Building a TV Case for your D&D Gaming Table for Digital Maps

[@LordTiberius52]

We just use a projector pointing down from overhead. We use a magnetic whiteboard as the "projection screen" we can set our miniatures on it, with magnets in the bases so they don't jostle easily. We can draw on the whiteboard with dry erase markers.

[@Soulessdeeds]

lol I just commented that sort of idea. Great minds!

[@HaddaClu]

That's a great idea!

[@Wolfsheim23]

Great Idea but I hope it's an LED Projector because bulbs are way too expensive on projectors so you want ones that have an extra long bulb life. LED Projectors are small and easy to position or hang. Otherwise that's awesome idea. I think I've seen similar setups.

[@LordTiberius52]

@@Wolfsheim23 we have had both, bulb and LED. As we have had to migrate Gaming locations. But mostly we have used the bulb one, as it has a better image. And most of our gaming locations have allwed for long time installation. Using it once a week--we have not had to change the bulb yet, in over 7 years.

[@artoriaswalker2472]

Especially useful for low budgets. Nice comment.

[@joerobinson88]

Great job guys, the table looks awesome! As a keen woodworker I couldn’t help but notice how high your table saw blade is. Great to see your riving knife fitted but the saw blade only needs to be as high as the material is thick, plus the height of one tooth on the blade. This way if things go horribly wrong for any reason you will cut a limb instead of amputating it! I hope you can forgive me for feeding that back, thanks again for the great video! 👍

[@EHeathRobinson]

That is excellent safety advice. Thank you.

[@jthompson7024]

This is like top level D&D. My maps are just 1" grid paper and my players already think that's nice

[@theberch]

I actually use a tv for my dnd table as well, not to this extreme though, and my tv was like 300$, but still a 50inch and it gets the job done. I think my overall build cost was 500ish.

[@fantasycreek1]

Yeah man. That is good though that they are happy to keep it simple. Some players expect so much

[@theberch]

@@fantasycreek1 agreed, I actually started to DM when I was 15. I'm 34 now. I've learned you cant please everyone. But I must be doing something right. My longest campaign is going on 6 years now, and though many have perished along the way, the same group keeps coming back.

[@fantasycreek1]

TheBerch that’s great. I’d love to have a game going that long. We have just about managed to make a weekly group for a few months now and still going strong. But I could be playing a lot more. So I’ve started playing fighting fantasy novels on my channel now to fill the time

[@some1namedno1]

Imagination is always best, makes each players experience unique.

[@GentleGiantDK]

I built an entire gaming table with the TV inserted into it, but had to make some of the same decisions you guys made. My solution for keeping the TV level and help provide even more airflow underneath it was to simply use a cheap TV wall-mount and mount it on the back of the TV in the appropriate VESA holes. That way the wall mount rested on the slats underneath the TV and I still had free access to the HDMI slots (and other plugs, since I actually use it as my regular TV when not gaming). Obviously this does make the whole build "thicker", but I'm also only using a 40" LED TV and it's not nearly as thick as the TV you're using. I also had the plexiglass I use cut exactly to size to fit into the bezel of the TV, again saving some space. I've documented my build with some pictures in case you (or anyone else) is interested. The foremost change I would make if I had to build my table again would be to lower the TV even more, so I could put leaves in the hole to cover up the TV completely (I'm still contemplating doing that, since it would be a relatively easy thing to do - just have to re-varnish the parts where I take out the molding surrounding the TV). Here are the pics of the build: www.deviantart.com/gentlegiantdk/gallery/51227027/Gaming-Table Also, with all the terrain Lou has been 3D printing you'll soon not be needing the TV any longer. ;-)

[@EHeathRobinson]

Ah, yes! I see. Very nicely done. Someone else had commented about using the VESA holes for leveling, and so I see what you are talking about now with those. Thank you for those pictures. Cutting the plexiglass so it fits down inside the bezel of the TV is also a good idea.

[@SherrifOfNottingham]

@@EHeathRobinson Honestly for safety and longevity I would always suggest using the structural points of a television, either the wall mounts or the stand mounts. The television is already going to have a shortened life due to gravity acting on the screen layers itself, it's better to keep other stresses off the television. I would also always suggest keeping the top frame from pressing on the TV at all, which is mostly idiot proofing. People are bound to lean on the table when reaching across for their miniatures, and if the plexi or frame is transferring that pressure onto the LCD itself you'll surely damage it.

[@PointManify]

At 4:26, we see the right hand has a band-aid on it and the left index finger is bandaged; a woodworker after my own heart!

[@Dabeef64]

Just wow. What an incredible job! The evolution of this game by players such as yourselves just amazes me. My first D&D experience was when I was 16 in 1980 & even though I have not played in several years, I still enjoy the new generations playing what I have always considered the ultimate game. Congratulations on an awesome upgrade.

[@joshburgess79]

I love how the pictures progress he seems to have more and more bandages on his hands. lol I feel your pain.

[@HouseofKhaine]

I tried this with a 50" TV and it developed a crack in it, even tho we were extremely careful. Most TVs are not designed to be on their backs. The weight of the screen alone is enough to cause damage. I was considering using a large monitor instead-something that is made to be moved around.

[@davedogge2280]

damn, what model tv was it that developed a crack ?

[@Sigma_Eight]

I'd wager that was more a flaw in that specific TV than any real threat from the way it's lying down. I've seen a lot of tabletop setups done with televisions this way for everything from gaming to office work, and I've never heard of any of them just spontaneously cracking from the "weight of the screen".

[@TeeteringPeaks]

This is actually true, not sure how these tables manage to not crack.

[@ironglandx3270]

This is an amazing idea! I got an old tv that i was going to get rid of, but this would be an great idea to recycle it instead as an overall game table!

[@FalconChief1222]

Thanx! Now I know how to incorporate a screen into the custom game table I'm building! I'll customize the case so it can hang on the wall when not in use as a game surface! This is so simple and yet it never occurred to me until I watched you video! Great job guys. :)

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it and hope you have a great time with your build!

[@mindofthecosmos9674]

Dude seriously you guys can make your own D&D video game company with that type of Technology, fun for family and friends.

[@G_DM]

I followed your instruction and build my TV case for D&D session! It's awsome!! Thanks!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Fantastic! I am so glad the video was helpful!

[@zaxx81]

Great project! I believe an even easier way to ensure the TV is level would be designing your slats to utilize the TVs existing mounting holes as they are already designed to be level on all TVs and are usual where the engineers put the heaviest components.

[@Wolfsheim23]

Wow that in conjunction with Tabletop Simulator and you'd almost never need to buy another board game again. This really makes me miss my old gaming days. Wish I could find another group in Dallas like my old one in the 90s.

[@EHeathRobinson]

That is a good point. I had not thought about putting a tabletop simulator on it. We do typically have our laptops around it, so we could use them to move our individual pieces. We might have to try that.

[@ManiActual]

I adore this! I've never played D&D (or any tabletop game really) outside of the PC releases because I can't find anyone where I live to play with, but this table makes me want to try looking again.

[@jwktrucker]

Just a thought, Using the drawer pulls as feet may have been a much better idea then you first thought. Make another box the same dimensions as your TV frame. with a solid bottom make blocks that have notches that match the drawer pulls and mount them in the bottom of the box so that the two frames are lined up when the Drawer Pulls are fully seated in the notches . Now mount the box on the wall near a power outlet. you can then take the TV from your table and hang it on the wall. fill the Wall Box with small shelves for miniatures and other RPG aids being sure to keep the space above the notched blocks clear so the Drawer Pulls have room to slide into the Notched Blocks. You will also need cut channels in the Wall Box for the cables from the TV can get to the power Outlet and Input sources. Some strategic placement of Velcro on the back of the TV frame and the cables will insure they are held in the right place to go in the channels in the Wall Box.

[@EHeathRobinson]

That would be another huge project! But then you could mount it to the wall and use it as a living room TV when not in use for gaming. Lou has a whole home theatre setup though, so he was able to dedicate this TV just to this purpose. I can certainly understand wanting to make it dual-purpose though.

[@neilstoddart00001]

love the evolution of the injuries thru the photo record! thought poor Lou had lost his fingers about halfway through the project!!

[@edwardsierpowski6996]

Hi! I stumbled upon this build video as I rpg and boardgame! Surprised to realise that I funded your Elder Dice! Thanks! I'm also about 3 years behind you in getting ideas to products. Lots of ideas some basic prototypes but struggling. Your hint and tips are an inspiration. I'm a little older than you and life has a habit of interfering. But I to will be quitting in 4 months. I'm in the process of making (not a tiny house which I love watching) a workshop/studio so that I can unclutter and unpack all the things that are mothballed for my creative output. Just hope my old brain can grasp the modern concepts I need to push my ideas out to market. Thanks and good luck!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Oh great! It is a pleasure to have you here. I hope the Elder Dice allow you to escape the clutches of evil, or to summon something dreadful, whichever you would prefer! Congratulations on the progress toward leaving the job behind and moving forward with your own projects. It is a tough road, but I think a very rewarding one. That is why I want to put my "lessons learned" out on this channel. I hope they help you and many others who follow.

[@benjaminrhoades3284]

I've seen Lou mention on Twitter a couple of times the Dynamic Dungeon maps, so imagine my surprise that when I Google how to put a TV into a board gaming table, I get a video showing none other than the creation Lou's own personal implementation. Great video, clear instructions, exactly what I was looking for. Now I just need to figure out how to acquire all the tools I'll need...

[@EHeathRobinson]

That is fantastic! Thank you so much for watching. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@nobodynowhere163]

I' not a D&D fan, but that is still cool. I could think of 1,000 additional uses! Typical board games, for example. Info and decoration durring card games... God, the uses are endless!

[@groom84]

Kitchen table? More fun/interesting while eating? :)

[@aldoorn]

that ship looked awesome. really good idea

[@TheMargeify]

We followed this tutorial and built our own, this was so helpful! Now I'm working on embellishing it with some woodburning and goldleaf!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Oh, that is fantastic! I am glad it helped. The wood burning and gold leaf sounds like it will look great!

[@Descenter1976]

This is awsome, I just needed this to be a 65 inch so it would perfectly fit into the table I think.

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you! Actually, it is deliberately smaller than the recessed area of the table because during a game it stays down toward one side so we can use the rest of the space for other miniature steps. When we were playing Storm King's Thunder we used the TV for a strategy map of a battle and then had the tactical map set up beside it. :-)

[@-Infernex]

@@EHeathRobinson not to mention, that tv needs ventilation

[@SherrifOfNottingham]

@@-Infernex If I were building this I would definitely recess the TV pretty much flush with the table's surface leaving the back of the TV relatively open to the area below the table. But I'd probably also get a flat panel display rather than a TV so it's not trying to process non-existent audio (and if audio is really desired build separate speakers for the media PC to control separately). This also adds the benefit of auto shutoff whenever there isn't anything to display removing the need for a remote.

[@Dragoth88]

Once I was thinking about this, but one major part was to pick correct tv. I found all led to be out of the question as they are quite big, mostly curved behind and need extra preparation for cooling and fitting. They also have limited view angle. OLED here is a best bet. Whole screen is flat and thin, except small area for electronics. That's also the only part requiring space for cooling. Fitting, because of shape is easier. Also there is no "view angle" because you can see stuff at any angle.

[@ofwoden]

I love that Lou is hamming it up in the photos!

[@charly991]

The TV model they used is Samsung UHD TV 55" 7 Series NU7100 (0:42)

[@seekerandroses]

How much is that tv?

[@sespark]

Why did you not think about using the VESA Mounting holes? It would seem like it would remove the problem with leveling.

[@ddeboy002]

just put it upside down and use blocks and shims. When you get the right amount screw and glue it. done.

[@edwardloyer2345]

Wow the game has sure come along way since I last played..might be time to get back into it

[@jmalmsten]

This video makes me want to combine this concept with one of those IR touch frames I've been seeing lately... Couple that with a Raspberry Pi or something and you have a GINORMOUS luggable tablet... That just needs a wall-jack for powering the TV.

[@pqmzka]

Try pulling the plastic casing off the tv. Oftentimes that will give you a much better idea of the setup underneath and more room to work. With the thin metal shell that is underneath you can work much closer to the actual screen and components without actually touching them. Might have to make a hole for one piece or another though. For anyone else looking to do this project: Searching "Magic Mirror" will give you a lot of results that are similar. Just use plexiglass instead of one-way glass

[@sigrid714]

Reminds me of those old CRT Arcade tables that used to be ubiquitous in 1980s restaurants and pizza parlours where you could play games like Pacman and Galaga.

[@nghtrider62]

I came up with this idea about 22 years ago, Had to wait on Technology to catch up. Except my idea was to have the People's characters already made up and in the computer program so you can actually see the monster interaction with the characters. Each person would have a screen with their character on it and different actions they can do. DM/GM can see all the characters on his screen + the monsters and varies other tables for his needs. I have DM/GM 20 years been a player for 30+ yrs.

[@nraketh]

there's a software on steam called Fantasy Grounds that does exactly that, if every player has a laptop.

[@tehKaito23]

this system would be awesome for any dungeon crawler board game (thought when seeing zombicide). Gloomhaven would loose like half of its material weight :D

[@Magdahlana]

I have been looking into building my own table for a group that I DM (I already have table, now to convert it into a D&D table) and my fiance and I were contemplating this as well. Pretty much convinced me!

[@troberge00]

Here is a tip for easy leveling and height control, as well as a more secure hold on the display. Most large format displays come in with hardpoints for mounting. Usually, they will have the screw size, quantity, and pattern listed in the official spec sheet. For example, that display uses 4x M8 machine screws in a 400mm x 400mm pattern. These are available in most hardware and Auto Part stores, as metric fittings have become, while not dominant in the USA, at least common. If machine screws are not immediately available, bolts should be. Place underside slats strategically at the mounting pattern points with countersunk holes for the machine screws. This allows the machine screws, or bolts, to be reachable from the outside of the case. The the thicker the slats, the deeper you can safely counterbore the holes, which allows additional room for adjustments later. that said, you probably won't need more than 1/4" more depth that the head of the fastener, so 3/4" boards should be fine for most new displays 55" viewable and under. for larger or heavier displays, 1" or thicker slats are probably a better idea. If the display manufacturer includes a spacer, include it in the design. Those spacers exist to provide better support, so that you do not risk cracking the case of the display. Include a nut (or wingnut) and a washer between the slat and the spacer on each fastener. This should you to lock the display in position, and adjust it as needed for a perfect fit. for a truly secure fit, use a nut/washer combo (or wingnut/washer) on each side of the slat. However, that would require a deeper slat and a wider counterbore to allow access. Alternately, if you can get the correct sized threaded rod, this can become much more precise and fit into a tighter space with a thinner slat. Sadly, metric threaded rod is harder to come by.

[@raywhichway1790]

I just want to find a place to play DnD.. much less this setup.

[@RagingWyvern]

There's an app for that

[@krissebesta]

@@RagingWyvern Does this app have a name? Thanks!

[@RagingWyvern]

Website is www.rpgtablefinder.com I forgot the app sry what state you in. Although local stores and pathfinder and dnd main website has post to find games

[@Soulessdeeds]

Uhm I know there are Facebook groups. And I guess an App. I used to just go to the local Hobby shops and check their peg boards for postings from local groups. You can find other players. Also try DnD Beyonds website and try posting in their forums for a local group or maybe even one of the online games that uses programs like Roll20 or Fantasy grounds. Give it a shot.

[@RagingWyvern]

Local book stores will have games too

[@KevShaw808]

This would be my dream setup for gaming. Looks amazing. I'll watch more of your videos for sure.

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you. I look forward to seeing you around the channel more!

[@zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba0]

I guess the projectors could work. But depending on where you live. You can get an LED projector for 50-80 bucks and a decent 40" tv without any bells and whistles is only about 150. The 100 bucks seems to save alot time compared to a projector as I noodle it.

[@YoureWrongImRightGetOverIt]

Absolutely fantastic! I've seen gaming tables with TVs in them for D&D for a long time but I have never seen anyone have animated maps with sounds, really top notch stuff here, well done!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@Tgauchsin]

Look into arkenforge. What we use. It’s easy.

[@viggthepale]

Whenever I decide to upgrade my living room tv I will probably do this with the old one. It's not 50", but it'll do the trick.

[@paulwolffart1251]

Amazing work! I did find it amusing as the project progressed so did the amount of band-aids on your hands. I think building a table dedicated to gaming is a great future project for myself after seeing this. Thanks!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Yes, this project did beat me up a little bit. LoL.

[@RB376-h7x]

Waiting for Black Friday tv deals to pick up a cheap screen. Nicely done.

[@alfonsohernandezcarmona8589]

This is just so amazing... The role made art

[@troberge00]

One important detail to note. If your display suffers an internal failure, don't be too surprised if the manufacturer of your display voids your warranty if they find out that you have been using it flat on it's back. Technically, they design the cooling around vertical mounting on a wall in traditional Landscape layout, with Portrait layout in some models. Given that the warranties on most consumer displays are only 12-18 months, this should generally not be an issue nowadays.

[@12345gerrard]

Wow your table is seriously cool!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@gabiballetje]

Hot damn that is good. Of course it might be A LOT of work to find those animated maps, but normal maps should be very easy, lots of PDFs for sale for not too much at all.

[@vibrationNC]

NIce idea.. But I think two projectors mounted on the ceiling would provide better color.. as the TV and viewing angle is limited..? ANnyway.. awesome idea!!

[@mykediemart]

great build and great video. I enjoyed the narration and explanation of how you designed it and put it together. I am going to be trying something like this as I was given 2 older flat screen tvs.

[@johnjoseph2010]

The experience you just gave me in jealousy has maxed leveled my KZbin viewer character in the first :10 of this videos campaign

[@ZebraCatfish73]

THAT was awesome! Well done! Really good effort. It just looks so good. I would be so proud of it if it was mine. Gaming on that just takes gaming to a whole new level. Well done fellas. I take my hat off to you! Great job!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@rstrid5505]

I don't know how I would have cut a dado without a router table.... Table saw being used as a workbench in the jigsaw shot, lol!

[@Pyromanemac]

I always wait until I'm at the home Depot to do my napkin math to decide how much wood I'll actually need.

[@knownuser09]

more & more injuries as the screen shots progress, till he ended up in hospital. But the cabinet for the Tv was done. :P

[@gravitasonline6760]

Bet he has a sick surround sound to pay ambient music on when they play

[@fantasycreek1]

Makes the gameplay so nice. We have music coming from the laptop when we play, then sound effects such as water dripping in a cave when in some caves, and it makes it feel so cool

[@justinsjourney3224]

Nice job. Looks like an amazing setup. ❤️

[@kylerose7839]

I wanna see some gameplay this looks badass great job guys

[@Appingtown]

This is one of best ideas ever, so awesome, so amazing. Congrats fellows, it is simply gorgeous!!!!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@jasonsebring3983]

Fantastic work! I'm holding out for Tilt 5 for a similar effect but with full 3d holograms.

[@Thermalburn]

This looks like a fun project. I dont play DnD that much, but I do play a lot of other boardgames. I'm trying to think if this will be worthwhile for anything I play...

[@ghostinquisitor7743]

Genius! I hope you keep the basic measurements, perhaps mass production?

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it. I don't see mass production in our future, but I think there are a few craftsmen around the internet who will make them for people who order.

[@timmyread8443]

Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for the video, it really helped me make one. Can't wait for the time when we can get the group together in person to try it out! Stay safe!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you! I am very glad it was helpful to you.

[@oiseaufennec1356]

very good job

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@AdvancedBattlemaps]

Nice work! I really like this amazing gaming table!!!!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@FreddyPlaysGames]

nice work mate, love the finished product. would love a set up like this one :)

[@thebasicCreator]

I have not built mine yet but I'm going to build the whole table with it built right in. I do like that system you have though, you could potentially even still bring it to a friends place to play if its not too too heavy. Looks great

[@EHeathRobinson]

I am thinking about building a gaming table from scratch, and after having done this build I think that it would be a shame to not build in a TV while the work is being done. But, it looks like I will be modifying existing tables for my gaming tables. Putting a TV in an existing table is harder. Good luck with you build!

[@thebasicCreator]

@@EHeathRobinsonhanks, once I have more funds and time, I have the shop and tools. I'll probably film it and put it on my channel so others can duplicate it too if they like.

[@sheilaklein3822]

Okay, the first thing I said when I saw the opening part was "HOLY F---"! I have something called aphantasia, which means that I can't visualize anything. This would help me IMMENSELY to better immerse into the world!

[@EHeathRobinson]

It is so much fun to play on!

[@deadright3118]

You need to upload a few clips of it in action! Looks 👌

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you! Hopefully, we will get to do that.

[@Pharsight]

This gives me some confidence because we were wanting to do the same thing, but the Dynamic Dungeons animated maps are optimized for 40" TVs and I was wondering if they'd look good on a larger screen!

[@BarefootLibrarian]

I use Master's Toolkit from Arkenforge. When you display your players map, it allows you to enter the dimensions of the screen and scales the grid accordingly.

[@lilstarfishdude]

This is AWESOME on so many levels!! =D

[@brianblather]

All those tools and no clamps in sight.

[@EHeathRobinson]

I have a rather large number of clamps in my workshop. I'm a large advocate of clamps, actually.

[@brianblather]

@@EHeathRobinson Then why no clamp when using the jigsaw?

[@EHeathRobinson]

@@brianblather I should totally have clamped that down when using the jigsaw. I did not because I am not working in my workshop. We built this over at Lou's house and we even bought that jigsaw that morning because he did not have one and we ended up needing it to cut out those slots. So yes! I highly recommend working from your own workshop on a project like this. Trying to load up and take the needed materials to a friend's house may very well result in sub-optimum build conditions! LoL :-) But we did get it done. :-)

[@Dixar]

Ye, not a single straight cut was made...

[@EHeathRobinson]

​@@Dixar Straight cuts were made with the miter saw and also on the table saw when we needed to rip the boards down to size. To me, setting up the fence on the table saw and running the boards through it is an easy way to do that kind of work.

[@TheSelfHelpTube]

Not much of table top gamer. But holy mackerel this is really cool.

[@Tysto]

You should have just kept adding more bandages, one new one in each photo. LOL.

[@EHeathRobinson]

I tried the best I could. :-)

[@johnobrien7626]

Awesome 👌

[@jaybz_insomniart]

Awesome job!! Should have ads for Bandaids 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@JesterWhoHelps]

Not surprising that a group of DnD nerds would need a tutorial on how to build a wooden box lol Still pretty cool.

[@Calendyr]

Without active ventilation, the TV will die very quickly. A friend of mine just built a TV table and despite my warning to make sure he install fans to push the air through the TV, he did not. So 3 gaming sessions in, the bottom half of the TV went dark and is no longer working. TVs are not designed to be operated flat on a table. The air flow is done by hot air rising out of the top of the tv. With your setup, the hot air is trapped inside the TV and the vent at the top and bottom are blocked by the wood planks. This is very bad for the TV. I would suggest you find a way to push air from side to side and make vent ports in your wood planks to insure that some air can push through and cool the TV down. Otherwise, very nice design, it looks great!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you! I'm so glad you like it. Maybe we've just gotten lucky, because this one has been in regular use for years and is still going strong.

[@rickabay]

AHHHHHHHHH I had that idea... but using 3d monitors.... hats down

[@SirFancyPantsMcee]

You could also use a projector and a sheet

[@samuelforcejr1121]

Beautiful!!!

[@codyoclair9041]

Hey you’re a local! Great work y’all!

[@beelson5169]

i used unreal engine to make an interactive map for my table tv, played it this weekend and worked really well

[@EHeathRobinson]

Cool! Unreal Engine is on my list of programs I would like to learn.

[@anthonyjbrostayshigh9422]

Next level DnD

[@vaskoobscura_]

Cool build

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@TheLoyalOfficer]

Sickest EVER! Awesome!

[@sirbenzington5636]

I don't understand why this type of thing isn't mainstream

[@fantasycreek1]

Love this. So epic. Wish my partner would let me do this to our tv. Hopefully I will save up enough money to get a tv to do it soon. If I do I will share a video of how it turns out

[@JakeRLabrador]

I was able to find a smart tv that lost its smart function for almost nothing. I don’t need it to play Netflix! Just to be a monitor.

[@Soulessdeeds]

I like what you guys did here. BUT I feel its a bit over kill and here is why I feel that way. Projectors! I have a decent amount of experience dealing with Projectors and honestly a you could have just mounted one to the ceiling above the table and even add mood lighting as well. And then you could have just made a platform to put the mini's on. So all you have to do on game night is fire up the projector. Lay in the platform that either has been painted an off white color. Or using a projection ready screen as a surface to project on. I did 3 tours to Iraq and I always brought my Laptop cables and a $400 projector inside a pelican case. Every time I got my living area situated I would break out my theater and gaming setup and I easily had the best setup of anyone. Projectors have improved a great deal in quality since the days I used one back then. I feel the same effect could have been achieved for possibly allot less effort and maybe even cheaper. The only issue really would be mounting the projector to shoot straight down to the table. But also building the surface board the projected image would be seen. The only draw back to this is shadows casted from the mini's. But with good mood lighting this might be offset or even attributed to sunlight or moonlight respectively. Anyway just an idea incase you guys want to give it a shot.

[@EHeathRobinson]

Maybe so. Projector vs. TV appears to be ever a debate. Years ago I thought about putting together a projector setup and I might still. But Lou wanted to do a TV case, so, here it is! :-)

[@LordTiberius52]

Saw your reply to me. We have used a couple of projectors. The one we use most is about the size of 2 kleenex boxes together. And since we play in an unfinished basement, we have plenty of exposed 2x4s to mount it to. But in a pinch we have used a mini projector, not much bigger than a cell phone. Do you know of any good VR gaming tables? Altspace VR Used to have one, but I don't think they do any more. And Altspace would overheat my Gear VR so fast you could not do much more than start setting up

[@DarthPoyner]

Better to mount under the table. There are videos on how to set that up. Requires more work and hardware, but eliminates the shadows and light blocking that comes from overhead. And some folks are doing some really crazy things with old motion detectors and having that track miniatures even.

[@Geeksmithing]

Overkill is Underrated.

[@reecy9607]

2 things to point out here that a lot of people seem to miss. If you go with a projector you are dealing with a wiring Hell which is dependant on how clean you want your setup. the other issue is UPKEEP, replacing a bulb in a projector that has less hrs of use than an actual tv usually costs roughly as much as replacing the entire Projector or buying a new tv. Overall cost TVs are way cheaper in the long run. But that is my opinion.

[@adrianschulz9063]

Can anyone tell me from where the footage of that ship at 00:09 is from?

[@EHeathRobinson]

It is from Dynamic Dungeons.www.patreon.com/dynamicdungeons/posts

[@MurderHoboShow]

Very cool.... It turned out really well!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you!

[@kdwrghtsr]

D&D on its way to virtual gaming at its Best! ;with the PC you Can Create Virtual creatures and attacks types and with mini Characters You Can make it Jump off the Screen ;Holograms Is all we are missing

[@BleepingRelics]

DnD is all about imagination. Why make it look too much like a videogame ? That is missing the point of tabletop RPG.

[@NeoGee]

"Building a TV Case Gaming Table for your D&D Digital Maps ."

[@BarefootLibrarian]

Great work! I'm getting ready to build my case next weekend! The only thing I'll change is leaving one short side open (just the top half inch) so I can slide out the plexiglass and remove the television when needed.

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you, and good luck on your build!

[@libertylion6088]

I'd like to know more about the issues with image distortion and the floating effect when viewing from an angle. Are there certain types of TVs and qualities that you look for that will minimize this? Does having a TV with the widest viewing angle as possible help?

[@EHeathRobinson]

We have not had any issues with image distortion or a "floating effect". A couple of other people had brought up "miniature floating" in the comments, but if it were not for that I would not have even thought about it at the table. It just has not been an issue for us. I don't think Lou bought any kind of special TV to address that. He just got one the one he wanted when he saw it at a good price. Other people may have more information.

[@libertylion6088]

@@frankharing712 Thank you very much for the words of wisdom.

[@chrism7067]

@@libertylion6088 i dont think the "tv" has much to do with this float. What happens is you install plexiglass or whatever, and if it is too far from the tv screen, players who are looking at it at an angle/far away may not see the character in the correct square/off centered because they are viewing the screen on the TV under and slightly past the miniature.

[@forouza1]

Couple thoughts, OLED has by far the best viewing angles and contrast ratio, however, due to price and concern for image retention OLED would not be a good choice. What you want is a TV with a IPS panel and not a VA panel for optimal viewing angles. Go on rtings.com and it will list the panel type. Additionally getting a TV with the smallest bevel is preferred but more importantly you want that bezel to be flush as possible with the TV glass. Also going for the thinnest possible clear acrylic/plexiglass is preferred (1/16 or 1/8”?).

[@libertylion6088]

@@forouza1 Why is the bevel an issue? I thought that having a bevel would actually allow the plexiglass to have a border to keep it from moving around if cut precisely.

[@lfcbpro]

That looks fantastic, need to try to add a speaker set up in the table too, probably not too difficult to do :) great vid, well done

[@EHeathRobinson]

Thank you! When I do my setup at my house I want to have a major speaker system in the gaming hall, but actually, the built in speakers on the TV work great for its purpose. We opened today's game with the Zobeck theme song going in the opening of today's game: twitter.com/EHeathRobinson/status/1086666813247815681

[@lfcbpro]

@@EHeathRobinson Any plans to do a critical role type show for KZbin? :P

[@EHeathRobinson]

@@lfcbpro I would love to and, actually, so would Lou. We have talked about it. The problems are all from the technical side of things, and I have been actually looking for some videographers would come in and help us out, but so far "no dice". :-)

[@thedrangler599]

I see that Alabama shirt! Roll tide, man!!!

[@EHeathRobinson]

Roll Tide!

[@brimon5431]

trop géniale cette idée pour les jeux de rôles.

[@groom84]

Nice! Love it

[@timbo4973]

Damn. It's time that the US starts to use the metric system. All these measurements are a pain in the butt.

[@anthonyfeatherstone7696]

That's way cool!

[@ameritoast5174]

NERDS!!!!!!! In all seriousness, great job on the project. Never been a DnD fan myself but I do respect the passion your community has for the game. Always interesting to see what your community comes up with the enhance your games especially in this day and age.