Rob Wickham

For Sale: 2009 Custom Game Pod Location: Issaquah, WA Asking: $1,000 Tech Specs: • Intel Core 2 Quad @ 2.8 GHZ and 4GB RAM • NVidia GeForce 9800 GT 3GB RAM • Cougar HOTAS throttle and joystick • CH rudder pedals • Cyborg gaming keyboard (customized backlighting) • 300 watt 5.1 THX / DTS Logitech sound w/ powered subwoofer • TrackIR Head Tracking • 3 4x3 monitors on a Matrix Triple Head to Go Digital Edition (combined resolution 3840 x 1024) • Spare 4th monitor • Yoke controls included, but not yet installed (for car racing) Features: • Perfect for all forms of simulation gaming, FPS, as well as a home office • Construction date: 2009. Plywood and acrylic • The pod is about 5' wide, 6' long, and 5 1/2' tall • Fully-enclosed with safety mechanism during ingress / egress • Articulated full-extension canopy • Front of pod includes an access panel for maintenance and upgrades • Adjustable captain’s chair and cup holder • Canopy held shut with simple magnetic cupboard clasps for safety (cannot be locked shut) • Tinted acrylic rear window with light-absorbing curtain • 2-stage powered ventilation (2 thermostats, intake fans, exhaust fans, and circulation fans) • Remote power button for PC in dashboard • Automatic courtesy lighting and red map lighting • Sits on 4 heavy duty locking casters • Folding keyboard tray • Ample storage for game cases and manuals right near the pilot • Interior is light-proofed, and sound-dampened with black carpet on all surfaces Photos: • https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.44448807280.37429.574922280&type=3 • https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.45336392280.38496.574922280&type=3 • https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.45336472280.38497.574922280&type=3 • https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.46835867280.40159.574922280&type=3 • https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.67061947280.60783.574922280&type=3

I have attached a sketch of the config I'm hoping for. The pit I have was built with this in mind (pix of that are in my profile). I could fit a few extra panels in using more Matrox multiplexers. This is all why I'm so anxious to understand the intended design for multiple concurrent views in BS (using multiple PC's vs. multiple video adapters.)

I'm looking for a set of identical LCD's (6 to 9 of them) to use in a surround-video configuration. Only 19" or 20" panels in the 4:3 format. I'm only seeing ones in the $250 price range each for the 20". Is there an online source that you'd suggest for the best prices? I'd even go with refurbished stuff if it's in the Seattle USA area where I could inspect before buying. I have used newegg.com, but they have a limited selection of 20" 4:3 panels. Other sites make it hard to filter out the widescreen formats. Thanks!

I found this site and they appear to have some really sweet hardware, but no prices and limited technical details listed. Has anyone done business with HRS and if so, what was your experience like? There is no mention of these guys on this forum either, which seems odd to me.

Oops -- sorry about that. I have added some into my profile that should be visible. I'll need to find a better home for the full library as I go through the rest of the project.

Will they cover the topic of how to configure multiple monitors / video cards / networked PC's in a concurrent view scenario? I'l looking for closure on this thread: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=33093 from an authoratative source. I'm building a fully enclosed capsule and would like to plan ahead (here are the pix: http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=574922280)

I'm afraid I have not reached the point of actual panel details. I'm planning to just use LCD displays for all the inputs, aside from joystick, etc.

Thanks, that was a good read. But, it still feels unclear what the Dev team intended and to what extent multiple PC's and networking bring to the table for concurrent cockpit views. My expectation is that because they offer a military-grade simulation experience and this is a consumer version of that, the engine should support a scale-out model of some kind. Are there any direct quotes from the engineers available?

What is the plan around this? Will it be like X-Plane where each concurrent cockpit view requires a separately networked PC and video card, or like FSX where you can do it both ways depending upon how much hardware you throw at it? I'm building a fully-enclosed cockpit in order to host multiple sim products for some bells and whistles like an overhead monitor, left, right, instruments below, some small touch panels for shortcut commands. Knowing the DCS plans around this will help me get the platform just right. Thanks, and looking forward to your new release. Rob