Tabletop, Pedals and Keyboard / Mouse Trays
In its simplest configuration, the optional tabletop and keyboard/mouse tray gave me what I needed to play Armed Assault 2 and other first person tactical shooters. Let’s go through the attachment and options for each item.
Because of the thickness of my older ViewSonic, I lost part of the back-end of the racing controller mount. Had I used the “standard” 24″ monitor or the 3 24″ monitors designed for the cockpit, it wouldn’t have been an issue. Even some larger monitors of 30-32″ are not a problem. It depends on the specific monitor.
So the acrylic tabletop is not mandatory, but I would advise its purchase with the Gaming Cockpit. There are configurations where it is not necessary, and I’ll show them on the flight simulation section of this review.
Further, I could have mounted the monitor on the wall and it would have negated the problem entirely. But I like the attached configuration, and was willing to do a work around to achieve that goal.
Unfortunately, there is not a set of pre-drilled holes or a template for direct mounting the acrylic tabletop to the top of the steering wheel mount. The problem was easily solved by marking-off a 4-bolt pattern on the underside of the steering wheel mount, lining-up the back of the tabletop to the back of the wheel mount. 15 minutes at the local hardware store with their drill press was all it took. I used steel colored bolts for the photos so they would be noticeable. It doesn’t bother me that they stand out but others may want to use black or if they’re adept, counter-sink the bolts from the underside of the tabletop to mount through the steering wheel mount. What I wouldn’t use is any form of velcro. The beautiful black tabletop is quite heavy, and since it mounts towards the back, it would be quite a load on the front edge if you use a yoke for flying or the steering wheel. I used the inexpensive rubber fender washers again to keep the connection between metal and the tabletop from scratching underneath. Bolted in, the tabletop is quite sturdy. There is now a few inches separation between the bottom of the monitor and the top of the tabletop.
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This view from underneath shows the attaching points for the tabletop. No, the bolts are not “knee-skinners”, but certainly shorter bolts could be used instead.
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Included in the Gaming Cockpit is a very nice, adjustable pedal tray for flying and/or driving. It has multiple levels of angle, and is covered with a rubber surface to keep the pedal in place. It’s an included feature, but I’m partial to my flight or racing pedals sitting directly on the floor. I should spend some time with the tray and see if I like the positioning better in this new cockpit.
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Adding the rotating keyboard/mouse tray is as simple as adding the L-shaped mount to the side rail — it works from either side — then insert the rectangular bracket. The images below shows it rotating from the left side, which I think is probably how I’ll use it. It’s not an overly sophisticated solution and it works fine. The entire surface is covered with a “mouse pad type” surface. Very nice. My particular tray had the surface material slightly off-center (1/8″), but certainly does not impact the functionality or appearance to any great extent. The tray being mounted to one end does have some movement even when tightened down, but it does work fine for a mouse, keyboard, and even…
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….a secondary monitor for TeamSpeak, reference PDFs, and Notepad files.
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Introduction > The “Sim Cave” > Obutto > Packaging > General Assembly > Tabletop, Pedals and Keyboard/Mouse Trays > Flight Simulation > Sim Racing > Conclusion |
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