Want to build a hanging scoreboard monitor setup (1 Viewer)

Jake14mw

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Hi all,

I have been thinking for years that having a hanging group of monitors like an arena scoreboard would be really cool. Basically, it would be three or four LCD monitors fashioned together in either a triangle or square. It would be linked to a computer with tournament director software on it. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? Used monitors are so cheap these days, it wouldn't cost much to build. Anyone else think that would be cool?
 
Welcome to PCF. Do you want to run it as one big screen (in the 4 monitor setup) or individual screens?
 
Hi all,

I have been thinking for years that having a hanging group of monitors like an arena scoreboard would be really cool. Basically, it would be three or four LCD monitors fashioned together in either a triangle or square. It would be linked to a computer with tournament director software on it. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? Used monitors are so cheap these days, it wouldn't cost much to build. Anyone else think that would be cool?
Thought about building the same thing a couple years ago but never did. You could hide a light inside to hit the center of the table. I think it would look cool for blinds timer.
 
Tommy, the idea would be to run the screens individally placed edge to edge in a cube hanging over the table so that everyone around the table could see one of the screens like a hanging scoreboard in an arena or stadium that hangs over the field. Good idea on the light Lars!
 
Cool idea. If you do it with full-sized monitors, though, it's going to be pretty big - and the square footprint will be so wide that it won't be very useful for the people at the table it's over. It only makes sense, to me, if you have a really big room with multiple tables and can hang it in the middle and/or between tables.

However, you can possibly make a miniature one with used tablets. Four tables surrounding a light fixture, each angled down to be more easily viewed from the room, might be a great visual effect, and be plenty visible within context of a single room the size you'd find in a home.
 
Good point on the size. If the monitors are too big that might look too big especially on people on the sides of the table sitting closest to them. I think old 15" LCDs can be bought really cheaply right now, maybe those would be small enough. When I get out my table for my next home game, I will have to hold my laptop with the 15" screen up over it to see how it would look. Tablets are definitely something to think about as an alternative. The great thing about that would be not having to run fugly cables to them, but the problem I see is that I don't know how I would get the tournament director software to show on them (see my other thread about that in this forum. The other thing is, that I think used tablets for under $50 whose batteries would last might be more expensive/harder to find than monitors? This isn't important enough for me to spend significant money on.
 
Playing on an oval? Two widescreen monitors back to back with tablets on the ends. Flamethrowers optional.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1444150105.782041.jpg
 
Good point on the size. If the monitors are too big that might look too big especially on people on the sides of the table sitting closest to them. I think old 15" LCDs can be bought really cheaply right now, maybe those would be small enough. When I get out my table for my next home game, I will have to hold my laptop with the 15" screen up over it to see how it would look. Tablets are definitely something to think about as an alternative. The great thing about that would be not having to run fugly cables to them, but the problem I see is that I don't know how I would get the tournament director software to show on them (see my other thread about that in this forum. The other thing is, that I think used tablets for under $50 whose batteries would last might be more expensive/harder to find than monitors? This isn't important enough for me to spend significant money on.

It's hanging from chains or wires already, cables should be easy to run down wrapped to the supports and keep it all tidy.
 
That's a phenomenal idea. Tablets may be the way to go. You'll need to figure a good way to charge them. You could pick up a few of those cheaper Android tablets that come up on sites like groupon.
Looking forward to a build thread.
 

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