I need help/ideas on how to manage my CH stuff and Logitec G25

l88bastard · #1 10-17-2008, 06:35 PM

Ok so I have a pleasantly out of hand situation here. Just take a look:

I work for myself and this is my main workspace. The problem is my sim accessories are taking over and I need a better solution than this, lol.

I was looking at getting the playseat evolution or something of the like. Basically, something I can cart over when its playtime and move out of the way when I have to be productive. The problem with the playseat is it does not appear to be ideal for my CH gear. I want something that will work very good with both my CH stuff and my logitec G25 stuff.

Does anybody have any solutions? I cant really make anything myself because I live in a condo and don't have the tools for a big custom job.

My budget is whatever is reasonable

If worse came to worse I was thinking of getting a thing to hold my foot pedals up like this guy has in this picture. Does anybody know where you can get some sort of pedal support like he has going on there?

4H_V-man · #2 10-18-2008, 01:46 AM

Unfortunately I can't help with your problem; I have the same one!

However, I thought you'd be interested to know who the 'guy' in your photo is, in case you don't already know:

http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/cedwards00/cup/

It seems you are already involved in the greatest flight sim around. Let me introduce you to the greatest racing sim there is:

http://forum.racesimcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1197

Don't let the forums put you off (reminds me of the old 'Ubizoo' days). The physics in ARCA are amazing, and are going to get better with the next patch.

nearmiss · #3 10-18-2008, 02:13 AM

looks like home sweet home to me.

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I have a powered USB 2.0 Hub 4 connection unit.

1. leave it plugged in all the time

The CH Product Pedals, Stick and throttle are stored in a cabinet behind me. This way when I get ready to do any flight sim I just shut down the computer.

Using dual boot XP PRO & Vista 64Bit... I login to the XP Pro for flight sim games, Il2 series, FSX and BOB II WOV.

I plug all the CH Products USB connection into the powered hub and restart. I use a powered HUB to assure the best possible performance with USB. Aftrerall, there are other USB devices I use as well.

Each of the games I've created a profile for in the CH manager.

The profile buttons are as near to the same for IL2 as BOB II WOV.

It wasn't hard to do, because there is a X-cross chart available for BOB II WOV to IL2.

My computer sits on the desktop beside my monitor similar to yours. I like having CD/DVD burner and floppy handy.

Never leave the CH products plugged in when I'm not using them. I just wrap their USB cords around them and put them away. This way I never have to answer all goofy questions about "whazz zat", whuts you doin with that, that's neet kind stuff.

I had a blood pressure monitor on my desktop for a while, along with all the CH products stuff and had some fun with it. I'd tell the crazy questionaires... Yeah this combat flight simming is tedious and nerve wracking stuff. It's advised for users to keep a careful eye on your blood pressure and pulse rate when you've had about an hour of butt-kickin air combat.

l88bastard · #4 10-18-2008, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4H_V-man

Unfortunately I can't help with your problem; I have the same one!

However, I thought you'd be interested to know who the 'guy' in your photo is, in case you don't already know:

http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/cedwards00/cup/

It seems you are already involved in the greatest flight sim around. Let me introduce you to the greatest racing sim there is:

http://forum.racesimcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1197

Don't let the forums put you off (reminds me of the old 'Ubizoo' days). The physics in ARCA are amazing, and are going to get better with the next patch.

Thanks Vman,.. yea I knew it was CE. Thanks for the heads up on the racing sim too!

I have pretty much decided that I am going to make my own "pit!" I am scouring local junk yards looking for that right auto chair...Im hoping for an excalade, cts, bmw or corvette seat! Then I will carefully layout a simpit that will work for both car and flight sims...gonna be a fun and frustrating project!

BadAim · #5 10-19-2008, 08:44 PM

Before you go any further, check this out: http://www.62ndfightingfalcons.asn.a...2/Default.aspx

The Akers-Barnes pit is very versitile and can be taken apart and stored in a suprisingly small space (a modified version is reported to fit in the trunk of an MGB) and is easily modified for special situations.

Here's mine:

nearmiss · #6 10-19-2008, 09:52 PM

Little red circles so you don't forget who you're flying for.

Curious, what kind of materials do you make it from?

It almost looks like foam board.

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I have a very nice posh high back chair, with soft leather, soft covered arms and the back leans back when I push.

Looking at pit with those pads (for a chair), and having to climb down and into and push out... I go to the gym to workout

Honestly, I do think the idea is good, and if that helps get you into a more immersive feeling about flight simming or air combat it looks like a nice inexpensive alternative to building a more serious sim cockpit.

BadAim · #7 10-20-2008, 12:40 AM

LOL, I was flying almost every night on ZvW at the time I built it, the colors are more of a joke to myself that anything. As for materials, it's fairly cheap 1/2" plywood, I doubt foamboard would hold my 200+ pound a$$ up! Also, it's not so hard to get in and out of, it helps that I raised the whole thing up about 4" from the plans.

One big thing is that since these pics were taken I added a floor, so that my pedals are anchored in place now. All of this means that everything is in the same place everytime I climb in. Even if I break it all down and put it back up, it's the same every time and it stays there! And It's comfy as hell. I spent the extra money on some good high density foam and enlisted Mrs BadAim for the cover, I'm sitting in it now and quite content.

nearmiss · #8 10-20-2008, 02:39 AM

ROLTFLMAO...

I can just visualize a 200+pound man sitting in that contraption.

Reminds of when I did the soapbox derby.

I hope this doesn't offend you.

My wife says to me, "you have a strange sense of humor".

You have done a great job of hiding all the wires.

Do you use trackIR? If not you might look into the

http://www.free-track.net/english/

I carefully built a good LED head tracker pointer that sits securely ontop of my headset. It works great, and even works in bright sunlight.

I prefer not to sit in a blacked out room.

I used IR LEDs in the head tracker pointer so the light is invisible to the human eye, but the webcamera sees it extremely well.

At this point, I'm better pleased with the free-track than TrackIR. My Opinion of course.

Thunderbolt56 · #9 10-20-2008, 11:49 AM

Akers-Barnes pits are great and versatile for the sim enthusiast whether flying or driving. Because it's his workstation as well, I doubt that would be the best solution though. I would suggest looking at the sim/pit builder's threads at SimHQ and CH-Hangar for other ideas that may be more versatile.

I have and use an AB pit as well and love it, but I'm fortunate in that I don't have to do much double-duty on my gaming/sim rig.

BadAim · #10 10-20-2008, 12:10 PM

I'm a middle-aged guy, who plays video games with other middleaged guys while sitting in a plywood contraption that he made in the garage. I can take a joke. Now the soapbox derby thing sounds like fun. Hmmmmmm, I wonder how much plywood I have left?

As to the TIR thing, yes I use it, That's the little black thing on top of the monitor. The TIR4 is way better than the earlier versions, and much less sensitive to light, though the midday sun through the south facing window behind me will still cause a little trouble. I'm certainly not opposed to using a webcam though, and may look into it if my TIR fails.