Three monitors for a racing sim?

I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't tried 3 cards yet. Has anyone successfully put on 3 monitors to get a surround-view feel? Which games support this? How does the video acceleration work? Do I have to location 2 PCI versions of a fast game card? Any suggestions for hardware for a setup like this? I may have to make a custom table, complete with a nice bucket seat from a car, etc. This may be a nice project for this coming dark days/nights of winter.

There are a few Video cards that support full out 3 monitors. The Matrox Parhelia comes to mind. I watched an amazing video of someone playing LFS through one of those with three monitors. Simply amazing! My video card supports two monitors (Radeon 7500), but if I try to play LFS on both of them, frame rate drops to like 5FPS. Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com "Network News Vancouver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > tried 3 cards yet. > > Has anyone successfully put on 3 monitors to get a surround-view feel? > > Which games support this? > > How does the video acceleration work? Do I have to location 2 PCI > versions of a fast game card? Any suggestions for hardware for a > setup like this? > > I may have to make a custom table, complete with a nice bucket seat > from a car, etc. This may be a nice project for this coming dark > days/nights of winter.

Funny you should mention that when you did: Sierra's issued a patch for N2002 and there's one for F12002 (IIRC), but both require the Matrox Perhelia card. You change your resolution to 2400x600 (3 monitors @ 800X600 each) or something similar and off ya go. Certainly increases your field of view, but can't imagine the frame rate hit you'd take. There's a link somewhere in this newsgroup to screenshots of 3 monitors in action. Try searching google's newsgroups for it. Gunner "Network News Vancouver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > tried 3 cards yet. > > Has anyone successfully put on 3 monitors to get a surround-view feel? > > Which games support this? > > How does the video acceleration work? Do I have to location 2 PCI > versions of a fast game card? Any suggestions for hardware for a > setup like this? > > I may have to make a custom table, complete with a nice bucket seat > from a car, etc. This may be a nice project for this coming dark > days/nights of winter.

Funny you should mention that when you did: Sierra's issued a patch for N2002 and there's one for F12002 (IIRC), but both require the Matrox each) or something similar and off ya go. Certainly increases your field of view, but can't imagine the frame rate hit you'd take. There's a link somewhere in this newsgroup to screenshots of 3 monitors in action. Try searching google's newsgroups for it. Gunner

GPL if you have 2 spare PC's lying around also http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=gpl+%223+mon itors%22 http://forum.racesimcentral.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13882&highlight=m onitors -- Cheers, Robin ................... `o^=o- http://www.oppositelock.freeserve.co.uk - N�rburgring/GPL "Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:kKtj9.51380$[email hidden]... > There are a few Video cards that support full out 3 monitors. The Matrox > Parhelia comes to mind. I watched an amazing video of someone playing LFS > through one of those with three monitors. Simply amazing! > > My video card supports two monitors (Radeon 7500), but if I try to play LFS > on both of them, frame rate drops to like 5FPS. > > Mike > http://mikebeauchamp.com > > "Network News Vancouver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > > there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > > front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > > video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > > tried 3 cards yet. > > > > Has anyone successfully put on 3 monitors to get a surround-view feel? > > > > Which games support this? > > > > How does the video acceleration work? Do I have to location 2 PCI > > versions of a fast game card? Any suggestions for hardware for a > > setup like this? > > > > I may have to make a custom table, complete with a nice bucket seat > > from a car, etc. This may be a nice project for this coming dark > > days/nights of winter. > >

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Network News Vancouver) wrote: >I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is >there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the >front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 >video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't >tried 3 cards yet. like this? http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp :D

On Mon, 23 Sep 2002 04:10:27 GMT, [email hidden] (Obake) wrote somtehing like this:

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>In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Network News Vancouver) wrote: >>I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is >>there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the >>front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 >>video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't >>tried 3 cards yet. > >like this? > >http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > >http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp > >:D

So, the framerate drops so much that mirror has to be turned off, and the track side object have to be dropped to minimum ;-) BTW, Racer also supports Parhelia... -- - Igor -

I dont particually like how there are massive joins between them, cant you just take the monitor covers off so the screens join right up? :) Perhaps it will be cool in a few years Cool Hand Luke -=87=- "Obake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3d8e9421$0$30862$[email hidden]... > In article <[email hidden]>,[email hidden] (Network News Vancouver) wrote:

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> >I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > >there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > >front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > >video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > >tried 3 cards yet. > > like this? > > http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > > http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp > > :D

From what I recall from the reviews, the fps hit is not as bad as you'd think. Check www.simhq.com for a good sim-centric review. -- Joe M. "Don "Gunner" Hancock" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > Funny you should mention that when you did: Sierra's issued a patch for > N2002 and there's one for F12002 (IIRC), but both require the Matrox > Perhelia card. You change your resolution to 2400x600 (3 monitors @ 800X600 > each) or something similar and off ya go. Certainly increases your field of > view, but can't imagine the frame rate hit you'd take. > There's a link somewhere in this newsgroup to screenshots of 3 monitors in > action. Try searching google's newsgroups for it. > > Gunner > > "Network News Vancouver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > > there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > > front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > > video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > > tried 3 cards yet. > > > > Has anyone successfully put on 3 monitors to get a surround-view feel? > > > > Which games support this? > > > > How does the video acceleration work? Do I have to location 2 PCI > > versions of a fast game card? Any suggestions for hardware for a > > setup like this? > > > > I may have to make a custom table, complete with a nice bucket seat > > from a car, etc. This may be a nice project for this coming dark > > days/nights of winter. > >

I've seen a few very nice "borderless" triple-screens which are basically one display with 3 screens (cannot find any screen shots for you). Of course the price is high for such a feature (at least $3000 for 3x17" IIRC) but it looks great without the screen borders. -- Joe M. "Luke Phillips" <(NOSPM)[email hidden]> wrote in message news:V9Cj9.10200$[email hidden]... > I dont particually like how there are massive joins between them, cant you > just take the monitor covers off so the screens join right up? :) Perhaps it > will be cool in a few years > > Cool Hand Luke > -=87=- > > "Obake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:3d8e9421$0$30862$[email hidden]... > > In article <[email hidden]>, > [email hidden] (Network News Vancouver) wrote: > > >I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > > >there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > > >front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > > >video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > > >tried 3 cards yet. > > > > like this? > > > > http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > > > > http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp > > > > :D > >

>You change your resolution to 2400x600 (3 monitors @ 800X600 > each) or something similar and off ya go. Certainly increases your fieldof > view, but can't imagine the frame rate hit you'd take. I don't thionk it would be that bad. Thats not that much worse than 1280 x 960. 1280 x 960 = 1228800 total pixels (85%) 2400 x 600 = 1440000 total pixels 1600 x 1200 = 1920000 total pixels (133%) MadDAWG

Obake, Multiple video cards will not work as there is no way for the game to address output in such an arrangement. You'll need a multi-head video card - the Matrox Parhelia for three montior - there are some GF4's with 2-head also but then the split is smack down the middle of your FOV. As for the joints at the monitors; it is really not an issue for me - not much different than the windshield frame in a real car - it's there, but you just don't notice it " >

Sure, but i dont have a whopping big joint down the middle of my windshield. Not saying i wouldnt like it or couldnt get used to it, just curious if there is another way around it because, it sort of gets spoilt >As for the > joints at the monitors; it is really not an issue for me - not much > different than the windshield frame in a real car - it's there, but youjust > don't notice it > " > > > > >

[email hidden] (Obake) wrote in message news:<3d8e9421$0$30862$[email hidden]>... > like this? > > http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > > http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp When PC Gamer said surround gaming would change the way we play video games, I thought they were exaggerating, but now it looks like that was an understatement! Makes me wish I hadn't spent so much on my 21" Triniton so I could buy three platpanel screens instead. D'oh!

"Phoenix Knight" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > [email hidden] (Obake) wrote in messagenews:<3d8e9421$0$30862$[email hidden]>...

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> > like this? > > > > http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > > > > http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp > > When PC Gamer said surround gaming would change the way we play video > games, I thought they were exaggerating, but now it looks like that > was an understatement! > > Makes me wish I hadn't spent so much on my 21" Triniton so I could buy > three platpanel screens instead. D'oh!

Have LCD (I assume that's what you mean by flatpanel) screens improved in terms of refresh rate? I was under the impression that many of them can not keep up with the high frame rates in most games, and traditional monitors were still the way to go. (Not that I'll be getting ONE much less three LCD monitors any time soon).

Luke Phillips wrote: > > Sure, but i dont have a whopping big joint down the middle of my windshield. > Not saying i wouldnt like it or couldnt get used to it, just curious if > there is another way around it because, it sort of gets spoilt Luke, do you ever get invited to parties?

While not EXACTLY the same, racers DO have joints running down their "screens." Gunner "Luke Phillips" <(NOSPM)[email hidden]> wrote in message news:ZTHj9.11083$[email hidden]... > Sure, but i dont have a whopping big joint down the middle of mywindshield.

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> Not saying i wouldnt like it or couldnt get used to it, just curious if > there is another way around it because, it sort of gets spoilt > >As for the > > joints at the monitors; it is really not an issue for me - not much > > different than the windshield frame in a real car - it's there, but you > just > > don't notice it > > " > > > > > > > > > > >

While not EXACTLY the same, racers DO have joints running down their "screens." Gunner

I use the new widescreen patch on a nvidia gf4 4600 and 2 19" monitors. I run at 1600x600x32, 4x fsaa, anisotropic filtering set to 8x, using opengl and all the in game video settings max'ed out and a full field of cars. Frame rates are from 30 to 65 depending on your starting position. I've really enjoyed it the last few weeks since the patch came out.

On Mon, 23 Sep 2002 17:44:03 GMT, "Rob Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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> >Have LCD (I assume that's what you mean by flatpanel) screens improved in >terms of refresh rate? I was under the impression that many of them can not >keep up with the high frame rates in most games, and traditional monitors >were still the way to go. > >(Not that I'll be getting ONE much less three LCD monitors any time soon). >

Supposedly the newest (and way expensive) ones have hit the refresh (and black spectrum) that games require for good visuals. The main problem is now pricing and videocard wise either Matrox developing a better card or Nvidia (or ATi) going triple head (which is what I want)

> Luke, do you ever get invited to parties? Yes, swinger infact ;) Cool Hand Luke -=87=-

Do you have 2 video cards? Also what cpu is in your system? Thanks -- Darrin Stevens www.Stevens-Racing.com "Robert C. Evans" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > I use the new widescreen patch on a nvidia gf4 4600 and 2 19" monitors. I > run at 1600x600x32, 4x fsaa, anisotropic filtering set to 8x, using opengl > and all the in game video settings max'ed out and a full field of cars. > Frame rates are from 30 to 65 depending on your starting position. I've > really enjoyed it the last few weeks since the patch came out. > >

I don't think refresh rate is the major issue for gaming, I thought it was response time. FWIW, this is a highly regarding gaming 17.4" viewable LCD for under $900US due to its 10ms response time (resolution is 1280x1024 and refresh rate is from 50-75Hz with 75Hz being more than enough). http://www.neovo.com/products/X-174.htm -- Joe M. "Rob Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:DpIj9.32865$[email hidden]... > "Phoenix Knight" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > [email hidden] (Obake) wrote in message > news:<3d8e9421$0$30862$[email hidden]>... > > > like this? > > > > > > http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > > > > > > http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/parheliasurround/page5.asp > > > > When PC Gamer said surround gaming would change the way we play video > > games, I thought they were exaggerating, but now it looks like that > > was an understatement! > > > > Makes me wish I hadn't spent so much on my 21" Triniton so I could buy > > three platpanel screens instead. D'oh! > > Have LCD (I assume that's what you mean by flatpanel) screens improved in > terms of refresh rate? I was under the impression that many of them can not > keep up with the high frame rates in most games, and traditional monitors > were still the way to go. > > (Not that I'll be getting ONE much less three LCD monitors any time soon). > >

Luke Phillips <(NOSPM)[email hidden]> wrote:

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> Sure, but i dont have a whopping big joint down the middle of my windshield. > Not saying i wouldnt like it or couldnt get used to it, just curious if > there is another way around it because, it sort of gets spoilt >>As for the >> joints at the monitors; it is really not an issue for me - not much >> different than the windshield frame in a real car - it's there, but you > just >> don't notice it >> "

even the big-boys have windshield frame problems! http://mistral.leeds.ac.uk/main.html (a fiver says they play gpl after 5.30pm) dr martin

On Tue, 24 Sep 2002 07:24:48 GMT, [email hidden] wrote somtehing like this: >even the big-boys have windshield frame problems! > > http://mistral.leeds.ac.uk/main.html > >(a fiver says they play gpl after 5.30pm) Probably so, but I'd bet on LFS here: http://www.simrac.com/laitteisto.htm Check out the videos, especially this one: http://www.simrac.com/videot/autoulkoa.mpg (4.4Mb) I wonder if they could replace that Golf with Lotus 49 =) -- - Igor -

On Sun, 22 Sep 2002 20:40:37 -0500, "Don \"Gunner\" Hancock" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Funny you should mention that when you did: Sierra's issued a patch for >N2002 and there's one for F12002 (IIRC), but both require the Matrox >Perhelia card. Racer also supports it natively (from 0.5.0 beta5). The Parhelia is not the fastest card around, but it's nice to look at the wide view. Ruud van Gaal Free car sim: http://www.racer.nl/ Pencil art : http://www.marketgraph.nl/gallery/

ns! What you have under the hood? "Darrin Stevens" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3d8ff45b$[email hidden]...

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> Do you have 2 video cards? Also what cpu is in your system? Thanks > > -- > > Darrin Stevens > www.Stevens-Racing.com > > > > > "Robert C. Evans" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > I use the new widescreen patch on a nvidia gf4 4600 and 2 19" monitors.

I > > run at 1600x600x32, 4x fsaa, anisotropic filtering set to 8x, usingopengl

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> > and all the in game video settings max'ed out and a full field of cars. > > Frame rates are from 30 to 65 depending on your starting position. I've > > really enjoyed it the last few weeks since the patch came out. > > > > > >

You DONT NEED to have multiple monitors to use the NR2002 widescreen patch, just a widescreen desktop resolution. I run the game at 1024 x 576 (16:9) very nicely with a GF3, Powerstrip, and an NEC LT150 DLP projector. Gerald "Don \"Gunner\" Hancock" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

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> Funny you should mention that when you did: Sierra's issued a patch for > N2002 and there's one for F12002 (IIRC), but both require the Matrox > Perhelia card. You change your resolution to 2400x600 (3 monitors @ 800X600 > each) or something similar and off ya go. Certainly increases your field of > view, but can't imagine the frame rate hit you'd take. > There's a link somewhere in this newsgroup to screenshots of 3 monitors in > action. Try searching google's newsgroups for it. > > Gunner > > "Network News Vancouver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > I have the opportunity of picking up some old monitors from work. Is > > there way of hooking up 3 monitors for a racing sim? One for the > > front view and 2 for the left and right views? I have installed 2 > > video cards in a PC before (1 on the AGP slot and 1 PCI). I haven't > > tried 3 cards yet. > > > > Has anyone successfully put on 3 monitors to get a surround-view feel? > > > > Which games support this? > > > > How does the video acceleration work? Do I have to location 2 PCI > > versions of a fast game card? Any suggestions for hardware for a > > setup like this? > > > > I may have to make a custom table, complete with a nice bucket seat > > from a car, etc. This may be a nice project for this coming dark > > days/nights of winter.

"Rob Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<DpIj9.32865$[email hidden]>... > Have LCD (I assume that's what you mean by flatpanel) screens improved in > terms of refresh rate? I was under the impression that many of them can not > keep up with the high frame rates in most games, and traditional monitors > were still the way to go. > > (Not that I'll be getting ONE much less three LCD monitors any time soon). I'm not sure what the refresh rate is, or what it does, but I do remember one issue with my laptop which uses screens similar to LCD monitors (I suppose?), and that's that special effects always seemed somewhat blocky. For example, 'smoke' appearing from an engine, or from a fire, always seemed like small stacks or bricks ontop of each other instead of a clour of smoke. My laptop is a few years old now, so things may have improved. I don't know.

Rob is quite correct - they have improved quite a bit, while the "low-end" Flat LCD's still suffer from a rather dismal set of specs (from the gamers perspective) there are some rather tasty units now available...personally, I can't say enough about my Solarism's - great refresh, adjustable gamma, and they allow a wide enough viewing angle to allow me to "half-circle" them. As with everything else hardware - cheaper and better will be the trend - look at what has happened to the cost of a traditional 17" in the past 4 years! As the demand for LCD's increase a similar path is imminent. Matrox released new drivers a couple weeks back that have improved things quite a bit - Even though the Matrox can't come close to the framerates my other machine with a Leadtek 4600ti, I have a hard time wanting to race without the 3-screens now. I think it safe to assume that as three-head catches on, more games will support them. I think it only a short matter of time before NVIDIA offers it as well. > >Have LCD (I assume that's what you mean by flatpanel) screens improved in > >terms of refresh rate? I was under the impression that many of them cannot > >keep up with the high frame rates in most games, and traditional monitors > >were still the way to go. > > > >(Not that I'll be getting ONE much less three LCD monitors any timesoon). > > > Supposedly the newest (and way expensive) ones have hit the refresh > (and black spectrum) that games require for good visuals. > The main problem is now pricing and videocard wise either Matrox > developing a better card or Nvidia (or ATi) going triple head (which > is what I want)

As far as I know all gf4 ti 4600's are dual ported like mine. I'm running a p4 [email hidden] ghz with quad data rate memory. The video card is clocked @315x715. I realize these a mild overclocks but my system is rock solid and I'm willing to sacrifice a few frames for the stability.

>"Phoenix Knight" <[email hidden]> wrote > > http://www.matrox.com/mga/archive_review/aug2002/media/fsquad.jpg > > > When PC Gamer said surround gaming would change the way we play video > games, I thought they were exaggerating, but now it looks like that > was an understatement! Yep, that cockpit above gives a clear advantage to drivers who are capable (= they have the cash) to race on such system. It's an incredible tool, useless are the left/right view which itself wasn't very functional at all. At tracks like Dega, the person using triple or widescreen monitors has a distinct advantage. Just sucks that the normal gamer won't have this for years. -- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- http://ymenard.cjb.net/ -- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez Corporation - helping America into the New World...

"ymenard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<rSck9.3856$[email hidden]>... > Just sucks that the normal gamer won't have this for years. But that's with almost everything in the computer industry. It just means we have loads to look forward to, and more of a reason to work harder so we can afford those future angels of our gaming systems.