Please post your lighting setups for use with Optishot

[madspeed]

Really honing in on my simulator setup and need to determine the best lighting to use with my Optishot. My setup is in the basement with next to zero ambient light. I have a 10' x 10' x 10' netted enclosure that I had to trim down a few inches due to ceiling height of 9' 8". I have an Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 730HD on the way, it will be set back at about 15' and directed onto one of Coreys impact cloth screens. Working on building a stance platform that I can set the sensor pad into. About the only remaining piece is lighting. I have seen several different setups and some use a floor mounted lamp directed to the sensor pad, while others are using an overhead light of some sort. I would like to use an overhead light as i can recess it into the joist area above, as the ceiling is currently unfinished.

So, feel free to chime in with what lighting recommendations you have!!

[Maxxx]

That's a first class job Mike ! Very impressive. Do you loose fibers near the cutouts ? Did DD allow you to have all your courses on both units or do they charge twice ? I would be scared that a ball or a buddies shank would hit the projector with a ball or a club ! Also I tried lighting form above a d it worked but the image on the screen looses its brightness. Have you seen how much more brilliant the courses look in the dark ?

Good look this weekend ✌

[Vincent_Vega]

Dude... that setup is ridiculous. Thanks for the tip on making the cutouts. I never would have thought to do that and was my main hurdle in going that route. That looks so much better in terms of being able to compress the ball and hit down on it more without it sounding like a shotgun going off. Thanks for posting these pics!

[CatMan]

Sweetness Mike

[Mike80]

Thanks guys! It's also a bad ass movie theater room!

Maxxx, no I don't loose too many fibers. Some every now and then but nothing too worry about. To answer your question about the two Optishots. No, I don't have to purchase courses twice. I have my main one registered with my software, account and courses. The OptiShot hardware for the left is just another piece of hardware to use. So you can only have one OptiShot plugged in and recognized in the software at a time. So I have a A/B USB Selector Switch. So it only allows one sensor pad to be turned on at once. You just select which one you want to use and it auto recognizes. Yeah, the projector you saw in the pic. If you noticed it's in a metal box. However the front is open so there is that possibility that something could hit the lense, but my screen bounces the ball back pretty softly. So I'm not worried.

I definitely recommend the monster tee turf. If I don't use it, I'm worried I'll break my Optishot hitting down so hard on it. The monster tee turf feels like the real thing..like hitting divots.

[Buckeye]

Where did you get your monster tee turf and what size is it Mike?

The largest I could find was on amazon and it is 4 x 6. Do you have two pieces butted together or is that one large piece? I'm not entirely sure I like my 4 x 6 as it does not leave much room for a practice swing.

I also really like how you cut out your turf. I mistakenly cut out for the entire optishot pad and not for the sensors only. My unit sits relatively flush with the monster turf and I have duct tapped the crap out of to the bottom of the monster turf, but I do notice the unit still moves some. I was considering gluing the turf to a sheet of ply wood or piece of rubber, but after seeing your set up I am reconsidering.

[braycobb]

Very nice Mike!!!

[Mike80]

Buckeye, I got my turf from AllTurfMats.com - below is the link to purchase the 5'x5' mat. Yes, I have two of these mats butted next to each other. Taped on the bottom of the mats so they stay together better.

Here's some additional tips:
- The OptisShot sensor pad is 7/8" thick. So you need a base that thick or the OptiShot will stick up as a bump in your turf.
- Use a dremel tool with thin round disk and cut the plastic edge off all the way around the top edge of the OptiShot. Otherwise you have this ridge sticking up. Cutting it makes the OptiShot flat.
- Use wood or something else for the base, but I bought the 3/4" thick rubber "cow mats/horse mats" from a Farm and Fleet store and used two mats as the base. These mats are freaking heavy though!!!!
- Buy commercial grade velcro rolls. Then purchase a heavy duty adhesive from hardware store. Use the adhesive to glue the velcro to the bottom of the turf. Let it sit for 24 hrs.

I wouldn't glue the turf down to your base. Just get the heavy duty velcro and you must use adhesive to make sure the velcro is secure. This way you can remove the turf if you need to. I've had to pull my turf up a few time because the USB connection came loose. So make sure you can still access the OptiShot sensor pad.

Does anybody know where to get a lighter weight base 5'x5' 3/4 or 1" thick that is still heavy duty? The horse mat I use is so heavy!

[Mike80]

My link didn't work for taking you to the specific mat i was talking about. Try this link:

http://www.allturfmats.com/Monster-Tee-Golf-Turf-p/tt6060.htm

Otherwise, find it under the menu under Golf Mats < Monster Tee Golf Turf < then at the bottom of the page.

Also notice the "Ultimate Monster Tee Turf". This has a 1/2" thick foam backing. I think that would be perfect if the foam backing was 3/4 inch thick. 1/2 inch might be to thin. Also not sure how you would mount the Optishot in the base already attached to the turf.

[Buckeye]

Does anybody know where to get a lighter weight base 5'x5' 3/4 or 1" thick that is still heavy duty? The horse mat I use is so heavy!

Thanks for the explanation. I may purchase another mat.

As far as the base, I have read people use these types of "work out mats" as a base.

https://www.google.com/search?q=workout+foam+mat&newwindow=1&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=5TSWVLXvIoLngwStvoHoBA&ved=0CB8Qsxg&biw=1255&bih=660

As of right now, my turf is sitting on carpet only, but I am looking to improve that in the near future.

[Mike80]

Thanks. Yeah those would work. Looks like they are 7/8" thick which is the exact height of OptiShot. So to get a 5'x5' you would need to buy 15 of these totaling $113.40. Would need to cut off the additional foot (width) that you wouldn't need.

[Buckeye]

They are 2 x 2 so you would only need 9 to get 5 x 5 right? 3 wide by 3 long would give you 6 x 6?

You would need 18 to do both your sensors and maybe a few extras depending on the spacing you have between them.

[Buckeye]

Never mind I see a 15 minimum order.

But you get the idea. Perhaps they could be found with out the minimum order on amazon or ebay or even in your local area.

[Buckeye]

Amazon has them with a 6 tile minimum order:

http://www.amazon.com/IncStores-Inte.../dp/B00IFP6H4A

[quarternacsr]

exactly what I have. They work great and kids can assemble to play while I am at the office

[Mike80]

I didn't notice the minimum order. I was talking needing a total of 15 so I could cover a 10ft x 5ft area. That's what I have right now. That way plenty of room to practice swing and also I have 10ft wide for lefty and rightys. I know it cost more but it's way better to have the full 10ft wide. I'll definitely look into these square connected tiles. My setup is fine at the moment since I don't have to move it.

[Vincent_Vega]

I use these to protect my floor. They're 6x6, but only 1/2 thick. So not sure if they'd work for you or not. They're certainly cheaper.

http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/21672523?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222228016130364&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=40332018152&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=78294483272&veh=sem