Building a tabletop TV Case for RPGs and Wargaming

Welcome! We've been using ceiling mounted projectors to get battle maps on the table for a few years now. However, we weren't always satisfied with the light intensity, so just about a month ago we built ourselves a TV case to bring Infinite Realms to the table in an even more impressive way.

Now on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

A few years ago we tried a cheap projector and then upgraded to a 1080p model in 2019. The new projector not only had a higher resolution, it was also much brighter and could even be used reasonably well in daylight.

However, with the development of Infinite Realms, our setup presented us with some unexpected problems. In order to present our software, we needed some meaningful pictures and videos.
Unfortunately, we were limited by the projector solution. Either the room had to be darkened to such an extent that the players and the surroundings could no longer be seen, resulting in gloomy images. Or the projection was so poor in color and contrast with too much ambient light that it just didn't look good.

We had, of course, often come across the solution of laying a TV flat on the table and using it for map projection in the past. YouTube is full of videos showing people whipping together their frame or gaming table with a TV built in. So we decided to take Jessi's old TV and build a case for it!

Jan and Jessi got some cheap boards for the first try. Most of the screws, corner brackets and felt strips were still in our toolbox and we only had to buy a few small parts. All in all, we had less than 20 € in material costs. If we had had to buy everything, it would have been maybe 30 € - in dollars it is in the same order of magnitude.

Nina first took the exact measurements of the TV and then cut and sanded the boards together with Jan. Then we screwed the frame together. At the ends with pre-drilled screws and on the inside additionally with metal angles for reinforcement.

Then we put the TV with the screen on the table and put the assembled frame over it.

In the next step, we thought about the best way to support the TV on the back. It should lie flush in the frame on the upper side so that we still have the option of mounting a sheet of plexiglass over it later for protection.

Since the TV is pretty bumpy on the back, the support mutated into the most complex part of the case within the next hour. We covered all areas that touch the TV with felt.

Finally, we screwed the support to the frame with corner brackets.

Then a test to see if the construction fits and holds!

On the sides we sawed out recesses for HDMI and power cables and mounted more supports over them.

And a few more tests with Warhammer 40k Minis!

In the last few weeks we have used the TV case a few times, so far without protection for the display. For this we thought of several options. The first thought was the already mentioned plexiglass sheet. In addition, we would still build a holder in which you can slide the panel.

As a quick and cheap solution, however, we first tried something simpler. We ordered a roll of thin, transparent table foil for just under 15 bucks and cut it to size so that it covers the display exactly.

It is easy and inexpensive to replace if it is scratched or has aged unsightly in any other way.

In order to provide the setup with battle maps - classic images, video maps and all new 3d maps with time of day and weather - we have developed a software ourselves, which we are currently funding on Kickstarter - until mid-February 2022. Feel free to check out our Kickstarter trailer here or a video in which I explain what dynamic Digital Enhanced Tabletop is all about here!

All in all, this little project was no problem even for us four not very crafty people! If we can do it, anyone can!

Have you already built a TV case or gaming table with a TV or are you planning to do so? What do you think of our quick and dirty solution? Leave a comment - and maybe a like for the video while you're at it!

You can find more information on Infinite Realms and us on our website infinite-realms.de, on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Reddit!
Have a good time and see you in the next video!