Some CPU advice

[fsaviator]

I'm asking for advice on what spec computer I need to run the supporting systems in my new build.  My goal is to have four systems that will run the following:

1) CAPT MIP
2) FO MIP
Running ProSim737 Display

3) CDU's with ProSim737 CDU, and odds/ends

4) EFB's, MCP and Pedestal running ProSim737 MCP (also VATSIM)

I'll run the ProSim Main on my main system that will push the external visuals which is plenty powerful.

I'm running FS9 and will probably stay with it for the time being.

I want to order barebone systems and start them fresh.  They will have XP installed (unless I get a great price on Windows 7)

The driving piece to four systems is the GPU outputs (two per).  Maybe it's feasible to double these up into two more powerful systems that run four GPU outputs?

I want the following GPU outputs:  CAPT side and upper DU (2), FO side and lower DU (2), CDU's (1 - with splitter), EFB (2), and a future project I'm working on (1).

Thanks,

Warren

[jskibo]

Running FSX and Sim-A on the following:

1. FSX, SIM-A MCP and Aivlasoft EFB, plus FSX add-ons. i7-920@4GHz, 12GB DDR3, GTX275 vid (have dual, but don't use it) 120GB RAID SSD

2. SIM-A server, CPT PFD/ND, CDU, EICAS, FO PFD/ND i5-650, 8GB DDR3, Nvidia G310 PCIe and GT9500 PCI (two outputs per)

Runs fine both are win 7 machines, Sim-A server is a Dell refurb I paid $330 for and added the GT9500.

Will add another Dell refurb when I add the FO CDU and MFD then move iStaition and EFB over to it.

Dual video cards shouldn't be an issue in anything you use.  Problem might be price and good PCIe cards can be had for little to nothing (Nvidia 430 for $19 after $20 rebate at Newegg today).  Easily can run a PFD and CDU.  However PCI cards are crazy priced, DX10 9500's are $90+.  Get a PC or motherboard with dual PCIe slots and save the headache.

[ivar hestnes]

Warren

You are not neccessary limited to only one gfx card per computer...
On sim-avionics systems it is popular to use three gfx cards, with a total of six screens on one computer, which means you only need one extra computer to the fsx one... On the Nvidia control panel (or ATI I guess..) you just select the extend desktop function for all the screens.

But I dont know how PROsim will cope with performance vs many screens, or if it is possible at all. Check with the PROsim guys. If it works, it will save you some computers, and money 

[XOrionFE]

To add to this have you decided on which interface cards you will use and CDU?    Prosim 737 currently does not support FDS Sys cards, CDU, MCP, or EFIS hardware.  Seems like it only supports Open Cockpits, Sismo, Engravity, and CP Flight.      Make sure to take into account what you will need for these items if you haven't already.     I believe the best CDU Hardware available today is the new FDS ones but it doesnt look like Prosim will support them.   If using ProSim it would seem that using FDS hardware will be out of the question.     

Scott

[jskibo]

Well.....

I practiced a bit with ProSIm before going to Sim-A.  Its a PIA to interface with the FDS SYS cards, though it can mostly be done.  I didn't have my CDU then, but there is some functionality there and getting better.  Marty does a great job responding to his users and getting updates out weekly.  in the end it may be a great product and certainly has a great price now and the projected future (Free and going to 300 euro).

As Scott said, ProSim seems to be geared to the SIOC crowd with some FSUIPC useage, as well as that supplier making ethernet connective gear (forgot their name).  Marty has done a good job, its just too much SIOC programming for me to deal with.  prefer the SIM-A / InterfaceIT poin and click setup.......

[XOrionFE]

Good to know John

And not trying to cause a vendor debate but merely trying to assist in perhaps avoiding disappointment down the road.   All of the hardware mentioned is good stuff.   I use CP FLight MCP and Efis EL series and really like it (plug n play).  I also use Open Cockpits Radios (again...plug n play).   i have owned OC hardware including master cards and outputs cards and learned SIOC and it is really nice and flexible but more difficult to learn.    I also have Hagestrom, Bodnar and DA cards which are all excellent.    FDS SYS cards and CDU are also phenominal.   Problems come in though if not thought out in advance and I believe choosing your software really dictates what is ultimately used.     Since Warren mentioned the ProSim stuff (which I looked at and thought looked really promising) I thought i would just warn about the FDS incompatibity or lack of support so that could be avoided.

Anyway, it will be nice to see someone get up and running on it.

Scott

[Bob Reed]

I have to agree with Scott here. THink it out good and do research. All the stuff mentioned above is good stuff, but you need to know what is compatible with what.

[jskibo]

I'll third that thought as well....PLAN PLAN PLAN.

Scott and many others were way ahead of me and I had the benefit of watching what they did a year before I started buying stuff.  if not for Scott, Jack and many others offering theor advice here I might have gone down a more costly road.  I did have an old CPFlight 85% MCP, EFIS and Transponder that I picked up years before i found this place.  Sold it off and started from scratch.

Sim-A was my intention all along, though I missed the early "discount".  I looked at FlightDeck Software (not sure its even supported anymore, as well as some other partial solutions.  i was determined for awhile that I wasn't going to pay the new price for Sim-A, and had no interest in PM.

In the end though the SIM-A, InterfaceIT combo was a winner for me because I don't have a ton of time or desire to learn code and I have enough to tweak.  I'm lost using SIOC (if it wasn't for the aftersale service of Oral at Rev Sim my TQ would be collecting dust).

The only cart I put before the horse was buying the Rev Sim TQ at new intro pricing abd am so happy I did looking at what it goes for now (also helped the euro to dollar was 1.18 to 1 when I paid).

Anyway, thanks to all that helped me understand my end game results before picking my solutions.  The build has been so much easier and I may just catch up to all of you soon!

[fsaviator]

Thanks for all the input guys!  Always appreciated.
I have a pile of OC stuff right now, and all the parts and pieces to build my own panels, so that is my route on the interface.  I really like ProSim so I'm going that route on the software.  I was getting pretty handy with SIOC before I deployed, so that should come back to me in no time.

I build all my own computers so I'm hoping to keep them under $300 each.  In the meantime, I think I'm going to see how much I can load up some of these computers I have laying around.  I'm hoping an i3 with 1GB of RAM on an ATX MB with built in sound and a mid-end dual-head GPU should do it for each of them.  Graphically, there shouldn't be any real challenge other than driving the dual displays.  There's not a lot of graphics horsepower required for a DU or CDU, and I want to keep the PSU load down too.

All the graphics workload is on the main system, feeding the outside visuals.  I'll pop over to Marty and see if he's been able to piece together some kind of minimum/best spec yet.  I know that can't be easy.

Warren

[XOrionFE]

Are you going to run windows 7?  The only thing I would recommend is to give them more ram and I would suggest 4 gig if you are going to do Windows 7.   I work on computers and networks for a living and we always allocate at least a gig to the OS and in the case of Windows 7 we have standardized on 4 (because it is even and because the 3 gig limit is no longer).   Anyway....that would be my main recommendation on the computer side.    Will be interesting to hear what Prosim requires.

PS - Glad you made it back safe and sound!

Scott

[fsaviator]

For these systems I'm planning on XP as I have plenty of copies of that laying around...  I just can't see forking out cash for Win 7 just to run ProSim737.  Maybe I'm missing something?

Warren

[XOrionFE]

Nothing missing.....

XP is fine I would just be sure of the memory requirements of ProSim.

[jskibo]

Seen a lot of sales lately on the 3 pack windows 7 family upgrade ~$100, so if you end up needing to step up to 64bit and beyond the 3GB limit it would be fairly cheap.