Please help i'm in front of a big dilemma!!

[oal331 0]

I always was dreeming a home cockpit simulator and just before 2 months i started to made with PM s/w, 4 computers and by making some small constructions to put on the 4 displays, etc.My problem and my dilemma is if i will continue to working on a cockpit project or return back to the old situation (a wide desk with monitors and keyboards on it).Why?Because by making a cockpit with Main Panel in front of monitors and the monitors on a construction 50cm above the floor, i made something only for FS use and i lost all the other things that my pcs can do. I can not surf in the internet, read emails, enjoy music & video etc. I can not neither to communicate in sqbox text, as the main Fs monitor is higher than my seat and is only 17'' (as the 19'' is on GC for PFD & ND).I can not read the text when a contoller sending me.I can not find the best seat (not to high / not to low) and i was planning to buy used car seats to have a seat about 40cms above the floor.The request: What have you done all of you with your cockpits? Do you use them only for FlightSimming? Is there any other solutions for that?I don't want to stop my cockpit in which i have made some steps and spend some money, but i also want to be mor confortable!Please reply with any ideas you have, or any links with photos of your cockpits! (I'm trying hard with myself not to stop the cockpit!)Best regardsOAL331Athens-Greece

[Guest PeterK]

PeterK I had a GA cockpit and fell into the same problem..Love the GA cockpit feel but I wanted to do every thing else too...After seeing many of the f16 style cockpits out there I one nightdecided to chop the whole pig up and go with the signal seat fighter mode...The car seat is the best choice..hours of sitting there makes iteasy...The fighter set up is not 100% authentic but the keyboard sits to the right or put it in your lap and the mouse ius next to the throttle..sounds a little backwards but it works...Hey im sitting in me Isuzu Impulse seat now and looking into my21inch monitor...with a click of the mouse Im playing Mig Alley..pete

[oal331 0]

Thank you Pete,but i love aircrafts like Boeing and Airbus more more than military F16, M2000 etc.I admire fighter cockpits but i prefer something like 767-400 :-)OAL331Athens-Greece

[Guest]

OK. Get some video splitters, VGA extension cables and a usb keyboard and mouse. Split the vid signal to another monitor on a desk, hookup the USB mouse and keyboard. The Mouse and KBD will function along with the PS/2 types, so you can use either with no switching. You can also split off your audio signal. For less than ~$100 (if you've got a spare monitor) you can have your FS PC do dual duty. I don't split my main FS PC, I've split both of my networked wideview PC's. One for my desk for mail and one for my daughter.I hope this makes sense. IF not let me know.....--jeff

[oal331 0]

It's a great idea to split with usb keyboard and mouse the main Fs pc! I will try it maybe with a small "portable" desk in fron of captain's chair!!Thanks :-)OAL331Athens-Greece