Help with PMDG737 Panels and 4th Monitor Setup

[mdavenport]

Hi,


Today I installed a GTX 750 Ti in my system and got my 4th screen connected and working in FSX - see images:-


http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/mdavenport555/EvernoteCameraRoll20141005220252.jpg


As you can see I have 3 screens in a "out of the cockpit" view and the 4th screen I have positioned to host commonly used dials, switches, screens etc..


At the moment all I have done is when in VC I have expanded out the PFD, ND etc and dragged and dropped these onto the 4th screen - see image:-


http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/mdavenport555/EvernoteCameraRoll201410052202521.jpg


Whilst I think this is ok I can't help but think I should be able to do something better with this and was hoping for some suggestions and inspiration from you guys who fly this type of setup a lot. I also have some questions layouts I wouldn't mind seeing what you think:-


1. Should my 3 main screens but a simple out of the window view (with no sense of being in a cockpit) or is it best to stick with a fixed VC view out of the window and capture some controls like the MCP etc.


2. Would you still recommend using TrackIR with this type of setup?


3. Can I pop-out the MCP and fix this on the 4th screen below with dials


4. Is there a way to see flap settings on a pop out dial and put this on my 4th screen


5. Is there a 737 panel that captures PDF, ND, MCP, Flaps, Gear etc that I could simply load on this screen?


6. Is it feasible to get the old 2D view of just the aircraft dials (not the window bit) and locate this on the 4th screen or would this come with the out of the window view as well?


What is everyone else doing with setups like this?


Sorry if this is in the wrong forum section.


Regards
Mark

[mdavenport]

Hi, can anyone help/advise on this??

[Xpendable]

I can't answer all of your questions because my only cockpit building experience is with X-Plane 10, although I have used FSX for years. I'm jealous of your 4 screens, though. I only have 2... one for outside, and one for instruments.

For questions 1 & 2, I would suggest that this is personal preference. I love TrackIR, I really do. I only recently started building my GA cockpit (Cessna 172R/S) and now that I have a "physical" instrument panel, I do not use the TrackIR anymore. But I do miss it for being able to quickly swivel my view around and being able to "duck" down to see out the left and right windows -- which is something I have to do in the real aircraft because I'm 6'5" tall. I could still use it I suppose, but I'd have to configure a button to disable / enable tracking or I'll go crazy.

Instead of dragging the 2D screens to the 4th window, you could use some external software like Project Magenta to render the instruments on the 4th screen. It gets expensive though. I'm using the GAIFR from Project Magenta and I think it's the cheapest software they have, and it cost me about $126 US (100 Euros). The stuff you need for the "big iron" is more expensive. Before that I tried SimPlugins PanelBuilder for $50 which is actually pretty decent too, but they are more for GA. There may be some other options too.

[mdavenport]

Hi Xpendable,

Thanks for your feedback. I will try it with TrackIR and without and see which I prefer.

Just took a look at Project Magenta, in specific this section:-

http://www.projectmagenta.com/boeing-software/

Not sure I am interpreting it correctly but basically that link above offers a MCP, main dials PFD etc and a FMC. How does this differ from me being in the VC of the PMDG and zooming out the PFD and FMC and dragging these on to my 2nd screen. Is it the fact that it has the MCP that I can locate on my 4th screen? The MCP is the only one in the PMDG that I don't seem to be able to get to pop out to locate on another monitor..

I may have completely miss-understood this so please let me know if I am missing something...