Projection Vs. LCD

[jer166]

Can someone give me some advice on what is going to look the best and fastest? I have been researching this for a long time now and can't seem to make up my mind which way to go. Any suggestions?

[BHawthorne]

A lot has to do with your build goals. What sort of simpit are you building? Does it have a long term location to be built in? Projection is immensely more immersive than LCD, but it comes with the understanding that bulbs are expensive and you'll need to buy one every 2500-4000 hours or so. That roughly equates to a bulb every 2 years or so. Just keep that in mind if you do go projection. $300 spread out over 2 years of use for a bulb isn't bad considering what projection does for immersion.

[Sean Nixon]

After seeing the results (albeit on YouTube videos) that can be had with multiple projectors and curved screens, I'm going down that route. I've had to double the area allocated to my pit, but I'm lucky enough to have that option (taking all the garage instead of half of it).

Having said that, if I'd been stuck with half the space, I'd still go with projection. A short throw projector will give you a much bigger image than a single LCD, and putting multiple screens together would not only be more expensive, but I'd never be happy with seeing the bezels.

What do you mean by 'look the best and fastest'. They'll both run at the same speed, unless you are refering to setup times?

Sean

[brynjames]

How about sharpness?

1280x1024 or whatever looks very sharp on an LCD screen, but I have the impression (maybe wronly) that projection systems aren't nearly as sharp, because of focus problems, small variations in screen surface etc.

--
Bryn

[Sean Nixon]

To be honest, I'm unsure about the sharpness issue. I have a very old VGA (800x600) projector that I was given, and it's rubbish, not sharp, very dim (and noisy). But I've been to training seminars lately where they are using newer DLP projectors, and the sharpness/brightness of the images are excellent (not to mention the projectors are barely audible). So I think they've come a long way. I'm buying one soon to experiment.

One other thing to consider is your resolution. 1280x1024 means a more expensive projector. I'm not sure you can get one with that native resolution. I'll be starting out with XGA (1024x768 ).

But eliminating multiple monitor bezels would be more a priority for me than image quality, provided the image quality was acceptable of course.

One question I have, if a projectors native resolution is 1024x768, but it supports, say 1440x900, can this higher resolution be used effectively?

Sean

[jer166]

Thanks for the input guys. I guess it comes don t setup. Is using projestion going to be the same computer setup. I noticed a lot guys using triple head to go with three projectors. There are also some guys using five 50" LCD screens and wraping their simpit. Is the disadvantage of this system the having to use five or six computers, or is it the advantage? My goal is a smooth running simulator, wrap around or curved screen with good to great picture. Does this automatically mean I am using multiple-computers? I have built a cessna simpit and was originally thinking of mounting computer monitors in the windows of the side doors and the three in the front with a slight curve. I have two ATI graphics cards with dual monitor capability but have not been able to get any good results with it. Which one Projection or LCD?

[BHawthorne]

How about sharpness?

1280x1024 or whatever looks very sharp on an LCD screen, but I have the impression (maybe wronly) that projection systems aren't nearly as sharp, because of focus problems, small variations in screen surface etc.

Given wall size vs LCD size of course the LCD will be sharpest. With outside visuals, wall size has an immensely larger impact on your immersion factor than sharpness does. It's the difference between looking into a small box vs having your whole field of view covered. No contest. Now if you can pull off whole field of view properly with LCDs that would be the sharpest, but that is really difficult without bezel placement interfering. When you're flying around in a full 180 degree circular projection, your mind isn't thinking about the sharpness of the screen, it's thinking about the full field of view it sees.

Thanks for the input guys. I guess it comes don t setup. Is using projestion going to be the same computer setup. I noticed a lot guys using triple head to go with three projectors. There are also some guys using five 50" LCD screens and wraping their simpit. Is the disadvantage of this system the having to use five or six computers, or is it the advantage? My goal is a smooth running simulator, wrap around or curved screen with good to great picture. Does this automatically mean I am using multiple-computers? I have built a cessna simpit and was originally thinking of mounting computer monitors in the windows of the side doors and the three in the front with a slight curve. I have two ATI graphics cards with dual monitor capability but have not been able to get any good results with it. Which one Projection or LCD?

TH2G vs. multiple computers. There is always several ways to go about doing things. One way is to use several cheaper computers in a master-slave design. I prefer one high quality computer and TH2G. Both have different posative and negative factors. The main issue with TH2G is making sure everything looks right in the field of view. With multiple computers, it's maintaining sync with the master computer. My reasoning for going TH2G is to lower the complexity of the build as to not introduce more potential for failure points in the hardware design.

[N242AM]

Don't forget the heat factor. Three projectors are going to throw out a lot. Not a real problem in the Winter, but surely one in the Summer. Add in the heat from the computers and it will get real warm especially if in a semi or fully-enclosed cockpit.

[ignatiusmael]

HI.
Generally Projection is used for commercial or educational purpose.
Where as LCD is used as a Commercial as well as Private purpose.
The most consideration part is that cost of product. Projection is costlier than LCD.

[No Longer Active]

If its a Cessna pit that you have then the actual viewing area required is not that great.

I would be more than happy with 2 x 24" LCD Monitors for front view, and a square 19" for left and right view attached.

I would put the 2 x 24" Monitors on a DUALHEAD2GO and slightly lean them towards you around 7-8 degrees. I do this and it gives a great little windshield effect without the runway looking like its pointing up....

Cessna's are very enclosed anyway, i like the way that monitors can wrap around you. The bezel is annoying but if you are only using 2 screens then you will just have 1 pillar in the middle of the viewing area, but then its not all that bad because some GA aircraft have a pillar in the middle such as the pa-28, so in this example it would work out well, see the pilar in this picture:



So personally I'd go for the setup I mentioned, it does a have a few cons but perfect for a GA setup.