Cockpit / Multiple monitor question...

[C6VC]

I posted this on mycockpit.com, but because you guys seem so well informed I thought I'd ask here too.

I'm looking to build a dedicated simulator in my basement, and I've got a box with a Geforce 9800 GTX video card installed. I've only used it with one monitor, but it has the dual DVI inputs. I also know that the motherboard has 2 free PCIe 2.0 slots, so here comes my question.

If I get 2 more Geforce 9800 GTX's (to avoid compatability issues), will I be able to run 6 monitors? 3 for scenery, 1 for panels, 1 for GPS and maybe 1 for map (lets call it a STBML, screen to be named later)? If the three scenery monitors are 22", can the instrument monitors be smaller (17") and will I be able to set resolution size independantly, say if I wanted 2 17" and one 7" touch screen (touch screen's a completely different subject, to be broached MUCH further down the line)?

Looking for some info before I get my feet wet, I appreciate your knowledge and input. I'm sure someone will comment on the graphics card of choice; to you... I'm not all that interested in your input   .

[EHM-1592 Niels]

Hi Kevin,

Yeah I think this all should be possible. I'm running two monitors on one ATI Radeon X1950XTX card, one 19" and one 17". No problem with the size, both run on a 1024 resolution. hope this helped you a bit. And eh.... publice some shot's once you got them up and running.

good luck.
Niels

[C6VC]

Thanks for the info! Quick question- does your card allow you to run different resolutions on each monitor?

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Six monitors off one PC would be touch and go. Very much depends on the cards and their drivers (and while many will d**n me for saying it, nVidia aren't all that good at this). You'll likely find that the six displays will all be cludged into a single desktop, and all get the same resolution (that of the smallest display in the group...)

When you want to go multi-monitor to that sort of degree, and stay aircraft type agnostic, it's far more usual to bring in extra PCs to drive the extra monitors and use a piece of software called WideView to "extend" flight sim's display to the additional PCs.

My own sim-pit (B738NG specific) currently comprises 4 PCs:

• PC #1 - Gaming Rig - FSX, Project Magenta (PM) MCP software and Flight Deck Solutions (FDS) MCP/EFIS hardware - 22" wide monitor for virt. cockpit (8800GTS)
• PC #2 - PM Glass Cockpit software, ASX - 2x 19" wide monitors for PF/PNF glass cockpit (and a 15" portrait monitor at some stage for engine gauges) (Matrox Millenium)
• PC #3 - PM CDU software and FSD CDU hardware, FS real time - 5" CDU display (I use VNC from PC #2 to set up FS realtime prior to pulling the CDU software full-screen) (Radeon tiny)
• PC #4 - IVAP, FLogger, NaviGraph - 15" wide laptop

I'm going to need at least 1 more PC to handle the MIP/overhead switches and gauges, PMSystems and the PNF remote CDU.

[EHM-1592 Niels]

Thanks for the info! Quick question- does your card allow you to run different resolutions on each monitor?

Yes it does

Niels