I used two DVI's and one HDMI to DVI to solve.

I've decided the most cost effective way is to use 2 projectors, 180 degree screen.

 

Its been done before -- http://www.wsgf.org/...projector-build

 

I'm also looking at different screen options -- this one looks interesting

 

http://www.snowhites...een/593908.html

 

Information on curve screen gaming is really scarce, I wonder why haven't more people jumped on it? Short-throw projector and powerful graphic cards are now dropping in price and its finally becoming affordable.

 

A sample setup I designed in a few minutes --

 

Can someone please post what are the recommended setting for GTX680 and 3 monitors ?

 

I understand there is big impact in FPS but lowering AA can resolve that ?

 

1. What did you use for your NVIDIA Inspector and still got great graphic ?

2. What is the improvement using 2 SLI GTX 680 Cards 2GB (Not 4) ?

Can someone please post what are the recommended setting for GTX680 and 3 monitors ?

 

...

2. What is the improvement using 2 SLI GTX 680 Cards 2GB (Not 4) ?

 

There still seems to be no improvement with SLI/Crossfire in FSX, on the contrary.

Quote from Jetline Systems homepage

 

 

"Multi-GPU Impact on FSX

Our testing has proved that SLI and Crossfire graphics will

only decrease the overall performance in Flight Sim.

The new 600 series cards have the ability to run 3 monitors

from a single card either individually or spanned (TH2GO effect)

The GTX 670 and 680 are strongly recommended for muli-display

simming."

And that goes for the integrated SLI card GTX 690 as well.

 

I am planning to run a 5 monitor set up; 3 for the outside view, two for the panels. I purchased the 4GB 680. The monitors for outside view are 3x 27" Acer G276HLDbd's. The panel will be 2 x 25" monitors. Will the 4GB be enough? I am a touch concerned with the post above about performance impact. Should I got with a second 680, maybe a 2GB version for the panel instrumentation? Advice appreciated.

JT

Of course multiple screens reduce performance, so it'll be up to your CPU as well, you have to overclock.

You face a challenge with the fifth screen, the gpu has only four outlets. For four screens you should be ok with the 680 4 gb.

But a 2nd gpu in non-SLI for the 2D...worth investigating. I can recommend a touch screen for the panels, makes for a fun startup when you drag the overhead onto it, and make an authentic procedure in a big bird...

 

I've had near decent performance with a 460 OC running 5040x1050 + 23" Acer touch. And I'm counting on the 680 4 gb will do the stuff. But now you've made me concider not losing the 460

I am definitely leaning towards a second graphics card to run the 2 x 25" monitors for the cockpit displays. My big thing is smoothness, and as much sense of realism as I can get given I cannot build a full on cockpit :-) (wife won't have it). When I was in Frankfurt recently (I work with Lufthansa) I was able to catch a glimpse of the 747-8I cockpit procedures trainer they have. Amazing - they have basically set up a full 747-8I cockpit (panels only) using multiple monitors (including the overhead). Touch panels all the way, also for the FMCs - it's really neat. I did not get to play with it, but just checking it out got me thinking why not try something similar for FSX. I already have the MCP and EFIS that I bought in AMS (Aviation Mega Store... you should see that place....) and I've ordered the 737 TQ from Thottletek. So I think the second graphics card is about to be ordered from Newegg!

I just replaced my 2 GTX 580 in SLI (one died) with a GTX 680 and the documentation claims you can run 4 monitors simultaneously: 2 DVI, 1 HDMI and 1 DisplayPort.

 

I have never run more than two monitors simultaneously, but it definitely degrades performance with both FSX and P3D.

 

Also, at some point the CPU will bottleneck the system, so a faster video card won't help you that much.

Og jeg ser at du er Dansk Crewecut. Min kone er fra Faaborg! Jeg bodde en stund på Allerød da jeg den gangen gikk på København's Universitet Amager.:-) Hygglige å "hilse" på deg!

Thanks Jabloom. I have to say, I have been pouring over the forums trying to figure all the SLI and graphics stuff out. I finally settled on the Ivy processor and so on, but now I must admit I am stumped on the multi-monitor thing! Are you running just the forward/outside view on one monitor + panel on the other, or a different configuration altogether?

 

From what I gather, if you split the views up - running the outside view on one monitor and the cockpit (not VC) instruments on another, that helps? So my line of thinking is now - GTX680 #1 (4GB) driving the outside views, and #2 (2GB) running the panel views? You think that would work?

 

JT

Hej JT. Hyggeligt at se noget på dansk her, vi skal lige ha en chat på pm

 

For outside view only SLI actually is supposed to not degrade performance, I read one of Word Not Allowed´s threads on the issue the other day. It´s somehow the 3D cockpit thing that spoils the effectiveness of SLI, if understand correctly. But again, the 680 4 gb should suffice for three screens, and even more so if only for outside view. A 680 2gb would almost be overkill if solely for 2D stuff, but we don´t build to reach mediocracy

I´ll take a look at your pc spec.s, as stated above, you need a solid cpu overclock.

Yea, you got a very potent cpu, a sled dog, just waiting to pull some weight, but I don´t know about the board, how well that overclocks. An overclock friendly board could be an investment worth while, and then you have to look at some decent cooling as well. I´m almost finished buying all the stuff for my new rig, and I´m hoping for a 4.7-8ish ghz overclock. But that all goes a little off topic I guess, I´ll pm you.

Hei på deg Crewecut...

 

Yea, the overclocking aspect of the board is a question I'm going to address over at Tom's Hardware. I bought all the stuff from Newegg on this side of the pond.. definitely can be returned. I'm waiting on my case, but have some serious cooling already on the way :-) I am blessed in that I get to play on the "real" simulators ALOT, and what I am going for is that fluid smoothness but am modeling this sim on what I saw at LH in FRA. I am going to go with the second card for the 2D stuff, assuming it will drive it all, and see how this works out! Where in DK are you? Send me a PM - I will be in CPH quite soon! Kanskje vi ses!

hey blackopscc1... I'm in the process of building a very similar setup to the one you describe so I was wondering how you are progressing with it? In particular I'm interested in how the 2 instrument panels running off the other card are operating alongside the 3 nvidia surround monitors?

 

I want to do the same, well with just the 1 instrument panel monitor and then possibly expanding to a 2nd. I currently run 3 monitors off my 670 in fullscreen nvidia surround mode displaying the VC and I have a spare GTX460 that I upgraded from so was thinking I could run the extra monitor from that, but I'm not 100% sure if that will work - that's how I came to find your post looking for people who might have a similar setup. Can you confirm if the instrument panel monitors work off the 2nd card?

 

Alternatively I was hoping that the 4th monitor for instruments could be run off the DisplayPort of the 670 without the need for the 2nd card, but as the 4th monitor is is termed by Nvidia as an "Accessory Display" I don't think it can be used for FSX in conjunction with surround - perhaps it could if FSX is run in window mode but I'm really unsure about this. Do you know what does and does not work in regards to four monitors off the single card?

I looked into this further since I have a GTX 680. The GTX 680 (and probably the GTX 670) will run only 3 monitors in 3D mode. You can run 4 monitors simultaneously, but not in 3D mode.

thanks jabloom... I should have mentioned that I'm not running 3D, so it's in 2D surround. I have two monitors on the DVI ports and one montior using the HDMI port. As such do you know if it's possible to run FSX in fullscreen and open 2D instrument panels on the 4th monitor which would be connected to the DisplayPort (via a DisplayPort to DVI passive adapter)?