PAX East 2012 BYOC Info/FAQ - Post-Event Feedback starts on page 14

chrsghoyt

We get 2 110V sockets but only about 3.5 amps. I did the math and this comes out to only 385 watts. Unfortunately, I had to request a refund since I don't have a prayer of getting my system's power usage down anywhere near that low.

thebtron

There is no way I can get to 385 watts, just my video card using 300 watts, I would need 600 min.

zerzhul

True pc power consumption is not equal to the number on the power supply.

I have seen very impressive hardware at byoc in the past so i would suggest getting official word before making assumptions.

David Coffman

As a rule of thumb, unless you're running a crazy high end pc, you'll be fine when it comes to the amount of amperage you're using. Most gaming setups use under 3 amps.

BigRed

Yeah 90% of machines will use under the 3.5amps. Unless its a SLI system with a fuckton of hard drives and cpu cores.

You could always buy two seats if you need additional power/space.

Decius

Well there's also a lot of laptops in BYOC that end up balancing out the power needs of the insane desktop systems.

BigRed

Decius wrote:

Well there's also a lot of laptops in BYOC that end up balancing out the power needs of the insane desktop systems.

That doesn't matter because the power draw is per circuit not for the entire room.

Rooslin

i doubt there will be any power problems i know my computer is around 200 while idle and 250-300 when playing a game

zepherin

Also keep in mind that I doubt that all of these power drops are on the same panel, and commercial panels are going to be more robust than anything most of you have for residential. If it works in your house on two outlets your probably not going to overload their power system. They didn't have power issues last year and while they did expand the area, I imagine they checked out the power, and didn't find any issues, worst case is that they had to tie into another panel for a new room.

Vapok

Hey Folks,

For veterans of BYOC at past PAX'es, I'm interested in hearing your comments and suggestions regarding ways that we can improve the service level of the PAX PC Security BYOC Check-In/Out process. At PAX Prime last year, we instituted a check-out station at the exit door inside the BYOC room. We might see the return of that this year.

The safety of your stuff, from high end gaming rigs to free stuff you get in the expo, is my number one priority. If there's anything the PAX PC Security Staff can do for you just hollar!

We don't bite... too often. =)

peetsnack

@Vapok Barcode attendees.

Edit: Something tells me they would actually go for this...

Vapok

peetsnack wrote:

@Vapok Barcode attendees.

Edit: Something tells me they would actually go for this...

There has been some discussion revolving around the feasibility of barcoding byoc badges but nothing concrete. Reducing time at check-in is definitely something I'm heavily looking into though for this year.

peetsnack

Vapok wrote:

peetsnack wrote:

@Vapok Barcode attendees.

Edit: Something tells me they would actually go for this...

There has been some discussion revolving around the feasibility of barcoding byoc badges but nothing concrete. Reducing time at check-in is definitely something I'm heavily looking into though for this year.

I meant barcode the actual attendees, like with sticker on their foreheads or tattoo on the back of their hand. I was being silly.

Vapok

peetsnack wrote:

I meant barcode the actual attendees, like with sticker on their foreheads or tattoo on the back of their hand. I was being silly.

I was trying to deflect the conversation, silly. We don't want to let anyone know that we're planning on injecting subdermal rfid's as people enter the convention. #notreally

lirelent

Something seems a bit contradictory; the website says "Socket Limit: Two (2) 110V sockets" and "For additional power needs such as: cell phone chargers or headphone amplifiers, plesae bring a UL certified power strip AND have it inspecte by PAX BYOC admins. ".

but on the first page of this thread you say

"Q: Can I bring a switch or own Power strip to increase that?
A: NO! No outside networking devices are allowed. Any spotted will be removed.
A: Daisy chaining power strips is a HUGE no as well. Fire Marshall hates that so we need to enforce this pretty seriously. Sorry."

So one place says bring a UL strip and another says NO, with a fairly reasonable reason. So which is it?

My other question to bigred/peet, does BYOC get a nice IRC contingent? This pax I really want to try to put more faces to names, and if some of those faces are in BYOC, that probably makes it all worth it.

zerzhul

it wouldn't surprise me if the website is out of date. Usually this thread has the most up to date info.

There is usually a PAX IRC BYOC group that get seated together, ask around in IRC once group seating becomes available for who is organizing the list.

lirelent

By "Confirmation email showing your payment confirmation and gamer id" I assume you mean the email from paypal saying we paid?

zerzhul

I think there's another confirmation email that comes later that contains some different information. And maybe yet another email closer to the show? Something from lanfest. Has to be scanned to get your BYOC badge.

Vapok

lirelent wrote:

By "Confirmation email showing your payment confirmation and gamer id" I assume you mean the email from paypal saying we paid?

An email will be sent (closer to PAX) that contains the LANFest barcode and name. This confirmation is what you will need to bring with you (along with your 3-Day Badge and Photo Identification) in order to obtain your BYOC badge.

BigRed

lirelent wrote:

Something seems a bit contradictory; the website says "Socket Limit: Two (2) 110V sockets" and "For additional power needs such as: cell phone chargers or headphone amplifiers, plesae bring a UL certified power strip AND have it inspecte by PAX BYOC admins. ".

but on the first page of this thread you say

"Q: Can I bring a switch or own Power strip to increase that?
A: NO! No outside networking devices are allowed. Any spotted will be removed.
A: Daisy chaining power strips is a HUGE no as well. Fire Marshall hates that so we need to enforce this pretty seriously. Sorry."

So one place says bring a UL strip and another says NO, with a fairly reasonable reason. So which is it?

My other question to bigred/peet, does BYOC get a nice IRC contingent? This pax I really want to try to put more faces to names, and if some of those faces are in BYOC, that probably makes it all worth it.

There are ways that we can add another strip (for super low power devices) to a group of seats without daisychaining but we need to know about it first or else it will get unplugged.

East doesnt have as much of an IRC group as prime does, but there is one. When I put group seating live closer to the event people are free to organize reserved seating for groups.

Moe Fwacky

Also, many devices these days use USB for charging, so you could always plug right into your USB ports (that's how I charge my phone at work).

Trandescent

Ecstatic to see the registration went up! Will be registering for my ticket in a few hours.

thr4sher

chrsghoyt wrote:

We get 2 110V sockets but only about 3.5 amps. I did the math and this comes out to only 385 watts. Unfortunately, I had to request a refund since I don't have a prayer of getting my system's power usage down anywhere near that low.

I won the nvidia raffle for the chrisray memorial PC at pax east 2010. I brought it with me to the byoc last year and there was no problem with the power and that thing is a MONSTER. 1500watt PSU, dual 480s... I think you will be fine. Like someone else said, there are lots of people who just bring laptops, so the power situation is balanced out.

TheTerribleMan

Last year at East there was a guy in the back that had something like 6 GPUS, 10 CPUS, and 90 fans with LEDs. If that worked, anything will work.

BigRed wrote:

Yeah 90% of machines will use under the 3.5amps. Unless its a SLI system with a fuckton of hard drives and cpu cores.

You could always buy two seats if you need additional power/space.

TheTerribleMan

The same thing happened last year, and the final say was no powerstrips. And IRC does get a section.

lirelent wrote:

Something seems a bit contradictory; the website says "Socket Limit: Two (2) 110V sockets" and "For additional power needs such as: cell phone chargers or headphone amplifiers, plesae bring a UL certified power strip AND have it inspecte by PAX BYOC admins. ".

but on the first page of this thread you say

"Q: Can I bring a switch or own Power strip to increase that?
A: NO! No outside networking devices are allowed. Any spotted will be removed.
A: Daisy chaining power strips is a HUGE no as well. Fire Marshall hates that so we need to enforce this pretty seriously. Sorry."

So one place says bring a UL strip and another says NO, with a fairly reasonable reason. So which is it?

My other question to bigred/peet, does BYOC get a nice IRC contingent? This pax I really want to try to put more faces to names, and if some of those faces are in BYOC, that probably makes it all worth it.

BigRed

TheTerribleMan wrote:

Last year at East there was a guy in the back that had something like 6 GPUS, 10 CPUS, and 90 fans with LEDs. If that worked, anything will work.

BigRed wrote:

Yeah 90% of machines will use under the 3.5amps. Unless its a SLI system with a fuckton of hard drives and cpu cores.

You could always buy two seats if you need additional power/space.

and if I recall there was a circuit that blew back there and we had to rearrange people...

If you have an ultra high end machine, Don't assume you will be fine on power consumption and use up more than what one seat provides. If you know your machine uses more than the 3.5 amps then you will need to buy two seats.

dyaballikl

Note: you can get a watt-meter (among other readings) for $20 on Amazon if you're concerned. It's a good thing to have, anyway.

And while I'm not a BYOC Enforcer, my common sense would suggest that if you have 6 GPU's, you probably don't need them for this. While they look cool, if you're toeing the line or going beyond it, maybe just bring what you need. Just a thought.

flatline

Vapok wrote:

Hey Folks,

For veterans of BYOC at past PAX'es, I'm interested in hearing your comments and suggestions regarding ways that we can improve the service level of the PAX PC Security BYOC Check-In/Out process. At PAX Prime last year, we instituted a check-out station at the exit door inside the BYOC room. We might see the return of that this year.

The safety of your stuff, from high end gaming rigs to free stuff you get in the expo, is my number one priority. If there's anything the PAX PC Security Staff can do for you just hollar!

We don't bite... too often. =)

I'm interested in streamlining the process of getting equipment TO BYOC before the con starts. My buddy and I stayed at the Westin last year, and tried to come over across the bridge. However, Westin policy forbade us from using any hotel luggage carts in the BCEC (so we were only able to cart our towers+monitors+peripherals to the bridge area). I ended up walking around the building, outside, and going in the front door to ask the information booth what to do - we had fairly large/heavy equipment, and had foolishly not brought any cart of our own, assuming that since the hotel was connected we could use one of their carts.

David Coffman (hey dude!) actually ended up saving our bacon. He said "How can I fix this for you?" and I believe I said "give me some sherpas" - so he pointed at two Enforcers who were just checking in and said "Hey, go help him and his friend carry their stuff to the BYOC area." And it happened. That was one of the highlights of the whole show last year for me.

I guess I will look into getting a foldable cart or something of my own for this year, but it seems a bit cumbersome and takes up precious luggage space. Are there any official suggestions about how to move equipment around?

lirelent

flatline wrote:

Vapok wrote:

Hey Folks,

For veterans of BYOC at past PAX'es, I'm interested in hearing your comments and suggestions regarding ways that we can improve the service level of the PAX PC Security BYOC Check-In/Out process. At PAX Prime last year, we instituted a check-out station at the exit door inside the BYOC room. We might see the return of that this year.

The safety of your stuff, from high end gaming rigs to free stuff you get in the expo, is my number one priority. If there's anything the PAX PC Security Staff can do for you just hollar!

We don't bite... too often. =)

I'm interested in streamlining the process of getting equipment TO BYOC before the con starts. My buddy and I stayed at the Westin last year, and tried to come over across the bridge. However, Westin policy forbade us from using any hotel luggage carts in the BCEC (so we were only able to cart our towers+monitors+peripherals to the bridge area). I ended up walking around the building, outside, and going in the front door to ask the information booth what to do - we had fairly large/heavy equipment, and had foolishly not brought any cart of our own, assuming that since the hotel was connected we could use one of their carts.

David Coffman (hey dude!) actually ended up saving our bacon. He said "How can I fix this for you?" and I believe I said "give me some sherpas" - so he pointed at two Enforcers who were just checking in and said "Hey, go help him and his friend carry their stuff to the BYOC area." And it happened. That was one of the highlights of the whole show last year for me.

I guess I will look into getting a foldable cart or something of my own for this year, but it seems a bit cumbersome and takes up precious luggage space. Are there any official suggestions about how to move equipment around?

Well I'm local so I know I'll be bringing my stuff on a foldable cart dealie. So perhaps check the byoc area for people who have a cart and have already dragged their stuff in, and would let you borrow theirs. I know I wouldn't mind. Some official process/help, couldn't hurt though.

FuzzDad

I've found one of these to be perfect for hauling in your large PC. That and bring a backpack for the swag.

Exodus1

Vapok wrote:

peetsnack wrote:

@Vapok Barcode attendees.

Edit: Something tells me they would actually go for this...

There has been some discussion revolving around the feasibility of barcoding byoc badges but nothing concrete. Reducing time at check-in is definitely something I'm heavily looking into though for this year.

This sounds like the best idea for beefing up security (on the badges not the people!), although I'm not sure what kind of cost would be associated with such a measure. Personally, I've never had a problem, and there's always a presence at the front checking badges. I think you may already do this (my backpack stays at my seat the whole weekend), but you could check any outgoing bags for barcoded items.

Vapok

flatline wrote:

I'm interested in streamlining the process of getting equipment TO BYOC before the con starts. My buddy and I stayed at the Westin last year, and tried to come over across the bridge. However, Westin policy forbade us from using any hotel luggage carts in the BCEC (so we were only able to cart our towers+monitors+peripherals to the bridge area). I ended up walking around the building, outside, and going in the front door to ask the information booth what to do - we had fairly large/heavy equipment, and had foolishly not brought any cart of our own, assuming that since the hotel was connected we could use one of their carts.

David Coffman (hey dude!) actually ended up saving our bacon. He said "How can I fix this for you?" and I believe I said "give me some sherpas" - so he pointed at two Enforcers who were just checking in and said "Hey, go help him and his friend carry their stuff to the BYOC area." And it happened. That was one of the highlights of the whole show last year for me.

I guess I will look into getting a foldable cart or something of my own for this year, but it seems a bit cumbersome and takes up precious luggage space. Are there any official suggestions about how to move equipment around?

That Dave Coffman, such a problem solver! =) He rocks.

Flatline, this is great feedback! I definitely think that the experiences had during PAX East 2011 can be summed up in two words -- "new location". The BCEC was very much new to everyone, including BYOC staff, and we weren't prepared for some of the obstacles that we faced. For instance, MCCA/BCEC had a rule regarding the inability for attendees (or us) to use carts with four wheels. Apparently that was a union labor rule, that caught us all by surprise. Secondly, where BYOC was located, the closest outside doors didn't allow traffic to stop for unloading. Again, this was a fire we had to mitigate. The bridge connecting the Westin was also a concern, and I think the way that Dave Coffman approached it really is the best solution. Enforcers are here for you, and if you need assistance, drop by the BYOC table, and I'll send someone to help you.

We've learned from our ways. Although I can't go into specific detail, since the convention layout hasn't been finalized, I can tell you that the BYOC room (along with PC Freeplay) is moving, will be larger, and contained in the same area that PC Freeplay is in for a more large scale LAN atmosphere. In addition, were hoping that the entrance for BYOC will be utilizing portions of the loading dock area (allowing cars to stop and drop off equipment) with a direct path into the BYOC area. On top of this, one of my goals for this year is improving the Friday morning check-in process over all, hoping for a more smoother time for attendees.

Thanks, and keep these comments rolling!

[H]olyGeekboy

Vapok wrote:

flatline wrote:

I'm interested in streamlining the process of getting equipment TO BYOC before the con starts. My buddy and I stayed at the Westin last year, and tried to come over across the bridge. However, Westin policy forbade us from using any hotel luggage carts in the BCEC (so we were only able to cart our towers+monitors+peripherals to the bridge area). I ended up walking around the building, outside, and going in the front door to ask the information booth what to do - we had fairly large/heavy equipment, and had foolishly not brought any cart of our own, assuming that since the hotel was connected we could use one of their carts.

David Coffman (hey dude!) actually ended up saving our bacon. He said "How can I fix this for you?" and I believe I said "give me some sherpas" - so he pointed at two Enforcers who were just checking in and said "Hey, go help him and his friend carry their stuff to the BYOC area." And it happened. That was one of the highlights of the whole show last year for me.

I guess I will look into getting a foldable cart or something of my own for this year, but it seems a bit cumbersome and takes up precious luggage space. Are there any official suggestions about how to move equipment around?

That Dave Coffman, such a problem solver! =) He rocks.

Flatline, this is great feedback! I definitely think that the experiences had during PAX East 2011 can be summed up in two words -- "new location". The BCEC was very much new to everyone, including BYOC staff, and we weren't prepared for some of the obstacles that we faced. For instance, MCCA/BCEC had a rule regarding the inability for attendees (or us) to use carts with four wheels. Apparently that was a union labor rule, that caught us all by surprise. Secondly, where BYOC was located, the closest outside doors didn't allow traffic to stop for unloading. Again, this was a fire we had to mitigate. The bridge connecting the Westin was also a concern, and I think the way that Dave Coffman approached it really is the best solution. Enforcers are here for you, and if you need assistance, drop by the BYOC table, and I'll send someone to help you.

We've learned from our ways. Although I can't go into specific detail, since the convention layout hasn't been finalized, I can tell you that the BYOC room (along with PC Freeplay) is moving, will be larger, and contained in the same area that PC Freeplay is in for a more large scale LAN atmosphere. In addition, the entrance for BYOC will be utilizing portions of the loading dock area (allowing cars to stop and drop off equipment) with a direct path into the BYOC area. On top of this, one of my goals for this year is improving the Friday morning check-in process over all, hoping for a more smoother time for attendees.

Thanks, and keep these comments rolling!

Vapok, you just made my day. Glad to see some of the big headaches have been mitigated.

-@IAmRoot

FuzzDad

The loading dock would be perfect...great solution considering a lot of us will drive up and bring our heavy rigs (mine + monitor must be 50-60lbs). So if we stick to two-wheeled folding hand-carts we should be OK (from a union standpoint)?

[H]olyGeekboy

FuzzDad wrote:

The loading dock would be perfect...great solution considering a lot of us will drive up and bring our heavy rigs (mine + monitor must be 50-60lbs). So if we stick to two-wheeled folding hand-carts we should be OK (from a union standpoint)?

I brought a 220+ pound trunk with my mod and monitor in it... if not for the help of awesome enforcer Todd C in getting me a cart, I would have been lost.

[H]olyGeekboy

Looks like registration is half full already; just said 194 left as my friend was registering. (360 total seats!)

BigRed

dyaballikl wrote:

Note: you can get a watt-meter (among other readings) for $20 on Amazon if you're concerned. It's a good thing to have, anyway.

And while I'm not a BYOC Enforcer, my common sense would suggest that if you have 6 GPU's, you probably don't need them for this. While they look cool, if you're toeing the line or going beyond it, maybe just bring what you need. Just a thought.

Damn those have come down in price a lot. I might be buying a few to go in my box of tools.

BigRed

FuzzDad wrote:

The loading dock would be perfect...great solution considering a lot of us will drive up and bring our heavy rigs (mine + monitor must be 50-60lbs). So if we stick to two-wheeled folding hand-carts we should be OK (from a union standpoint)?

Correct, two wheeled carts are fine. Like a handtruck or something.

Vapok

[H]olyGeekboy wrote:

FuzzDad wrote:

The loading dock would be perfect...great solution considering a lot of us will drive up and bring our heavy rigs (mine + monitor must be 50-60lbs). So if we stick to two-wheeled folding hand-carts we should be OK (from a union standpoint)?

I brought a 220+ pound trunk with my mod and monitor in it... if not for the help of awesome enforcer Todd C in getting me a cart, I would have been lost.

I remember that trunk! I definitely enjoyed looking at your rig... sooo many fans! Are you bringing it back?

japerry

just regged. wow almost half-sold out!