Coolest. Gaming Set-up. Evar.

[jimmifett]

Will plasmas work in this configuration? Their cost is dropping like a rock as well. Craigslist is crawling with ads for all types of TVs.

To my knowledge, tipping over plasma is supposed to be bad. I think you have to keep them in their normal viewing position or something breaks. I'm pretty sure even the box for them says "Do not Lay Flat" or something.

 

[WampusCat43]

Right after I posted that, I thought "Didn't Philips run an ad on their early plasma models where a couple mounted one on the ceiling above their bed?" Anybody remember that?

 

[heruca]

I remember that ad.

Given that heat rises, the ceiling is probably the worst place for a plasma screen, assuming heat really is an issue with these things.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

SteelWind - what do bulbs run on that $699 Dell projector, and whats the life on those now? That's the big thing that might end up making an LCD or Plasma more cost-efficient in the long run.

3000 hour bulb life @ 5 hours per gaming session=600 sessions per bulb. A new bulb is just under 300 bucks, which come out to be .50 a session. Assume each player chips in a dime when they show up at each game, the GM gets a bulb for free.

DS

 

[AstroCat]

The problem for one thing is the throw distance. I want a 34 x 45 4:3 image, but the projector is going to only be about 4 feet away with 7" ceilings down on to the table. Right now I don't see how this could happen. Ideas?

Right now I'm looking at around 18 x 25 max, a 42" LCD flat panel on the table may be a better option. That will give me 21 x 37 16:9.

 

[WampusCat43]

3000 hour bulb life @ 5 hours per gaming session=600 sessions per bulb. A new bulb is just under 300 bucks, which come out to be .50 a session. Assume each player chips in a dime when they show up at each game, the GM gets a bulb for free.

DS

And that's assuming it's on the entire session. And I wish we really did play five hours. We're lucky to get three anymore.

 

[chriton227]

The problem for one thing is the throw distance. I want a 34 x 45 4:3 image, but the projector is going to only be about 4 feet away with 7" ceilings down on to the table. Right now I don't see how this could happen. Ideas?

Right now I'm looking at around 18 x 25 max, a 42" LCD flat panel on the table may be a better option. That will give me 21 x 37 16:9.

One way you can increase the throw is to mount the projector either up high horizontally or off to the side pointing up and use a mirror on the ceiling to reflect the image to the table. Many projectors have a setting to reverse the image so that after reflection it is correctly oriented, and all should have keystone correction to correct for the slightly angled projection. The mirror would likely be lighter than the projector and much easier to mount (at least in the project-up/reflect-down setup). Here are some links to examples:

http://dndnerd.com/a-nifty-projector-setup
http://www.penpaperpixel.org/tutorials/tabletopprojection/ceilingmounts.htm

 

[WampusCat43]

One way you can increase the throw is to mount the projector either up high horizontally or off to the side pointing up and use a mirror on the ceiling to reflect the image to the table. Many projectors have a setting to reverse the image so that after reflection it is correctly oriented, and all should have keystone correction to correct for the slightly angled projection. The mirror would likely be lighter than the projector and much easier to mount (at least in the project-up/reflect-down setup). Here are some links to examples:

http://dndnerd.com/a-nifty-projector-setup
http://www.penpaperpixel.org/tutorials/tabletopprojection/ceilingmounts.htm

The second is the setup we've been using. The only drawback (and it's minor compared to the awesomeness we get out of it) is that I have to reach way up and over the table to turn the thing on and off - no remote). We're working on that.

 

[Avalloc]

A friend of mine told me about his use of a projector for tabletop gaming, and for a while I thought it was cool but overkill. Well, I've been DMing a campaign for most of this year now and the concept has grown on me.

My setup is unique in fact my apartment complex will not permit me to drill into my ceiling to mount a projector. And so I considered going the route of having a table made to set an lcd tv within, but that'll be more expensive then what I'm looking to spend. Especially since the table would only get used once or twice a month, and the rest of time would be broken down and stored somewhere. I've already got a table that'll accommodate my group of 6 players so a projector makes more sense.

Does anyone know of a safe/practical way to mount the projector from a beam/bar which could be run along the ceiling across the room? It would attach to the wall, instead of the ceiling. And the room is maybe 20 feet wide, for the distance the beam/bar would extend. When not using it for gaming, the projector would be removed from the beam. In fact, if it is manageable I might take the whole thing down and put it back up for each session.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[guivre]

Will plasmas work in this configuration? Their cost is dropping like a rock as well. Craigslist is crawling with ads for all types of TVs.

Plasmas are subject to burn in, not a good choice at all.