Put an LCD in your Poker Table

Step 18 Final thoughts...

Our first table build:
- This is not only our first time to put an LCD in a poker table, but also our first time to cover one. Like everything, practice makes perfect, so some of the difficulties we had with this will become easier the next time. These include things such as using a little spray glue around the opening to help in creating a neater fold and appearance, as well as the pure mechanics involved in pulling and stapling the materials.

Blindclock / Tournament software:
- The software we're using is called The Tournament Director and is fully customizable. In the pics we have included here, you can see a few different versions of the layout we were looking at. Each is only a screenshot of the software though, which is why you see the same times shown in different pictures. Just the ability to have four outward facing clocks seems justification enough for the $24.99 license fee. The software also includes a system for keeping statistics on players though, and several other great features. Check it out if you run a game at home, it's fun to be able to show how much better everyone else is at poker than you.

Peripherals:
- So, if you've gone as far as to put an LCD in the middle of your poker table, you can't forget about the mouse and keyboard. RF or Bluetooth is the only way to go, so that you have complete mobility. I mean, as you're recording the fact that you just knocked out your best friend, you don't want to have a mouse cord knock over the huge stack of chips you just took off of him. We went with the Logitech MX 3200 keyboard/mouse combo, but your choice will be totally dependent on your own preferences.

Finishing touches:
- For now, we simply needed to get the top ready to play on. Later, we'll finish up the underside of the table with a proper set of legs, rather than the antique sewing machine base we have it sitting on right now. Also, we plan on hiding the computer by mounting it to the underside of the table, and also to create a place for mounting the LCD controls. They can't just hang there forever. We'll add some separate Instructables on these stages as they're completed.

Other technological additions are planned for the table as well, but we want to save those so they'll be a surprise...

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Comments

[Alberta Leong]

great idea! i love it!

[Alberta Leong]

interesting idea!

[weasel999]

if u were to sell this u could make some great money

[jixor]

I have an interesting idea. Rather than using an lcd you could use a tablet pc. If you used thin pvc or maybe quite thin sheet of glass to protect the screen the stylus should still work through that. Alternatively there is that system for making a touch screen that works with pressure sensors, but I don't know anything about it. I think you should consider adding lighting and maybe even hack the peltiers out of usb beverage coolers and place them under the felt for keeping your scotch nice and chilled without using too much ice.

[je1330]

Ha, drink coolers instead of cup holders, that's nice. Technology has to progress to a point where we could chill something without producing condensation though, mosture and cards are never a good combo, LoL. For the touchscreen, we thought about that too, but with chips flying across the table, there would need to be a way to disable the 'touch' part except for when you intended to make a change, otherwise simply moving the pot to the middle could pause the clock. Could be a real pain... Thanks for the cooler idea though, maybe one set inside the bottom of a normal cupholder.... mmmm.... -- jason

[Tagarashi]

A capacitive touch screen I believe is what it is called and would do the trick. just like in the iPhones/iTouch. AWESOME PROJECT! Mount a shuffle tech while you are at it too ;-D

[BadWolfCubed]

To clarify what jixor said, with a tablet PC you use a digitizer pen. The computer only responds to the digitizer's input. This prevents accidental taps and swipes that would occur with a capacitive or resistive touchscreen. Tell me this, though, how is the viewing angle for the LCD? Can all players see it from their seats? I am considering building a hidden-screen arcade table and I've been considering using a CRT instead of LCD because of this issue. Your thoughts?

[BadWolfCubed]

Ah, you addressed this below. Disregard the question.

[JohnnyHands]

Hey, I love the table. Classy combination of rail and felt colours. Well done. My only question (so far, as I haven't started construction of my own yet) is where I might find instructions for building the wooden rail itself. I know yours came from the existing table, but if I were building from scratch, any ideas on how to find out what is involved in making the rail? Thanks

[gn0stik]

No cup, or chip holders? Just kidding. Awesome job guys. Fantastic Idea.

[sgtluna28]

This a great table!! Can't wait to see how far you can go with these tables for all the poker players in the world. Great job!!