I am piecing together a system specifically for FSX, but my son will likely want to do some gaming on it as well.  I am currently looking at using a 3Ghz i7 950, 6gbmRAM, Nvidia 460GTX 1gb, a dedicated Raptor HDD for FSX. 
  I have been toying with putting together some sort of simple small GA simpit,  something that could be easily moved and assembled/dissambled.  My question is, would FSX performance be better on one large monitor, say 36-42" or so,  or 3 individual monitors ( a 22" in the center with 2 19" on the sides).   I'd like to get the best performance I can, but at the same time maintaining a very simple setup that others could use if necessary.  Any pointers or ideas?  I see alot of simpit reference, but most of it seems to center around airliners.  I may just bite the bullet and get something like Saiteks switch panel and multi panel.

I'm looking at a 42" LG that is 1920x1080.

Titan_Bow wrote on Oct 7^th, 2010 at 4:27pm:


I agree with snippyfsxer that a monitor the size you are proposing would be expensive. And by going to three 21 inch monitors with resolution of 1680 x 1050 would provide a better field of lateral vision. As for higher resolution I am probably wrong but I don't think so.  When you stretch the FSX configuration with special software over three monitors, a third of the presentation is absorbed by each 1680 x 1050 monitor. This of course gives you a greatly improved field of vision laterally. However, what you see in resolution is three separate monitors each displaying a resolution of 1680 x 1050. Although the total adds up to 5040 x 1050, you are only seeing 1680 x 1050.

I had thought one time that I would revert to a three monitor FSX display. But after careful consideration I realized that when one looks straight ahead without turning his head, his or her field of vision is limited laterally. To match the 3 monitor display capability, you have to turn your head, even in a real airplane. And to do this in FSX with only one monitor you use the hat switch to pan as much as 360 degrees.

Because of this I decided on one big monitor with good resolution and that turned out to be a 26 inch SAMSUNG at a resolution of 1920 x 1200. If I ever get around to building a simpit I probably will go to multiple monitors.

Good luck with your venture.

Flight Ace wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 4:11pm:


I don't understand what that means that 5040 is really a stretched 1680...That isn't correct when we are talking the virtual cockpit.  You are getting 3 times the field of view, and you have 3 times the horizontal resolution.  When projecting a wide angle image into 2d, you either have to have the horizon curve like a rainbow, or you have to flatten the horizon, and get resultant "stretching".  Just like a Mercator projection map, there is distortion at the poles...same thing with the outer periphery of the 3 monitor setup.  The good news, is that all of the distortion IS in the periphery, so in practice, it isn't so bothersome.  If you have 3 screens, and you put a drape over the outer two, your center screen will display the exact same thing as every body else's single screen.  The extra two screens, are two screens more worth of visual data that the guy with the single screen does not have.  The guy with the single screen would have to zoom waaaay out to get that kind of FOV and it would look terrible, with all of the projection distortion right in front of his face, and his instruments too small to be readable.
Like JBaymore pointed out, the proper way to do this, is to have the outer screens angled in towards you at around 30 degrees.

Flight Ace,
Okay, I see what you are saying.  Yes, the clarity in pixels per inch will be the same or less, but of course, you will still have as much as three times as many pixels, if you have 3 screens.  I have been using the term "Resolution" to refer to total pixel dimensions, regardless of pixel density, which I think is the common usage.  You are specifically talking about pixels-per-inch, or dots-per-inch.

Flight Ace wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 10:52pm:


Alright, just admit it, we are both enjoying the adversiarial, but I hope overall friendly tone...

Like I said, I understand the difference between the common, vernacular usage and the strictly technical.  Even your display driver will refer to "display resolution" as a dimension, not a density.  If you are refering to PPI, then, you specify this.  When somebody says a "display resolution of 1920x1200", everybody understands what that means.  Rare indeed is the person who says "I run FSX at 72 pixels per inch." Don't bother pointing me to the Wikipedia entry, I read it, and it acknowledges the common usage as well as the techno-purist point of view that you are insisting on.


Flight Ace wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 10:52pm:

Well, questions about terminology aside, it does have meaning, and here is what it means:
(You leave me no choice but to behave like a 5 year old, and assert my flight sim uber-ness  )

Back to simple GA simpits........ basically the original question topic.....

From my point of view it is not the resolution that matters, it is the physical field of view.  I am not doing this to take screenshots... I am simming for the feeling of flying.

I use a single projector in the simpit, only at 1024 x 768...... and the immersion experience from that is immense.  I think physically bigger in the forward view is a big help in faking one into feeling it is "real".  If I could get 8,000,000,000,000 pixels across that field of view without needing to rob Fort Knox, then that would be great. 

But it is not necessary.

The framing of the windscreen in the simpit is such that I do not see the edges of the projection.  THAT makes a huge difference.

best,

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

PS:  I think Titan_Bow fell asleep on this thread long ago. 

I know little about simpit architecture or projecting to a screen rather than using a PC monitor but anxious to learn the pros and cons. I do agree with JBaymore comments reference immursion into the flight experience but would think that a higher resolution would play a role in the overall clarity of the presentation.

And, snippyfsxer, may I ask you to please refrain from making insinuating comments about how individuals run FSX on the fly. You have no idea how I run my rig and poor Titan Bow probably doesn't know what you are talking about. In your previous posts, you included two screens from your three monitor rig insinuating that your center screen represented what I or anyone else would see on their one monitor. That prompted me to provide a couple of similar screens, and which are not zoomed all the way out, so people could properly see the difference for themselves. I only got involved answering you in the first place because in your first responce to Titan Bow, you told him that he could buy three 21 inch monitors, resolution 1680x1050 and achieve a resolution of 5040x1050. That simply was and is not true. Yes your field of vision is better than one monitor. However, In my opinion, two monitor edges or even one disecting the instrument panel when your inside the cockpit is not realistic.

I am interested in improving the FOV for my current FSX PC configuration but not sure the best way to go about it. The one thing I do know, is what a realistic cockpit on the ground and in flight should represent in the way of inside and outside views. This is based on my experience over a twenty year period as a Master Army Aviator. I have flown both as pilot and instructor pilot in all kinds of weather and in eight different fixed wing (single and multi engine)and 4 different helicopters (Utility and Cargo). If you want a thrill, climb into a Bell H13 helicopter with the doors off and take it to 10,000 feet. It's like sitting in a chair at that altitude. By the way, the Bell H13 is the two place helo (Used in MASH) with the bubble and in my opinion, gives you the best FOV of any aircraft.

Now for immursion. This is not new to me. I have designed two platforms that are attached to both arms of my computer chair which adjusts in height and reclines. My joystick and trottles sit on top attached with Velcro. And of course I have a set of pedals. All this with my computer sits in a computer room. I achieve complete immursion after dark. Since all my computer components are black, by closing the door, pulling down the shade, and turning off the light, All I see in front of me is a lighted screen with no border. Probably the least expensive simpit. Very enjoyable.

I also read your last reply to me before you removed it. What did you call me - I believe it was diabolical fiend or something like that.  Do you think I ought to change my call sign to that?

One last comment. I spend a great deal of time reviewing lots of different postings. I find it very commendable to see the number of times that you have come to the aid of individuals with your detailed comments. For what it's worth, I think we are getting closer to that same page.



Happy Holloween

Flight Ace