How many monitors will FSX work with?

[steve1978 0]

Hi all,This is my first post so here it goes.A friend is FSX mad and he has a PC that is capable but not very good. he wants to turn a room in to a full on flight sim, he already has all the controller gear but would like to have loads of monitors, he saw a video on youtube where a guy had 8, 5 on the bottom and 3 accross the top. He has a big budget of about £3000, this will get him a sandybridge i7, 16gb ram and 8 monitors no problems.my question is, what graphics card(s) would be capable? how many graphics cards would be needed for 8 monitors? is this even possible? if not, whats the monst you have seen?Thanks

[january 19]

It depends on whether the monitors are displaying VIEWS or PANEL components. Three separate views puts a heavy load on the CPU, while panels or instruments are less CPU hungry. In general, I think you would be doing well with four monitors powered by one computer. Beyond that, consider networked multiple processors.AR

[steve1978 0]

Wow, multiple CPUs! I was considering a dual cpu motherboard, but do you really think the FSX requires more than a top i7?? he wants it to be as if he is sat in the cockpit.

[january 19]

Wow, multiple CPUs! I was considering a dual cpu motherboard, but do you really think the FSX requires more than a top i7?? he wants it to be as if he is sat in the cockpit.

To achieve some degree of realism, you need a panoramic view that is comparable to what the human eye/brain combo sees. With a little head twisting, normal vision spans something like 200-250º. Since each FS view covers only 45º (at zero zoom) you will need to display five views- Left, Left fwd, Fwd, Right Fwd, Right. - a total of 225ºEach pair of monitor bezels occupies about 6º so the four outer views will be shfted a combined 24º to form a single 5 monitor image.That gives a combined Field of View of 245º - just what is needed for realism.THIS IS A FIXED- ALWAYS THERE VIEW AS IN REAL LIFE- NOT A VIRTUAL VIEW THAT YOU ARE CONSTANTLY PANNING AND ZOOMING.Five views puts an extreme load on the processor and I would be sceptical that a single computer could do it and achieve a consistent frame rate in heavy duty scenery, heavy weather and /or rapid aircraft manoeuvering.Hence the need for multiple networked processors.Do some googling research on multi monitor systems. AR

[vgbaron 2,367]

Every system I've seen with that many monitors ran on multiple cpu's. I think you would have a slideshow if you tried hanging 8 monitors on one cpu.Vic

[ronski 1]

Agreed,to run 8 monitors, you will need more than 1 computer system, then use something like WideView for FSX.have a look here; http://www.wideview.it/wideview.htmRon.