Span or TH2G, FSXpand etc

Hi All

Ok let me first say that i have read about TH2G and Spanning. Has anyone done both? I am busy with my half cockpit (Captain side) and overhead etc... However, i am toying with my forward views. I have a 17" CRT for my center ECAS and standby guages and a 19" LCD for my PFD and ND. I then have a 23" LCD for forward view. So the question is, I can't really afford a TH2G at this stage with the other cockpit stuff on the cards so the question is: do i buy another 23" and Span or NOT? I don't want to stretchhhhhhhhhhhhh the forward view - i want to INCREASE my field of view. i.e. If am at a gate and pushback and as i turn will any planes i see also at gates be stretchedddddddddd or will my FOV be wider? In retrospect i should have just bought a projector but i wasn't planning to build a bigger cockpit when i got the 23" monitor.

ALSO - I am planning on using FSXpand for instruments - am i able to save a scenario i.e. cold and dark and switch off - i.e. nothing on the PFD/ND/EICAS etc. Then, when going through the procedure of startup will the instruments "appear" where they SHOULD be? Do i need to save a scenario? Is it possible to start any flight via flight planner etc and select the 737 for example and have the guages where they should be?

Thanks in advance. Yeah, i have asked LOTS of questions but I would rather ask the same thing 2000 times than waste $2000 :)

Thanks in advance.

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Originally Posted by shearder

Hi All

Ok let me first say that i have read about TH2G and Spanning. Has anyone done both? I am busy with my half cockpit (Captain side) and overhead etc... However, i am toying with my forward views. I have a 17" CRT for my center ECAS and standby guages and a 19" LCD for my PFD and ND. I then have a 23" LCD for forward view. So the question is, I can't really afford a TH2G at this stage with the other cockpit stuff on the cards so the question is: do i buy another 23" and Span or NOT? I don't want to stretchhhhhhhhhhhhh the forward view - i want to INCREASE my field of view. i.e. If am at a gate and pushback and as i turn will any planes i see also at gates be stretchedddddddddd or will my FOV be wider? In retrospect i should have just bought a projector but i wasn't planning to build a bigger cockpit when i got the 23" monitor.

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Spanning with 2 monitors is more of a performance hit than if you use a TH2G. On my system I got 5 fps less with spanning than with the TH2G. So, it really depends on your computer, FS graphic settings and what you deemed to be acceptable frame rates. If memory serves me I think my framerate dropped by 30-40% when I added the 2nd monitor. With the 2 monitors you will have a wider FOV. Definitely worth it to have the 2 monitors (and it's awesome with 3). You should try and borrow a monitor and try spanning first to see if the performance is acceptable.

Regards,
Henry

I tried spanning with the 19" and 23" just after i got it but I could not get a good idea of the effect because of the limitations of resolution the 19" was forcing in the mix - best vertical res. was 1024 si it appeared stretched to me. So i guess if i go for the other 23" i need to get it now before they run out of stock and then stock changes and i can't get the exact same monitor!!

The only time i really noticed some performance loss was undocking and running in windowed mode i.e. FMC and GPS on the 19" and front view on 23" - as you mentioned i dropped around 20%. I only have a GTX250 because FS(x) primarily uses CPU power - i have a Quad 2.83GHZ Intel CPU. However, I also have an INTEL MB - it SUCKS!! I need something more flexible - and to think i paid 2x the price for this than i would have for a more flexible option!! But anyways - it IS the LAST Intel board i EVER buy!! It is also the slowest startup of ANY machine i have or have seen. I have an old AMD XP2600 with 512MB Ram that starts up like lightning - kicks this QUAD core butt BIG time!

With your cpu and graphic card you should have no problems with spanning the 2 monitors for your outside view. I take it you also have a 2nd graphic card for additional monitors for your instruments? I only use ASUS MB's and have never had a problem with them. You don't really need an identical monitor, just as long as they are the same size and resolution. I use 3 different 22" with no problems.

Regards,
Henry

I was just thinking the same 23" so they stand the same height etc etc...

No, i have one graphics card with 2xDVI + 1xHDMI ports in my PC but have 2 other complete machines with graphics cards and screens - the 17" CRT on one (XP1600+) and the 19" LCD on the other (XP2600+). I have a forth PC/Server with SCSI drives etc - not new at all - it is a COMPAQ but i haven't gathered the courage to battle with that one LOL...