Computer Systems

[Michael_B737_ATP]

Hi Everyone,

I was thinking about the following for my flight deck.

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Computer 1 - Running P3D 2.5
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1. Intel Core i7-4790K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 4.0GHz CPU
2. GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-Gaming G1 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
3. CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CML16GX3M4X1600C7
4. EVGA 04G-P4-3978-KR GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support FTW+ ACX 2.0 Video Card - (3 video boards)
5. ENERMAX Platimax EPM1350EWT 1350W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified power supply.

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Computer 2 - Running Sim-Avionics
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1. Intel Core i7-4790K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 4.0GHz CPU
2. GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-Gaming G1 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
3. CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CML16GX3M4X1600C7
4. EVGA 04G-P4-3978-KR GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support FTW+ ACX 2.0 Video Card - (3 video boards)
5. ENERMAX Platimax EPM1350EWT 1350W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified power supply.

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Computer 3 - ASN, PFPX, Chart Printing, Misc
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1. Intel Core i7 X980 Extreme Processor
2. Asus P6X58D Premium Motherboard
3. EVGA Titan Signature Series 6GB video board
4. 24GB Corsair DDR3 Memory 2000MHz
5. Enermax Galaxy EVO 1250 Watt Power Supply

Visual display will be 3 - Canon REALiS WUX400ST Projectors via NatVIS Simulator Displays (4500mm Diameter 200* FOV) screen.


Will she handle P3D 2.5 on computer 1, Sim-Avionics on computer 2 and ASN weather injection on computer 3 without struggling to maintain a smooth performance.

[quid246]

While I can't say I've run big visuals before... I think that might be overkill... especially 970's just to run Sim Avionics.

I bet you could run most stuff off of one of those machines nicely clocked, but in reality I would probably run 2 machines and think about less serious video cards for the Sim Avionics.

[blueskydriver]

I noticed your listings do not include hard drive types or SSD drives. Recommend SSD's for OS on all and a separate SSD or SATA Hard Drive at 10k or even 15k (if you can get them that fast) for P3D. Also, unless I missed it in a different post, you haven't mentioned case types, cooling fans (water cooled or air cooled?), memory latency timings for the ram, and case spacings (will 3 video cards fit plus any other needed cards).

As for will it struggle for using P3D 2.5? I haven't used P3D, but 3 video cards in a box generating heat, plus a high end processor will, IMHO, slow it down or shut it down. You plan to use projectors which is fine, but the computers, with projectors, with simulator related items will generate heat in a room. Thus, what is your sim room like for ambient heat? Have you planned for cooling the room yet?

Either way, others might say differently, but has anyone ever had single computer success with multi video cards loaded into it? Likely yes, but probably not what you expect. Too me the norm is multi computers, with single video cards, with one for each projector and another for the server. Then, you use one or two more computers for SimA and the other stuff.

John

[tennyson]

I fully agree with John.
I tried the 1 computer with 3 card thing and it was a miserable mistake.
I swapped over to three dedicated PC's that run my graphics ( 3 x short throw high def 3LCD Projectors) and ProSim Avionics.
The results were stunning. P3D is more GPU oriented now, so I just upgraded the three IG computers to GTX 980's and Boom!  Amazing difference!

I'm also running PCI-E SSD's and 3960X's in my IG's, so I've future proofed a bit.


Frank Cooper

[stephenbalmer]

Hello Frank, John, Quid and Michael,

This is an interesting topic to me as I am at the same stage of deciding direction for visuals. I've posted separately, but wondered what is your view on the one PC with one video card running the 3 sections of an external 180 degree external view versus 3 PC's, each running a section of the externals?

If running on the 3 separate PC scenario, how do you ensure absolute synchronicity between each and display a seamless and correct overall view of the externals view in terms of cloud, weather, other flying objects passing from one section to another?

Thanks very much,

Stephen.

[tennyson]

Stephen,
I'll take a stab in the dark here, but get ready for fireworks, cos this always ends in tears.

I tried the single PC and three video card scenario and it just wouldn't cut it.
Lucky for me, I know Nat Crea (Guru of all things visual) and he gave me some sound advice.

I built 3 separate high end PC's. with GTX 980's in them, that run to 3 x high def short throw projectors on a 200 degree FOV self made screen (made from supports and gyprock sheets and painted with ordinary ceiling paint).

I used Fly-Elise Immersive Display Pro to merge and blend visuals and then also bought Immersive calibration Pro, to do the merging and blending professionally. I also use Wideview and Widetraffic.
I'm running P3D V2.5 with all the hotfixes, almost every ORBX scenery known to man, including their Freeware AI Traffic pack, which is simply amazing.
I'm currently using standard P3D V 2.5 weather, but will be using ASN for P3D very soon, as it's now networked properly for 2.5.

Here's one of my Test Flights from a few month's back. I had a small problem in the vid, that I didn't realise, but you may pick it up. All three PC's were running different weather to each other, hence the haze on the outside two IG's and none on the centre. Easy fix, just put them all to the same weather....Bob's your Uncle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNag5Nrmtg4


Frank Cooper

[blueskydriver]

What you see in Frank's video is the best of the setup types to be had. As a way of seeing the different types, I will list them:

1. one PC with highend video card single output going to a TH2GO box splitting that into 3 outputs for the 3 projectors or lcd tv screens. You then use multiple views in the FSX/P3D programs.

2. one PC with highend video card multihead output to the 3 projectors or lcd tv screens. Again, using multiple views in FSX/P3D

3. three PC's with almost highend or better video cards (you can go less with cards for FSX) in this setup. I myself would use all highend video. So, one PC per projector or lcd TV. You will need WideView to sync them all up together in the timing sense.

4. four PC's. Basically, the same as number 3 above, but you use the fourth PC as the server. Thus, the server tells the 3 visual client PC's what to display, where PC 4 is the how to PC. In other words, the 3 visual PC's don't spend time (I call it) searching or calculating/multitasking since PC 4 does that part, and it tells the 3 visual PC's where to be in coordinates visually...these are not technical terms, just my way too explain it.

5. The "Scott Array" setup (my new naming for it). Instead, of 3 projectors or lcd tv's you do 5 with 5 PC's! Scott is the man!

Finally, don't confuse WideView with a curvture program like Fly Elise or NTHUSIM. Wideview is a syncing program for the multiple PC setups. A curvture program is used for curvture correction of projecting flat images onto a curved screen. I must mention that a curvture program is software based; unless, you go very, very hignend stuff, where it is hardware based...big bucks for that stuff though.

In any of the 5 choices above, the trick is matching everything. Be it projectors, lcd tv's, computers (including all internal components) or even things like HDMI cable types and lengths, it all should be the same. Of course that is where the costs come into play...oh, I didn't even mention PC's or their monitors for use with the avionics software package(s), weather programs and so on...so, don't forget about that.

It's crazy insane stuff, but lots of fun!

John

[Michael_B737_ATP]

Hi,

The flight deck is being built by FDS and I plan on using NatVis (http://www.natvis.com.au) for my screen. I'd like to thank everyone for their advice, I am glad I found this community... In rethinking everything, I've now come up with the following.

There will be three computers, one for each projector. I will also setup a fourth computer as the server, running the same setup as the projectors. The four computers will consist of the following:

1. 4 - Intel Core i7-4790K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 4.0GHz CPUs.
2. 4 - GIGABYTE GA-Z97X LGA 1150 Intel Z97 Motherboards.
3. 4 - EVGA 04G-P4-5988-KR GeForce GTX 980 Video Cards.
4. 4 - CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) L/C=7 Memoery.
5. 4 - ENERMAX Platimax 850W 80 PLUS PLATINUM Power Supplies.
6. 4 - Antec Twelve Hundred ATX Full Tower Computer Cases

A fifth computer for Sim-Avionics software and ASN weather injecting will be my old computer.

1. Intel Core i7 X980 Extreme Processor
2. Asus P6X58D Premium Motherboard
3. 2-EVGA Titan Signature Series 6GB video board
4. 24GB Corsair DDR3 Memory 2000MHz
5. Enermax Galaxy EVO 1250 Watt Power Supply

For cooling, I have the following: EXC-450 Ultra Compact 450W Recirculating Liquid Chiller: (http://koolance.com/ultra-compact-450W-recirculating-chiller-exc-450)

Am I on track now?.

Thanks again everyone.
Mike

[milezee]

If you're thinking of 3x sli with p3d, don't bother for now.
There is still no nvidia profile as yet, and when it comes I don't see 3xsli giving much more than 2xsli.
Also, look into pcie lanes. For true 16x pcie times 3 no Intel i7 can do this (40 lane limit). Think xeon processor on high end board for this.

[edit] sorry, I didn't read whole thread before posting this]