Hi everyone, I posted this in cockpit builders but maybe its more well placed here ----I've done quite a bit of homework on this subject, but I cant quite get a conclusive idea of what I should pursue.I have a XP2800 processor, and 512MB DDR RAM. What I ideally want is 3 monitors -- one center, one center-left and one center-right. I'd also like to run a smaller monitor for main instruments.Isn't this possible with FS9's ability to simply undock a window and drag it to the appropriate monitor? I hear from some that usually this hits framerate too much and is unusable.I also hear from some that have a Matrox Parhelia that this is quite possible. But I don't hear much from those who have tried it with non-Parhelia cards.Any opinions?Thanks!Jack

The Matrox will give you dual monitor capability, however at some cost in performance.Running 3 or 4 monitors as you suggested will take more than one computer running on a network. FSWideView and Project Magenta are programs that allow for mutiple viewing plus multiple displays. But one computer alone will not give you what you want.MikeP4 2.4C @3.44 285FSBAsus P4C800 Deluxe1gb Corsair XMS PC3500 Asus V9950 FX5900 Ultra 256mb 500/950SB Audigy2 Platinum ExWatercooled baby!!!Pics: http://community.webshots.com/user/chksix2002

Sorry but your're wrong, the Parhelia will give you triple monitor capability, not dual.The performance will be around 15-20Fps with a fast PC wich is ok.I'm running it with a Duron 1Ghz and sill get 10-15FPS on the ground and +20 in the air.Best regards,Pedro

Ok so I was wrong, it was 3 and not 2. The performance is also sub par for a card costing that much (250-400) brand new when matched against anything from either Nvidia or Ati at equal price... Can each display show something differently in the flight sim? Or is it 3 monitor all showing the same scene? In that case (the latter), it wouldn't be a good contender for a person wanting to build a home cockpit who wants multiple visuals, ie: outside world + hsi + fmc for instance. All top of the line home cockpit builders network computers together using FSWide and Project Magenta to get the 'complete' package of visuals, from instrument displays to multiple outside views.Mike P4 2.4C @3.44 285FSBAsus P4C800 Deluxe1gb Corsair XMS PC3500 Asus V9950 FX5900 Ultra 256mb 500/950SB Audigy2 Platinum ExWatercooled baby!!!Pics: http://community.webshots.com/user/chksix2002

Hey guys,What you could do, and what I do for my dual-monitor, one-computer setup is use a dual head AGP video card, I use a Radeon 9500. It has a standard VGA output and a DVI output. The one that I bought came with a DVI - VGA converter, so I can plug in my old moniter with no problems at all. I can take the undock function of FS9 and move what ever window I want to the other monitor. In your case, with three monitors, you could buy a PCI video card, install the drivers, and using the windows display properties box, extend your windows desktop to that third monitor. That would work with no problems at all. I would have not idea what the performace of a one computer, three display system could be, but you can let windows handle the three displays. For my system, I like to put the radios and moving map GPS on the secondary monitor. Honestly, this really does not cause a big frame rate hit. Having 2 screens in full 3D mode probably would cause a hit in performace. I have never tried with my system to do that.Take care,-CJ