Would the DELL 30" beat Triplehead2Go for immersion ?

[JSACKS 0]

The DELL 30" LCD looks amazing--if you have the video card for it. I am wondering, would you prefer a giant monitor like that or 3x19" LCDs with the Matrox Triplehead2go ? JS

[Manny 1,293]

Good Q. I'd like to know the answer to that too.I currently have a 24" widescreen and a Monitor Enlarger (Its not really a Frensel lens) I am thinking of dumping it for three 20" monitors + Triplehead and 3 frensel lens.One issue I have with the 30" is, it consumes both video out from the Video card. To add a second monitor (I have a touch screen for GPS etc), I would need another video card. Which may not be a big deal. But I think its worth mentioning.Manny

[JSACKS 0]

Another issue is: would you have to sit farther back with a 30" screen and if so, would this reduce the immersion factor?Don't forget with Triplehead, the max res is only 1280x1024 so if you get 20" LCD,s make sure the native res is not 1600x1200 which it typically is. I was mighty impressed by the Triplehead setup of 3x19" Samsung LCDs at AVSIM 2006 where I flew the LDS 767. Wow, that was so...EXCITING ! Far more exciting than anything in FSX for me personally. JS

[Magic Man 2]

The Dell 30" is a higher native resolution than that of the TH2Go, i.e. requires your system to push even more pixels.It requires dual link video for DVI I believe, not sure if this is also so for analogue. If it does need to use both outputs then that also means that SLI wouldn't work with it.Using three 20" monitors on a TH2Go setup would means that they would scale the 1280x1024 image upto their native resolution (e.g. 1600x1200) which may introduce bluriness.Don't think you could beat the immersiveness of the TH2Go really since you can angle the outer screens in around your view, can't do that with a single panel.

[oqvist 11]

Would be a Emagin Z800... Or rather the update since Z800 won

[JSACKS 0]

I am ambivalent about the physical borders of 3 monitors. They are extremely noticeable when in SPOT view and the aircraft is spread across 3 screens, for e.g.. Strangely, however, the monitor edges are less noticeable in 3-D view and when flying at night over a brightly lit city, the edges become less perceptible.I wondered whether a vast 30" monitor might enable one to have "peripheral" vision by virtue of an enormous field of view at extremely high resolution; but against that is the fact that it is one single monitor and it lacks the "wrap-around" effect of three monitors that can be physically angled to surround you to some extent. What do you think ?What is the cost differential: a single 30" monitor is now about $1700 from DELL. If you do triplehead, say $300 for MATROX plus $250 for each monitor makes $750, so the total is $1,050. A fairly hefty diff. Plus for folks like me, I have to change my lovely X850 XT PE card so that's at least another $250 for a higher end nVidia or ATI card. So, none of this is cheap!JS

[JSACKS 0]

Sorry, I missed the Fresnel lens bit: how exactly does it eliminate monitor edges or borders? JS

[Manny 1,293]

The freznel lens...not only enlarges the 19" monitors... it gives depth perception. (almost 3D like). You can see into infinity. Its hard to explain.http://www.bugeyetech.com/avsim_files/bfse.htmlhttp://www.rickleephoto.com/rlcoll.htmBy adjusting the position of the frensel lens... you maybe able to remove the bezels. The plastic fresnel lens are faily cheap. Except... Like Par was saying, you have to be a good handy man to build a contraption to frame it such a way that it is also flexible, where we can make minor adjustments. Depending on where you are sitting.The issue with Bugeye is.they don't put any pricing information....(Its probably expensive. They are too ashamed to put the price out, it looks like). so we are left with DIY.Manny

[JSACKS 0]

Wow, great post, thanks!I tried Bugeye at AVSIM Denver in '04 and was not impressed. The res was pretty poor, I think, 800x600 and the contraption was not well mounted either. But maybe at 1280x1024, it could be improved dramatically, especially if one has 3x19" LCDs positioned correctly for the neck and head. Your pic looks superb! JS

[oqvist 11]

If you are curious about fresnel lenses just get a cheap one. I got the 550 something from 3dlens.com?Doesn