New Computer Specs......

[Neil Hewitt]

Thanks for the answers,
At the moment I have 3 monitors -Eyefinity- running FSX quite happily (granted I had to lower some settings and tweak beyond belief), along with FDC Live Cockpit, ActiveSky. This is on a computer that is several years old - 2.8Ghz & Ati Radeon 5700.
I am running Prosim737 on a 2nd computer along with FlightSim Commander and Radar Contact.
So I dont see how a brand spanking new computer with all the bells and whistles would struggle running these same programmes + Prosim737 for the instruments?
I dont run FSX in full screen mode if that makes any difference.
I hate computers - give me a circular saw and angle grinder any day.
Allan.
P.S. It is not a major issues, as I will just keep Prosim on the second PC, I just wondered if it is actually possible.

If it doesn't need to use the display, then yes it would run - stuff that sits and talks to the network would be OK. But as ProSim needs to display panels, I don't think it would. But I could be wrong

When you say running FSX 'quite happily', I'd be interested to know what you mean in terms of performance - only because everyone's view is different. For me, much less than 30fps looks jerky and unpleasant. I've run FSX, CFG tweaked, on a Core i7 @ 2.93GHz - which is of course only about 60% of the CPU power of the sort of rig we're talking about here - with Aerosoft's London VFR and London City installed, no other 3rd party stuff, no REX etc, and watched the frame rate drop down to 5fps at 1920x1200 with clear skies. Now there could well have been specific problems with that set-up, but the point I'm making is that FSX can demand more CPU than it's actually possible to give it no matter how much you spend.

My own thinking would be to have a computer solely for running FSX and any other software which *must* run on the FSX computer. I'd build a custom version of the OS, removing all services and components that are unneeded, and really trim the running set. I'd dedicate every available CPU cycle to FSX. Any add-ons that will run over a network via WideFS would be on another PC, perhaps more. That's basically what I'm about to do over the next few months, actually.

I personally love computers - they're my hobby and my day job - but I totally agree, it's just way too much of a hassle trying to build a system that runs FSX well. It shouldn't have to be a dark art. But then if it wasn't, we wouldn't all need to hang out here, would we?

[notgotaclue]

Hi,
When I say "quite happily", I get mid 20's most of the time, this will drop to high teens using Uk2000 and aerosoft airports and single digits on major airports such as heathrow.
This is with sliders set at about a third.
I have been quite happy running FSX on this system but now I am taking my build serious I want to get a smoother performance and be able to move the sliders as near to the right as possible.
I shall probably purchase this rig after a few more days of research - unless you can advise me on any thing I have missed.

I have read that ATI cards do not render clouds very well, and to go with Nvidia, but I chose ATI so I can use Eyefinity and use three screens for my forward view. Does Nvidia support triple monitor setup similar to Eyefinity As I dont want to go the TH2GO route as I have heard bad things about maximum resolutions.
I am also planning on using three 50" LCD tv,s for the views.
Dont want much do I
Allan

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi Allan
If you are going to use 3 LCD tv's then these will limit your max resolution to 1920x1080 per TV as this is "full HD", TV's can't accept any higher resolution. A TV will never have as sharp an image as a PC monitor because of the circuitry involved. This HD resolution is what limits TH2GO which can handle greater resolutions if you have the right hardware.(make sure your graphics cards are compatible with TH2GO before you buy them check the website comparison table). Similarly using 3 separate TV's with each connected to a single graphics card output is system killer. FSX/ windows does not like multiple windows on multiple graphics card outputs, whereas multiple undocked windows going to 1 graphics card output is OK. Check around the forums and I believe you'll find the best graphics solution regardless of hardware is the TH2GO using 1 graphics card output for the best possible external view with smoothest/best frame rates.
I use 2 LG 42" HD tv's for my 767 outside view via TH2GO (set at 3840X1080) and whilst the view is good it is nowhere near as sharp as on a PC monitor
kind regards
geoff
PS where are you in Wales, I'm down in Aberdare

[notgotaclue]

Hi,
I live in Newport.
I am getting a headache trying to pin down my choice
Would using the th2go with 3 tvs be doable - or would i be better off using 3 projectors?
Dont really want to use 2 screens as the runway is obscured on landing.
I am going round in circles, but it is such a large amount i want to get it right.
Allan

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi Allan
Yes TH2GO will drive 3 TV's or 3 projectors. Tv's will be brighter images than projectors but 3 projectors has the possibility of having a curved "wrap around" screen to give the best immersive display by having the scenery going past the side windows in correct synchronisation with the front windows.
Although I currently have 2 TVs I am planning to switch to projectors to have the 180-220 degree display. Although the images are not as bright as TV's I believe the more realistic display with the side windows will give a more satisfying experience. Also you won't see the TV frames when you angle your head too high or too low as the projected image can fill the walls aroung you. Once I get my shell around my cockpit and cut out external light I think the pprojectors will be excellent. The projectors are more expensive than the TV's especially as large screen HD TV's are falling in price at the moment and of course there's a lot of heat generated by 3 projectors to consider, as well as a room with sufficient area for your projector screens and how to build a curved screen. A lot to consider! See picture of what 2 TV's looks like
I'm only 30 miles from you if you want to visit, I've got a large woodworking workshop and better still a CNC machine that does 900x700x150mm if you need any work done.
kind regards
geoff

day view.jpg

[notgotaclue]

Hi Geoff,
I think I am over analysing things, I tend to do that....
I have been 6 months deciding on my visual and system and it has now come to crunch time as my pit is almost complete.
I dont think I have the space for a wrap around visuals - about 9 foot wide, by 15 foot long, by 7 foot high -hence the 3 tv's.
I am now maybe buying the hardware setup I posted earlier, along with a TH2GO and 3 50" Tv's. Although that will no doubt change in an hours time.
I want to get it right as I have spent almost a year building my pit and dont want to let it down with 2nd class visuals, but I am totally out of my knowledge comfort zone when it comes to 'puters.
Allan
P.S. Forgot to thank you for your kind offer, I now have all the panels and work complete on the interior but thanks anyway.

[Neil Hewitt]

Just to come back to the earlier point about nVidia - no, they don't offer an EyeFinity equivalent on a single GPU. They have something called nVidia Surround which supports many displays but you need two cards in SLI as a minimum as no nVidia card can drive more than two monitors. Though they do still have a couple of GX2 cards which are basically two graphics cards in SLI packaged into a single container that takes only one slot, and those can have up to four outputs. They tend to be expensive, though. AMD is definitely the better choice for self-contained cards.

EyeFinity does, BTW, support span mode - making all three displays appear to be a single surface to Windows. This avoids the multi-monitor problem with DirectX. AFAIK that would give you all the benefits of TH2GO without the need for the extra hardware.

Depending on how complex you want to get you could look at a rear-projected system using mirrors to fold the beams so you can get the throw length even in a small space. It's not un-complicated, though

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi Allan
once you buy the TH2GO you can always change to projectors in the future, hopefully they'll get cheaper. Make sure you buy the DIGITAL version of the TH2Go go here....

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/pr...ctTabs=1#specs

as it has greater resolution, also make sure your graphics card(s) are compatible before you buy I made this mistake and ended up buying another graphics card go here....

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/su...atibility/gxm/

regards
geoff

[notgotaclue]

Depending on how complex you want to get you could look at a rear-projected system using mirrors to fold the beams so you can get the throw length even in a small space. It's not un-complicated, though

Me and complicated do not get on very well.
Allan.

[notgotaclue]

Geoff,
Are there any advantages to using a TH2GO rather than Eyefinity? If I am buying a new rig I may as well go down the Eyefinity route, whatdayareckon?
Will eyefinity be able to handle 3 large screen tvs' or would that be the advantage of TH2GO?
Allan.
PS. I seem to be asking a load of dumb questions, but when the total outlay is close to 3 grand then I think a few dumb questions need to be asked....