How do people set up for racing games with a dedicated racing seat and a projector? I am currently using a 92" 16x9 screen with the bottom 29" from the floor. My couch seating head position is 11'6" from the screen. I am planning on getting a racing seat (probably the new playseat, but not dead-set) and putting in front of the couch when racing. But that means my head will probably be lower by about 10-12". With the closer viewing distance (approx. 9' - 9' 6") and lower seating position I am concerned.

I use xbox360-720p on a 720p projector, and have a well equipped 5.1 audio system. I just purchased the MS wireless racing wheel. Now I need to get a seat and tweak my setup.

What have others done?
What works best for you?
What would you change if you could do differently?

Am I going to be too low?
Am I going to be too close?
Will I have a "crick in my neck" after playing for a few hours?

Thanks for the opinions.

I have a racing seat, but not with a projector, so take these comments as useful or not ...

My setup is with a Bob Earl VRC, which is very low, about the height that one would be ain a very small racer.

I'm viewing on a 32" LCD which is set up so that a perpendicular ray from the center of the screen goes through my head. In fact I have 3 screens, not one, and their rays all go through my head. (It's a busy place)

The challenge I see with a very large screen is that if the screen is way higher than you are, you will see the world from a strange angle, and maybe crick your neck. Also, the perpendicular ray will go way over the top of your head, so you could expect the sort of distortion you see in the very front seats of a cinema.

Even if you angle the screen down so it faces you, you'll still be looking up at it, so elevating the seat might make sense.

I find that since I'm looking at my triple screen setup at eye level it is not tiring at all, even after hours in the seat.

I built a racing cockpit that has it's own thread if you use the search feature. If I had to do it all over, I'd buy the playseat from Amazon. You can usually get it for 199.99 but it was 249.99 the other day.

I just built a stand for the wheel out of PVC and my couch is my race seat. I don't think the seat really buys you anything. It isn't as if you are pulling lateral g's or anything. If you want a race seat for the wow factor then that's another story, but I don't think it adds anything to the experience.

Playseats are really well built and work exceptionally well. I have mine in the HT and I can easily move it to the center of the room for use. nothing like a HUGE "windshield" for your car :)

My playseat is a couch, my projector is behind me and the screen is in front of me. It works nicely! :D

you guys always make me salivate with the projector/playseat talk.

Isn't it just easier to buy the cars in the game and race them for real? All this number/ray talk makes me go stupid.

I have the playseat with the Microrsoft Wireless wheel. My projector is mounted in my audio rack and sits behind my playseat. I moved my seat to the left of the screen so my position is just like I'm driving my car in real life. It's a very immersive experience.

How big is your screen?
How far from it are you?
Is it 720p?
How high is the bottom of the screen off the floor?
Is the playseat sitting on the floor, or have you elevated it?

Thanks a bunch!

BTW, I found playing Forza2 last night using the joypad to be an exercise in frustration. It is hard to accurately steer with the joystick, and difficult to avoid locking up the brakes at times since the left hand is applying the break and steering at the same time. I can not hardly wait to get my steering wheel and seat setup. The benefit of immersion will be an extra benefit.

Just for fun, here's a pic I snapped last week. Sorry about the quality, I didn't bother to set up a tripod for the shot.

The projector screen slides back up into the bulkhead when not in use. Behind it is the 32" HDTV. I play on the couch with the wheel on my lap, I'm quite content with it! I used to spend a lot of time getting ergonomics just right for flight simming (on the PC), but eventually I realized it's not about the positioning and angles as much as just immersing yourself in a good sim.

http://www.asic.ca/Client/ASIC/asic.nsf/object/Forza/$file/forzrig.jpg

How big is your screen?
How far from it are you?
Is it 720p?
How high is the bottom of the screen off the floor?
Is the playseat sitting on the floor, or have you elevated it?

Thanks a bunch!

BTW, I found playing Forza2 last night using the joypad to be an exercise in frustration. It is hard to accurately steer with the joystick, and difficult to avoid locking up the brakes at times since the left hand is applying the break and steering at the same time. I can not hardly wait to get my steering wheel and seat setup. The benefit of immersion will be an extra benefit.


1. 98'' diagonal
2. My head is approx 8-9 ft from the screen
3. Yes 720p native (Sharp XV-Z2000)
4. Aproxx 30'' from the bottom of the floor. Can't remember exaclty as I'm here at work.
5. The seat is sitting on the floor

1. 96'' diagonal
2. My head is approx 9 ft from the screen
3. Yes 720p native (Sanyop Z3)
4. Aprox 30'' from the bottom of the floor.
5. The seat is sitting on the floor

Thanks a bunch, all. I ordered the playseat evolution today. And it looks like my answers will be:

1. 92'' diagonal
2. My head will be approx 9 ft from the screen
3. Yes 720p native (Sanyo Z2)
4. Aprox 29'' from the bottom of the floor.
5. The seat will be sitting on the floor

If it is good for you, it should be good me! :)

You will love it. I can't imagine playing any other way now.

I am running a 6.1 system and the center rear speaker really shines when using the rear and mid_engine cars.

ENJOY!!

I'm thinking of picking up a playseat just for the hell of it. Figure I can use it for years. Any good deals out there you guys know of or can you recommend a particular model that has worked for you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNRi63ru2RE
this looks like a good review and it looks like a good product

I built a racing cockpit that has it's own thread if you use the search feature. If I had to do it all over, I'd buy the playseat from Amazon. You can usually get it for 199.99 but it was 249.99 the other day.

Hey yours was a mighty nice design, made out of PVC Piping if I recall, yes?
Affordable and well built IMHO.

Hey yours was a mighty nice design, made out of PVC Piping if I recall, yes?
Affordable and well built IMHO.

I think the big thing about the playseat is the ability to break it down and store it. Plus in that video he uses it as a chair, which is good for overflow in the theatre.

Hey yours was a mighty nice design, made out of PVC Piping if I recall, yes?
Affordable and well built IMHO.
Yes, it was well built, because my dad helped me, but it ended up costing me well north of $100 when I had to buy multiple cans of that plastic spray paint (it doesn't stick to PVC that well) and it doesn't fit through the door to my back room easily. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably get a playseat, as the only drawback that I can see to them is that they're so low to the ground.

do any of you have links to the builds?
I am building one for the wow factor for my son and i, any suggestions?

I used an AK rocker from circity and built a stand to hold the wheel.