Using video card with 3 outputs instead of TripleHead2Go

[Maurice]

I was just about to order a GTX 590 video card (or maybe GTX 690) which has 3 separate outputs so that I could eliminate the TripleHead2Go when I came to the realization that setting up FSX with 3 views on one PC without the TripleHead may be somewhat of a problem.

Here is what I mean: With the TripleHead, you open one full screen view which covers all 3 projectors and this is the 'background' full screen view which will be hidden but is required by FSX. Then you undock 3 separate views and position them on top of the full screen view.

So my question is: Would I be able to open the full screen view on the center video output/projector only and then undock the 3 views and place them on the appropriate video outputs? In other words, extend the desktop on the other 2 outputs/projectors and move the side views to the side projectors. I don't see why not but I'm wondering if there would be any problems which I cannot foresee right now.

Has anyone used a video card with 3 outputs instead of the TripleHead and if yes, what was your experience, positive or negative?

Thanks,
Maurice

[rhysb]

Maurice,

I think actually on the later 6 series cards you can actually do 4 screens,

The current PC pilot magazine has a detailed article on this exact subject which is quite good, im not sure if you get that over your side of the pond but im sure If you have an iPad or can access newsstand then you can read it online, if not let me know and il email to over to you

[Sean]

Remind me what the function of the hidden view is please.

[blueskydriver]

Easiest way to explain the background and three views is by this. MSFS is like a cleared off desktop, and then you have three sheets of paper on that desktop with almost the same size pictures taped onto them. The pictures have a left, center and right view.

So, the desktop is or you want it to be all one color for example, more so, it needs to be showing very little, and that is why we point the background image straight up and zoom, so it only has to render a few unseen pixels (more or less). As for the pictures on the paper, since they're almost the same size of the paper, you still see the frame or edges of the paper around the pictures. Thus, the warping programs are removing the white paper frames and only showing the pictures, which would be placed next to each other to make one continous image for flying.

The problem is that since MSFS is a program, the three pictures have to stay with in the constraints of the program or our make believe desktop, so we can not change the desktop to a picture or shrink it down. Furthermore, it must be the active window for MSFS; otherwise, if one of the three images (or windows) is active, you will get a white edge framing on the one that is active, and that would show up on your projected images.

Therefore, that background is nothing more than a big place holder in order for MSFS to work right. The only way to defeat this is by using three computers with each one having a copy of MSFS. Then, each one would only be using that background per se, but with it being one big picture only (left, center and right views); thus, you have a program like Sol7, Immersive Display and XP10 that can seam them together making one big projected image. It is this way that FPS increase because each computer only has that one background image in use, as opposed to using one computer with 4 views (3 usable) being used to kill the FPS.

BSD