TH2Go or quad head videocard?

[Goldmember]

What about using a quad head videocard instead of the Triple Head to Go? Like the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850x2 (http://www.cpu3d.com/review/6408-1/sapphire-radeon-hd-4850x2-2gb-ddr3/introduction.html)? It costs less than the Th2Go, for which you still need a graphics adapter in your computer. Which can't be a cheap adapter because however the TH2Go has its own drivers, those pixels have to be pushed through the original adapter somehow.

The only advantage of the TH2Go that I can imagine is that you can correct the virtual part of the image that is behind the besels of the monitors. Or am I missing something?

[brynjames]

The TH2GO only requires FS to create a single (very wide) image, which TH2GO then splits between the three monitors, with very little FPS reduction compared with a normal single monitor image.

I think that your four head card will require FS to create 4 separate images which seems to be much more taxing on the system, i.e. very poor FPS. You can see this effect if you just open another window in FS.

I have never regretted my outlay on the TH2GO.

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Bryn

[Goldmember]

Any special demands on the video card that the TH2GO is connected to?

[BHawthorne]

While it might have 4 outputs, those output won't span or grid in 3D. The reason why the TH2G exists is to get past the limitations of DirectX only allowing 3D in a single video out. (Ofcourse MSFS is the very odd exception to that.)

[PDT 200]

Also you run into the problem with FS in that it only "sees" 4 outputs. So 1 video card with 4 outputs is it. You go to full screen mode and and any other video outputs are gone. That's why for multiple outside views as well as instrument panels, networked PC's, WideView and FSUIPC are needed. You will also need multiple copies of whatever FS you are using 1 for each PC.
TH2Go gives you a very wide forward outside view on only 1 video output which leaves 3 others for instrument panel and any popup panels your aircraft uses on different monitors.
I use the TH2Go with 3 projectors for a huge outside view. I also set the magnification level at .31 which allows me to see a great deal without going to side views. It is so nice to do turns about a point that you can actually see without changing the view. Turning from base to final is more fluid because my view is expanded so much more. I have both FS9 and FSX, both with frame rates fixed at 30. Both have the sliders pretty much maxed out except for AI and ground traffic, and my FPS bounce between 26-30. I am using a Quad Core with XP and 4gis of ram. This PC is used only for FltSim and is behind a physical firewall (router) with no anti-virus setup which ticks XP off every time I start it.
Regards,
Brian

[Goldmember]

Thnx all for the input. My setup is: PC1 runs FS9 with only the instrument panels (PMDG737) and PC2 does the outside view with WidevieW. The peripheral hardware (yoke, cockpit hw etc) is connected to PC1.

I'm still wondering what demands there are for the video card that the TH2GO is attached to - in my case the card in PC2.

[BHawthorne]

TH2G digital anything 8-series or newer will run it without issue. TH2G analog anything 6-series or newer. I seriously don't recommend anything older than an 8-series card though because of driver updates compatibility.

[brynjames]

Any special demands on the video card that the TH2GO is connected to?

Analog TH2GO at 3840x1024 is running well through my antique 6800GS video card.

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Bryn

[brynjames]

Thnx all for the input. My setup is: PC1 runs FS9 with only the instrument panels (PMDG737) and PC2 does the outside view with WidevieW.

Are external aircraft synchronised across both PCs with Wideview? (since you have only one outside view, do the AI aircraft in your TCAS display show up at the correct position in the external view on the other PC?).

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Bryn

[Goldmember]

Not yet but I'll get Widetraffic from the same developers that does that. Currently I'm working on the MIP so the outside is not so important yet.

[Goldmember]

I'm still puzzled. Here (http://www.insitesolutions.com.au/737project/design_visuals_develop_v2.htm) you see a TH2Go but still with 5 views to create 180 degrees viewing angle. Isn't that the same way you would do it with a 4 head video card?

PS with the 4 head I mean you would only use 3 heads to imitate the TH2Go.

[BHawthorne]

3D doesn't span like you think it would. At a driver level it's simply not implemented correctly for either ATI or nVidia hardware. It's why the TH2G was made to begin with.

[PDT 200]

If you get into their site you will find that they are using PM software and 5 PC's. I believe that that is more than you want to put together. So attached is a pic of my setup using 1 pc and 4 outputs. 1 to the TH2go running 3 projectors, 1 going to a splitter to run the Capt's side and the Copilots side (same image) 1 going to the center monitor and the last going to the console monitor which is a touch screen for the FMC.(not shown)
I haven't got everything (projectors) fully aligned in this shot but I do now and it works great.
Regards,
Brian
http://www.villagephotos.com/utils/image.aspx?u=2006-3%5C1159387%5CFviewFSX.jpg&336460.74069947295

[PDT 200]

I'm attempting to setup the multiple cockpit views, Left. Forward/Left, Forward, Right/Forward. and Right, and I can tell you right now IT'S A @#@#$. Nothing wants to line up, there is a bunch of overlap, and just see what happens if you press the space bar by mistake. Tried flying with it and it's different. This is where a curved screen would help with the perspectives. There are those among us that knows a bunch about the SOL7 software and maybe that would help out here a bunch. I also noticed a MAJOR frame rate hit. went from locked at 35 to 8. A definite nogo on my system. Here are some pics I took to give you an idea. If you are not using projectors but 3 matched monitors maybe the result would be better.
Regards,
Brian

Aligning views?
http://www.villagephotos.com/utils/image.aspx?u=2006-3%5C1159387%5CAlignment-problems.jpg&540894.5077229358

Strange perespective?
http://www.villagephotos.com/utils/image.aspx?u=2006-3%5C1159387%5Cperspective.jpg&380562.48232883663

Lot of overlap
http://www.villagephotos.com/utils/image.aspx?u=2006-3%5C1159387%5COverlap.jpg&149954.2809042016

[Goldmember]

What I still don't understand, conceptually, is how higher resolutions handle the FS views. The TH2Go is a high horizontal resolution. But what happens if you maximise (full screen) the standard forward view?

- Does it give you more information to the sides?
- Does it give the same information but with wrong aspect ratios (like an oval sun)?

[PICuS]

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum and new to cockpit building. What brought me here is the rich discussions about visualisation. I have not yet built anything having struggled for a very long time with a display system mainly.

For work, I have always favoured multiple (smaller) monitors rather than a single monster one. I had used DualHead once but abandoned it pretty quickly even for undemanding normal MS Office applications.

I hope I am not stating the obvious here and apologies if I am. DHtoGo and THtoGo are just image stretchers. The stretched image is meant to be displayed on two or three monitors that are lined up flat along a single plane. Alignment as well as distortions will be problematic if the monitors are positioned away from a single plane for a "wrap around" configuration. Also, even when the monitors are in a single plane, at wide FoV, the image could look very unnatural (potentially similar to fisheye effets but with straightened edges). I think these "stretchers" are reaonably forgiving under two conditions: 1) if the displays are more or less directly infront of the viewer and 2) if the viewer is prepared to put up with some distortions.

So far, my latest thinking is to use WideView and a large number of monitors/projectors each showing just a narrow FoV, but the result could be messy and costly with too many PC, too many cables and too much heat. I still have no clue whether FPS would become an issue.

[XOrionFE]

I have been using TH2GO for over a year now with 3 22" monitors and dont have any of the effects you mention. The only time you will notice the stretch is on 2D panels and a little in the Virtual Cockpits but for strictly outside visualization I dont think the comments are valid. You need to see for yourself I guess but shouldnt comment on it unless you have actually used it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3042738069_213f72fa11_b.jpg

[percy]

Hi,
I also use a 3 projector with TH2G, the center is flat screen and then I have a curve around to give a side type view. I find the distortion is minimal and hardly noticeable. The gains far outweigh any negative distortion effects and the frame rates stay high. I am also able to use only one computer.
percy

[PICuS]

I have only used dualhead and not the tripple head, but did try experimenting with front and side view. I think I kept it for no more than a couple of weeks and gave up with it. For everyday applications, I switched to VillageTronic (www.villagetronic.com) which has it own GPU. I think the GPU does have a 3D engine, although I am not sure if it will give a good FPS. I have not seen it mentioned in FS circles which perhaps confirms its limitation. However, just like the Matrox products, they are designed for single frontal plane display.

What I noticed with the dualhead in a forward and one side view was that the side became like a mercator map projection turned 90deg; twisting and positioning the side view to one side did not really change the distorting, not just dimensionally and in terms of perspective, but also the sense of speed. The only way to change that was to push the side view monitor (still angled) to the front rather than keeping it to my side, effectively sliding my seat back. I do agree about the trade-offs.

I was unable to adjust for the bezels with the dualhead. How do you go about doing that?