cab design idea/help

[radiator]

i had this idea for a cab design today, where instead of just swapping the panel, you swap the whole front of the machine...

...may sound strange, but it'd be usefull fo connecting a racing setup to an existing cab

pictures might explain more:


the above is an image of the cab with a 'normal' joystick/button config



and this one shows the setup with a racer config attatched.

all i need is help

im ok when it comes to thinking up ideas, its actually designing them that baffles me.
i basically need a way to be able to adjust the height of the top half of the cab (that contains the monitor), and possibly a way to pivot it (so you can have it angled back when standing at the cab, and angled forward when using the racer setup)

also, i'd need a reliable way to attatch the different input setups to the actual cab...

any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated!!

cheers guys
(oh, and sorry if i waffled on and didn't make too much sense...my brain isn't really functioning properly today!)

[EDIT]
actually, you could get away with not having a lowered monitor, and just make the seat/wheel box sit higher off the ground...

[Birdtales]

Someone came up with an idea the other day on this board that looks like it would work for you, why don't you do something like this?

[radiator]

mmm, that would be easier, but i don't think i'd like standing that far back from the monitor...

[AlanS17]

All I got to say is you better have a big screen. Otherwise you're going to dissapointed. Also, you're going to have to make the monitor angle very steep and maybe even lower the thing.

I'm not sure there's a way to make the whole thing ergonomic. (my 2 cents)

[Birdtales]

Actually that depends on the size of the monitor I have a sit down racing cabinet with a 25 inch monitor in it that is quite comfortably viewed from the back of the seat. Of course I don't really like being right on top of the monitor anyway. Good luck.

[radiator]

my screen is 25" too...i've been playing some racing games through it using my bro's n64 and wheel...that's what gave me the idea

i'm really just looking for alternate designs at the moment

[Birdtales]

How about making the area under the monitor hollow and put wheels on the seat section so you could slide it in? Stowed it would look something like this.

[Lilwolf]

I love that design!  Great idea of having the feet under the cab!

you might have to look up a little!  

I can see a little problem with monitor angles.  You usually want to point it at where the head will be... With the all in one, it might not be practical.  But you might be able to get the monitor to rotate a little without much effort.

Also, if you reallly really want to do it right... get rid of the chair... and make it so you can just drag in a lazy boy!  

[AlanS17]

Well  25" monitor would do the job. I've got a 19"...  

A Sliding system like that would be cool, but i would think it would have to have railing underneath. Just wheels would jiggle all over the place... and you could forget about play fighting games.

[Xiaou2]

 If your control panel is only so deep as seen in the pic... you should then just make a sitdown 'bed' under it.  This probably would be awesome comfort for either type of setup.  Pedals at the feet - maybe slidable  in/out  for when not in use...  and most importantly,  the screen will be at eye level for both.

  If you try the example above, your neck will ache... and the angle will strain your eyes giving you a headache.  Making a complex tilt mount still wont be as good as sitting level with it.

*** Opps!  Looks like I need more sleep!  lol   I forgot about the driving controls.   Well, you could make the controls section removable... or, you could make some sort of lift & lower mechanism for the tv.

[radiator]

well, after thinking it through, a design like the first would be way too much work (for me anyway)

i think i'm just gonna got for something like this:


(back to the original Lucid design) and have a cutout in the front of the cab (where a coin mech would normally go) and mount the pedals in there...
of course, you'd have to use a bar stool to play it

 

gonna be mounting one of these babys...


so next question, need a good way to make my CP's easily detattchable (sp?)??

[Generic Eric]

I really like the pic birdtales posted.  I guess I missed the thread it was posted in originally... Can you post the link to that thread? I wonder if what the other ideas were.  

What is the average distance on a showcase cab from the podium to the monitor?

[Birdtales]

I really like the pic birdtales posted.  I guess I missed the thread it was posted in originally... Can you post the link to that thread? I wonder if what the other ideas were.  

What is the average distance on a showcase cab from the podium to the monitor?

I can't seem to find the post I was talking about. Basically it wasn't anything special. Someone had taken a picture of a sitdown cabinet and someone else said they should mount a control panel on the back of the seat.

I believe from the back of the podium to the front of the monitor base on a showcase cabinet is about 18".

[paigeoliver]

Go away to make pictures and a bunch more replys show up. =)

[shmokes]

Heh....that was me.  Here's the thread:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=7387;start=msg53691#msg53691

You might be able to alleviate some neck strain by simply angling the seat back a bit.  Not enough to make it feel strange, just a bit.

[hyiu]

the seat for the joystick setup needs to be higher...
(like a stool....)

that will be fun... but will be HUGE !!!....

[paigeoliver]

the seat for the joystick setup needs to be higher...
(like a stool....)

that will be fun... but will be HUGE !!!....

No, that is a low sit at setup, like the Japanese import cab I saw at my local arcade.

[TheTick]

I like the sit down version with the control panel.

For the racing simulator, don't forget to install a subwoofer underneath or behind, to get the rumbling of the engine  

Couldn't you install some type of jack underneath the racing simulator to raise its height for gameplay? Rather than tilting the monitor/TV. Maybe even something as simple as collapsable legs, like a folding table (only sturdier).

[shmokes]

If your considering this, make sure you add an analog force feedback flight stick between your legs.   I was thinking of a flight stick in front of the seat between your legs, a throttle stick on the left, and an ACT-labs GPL shifter on the right.

When I live in a bigger place, which will be years from now, this is the cabinet I would build.  None of the design hurdles seem unovercomeable.

[radiator]

ok, idea update

how about making a metal frame like this:

that can slide in and out of the cab

when you want to play a racing game, just slide the frame out and attatch the seat:


and when not in use it just slides back in:


the frame will most likely have supports around the bottom too to it doesn't end up bending

just need to find an old car seat and start experimenting
the design looks like it'd feel more like sitting in a (family) car, same sort of leg/wheel position

oh, and if anyone knows of some good quick release mechanisms that i could use on the seat (and also the CP) that'd be great (it'd need to be pretty solid for both)

 

oh, and as for the subwoofer, it'll be installed directly behind the pedals, so you'll feel it through yer feet (and also get force feedback through the steering wheel - man, i can't wait to get that wheel, the last time i use a feedback wheel was on Daytona, about 6/7 years ago!)

[Generic Eric]

I really like the pic birdtales posted.  I guess I missed the thread it was posted in originally... Can you post the link to that thread? I wonder if what the other ideas were.  

What is the average distance on a showcase cab from the podium to the monitor?

I can't seem to find the post I was talking about. Basically it wasn't anything special. Someone had taken a picture of a sitdown cabinet and someone else said they should mount a control panel on the back of the seat.

I believe from the back of the podium to the front of the monitor base on a showcase cabinet is about 18".

Thats all huh?  wow...For some reason I thought it was farther.  Thanks for the info.