How to Plan a Home Cockpit Project?

[Buzz71 3]

Hello everyone ... long time lurker I retired recently and have decided to try and launch into this wonderful world! Enthusiasm high, technical know-how .... zero!

Years ago we converted half our garage into a home office. One end is a workstation my wife uses sometimes when WFH. On the other end, I am hoping to turn into my flight sim area. At this point, I want to keep it fairly generic so I can fly multiple aircraft types without specialising on equipment.

So I am thinking 3x HDTV as the cockpit window, and other 15.6" touchscreens for instrument panels using air manager. Perhaps one overhead for the overhead display.

The problem is I think my space is limited. I only have 2.58m wide, and probably 2.1m depth. I was thinking 3x55" TV, but using Samsung measurements one is 1227mm wide. 50" is 1118m. Obviously, the side two would be on an angle, but not sure what angle is optimum.

Anyway, I was hoping to seek advice on how a total newbie gets started and plans out a cockpit. Having just left work with a little bit of a payout I have some funds set aside, so I can afford good quality TV displays, and a good new PC to run it.

I was previously using P3Dv4, I stopped flying about 18 months ago because we had only one family PC and the constant setup-take down was annoying. I'd prefer to stay with P3D but no idea how much of it (scenery, aircraft) can be updated to the current v5.

Would welcome thoughts and advice as I take my first steps into this new world! Many thanks.

[joshuamarius 6]

You also have the option of curved displays which have been doing a great job at producing a nice cockpit view. You can have one of these matched with smaller monitors or Touchscreens below with air Manager. Those are just some ideas.

[PebbleBeach 120]

On 1/22/2022 at 2:31 PM, joshuamarius said:

You also have the option of curved displays which have been doing a great job at producing a nice cockpit view. You can have one of these matched with smaller monitors or Touchscreens below with air Manager. Those are just some ideas.

What does Air Manager have to do with monitor (visuals layout)? Pretty sure your reply has nothing to do with the OP inquiry. Air Manager, please kindly correct me if I'm wrong, is about adding gauges and panels.

Mitch

[home4sale2 2]

OP's original question was on how to plan a cockpit. Josh can answer and defend his post but in my case Air Manager has 100% to do with my cockpit where I was limited in space (like the OP), thought about multi screens (total of 5, like the OP) and decided a curved screen with two touchscreen monitors (as Josh suggested and what you are implying) was the best compromise.

Buzz, my setup is on MSFS2020, Intel i7, Nvidia 2080. I tried and didn't like using a TV so I went 35" curved screen. I use Air Manager to drive my two touchscreens and use a DIY knobster to change inputs. I get about 30FPS at high quality settings. Multiple screens will require a heavy duty graphics card depending on your graphics settings in you SIM. I suppose P3D requirements are less intensive but don't know as I have not tested. I can point you to a few videos if my setup sounds interesting. If not, I am sure others will step up.

Edited January 25, 2022 by home4sale2

[PebbleBeach 120]

11 hours ago, home4sale2 said:

OP's original question was on how to plan a cockpit. Josh can answer and defend his post but in my case Air Manager has 100% to do with my cockpit where I was limited in space (like the OP), thought about multi screens (total of 5, like the OP) and decided a curved screen with two touchscreen monitors (as Josh suggested and what you are implying) was the best compromise.

Buzz, my setup is on MSFS2020, Intel i7, Nvidia 2080. I tried and didn't like using a TV so I went 35" curved screen. I use Air Manager to drive my two touchscreens and use a DIY knobster to change inputs. I get about 30FPS at high quality settings. Multiple screens will require a heavy duty graphics card depending on your graphics settings in you SIM. I suppose P3D requirements are less intensive but don't know as I have not tested. I can point you to a few videos if my setup sounds interesting. If not, I am sure others will step up.

Ok thank you. I stand corrected. Sorry Josh.

Mitch