[simpits-tech] Making the dive into a 3-projector setup.....

[Matt Bailey]

Actually, I believe the artifacting that happens at extreme FOVs is
largely a function of the fact that our flight sims are trying to
planarize a real-world perspective view into an orthogonal view (a flat
monitor). It is physically impossible to flatten a 3D world in this way
and not get some bizarre unrealistic stretching. As I understand it,
FSX bypasses this issue (sort of) by virtue of the fact that it is not
really stretching one big view, but creating a new viewpoint for each
screen. This is still just a hack, and is why multi-screen flat visual
systems look wonky (ergo, a pitch-up will make the front screen simply
drop, while the side views are tilting). For most installations,
however, it will still suffice...the only other viable option is a
curved screen and pricey image warping software.

The only way I can think of to make X-Plane do something similar on one
PC would be to run multiple copies of X-Plane at once, and network
them. This would be a major load on the system, and I'm not sure
X-Plane would even function properly.

Whether you are using FSX or X-Plane, however, I still highly recommend
the multi-PC approach. It's the simplest thing you can do to keep
performance looking good. You don't have to spend a fortune...remember,
X-Plane is not as reliant on CPU as FSX is, but you need a decent video
card. If you go the modest route, the mobo, CPU, and RAM combo, along
with a decent video card, will put you around $500-$600 per PC if you
shop around. For case, hard drives, etc cheap used/discarded parts will
do the job (if you are on a really tight budget). For under $2k you can
have your three PCs. That's about what the projectors are going to cost
you.

You can actually go even cheaper if you get older technology...I am
running X-Plane 10 on an old Athlon 64 with a 9800GT video card getting
good performance at modest graphic settings. You can pick up a used
system like that for under $200. I don't recommend it, but it is
doable. :)

Matt

On Tue, 22 Oct 2013 23:11:34 +0000 (UTC)
raysot at comcast.net wrote:

> Thanks, Sean. 
> 
> Looks like I'll run into some trouble already if I use X-PLane and 3
> video outputs. 
> 
> According to this simmer's setup, the side views are overly-stretched
> when driving from a single computer. I guess to get the best config
> out of X-Plane I need 2 more super-computers. I'll never get that
> expense past my CFO. 
> 
> http://www.n3qo.com/?p=1668# 
> 
> 
> So this brings me back to possibly using P3D... which I also can't do
> because my sim is based on Avidyne avionics, of which no one writes
> anything for. Flythissim.com publishes a beaituful Avidyne package,
> but only for X-PLane and they refuse to code one for FSX/P3D. 
> 
> Figures, right? If it's not one thing, it's another.... 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: "Sean Galbraith" <Sean.Galbraith at pacificsimulators.com> 
> To: "Simulator Cockpit Builder's List" <simpits-tech at simpits.org> 
> Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 1:35:40 PM 
> Subject: Re: [simpits-tech] Making the dive into a 3-projector
> setup..... 
> 
> 
> 
> 3 outputs from a 660 should be fine, assuming Windows 7, you can
> “span using all available displays” or something like that. We do
> this on our sims, it’s quick and easy and hey, if you don’t like it
> then you can take the TH2GO path J 
> 
> On the framerate question: We don’t see a huge frame hit running 3
> spanned displays, even at 1080p, so I would assume that at xga you’ll
> be fine. We are running P3D which is relatively hard on the PC, not
> sure how XP10 sits in that regard (I only have XP9). 
> 
> 
> 
> I’ve just finished a build, running P3D, which initially had a single
> 1920x1080 display, and it ran very nicely. The customer then decided
> he wanted 3 displays, so we added 2 more screens, plugged the HDMI
> cables into the 660, and I didn’t really see a change in
> performance.. 
> 
> 
> 
> Heat issues with projectors are always fun... we generally have an AC
> dust blowing cool air into the space around the projectors (not
> directly at them... trust me on this), while at home I’m too cheap to
> have AC, but I have some ducts pulling cool air into, and exhausting
> hot air away from the projector (only 1, again too cheap.....) 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope that helps a little J 
> 
> 
> 
> SeanG 
> 
> 
> 
> 1. Not sure if I will use a Triple-Head2Go -or- leverage the 4
> outputs on my GTX 660 card 
> 
> 
> 2. Not sure if I will need to "Go Pro" for my X-Plane install 
> 
> 
> 3. Not sure which warping software I need, if any. (Warpalizer,
> nthusim or Immersive-Display Pro) Nthusim seems to be the one I may
> go with. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Concerns: 
> 
> 
> 1. Framerate hit 
> 
> 
> 2. Heat dissipation from 3 projectors in a confined space 
> 
> 
> 3. All the math :-) 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Regardless, I am certainly looking forward to this project and will
> most likely be the last big addition to finish off the sim project. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My current beast is a KingAir B350 Hybrid 
> 
> 
> http://anthonyscott.zenfolio.com/b200/h57cca794#h57cca794 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I look forward to any and all advice/recommendations/fits of laughter
> that might be headed my way. 
> 
> 
> Ray 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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