The Dell 20" + 30" + 20" PLP setup wotks with SoftTH 2.08b.

(5388x1600 = 1200x1600 + 177bezel + 2560x1600 + 177bezel + 1200x1600)

Thanks to those I spoke with about multi-monitor setups!




Within an hour after recieving the pair of 2007FPs from Fed Ex, I was here:





Stretching is there, sure, but not really noticable unless looking for it. The FOV is simply amazing!

Thought id share...

Nice. How is performance though?

Totally acceptable!

~40 with everything on and maxxed.

...sure, it's not pegged at the refresh rate like when in SLI with both 580s doing the work.

But hopefully, SoftTH will make more improvments as they go.
That and I havn't learned all the tweaks and tricks with the SoftTH config files yet.

...but it's more than acceptable as it is.

p.s. My biggest complaint is that I lost the ability to ALT+TAB in and out of ROF now with SoftTH running.

Brian, any reason why you didnt go with one 680 (it'll support up to 4 monnitors)?
I'm thinking of going this route, have two monitors now, and am considering getting the 3rd.

Yeah, 3 megs of vRAM. That, and I already had a single 580 w/3GB

The 680 has 2GB.

It's almost like what's faster:

a car doing 100mph, but stopping for 3 red lights? ( faster GPU but less vRAM=more often accessed)

a car doing 71mph, but only stopping for 2 red lights. (slower GPU, but less vRAM access required)

hrm. I sure want to go 3 monitors, and dont want to go SLI. When I read about the 680 supporting 4 monitors and being a one card solution, I thought this was finally it (not happy about the $500 price though, as about $350 or so has been my ceiling).

Actually BuB, I would do exactly just that if I were you. The 680 is a great card no doubt.

...I just didnt need to have a single card solution, but if I did, I'd go 680 fo'sho!

And actually, if there ever is a 3GB flavor of the 680 by eVGA -- chances are, I'd buy it!

so what is the point of softTH? Just so you can turn the side monitors sideways?
I use the 3 screens horizontal and no added software

pls post some nice full-size screenies...

On a somewhat unrelated note, is the scale on the display of your G15 RoF-related or just general hardware info?

In a few months, the 4Gb version of the 680 is coming out. That would be ideal for 3x Monitor solutions.

Just put some up here in the Screenshots forum on SimHQ --

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3553337/ROF_5388x1600_Multi_Monitor.html#Post3553337




Yeah, so you can run monitors of different resolution.




I hope it's within 90 days! Then I can use eVGA's Step-Up program. My luck, it will come out on the 91st day. Ha!



Well, yeah, the G19 LCD is showing 3% CPU usage while in the ROF hangar screen. And the dashed bar is showing system memory usage.

Nice screenshots there!!

This, on the other hand...

Not a fan of it. Is that really a perspective you can get with this setup? You are able to look straight forward and also 90 degrees to the left at the same time.

Can you post more in-cockpit screenshots?

Im looking about 30-45 degrees left, not strait forward.

But yeah, the FOV is amazing! Albeit with noticable stretching on the edges. (look how wide that aileron appears, look how long that aldis appears!)


...but yeah, I can post more in-'pit shots. Any plane in particular you want to see?

[EDIT:] Who says you can't see out of a SPAD!?!?

(click for full size images)



[EDIT #2] Who says you can't see behind you in a DH2




[EDIT #3] Now THAT is what I call a field of fire!

I read a blurb about that. I was hoping that the 2gb version of the 680 would be sufficient. Have you heard what the 4gb card will cost?
I'm running 2 24" 1920x1200 monitors now with a 460 GTX. I can swing the 3rd monitor for sure, and can squeek into the $500 for the 2gb card.
So I guess the question is: is 2gb enough for 3 16:10 monitors? Or is 4 necessary?

After seeing Brian's pics, I'm not so sure I'll want to run RoF in 3 monitor view. I dont like the warped wing look, which looks almost like a boomerang. I'm mostly looking for desktop applications and more real estate as the reason behind the 3rd monitor...flying RoF with 3 would just be a bonus (or an oddity if its as stretched/warped as Brian's pics). Of course, I could rotate the monitors...dunno what that would do for the stretched look. I'm on completely new ground here.

Thanks for the pics Brian!

No Prob!

I get what you mean about the boomerang wings, and on 3 24" monitors, you would have a very wide FOV....around 180 degrees like this:
(NOTE: look how swept forward those wings appear)



...you really cant notice much of the stretching when flying on my 20-30-20 solution. Like I said earlier in the thread, you pretty much only notice it when you're looking for it - as in a screenshot, where it is much more obvious!


My reproduced view is much better to my eye:
( NOTE: Increased angle on struts on edge of screen - also note look how much more above the wing I get with 1600 pixels.)




You really need to come over, it looks TOTALLY different when actually flying! You supply the libations, and I'll supply the .303 rounds.

I agree about the stretched looks, it only is noticeable at certain angles or on certain objects, not really a problem

Yeah, it's almost like an optical illusion or something....LOL

But a more accurate explanation might be:

When flying, all you are doing is staring at the center monitor, using the sides only with periprial vision, so you don't notice.

...as when you do track something from a side-monitor, what do you do? You bring it around to the front monitor with a turn of your plane/head...

So you're spending 90% of the time with your eyes focused on something on the center screen...not noticing the stretching on the sides.


I dunno' - Im new to this stuff too! All I know is it's pretty bad-ass! Almost like watching an iMAX movie from the front row!

The immersion is just fantastic!

S!

p.s. I did have to turn my TrackIR way down, panning past my usual screen edges, youd think my pilot name was Linda Blare...

For my triple screen setup, I have my side two monitors angled more towards me. My monitors are also 16:10 so I notice less stretching.

Hey, I see my desk up there......


4660x900 with bezel correction.

The distortion on the side screens isn't really that noticeable in flight, I use TiR and when I look at the wings the view pans so it really just seems to add to the peripheral vision.

I'd be curious to see for myself. Can you take an external pic of your monitors? Try to copy the SE5a cockpit shot shown above.

..so you also have 3x 1440 x 900 Like Hurricanes?

Hey Hurricanes, heh, yeah I wanted to use your tri-screen as an example, so I cropped your desk out of the pic to give ya some privacy.

That's great to know the resolution that is shown at...what size monitors are they?

1440x900 1600x900 1440x900 (I didn't mean to go that wide, but I had the 1440's already when I decided to try SoftTH, I think I would like a really big center screen and turn the 1440s on their sides [someday...])

Thanks Hurricanes, what model are those monitors, if I might ask?

...and here's a vid I made at a squadmate's request.

Wow, great stuff! Makes me want to go buy a few extra monitors. I've always missed the peripheral vision the extra monitors get you, but am always worried about the cost to the finances and to performance.

Yes, three 19" 1440x900 monitors. In September I plan on buying three Dell U2412 24" 16x10 monitors. I'll post a pic when I get home of the head-on view when sitting infront with the S.E.5a.

That would be fantastic! Thanks. Do you use any sort of FOV limit in a config file?

Ok, here's the pic. Sitting here, it looks less distorted than the camera is making it out to be. It's odd!



No FOV limit used yet. Though I probably should!

Yeah! See what I mean about an optical-freakin-illusion? LOL

...it's wierd, isn't it.

To be fair though, it appears you are zoomed out slightly more than the other two pics.
(note the position of the airspeed indicator and the bottom edge of the image(you have a space). I also expect to see less of the lewis at 900 pixels, which indicates slightly more zoomed out, which will give slightly more "fisheye" and thus, more of that stretched look.)

YOUR 900 pixels


900 pixels


1600 pixels



In the end, after all is said and done, I would recommend a triple monitor for anyone thinking about it! Or at least, go to a friends house and try theirs, and see for yourself that you don't notice the stretching in flight like you do in screenshots.

And ya' know, after all this flippin time I've spent fartin' around with computers and computer gaming, I can't believe I've waited this long to try a Triple screen! But like Broadside', I too was turned off by the Boomerang EffectTM - I could kick myself!

I'm adding triple monitors to my "Must Have! list!! Right after Hi-Speed Internet, and TrackIR!!!

DOH!

Heh. High speed internet and Track IR are must haves.
I'd throw the buttkicker gamer in there too (recently purchased...and VERY glad I did).

Brian I sure appreciate your posting these pics and responses.
I'm sold and will order the new monitor asap.
I have to wait a couple weeks for the cash for the 680 though. I've been searching high and low for information on 680s with more ram and how much they'll be priced at and havent found much at all, but I'm not sold on the fact that more than 2gb is necessary.
So I think I'll stick with the 2gb version (as opposed to waiting for a 3gb or 4gb version).
I'll keep looking while I scrap together the cash (wife is mostly convinced at this point ) and hopefully the 2gb card is sufficient. Too bad I have this brand new 460 I'm using now....

...with my triple screen resolution, my Precision X tells me I have 2200+MB being used at times. More when taking a screenshot during flight.

I'm stickin' with 3GB (or more)! But that's just me....

*shrug*

You're welcome.

I agree with you WWBrian, my 2X580's are the 1.5 gig versions and if I run at high resolutions, when I am on the ground my frame rate can be in the 40's or even 30's when I look behind me, but as soon as I am above the trees it is back up to 60.
BF3 is similar, at a high resolution it is a stuttering mess, but if I lower the resolution and crank up the eye candy it is over 60fps solid. The more vram, the better for the high resolutions

It still looks pretty good though!

oops it seems to be resizing it on me

Only "Pretty good"? You're just being modest.

...I think it looks darn good!

I think the reason you may be using so much memory is your mismatched monitors...because of the variety of resolutions, you'll end up rendering more scope/space than you are actually seeing.

It sure does look good though

Nah...it's because I'm rendering around twice as many pixels as most.

1440x900 = 1,296,000 pixels. So 1.296 megapixels x 3 monitors = 3,888,000 pixels, or 3.888 megapixels.


For me, I'm rendering 1.92 + 4.096 + 1.92 = 7.936 megapixels!!!

...you will find out soon enough, that when you start talking these ultra-wide resolutions, the more vertical res you have, the quicker that shiznit adds up! ( for reference - Im rendering more pixels VERTICALLY, then many are horizontally!! )

These monitors aren't mismatched - they're actually perfect for each other!

Watch the 20-30-20 PLP grow in popularity...mark my words.
It really does look much better than 3 identical 16:9 monitors! ( <---my opinion anyway)

I'm thinking of a GPU upgrade and the cost difference between a 3Gb 580 and a 2Gb 680 is a lot. The brute force of the 580 is pretty much countered by the onboard overclocking on the 680 and the power management on the newer card means it draws far less power and runs cooler.

Its a tough call and when my 570 is running so well I'm leaning towards waiting until I really need to upgrade.

Here's some screenies of some of my squadron mates during our last ROF night...
(click for full-sized 5388x1600 images)

all these masterful skins are compliments of our own WWDubya

The Heavies:

WW8Ball


Me


WWHappy


WWPierre


Close Escort:

WWNatops


WWWhiteAce


WWWringer



Top Cover:

WWNavyGunner


WWGeezer


WWDubya

Good to see WWDubya is still doing skins! He did a lot with FS-WWI.

Nice Argon...I didn't know that.

In addition to all of our WW fictional skins, Dubya has sucessfully submitted a few historical ones in ROF as well.

...enough so to earn himself an ROF Hero Medal 3rd Class.