Nova Scotia Winter Build 2018

[SimJim]

Like many of you I'm an avid golfer who stumbled across this forum looking for any excuse to keep swinging even when it's snowing. Ive been to commercial simulators quite frequently over the last year, so I decided to build my own budget DIY Sim. I have about a few months research in
To keep it short I'll summarize where Im at so far and ask my questions in next section.

Quite early on in the process it became apparent my house would not work for a golf sim. So. I built one at my mom's while she was away in the US LOL. She golfs in Florida for the entire winter. I knew I needed a portable simulator because a) I was (am still undecided on the location) garage or living room. And b) will take it down and put it away in the summer. Here's what I bought:

11x10Ft 1" EMT pipe. Home Depot $180 CAD
Canopy corner fittings. Tarps.com $100ish CAD
5'x4' Tall Boy mat (aka Country Club Elite) $250 CAD
Temp "screen" 12x9 Canvas Home Depot $40 CAD
2x 300" x 57" Curtains $80 CAD
25 Pack Bungee Balls $5 CAD
Tarp Clips $10CAD
Optishot $200 CAD
Jagman Joe XL replacement turf (Optishot) $120 CAD

Projector(s):
Epson 1060 LCD $649 CAD
AND Optoma GT1080 Darbee $696 CAD (Amazon warehouse deal)

I hope to buy a real screen (I'm on the list for the mill screen), build a putting green decide on a location and final projector (returning what doesn't make the cut)

I cut 6 x 10 FT 1" EMT into 6ft and obviously 4ft lengths (used a pipe cutter it was easy!) I bought the fittings and pipe so that I can either assemble a 10x10x10 cage or a 12x9x4 cage. Right now it is set up in the garage as 12x9x4.

THE ISSUES

Location:
Garage is 20'L 16'W 9' 3ish/4ish for 15 ft of length and 9' for the last 5' or lenghth.
Biggest issues are projector and enclosure placement because of garage door opener.

The garage door and rails are only 10ft wide and because I didn't want the rails in the way I chose to see it up where I'm hitting towards the back of the garage instead of the garage door. Problem is that I can only the back of the sim enclosure is also 5 ft off the back wall because the fittings plus 9ft pipe make it slightly taller than 9 feet.

I can actually make a swing without hitting anything even with the opener there but it all will really depend on projector. I have to be hitting about 8 ft from screen. The Epson so far is very versatile with both horrizontal and vertical keystone and zoom I can get it to throw about 12 feet. The Optoma for some reason no matter what I do the top of my image is curved?!? Wtf and I can tell if have to mount it at 6 or 8 ft then the garage opener causes shadow. I'd rather not have to use keystone.





Living Room is 13' W 14'L 10' plus cathedral cielings which may be 14 or 15' at their peak?
Biggest issue can't/don't want to mount projector on ceiling. Would have to move not an ideal place to build a putting green. More likely more setting up and tearing down.

I have less experience in this room. But mai. Concern is projector placement? Wall Mount or cage mount?

I'd also like to try the BenQ HT2150ST if I can get my hands on it for the right price. Also I plan on hitting real balls once I get rid of this canvas.

What screen should I get and what length? What is most durable? And any idea how to get Optoma PJ to cooperate? Here are a bunch of pictures to help you visualize. Oh yeah and eventually I plan on moving to a Sky Trak.

Any other ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again you guys are awesome!!

Thanks,

SimJim

[SimJim]

The above pictures of Ricky and Luke are from the Epson. I have since tensioned the screen all around so it is fairly flush and flat. The top line image curve happens whether at my own home projecting on a wall or the Canvas at home. I've read that short throw projectors are quite a nuissance. Has anyone else had this same problem? I want to believe the Darbee is best for me but so far the Epson blows it out of the water in everything except black levels which don't really matter in sin golf. Look below for a picture of the Optoma on my wall and on the Sim

[SimJim]

Called Optoma about the PJ going to exchange as they said curving is not normal. Any ideas on the garage door opener?

I read one person had success moving motor and chain drive shaft over to one side. Anyone else try this?

The living room has great cielings but lacks a bit in length. I plan on being pretty much the only one to use sim so I don't need a seating area, but the garage seems like a better area for this kind of thing.

If I stick with Optoma projector I would probably have to go floor mount, but I don't like the idea of a slanted box being in the way. Has anyone had success building a platform for a stance mat/ putting green (behind player) where the projector could sit underneath the platform? Of course you'd have to figure out ventilation, but at least no PJ box in the way.




Of course kicking myself for posting in 2 different threads. I'll learn someday.

[SimJim]

Added a net over the whole enclosure and actually did some SiM golfing on the Optishot, it was awesome!

[Tresslerd]

Raise the motor up. Pretty easy to do. I did it in about 2 hours with friends help.