Hi, this is a bit off topic but I am planning to purchase a 24" Wide screen Monitor from Dell and run FS2004/PMDG Products. Does anyone use Wide Screen Monitor or is there any disadvantage such as distortion of instrument panel. It does not happen on my current 17" Standard Monitor and I need an advice from anyone who use it. Thanks !

I've read in this forum, while researching the same question just before Christmas, that all works well in the virtual cockpit but there is distortion in the 2D cockpit. I decided to buy the ViewSonic 21.5" VP2130b with the standard (4:3) ratios based partly on this information but mostly personal preference. I'm really happy with the expanded size without the widescreen, and I never worry about distortion.. but I'm sure there's lots of widescreen advocates out there as well.

You're going to get distortion of the 2D panels for the simple reason that FS does not support anything other than 4:3 2D panels. We were hoping they'd include widescreen ratios in FSX, then we could have make bitmaps that would work with it...If you're a VC user though, the widescreen should be perfect for you provided you have the video horsepower to run high resolution.

What you can do on a wide screen monitor using 2D panels is to stretch the external view, then correctly size the main instrument panel say to the left. On the right you can fill the blank area with FMC, Throttle quadrant, coms/nav stack suitably sized. If space is an issue just display the top part of the com/nav.This way you get the exterior wide view with unstretched instrument panel and no pop up FMC's etc obscuring view or panels.Hope this is a useful alternative for the PC that finds the VC eating up FPS.Martin

I am not sure for FSX but in FS9 a wide screen image is nothing more than cut-down version of a larger 4:3 image.Just compare the same VC image in a 4:3 resolution then in a widescreen resolution. You will see the later one is the same as the 4:3 less a couple of bands at the top and bottom. In other words the wide screeen image lacks some details that were visible on the 4:3 image.Has anyone tried this with FSX? Maybe it has been improved?Christophe.

>You're going to get distortion of the 2D panels for the>simple reason that FS does not support anything other than 4:3>2D panels. We were hoping they'd include widescreen ratios in>FSX, then we could have make bitmaps that would work with>it...>>If you're a VC user though, the widescreen should be perfect>for you provided you have the video horsepower to run high>resolution.I'm using the 400F on a 22" widescreen monitor- great VC and FINALLY set up Active Camera properly- WOW. The 2d cockpit is stretched greatly- but after setting up AC correctly- I never use the 2d cockpit anymore (YAY!). Love the amount of panel available with the widescreen VC and happy with the frame rates (video card upgrade for X-Mas :)Best- Carl F. Avari-Cooper BAW0225http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/supporter.jpg

I've a laptop with 16:10 ratio too and FSX 2d panels appears the same that in fs9, but we (the simmers community) can made a BIG post and/or pool about widescreen support for the incoming FSX patch, what do you think about it?Andy

>I am not sure for FSX but in FS9 a wide screen image is>nothing more than cut-down version of a larger 4:3 image.>>Just compare the same VC image in a 4:3 resolution then in a>widescreen resolution. You will see the later one is the same>as the 4:3 less a couple of bands at the top and bottom. In>other words the wide screeen image lacks some details that>were visible on the 4:3 image.>>Has anyone tried this with FSX? Maybe it has been improved?>>Christophe.I know what you are saying..but that is erroneous. Here is why.The widescreen has a higher width in resolution. All you have to do is zoom out a little and then you have the same height as your 4:3 ratio image + some more on the both sides.Manny

Here a request to ACES Team: http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...id=382687&page=if you wish to have it implemented just...add your contribute!!Andy

>I know what you are saying..but that is erroneous. Here is>why.>>The widescreen has a higher width in resolution. All you have>to do is zoom out a little and then you have the same height>as your 4:3 ratio image + some more on the both sides.>>MannyI know what you are saying... but that is also erroneous. Here is why.The 4:3 screen has a higher height in resolution. All you have to do is zoom out a little more and then you have the same width as your widescreen image + some more on top and bottom.We could go on an on like this but things will start to appear tiny on the screen ;-)The point is that one has to compare apples with apples. Zooming out does nothing else than changing the perspective. It won't magically display more things on the both sides of a widescreen monitor. It merely makes objects look smaller to fit more on the screen.Christophe.

I have the DELL 2405 FP and love it. 2D panels look great just for their sheer size and clarity. There is mild distortion but nothing of great significance, honestly. I was concerned about this too last year but then I just dove in and bought the 2405 (now the 2407) and I have zero regrets -- none, nada.Buy it and be thrilled. DELL makes great LCDs of any size and aspect ratio.Jonathan

I also use a Dell 24inch in both fs9 and fsx at 1600X1200, re-size the flight displays in Zoom mode, 2D and all works fine. Flight instruments in panels that can not be re-sized look slight wider but over all look fine, I only fly in 2d mode. The gains of a wide screen far out weigh any distortion. percy.

Since most hard simmers use 2d cockpit, I guess the next a/c for FSXwill have the 16:10 2d panel option, would be nice, isn't it? :-)Andy