A crossroads (CPU/Mbo Upgrade, WideView or PMRJ?)

[XOrionFE]

Well folks,

I have been trying to avoid buying PMRJ due to cost for my Lear45 build. To that end I purchased and added a GeForce 8800 card to my system (AMD X2 6400, 4 gig DDR2 Ram, Raptor drive, with 7900gt and Matrox TripleHead2go).

While running my GA pit I was using the TripleHead to run 3 22" Monitors for outside Views off the 7900 card and had PM GAIFR panel running from a networked computer. This setup worked well and I was very satisfied with performance even with everything maxed.

I am now building a Learjet 45 pit and now need more displays (Pilot and Copilot PFDs, RMUs, etc. So to avoid paying over $400 dollars for PMRJ I decided to get the extra 8800 card and using Friendly Panels LJ and FS Panel Studio I setup the 3 extra displays.

What I found is that I am fine with visual performance on the TripleHead (now running off one output of 8800) and then I am still fine adding my center MIP monitor running RMUs, Annunciators, and Standby Instruments. However, the minute I turn on Pilot or Copilot PFD which are on monitors now on the 7900 card the system starts crawling. I adjusted display settings down to middle level and although improved, still choppy and really unacceptable.

Long story short I now have 3 paths I can take and want some opinions:

1. Try WideView and put TripleHead on my second computer and run outside visuals there. This would require purchasing another copy of FSX along with Wideview License. I have never tried this and not sure how it would work and whether it would introduce a whole different set of problems such as inputs, trackir problems, etc. Wideview users chime in....

2. Buy a new mbo and Quad Processor ($350-$400) and give it a try again which still may be unacceptable performance running all these displays.

3. Cave and just buy the PMRJ software ($299 EU - $430 US). Advantage is that my MIP is offloaded to second PC and I know using PMGAIFR this worked well. Disadvantage is price and probably some limitations for Lear.

For those of you that have gone down this path, please give me any insight. I appreciate it.

Scott

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Scott,

There comes a time when you need to sit an evaluate what the total simulator bill is going to cost you and budget for it. Hod you purchased the PMRJ in the beginning you may have had better sucess.

With that being said, you will run PMRJ on a separate machine, and that machine doesn't need to be a power house.

My suggestion is, if you are serious about this hobby, get the Project Magenta software. because I don't think your wideview idea with the triple head to go will do what you want it to do.

Best regards,

Trev

[brynjames]

Have you tried with the PFD on the other 8800 output? I seem to recall something about only one graphic card on a system being able to handle 3D acceleration, and that the PFD for some reason required this. Others please chime in quickly if this is complete garbage :)

--
Bryn

[Tomlin]

Hi Scott,

There comes a time when you need to sit an evaluate what the total simulator bill is going to cost you and budget for it. Hod you purchased the PMRJ in the beginning you may have had better sucess.

With that being said, you will run PMRJ on a separate machine, and that machine doesn't need to be a power house.

My suggestion is, if you are serious about this hobby, get the Project Magenta software. because I don't think your wideview idea with the triple head to go will do what you want it to do.

Best regards,

Trev

I concur. If someone were to introduce a complete Honeywell Primus 1000 system that was meant for the LJ45, I would simply count my loss of the PM investment (when I had the $$$ to do so) and buy the new software if it was a better solution. Right now, PMRJ is the best solution until someone else comes along and competes.

[XOrionFE]

Have you tried with the PFD on the other 8800 output? I seem to recall something about only one graphic card on a system being able to handle 3D acceleration, and that the PFD for some reason required this. Others please chime in quickly if this is complete garbage :)

--
Bryn

Hmmmm

No I didnt. Good suggestion. If that is the case then it may present a 4th option and that is another TripleHead2Go and staying with the one card. However, probably still going to tax the **** out of the system.

[XOrionFE]

I concur. If someone were to introduce a complete Honeywell Primus 1000 system that was meant for the LJ45, I would simply count my loss of the PM investment (when I had the $$$ to do so) and buy the new software if it was a better solution. Right now, PMRJ is the best solution until someone else comes along and competes.

Eric,

You know better than I right now but if PMRJ does 90 percent of what you think it should for the Lear than I am good with that.

[Tomlin]

Well, it's far from perfect but what you really need for flying any jet airplane is there:

All the imporant engine info
A very nice and responsive PFD
A decent ND
...and good performance on older machines.

The software lacks a lot of aircraft specifics, but they have slowly began adding some messages to the EICAS and that's good news. How much more they develop it though remains to be seen as it's been in it's main current state for a long time. However, it does work well and allows me to fly without any issues on performance or fiddling around with screens and all once it's set. Like I said above, I would certainly rather it be more complete and would ditch it if something more complete came along, but at this point, it's not bad at all IMHO.

[alaxus]

I agree with Eric, PMRJ isnt to bad atm, and does its job well.

And I am sure that he will agree with me that the cost of PMRJ is only a poofteenth of what you will spend on your simulator.
So far my lear sim has cost me in excess of $10000.

[XOrionFE]

I agree with Eric, PMRJ isnt to bad atm, and does its job well.

And I am sure that he will agree with me that the cost of PMRJ is only a poofteenth of what you will spend on your simulator.
So far my lear sim has cost me in excess of $10000.

Trust me, I know the costs. This is my 4th sim. First was military, then a basic GA, a little more elaborate GA/Military combo and now the Lear. I have used the PM GAIFR package for a year and liked it a lot. Keeps things simple. Today I broke down and bought the PMRJ package so i guess that probably brings me up to some where around 7 or 8 K now. PMRJ isnt too bad considering I blow that much in a good day of flying in a real C172 but was just trying to pinch pennies for other things. However, there didnt seem to be a better solution out there so I buckled. I am happy with the decision because I know I tried other avenues. That after all is what this hobby is all about.


Thank you

[Tomlin]

I am happy with the decision because I know I tried other avenues. That after all is what this hobby is all about.


Thank you

Scott, this is very true- it's very good that so many folks are willing to at least try different things to see if they will work, even if it's a long shot.

Thanks.