Perfecting the desk

[Bory Brason]

Just voer a year ago I got a few bits of advice about help with my triple screen alcove set up. It's come a long way.
Built in PowerPlay Matt in a custom made veneer desk (huge learning curve)

I was hoping someone might know the rights stuff to order for my next parts. I am located in the UK.

So to support my custom X52 Hotaz (Logitech version) I want to create two steal slide out plates on the front of my desk to support this. I am wondering what type of steel I should be using and how thick?
I just think I am googleing the wrong term. For reference I am thinking the stort of steel that is used to make vesa wall mounts and I would have it powder coated.

The idea is they would be at least twice the size of the bases of the two hotaz componenets. I will have already replaced the little round rubber feet on the hotaz with magnect to hold firm on the steel.

I am also customizing the Hotaz to swap out the old PS2 serial connector and USB connectors with magnetic sockets that would slimply attach to the desk.

PS yes the single cable on the desk is being... addressed


 

[Senzelian]

This is the cleanest setup I have ever seen.

 

How did you get the powerplay mat underneath the desk without the controller board being in the way? Did you take it apart?

[jaslion]

11 minutes ago, Bory Brason said:

Built in PowerPlay Matt in a custom made veneer desk (huge learning curve)

Yup that is a big step over cutting wood :p. You used a hand router?

 

12 minutes ago, Bory Brason said:

So to support my custom X52 Hotaz (Logitech version) I want to create two steal slide out plates on the front of my desk to support this. I am wondering what type of steel I should be using and how thick?

Aluminum is fine for this. They aren't heavy and aluminum is strong. Easiest strength test would be to go to a hardware store and see how much flex it has. 0.5mm is often plenty for this.

 

14 minutes ago, Bory Brason said:

vesa wall mounts and I would have it powder coated.

Very often is aluminum. Sometimes powdercoated cheap steel.

 

15 minutes ago, Bory Brason said:

hold firm on the steel.

Also use rubber strips to prevent slipping more. Magnets are great at clamping force but are less good at slipping.

 

15 minutes ago, Bory Brason said:

PS yes the single cable on the desk is being... addressed

Genuinly don't care :p. This looks dope cable or not.

 

 

One more thing the center speaker really needs to be below the screen for the effect to work well. It's a center frontal and those do not do well in overhead. This is always the most important speaker to have fire at you directly from below your head.

 

Another small tip if you don't have sound dampening foam behind you on the wall add some that will help A LOT more to reduce echo compared to just in front. As sound bounces it is always better to create dampening traps instead of a single big wall full.

[jaslion]

3 minutes ago, Senzelian said:

This is the cleanest setup I have ever seen.

 

How did you get the powerplay mat underneath the desk without the controller board being in the way? Did you take it apart?

It actually works upside down too depending on the material version you have so you can have a flat surface to route out or you can make the controller compartment a bit deeper.

[Senzelian]

3 minutes ago, jaslion said:

It actually works upside down too depending on the material version you have so you can have a flat surface to route out or you can make the controller compartment a bit deeper.

Oh wow, didn't know that. I saw someone on YouTube cutting it up to get it as close to the mouse as possible, but your solution is way better. I might do that in the future. 

[jaslion]

1 minute ago, Senzelian said:

Oh wow, didn't know that. I saw someone on Youtube cutting it to get it as close to the mouse as possible, but your solution is way better. I might do that in the future. 

I've only done it once before and it does work. Less well than if not flipped because a pcb is in the way. But it does do it.

 

Else well it's wireless charging nothing is stopping you from getting a normal one and do it that way

[Doobeedoo]

Where's the mousepad? Scratching on desk?

[Stahlmann]

Cool setup and all, but why 3 webcams?

[Bory Brason]

8 hours ago, Senzelian said:

This is the cleanest setup I have ever seen.

 

How did you get the powerplay mat underneath the desk without the controller board being in the way? Did you take it apart? I think you can see it top right in this picutre. I then used Veneer over it (1mm rolls of oak)

So I turned it upside down... it works both ways

[Bory Brason]

8 hours ago, jaslion said:

Yup that is a big step over cutting wood :p. You used a hand router?

 

Aluminum is fine for this. They aren't heavy and aluminum is strong. Easiest strength test would be to go to a hardware store and see how much flex it has. 0.5mm is often plenty for this.

 

Very often is aluminum. Sometimes powdercoated cheap steel.

 

Also use rubber strips to prevent slipping more. Magnets are great at clamping force but are less good at slipping.

 

Genuinly don't care :p. This looks dope cable or not.

 

 

One more thing the center speaker really needs to be below the screen for the effect to work well. It's a center frontal and those do not do well in overhead. This is always the most important speaker to have fire at you directly from below your head.

 

Another small tip if you don't have sound dampening foam behind you on the wall add some that will help A LOT more to reduce echo compared to just in front. As sound bounces it is always better to create dampening traps instead of a single big wall full.

Thanks. I will get onto the reverse wall soon. The reason the centre speaker is not under the monitor is I have a logitech mic and arm coming that will fold out from there

[Bory Brason]

1 hour ago, Stahlmann said:

Cool setup and all, but why 3 webcams?

So this is actually as I do so much WFH from a coms company and directly behind me there are two desks (my partner is often wfh. This means I can swap to a camera that avoids looking at other users in this game room office should I need to.

[Bory Brason]

Ok so some very small additions today. I kind of am trying to keep it RGB free as much as possible and all Logitech G. I kind of feel I should call it "All G"

 

But another under surface charger. I will get rid of the sticker. I am not sure how to illustrate where the charger is without marking the desk. Any ideas?

And also the Logitech G840 desk matt which is actually more perfect than I orginally thought.

And I know people are thinking... you need to change those alex drawers for the black or grey ones...

 

[Bory Brason]

I am considering replacing my centre monitor with an LG 27" 27GP95RP-B. However I would loose the symetry.
There was also a strong consideration for the new Samsung 57" G95NC Odyssey however after trying it out I felt that I was actually loosing screen space (which I guess I was)

Productivity over the last few years I have found I have become so dependant on 3 x UHD screens. Technically the new Samsung would have been 2 x 32" UHD.

Though I have never tried ultrawide gaming I do not believe my 3080ti would be to good at pushing those pixels in game.
 

And the shameful truth is although previously an avid PC builder this is actually all powered by a Corsair One i300. (All be it with a few additions such as an 8TB Samsung Evo SSD for game storage.

[IkeaGnome]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:20 PM, Bory Brason said:

So to support my custom X52 Hotaz (Logitech version) I want to create two steal slide out plates on the front of my desk to support this. I am wondering what type of steel I should be using and how thick?

Thoughts on a prefab mount? I have a set of Monstertech rails and mounts that I use on my desk. In your case you'd want to measure to make sure you have room to slide the hotas and throttle mounts into the rail. I have a wide enough desk that I just slide my hotas to the "work side" of the desk to get it out of the way when I'm not using it, or if I'm working on the work side I just slide it back to the "play side" of my desk. They're a bit more expensive than just making slide out plates, but shipping was very quick and it's prefabbed.

Slide Rail – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH USA

 

The other option I almost went with was their QD chair mounts. You mount the base plate with the arms of your chair then use thumbscrews to mount the hotas and throttle to the base plates when you want to use them.

 

Joystick / HOTAS Chair Mount – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH USA

Center Joystick Chair Mount – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH USA

[Bory Brason]

19 hours ago, IkeaGnome said:

Thoughts on a prefab mount? I have a set of Monstertech rails and mounts that I use on my desk. In your case you'd want to measure to make sure you have room to slide the hotas and throttle mounts into the rail. I have a wide enough desk that I just slide my hotas to the "work side" of the desk to get it out of the way when I'm not using it, or if I'm working on the work side I just slide it back to the "play side" of my desk. They're a bit more expensive than just making slide out plates, but shipping was very quick and it's prefabbed.

Slide Rail – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH USA

 

The other option I almost went with was their QD chair mounts. You mount the base plate with the arms of your chair then use thumbscrews to mount the hotas and throttle to the base plates when you want to use them.

 

Joystick / HOTAS Chair Mount – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH USA

Center Joystick Chair Mount – MTSIM – MONSTERTECH USA

Really like that. It's sleak, neat and can be hidden very easliy. It all depends on if I go ahead with my magnetised custom serial ports on the front of the desk. However yours may be simpler neater and better!!

I am worried it is a bit low though. I may consider raising the entire desk maybe 2"

[Bory Brason]

Sorry to nurge again. In the theme of keeping it all perfect I have just got the Yeti GX microphone. This will actually mainly be for work. However I still want it clean. Anyone know of any boom arms that can fit in the space bellow the monitor? The idea is the boom arm should folt away against the wall here in the green space. Or does anyone have any better ideas?



 

[Bory Brason]

Ok I risk a bit restarting this thread. However I need you good old perfectionists help. Part of me wants to upgrade this screen set up to 3 x 4k 1500R curved.

 

3 x MSI G321CU. I have two bossible serious issues to consider. I wonder if anyone our there can help me calculate the direct width of the screens assuming the 1500R curves are all lined up correctly. I am suspicious my alcove will not be wide enough to fit this setup. Another huge issue is the chins. The picture below is from one of their 1440p similar models.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.