Upgrade advice and final items clarification

[AngeloC]

I am so glad to have shrunken my list of things to correct from a full page down to about 2-3 left.

I have one issue where I would like to turn to the community on how to proceed. This involves our Instrument Display computer and Project Magenta (although I don't think the software matters as it is a hardware question).

We run ONE HP Slimline PC running Windows 7 64 to all the instrument displays. Capt PFD / ND is a monitor. FO PFD / ND another, Upper and Lower Eicas is each their own screen. Sp we have 4 displays running off the one computer. To achieve that one is VGA directly to the back of the integrated intel graphics chip, and the rest (3) are connected via DVI to USB to the computer and then run a DVI to VGA to the remaining screens.

I am staring to believe those dongles are giving me problems with certain displays not populating after starting PMGC, wavy lines, screens randomly (rarely) on their own changes locations entirely. Lower Eicas will end up on Capt ND etc...

What do you think I should do. Should I build another PC with two low / mid spec graphics cards in Nvidia surround to give me the 4 inputs I need to achieve this and throw the dongles out of the equation? I need to keep it to one PC for space and wiring concerns. What are your guys' suggestions. Am I even on the right track to suspect it is even the dongles?

Next question;

Anyone who is running PM and has a lower EICAS would you mind telling me what offsets and parameters are used for the ENG and SYS buttons. John and I were trying some but they seemed to change BOTH the upper and lower Eicas when we only wanted to change the lower display from ENG to SYS page. That would be a great help if anyone could relay their settings.

Secondly to build on John's Autopilot disconnect discovery I am curious as to why it is so hard to find such a simple and commonly used command in the sim. How do you guys disconnect your AP's using the yoke button, and what command, offset byte, dword, button press, gizzie, doomaflathcin, thingamajig you use. Last night I couldn't believe how difficult it was (we are still searching) to find the offset to control such a simple sim function.

Okay guys let me know thanks!

PS

Can anyone tell me why it takes so long for the ND's to show a change made on the FMC? If I go direct to a waypoint next in the flight plan, the AP reacts to it as soon as it is executed. However the ND's Cap and FO will not show the change for quite a while or until you change the range or cycle to a different mode and then back to map. Kind of frustrating.

PPS

If anyone knows how to add a sound to PM Sounds that is not already there, like hydraulic pump whine for example please let me know. This has evaded me for years!

[navymustang]

With regards to your USB dongles for video - I have experienced many issues trying to get that large of a number of dongles working consistently. I would suggest going with something like the Visiontek Radeon 7750 video card (approx. $250) then mini display port to VGA adapters on 4 of the outputs (approx. $10 each).
That should solve that problem for a total cost of less than $300.
Jim

[AngeloC]

That card shows only 2 active ports with the rest passive, and to run more than two displays you need active adapters? What options are there out for Nvidia? I use them more so and am more comfortable with Nvidia control panel and so on.

[navymustang]

Thanks for pointing out the active versus passive. I had not read the specs and should have.
Jim

[jackpilot]

My 2¢

PM is famous for performing on low end PCs
I have 5 of them on a network (one is even a P4 running W2000!!)
Worked flawlessly for years now.
Without going to that kind of setup, run your avionics on several cheap PCs, much better and more reliable than video cards on steroids, and cheaper too.

For the rest FSUIPC has those functions listed including AP disconnect.
Can be set with a cheap joystick card.

Works for me anyway...give it a try.
Jack

[AngeloC]

Yeah it was that way before, but a whole PC just to run a display I wanted to semi consolidate everything.

The thing is, the yoke buttons are interfaced to a joy card, so in FSUIPC or Window Cal you can see button presses. I just need to know what PM likes to use for offsets to dsiconn the FS Autopilot using PM MCP software. I have used the PM AP but even with tweaking the pitch and roll values it is all over the damn place and doesn't fly well.

[AngeloC]

Just to update the community here, i went ahead and got and isntalled this card.

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-NVIDIA-Quadro-K1200-VCQK1200DP-PB/dp/B00UPHAT2C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460730396&sr=8-1&keywords=PNY+Quadro+K1200

Got Active MiniDSP to VGA adapters, hooked everything up and never looked back. The Displays are rock solid now, look great, and provide constant reliable startup operation. No more do the individual displays hop around from screen to screen or show the wavy lines show the poor refresh rate. 

[N606DL]

Hello AngeloC, I have been looking at this card for my gauges as well. Is this working in P3D?

Danny