I've narrowed down my choices to either 3x Samsung PS60F5500 for £979 each or 3x BENQ W1080ST for £849 each with 3x 106" screens for £199.

 

The problem is I dont have much room so need to screens to be right up to my cockpit. I'm worried that the projector will be blocked by the MIP structure.

Don't know much about projectors, but let me just say, as an owner of a plasma TV, I would go wih a Panasonic plasma if I were you. Samsung has had some issues with their LCD/LED TVs in the last couple years (bad panels). My Panasonic plasma has been rock solid. No issues whatsoever.

I have used projection, but I much prefer a good plasma monitor.  I have even rejected triple screening in favour of a single monitor with TrackIR.  My monitor is a Dell HD 30".  It's 16:10 aspect gives better height to the image. No loss of FPS, as with triple screens.  I do use other screens for selected images.

 

The downsides with projection are: it is best run in a darkened room;  it needs space to allow sufficient throw; you have to run in window mode for undocking and positioning.

 

Frank

This guy is using 60" screens, to give you an idea

 

 

    If the screens cover your FOV adequately I would go with them over the projectors for some reasons already mentioned, also not mentioned better lighting, better contrast etc.

Another thing I was going to note that if you go with plasma, be sure to go easy on the settings for the first 100 hours or so (don't set the contrast/brightness too high). This is called the "burn in" period. Other types of screens don't need to do this, but it's required for plasma (least up until a couple years ago). After that, you should be fine.

I have used projection, but I much prefer a good plasma monitor.  I have even rejected triple screening in favour of a single monitor with TrackIR.  My monitor is a Dell HD 30".  It's 16:10 aspect gives better height to the image. No loss of FPS, as with triple screens.  I do use other screens for selected images.

 

The downsides with projection are: it is best run in a darkened room;  it needs space to allow sufficient throw; you have to run in window mode for undocking and positioning.

 

Frank

no not for short throw projecters, 5-6ft max and my benq doesnt need a dark room the contrast is so bright im considering ray bans :-)

Thank you, Zoran. I'm getting old and it was some years ago when I tried projection.  Technology has obviously moved on.

 

I'm now in the process of changing my setup to JetMax737, so monitors/ projection may become my next process.

 

Frank

While short throw projectors are around and a real big boom us simmers the light issue is still one that will never be overcome.

 

 

    I agree that in a house where the lights are on but not overly excessive the projectors are bright enough that they still look good and there is enough contrast between light and dark scenes to be OK.   Depends how picky you are.  Watch a comedy and you are fine.  Watch a space epic and what once looked ok as black in a scene that was mostly white all of a sudden looks like a grey mess that you cant see much detail in.

 

    Projectors will always have this problem and their contrast ratings are always done in the best conditions that we will never match and in no way are equivalent to how contrast used to be measured.

 

    It is easy to  find marketing for projectors with a much higher level of contrast than is marketed for a good plasma.  The reality is very different though.

 

   Once again, mostly in movies with little dark scenes it's not so much a problem.

 

   In flight simulators if you want to do night flying then you have a lot of constant dark scenes that you may not like as much.  This does very much depend on your lighting conditions.

 

   Projectors have come a long way but their picture will not match the same sized image on a good plasma.   They certainly have other benefits that a plasma cannot match, e.g.. size!

Have you considered a single 60" screen displaying TRIPLE views? - ie 2D views LFWD, FWD, RFWD

The three views side by side, each exactly 1/3 of the screen width, produce a total view panorama of 135º.

That's not far off what we see in real life! (a 60" screen should produce a horizontal image of about 45-48 inches- reasonably close to real cockpit dimensions.)

 

Below this super wide view you can position the 2D airplane panel and any popups.

This technique beats virtual since ONLY the view rotates or moves up/down as the airplane manoeuvers. The instruments remain fixed relative to the pilot's eyes as in the real world.

 

I tried this several years ago on an 18" screen powered by my ancient 1.8 GHz 'puter. It worked just fine, but the processor was far too slow for realism. And the image was too small for my eyes to read instruments! But on a 60" screen-well that would be something else!

 

The attached pic of the PMDG 747 shows the result. Note that I also fitted in the copilot panel,(plus dual FMCs and the throttle quadrant) which caused the double windscreen posts! 

(The two black rectangles on either side are from monitors 2 & 3, not in use in this experiment.)

January

While short throw projectors are around and a real big boom us simmers the light issue is still one that will never be overcome.

 

 

    I agree that in a house where the lights are on but not overly excessive the projectors are bright enough that they still look good and there is enough contrast between light and dark scenes to be OK.   Depends how picky you are.  Watch a comedy and you are fine.  Watch a space epic and what once looked ok as black in a scene that was mostly white all of a sudden looks like a grey mess that you cant see much detail in.

 

    Projectors will always have this problem and their contrast ratings are always done in the best conditions that we will never match and in no way are equivalent to how contrast used to be measured.

 

    It is easy to  find marketing for projectors with a much higher level of contrast than is marketed for a good plasma.  The reality is very different though.

 

   Once again, mostly in movies with little dark scenes it's not so much a problem.

 

   In flight simulators if you want to do night flying then you have a lot of constant dark scenes that you may not like as much.  This does very much depend on your lighting conditions.

 

   Projectors have come a long way but their picture will not match the same sized image on a good plasma.   They certainly have other benefits that a plasma cannot match, e.g.. size!

Very good summary Jason and on the money. There is always going to be a trade off for both , Immersion V picture quality. As a rule I fly with around 70% natural daytime light that gives me a nice Sim experience but I do draw the block out curtains for the complete wow factor

i am using a 1080p short throw projector and could never go back to a monitor or screen.

Would buy 3 hdtv screens 47in with fsx or 4k when the prices come down.