Simviation Forum - How many?

Apr 23^rd, 2004 at 11:06am

P-40_Warhawk Offline
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The Stig
Savona New York

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Do you need more than one computer to run a simpit? (One to run the sim... the other to run the pit)

Some say my pinky toe was replaced with a fountain pen, and that I love to ride on nuclear bombs with a saddle. All I know is.... I'm called THE STIG!!!!

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Reply #1 - Apr 26^th, 2004 at 10:28am

JBaymore Offline
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Under the curse of the
hombuilt cockpit!

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P40warhawk,

You will likely get the best performance by having at LEAST two machines. Let the fastest, most robust machine take care of the main simulator all by itself and act as the "data server" for the system.

Then you can use one or more computers to drive other functions via an LAN and interface programs like FSUIPC and WideFS.

The possibilities for the other computers include using "glass cockpit" gauges, or having the other machine(s) generate additional exterior views (using WideView), or having them control interface cards like the EPIC (big bucks) that open up some REAL exciting possibilities.

Search around here in this forum and you will find info that will help you plan out what you might do. There are lots of threads and lots of links.

best,

...............john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #2 - Apr 27^th, 2004 at 11:42am

P-40_Warhawk Offline
Colonel
The Stig
Savona New York

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Posts: 266

Lets say I need 3 monitors to show all the glass gauges. Do I need 3 towers to go with them or can I paowere them all from 1 tower?

Some say my pinky toe was replaced with a fountain pen, and that I love to ride on nuclear bombs with a saddle. All I know is.... I'm called THE STIG!!!!

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Reply #3 - Apr 27^th, 2004 at 12:07pm

JBaymore Offline
Global Moderator
Under the curse of the
hombuilt cockpit!

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Posts: 10261

P40-Warhawk,

If the machine running the glass cockpit gauges was powerfull enough (to process all the data and display it fast enough) then you could use a single machine with something like a Matrox Parahelia triple head graphics card to drive three separate displays.

Or maybe you could use a cheaper (but still expensive) dual display agp card and then an additional PCI display card. The glass cockpit gauges are NOT all that demanding graphically.....but to get a dual display capability.... the card is not at the rock bottom of the cost scale.

Remember that such a machine and video cards will be a bit costly. Particularly the Matrox. Three "junker" machines that can handle a single display each at a fast rate could be had likely for free. Ditto the monitors. Look around.

My hope is to eventually go to a single machine to handle a triple display also.... but I'll start out with three free junkers........ I don't have THAT much money to devote to this project Wink

.

The main reason to cut down the number of machines is the power consumption and the heat generation factor. If all the machines and the monitors are encased in the simpit structure....... therre is a real heat issue. And the simpit may take a whole 15 A circuit to power it up Wink

.

best,

................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #4 - Apr 27^th, 2004 at 12:29pm

P-40_Warhawk Offline
Colonel
The Stig
Savona New York

Gender:
Posts: 266

to overcome a heat issue ill just mount some small electronics fans on the outside. (They can be disguiesd as the A.C. nozzles you see on some panals.)

Some say my pinky toe was replaced with a fountain pen, and that I love to ride on nuclear bombs with a saddle. All I know is.... I'm called THE STIG!!!!

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