Hi everyone! My first post here, and I'm glad I found this forum.Anyways, I'm building my first 'multi-sim' cockpit, and I'm planning on using a TV w/fresnel lense for my outside view, and I have an old 15" monitor I'd like to use for the instrument display, for now. Unfortunately, the 15" monitor is not being cooperative.I'm running a P4 2.8Ghz system with 512M RAM. My main video card is an ATI all-in-wonder 9600, which can either support 2 monitors, or a single TV. I tried running my Gateway VX700 17" monitor with the older "Manufactured for Kanaka model #FM370" 15" monitor (built OCT 1993) but the 15" one will only display the initial loading screens (The ones that look like DOS during start-up) then goes blank for any WinXP screen. I tried all sorts of display settings solutions, swapping the VGA1 or 2 plugs that the montrs are plugged into, but the only way to get the 15" one to work is to be the only one plugged in. Then it will run off either the VGA1 ot 2 plug.So, I figured I will need a 2nd video card anyways, so I got an ATI 7000 PCI, and thought I would try the 17" on the AIW9600 card, and the 15" on the 7000, but it still behaves the same. (Although I haven't tried it by itself this time.)Is it possible this monitor is (dare I say it to sound foolish?) not WinXP compatible, or something of that sort? It was used formerly in Win3.0 and perhaps even the next version, then into storage. I've tried internet searches on the model number and Kanaka to no avail. It would be nice to figure this out and save $100 if possible!Thx in advance for any help anyone can give. I'll check back later.

Did you enable the monitor in the display settings? Right click on the desktop - do you see two monitors there where one is inactive? You need to "(x) Extend my windows desktop to this monitor" to make it work.//Tuomas

I also had a very similar problem using very old CTX flat panel monitors, coincidentaly with am ATI 7000 PCI, for my FreeFD displays. Like yours, they would show the boot screens but not anything else. What I had to do was use a newer monitor to get to the set-up properties and change them to 640x480 and 75MHz, it seemed the cards were defaulting to 60MHz. When I moved the slider for resolution it only went down to 800x600 but by clicking on the advanced tab then the monitor tab I could use the drop down menu to list all modes and selected the 640x480 from there. If your monitor is as old as you say it is very possible that it was only ever made to work with VGA resolutions and not anything else. After setting this I swapped the newer monitor for the older ones and hey presto, I now have four 10.4 inch TFT for the PFD, ND, ECAS and Stand-by instruments. It would also be worthwhile going to ATI website and downloading the latest version of the CATALYST driver package.Hope this helpsSimonSlowely putting together a generic twin jet desktop.

Yep, tried that. I also went through the whole Help troubleshooting.Thx

Hey! That sounds promising. I'll give it a try first chance I get. Thx!

Yes! Porcupine, you did it! The key was actually the refresh had to be at 75 mhz. Once I set that, I was even able to go 1024x768x32. It took a while to get the windows how I needed them (Panel on 15", cocpit outside view on 17") but once that was figured out, I had my first multi-monitor flight. Thanks, porcupine!Now, hopefully my 31"x41" fresnel lense gamble will pay off, (That should arrive tomorrow) and I only need the appropriate TV, and a little more construction and paint....

Glad to be of help to someone. Can't wait to see a picture of your big fresnal setup wprking. I had similar thoughts for myself but decided against it for space reasons. Good luck

I actually just got the lense yesterday, and now have my next hurdle. To get rid of distortion at the edges of the lense, it seems it must be curved in at all corners a bit. I noticed this in the pics of smaller ones made for TVs and monitors. So I have to engineer some sort of mount in which I can make the appropriate adjustments.My sim should wind up just over 3 feet wide, and about 9 feet long, probably less, including the TV which will be out front. Of course this precludes the wife having 2nd thoughts about what I received permission for in 'my' office. Time to just stick a lock on the door....If she does shoot this down, at least I have a mighty weapon to melt and burn her stuff with! :-lol Pray for me...