Multiple screens set up, could use some advice

[Vincent Twisker]

Hi all,

I figured this to be the place where people have most experience with multiple screens set ups. Because I definitely could use some advice:

I recently bought a new desktop because my CPU fan failed (good excuse?):

MOBO ASUS Z170-E

RAM 16GB

CPU i6700k 4MHz with LIQMAXII 120S cooler

GPU GTX 1080 (3 display ports, 1 HDMI and 1 DVI output)

I'm experimenting to get a "3 screens set up" to work within FSX SE for the FSL A320 VC

At the moment my idea is to use 2 screens in surround mode for the MIP. The 3rd screen on top for the visual (maybe to be replaced by a short throw projector in the future, so I could use my 3rd screen as overhead panel, basically running 4 screens in that case)

 

My questions:

1. Is there any point in putting my old GTX 660ti on the same MOBO next to the GTX 1080 without out using SLI (or with SLI if that is even possible?). Should my Cooler Master B700 be able to cope, or do I need to upgrade the power unit first.

2. What are the chances that just replacing the busted CPU fan would bring back to life my old desktop? I imagined the CPU would be toast immediately because it was an OCed i7 920.

3. Should I just get the old desktop fixed/upgraded with a new MOBO, CPU+cooler and set up a network using the old GTX660ti?

4. Would that require buying another FSLA320 serial?

5. Should I invest in a Matrox Triplehead2go digital?

6. If I run my 3 screens of my GTX 1080, should I enable "3 screens surround mode", "2 screens surround mode" with an additional screen or just no surround mode at all? I guess there will be performance (FPS/VAS) consequences depending on this decision.

At the moment I'm just doing some experiments, but I would very much appreciate it, if I could tap into your experience/knowledge.

Many thanks!

[Nish]

Hi,

I have a similar setup with 6700k @ stock 4.0ghz , Asus Z170, and 660ti running 4 screens without any problem. I am using 3 , 24" monitors for surround and 1 touch 24" as accessory monitor for maps and FMC etc. I am getting around 30 fps with FS labs A320x (down to about 22fps with add-on scenery and heavy weather). I intend to up grade my VGA to gtx1070 in the near future.

so I don't think you need to add the 660ti since you have the 1080.

Nishan

[Vincent Twisker]

Thanks for the reply. Nice setup! I will post a picture of my setup once everything is properly setup. Most likely I'll put my 3 32" screens in portrait and create just one big display in surround. At least that gives me sufficient vertical field of view which is essential for actually flying the aircraft. It also allows full screen mode which I really do prefer. I'm using a 7" tablet for MCDU.

[Vincent Twisker]

Hi all,

It has been a while since I have started this topic. So I thought a little update wouldn't hurt.

My current PC is still the same as above.  What has changed:

I am running 3 4K TVs in landscape in 1080 resolution each. I have given up on the NV surround mode, even with the widescreen correction, I still getting to much horizontal stretching of the view the further offcenter I look. This totally destroys the immersion. Viewgroups is the way to go...no noticeable view distortion on a 3x 58 degrees setup and hardly any blurries.

As I only wanted the outside view from the cockpit with reasonable FPS I reverted to the 2D cockpit view for this (Thanks Norman). This allows me to hear all the cockpit sounds as well.

The only downside so far is that sometimes my selected speed won't work, until I temporarily open the 2D capt main view.

For capt and FO EFIS I use 2 USB3 displays at 1600x900 resolution. For the ECAM displays I use one 1080 monitor because the USB3 displays have a very limited viewing angle, which is no problem from either capt or FO seat.

Obviously I have moved on from FSX to P3D.  So far only A320 since I am a bit nervous reading the 321 FPS issues. With this setup I think it is miracle I can run it from my current PC at all.

For the undocked displays I use a very handy little program called Panel Restore. I only have to undock the displays and then this program puts them on the right displays. If I save a specific flight I don't even have to do this.

I have quite a bit of add on airports which all have their own impact on FPS. Some bring my setup back into the teens. Usually I manage around 20. During cruise usually 30 or even higher.

I have ORBX global and LC EUR, few regions as well. Most of the time I enjoy using free downloadable photoreal scenery. Most of western Europe is available, it does take quite a while to download all the applicable tiles, but when projected on the FreeMesh it looks great. Only downside is the lack of seasons, but I prefer flying over the most accurate scenery as possible rather than flying over a fancy looking fantasy world. As my homebase is AMS, I am using the NL2000 scenery which have very high resolution and all their airports except AMS, which I use from FT.

I use Vpilot for VATSIM and my little thermal printer adds to the immersion. Unfortunately the remote MCDU on tablet is very laggy to the point of useless often. Adding a hardware MCDU requiring a VGA output would require an additiinal GPU (or networked PC)  for me, since my VGA port is already taken by my ECAM monitor.

My weather engine is AS4 with Rex4 TD and SC.

I've been doing a lot of experiments with settings to optimise performance. Eg playing around with Affinity mask and locked FPS (in-game or via NVI) with FFTF. At the moment I think I have finally reached my sweet spot. FPS unlocked works best for me. MSI afterburner seems to have been very helpful as well.

My RAM is 16GB at 2400MHz. I never see this max out.

My GPU does often sit around 90%... right where I like it to be.

My 8 cores seem to spread out the workload very nicely. Obviously always very high.

Hardware interfacing is mostly done with Leobodnar BBI cards via SpadNext. The LEDs are also controlled via SpadNext using Packled64 cards. I've built a fully functioning FCU and EFIS control panels, however without the displays, since there is no acceptable way (yet) to get the applicable data from the FSlabs 320.

Let's see what FS 2020 will bring.

Vincent

 

[Mar:kus Czie:gler]

Hi Vincent, 

 

really nice setup - thanks for sharing.

 

In addition you can see a few photos of my setup - i do it almost the same way like you described. So i fly the Airbus with 2D Panels only and use Panel Store / Restore to place all the panels in the right place - until now with Nvidia Surround instead of View Groups and with almost 30 Frames most of the time (Vsync to ON and Frames to UNLIMITED / 3 Main Monitors for Outside View set to 30Hz).

 

Actually i bought the A321 and installed everything like i did before with A319 / A320. Without using the VC i can´t say that i have more or less performance problems than before - but i have to say that my settings are quite conservative.

I rather have a smooth simulation instead of 3D Grass or Video Cameras to watch the cabin crew :-)

 

Greets from Austria,

Markus

[Vincent Twisker]

Hi Markus,

That really is an impressive flight deck you have there. Well done. I see you even have 2 more displays. Two touchscreens?

Do you have only one GPU?

What is your NV surround resolution, 5760x1080? My 3 TVs are spanning over 4m across so I have them covering almost 180 degrees of outside view. That caused too much distortion, despite the special correction in P3D.

Kind regards,

Vincent

[Mar:kus Czie:gler]

Hi Vincent again,

 

Actually i have 8 monitors running on 2x GPU (you can see them in my signature).

I have a 3x 27inch Setup for the outside view in 6040x1080 resolution (with Bezel Correction) and don´t use touchscreens at the moment - perhaps in the near future - right now i am quite happy with the simulator as it is :-)

 

Greets,

Markus

 

 

[Vincent Twisker]

Hi all,

Just to give you an update on my multiple screen set up. Yesterday I've successfully connected 2 additional 5.6" displays using "USB3 to HDMI Displaylink" adapters. These displays are intended for my future homebuilt MCDUs.

This brings my total number of displays to 8. All just with one video card on 1 PC. I was very pleased to see that the performance was not severely effected by the two additional displays. Running AS4, viewgroup on 3 TVs and 3 displays for the undocked MCDUs, PFDs, NDs and ECAM.

[Norman Blackburn]

Hi Vincent,

Do you have links to these adapters please?

[Vincent Twisker]

21 hours ago, Norman Blackburn said:

Hi Vincent,

Do you have links to these adapters please?

[Norman Blackburn]

Wow those are super cheap.  I was looking at some that do dual screen outputs but they are all showing out of stock.

[Vincent Twisker]

11 hours ago, Norman Blackburn said:

Wow those are super cheap.  I was looking at some that do dual screen outputs but they are all showing out of stock.

Indeed very cheap thanks to AliExpress. I have been considering a second graphics card or the Matrox triplehead2go. But for the purpose of displaying PFDs etc these displaylink products perform very good.

It would be great if we could undock just the screens of the MCDUs, ISIS and DCDU just like we can undock the PFD etc.

[Aviram Etz Hadar]

Hi all,

totaly new to the world of PC and flight sim, i will appreciate your advise regarding the following:

I would like to upgrade my basic set up of PC + 27” screen + joystick to a more realistic A320 (right seat) cockpit..

i was thinking on the following set up:

two 17” screens for EFIS and ECAM, one small touch screen for FCU

already ordered Thrustmaster Airbus thrust levers & stick..

27” screen for scenery

will appreciate any advise on a different set ups, and it will be very helpful if some will alaborate on which hardware and software should I by and how to set everything together..

you can also mail me at avieh8@gmail.com