Thrustmaster MFD Cougar

[Evader]

I wonder if anyone has a screenie/thumbnail of the Camera (etc).lua file from Beta 3. The format is different from Kuky's definitive post and I'm too much of a moron (no, really!) to figure out how to put the two together.

 

I have 2xMimo 7" USB LCDs = resolution of 800x480 (model 710S) and have a set of Cougar MFDs due here in 2 days. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated and REP shall flow like honey. :)

 

 

I think you should have gotten the 8" 4x3 monitors. I believe the 7" widescreen format will not cover the height of the Cougar MFDs.

[El_Roto]

Thank You!

 

They're working! I still need to dial them in but the 'pit is showing up nicely.

 

?: can I come up with a lower rez and continue to have success? I ask because this higher rez (I was running 1600x1200) is hurting my fps noticeably.

 

I can't thank you all enough (and probably won't :smilewink: ).

[Kuky]

El_Roto, if your main monitor is 1920x1200 and 7" screens 800x480 you need to specify 1920x1680 in game options screen. The FPS hit has to be there as the game has to work with outputting MFCD images on top of what's in game already. Maybe, just maybe if you can specify more common resolution for the 7" screens as 640x480 or 800x600 you might get little better performance.

 

Also probably don't go for higher in game graphics settings and adjust to bit lower (I'd probably turn off HDR first and don't use high scenery)... so try and test what works for you.

 

PS: I think you can't run lower resolution than that as you are not running the sim in full screen, so you either have to match main monitor resolution + 7" screen resolution OR reduce desktop resolution of the main monitor and in game so they match but that will not look good as pixels will be mismatched.

[El_Roto]

Copy that, Kuky. Thanks.

 

BTW, here's the format I was referencing earlier:

 

Center =

{

x = screen.width / 3;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 3;

height = screen.height;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = screen.aspect / 3;

}

}

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 3;

height = screen.height;

}

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = screen.width *(2 / 3);

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 3;

height = screen.height;

}

[El_Roto]

From Triumph to Failure

 

I had the cockpit images on the Mimos earlier today, but now all I get in MFCD mode is three screens compressed to a 1/3 of the center. I can't explain what went wrong; I was being careful to only adjust one thing at a time... I did back up the file and what's posted below is the fresh file with some small additions.

 

Anyway, I screwed up and now I need some help - again!

 

Here's my .lua file in all its insane glory. I used Kuky's values as a starting point and they seemed to work before, though I can't say if they made any difference in the images. Comments and rotten fruit (thrown, of course) are welcome.

 

= function(p) return p; end;

name = _('MFCD');

Description = 'Left MFCD on the left monitor,Right MFCD on the right and camera on the center'

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = screen.width / 3;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 1920;

height = screen.height;1200

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = screen.aspect / 1.1428571428571;

}

}

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 120;

y = 1278;

width = screen.width / 530;

height = screen.height;520

}

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = screen.width *( / 3);

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 530;

height = screen.height;520

}

 

My specs: Samsung Synchmaster 1920x1200, 2xMimo 710S (800x480), 2x8800GT in SLI, 2.4GHz Duo Quad Core, 4GB Corsair DDR2, Win 7 32 bit, Track IR 4 (with v5 software).

[Kuky]

You can't adjust one thing at the time :) Also you need to watch out for typos in LUA file

 

Try this:

In game options type in 1920x1680 (ratio will auto adjust)

 

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1200;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1.6;

}

}

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 100;

y = 1200;

width = 480;

height = 480;

}

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 1340;

y = 1200;

width = 480;

height = 480;

}

 

You might need to adjust the "x" (left/right) value for MFCD's depending how you position them over Cougar MFD's.

 

PS: Don't forget you need to run Windowed Mode, not Full Screen, and arrange small monitors to be bellow the main one as per image in my guide. If you want small monitors to the sides values will need to be changed again.

 

PS2: That format in "screen.width/3" works only for 3 monitors with same resolution and the MFD displays will be shown accross whole monitor not just part of it... so unless you have 3 monitors with exact same resolution you need to input actual pixel values manually

Edited November 23, 2010 by Kuky

[El_Roto]

I finally understand the format and the rez's and all that, but here's what I don't understand: my Mimos will not work as MFCD-style displays unless I choose "1 Screen" from the Options Menu. If I choose MFCD, I get blank screens at the bottom of the cockpit everytime.

 

NOW I'm confused (and tired - it's quite late).

[Kuky]

Are you sure you've edited correct LUA file then? Maybe you've been editing the 1Camera.lua file instead of LMFCD+Camera+RMFCD.lua?

[El_Roto]

Nope, definitely editing the latter file.

 

Weird, huh?

Edited November 24, 2010 by El_Roto

[71st_Mastiff]

@El Roto what drivers you using and video card?

 

also OS?

 

and make sure you have not turned aero off or any other compatibility short cut.

Edited November 24, 2010 by Mastiff

[El_Roto]

I'm using 2 8800GTs in SLI w/258.96 drivers. DirectX 9.0C installed as well. OS is Win 7 Home Professional 32 bit.

 

I don't know what you mean by "aero/compatibility shortcut". Sorry <shrugs>.

 

P.S. I got past that "format" thing and now my .lua file looks exactly like Kuky's, edited in Notepad ++.

 

I can tell that the displays are working - the cursor moves between them with alacrity - but absolutely no video is displayed when the mission comes up (I usually go to the new Startup). The screens show the "Please wait", etc. and blue progress bar while the missions loads, however.

Edited November 24, 2010 by El_Roto
Forgot to read above fully.

[Kuky]

In game options, did you sellect MFCD for monitor setup?

[El_Roto]

In game options, did you sellect MFCD for monitor setup?

 

Yes, I did.

[71st_Mastiff]

turn off SLI.

in personalized option in control panel make sure aero is running, basic windows color doesn't allow for multiple monitors. under win 7

Edited November 25, 2010 by Mastiff

[Slammin]

Also make sure the name of the .lua file you specify in options.lua does exist.

 

It sounds like you have correctly specified your overall verticle size, but it sounds like you either have specified the wrong .lua in options.lua, or that you are not specifying good coordinates for the MFD's. I tend to think it is a file naming thing because I think if you specified an out-of-bounds position for the MFD's, the mission will not even run.

[El_Roto]

Thank you, Slammin.

 

I wasn't running Basic Colors, but thanks for the tip; I didn't know that before. Also, SLI is now off.

 

As far as the naming convention goes, I think it's right. To test this, I went by your .lua posting and created a whole new file in the MonitorSetup folder, called "homegrown". I referenced it in the options.lua file, then set it up with the settings Kuky and I have discussed.

 

The file name showed up in the Options screen in-game and loaded w/no trouble once I started a mission. Alas, no LCD monitor output at the start screen.

 

In order to fully open myself to ridicule, here are the relevant sections of options.lua and homegrown.lua. I'm sure there's a glaring rookie mistake in there, I just don't see it. :helpsmilie:

 

["graphics"] =

{

["multiMonitorSetup"] = "homegrown",

["color"] = "32",

["heatBlr"] = 0,

["resolution"] = "1920x1680",

["water"] = 0,

["fullScreen"] = false,

["visibRange"] = "Low",

["aspect"] = 1.1428571428571,

["haze"] = 1,

["shadows"] = 0,

["TranspSSAA"] = false,

["width"] = 1920,

["effects"] = 3,

["MSAA"] = 0,

["textures"] = 1,

["height"] = 1680,

["HDR"] = true,

["civTraffic"] = "",

["lights"] = 2,

["clutterMaxDistance"] = 0,

["scenes"] = "low",

}, -- end of ["graphics"]

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('homegrown');

Description = 'Left MFCD on the left monitor,Right MFCD on the right and camera on the center'

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1200;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1.6;

}

}

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 100;

y = 1200;

width = 480;

height = 480;

}

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 1340;

y = 1200;

width = 480;

height = 480;

}

 

Thanks in advance!

[Slammin]

I see the problem. You are specifying the combined (main monitor+additional monitors) vertical space as just your main monitor. There is no room left to diisplay your MFD's.

 

If your main monitor res is 1920x1200 and you place your additional monitors below your main monitor in control-panel, you would add the vertical resolution of the main monitor (1200) to the additional vertical pixels required by the additional monitor/s (480) and this determines what ["height"] =, in your options.lua., which you correctly specify. Make this one change:

 

["resolution"] = "1920x1200",

 

I would also do this for good measure:

 

["aspect"] = 1.6,

 

You should be all set other than maybe a few tweeks in your homegrown.lua to line up the text in the MFD's with the Cougar MFD buttons.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Slammin

[71st_Mastiff]

also in this settings;

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 100; <here try "120"

y = 1200;

width = 480;

height = 480;

}

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 1340;

y = 1200;

width = 480;

height = 480;

}

[El_Roto]

How Dumb Can I Be?

 

They're working. They've always been working, I think.

 

Here's the dumb part: I was starting in missions in which the MFCDs were dark, like Startup.miz. For grins, I picked Free Flight in Black Sea Region and when the cockpit lit up, so did the LCDs! I can't tell you how silly I feel but I can thank you all for sticking with me throughout this ordeal. You've been helpful and patient and a true credit to this forum.

 

Sorry for all the headaches. You guys are the best!

[Kuky]

I was starting in missions in which the MFCDs were dark, like Startup.miz.

 

That deserves a big ... :megalol:

[herig2]

Now that I have the MFCDs on a second monitor, I need the Cougar MFD setup. but BLT were I purchase the Warthog HOTAS is backorder with a ETA of 12-18. Amazon.com says out of stock, 3 to 5 weeks. as does ever other site that I visit. Then I did a search with it's upc number 663296413758. There one place that has in stock. Techdepot, a division of Office Depot. They list two Thrustmaster MFD cougar packs.

Techdepot part # S7902744 for $58.95, out of stock

Techdepot part # S7746289 for $48.95, in stock

BUT they both have the same Mfr# 2960708

I have read in the forums that there are two versions of the MFD and this being the weekend Techdepot is closed. They operate only during normal business hours. So calling them is out, until Monday. And then I would like to appear to know what I'm talking about.

My question is, does the two versions have the same manufacture number and is there any way to know what version it is without checking the tab on the MFD.

[Loz]

Don't know if this will help you, but I'm sure that the external barcodes and details on the boxes are identical, as I checked when I had both the Vers. 1 and Vers. 2.

"Anal" as this sounds the difference (apart from switch quality, which is night and day!)

Small sticker on base shows Vers 1 or vers 2

Perspex screens were "film" protected on Vers 2

USB clear plastic end caps were different.

[hassata]

Go for the $58 set, or if you can't wait order though Amazon. I received 2 sets of v2's from them. I note that the bottom row of buttons on one of my version 2 MFDs stopped working shortly after installation, so there are no guarantees.

[El_Roto]

Thought I'd show what this forum's help achieved this weekend.

 

Wouldn't have done it without you guys!

 

[Slammin]

Awesome! Looks a lot like my setup though I only have one monitor, using it for my right MFD for now.

 

Also, you know you can turn down the brightness of the MFD buttons manually by holding down the two bottom leftmost buttons at the same time, while hitting the BRT button?

 

I'm trying to get my daughter to get me another 8" 4:3 monitor for Christmas :-)