My Build 3.0 - Maybe the final one???

[Buckminster]

My build is pretty much done. I will figure out to post some pictures. My screen is 12' x 9' and my room is pretty close to 20' x 20'. I hit from about 9'6" from my screen and the projector is behind the hitting location on the ceiling. I use a 4:3 aspect ratio when playing golf so that the entire screen is used. The projector is about 16'6" from the screen for golf. When I switch to a wide screen presentation (16:9) for movies, I move the projector (on drawer slides) to about 14'6" so that the wide image stays on the screen. In 16:9 mode, the image does not go all the way down to the floor.

I have an Epson Home Cinema 1060 Full HD 1080p projector with 3,100 lumens. I can get my room almost completely dark if I want to. During golf (with the halogen lights on), it is very good. With the halogens off for movies, it is tremendous. The Epson 1060 has some digital zoom, so a combination of moving the projector and the digital zoom is great for getting the exact image size that I want.

This website offers a great projector calculator tool:
https://www.projectorcentral.com/Eps...ulator-pro.htm

The calculator tool was very useful to me because there are so many variables involved. Lots of people use a short throw projector that is mounted pretty much above the hitting mat, but I was afraid of stray balls hitting it. The rear mounted works great, but there are only a limited number of available projectors with the throw distance that I needed to get a 12 foot wide screen at a distance between my hitting mat. The projector tool is somewhat conservative when estimating sufficient brightness. For my situation, the tool said the projector brightness was marginal. But since my room is pretty dark, it works fine.

[gene438]

My projector is mounted from ceiling which is about 114 inches. The projector is basically right above my hitting mat (about 8 inches behind) which is basically right above my head....so it never comes into play as far as swinging.

[TXANM]

Nice build! What is the mounting height of your projector and how low do you think you could mount it without it becoming an issue? I have a bean in front of my screen so I am trying to figure out a piece of my design. Thanks!

[Solstice72]

I am getting pretty far along in the construction of my Pro-Tee system. I have a ceiling that is about 11' high, but an impact screen that is only 9' high. I will be hitting from about 9'6" away from the screen.

Do you have any thoughts on the vertical placement of my impact screen?

Part of me wants to place it as high as possible that would still avoid my ceiling lights from blocking by projector image. That gives me more vertical room for wedges and also a higher screen for watching movies. That would about split the difference and have around 1' both above and below my screen. I would build some type of ramp at the bottom to keep balls from going behind the screen.

Another part of me wants to place the screen against the floor and leave the full 2' above the screen. I would use some type of ceiling-based baffle to block balls. I think this might provide the best visual transition from my putting surface to the course. But it will introduce a small amount of shadowing due to my projector location. It also reduces the vertical room for wedges, but having them hit the baffle will not be too bad I guess.

I would welcome any thoughts from anybody.

Buckminster how's that set up going. How big is your screen and how bright is the image? Where's the projector sit and what's the lumens at of the device. I have 11ft ceiling too, and due to wedges flying as you noted likely above your screen and brightness concerns , the screen size and projector placement is in puzzling for me.

[gene438]

My first thought is that since you are hitting 9'6" from screen, the ceiling will probably come in play on the wedges. That being said, I would lean toward having the screen as high as possible.

However, from an aesthetic standpoint, I believe it is much easier to cover the gap at the top than at the bottom. I would prefer to have my screen drop to floor...actually hang mine lose to the floos so that the balls roll down the screen and gather in my collection area. The top is easier to cover either with baffles, curtains, plastic mats,etc.

I guess if I had to choose, I would hang it flush to ground and cover the top gap somehow...for finishing, I like framing the sides and top with black curtains, etc....you would be surprised how well it adds to movie watching as well.

Good luck

[Buckminster]

I am getting pretty far along in the construction of my Pro-Tee system. I have a ceiling that is about 11' high, but an impact screen that is only 9' high. I will be hitting from about 9'6" away from the screen.

Do you have any thoughts on the vertical placement of my impact screen?

Part of me wants to place it as high as possible that would still avoid my ceiling lights from blocking by projector image. That gives me more vertical room for wedges and also a higher screen for watching movies. That would about split the difference and have around 1' both above and below my screen. I would build some type of ramp at the bottom to keep balls from going behind the screen.

Another part of me wants to place the screen against the floor and leave the full 2' above the screen. I would use some type of ceiling-based baffle to block balls. I think this might provide the best visual transition from my putting surface to the course. But it will introduce a small amount of shadowing due to my projector location. It also reduces the vertical room for wedges, but having them hit the baffle will not be too bad I guess.

I would welcome any thoughts from anybody.

[wjochetz]

gene438 I recently received the Protee replacement turf top from The Simulator Guys but haven't had a chance to test it out yet. Right now I have a 5x5 mat from Spectrum Golf with 1x4 and plywood base but considering doing a more permanent set up like yours with the entire floor built up to the same height and covered with putting turf. I've seen a lot of people say that if you do this that you need to install an additional Fiberbuilt panel in front of the Protee sensor so that you don't catch the edge of the putting turf on your follow through. Do you think using the turf top from The Simulator Guys eliminates the need for this? How is the putting turf holding up in the stance area? Appreciate your feedback!

[Greasegun]

Lol. Ill use that next time mine says happy wife happy life. not

[dunginhawk]

I bought another program i liked better, but same idea... problem is when i launch TGC and select the VIdeo resolution of 1920/1080 it windows it tiny, like the software does while recording it (so that you can stop it recording without leaving the app, which is smart). making me mad haha

[gene438]

I did buy the software...not sure how much....I am not familiar with Skytrak software, so, sorry no help in that area. I do remember that for some reason you have to make sure to run as administrator and when you do compile the script into an exe file, make sure you check the box to run the exe file as administrator

[dunginhawk]

gene, did you need to buy the 40$ version to get the macro recorder to work right? im having some issues once i get past the skytrak tgc interface (essentially it wont launch the game)

[gene438]

Never thought about it...but you are right....it would be easy to do and you could go straight to your course......hmmmmm

Looks like you've added another "ToDo" to my list.....

[dunginhawk]

gene.. have you ever thought about making like 20 desktop icon macros? Im thinking setting up a bunch of different courses, etc, with four players so its just a single click (or voice) to launch it. Ill have to see if IFTTT can launch an exe from the desktop, im sure its doable.

[gene438]

Absolutely, in fact it's easier than that. You just hit record and it will record every keystroke, mouse movement, etc.....timing and everything. Then it will convert to *.exe file and your good to go.....

[dunginhawk]

I fiddled around with all sorts of WOL tasker etc stuff the other day, and never got the PC portion working quite right... But i do have both spot lights, projector etc running under a single IFTTT command which back ends to Smart Things where the LEDs are turned on and set to X % power. I do want to find a way to automate the homecourse screen as well. Since it is just a remote controlling it, it should be possible somehow.

My goal is to have 1 command to turn on projector, lights, screen comes down etc.
And simply hit the button the pc to power it on (its a laptop) and using your macro suggestion have it set up similar to what you do. I havent played with that yet, but i presume there are wait/pauses in that macro as it waits for thinks to load before the mouse moves and executes its next command?