Help with ProTee setup

[HoganWoods]

Hey guys,

I've decided to start my own thread. Thanks to everyone for all their help so far. I've decided to do the floor frame first and go from there. I've got a few questions.

I got the unit measurements off Par2Pros website and will accommodate for those. I'll frame with 2x4s and probably use 3/4inch plywood on top. Pretty much like this guy did. (http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthre...l=1#post479593) Adjusting for sensor heights and for my stance mat might be tricky but I'll deal with that after. For now I'm wondering if most of you place your sensor units right in the middle of your room? I was thinking of offsetting it a bit to the right but then am not sure if it will look the aim on the screen. I was thinking maybe a foot or 2 offcenter to the right. Do you guys think that will look strange on the screen? Is there a way to set it up that way? I know the ProTee specs show the unit placed directly in the middle.

Thanks guys!
Rick

[mcook]

Hey Rick...just replied to your private message and now seeing this thread. Let me know if you have further questions from the PM on this thread in case others down the road have similar questions.

[HoganWoods]

Hey Rick...just replied to your private message and now seeing this thread. Let me know if you have further questions from the PM on this thread in case others down the road have similar questions.

Ah just saw this. I had already sent a PM. Will paste answers here. Thanks again.

[HoganWoods]

Day one in the books. Ran out of wood tonight so will continue tomorrow. I've decided to move the sensors to the right sorta like golfomax does. This is because the width of my room is only 13.5ft and I have to shorten it a little more to cover the concrete at the bottom. Sorry leftys ! I also read that I can put the Hcam anywhere along the line and on either side, so I'll set it up on the left side.

Floor frame is about half done. Vac will be moved soon.

day1_2.jpgday1_1.jpg

Edit: No sure why one pic is rotated, oh well.

[mcook]

Nice work....regarding your cement foundation on the side wall...I had the same situation with my room. FYI...I still ran my angle iron (to bungee the screen) on that wall all the way to floor. I bought a nice solid L-bracket and screwed that to the subfloor. Before securing to the floor I put the bolts into the L-bracket holes so the threads were sticking out...away from the wall. I then placed the bracket flush up against the cement and screwed the bottom into the subfloor. The angle iron then butted up to the L-bracket with the bolts going thru the holes in the angle iron....and I secured with nuts. Hope that makes sense.

[HoganWoods]

Nice work....regarding your cement foundation on the side wall...I had the same situation with my room. FYI...I still ran my angle iron (to bungee the screen) on that wall all the way to floor. I bought a nice solid L-bracket and screwed that to the subfloor. Before securing to the floor I put the bolts into the L-bracket holes so the threads were sticking out...away from the wall. I then placed the bracket flush up against the cement and screwed the bottom into the subfloor. The angle iron then butted up to the L-bracket with the bolts going thru the holes in the angle iron....and I secured with nuts. Hope that makes sense.

Ya makes sense. I don't know if I'll be able to do that. The studs don't line up on both walls and ceiling so I may have to install a beam all the way around to install the angle iron. I'm going to want to hang some mattresses from it so I need to make sure it's solid as well. Unless you have any other ideas?

[HoganWoods]

Hey guys,

Can anyone tell me if the Protee needs to be setup within these specs. Specifically the distance the sensors are from the screen? Is there wiggle room?

http://csc.protee-united.com/entries...tor-dimensions

Thanks,
Rick

[ZMax]

Yes, theres wiggle room. The distance between the putting sensor and the main sensor needs to be close to that or a little less, but everything is up to you. i.e. shadows when putting, etc...

[HoganWoods]

Yes, theres wiggle room. The distance between the putting sensor and the main sensor needs to be close to that or a little less, but everything is up to you. i.e. shadows when putting, etc...

Thanks for the quick info. What do you mean by shadows? You mean my shadow being in the screen and disturbing my putting?

[ZMax]

Yes. The shadow of your head could block out the image. Depends projector type, mounting height, and your height when putting obviously. Also, if putting sensor is too close to the screen, the overhead light will wash out part of the image.

[mcook]

If the walls are drywall on no studs line up to the screen position then I think your idea of beams makes the most sense. Just make sure to remember you need to guard against errant shots hitting the beams and firing back at you like a bullet You saw in my pictures....I have the curtain up and down both sides...this would prevent the shot back. However, my screens sits about 1in. above the floor and I initially would have skulled shots go under the screen..hit the cement foundation...and fire back at us taking out limbs I fixed that with some angled foam cushions under/behind the screen.
In terms of the sensor locations....and others may chime in with different opinions. IMO...there is flexibility for the sensor locations. You do want to keep the distance between the putting sensor and the hitting sensor accurate (not too close) though since you DON'T want the light beams over each sensor to overlap (affecting shadow technology). In terms of distance from the screen just be aware of ball bouncing back and light beam hitting screen. My screen is from ProTee...attached with bungees and the bounce back is very limited with real balls and not existent with AlmostGolf balls. If your putting sensor were too close to the screen the light beam for that sensor could hit the screen affecting picture.

[mcook]

Good point Zmax....I didn't see his posts before I sent mine. The ball streak by the cameras is aided by the light from the overhead putting sensor....so he is right that you would not want that light too far away from the hitting sensor....but not too close that the putting sensor beam affects the hitting sensors How's that for an answer!

[ZMax]

You're right McCook. Protee manual say the lights should not overlap, but that was before they added the hcam. The putting sensor light should be a flood and overlap the hitting sensor light(spot) just a tiny bit. But still maintain a well defined shadow over the ball track. See my camera how to post to get an idea of how the lights should look on the floor.

[HoganWoods]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll post updates later regarding your tips and the sensor positions. Few extra questions. I will be using strapped to make a "beam" for the angle metal so that it doesn't create a huge beam to be hit by golf balls (as you mentioned mcook), but do you guys all leave your screen off the floor? Should I be bungee cording the screen to the floor also or does it hang down?

[ZMax]

I would recommend everybody to let the screen hang down freely resting on the floor. Bungee top and sides only. And also put black net right behind it.

[HoganWoods]

So I was able to get some work in tonight. Finished the floor frame and made the railing from the door to the van. As you can see I tried to squeeze as much length as I could but the van had to fit, that was one of the conditions. The golf net is only there because I have no other room for it right now and I wanted to hit a few shots tomorrow before a last round on sunday! Next up I'll find the studs in the walls and ceiling and put up strapping for the angle steel. That stuff isn't cheap! Once that's done I'll frame the concrete on the sides and remove the central vac. Hopefully I can do some more work this weekend!

Cheers,
Rick

day2_1.jpgday2_2.jpg

[HoganWoods]

Hey guys,

The setup is coming along. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to use to cover the bungee attachments to the screen. Any creative ideas? I know you can get netting that does it but I'm more interested in custom ideas you guys did on your own.

[mcook]

One idea for you is what I did....I hung 50"W x 120"L blackout curtains from floor to ceiling in front of the left/right wall bungees. I cut to length and sewed together another curtain to use as a baffle across the ceiling to catch the balls prior to hitting the ceiling bungees/angle iron. I had my projector image on the screen and measured how long to cut that ceiling baffle to be the perfect length and just above the LCD image on screen...think mine was 14" length for my setup. So if you were doing one curtain on each side and cut up one curtain to piece together across the ceiling you would only need 3 curtains for this setup.
curtains: http://www.halfpricedrapes.com/black...nd-drapes.html

You could hang the vertical side panels just in front of screen with ceiling track and carriers/glides from hardward store or:
http://www.curtain-tracks.com/hardware/accessories

I hung my custom made baffle (protecting ceiling mounted angle iron) just in front of the side panels going wall to wall. I sewed a small loop on the top of the curtain and ran a wire rope across the ceiling for the curtain to hang from. I used wire rope thimble and clamps, and turnbuckles to make the wire rope tight with no sag. Those turnbuckle are hooked onto some form of a screw eye that I put on each wall.
Wire: http://www.homedepot.com/s/wire%2520rope?NCNI-5
Turnbuckle: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded...8#.Uo9eGuLy340
Screw eye: http://www.homedepot.com/s/eye+screws?NCNI-5


These curtains have worked very well preventing any shots from hitting angle iron.

[HoganWoods]

So just so I'm understanding, the only thing in front of the bungees for you is a curtain?

[mcook]

That is correct....this curtain has stopped any ball from hitting the angle iron so far. That being said I can only think of a couple times where the ball has hit the side curtains...but it slows and drops the ball instantly. The top baffle works great...that's been hit a lot. Lot's of choices out there I'm sure for you to explore. I was looking for the home theater type of look while still providing the protection on sides and ceiling angle iron.

[mcook]

Just to note...real golf balls have been hit into the curtains....before I started using the AlmostGolf balls for sound issues. Even less of a concern now using practice balls...preserves the screen too

[HoganWoods]

Hey guys,

Just an update. The ProTee setup has now turned into a GC2 room. Padding on the walls / ceiling is almost done. Waiting for the last few to be delivered. Carpet on the new half walls and there will be blackout curtains to block the door along those. Mat is in place and subfloor installed. Going to finish the ceiling/walls this week and block out the window so I can order and install the screen. The floor should be in by then.

dec3.jpg

[bubba22]

Good luck and have fun Hogan. Shall I close this thread for you?

[HoganWoods]

Why close? Maybe rename it if you want.