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Guest MartinMc

FS2004 Multiple screens

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Guest MartinMc

Hiya,I've just setup a flightsim pc running 3 * 8800 GTS graphics cards to give me 3 views (3 monitors). This all worked fine and I have a lovely 180 degree wraparound display.The problem I'm having is that I am getting flashes on the screens, these are black or white flashes as the tile's load (I assume it's the tiles as they are smallish and only very briefly, but still very noticeable). They are at varying distances from the airplane from very close to far away, and I can't seem to get rid of them. They only appear in flight so must be to do with loading scenery.I'm pretty sure it's not a pc spec problem, here's the spec:Intel Core 2 Duo 3.33 GHz2 Gb kingston hyper x ramXFX Nvidia 790 Ultra Motherboard3 * Gb Nvidia 8800GTS 5121000 Watt Power SupplyI've tried changing the following settings in the cfg file:-TERRAIN_USE_VECTOR_MAP=0[DISPLAY]UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=40 (Have tried as low as 15)TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=800TextureMaxLoad=30[TERRAIN]TERRAIN_ERROR_FACTOR=70.000000TERRAIN_MIN_DEM_AREA=10.000000TERRAIN_MAX_DEM_AREA=100.000000TERRAIN_MAX_VERTEX_LEVEL=21TERRAIN_TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=8TERRAIN_AUTOGEN_DENSITY=2TERRAIN_USE_GRADIENT_MAP=1TERRAIN_EXTENDED_TEXTURES=1TERRAIN_DEFAULT_RADIUS=9.500000TERRAIN_EXTENDED_RADIUS=4.500000TERRAIN_EXTENDED_LEVELS=3I've tried taking out the autogen scenery xml from the Autogen directory.I've got the visibility set to 20 nm.I've tried going back to a complete fresh install of flightsim too.If I go back to 1 view I have no problems at all with the textures flashing, they do load obviously and swap detail levels as they get closer but without the black (or white) flash.Any ideas would be greatly appreciated,Regards,Martin

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Hello Martin,First thing is that your TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=800is very high. Although every system is different and therefore responds differently to settings, I'll post mine for you to try.UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=22TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=55[TERRAIN]TERRAIN_ERROR_FACTOR=100.000000TERRAIN_MIN_DEM_AREA=10.000000TERRAIN_MAX_DEM_AREA=100.000000TERRAIN_MAX_VERTEX_LEVEL=21TERRAIN_TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=8TERRAIN_AUTOGEN_DENSITY=5TERRAIN_USE_GRADIENT_MAP=1TERRAIN_EXTENDED_TEXTURES=1TERRAIN_DEFAULT_RADIUS=4TERRAIN_EXTENDED_RADIUS=4TERRAIN_EXTENDED_LEVELS=4People will often advise higher than 4 for the last 3 settings posted above. Joachim Buhre did extensive testing on this and showed that 4 is the maximum value for both parameters.(more info here: http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...30282&mode=full the links to the PDF by Joachim were posted by scott967)My own experience is that one gets sharper and crisper textures by keeping the Texture_Bandwith_Mult at 50 to more or less 70. I started at 40 and incremented by 5 untill the stutters were gone.This is on a:Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 running at 3.7 GHz4 Gb ramAsus Striker Extreme 680i motherboardUsed to have 2 x 7900GTX's in SLI. Now I'm using a ATI HD4870. I did not have to change the fs9 settings between these cards.Regards,Gerhard


Regards,

Gerhard

 

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things" (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

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Even if I am not able to help you solving your problem, I would really like to see how your installation looks like, with 3 monitors. Would you be OK to upload a picture of your triple-monitor setup?BTW, I didn't know you could put 3 graphic cards on the same motherboard. I guess it is a recent one...Eric

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Martin- (the following pertains to FS9- I'm not familiar with FSX)I'm running triple monitors/views on an AMD 1.8 with 2 GeForceFX5200 cards. I can experience flashes on occasion. The cure seems to be to reduce the vertical height of the view that's flashing.In Panel Config there is a line- VIEW_FORWARD_LEFT(right)_DIR=x,y,zThe x value determines the view height. I can't prove it but I suspect the flashes may occur if the view height is dragged to a different height than set in panel config.Random flashes also seem to have some connection to the position of the mouse cursor on a secondary monitor. Always return the focus/cursor to main monitor after clicking something on a secondary.Any reason you are using 3 video cards? You might try driving 2 monitors with the dual ports on main card. 2 cards only, works well here.Are you adjusting for Bezel widths via Panel Config- so as to keep the 3 horizons synched in roll and pitch?Finally a small point- Each view in FS is a wedge only 45

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Eric- I'm driving two monitors from my AGP card and a third from a PCI card. If your video card has 2 ports, connect an old mon there, then in Control Panel/display/settings, drag the schematic monitor outline to represent its true position relative to main mon, then set resolution and tick the box- "Extend my Desktop----". Bingo your computer thinks it has a twice as wide monitor!(see screen shot in my reply above)Alex Reid

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Guest MartinMc

Hiya,Thanks for the advice, I've tried changing the settings and that didn't make any difference.I've also tried before as suggested using 2 graphics cards (one duel). These being a 9800 GX2 and a normal 9800. This had the same problems.As for a photo of the monitors, I normally run using a 3 projector system giving full 180 degree visuals. It really adds a lot being able to show true 180 degree but for the moment I'll have to go back to TH2G for reliability which only gives me 120 degrees.I also have some problems with the pc crashing (blue screen) that seems to be nvidea driver related. I'm really tempted to try the ATI cards now as nvidea seem to have gone downhill fast with their drivers.I'm away for a week now but I will commence banging my head against the nvidea/flight sim wall when I get back.I'll post any findings I make, it's rather frustrating to say the least as it does look like other people have got 3-view 180 degree visuals going.Thanks again everyone for your continued input on this subject.Regards,Martin

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Guest MartinMc

The cooling is good, the cards arn't overheating. Besides I'd have thought if it was a heating issue the problems would show themselves after a while running the pc. The issues I'm having are from first cold startup.Regards,Martin

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Guest MartinMc

It's a brand new top of the line motherboard. The thing looks really impressive, now if only I can get the flashing tile problem fixed.I wish I could get a screenshot of a tile flashing but it's a fraction of a second and near impossible to predict when it will happen.

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Guest MartinMc

As I mentioned in a reply above, I've tried using 2 graphics cards with one of them being duel. I got exactly the same problem.I havn't had a chance to try out what you said about the window sizes but I will try that when I get back in about a week.And yes, 3 views is definately the way to go. Having actual 180 degree visuals is amazing, being able to spot the runway when you turn into land is a huge help.Regards,Martin

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hi thereI run three monitors using 1 8800gts and 1 fx5200 pci card and had all sorts of problems when I first added the pci card. It was a driver problem, basically nview seemed to really dislike having a 2nd card added to an existing install.Eventually I removed the 2nd card, uninstalled the nvidia drivers, added the 2nd card again and then reinstalled the nvidia drivers from scratch so it picked up both cards simultaneously. This has resolved all my problems.I run with a single 22" exterior view and 2 15" monitors behind my instrument panel - generally the AWX Kingair or PMDG 744, depending on the mood - both work fine on the triple monitor setup..Hope you suss it outJames

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