Personal AV Center

[Shadow Reaper]

So I am disillusioned.

You know I have been thinking on what to do when I add a gaming machine for a couple years. Now it looks like just a couple months away, and all my delusions of grandeur came crashing down when I discovered recently that the super ultra-wide displays don't actually have as many pixels as you'd think, and the resolution is much better on much cheaper monitors. In my instance, there is no point in buying a bigger monitor if I have to place it farther from me. I'd actually prefer as small a footprint as possible since I expect to be in a studio for a year, and my gaming machine is only for one person. So I'm rethinking the huge wrap around U shaped desk and three enormous monitors, not just for economic reasons, but because the bloody thing won't fit easily and what's the point if it doesn't provide a better experience?

So here's what I need: an AV center for one, that provides great gaming, internet and TV, can play DVDs and Blue Ray discs, and that has a view to each side so I can plan attacks from my Sentinel. I need to be able to glance sideways and see that pesky Hornet that has a mouthful of distortion shot coming.

So. . .in a radical departure I am considering the following:

​

I should point out that I have heard the arguments that the twin Virpils ought to be mounted to the desk, and here there is no desk. However, I prefer the sticks mounted to the chair so I can rest my arms, and if there is no desk to get in the way of the sticks, mounting them on the chair is suddenly a great idea.

There's the little tray--room enough for a backlit keyboard. The computer can go on the floor behind the stand. The twin bars offer plenty of opportunity to mount an articulated triple mount sufficient for 32" monitors, but used for 27" so there is enough room to actually turn the side monitors in, forming a cocoon of sorts, reminding of Dark Vader's digs and giving me best view of the insolent Hornet. Yeah, its less work to have the monitor out front so you don't have to turn your head, but it seems to me way cooler to have to turn your head. I want the immersion.

Also there is room for a pair of gooseneck tablet holders, so I can add the super-controls peeps have been glorying about, and stick them anywhere I want, whenever I want. (I think one for power management and the other for discord? I still have never been on discord but comms either needs its own station or OHura, and I can't afford her salary.

So what am I not considering?

So this is radical for me. . .no desk. OTOH, this is the tiniest footprint in the studio I can imagine past VR, and I don't ant VR. I want to see my twin sticks.

You guys know better than anyone what works, so. . .I really want to know what I haven't considered here.

 

[Printimus]

I'm confused, you want to game on a laptop now?

 

[Vavrik]

I get it. Not a laptop necessarily, it's about the video displays. You can buy a 49" Samsung monitor I talked about because it's cool - but it has a $1000.00 price tag. Or you can get 3 Samsung 27 inch monitors, and have 30% more screen area, for 30% less money (though you have more other costs). At any rate, the price math just doesn't work in favor of the wider monitors.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I am presuming working on a full tower setup. I'm asking about the issue of going deskless. 3 27" monitors ought to hang on this pretty nicely, and so the sticks can be connedted to the chair, and the desk won't get in the way since there is none. Much smaller footprint.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I'm using a 21" AOC I got for £80 as it was the cheapest Freesync I could find.

Only sitting about a foot or two from it so it looks huge.

Was thinking about getting one of these arms that clamp to the edge of a desk or other item:

https://www.arctic.ac/uk_en/products/accessories/monitor-arm.html?monitor_arm_monitors=537&monitor_arm_mount=531

 

[Vavrik]

I am presuming working on a full tower setup. I'm asking about the issue of going deskless. 3 27" monitors ought to hang on this pretty nicely, and so the sticks can be connedted to the chair, and the desk won't get in the way since there is none. Much smaller footprint.

... I think I'm jealous... I could use a solution like that for my home office. I don't need a desk, I need place to put 2 27 inch monitors with a place to have an accessible work surface that can let me stand or sit as I need. Hell, if it could use 3 monitors, why not... I don't need the screen real estate, but if you got it why not.

 

[DirectorGunner]

Please consider your eyesight and eye health, being too close to a screen

for too long, over time, can affect your eye's ability to focus on details far away.

It's too late for me.. I'm already very nearsighted... don't let it happen to you too.

 

[Lorddarthvik]

So I am disillusioned.

You know I have been thinking on what to do when I add a gaming machine for a couple years. Now it looks like just a couple months away, and all my delusions of grandeur came crashing down when I discovered recently that the super ultra-wide displays don't actually have as many pixels as you'd think, and the resolution is much better on much cheaper monitors. In my instance, there is no point in buying a bigger monitor if I have to place it farther from me. I'd actually prefer as small a footprint as possible since I expect to be in a studio for a year, and my gaming machine is only for one person. So I'm rethinking the huge wrap around U shaped desk and three enormous monitors, not just for economic reasons, but because the bloody thing won't fit easily and what's the point if it doesn't provide a better experience?

So here's what I need: an AV center for one, that provides great gaming, internet and TV, can play DVDs and Blue Ray discs, and that has a view to each side so I can plan attacks from my Sentinel. I need to be able to glance sideways and see that pesky Hornet that has a mouthful of distortion shot coming.

So. . .in a radical departure I am considering the following:

​

I should point out that I have heard the arguments that the twin Virpils ought to be mounted to the desk, and here there is no desk. However, I prefer the sticks mounted to the chair so I can rest my arms, and if there is no desk to get in the way of the sticks, mounting them on the chair is suddenly a great idea.

There's the little tray--room enough for a backlit keyboard. The computer can go on the floor behind the stand. The twin bars offer plenty of opportunity to mount an articulated triple mount sufficient for 32" monitors, but used for 27" so there is enough room to actually turn the side monitors in, forming a cocoon of sorts, reminding of Dark Vader's digs and giving me best view of the insolent Hornet. Yeah, its less work to have the monitor out front so you don't have to turn your head, but it seems to me way cooler to have to turn your head. I want the immersion.

Also there is room for a pair of gooseneck tablet holders, so I can add the super-controls peeps have been glorying about, and stick them anywhere I want, whenever I want. (I think one for power management and the other for discord? I still have never been on discord but comms either needs its own station or OHura, and I can't afford her salary.

So what am I not considering?

So this is radical for me. . .no desk. OTOH, this is the tiniest footprint in the studio I can imagine past VR, and I don't ant VR. I want to see my twin sticks.

You guys know better than anyone what works, so. . .I really want to know what I haven't considered here.

To me, as I live in a smallish apartment, this seems like a much better solution than buying one huge ass screen. If you got the money, you can most likely get better experience as larger TV screens tend to have rather bad lag still, so smaller dedicated monitors are an advantage imo.
I guess the chair mounted stuff is the most space efficient, and should work fine as long as the mounts don't flex or rattle and stuff. So again, it comes down to quality and most likely higher cost there.
As @DirectorGunner said, take care, and I'd suggest to everyone to take a break every hour or so and look out the window/focus on something farther away. It helps.
(And don't keep looking at your damn phone while doing this like I do, lol)