Please post your Simulator Setup Pictures

[Smudge_si]

Thanks stu

I'm gonna go for the GT1080 can pick it up for around £500 here so about the same , got a screen ordered from some guys here in the uk , will see how that goes . I'll post some pics of my setup when I get it done

[madspeed]

Can't believe I haven't posted my sim pics in this thread.. Dual Optishot sensor pads, 10'W x 10'L x 9.5'H hitting area, Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 730HD projector approx 17.5' from screen, dual overhead LED shoploights from Lowes, and my own idea fishing rod holders as a club rack.

[akyyyy]

Theater curtains from Rose Brand. Draws strings on on end attached to angle iron and other end attached by velcro on screen.

what did you use for the turf on the floor?

[torreypines]

Synthetic Turf of Illinois. I received many samples from several companies and found their greens to have tightest roll. The green I chose has a stimp 10-11. I do recommend getting a lot of samples so you can make an educated decision. I am very pleased with my green.

[akyyyy]

Which companies sent u samples? I'm having a hard time finding some.

Also how do u secure the turf to the floor. This will be going in my garage which has a concrete floor. I'm hoping I can just roll it out as we need the garage for the car in the winter months.

Synthetic Turf of Illinois. I received many samples from several companies and found their greens to have tightest roll. The green I chose has a stimp 10-11. I do recommend getting a lot of samples so you can make an educated decision. I am very pleased with my green.

[torreypines]

Which companies sent u samples? I'm having a hard time finding some.

Also how do u secure the turf to the floor. This will be going in my garage which has a concrete floor. I'm hoping I can just roll it out as we need the garage for the car in the winter months.

I don't remember names but if you google synthetic golf green, indoor golf green, golf green, etc several are out there. I reviewed their website and talked to the reps. Mine is permanent thus you will need to ask the reps what turf is best for your set up.

[dmartyna]

Hey Torreypines, love the set up. I have a GSA system that works really well for me however after I haven't used it for a bit I always need to set it up again. Specifically the spotlights over the hitting mat sensores. Wondering if these shop lights would produce a better result than the spot lights. Anyone have any input/experience on a lengthy shop light compared to a spotlight?

[CalgaryHack]

After the framing was done on the rest of the basement, I was able to start focusing on my sim area. A big thanks to Cory at Par2Pro for his advice on some of the construction elements to ensure that this room looks incredible when finished.

I am using a gaming PC to run my FSX software and using a Pioneer Elite Receiver to manage the video and sound. The PC will located in a custom pull out drawer in an adjacent bar cabinet. I will be locating a subwoofer behind my impact screen and a touch screen monitor on the wall to mirror the image on my screen. The projector that I will be installing a Canon RealiS SX6000 projector to get the 4:3 aspect ratio that I need. The 6000 lumens are a bonus.

I ran conduit for all of my cabling and ran both HDMI and dual CAT6 runs to everything. The conduit has proven to be a wise decision as the drywaller cut two of them when they were cutting out the outlet boxes.

I wanted my curtain tracks to be recessed into the ceiling and blocked the entire 8 foot track for stability. I installed Roxul Safe 'n Sound across the basement ceiling and in a common wall to reduce the noise through the rest of the house. I installed 4 feet of plywood in front of the screen and ran it through to the back wall. The rest of the ceiling on the outside of the curtain tracks was drywall. Putting up a 4x8 sheet of plywood on my own was a challenge and used some excess 2x4s to fashion together two ledges that allowed me to hold it in place while I installed it.

I will be installing L/C/R speakers approximately 6 feet in front of the screen and two rear speakers for better sound.

With the two outside walls already painted, I painted the back wall flat black to reduce any potential reflection from the back wall.

My install is scheduled for the end of April and will post more photos and a summary of the final simulator project soon after.

[torreypines]

Nice job. Question. Are you using surround sound with FSX? If so please explain how to connect receiver to computer to achieve this. Thanks. I installed speaker cables but unable to go from Pc to Receiver to speakers for golf sim. Any advice is much appreciated

[CalgaryHack]

Hey torreypines

Yes, I am using surround sound in my simulator controlled by a Home Theatre receiver.

The key in connecting the PC to the receiver and out to the speakers is the output from the PC to the Receiver. HDMI carries both video and audio. If your PC doesn't have an HDMI output then you will need to upgrade it. You will also need to send video out from the receiver to the projector in order to have this work. My Pioneer Receiver was $750 CAD and my gaming PC was $1,350 CAD from Best Buy.


Here is how I connect everything up:

• GC2a connects to the PC via a USB cable.
• Using a directional HDMI cable (70') the PC connects into a Pioneer Elite VSX-90 Receiver. This is a Multi-zone receiver however, you may use another type if you only require a single zone application as long as the receiver has enough HDMI inputs and Outputs. The directional cables ensure less signal loss and I am using the wall plates with brushes on them so I can pass the cables through them instead of an HDMI plate for the same reasons.
• The PC has a CAT6 connection to my router for internet access for upgrades/NetFlix access.
• The Receiver acts as the "processor for all sound and video"
• The receiver is connected to my projector - again using directional HDMI cables. I also have a CAT6 run to my projector for easier firmware updates and future connectivity.
• I have a sub-woofer located behind my impact screen
• I have three Paradigm H65A ceiling speakers placed in front of my ceiling baffles out of harms way and two rear ceiling speakers slightly behind the hitting mat.

Using a receiver as my "processor", I will be able to watch NetFlix or connect a PlayStation if I want to down the road. I have two other Pioneer Elite receivers controlling other multi-zones in my house so I know that they are effective. Their iPad and iPhone apps allow me to connect via a mobile device easily.

I will use a Harnmony Ultimate remote control for a single button on/off function. The RF capabilities are needed as my receiver and PC are located in areas adjacent to my simulator area.

I go live with my system on April 29th.

[torreypines]

Thanks for detailed information. It is much appreciated. When you are live please give update.

[CalgaryHack]

Went live today with my set up. Everything works as planned and the finished look that Par2Pro created looks fantastic! The 6000 lumens projector really projects a bright image and the clarity of the 1400 x 1050 resolution is very crisp. The most impressive feature to me is the calibration of the GC2. The image of the ball flight has no delay once the ball hits the impact screen.

[Kjlhd]

Hey all, I've had the Optishot for a little under a year now and have had many months of trial and error with my setup. I have a very tall, 2 car garage, about 14' tall, so I had no height restrictions at all. The only downside is I didn't set it up to accommodate lefties. Anyways, I was gifted an old Sanyo projector that still works great and I have it positioned in the back of the room at about 8' height. I got the mats from the local driving range, they were selling old ones for $50 last fall. Great deal, these are commercial strength. The stance mat is in great shape, the swing mat has noticeable wear and tear but it's just for show. The turf floor is from HD, custom cut size. The screen is just a plain old queen flat bed sheet from Kmart, works perfectly well with the Almost balls. I ran steel wire at the top and bottom and secured it to steel pipe at the top corners and put in concrete anchors in the floor to hold the bottom corners. I built the club rack from some scrap wood. I also built that nifty floor button pad which uses 6 arcade buttons to control the aim LR, club UD, loft and mulligans. It's fantastic and saves me from walking to computer after every shot. I'm considering making a few to sell if anyone is interested. I toyed with a few lighting options, first with an incandescent disco ball light from the back, then an led spot at the side, but then finally landed on the perfect solution. I bought a different disco ball led pinspot for $12 on Amazon and attached to ceiling directly above the sensors. The pinspot was too small so I taped a water bottle to the light to diffuse the light, works perfectly, just enough diameter to cover both sensors. I used 3/4" white vinyl electrical tape for the clubs, what a difference that made with accuracy. My putting stinks no matter what I do. I just joined the Mini Tour so I'll see you around. Cheers! Update: I'm selling my custom made Optishot remote controllers at www.GolfinGator.com or Etsy. Email me if you have any special requests.

[Abe Froman]

This thread has given me so many awesome ideas for my build! THANK YOU to everyone who has posted!!!

[Abe Froman]

[Abe Froman]

Updated the screen and net surrounding. Much bigger display, and the netting makes it look a lot better.

[Par2Pro]

Looks much better - great job

[Abe Froman]

Thanks!

[nbonn]

For those of you lurking in these threads as I have for the last two years, do yourself a favor and call Cory at Par2Pro. He has been instrumental in helping me design and select appropriate simulator layout and equipment; in fact just got done emailing him as we are finalizing selections.

His expertise will take ALOT of the guess work out of the equation. He is also super responsive and helpful. Meanwhile, keep the pictures coming!

[docsmilez]

Finally have my setup up and running. GC2 and TGC has been pretty sweet.
I have a 3 bay garage with 2 side by side and 1 bay tandem. I use the extra tandem bay which is 16' deep, 12' wide , 12' ceilings. It is attached to my house so I get plenty of warmth through the walls. I actually get warm after a couple of holes when its below freezing out. My pc has liquid cooled components and never had any issues with freezing. The only thing I bring inside is my GC2.

LM: GC2
Computer: GTX980ti + i7 processor running TGC + FR1 (5 courses)
Impact screen enclosure: 10x10x5 P3proswing large hitting center with frame custom built 1'' EMT piping.
Stance mat: dual sided stance mat (not sure what brand) but weighs over 300 pounds
Projector: Epson Powerlight 1940w mounted about 16 feet away from screen
Ipad stand holding the ipad and Air keyboard to control TGC during play. This stand has an LED light source behind the holder so its perfect when turning off the room lights.

[Jasonreg]

Very nice set up. I have garage space exactly as you describe and have been considering doing just this. Question - do you have a garage door behind the screen and if so, how did you deal with the garage door opener? This is my main constraint height-wise.

[docsmilez]

Very nice set up. I have garage space exactly as you describe and have been considering doing just this. Question - do you have a garage door behind the screen and if so, how did you deal with the garage door opener? This is my main constraint height-wise.

Behind the screen is just a wall at the end of the garage. The 2 separate garage doors are at the entry of the garage with side by side car bays. This tandem bay has no doors or mechanisms. This garage was made to have a simulator. I will post a link to a video of the sim in action soon.

[docsmilez]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w14...ature=youtu.be

Didn't have the projector mounted yet in this vid so screen is smaller and shows shadow.

[pgapro0825]

[mthunt]

That's a great set up. Why do you have a light on top of the GC2? Does it improve anything or is it just lighting?

[pgapro0825]

That's a great set up. Why do you have a light on top of the GC2? Does it improve anything or is it just lighting?

It is just a light, I have no ambient light so it can get really dark, even with the light coming off the screen. Dark enough to adversely affect depth perception. This is not a permanent solution, I really want a spotlight directly overhead but I'm struggling to find a solution, need to ask the forum. I have 15ft ceilings which adds complexity. The shadows with the current set up are not ideal

[Abe Froman]

It is just a light, I have no ambient light so it can get really dark, even with the light coming off the screen. Dark enough to adversely affect depth perception. This is not a permanent solution, I really want a spotlight directly overhead but I'm struggling to find a solution, need to ask the forum. I have 15ft ceilings which adds complexity. The shadows with the current set up are not ideal

I have an Optishot 2 in my garage, so I need to be pretty careful with lighting due to the infrared sensors on the sim. So far the best thing I've found is to use rope lights on the floor surrounding my golf mat. I've been toying with putting them on the ceiling as well, but it's been kind of a pain to get them set up so they don't mess with the sensors. I also use a desk lamp as a "spot light" when it gets real dark, but that tends to screw up the Optishot sensors if it gets too close. Anyway, it's not a perfect solution, but maybe try some rope lighting.

[bruce_fore]

Garage Optishot 2 setup up and running...

Still doing some minor changes/additions but keep forgetting to take newer photos... to busy playing

I was a little apprehensive going with the Optishot (would have liked to go with Protee) but there are some left handed players and with the initial cost of everything else, thought this would be a good enough start. Turns out we are having a lot of fun and I am surprised at the amount of accuracy it provides (was hoping it wouldn't catch all my hooks)

Many thanks to posters on Ottawa golf, golf simulator forum and Cory from Par2Pro

Main features:

Protee 2 - second hand (250.00) - I upgraded to jagmanjoe turf
Screen - (12x9) Par2Pro
Projector - Optima gt1080darbee
Dell laptop - NVIDIA(R) GTX 1060 with 6G ram
Understanding wife - She originally just wanted me to insulate the garage but I got carried away. Still have to buy her a remote car starter

Most everything else home depot/amazon

IMG_0160a.jpgIMG_0152.jpgIMG_0155.jpgIMG_0156.jpg

[4jag]

Looks great! Enjoy!! I've had my garage Optishot set-up for 3 yrs now and it is great.

Tip: I have the Jagmanjoe as well but stopped using the rubber tee and now use different size plastic bottle caps as tee. Works great.