
Show HN: My Sort-of-DIY, Dual 30", Sit-Stand Treadmill Desk Setup - peterarmstrong
http://peterarm.tumblr.com/post/37021212588/sit-stand-treadmill-desk
======
drewjoh
Monitor cable note: You don't have to use the expensive dual-link DVI adapters
if you have a monitor that supports the standard sized DisplayPort. You can
get a simple Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter (and DisplayPort cable)
and it supports the full 2560x1600 resolution of monitors like the 30" Dell.

[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TSDG06/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=dr...](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TSDG06/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=drewjoh-20)

(note: summary description says max of 1920x1200, but detailed description
says up to 2560x1600. I'm using it on a 30" Dell, so it works :)

~~~
chollida1
Or without the unmentioned referal link

<http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TSDG06/>

~~~
drewjoh
What's wrong with a referral link?

~~~
chollida1
It's a common curtosy to mention it. Ufnortunately otherwise, when you
recommend a link it sounds more like your trying to make a buck than help
someone out.

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edw519
Working out and writing software are like beer and chocolate.

I love both, but _not at the same time_.

~~~
wukkuan
I understand your point (and agree), but a nice stout and some fancy chocolate
go quite well together. :)

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jt2190
Many of the comments here are arguing that walking desks aren't necessary
because one can just exercise outside of working hours. What they're failing
to consider is new research that shows that sitting all day and then
exercising is still unhealthy on the whole. Walking desks are intended to
reduce the number of hours just sitting. They're not intended to be your daily
workout/break from the monitor, etc.

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meaty
I hate this whole standing/treadmill desk fad. It solves the wrong end of the
problem. Sitting on your ass is fine but don't do it all day.

I can understand if you're a hamster in a cage but seriously just go for a
walk instead.

~~~
goldfeld
That's easy if 'sitting on your ass' amounts to grazing on facebook, watching
idle entertainment or playing games. For the rest of us who work on a computer
at a job and/or then again at home, that's a bit impractical at best and not
the least feasible for many, even some who happen not to be hamsters in a
cage. And though a treadmill is a bit extreme I see no reason to shrug off
standing desks as an annoying fad--it's just as natural a position to work as
sitting though not as culturally ingrained, and uncomfortable for long
straight hours (but then sitting is seemingly comfortable while not at all
healthy).

~~~
meaty
Perhaps the problem is that you shouldn't be sitting in front of the computer
at work and at home rather than have a standing desk at either?

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shocks
The best part is that mouse. Razer DeathAdder.

Awesome, awesome, awesome mouse. Highly recommended.

~~~
swah
Even for not-gaming use?

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shocks
Absolutely.

It's very comfortable, very accurate, very smooth. It's simple, but has all
the basic buttons you need and none of the extra chaff. It has an awesome blue
light, but you can disable this if you want. It's also easy to clean, and
looks great! :)

There's also a button on the bottom, you can program this, but it is in a
rather awkward place. My only complaint.

Newer models come with a braided cable which is very sturdy.

~~~
dlevine
You can get a black edition DeathAdder, which doesn't have the blue light. I
got this mouse even though I don't game, because it appears to be one of the
only high quality corded mice on the market (Microsoft's mice have severely
dropped in quality over the past few years).

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freerobby
Did you consider any of the Lifespan Fitness models? They sell complete kits,
some for less money than the cost of what you built yourself:

[http://www.lifespanfitness.com/tr800-dt5-treadmill-
desk.html...](http://www.lifespanfitness.com/tr800-dt5-treadmill-
desk.html#.ULt3ApPjmAQ) [http://www.lifespanfitness.com/treadmill-
desk/tr1200-dt5-tre...](http://www.lifespanfitness.com/treadmill-
desk/tr1200-dt5-treadmill-desk.html#.ULt3A5PjmAQ)
[http://www.lifespanfitness.com/treadmill-
desk/tr5000-dt5-tre...](http://www.lifespanfitness.com/treadmill-
desk/tr5000-dt5-treadmill-desk-combination.html#.ULt3AZPjmAQ)

I have the mid-tier model and absolutely love it. Curious if there was
anything in particular about it that turned you off (you obviously researched
this project thoroughly).

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dr_win
Hi, I built a running "desk" for situations when I consume podcasts/youtube.
It is not for working but good for running/walking while watching.

Kettler treadmill + Griffin stand + MacBook:
<https://dl.dropbox.com/u/559047/mbp-running.jpg>

~~~
peterarmstrong
That's awesome! I did something similar to that years ago with an old
elliptical trainer: I clamped a dell laptop to it. But my problem I found is
that I'd still spend all the other time sitting when doing real work.

You can actually get into a really good coding zone when walking, once you get
used to it...

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kayoone
Or just take a break for 1-2 hours during the day to go out and hit the gym or
go for a run. I would argue it makes you feel better than trying to mix
exercise with working on a computer.

~~~
stevenwei
Sadly, research suggests that's not sufficient enough to counteract being
sedentary for the rest of the day.

[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39523298/ns/health-
mens_health/#...](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39523298/ns/health-
mens_health/#.ULtjqoV-oXx)

The idea of these treadmill desks is to keep you from constantly sitting all
day. I would agree that one should probably do some more vigorous exercise as
well.

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ErikGelderblom
Get away from your desk every once in a while instead of exercising behind
your desk. It clears your head and makes you focus better afterwards.

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icebraining
Why "instead" and not "as well"?

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flexd
I feel you would get less work done running or walking on one of these, and
you would also not get much exercise value out of it.

It would be better to take breaks often, and every other day take a 1 hour
break to do a proper set of exercises in a gym, playing a sport or just
running or biking outside.

~~~
peterarmstrong
There was a study I remember seeing referenced a while ago (I think it was in
an article about the Mayo clinic guy Levine) where the big point was that if
you spent essentially most of your workday sitting, then an hour at the gym
doesn't undo that. With this approach I can walk 3 - 6 miles while working.
I'm not trying to get my heart rate up to cardio levels obviously; I'm just
walking. And I'm not saying I'm a role model for perfect health, etc...

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ishbits
I used to stand. An then arranges for my MacBook Pro to sit nicely on my
already existing high end treadmill.

Neither really did it for me and I think I was just sucked into the trend.

Now I do 5k a day on the treadmill and some basic work with light dumb bells.
No more sore back. And RSI in the wrists is pretty much gone despite still
pushing some 4 hour sessions without rest (which I know is wrong).

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klepra
Inspirarional. Good job on planning and make it happen for yourself! Everybody
deserves a decent workstation.

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darrickwiebe
I've been considering adding a treadmill to my standing desk, but am concerned
about the whine of the treadmill and the sound of my footsteps on it bothering
others in the room or who work below me. How is the noise from your setup?
Have you had to address that in any way?

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ujjain
It's awesome! But I don't see how you can have high-productivity by using a
laptop keyboard.

~~~
peterarmstrong
I also have a SteelSeries 7G keyboard, which is what I used when just using
one 30" monitor. But I haven't figured out how to incorporate it with the dual
30" monitor setup. And dual 30" monitor + laptop keyboard > SteelSeries +
single 30" monitor. Maybe I'll get a laptop stand and try incorporating all
three plus the external keyboard...

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Noughmad
I'm curious why you need the laptop at all. Do you like looking down on the
tiny screen even though you have two huge ones above?

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peterarmstrong
The retina display is nice to look at when coding :)

My current workflow is to just put one Emacs buffer in it, and I also use one
of the two 30" displays for a whole bunch of Emacs buffers, and the other 30"
display has browsers and other stuff. But I'm still evolving it. I have a
coworker who just leaves his laptop shut and uses the two 30" displays in this
setup.

~~~
kayoone
i would argue that the massive difference in DPI on the retina display
compared to the Dells isnt very good from an ergonomic perspective.

I wonder why you need a Laptop at all in that setup. Wouldnt a Mac Pro and a
Macbook Air for on the go make more sense ?

Cool stuff though! For a while i had a Crosstrainer facing to the wall where i
mounted a 22" monitor to watch movies while working out..That was really nice,
but unfortunately my current home office is too small for a big work out
machine.

~~~
peterarmstrong
Yeah I have a coworker that just puts the two 30" displays together (in a
sitting desk). Right now I'm not sure whether my love for the SteelSeries 7G
will end up winning out over my love for looking at a retina display. So far,
no.

The funny thing is that the switching between "awesome sharpness" and "meh"
isn't so bad. I put web browsers on the left 30" monitor and other Emacs
buffers in the right 30" monitor (full screen Emacs in it, and then a couple
of horizontal and vertical splits) showing other files I'm dealing with. The
primary buffer I'm working on in the retina. But it's fine to do edits on the
30" monitor too, and there's no issue.

Divvy is essential here so I don't waste time resizing things.

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frankohara
Nice! I have almost an exact same setup! www.treadmilldeskdiary.com

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chrisrogers
While the dual-30" monitors certainly has its appeal, I find getting away from
my screens and truly discovering the world to be my most enriching time. Why
confine your walking to the scope of those foreboding screens when your walk
could be toward something unknown? Something strange, something beautiful.
Something to inspire. A show, a friend, or something you've never experienced.
I know it takes more than a walk on a treadmill to open my mind to a new idea.

~~~
peterarmstrong
I fully agree! I like snowboarding or going down to the ocean for that. But
doing a startup requires massive hours at a computer, and the problem is that
hours of sitting is fundamentally bad. Besides being bad for your health (see
[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/06/treadmill-
desks-i...](http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/06/treadmill-desks-
invented-for-office-workers_n_1323506.html) and follow your nose) I find it's
also easy to fall into a rut and end up on HN too much. Like now :) Goodnight!

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mistercow
How can you possibly track text for reading, let alone type accurately while
walking on a treadmill?

~~~
peterarmstrong
If you walk at "going for a stroll" speed instead of "competing in the
olympics" speed it's actually fine. For me, I can code or even play civ at 1.6
to 2 mph.

The only thing I've done where I was frustrated by walking at the same time
was play StarCraft 2. This was just when I had one 30" monitor and was using
my SteelSeries 7G. The mouse control is really hard for SC2, but I play zerg,
so you can do macro cheese types of strats while walking. (I'm plat though. I
think you'd get slaughtered if you tried this at diamond or higher.)

