A story about designing a monitor stand for three screens of a racing simulator | MASK | Blog |
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This post is based on this Japanese article.
This time I would like to write about my experience in designing a monitor stand for 3 screens of a racing simulator.
As you enter the world of sim racing, you may be interested in 3 screens or VR to enjoy racing simulators more.
I used to use VR for space reasons, but I moved to a new house and installed 3 screens because I had more space for the simulator.
Devices are below:
Is it VR or 3 screens that makes a racing sim more enjoyable?
I know a lot of people have this question, but personally I don’t think it matters either way.
Advantages of VR when playing a driving simulator
I think VR is much more realistic than 3 screens.
VR is compact and easy to install. 3 screens are hard to install.
The installation cost of VR is lower than 3 screens.
In my experience, VR sometimes lacks stability in operation, so there is a risk of stopping the race due to equipment problems. On the other hand, with VR, you have a clear field of view even if you look back to the left or right, whereas the 3-screen does not cover all the way to the back, so if you bend your neck to look back, there is no screen there.
Advantages of 3 screens for playing driving games
3 screens are versatile and convenient. It is very powerful when you take pictures or videos. I think there is less risk of malfunction when using 3 screens.
In the end, I decided to use three screens
I chose 3 screens in the end, but for those who don’t have the space for a screen installation, VR can be an awesome weapon if you can put up with some inconvenience.
(Although those who value scores in iRacing will need to ensure operational stability…)
Three screens are hard to fix with low cost
Speaking of 3 screens, I installed 3 32" LCDs in 2022 as below article.
I attached a surplus aluminum frame member to the cockpit, installed a monitor arm on it, and somehow managed to place 3 screens.
However, the entire load was placed on the cockpit, which tended to sway slightly, and the monitor also swayed when the cockpit swayed.
Due to the nature of the monitor arm, it was very difficult to fix the screen in the desired position, and even when the monitors were taped together, it was not possible to fix them in a good position.
I think the main reasons were that I was stingy with the monitor arm and lacked of number of aluminum frames.
Taking advantage of the move, I began work on a full-size 3-screen racing simulator monitor stand
I moved and took the opportunity to start production of a stand to securely mount the three screens.
Since the cockpit frame is black, I decided that the frame for the three screens would also be black. The metal hardware was made of bright silver metal (probably die-cast aluminum). (Probably die-cast aluminum).
If I chose anodized black metal fittings, it would be a little expensive, and the default color of metal fittings in MISUMI’s design software is the standard color, so I couldn’t be bothered to select black components from the list again.
If I start to worry about the color of the silver fittings, I will paint them appropriately with a $1-black spray.
Why DIY instead of buying this commercial product?
This time we made a monitor stand for 3 monitors,
Cost Issues
The cost of a large monitor stand that would accommodate the width of my noise reduction system below would be well over $500 if purchased commercially.
And there are rumors that some inferior foreign imports may have the holes in the wrong position.
If so, it will be difficult to negotiate returns and processing.
For the sake of a blog story
I was willing to go to some trouble to produce a content.
I got DIY parts.
I had the opportunity to get give away hardware that a person had designed for himmself but he was too busy to use.
About the DIY Aluminum Frame
The aluminum frame I used this time was made by a Japanese manufacturer (MISUMI). I also designed my SIM Rig by using this service. This company provides 3D design software for aluminum frames, and after the design is completed, you can place an order from the software, and they will send you a frame cut to the length of the drawing.
Design process (not so much)
The concept behind the design of this 3-screen stand was to create a stand that could hold a cockpit floating system, be black, reasonably solid, and cheaper than buying off-the-shelf products.
That was the goal. First, I posted a very rough sketch on X (Twitter) and asked for your reactions.
Fortunately, there are many SIM hobbyists who follow me on X (Twitter), so I was able to get a variety of opinions. I was able to eliminate the weak points in my design and optimize it.
Opinions etc. from X (Twitter)
We had a discussion about how to make it rigid.
Design version 1
Final version
In version 1, we initially set the length of the part that touches the ground to 1000mm, but when we compared it to the actual sim, it was quite long, so we asked the opinions of people who actually made the sim and set it to 550mm.
The 454mm stick in the foreground was needed for a shifter or something, so it was bought on the side.
How do you mount the monitor for the three racing simulator screens?
I thought about using metal brackets to mount it without using a bracket,
However, it is best to follow the teachings of our predecessors.
I borrowed the method from someone who already made one and said, “No problem.
It costs about $15 each, but it is reassuring to know that there is a precedent, and it would be a waste of money and time if I gambled and bought a cheap one and it failed, so I chose a reliable one.
My impression is that it is a solid product, with a leveler included.
I will post the assembly process later.
As for my impression of the assembly process, even at 550mm, I don’t think the stand will topple at all when I make contact with it.
Even in the event of an earthquake, the center of gravity of the stand seems to be in the middle, so it is unlikely to topple over easily.
For mental stability, it might be better if the bottom bar was a little longer.
