New PC Build

[skier]

Wow! Everything's coming together!

@Peter Batah, I agree with MJ, if the monitor is behind the front of the speakers, I wouldn't expect a problem, and I've had to do that several times and have not had a problem. No matter how you cut it, there is one set of conflicts I've always seen with which we have to deal, and that is the monitor height above the console. If the console is too low, there can be insufficient leg room underneath. I'm 6' 2" and I'm sensitive to low tables of any kind. But the flip side is what you describe for a monitor that is too high. We never had that problem before DAWs. Of course, you can go two or three smaller monitors side by side - they're not so high and multiple monitors still let you see extended timelines. But then you've go a problem in that less screen height means you can only see fewer tracks - PICK YOUR POISON. And the meter bridge only serves to exacerbate an already difficult problem (we do hate to part with the sweet moving lines for each track, don't we?)

As for me, I find that my best course of action has been a height adjustable chair. I don't change the height as I go from one task to another, but it does allow me to find that critical, but perhaps narrow, vertical, sweet spot. I don't know whether or not my solution will solve your problem, it's definitely worth trying if you have a chair with sufficient height adjustibility to give it a try.

 

[skier]

@-mjk- Aha! I will try that. There must be a way for me to go out VGA from the 2Seemy card to HDMI on the monitor. I'll have to look into either a cable or adapter. Thank you for the suggestion

@Peter Batah Here's an inexpensive product that should work:

https://www.amazon.com/Monitor-Conn...adapter&qid=1612907717&sr=8-4&tag=googhydr-20

 

[Peter Batah]

@skier Thanks for chiming in J. Actually, the chair that I am using at the moment is set to its highest point and I am still having to look up at a painful angle. Well, at least there's no pain for the first 5 minutes or so. Here the Argosy Series 70 specs. Which, by the way, I do not believe to be very accurate. I say this because I took a height measurement prior to replying to your post and from floor to the very top I am looking at 41".

The only other thing that I could think of (as I have probably mentioned in a previous post) is a VESA mount something along these lines. But, my only concern is where I would fasten the base. I cannot use the very top of the desk. There is no opening there. It would have to be below that. Hard for you to picture without actually being here I guess. Approx 17-18" from where the monitors sits at the moment.

https://www.dell.com/en-ca/work/sho...onitors-monitor-accessories#techspecs_section

By the way, are you using the downloadable software that is available for the monitor?
Just for chuckles I downloaded and installed Pro Tools First. I cannot believe the limitations that Avid have built into this trial offering. Really sad. Not a real motivator that's for certain.

One last thing (for now anyway). Something just occurred to me. Going over the string of posts in this thread I saw the slew of pictures that I have posted of the PC build and my setup. And, thought to myself. My intentions were not to showboat by any means and hope that the other community members who have been reading but not participating perhaps do not get the wrong impression. Just had to get that off of my chest I guess.

 

[Peter Batah]

Oh, and of course the other option and perhaps the last thing that I wanted to resort to is to set the monitor / mouse / keyboard / PC on a small dedicated desk off to the left or right of my seated position

 

[skier]

Peter, I'm on my way out, but let me think about this and see if I can come up with any other ideas.

 

[Arjan P]

I ordered a wireless mouse from Amazon today. I have never really been a big fan of "wireless" but I really am tired of getting tangled up in wires.

That Logitech M570 trackball is actually great quality! I use one at home with my laptop (fits nicely on the couch armrest..) and love it.

BTW, I use these monitor arms (I use two screens):

Adjustable also in height and extremely flexible to use.

 

[Peter Batah]

@Arjan P Great to hear that you are happy with that mouse that I ordered. Now, I would like to be as lucky with a rechargeable wireless keyboard. No batteries please!

Can you send me a link to that monitor stand so that I might read the specs. TY

How is the height on the monitor stand adjustable. And, to what height. I don't know if you read about the dilemma I have with the Argosy desk. I could only clamp the VESA mount to the lower part of the desk at the rear. Which is approx 17-18" from the top. I am worried that if I fasten the mount at this point it would strike the top part of the desk if and when I want to bring the monitor toward me and down in front of the meter bridge. Hard to explain.

 

[Peter Batah]

I was wondering. Could I use a VGA to HDMI cable from the 2Seemy card to the second HDMI input on the monitor. That would surely eliminate the 7" monitor that I am using at the moment. Although, I do love that little guy.

 

[skier]

@Peter Batah I used to do exactly what you speculated about, namely, putting the monitor, keyboard, and mouse on a small desk or table to either side of the mixer. It did work well and I never had a problem with it. At the time (~ 15 – 20 years ago), I was using the PARIS DAW and I placed its 16 channel control surface on a roll-out shelf below the table - it rolled out on drawer slides about 3 inches below the table and I just lowered my chair a little.

The only reason I changed was because I found I worked better with the mixing control surface in front of me, and when I converted to PT and the DM, the DM became the control surface and I didn’t like facing the monitors while operating the control surface on my left and turning my head that way some of the time, or the opposite: facing the control surface on the left and turning my head to see the monitors on my right. So I put my monitors on a shelf above the DM and it has worked much better for me. That said, I do not like looking up at them for long periods of time as you have mentioned. If I remove the meter bridge, that would allow me to lower the shelf 5 or 6 inches to bring the monitors down, and that would definitely be more comfortable for my neck. As I joked in a recent post, I really like seeing my channel levels on the meter bridge, but I have also been thinking of removing it from the mixer and putting it somewhere else, perhaps above the monitors or off to a side. I definitely look at the monitors to see the tracks, adjust levels of the audio, or to adjust a plug-in much more than I look at the meter bridge, especially because the channel levels are also shown on the DAW.

To put the bridge somewhere else would require making or buying a longer cable. All the foregoing notwithstanding, I’m seriously considering just not using the meter bridge even though really like it – that might still happen – I like it more than I need it, but I definitely need the monitors lower to be more comfortable for my neck, and also if I ever want to get bigger monitors, and I do.

So, I haven’t given you any solution or suggestion here – I don’t have a solid answer. But I thought that sharing my experiences and thinking might give you something to think about in that you may decide to take one of the routes I’ve tried, am considering, or it may even give you a better idea. Then, I, as well as others, might want to implement your idea. One thing about the recording process, like other processes, we learn from each other and inspire each other.

I’m sorry I don’t have a great technical solution to offer you at this time, just some ides.

 

[skier]

@Arjan P That is a truly rugged monitor arm - I Like it. It looks as if it can hold something quite heavy. Please do share a link to it as Peter requested. Thx.

 

[Peter Batah]

@skier I have to agree with you in so far as facing the monitor when using the DM's remote layer. Basically, I agree with everything you have contributed to this and other posts / threads.

Why don't I just ditch the DM, invest in a quality audio interface, get rid of the Argosy desk and buy one of these to put it on. NOT!

https://output.com/products/platform

What peaked my interest in the stand that @Arjan P uses is the part where he says that it can be raised. I am curious as to what exactly he meant by that. The way I see it is that using a VESA mounting apparatus that would extend high enough to clear the top of the desk, that might allow me to bring the monitor forward where it would rest below the meter bridge. Do what I have to do on the monitor then swing it back into place atop the desk. Even as I am typing this sentence I realize how nuts this all sounds. I don't know. Need more time to think this over. In the meantime, it might be a steady diet of Tylenol Body & Muscle.

 

[-mjk-]

@-mjk- Aha! I will try that. There must be a way for me to go out VGA from the 2Seemy card to HDMI on the monitor. I'll have to look into either a cable or adapter. Thank you for the suggestion

The edge of my audio monitors are just in front of the edge of the video monitor. The aperture of the audio monitors is not wide enough to project sound waves directly against the surface of the video monitor. The main reflectivity off that monitor will be from indirect sources (back/side walls, desk, etc.), and I think the curved video monitors are an advantage in that regard as it's not a big flat piece of reflective material at the front of your control room.

I really like sitting up high on the stool. Helps my circulation. I used to sit behind an API console for years, literally. But, I was 30 some years younger.

 

[-mjk-]

One last thing (for now anyway). Something just occurred to me. Going over the string of posts in this thread I saw the slew of pictures that I have posted of the PC build and my setup. And, thought to myself. My intentions were not to showboat by any means and hope that the other community members who have been reading but not participating perhaps do not get the wrong impression. Just had to get that off of my chest I guess.

I checked myself into rehab after binge watching all that studio porn.

 

[-mjk-]

I installed a keyboard drawer under the main desk. It holds the mouse too - both are wireless. Some mixing desk designs have a space in front of the console for the computer keyboard, but I prefer to be right up against the console whenever possible. I have my transport controls on my console so I don't need to use the mouse or kb very often. The Stream Deck also takes care of most of the repetitive keystrokes so I can just press buttons. The video monitor is dead center over the console and it's low enough that I look down slightly. Even looking directly forward can cause issues when working over time.

 

[-mjk-]

@Peter Batah not to totally confuse the issue, but, you may be interested in one of these solutions:

computer keyboard arm at DuckDuckGo

 

[Peter Batah]

@-mjk- Now we're really going Hi-Tech

 

[Peter Batah]

I checked myself into rehab after binge watching all that studio porn.

Aha! So, that's where you've been!

 

[skier]

@skier I have to agree with you in so far as facing the monitor when using the DM's remote layer.... Why don't I just ditch the DM, invest in a quality audio interface, get rid of the Argosy desk and buy one of these to put it on. NOT!

https://output.com/products/platform

The "Platform" is very much akin to what I have in my studio. I do like it, but I will admit that I like your Argosy better. I started a thread for sharing studio info and pics amongst ourselves 3 or 4 years ago showing my setup, including my cable management solution and other posters posted pics of theres, including Arjan, cmaffia, Phil Tipping, etc. They each have some good ideas and nice production spaces. It's been helpful to me as well as lots of fun. See link below:

https://www.tascamforums.com/threads/sharing-studio-ideas.4711/?_params=Array

However, I feel the Argosy does a much better job of hiding the cables and looks, and at least to me, has a commercial studio look and I really like that look!

What peaked my interest in the stand that @Arjan P uses is the part where he says that it can be raised. I am curious as to what exactly he meant by that. The way I see it is that using a VESA mounting apparatus that would extend high enough to clear the top of the desk, that might allow me to bring the monitor forward where it would rest below the meter bridge. Do what I have to do on the monitor then swing it back into place atop the desk. Even as I am typing this sentence I realize how nuts this all sounds. I don't know. Need more time to think this over. In the meantime, it might be a steady diet of Tylenol Body & Muscle.

That may be the solution - it'll be hard to know till you try it. As for me, the removal of the meter bridge, either entirely or to move it somewhere else appears to be my only true option. I won't want to look as high up as I will need to do once I go with a larger monitor. Interestingly, if you look at cmaffia's pic of the studio he has, or at least had at that time, he has three side-by-side monitors on some type of arm(s), but a fourth monitor even higher in the middle. I wish he still frequented this forum so we can ask if his neck bothered him when looking at that monitor or if it was infrequent and short enough viewings that it wasn't a concern.

 

[Peter Batah]

@skier The way that the monitor sits in this beautiful Argosy Halo is just fine. Unfortunately, as can be seen in the pic below our beloved is missing.

 

[-mjk-]

I would recess the console flush with the desk in that case.