multi monitor gaming...

[VJ]

Hello,

I'd like to start using MS Flight Simulator, more or less as practise: I recently started a course for private pilot - single engine piston engine, and people at the club said FS is quite realistic. However, I will need to upgrade my computer... here is my config:
Dual Xeon 2.4 FSB 533
1 GB DDR ECC
Matrox G550

I have read the game is partially multithreaded: certain modules (radar contact, active sky, ...) are said to use the second CPU. However, I fear my G550 just won't cut it (I will try to see how 3D Analyse can help, perhaps I can take some of the detail rendering from the GPU to the second CPU).

So basically, what videocard could be useful ? I was thinking Sapphire 9800 (perhaps pro), but I have read that ATI only has hardware 3D accelleration on one monitor... Is this true ? On the other hand, I also read (in the same thread on 2CPU) that Nvidia has accelleration for both monitors (at least for the TI, not comment on the FX).
(I intend to pick up the game later today/tomorrow, so I'll only be able to verify then if I need 3D on the second monitor - it could be that some additional data, e.g. the kneeboard doesn't require 3D rendering)

Apart from flight simulator, I don't game that much, but I do use the PC for photo- (and to a lesser extent video-) editing.

Any suggestions ?


Jörg

[dZeus]

my 9700 Pro only has acceleration on the primary head.

[Che Guevara]

You want to do multi monitor gaming, but you don't game that much and you're doing photo and video editing?

Sounds like the Matrox Parhelia was made only for you, I would go for 128mb retail, really.

[leech]

I agree with the Parhelia. Throw a third monitor into the mix, and it runs pretty damned sweetly. Well, at least any of the games I've tried on it run pretty nicely. Might want to check over at Matrox's Tech Support forum for more info. I haven't tried Flight Simulator since I had it on my Atari ST, or was that my Atari 8-Bit.... I can't remember anymore....

Leech

[Jon P. Inghram]

I'd recommend not buying FS2004 until they either patch it or release 2006 or something... it's NOT "As real as it gets" or whatever their lame motto is.

The particular problem that made me uninstall it was the laughable way it handles wind layers... it doesn't blend the transitions at all. When combined with significant relative windspeed differences this can often cause GA craft to perform violent deviations. If the winds are strong enough it can form a nearly inpeneratble layer that, if entered in one direction results in the "airframe overstressed" message, or an extreme stall followed by horrible oscillations as the aircraft gets tossed between the layers in the other direction. And don't buy any third party terrain that's higher detail than LOD (Level Of Detail) 10 for now, FS2004 won't display anything beyond that currently (an actual step down from 2002.)

[VJ]

Does the Parhelia really perform good enough ? I mean, this guy

http://forums.2cpu.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42389

only gets 10 FPS (ok, in triplehead).
I would like to be able to set a lot of detail...

Jon: Sorry, you're too late... I bought it yesterday... The previous version I flew was 5 , and I must say that those flying lessons have helped me to get flying with it. I do intend to try X-plane again (I tested it once, and in some aspects it seemed better than FS).

It currently runs on my G550, but everything is extremely sluggish: for instance, when creating a flight, it takes a very long time before the dialog box appears. Also, once the airfield is selected, it takes quite some time (during which there is no harddisk activity, CPU is at 25%); same goes for virtually all dialogs. Even at startup, the screen stays black for 20-30s (CD spins for a couple of seconds, mouse cursor is present and responsive)

Is this purely due to the video card ?

Secondly, I tried to get the radiostack on another monitor, but it didn't work. According to the manual, I should rightclick and select "undock", but the "undock" option is greyed out... The only window I can move to the secondary monitor is the kneeboard (by dragging it there).

My system configuration is:
Supermicro X5DA8
Dual Xeon Prestonia 2.4 GHz FSB533 (hyperthreading enabled)
1 GB ECC DDR SDRAM
Matrox G550 AGP (16 MB)
Adaptec 2940UW
(I'm using 2 10K SCSI drives on the onboard U320)

Jörg

[Jon P. Inghram]

Oh, forgot to mention it doesn't work very well with dual monitors either, again another move down from 2002.

[VJ]

What videocard did you have FS2004 running on ? Were you able to undock windows (e.g. the radiostack) to another monitor ?


Jörg

[VJ]

I just read that the ATI R420 and the nVidia NV40 are taped out.
Could this predict an upcoming price drop in their products ?


Jörg

[Jon P. Inghram]

I'm using a Radeon 8500, but other than using it's TV-Out for movies I never tried playing FS2004 multi-monitor. If you go to www.avsim.com and search the forums for undock you'll see that you're not the only one having problems with it.

[VJ]

I found the solution to undock windows:
1. switch to windowed mode
2. undock the windows (now it is possible) and drag to the second monitor
3. switch to full screen

Only (?) downside is that you cannot display the kneeboard in this mode on the second monitor...


Jörg

[DentyCracker]

Haven't played it in triple head mode yet. May try it out soon now that I am back home in Jamaica. I am in the process of setting up, but have a 19", 17" and 15" monitor that I can appropriate to test with.

[Che Guevara]

@VJ:

I don't know anything about surround gaming performance (but I think many others on murc do ), but on a single monitor Parhelias performance is high enough to play all actual games smooth in high detail settings. Of course, Doom 3 will change that, but it will do the same to a Radeon 9500 pro or whatever...

[Wombat]

Originally posted by Che Guevara
@VJ:

I don't know anything about surround gaming performance (but I think many others on murc do ), but on a single monitor Parhelias performance is high enough to play all actual games smooth in high detail settings.

No way. The card gets its butt kicked by Half-Life. I had to lower my resolution in MW4. Anything newer than that...well I sold my Parhelia.

[Kruzin]

I've never had any prob running HL/TFC on my Parhelia (though it doesn't support surround).
I have just finished my 3rd time through single player of Jedi Academy in surround mode with no probs, and play UT2003 in surround regularly.
True, it's not the card for those who like to watch FPS counts, but it's been perfectly playable for me in the games I've played on it...