Guys help me. I'm going insane trying to decide on a cockpit. I wanna spend $300-$550, max $700 only if it is just an amazing deal, but really 450ish is ideal. Important to me, in no particular order are the following: 1. Seating Position - I want as much of a real racecar seating position as possible. The Bob Earl VRC Mk2 is perfect with regards to this, but it doesn't seem sturdy enough for a high FFB T500 RS and it's pedals with a max 35 kg (over 70 pounds) load cell mod. The seating position is by far the closest to how real race cars are (just about every single-seater on the planet, DTM, prototypes, etc etc.) though. 2. Shifters - I also need room for a sequential and an h-shifter. For now a high-end but mainstream model like the TH8RS or the upcoming Clubsport shifters. 3. Monitor Stand/Mount - I have triple 24 inch monitors, but they don't have VESA mounts anyways. My ideal screen mount/stand would be something like the optional Bob Earl VRC Mk2 monitor stand. Just a simple, wide, table-like mount/stand that is completely independent from the rig for maximum ease of adjustment. I like the monitors very close, and low, most cockpits with built in monitor stands have the monitors to far away for me. Another benefit from having the monitors free from the rest of the cockpit, is that it'll be 100% solid and not moving/wobbling the slightest amount (drives me insane). 4. Buttkicker - Finally, I want to add 2 buttkickers, later on though, the entire setup for physics based Simvibe. I think that's 7 buttkickers, but not sure. But for now just 2. 5. Wobble/movement - I cannot stand the slightest movement. This most likely means no centre post, unless it is also supported by side posts. I cannot stand the tinniest amount of wobble/movement/swaying/flexing etc. Ghetto desk cockpits work so beautifully when it comes to nothing moving. I'm am going crazy, one setup is real sturdy, another is great for buttkicker mounting, another has an amazing seating position, another has a nice wide area where I can place my keyboard, mouse, etc (this is my regular use PC, not just simracing, but simracing is the main priority), they all have great features but lack in other areas. A nice tight, sturdy, wooden cockpit replica (or just a long wooden rectangle box to sit in) like the hypersimulator, would be just fantastic, not to mention hella immersive, but I need to use this as my regular PC too, plus, there is no way I can have something like that until I move out, parents would be like WTFFFFFF GROW UP! lolol.
I don't know what this one is but it looks damn sturdy! The driving position isn't laid down enough for openwheelers by the looks of the though, but it does allow you to do both easier, definately DTM and GT cars edit: It looks like a Vesaro, but the seat position on this image suck ass for openwheelers:
http://insidesimracing.tv/videos/view/816/0/Simrigs http://www.ricmotech.com/RS1_DIY_Cockpit_Plans_p/rmt-rs1-diy.htm This what I built. I added some wheels to bottom so I could move it around and a keyboard tray that slides out. Cost me $200.00 for materials.
Wow that was quick thanks guys. Yes the Vesaro looked damn good and HELLA solid, but isn't it like $1000-$2000? I almost bought an Obutto Ozone the other day, but I just didn't have enough confidence in it being sturdy to not move or wobble when using a heavy duty ffb wheel, heavy duty 35kg (70 pounds of force) pedals, and heavier duty shifters. I am looking at the GTR cockpits that are littered all over eBay, they seem to be a rip-off of the GT Omega cockpits (I could be wrong though, apologies if I am). They seem to have 3 or 4 different versions listed, the dual post, square tubing one looks the sturdiest and has grabbed my attention, but the spot to mount your wheel just seems a little small and dinky (just like the GT Omega). This is so difficult without being able to try them out.
Make your choice http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=239878 I went for the seepdmaster V 2.0 (it is one of the less expensive) and the rSeat triple screen stand. View attachment 8067 View attachment 8068
For quality of construction, I can highly recommend the Obutto cockpits. I cant imagine what it would be like to go back to driving without mine, and as for comfort, I can sit in this for hours and not get stiff. In fact I recently did a full 12 hour endurance event in this seat. Nine and a half hours spotting and two and a half hours driving.
I ordered a fanatec CSL seat ($299.95 in the USA) the other day...due to a complete sell-out i must wait till the end of July for mine. http://us.fanatec.com/Stand?product_id=555 If you watch the video, the guy makes a point of saying that if you tilt this back it makes the perfect formula cockpit. I've spent the last couple of months pondering over what seat as well and came to the conclusion that this is best for me for an number of reasons. Despite how it may "seem" to you in the picture(s), all the reviewers i've read/heard from say great things about it after some minor tweaks. It's solid and very stable, noted as not being an issue with strong FFB wheels at all. It's made of lightweight aluminium tubing...it only weighs 15kg. However this doesn't compromise its very strength, capable of taking up to a 200kg person. Those who use it have mentioned raising the front 8-10 inches to gain a more formula style seating posture without any compromise to the stability. Ofc if you want to raise it even more to get a complete formula position, past a certain point, you may need to to add some support to prevent it from rear-toppling. edit:
Hmm, but when your raise the front of the CSL seat, the rest of the seat is rotating as well, so your position is still the same as before isnt it? Only difference being you've rotated your entire body/seat so the front points more upwards, but the seating position is still exactly the same, no? I must be way underestimating the obutto considering that most recommendations by far seem to be for the obutto. I've asked this on another site too, and almost all have been obutto recommendations. I've received so many, despite there being so many different ones to choose from. I'm going to watch a lot of obutto review videos over the weekend. I think I may have underestimated it. The small footprint and the comfortable , realistic and natural layed down position of the Fanatec CSL is just beautiful though. I wonder if I can pair it somehow with my wide wooden desk (I need this setup to be able to handle regular PC use and other gaming as well. The only thing I don't really care for is monitor mounts. They always seem to be too far away, so I'd rather just get a separate cheap adjustable height table/stand and sort of put that on top and around the rest of the rig. If you guys check out the Bob Earl Monitor Stand and how it so simply, yet effectively can be incorporated into the cockpit that's what I mean.
I have the Obutto v1 for years now. No wobble at all. I use a single monitor so dunno about any wobble with 3 screens. Pics from orig setup, I have modified some since. LINK LINK2
I just built my own out of wood. Had a neighbor who removed a seat from his car so I took it and built a cockpit around it. Cost me about $30 in wood and screws. Works as good as any of those sold online (perhaps a little heavier though)
"Just like a hyperstimulator".. then why not a hyperstim?? can be picked up 2nd hand for the $$ your talking.
The thing I've noticed about most of these cockpits is the pedals. With the Ricmotech DIY, your able to invert your pedals for the realistic pedal arrangement.
Compromises are never optimum. Obutto Ozone seem to be the only setup in your budget that really could do office work decently. Personally I sit in a Nixim Racecraft GT. It´s perfectly fine to type in but running in and out is of course not as hassle free as from an office chair. Not super tricky either it works. Make sure you get a slider for your chair . Don´t fit your budget though but it´s not easy outside building your own to make something that won´t budge a mm without making it yourself. Thick solid steel is where it is at I feel if you don´t want to compromise.
By "exactly the same seating position" i presume you mean the total lack of the reclinability in the seats back? If so, then yes. But remember if your still after a formula style seating position, your going to have to raise the front on either cockpits. With the way the display rack looks to be welded (correct me if i'm wrong) to the obutto ozone cockpit, i don't think it would be completely smart to do so. Looks good though, plus you can get the keyboard and mouse tray, etc.
What I mean is, are you just lifting the front of the entire frame essentially so that your feet arent poiting as down? Or is there an actual difference between the seat to pedal positioning relative to the normal way?