I turn down a lot of help for builds as some people won't go looking or seeking to learn some simple things first. I don't have all the answers. I've had people come to me in PM with lots of money just wanting to go out and buy high-end hardware thinking it all just comes together and will work perfectly. Even a guy willing to fly me to his property, stay and install everything.
Credit to you at least for going through this thread. Yes its a mess and has many topics and lots of me waffling from one thing to another. Its like a river with many streams and like a boat up the creek without a paddle.
Tactile needs self-experimentation with both hardware/software...
We have a lot of things and ways to enjoy this concept with new effect possibilities. Also how we determine that we use the telemetry data and threshold or sensitivity controls we give for the operation of an effect. This is one element that is rather awesome with Shakeit.
When I looked at how, the operation some effects are active. It is not always as you would expect. For example "Lateral G" can have activity from some kerbs, if the car when going over the kerb at a specific angle has a lateral motion. So we can tweak things like this with threshold control so that an effects telemetry data value has to reach a specific level before being active. Or we can determine how that effect comes in, gradually or abruptly.
Another example could be "deceleration" as it is not just enabled with braking, or letting off the throttle, understeer can cause deceleration, going on the grass, hitting other cars. So what I would say is not everything has been revealed yet on how we can use certain effects and this to suit different users preferences. The beauty is, with Shakeit you can have the same hardware installation and load a profile that works very differently to another regards the positioning or activity behavior of different effects.
So, its possible to have a profile that lets say may suit certain types of car but also the users mood and own individual preference. We can do much more with tactile in this regard than what can be done with motion.
Answers:
1.Keep focus on the seat as it is the largest body zone region and apply low bass at it first for best immersion. I have been quite impressed with a single large BK unit in how it even can be used for Lateral G sensation. Good chance energy from the large unit may even reach the pedals. Other Simlab owners may be able to say better.
I am testing my 2x central large BK units at the moment.
My own personal build is to push the boundaries.
So I experimented using two mono/central units as we can get better results. The real advantage is not additional power but by having specific Hz layers on 2 units and not both units doing the same thing.
Its an operational limitation a single unit has with certain combination of effects layers. One unit struggles to deliver all the detailing from the layers as some are dropping in Hz and others increasing in Hz. These layers may give a unique sensation for the desired effect we like or want but by splitting the effect layers over 2 units solves this technical limitation with a single unit.
We can also have some issues with constant effects like rpm/speed both combined in the operation on the same unit. So these can work better if split to different units.
Stereo Effects In Seat:
Now of course 2 units in L/R would be stereo directional but focus on getting the better bass sensation and what it delivers. Superb immersion is possible, even in mono over having small units in stereo.
Look perhaps as stereo as an upgrade option and it can be seen as being expensive to install (extra units and amp) but is not necessarily a major benefit. Some people find it hard to determine L/R bump positioning in their seat but this is not a problem with this concept as we can combine the exciters.
Best to get the quality of the immersion in the seat done to a high standard and then consider other regions.
How Many Units On Back Of Seat Is Ideal?
Having 4 units on back of seat lets you place effects to specific units. Although you can quickly fill these with effects. 6 Units bring an advantage but also a feature I want to delve into is potentially mixing game audio tactile in with telemetry audio.
With the hardware I recommend in the HA6000 it makes this very easy to do.
So you can have standard tactile game audio tactile from any game (shooter flight sim etc) or console or music and it active on as many units as you want. This concept will make that possible. Now there are good reasons to have potentially 2 units on the seat using audio-tactile and then say 4 using telemetry tactile via Shakeit as each can bring their benefits. Or you can use all 6 ,8 or whatever for specific effects operation.
Personally I want the option, I want to be able to experiment and test ideas, also to give others the options too. What you have to keep in mind is that you yourself need to discover such things you prefer.
How many effects do you want to enjoy?
What are your personal preferences?
You start enjoying what 4 units offer but then want more?
Mr Lattes Head Boggles / Experimental Concepts:
Do you like the idea of some effects shifting/traveling from shoulders-sides-spine-pedals or vice versa?
What if we had an old cars gearchange move from front to back with clunk/engagement? We can now use delay on specific effect layers. It opens the door for new ideas in immersion with the ability to now have different shift sensations for up/down as well.
Do not overlook the potential:
Suspension Bumps, oh these can be fun, do you like the idea of 1 unit each side of the seat for stereo effects, but hold on how does that compare to only small bumps working on 1 each side but large bumps active on 3 units each side. Then those also combined with a large BK unit as well for really low bass slam. This is very immersive indeed and are possibilities to take the immersion far beyond having 2 rear units at the bottom/side of a seat also going past the limitations of single units.
Do you see what I mean about the potential and the level of experimentation we can now do and this as a concept can bring over a typical 4 corner installation you were considering.
More Exciters?
Exciters are cheap, you can power them with Knobsound amps or similar, they will not necessarily need an amp as pricey as the FBQ304. Your tiny room excuse is not a factor really?
If you add the large BK then yes it may bring more requirement for increased isolation or antivibration control. This can only be answered when you test your rig how big a problem any vibes may be?
Soundcard
Shakeit unlike SImvibe is not limited to 4 channels per card. It uses ALL the channels a sound card offers. You can choose as many soundcards as well to be active as you want. A 7.1 card will let you connect 8 units.
