Help requested (please) on sim setup

[dunginhawk]

Good morning fine people. I have had my optishot for a few years and i NEVER use it. Because my space isnt done right. Id love to get it to the point that its a nice place to play.
Ive uploaded a few pictures to get an idea of what the room looks like.

So I have a screen and projector (for movies, games, whatever). However hitting in to that isnt a great solution as 1. the balls just fly all over and hit people (soft ones) 2. there is no dampening at all 3. There is so much wood (cabinets) and wall etc that get hit. Its just not a good solution.

So a couple thoughts I had .
1. Buying a new projector with a motorized lens focus so I could leave that screen there, and mount a 2nd screen from the ceiling that drops down when I want to play golf. can be retracted (motor) when not in use. Obviously this is expensive (2500$ for projector), 800$ for screen (id want it big). That screen would come down in front of the cabinets.

2. A simple smallish net in front of the optishot to catch most of the balls. I havent explored this yet just because it feels cheap and lame... also im concerned that if i get a small net (which would help to not block the screen as much) that it wouldnt catch wedges as well, as they would just go over the net.

So im in a bit of a pickle. This is a multipurpose room, so whatever I do needs to be able to be changed around. ceiling in the sunken part is 10 feet, so plenty of ceiling height for drivers. the couches you see on the left were split so they can be slid around in to that corner. Its really just figuring out the ball catching/net/screen situation.

Id love your guys/gals help please.
thank you much

[DannyMRICS]

I’m trying to work out something similar.

Have you got enough depth in the room to:
1) Remove / move the cabinets.
2) Hang an impact screen say 12” from the back wall (either permanent or retractable).
3) Reposition your projector screen and projector so that the screen hangs from the ceiling in front of the impact screen?

Dan

[dunginhawk]

THe room is 22 ft deep. about four on the upper level (around the right and back) and about 2.5 is cabinets.
I dont want to remove the cabinets. Not only would the mrs flip her sh*t but I just built this house 5 years ago not doing that.
#2 is something im thinking about as stated above. however, I dont want to hang a screen there for movies, as it ruins the look of the wall, cabinets etc... so IF i were to do this it would have to retract from ceiling. The problem here is then i need a new auto focus projector for $2500 to allow for 1 setting for movies on the back wall screen, and one for the sim. Not out of the question, just pricey.
repositioning projector wont fly. aesthetics of that is ugly as all get out.

to me its kind of option 2 for a ton of money, or finding SOME sort of net system that will allow a full swing, and still catch everything including my 64 degree

[gnomike]

You have a great space for a simulator! I feel your pain, though, wrt to wanting it for multi purpose and not wanting to alienate the mrs and end up making it your new bedroom as well lol... I had some similar ideas after reading your OP, but it seems you've largely thought them through. The one thing that struck me is that you might be dismissing the movable projector a little too quickly... i have to believe that there must be a solution that isn't butt ugly lol... and waaaay cheaper than $2500...

[dunginhawk]

It isnt the problem of a projector in a different location so much as its a projector with a single throw focal length. meaning you set it up, and its stationary.
I need to keep the current screen where it is. but I need another screen in front of it (retractable) so that means each screen needs its one focus etc from the projector... manually doing that every time doesnt work... however clicking a button does thats why the new projector with motorized lens focus.

[gnomike]

What I wrote may not have been clear lol, but I got what you needed. I've seen special projector mounts that allow for a projector to be moved/slid from one distance to another e.g. to accommodate 4:3 to 16:9 ratio change. I'm pretty sure I remember also seeing one that was motorized... just a click of a button. That would let it work for multiple screens at diff distances.

[linkkingx]

Aside from the projector, it seems like that cabinet is a real space killer. According to your dimensions above, after you subtract the upper level and the cabinet you'll have about 15.5'. If you plan on keeping the cabinet the hitting screen will have to hang a minimum of 6" in front, probably more since you might not have the sides and bottom anchored to anything. That will cut you down to about 14'-15'. At that depth, you can have the hitting area about 8' back from the screen and about 7' behind. It could be a little tight if anybody is sitting on those couches.

What is the width of the area where the cabinet is? If you hang a new screen from the ceiling, it looks like it will be around the same width as your current screen, so I don't know how much larger of an image you will be able to get. Using a 4:3 ratio will help, but you'll have to look up your projector and placement to see what the max size will be. As far as ceiling protection goes, you could do something like padded carpet panels to give it a nice finished look. Definitely a tricky space with the ceiling and floor contours.

[dunginhawk]

Yeah it is tricky... cabinets are about 2 feet deep. houses receiver, ps4, etc. I definitely dont want those out in the air I did however just run to best buy to check projectors.. they have an epson one for 2k$ with focus memory, which would do what i want... however, and not sure why i didnt think about this, but I could just buy a second projector and put it on top of the other one, or hang it from the ceiling where the other one is. seems a much cheaper option, as you wouldnt need a high quality one (and i have one laying around).
but the hitting screen is definitely the tough part. if i did decide to hang another screen, of any kind it would be roughly the same size as the other one, so im not sure that solves my problem either, as it wouldnt touch the floor or the bottom few feet, which of course wouldnt work.
tricky for sure.

[dunginhawk]

ok... now things may have changed.... I am going to try to convince the wife (this will likely not go well). to allow me to convert that room in to a sim room.. recarpet the entire lower level in green turf. remove the cabinets. install a proper golf hitting screen to double as a movie wall. optishot wont cut it for that tho... so what would be a good higher end home sim to use with this room? i dont have 21 feet from screen to flightscope so thats out.

[linkkingx]

Depends on how much you want to spend and if you need it for both left and right handed players. If not I’d say skytrak or gc2. If you need left and right I would say protee unless you want to spend a fortune.

[dunginhawk]

so finding the pricing breakdown of each isnt the easiest thing in the world... left handed would be nice as well as right. ill take a look at skytrak and gc2. i really want something thats very accurate, or as much as a sim can be.. i need it as a training aide as much as fun haha

[dunginhawk]

having watched a review of skytrak not sure i like the cartoony aspect to it... ill keep watching videos.
edit: nm thats not playing golf, thats just the golftrak software. just realized you need a 3rd party for the game

[dunginhawk]

holy hell, almost 2k for e6golf... thats insanely expensive... but if its the best (and it looks like it)... man thats a lot of coin for the courses

[Sim-dreamer]

If you google " par2pro compare " you will get an excellent side-by-side comparison of all the big sim hardwares

[dunginhawk]

oh great.. thank you simdreamer... fantastic... much appreciated.

edit : after looking that over, it looks pretty clear to me that protee and skytrak are the 2 solid, accurate competitors in that home mid market space where id like to be

[Sim-dreamer]

I'm jealous of your room BTW, it has huge potential. I'm still in the process of clearing a space in the yard, and money gets spent around every corner. Having a room inside the house would be easier and cheaper in every way... drier and warmer too.