Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: Cobra on March 11, 2016, 03:31:56 am

Title: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Cobra on March 11, 2016, 03:31:56 am: Specifically, I want to mount my X52 on this thing so my arms aren't elevated so damn high. Problem is, I have no idea how to go about it, because my chair's arms are ****ing stupid. :V Anyone know what I can do?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qe8fjl0gnn8ehmv/IMG_20160311_123421322.jpg?dl=0
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: OverDhill on March 11, 2016, 08:55:02 am: Maybe some pictures of your chair might help get ideas flowing
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Cobra on March 11, 2016, 12:33:27 pm: I linked a stock pic, but apparently it keeps breaking.

I think the img tags are broken, because a different link did the same thing. Now it's just a regular link.
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Scourge of Ages on March 11, 2016, 07:22:35 pm: Looks like it'd be tough, since the mounting holes on the X52 are pretty far apart, and the arms of your chair are curved.
Off the top of my head, I'd just suggest mounting them both to plywood (or other wooden) boards, and just c-clamping them to the arms; you'd need to add spacers to compensate for the curve of the arms, but probably only one good clamp each. You'd likely severely damage the arms with clamping though.
You could build a fancy rig with hooks or bolts and hinges and stuff if you have the material/time/tools/skill.

Actually, if you mounted the HOTAS to boards, you could put mounting slots wherever you pleased on the boards, and directly bolt them to the arms, probably.
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: OverDhill on March 11, 2016, 10:45:59 pm: I did a bit of searching. Here are some ideas I saw

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12745 (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12745)

Amazon Vesa mounts shown

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCRRUQ2?keywords=PRO%20SIGNAL%20%20PSG02631B%20%20BRACKET%2C%20POLE%20MOUNT%2C%20VESA75%2F100&qid=1457757989&ref_=sr_1_fkmr0_3&sr=8-3-fkmr0 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCRRUQ2?keywords=PRO%20SIGNAL%20%20PSG02631B%20%20BRACKET%2C%20POLE%20MOUNT%2C%20VESA75%2F100&qid=1457757989&ref_=sr_1_fkmr0_3&sr=8-3-fkmr0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjZADramCVk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjZADramCVk)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxMcuStZgY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxMcuStZgY)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33DoRw9tRGc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33DoRw9tRGc)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFmgwinb0uk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFmgwinb0uk)
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Scourge of Ages on March 12, 2016, 12:00:21 am: Those mounts are a much better idea than hacking something together like I suggested!
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Cobra on March 12, 2016, 02:51:19 am: Quote from: OverDhill on March 11, 2016, 10:45:59 pm
I did a bit of searching. Here are some ideas I saw

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12745 (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12745)

That's exactly the post that got me thinking about doing it myself. I'd need the Vesa mounts, the Velcro, and also a USB 2.0 to account for cord length when I turn my chair around and such. But it's the arms that make me wonder how plausible that setup will be.

[EDIT] I'm almost inclined to believe that the second to last video has a chair that is very similar to mine. It even has the same kind of arms. Looks a little uncomfortable to have them high like that though, so I'm wondering if I'd be able to clamp them on the front of the arms without losing stability.
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Cobra on March 29, 2016, 01:31:11 pm: Update: I like this.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71111768/IMG_20160329_131017491.jpg)

[EDIT]God damn it, why do the image links break?
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Scourge of Ages on April 01, 2016, 07:57:07 pm: Looks nice and sleek, but it seems like they're a little too close to your body for comfort. Is it comfortable to play on?
Title: Re: Want to set up a HOTAS rig for my chair
Post by: Cobra on April 01, 2016, 09:25:58 pm: They actually did sit a bit close due to the sides sticking out. I ended up having to sit down very carefully otherwise I would jostle the joystick and do things like scrape my leg.

So I did a version 2.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71111768/IMG_20160330_160743566.jpg)

Doing it like this made it so much easier to sit and just play.

This is the downside, though.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71111768/IMG_20160331_244220250.jpg)

While having the throttle tilted as such is actually kind of cool, this is in no way ergonomic after, say, a half hour of play, but it's still miles better than having it on the desk. It also makes it a little difficult to use my keyboard and mouse since I can't rotate them away. I still have so much more control in Diaspora as well. I've never gotten 14 kills on first mission on Advanced.

There's a version of these pole mounts that articulate in three places, not two, so I'm thinking I'll order two of those so I can have both peripherals upright. This really makes me wish I had the normal rounded arms. But those are usually on expensive chairs, it seems.