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multiple monitors (Read 1316 times)

Apr 17^th, 2005 at 2:05pm

Weekend_Flyer Offline
Colonel
Gainsville GA

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Posts: 56

After seeing some of the cool stuff you guys are doing with your cockpits, its kinda got me wanting to try something. Maybee yall can point me in the right direction. Ive got about 5 or 6 monitors laying around my house collecting dust. what I would like to do is get 3 set up. The main in front, then 2 on the sides for side views. Im not sure how this would work, or if its even possible, but im hopeing its possible to set all 3 in VC mode so I can still pan down to view my guages. Could someone tell me what I would need as far as video cards and programs, or if its even possible to set FS up in this way? Thanks

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Reply #1 - Apr 17^th, 2005 at 4:39pm

Tdcdcr Offline
Lieutenant Colonel
England

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Posts: 5

Hi,
there are different ways of getting multiple monitors. One way is to buy a graphics card with 2 SVGA ports to connect to the monitors. The other way is to buy seperate video cards, one for each additional monitor. If you want three, then I'd go for seperate cards. No additional software is needed, other than the drivers for the cards. Once its set up, make sure you have the monitors set to the correct position in display propeties. Then start up FS and press ALT+ENTER to enter windowed mode (if you aren't all ready). Then create a 2 new views for whatever you want, right click and select "undock" and you are free to move it to another monitor and resize it. Hey presto! Hope this helps.

Your lack of ineptitude is a blessing.

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Reply #2 - Apr 17^th, 2005 at 11:15pm

Weekend_Flyer Offline
Colonel
Gainsville GA

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Posts: 56

Yes that helps alot! Its raised a few more questions though. If im running more that one graphics card do they need to match or would it hurt to have different kinds? If you can mixmatch the cards then ive already got everything I need. Im curently running a radeon 9500 128mb, but I also have a 9500 256mb, and 2 other 64 mb cards. (Im a packrat) Also, any idea on how this will effect my processor, xp2700 2.1 i believe. Thanks alot!

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Reply #3 - Apr 18^th, 2005 at 2:50am

Tdcdcr Offline
Lieutenant Colonel
England

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Posts: 5

Hi,
No, you can mix and match all the cards possible. However, you have to go careful with what slots you have available. Most motherboards only have 1 AGP slot available. So, as I'm guessing both ATI 9500s are AGP, you'll have to have 2 AGP slots to fit them both. The 64MB ones are probably PCI and you should have some extra slots for those. As for the processor, I'm afraid I have no experience with AMDs. However, my Pentium 4 2.6GHz has no problem coping, just my poor graphics card that does (running two monitors off of one card, need to get another one sometime...). However, going by what I know, your processor should be fine, so lonng as you have a decent amount of RAM. Hope this helps.

Your lack of ineptitude is a blessing.

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Reply #4 - Apr 18^th, 2005 at 8:43am

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

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Posts: 10261

Weekend Flyer,

Welcome to the "Homebuild Cockpits" forum.

Just to give you a "heads up"......

There are some possible issues with multiple views. I usderstand that 3-D acceleration is often not possible on additional video cards other than the primary. Also your framerates will be limited by the LOWEST output card.... which is likely one of the ones in the PCI slots.

It appears that the BEST solution is a single AGP (or PCI Experess) video card that supports multiple monitors. Most high end cards support two. When you get to three...... the apparent "champ" is some of the Matrox Parahelia cards that support three monitors. But you are getting into "money".

Another approach is to network a number of PC's, and then install FSUIPC and WideView. Then you run multiple instances of FS200X, one on each PC. The views are synchronized by the data being shared between the machines. Then you set up one machine to show the front view, one to show the left side, one to show the right side, and so on. Again.... this gets into money for all those fast computers.

Unfortunately... the pursuit of "realism" comes at a cost Wink

.

Take a look back thru the old posts here in this forum (and in the "Hardware" forum) for more threads on multiple monitors.

Keep us posted on your efforts.

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 #5 - Apr 18^th, 2005 at 7:58pm

Weekend_Flyer Offline
Colonel
Gainsville GA

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Posts: 56

Thanks for the input. I like the idea of networking several computers together, but since im on a limited buget I will have to get by with what I got for now. I may start out adding one card and monitor and see how that goes, then if that works out ok add the third. Ill let yall know how it goes!

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