Blacked out triples

[Terry Rock]

In full-flight simulators, we use black-out curtains to remove all 'light-leaks' in the cockpit.
From the utility work-lights in the mirror chamber to the gaps in the rudder pedals...all are isolated for leaks.
It vastly improves the level of realism due to the fact that the environment can then be 'controlled' and the eye focus remains on screen without distractions.
I've noticed that simracers on triple screens never bother to make any such enclosures.
They're also relatively easy and inexpensive to make as well.
The black-out fabric can be purchased from most craft or garment suppliers.
That furniture, those windows...heck even the monitor mounting hardware, can detract from your on-screen experience.

 

[Stevie_007]

i voted "ive never thought about it" now i am, im eyeing my wife dining room curtains which might work well

 

[Trebormoore84]

Isn't that the difference between using projectors and back lit screens though? You don't really need it on triple monitor setup unless you have some glare, if the monitors face a window or something.

Can totally understand full blackout using a complicated multi projector setups though.

 

[Kieran527]

You missed out the option ' Yes, in the process of designing/building'.

I want to, just waiting on the rigs final placement then ill be building an enclosure of sorts.

 

[Terry Rock]

i voted "ive never thought about it" now i am, im eyeing my wife dining room curtains which might work well

This poll is not here to get you into divorce court or worse yet...buried in the back yard.
Leave your wife's curtains alone.

 

[Terry Rock]

Isn't that the difference between using projectors and back lit screens though? You don't really need it on triple monitor setup unless you have some glare, if the monitors face a window or something.

Can totally understand full blackout using a complicated multi projector setups though.

It is not so much about glare in this case as it is about focus.
The objective is to 'black-out' all items ahead of the screens to essentially draw your focus to only the screens themselves.
If you can 'wrap' it to the mid-point where you restrict seeing non-sim related objects to either side of the room, it is even better.
The benefit is independent of whether using projectors or normal screens.
If you are looking at even a blank wall ahead of the monitors that represents a distraction.
You don't realize it until you cover it up.

 

[2stains]

No i dont but i race in a dark room , even during the day its dark but at night i cant see anything other than my screens

 

[Terry Rock]

No i dont but i race in a dark room , even during the day its dark but at night i cant see anything other than my screens
View attachment 418097

Having said that...
Which do you find more immersive...racing when you can see your furniture or when all you can see is your screen?

 

[GEO147]

There is a youtuber Race Beyond Matter who had a fab rig with a nice DIY enclosure.

 

[Emery]

Triple 43" pretty much block as much of the external world as I need. Still have a gap on top which lets me watch for the eagles flying back & forth.

I considered additional blocking when I had triple 27", but never bothered as I like the natural light from the windows.

 

[2stains]

Having said that...
Which do you find more immersive...racing when you can see your furniture or when all you can see is your screen?

Definitely prefer to see only screens and that is how it is now, my wife or kids need to wave their hand in front of me before I even notice them ,they always startle me. I sit close enough that I have 171 degrees FOV and being as dark as it is I don't see anything around me unless I lean left around my left screen, right is a wall . If my room was lit I'd think about covering in the surrounding.

 

[Fi22le]

A cautionary tale: I recently re modelled my sim room around this principle; painted the walls really dark blue, got blackout blinds, really went to town with the dark room thing. As soon as I started using the room I started getting eye strain headaches really bad.

I ended up adding a back-bias rgb lighting strip (Set at blue). Headaches are gone now, but the whole exercise was *fairly* pointless with the light added.

The light I added has left me with a sort of “middle way” solution. As is often the way in life, the middle way seems to work best for me.

 

[Fi22le]

my wife or kids need to wave their hand in front of me before I even notice them ,they always startle me.

The wife and I use a light up doorbell for this purpose. They’re designed for blind people. We found the waving in front of the screen thing was just too scarey for me!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GutReise-Color-Changeable-Wireless-Doorbell/dp/B01KHWODRQ

 

[stigs2cousin]

It is not so much about glare in this case as it is about focus.
The objective is to 'black-out' all items ahead of the screens to essentially draw your focus to only the screens themselves.
If you can 'wrap' it to the mid-point where you restrict seeing non-sim related objects to either side of the room, it is even better.

Though I have only the "small" 27 inch tripples focus is not a problem.
They are at roughly 60° angle and in the middle of my view height about 70cm away.
So without moving my head there´s nothing else to see

The RGB keybord and PC to my left which only require the movement of my eyeballs to see
are completely "out of focus " for me.

Before I build my cockpit panel with switches and decoders I could see the kitchen furniture between screen and wheelbase ( small apartment, kitchen in the living room

BUT I DIDN´T

When driving I see only what I need to, mostly the center screen or the buttons on wheel or cockpit.

MFG Carsten

 

[BP]

I want to do the blackout style but I'm not sure how I'd go about designing such a thing. I get buying the blackout material, but where would you mount it? I have a GTOmega triple monitor stand that has several open posts (1 for each monitor + the 2 main supports...One idea I had was building a tent around most of the rig using some metal that I can bend into a wireframe, similar to how typical camping tents are designed but with blackout fabric instead. The wireframe would sprout from the posts and fan out in various directions to support the blackout material.

Any suggestions on how to go about that (what wire or metal rod would support the weight and is flexible to be molded)? Trying to make it as compact as possible. Does anyone have pictures to share of their blackout solutions?

A cautionary tale: I recently re modelled my sim room around this principle; painted the walls really dark blue, got blackout blinds, really went to town with the dark room thing. As soon as I started using the room I started getting eye strain headaches really bad.

I ended up adding a back-bias rgb lighting strip (Set at blue). Headaches are gone now, but the whole exercise was *fairly* pointless with the light added.

The light I added has left me with a sort of “middle way” solution. As is often the way in life, the middle way seems to work best for me.

Maybe a dumb question, but did you reduce the brightness on your monitors to compensate?

I tried racing in the dark a few times and one time I got an instant headache when I pulled up Google (all white screen)...I reduced the display brightness considerably and added the blue light fliter option on my monitors and the strain went away. It's even more crucial if you're using HDR monitors I'd imagine (my monitors are not HDR). What I do now is a purple LED light behind me along with the reduced lighting, but would prefer a blackout solution if possible.

 

[Case_]

Maybe a dumb question, but did you reduce the brightness on your monitors to compensate?

This is a very important remark. Most monitors sold today are set to insanely high levels of brightness to show off the advertised brightness (because larger numbers are always better, everyone knows that...) and improve contrast. A fair amount of "gaming monitors" can even have trouble lowering the brightness to the level that would be considered appropriate for more serious work (so around 120 cd/m2) and when reading gaming monitor reviews, I frequently see monitors with minimum brightness around 150 cd/m2 being criticized and described as too dim.

Meanwhile I generally work and game with a monitor set to around 90-110 cd/m2 because otherwise it's just uncomfortably bright, and for no good reason. And I don't even use it in complete darkness, in that case I would lower it even more.

(They are also frequently wide gamut panels set to full gamut instead of sRGB, so the colors appear more saturated than they should, because (over)saturated colors is also something people and gamers in particular seem to be drawn to, regardless of the fact it's not correct.)

 

[Fi22le]

Maybe a dumb question, but did you reduce the brightness on your monitors to compensate?

I tried racing in the dark a few times and one time I got an instant headache when I pulled up Google (all white screen)...I reduced the display brightness considerably and added the blue light fliter option on my monitors and the strain went away. It's even more crucial if you're using HDR monitors I'd imagine (my monitors are not HDR). What I do now is a purple LED light behind me along with the reduced lighting, but would prefer a blackout solution if possible.

I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t change the brightness (although, generally speaking, I don’t have my monitors overly bright). Thanks for pointing this out. I will try it. I feel a bit stupid for not considering this!

 

[Terry Rock]

The brightness is an important aspect.
All current FAA certified full motion flight simulators MUST maintain a minimum of six lumens for legality.
I could certainly see where eye strain and headaches would come into play, if brightness levels are not set correctly.

 

[Fi22le]

Update: Spent some time this weekend with the brightness turned down, and yes, no headaches or eye strain! Thank you.

 

[Trebormoore84]

Meanwhile I generally work and game with a monitor set to around 90-110 cd/m2 because otherwise it's just uncomfortably bright

Absolutely agree. You only really need to use the default brightness in your typical office environment with those horrible bright fluorescent lighting panels in grid ceilings. Sat there in the dark your asking for eyestrain.

I set mine to lowest brightness as well in a dimly lit room, but I also use bias lighting behind the monitors lighting up the wall behind (rig faces a corner), probably seems OP gamer thing to do but I actually find it improves the contrast and reduces eye strain even more, feels really comfortable for long sessions. So not sold on the whole blackout thing tbh, sure it makes sense for full on professional simulators.