Ti4600 Dual Video Configuration Help

[jordanal 70]

OK, I took the plunge this week and obtained a second monitor for my recently acquired Winfast Ti4600. BTW, this card absolutly rocks and I got it for ~ $250 at my regular spot (newegg.com). Anyway, back to the issue at hand. My initial config was with the Nvidia 40.41 beta drivers, 1280x1024/32, 4xS AA, Texture enhancement, 8xAF, High Image Quality, FS2K2 maxed except for view distance ~ 60mi, 100% ATC w/all official PAI traffic as of today, FSMeteo-5.2, PIC767 w/Poskey, and FSNav, all look smooth with no stutters at ~ 25fps on my homebuilt AMD2100 w/512mb in both full screen and window modes.Now then, I added a second Viewsonic monitor to the DVI connector on the same Ti4600, WinXp detected the new monitor flawlessly as did Nvidia with the NView config wizard. From a desktop perspective, the dual video works great with Nview keeping windows and popup menus straight on each monitor.I mirrored the Direct 3D settings in the Nvidia driver (previously stated above) from the Primary display to the second display and began to check the Hardware tab in FS2k2. The first thing I noticed, there were now three "Full Screen" devices listed; "Primary Display", "Ti4600 Display 1" & "Ti4600 Display 2". From what I've read here, you can only have one D3D full screen display. :( I have the full screen device set to Ti4600 Display 1.Anyway, when I open and undock a second view window onto the second monitor, the fps takes a massive nose-dive ( ~ 1 to 2 fps) and the size of the second view window on the second monitor doesn't appear to make a difference. If I only open up some subpanels (i.e. GPS, Throttle Quad, etc..)onto the second monitor, the fps return to near normal with little or no stutters. I disabled all ATC traffic with no increase in fps. Any advice for successfully configuring second monitors and multiple view windows would be greatly appreciated. BTW, I also had the same results with the 30.82 driver last night. Thanks for any help,AL

[Guest wkzzo]

Al , I run a dual monitor config also with a ti 4600, and you can only undock and run 2d windows on the second monitor. There simply is not enough video ram to support 2 3d windows at once. If you want to run multiple 3d view windows you will have to use multiple computers and run special software from this site http://www.schiratti.com/index.html

[jordanal 70]

Hmmm, I was affraid of that. What makes me curious is an article yesterday on AVSIM's front page, that some company is now selling a FSim system (~$6000)with the three LCD displays from what appears to be a single Matrox card with 128Mb ram with an outside view of the aircraft spread across the monitors. That made me think it should somehow be possible. Perhaps they lowered all the display sliders to some rediculisly low settings. I'm aware of WideFS, but I was trying to take advantage of the second DVI/SVGA port.AL

[Guest]

Hello Jordan: Why do you say you cannot take advantage of the second display? I have four displays right now. For example, with the PSS Airbus I have the main panel (I modified it myself to just have the PFD & ND, autopilot & gear panel) and outside view (which is quite big by the way) in my main monitor. On the second one I have the ECAM screens, the MCDU and the standby gauges. On the third one (on top of these two) I have the overhead in another one on top of these two, and in a flat panel beside me I have the pedestal. In this way I have everything in the same place as the real plane, so I can go through scans and checklists correctly, and without the need to open and close windows. I stated my setup, just to give you some ideas. I also run the Dreamfleet 737, and other addons in a simlar manner. I didn

[jordanal 70]

Hi Jaime, your rig looks cool with all the panels and monitors. As I stated earlier, I too am able to keep up the fps w/no stutters when I only place panels on the other monitor; but what happens to your rig when you place another "View" on another monitor? I.e. Spot, cockpit, VC-cockpit or tower view in an undocked window? Fps dive to 1 ~ 2 fps? BTW, I just took a second look at Matrox's Peranha 512 card. It appears that it's a specially designed card for muilitple 3D channels and RAMDAC chipsets. Newegg.com has it for ~ $355. I just thought our DVI/second SVGA port would have performed better.AL

[Guest Tim_mx]

Same thing happens with the Matrox Parhelia as with TI4600 if you put a undocked 3D window in FS2002 to another monitor. For 3 monitor gaming resolution is changed to 1920x480 and this is then stretched across 3 monitors. It is possible to use higher resolutions but due to restrictions in the version of DirectX in FS2002 1920x480 is the highest.

[Sarge27 0]

I also have a Ti4600 running a 21" and found much better results by just installing a 16 meg PCI card to run my 17" monitor. The panels don't seem to take a lot of video power to run, and the 4600 runs the outside views with fluidity. With a better PCI card, you could probably run that second view with no problem.Mark

[jordanal 70]

Thanks Mark, very interetsing approach. Were you running the 21" in "full screen" mode with no "3d view" windows on the 17" monitor, correct?AL

[Guest B52Drivr]

Hi All,I too have the Ti4600 which powers my 21inch Gold Star for the main panel, I also run a 16 meg additional card for my FS Nav on a 15" monitor, and then the second port on the4600 to run the additional panels on a third 15" monitor.Love the additional screens and have no problems like it is, however, when I put the FS Nav on the 4600 second port, I took a massive FR hit and had the stutters every time the FSN plane moved......swithching it to the other card solved the problem.Would love to have the Maxtor Parhelia 6 grand setup, however my expenditures on FS have just about reached their limit......with the PFC yoke and controls and all the monitors and just upgrading my CPU to a 1.8 P4, overclocked to 2.4......I can't justify spending another dime on the system to my wife.......unless I sell a horse or two...LOLGuess I love my nags too much. .Best to allClayton T. DopkeMajor, USAF (retired)"Drac"B52Drivr@aol.com

[Guest]

Hi Jordanal,I have Ti4600 and I run 2 3D views with 3D acceleration without problems. Go to advanced options of nvidia driver and find page showing two monitors with bridge picture. There just select horizontal span an hit apply. Now if you go to display properties you will see one large monitor, actually windows now see your two monitors as one large.Start FS2002 and switch to window mode, adjust window to fit 1st monitor. Open new 3D view in FS2002, drag that view to 2nd monitor and adjust size to fit screen. Don't try to run 3d view across two monitors because it won't work.I also have 3rd monitor connected to second computer and 3rd view using wideview. I can just imagine how would be with 3 LCD monitors :)Hope it helps.Petar

[jordanal 70]

Petar, thanks for the reply. This is exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. I have one delema now. When I started this thread I was using the 40.41 driver and I remember the bridge pictures you're refering to. Unfortunitly, I've since progressed to the 40.71 drivers and now I can't find the darn bidge pictures. Have you by chance upgraded to 40.71's yet? If so, does the spanning still work? If I have to, I'll drop back to the 40.41's just to check this out.AL :-beerchug

[Guest]

I am using 40.41's, haven't tried new 40.71.

[Guest]

I was just going to post a thread on this when I saw this one.I can't find the picture of the bridge either although I'm sure I have seen it. I'm using the 40.41 drivers under Win XP. In addition, I can't find the reference to "Horizontal Span" in Display Properties...Advanced - where is it exactly.I thought the GeForce 4s had Dual Ramdacs enabling them to display 3D on both screens. Can anyone shed some light on this?Another point on the drivers: I have a dual boot system Win XP/Win 98. In Win 98 I can clone the primary display and display it on the second monitor. I don't have this option in Win XP. Anyone know why?CheersRobbie:-sun1

[Guest]

Hi Robbie,Maybe this screenshots will help you...

[Guest]

Hi PierreThanks very much for the screen shots. Yes, they do help alot.Could you help with the following, please cos it's starting to do my head in! *:-*What OS and which drivers are you using? I'm currently running Win XP and using the 30.82 drivers.Although I have downloaded both the 40.41 and 40.71 drivers, I can't seem to get the "Display Properties...Advanced...GeForce4 Ti 4600" tab to work consistently with either. It just gives me a "Run a DLL Appl failed" message. Any ideas why? Maybe I haven't installed the drivers correctly??? :-dohOn the odd occasion that I have been able to access the Advanced...GeForce4 Ti 4600 tab using the 40.41s I don't get the "horizontal span" nor the "vertical span" radio buttons and I don't get the picture of the bridge either.Any help much appreciatedCheersRobbie:-vuur