Looking for suggestions regarding using monitor as table for FG IRL

[HoratioDrank]

We built this guy and I use it as a DM. The write-up is a little dated because at the time I used MapTool to drive the video table, but now I use Fantasy Grounds.

[Trenloe]

Trenloe, with the tv that you are using, in practice, what is the length and width of the map measured by 1 inch squares that you are able to use?

Mentioned in post #4.

Essentially, whatever TV you use, you can fill the screen size with a map. So, just calculate the width x height for your TV and that's what you can use. Calculator here: https://tvcalculator.com/ If your map is larger (in inches) then you can move the map around (left-click & drag) to show the area you want to see.

I've also recently been playing with a 48" 4K TV, that gives 41.8" x 23.5 - allowing me to fit common 36x24 inch maps (like the digital versions of the Paizo flip maps) with a teeny bit of loss on the 24" edge.

[Nylanfs]

Soon as I get a room that I can setup a permanent gaming area this is what I'm planning.

[Trenloe]

Soon as I get a room that I can setup a permanent gaming area this is what I'm planning.

You mentioned that setup in post #2 of this thread over a year ago. Stop talking about it and do it! ;-)

[LordEntrails]

Yea! you can talk about when you're working on it!

Well, ok, maybe not. But do want to encourage you to do it! I mean really, how often do you really use your dining room? (Note, if you figure out how to convince your wife regarding THAT, let me know, I could use the advice!)

[Talen]

Sorry - should have checked the chain before I posted the question - but how are you like the new setup? If you would recommend it, what model are you using now? (particularly interested in how stable it is when lying flat and the viewing angle)

I've also recently been playing with a 48" 4K TV, that gives 41.8" x 23.5 - allowing me to fit common 36x24 inch maps (like the digital versions of the Paizo flip maps) with a teeny bit of loss on the 24" edge.

[Trenloe]

...but how are you like the new setup? If you would recommend it, what model are you using now?

This is what I'm using now: https://www.woot.com/offers/vizio-sm...48-uhd-4k-tv-3

I like it - I can just fit it under my arm, so can move it around OK - having a free arm to open doors etc. which is useful as I take it to stores and friends houses. At this size you really need 4K as you will see pixelation when sitting up close if it's just HD. The main "issue" is that I usually run on a Surface Pro 3 - which really begins to struggle when you attach a 4K TV to the HDMI port. Dice rolling is very jagged and just using FG on the big screen is very laboured. But, as all I'm really using it for is displaying the maps, it works for me. I'd probably have to look at a much more graphics orientated laptop if I was going to use FG in more anger in a portable setup. When I'm running at home I can use my desktop computer and it runs completely fine.

[WansumBeats]

Couple things... I recently watched this video on YouTube with a guy that uses 3 50 inch 4k TVs Infront of him to play games and make YouTube videos. Said guy was a 15 year Microsoft programmer.... Anyways he made a comment about going 4k.... Something along the lines of if your screen is going to be 40+ inches you want to make sure you can 4k other wise it will look pixelated at 2k.

4k fantasy grounds is awesome FYI.

Your crunching numbers to figure out battle map sizes and you really don't need to worry about it. With a 40 inch TV you'll have all the room you need.

Getting the grid sized to 1 inch will quickly fall to wayside...I end up just eyeballing the maps. As long as you have your map gridded and your squares close to an inch... No one really cares.

I plan everything inside of fantasy grounds. Battle maps, encounters, story, items, even copies of character sheets. Every week I pack my TV and laptop up and head to the store. I use real Bennie's and decks of cards and that's it.... Any dice rolling I do in fantasy grounds and turn on show DM rolls so my players can see in the battle map what I rolled.

The chat window isn't used so I drop the combat tracker over it, or stretch the map out over top of it.

You can get a really cheap, great 4k TV from Walmart called a Sceptre I think I paid less than 200 bucks for it two years ago.

[Trenloe]

4k fantasy grounds is awesome FYI.

It is indeed.

Your crunching numbers to figure out battle map sizes and you really don't need to worry about it. With a 40 inch TV you'll have all the room you need.

Here I disagree. But, everyone's MMV. For me, I run a lot of Pathfinder games, and their common map size is 36"x24" - any of these maps here, for example: https://paizo.com/pathfinder/accessories/maps/flipmats are at least that dimension. With a 40 inch TV (35" x 19.5") I'd be losing close to 5 inches off the 24 inch side - which makes a difference for some of those maps. And making the map a little smaller isn't really an options for me, as this makes the grid squares smaller and means that a close in melee with a few minis involved doesn't fit properly. So, for me, I found I needed (or maybe just wanted!) a 48" screen, so that I had just about the width I needed to display all of the map real-estate I wanted to display.

Getting the grid sized to 1 inch will quickly fall to wayside...I end up just eyeballing the maps. As long as you have your map gridded and your squares close to an inch... No one really cares.

That's what this extension is for: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...-To-Face-games Get's you a perfect 1-inch to grid square with two mouse clicks every time.

So, whereas the exact size of your screen/grid isn't that important to some people, it is important to others. Each to their own. I'm one of those where it is important - I want to be able to fully fit the maps I regularly use on my TV and I want the grid squares to be exactly 1 inch (not just close to 1 inch). That's why we're discussing TV size and what works for us. I'm happy with my 48" 4K TV. I'm happy you're happy with your 40 inch TV!

[Nylanfs]

You mentioned that setup in post #2 of this thread over a year ago. Stop talking about it and do it! ;-)

Gotta buy a new house first, we don't have a seperate dinning room currently.