visible edges instantly. Just as when you install small side monitors just outside the side windows, instead of crafting a wraparound projector screen. "It will never work!", until you try to turn left onto Alpha, and you notice it works just as well.
Sometimes you need to compromise.
Hoppie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAT22H_-Bk4
I have seen some very impressive TV setups on Youtube, with some using 65" 4K TVs. A great explanation vid https://youtu.be/PjdgOBJ5xkQ (https://youtu.be/PjdgOBJ5xkQ). I did a test on my OLED and the stars look amazing. In the future could expand to 5 TVs.
Thanks Peter, really appreciate your help.
My projection screen has a diameter of 4.2m. It could probably be made a tad smaller but that compromises cockpit size, of course.
My projectors are mounted 2m above the floor. That gives me room for a cockpit width of just over 2.8m at the base, and a little narrower at the top.
One very interesting issue with a curved screen as opposed to a flat screen is the perspective change depending upon the observer viewpoint. The observer should ideally be at the centre of the curve, or the curvature will give strange effects (if you have the warp set correctly). Let me explain...
I use Immersive Display Pro and Calibration Pro. (You really need both to get a true blend, in my opinion).
The strangest thing is parking at a straight surface, such as the terminal building wall - an observer looking from behind the sim will see a "Fish-bowl" effect - with everything curving away from the centre - curved building...
To the pilot in the sim, however, the terminal building wall will appear to stretch away on a flat plane on both sides - just as it would be for real. It is the weirdest thing to see, but totally realistic. I still can't get my small ageing brain around that!
Having discussed all the downsides, I wouldn't be without my curved screen now - in a banked turn you really feel as though the cockpit is turning.
Of course the big sims use projectors, but in a very different way. They need a collimated display for zero-flight-time certification, where objects appear at the same angle to both pilots. You can't do this just by projecting on a screen, or using TVs. A very large (usually Mylar film) elliptical mirror system is in front of the pilots, and they are actually looking at a reflection of the projected screen which is out of direct view above their heads. (I'm sure you knew that, but for the benefit of others).
Peter
Thanks for the great explanation Peter. I've attached a rough design of the office, wall height is 2.4m
(https://5u8q6a.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mMUIwJ2SNYGVQd3CcGBV2k3kaapo5Qtevo4aP6fMPYBOF1bAqjTj0fJP0Z7fRCz1YNLIqynTybVyOYvT1jZ2lwBaGCC5j74gX9irzwXIz_EMmJ1Bq7TJzNs2WEhTI8RDlrR4C28xGnOzCfvf4SXGnWW9wsjoXuza0inm8Ognc25AZOYrhVx7FjoHYY89hXJ6nmri5gQQ9_9W72JGEUkgPFw?width=660&height=319&cropmode=none)
(https://tq0g0a.bn.files.1drv.com/y4m10bEtO0mTG20AIGd6ZsTWQUr2z2m88s7rtn3Y7aVfUi87nYO2JChytX23LlZuwYXl6urkupG26c8ULI0lV4-K2RXTxT7cPaVcm1YaBXhGzxAzGQy4NVlLC8q_ctj1LlET7Q4CFgudsxTXwJUtHSozxg9MyRnEVCwFUgNnA1cJPltMJtitI1QtUTDjthKfCyK6nc78rAfW9QLMY1ryOUfYA?width=660&height=319&cropmode=none)
My ceilings are 8ft (slightly higher than you're proposing) and my FDS sim still casts shadows on the bottom 9 inches or so of the screen because the projectors are too low to completely shoot over it. With 9ft ceilings (which I'll have once I move it downstairs) that will no longer be the case. I don't know how tall your sim will be, but just worth considering.
My ceiling height is 7' 4" which is less than what Chris has. However, Since I don't have room for a set of linked yokes my floor is only 6" high. The room is 12 feet deep by 15 feet wide which allowed me to install a 4.5 meter 205 degree FOV screen. I do have the same shadowing effect that Chris referenced due to the shell interfering with the projected image but it isn't noticed while flying, being that latter 1-2 feet of the bottom edge of the screen. Running three Optima 1920x1080 projectors with warping and blending software. Here's a link to my sim, which uses a real B744 interior, although with the depth of the room that I alluded to, doesn't allow for the full depth of the flightdeck.
https://www.flightdecksolutions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4981
The above link photos were with the older projectors.
Here's a link to a more recent video I did with the new projectors. I was wearing a GoPro on my forehead which accounts for some of the jiggly behavior. However, I also had PSX set for some light turbulence and decent wind velocity. This video was for an upcoming neighborhood fly-in that is scheduled for tomorrow to see how people can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuS7CUUvdzg&t=17s
Cheers,
Jon
So finally got planning permission :D work will start this week. I'll post some pics once everything is up!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gc9gf7cs7z44cgn/Photo%2021-07-2018%2C%2018%2009%2020.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/gc9gf7cs7z44cgn/Photo%2021-07-2018%2C%2018%2009%2020.jpg?dl=0)
Well on it's way to be finished!
Looking good.
Nice! Just like the plans.
Jon
It's finally in its new home!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/08fjekoswvwdo87/AABbPvKF3qcApgvsJqkHbcWDa?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/08fjekoswvwdo87/AABbPvKF3qcApgvsJqkHbcWDa?dl=0)
Congratulations! Looks great. :)
Wow!
I want to get one of those when I'm a grown-up !!!
Now you just have to have a TQ!