Multi-monitor set-up guide & help (unofficial)

[GreatWhiteHype]

I am using two TM cougar MFD's with two 8" screens behind them. My DDI exports are working but the DDI's in the cockpit are now black, as if turned off. How do I correct this? Thank you in advance. This only occurs in stable DCS. In open beta, they repeat. This is true for the F-18 and the A-10. I have not fired up the Harrier yet.

Edited August 21, 2019 by GreatWhiteHype

[v81]

Quick question, this is my layout.

Primary is the left / #2, and this is the monitor DCS runs on.

1) Is it going to be an issue that monitor #1 is to the right of the main?

2) Is there any issue with the righ hand monitor being a dissimilar resolution / taller than the main?

 

 

Due to a significant physical space limitation i can't run the right hand monitor in landscape :(

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by v81

[sobe]

Not that I am aware of. However, you will need to tell the game that your screen is 2 + 1 across and 1 down if you want to use the lower portion of your #1 screen. But this could be a problem for the game in screen #2. IMO, your best bet is to ignore the lower portion of screen #1 and just tell the game that your setup is 2 + 1 across and 2 down.

 

 

 

Also, you need to tell windows that #2 is the primary screen. I had a problem with that as I had different video connectors attached and the HDMI connector insisted that it was #1 so I got a converter cable.

 

 

 

I may be wrong on everything I said, but this is my best guess. Good luck.

[Stevo_HR]

Is there a list of these descriptors 'LEFT_MFCD' etc? Or is that all of them? LEFT, RIGHT, RWR and CDU?

 

Would be cool if there was 'EXTERNAL_CAMERA' or 'SNAP_VIEW_1' would be great as you could have working MFCD's on a second monitor without extra hardware.

[aviramad]

OK, it looks like some syntax has changed. Let me explain how my setup below. As you can see I have three monitors that are 1920 X 1200. So the *total* width is 5760. Also, while the three monitors height is 1200, if you factor in the 600 for the Lilliputs (800 x 600 monitors), the total height is 1800. See picture below: (Note in the picture, I made a mistake and said the height is 2000. It should be 1800!

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the Windows identified order doesn't really matter. For me, monitor 2 is my "main monitor" And my *LEFT* MFCD is monitor #5 which is 800x600 Lilliput monitor. #4 is my right MFCD. But the way I setup my 8" monitors is like this:

 

 

As you can see, the right side of the *LEFT* MFD/Lilliput is covered. 7" is slightly too small, and 8" monitors have too much screen space. So I just covered it up and no one is the wiser! Also note that the left side of my *RIGHT* MFD is covered. This is important because it will affect how you configure the lua file.

 

Note that youll need to use an editor like Notepad++, Ultraedit, or VIM to create these files. Windows notepad may mess up the UTF formatted files.

 

My lua file (attached to this post) is called HSBMFD1.LUA You need to copy it to (I'm assuming your DCS is installed in the default C drive/location)

 

For Alpha 2.0 release:

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World 2 OpenAlpha\Config\MonitorSetup\

 

 

For Beta 1.5 release:

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Config\MonitorSetup\

 

For 1.2 GA release:

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Config\MonitorSetup\

 

 

Explanation of the contents of the LUA that I attached is as follows:

 

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('HSBMFD1');

 

/* Note that the file name doesn't really matter. DCS will read the above "name= " and will display it CONFIGURATION section. */

 

Description = '3 Screens and L-R MultiMFD'

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 5760;

height = 1200;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 4.8;

},

 

/* Here, I'm saying that I have one screen that's 5760 by 1200 and the aspect ration is 5760/1200 which equals 4.8. But this is *not* what you type in the CONFIGURATION screen - explained later. And one more note: I like to just use one 'wide' Center view port. You may prefer the Left, Center, Right approach that the default "3 Cameras" LUA uses. So adjust to suit your taste */

 

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 0;

y = 1200;

width = 525;

height = 525;

},

 

 

/* OK, this is easy. You can see from my first picture of Windows monitor setup screen that the left MFD/Lilliput starts at X= 0 (far left) and down by 1200 (below the #2 monitor in my example above.) I also used a program called PixelWindow to masure that MFCD size is 525 x 525 in size */

 

 

 

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 1075;

y = 1200;

width = 525;

height = 525;

},

 

/* OK, so this is a little weird, right? Why is the "X" value at 1075? Shouldn't it just be 800? I even labeled it as X=800 and Y=1200 in my picture above The problem in my case is that I covered the left side of the *RIGHT* MFD. So there's some dead space that I have to take into account. For the LEFT MFCD, it didn't matter because the MFD is flush to the left side of the Lilliput monitor (X=0). In the above config, I told DCS that my MFCD's screen size is 525 x 525 starting from the left side of the monitor. The fact that I'm not using the full 800 pixels is beside the point for DCS. Now lets talk about hte right MFCD. How much do I need to move the right MFCDs "X" value by? Well, that's easy if you think about it. The monitor itself is 800 pixels wide. But I'm only using the right 525 pixels. So how much am I *not* using? How many pixels are covered up by my little cover? 275! (800-525). So that means that my *RIGHT* MFCD really starts at 800 (width of the left Lilliput) + 275 (the space that I covered up) which equals 1075. And again I'm telling DCS that the right MFCD is 525 by 525 pixels big. */

 

 

}

 

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

LEFT_MFCD = Viewports.LEFT_MFCD

RIGHT_MFCD = Viewports.RIGHT_MFCD

 

 

/* Now here's where it gets interesting. I couldn't get the old *working* config in the new alpha/beta release. I guess DCS changed how LUA files are read. I had to state at the bottom that the LEFT_MFCD is configured via "Viewports.LEFT_MFCD" section. */

 

 

OK, we're *almost* finished. After you copy the LUA file over, you need to configure DCS to use it. When you configure DCS Graphics option, you need to account for the *FULL* screen size of 5760 x 2000. Since our LUA file tells DCS to use 5760 X 1200 for the "center" (the main) screen, it's OK that we're specifying 5760X2000. See picture below:

 

 

 

Just type in 5760X2000. There's no pull down for it. Then just type in the aspect ratio as 4.8 (5760/1200 = 4.. And specify the MONITORS as HSBMFD1 (or whatever you changed it to).

 

That should do it. If you've followed along, you'll get the enjoy it like this:

 

 

I know it's not the best of resolution, but you get the idea. Notice the three monitors in use, along with working MFCDs. Enjoy.

 

It is really great job and help.

 

I intend to do it , i purchased additional3 8" screens that i plan to install L-M-L for the AF-18c 2 DDI's and the center MFSCD. i will follow your instructions method (will add the middle 8") and hopefully it will work.

Can you inform me what you used to get the additional 2 8" screens that recognized by windows as additional 2 monitors ( I assume that your GPU can only have 4 output ports , so 3 ports occupied by the main 3 screens , and the last port need to connect to the 2 separated 8" screens , did you use with the Matrox Triplehead2go T2g-dp-mif - DP to connect these 2 8" screens?

Additional question , I plan to install the middle 8" screen symmetry of the MFD (of course will calculate according the X and Y locations of it, do you thing that have problem with this.

And last , do you used with any additional LUA file to export the MFCD , if yes can you send me your LUA files?

 

Thank you in Advance

[Slartibartfast]

Hello.

 

I'm toying with the idea of setting up a multi display setup myself and am trying to workout how I should configure things. I've read several times that the "3 screen" setup isn't appropriate for most people because it's designed around three similarly sized monitors placed at 90° or 60° to each other - which is actually exactly what I want!

 

My question is... is it 90­° or 60­° (or anything else) and how exactly should you configure things to achieve this?

 

I'm also wanting to understand exactly what the ViewDx and ViewDy values represent. I know it's to do with view rotation but if I'm to go ahead with purchasing the gear for a 3 monitor setup I want to know exactly what I'll be dealing with and this seems the best place to ask.

 

Thanks.

[klem]

Hello.

 

I'm toying with the idea of setting up a multi display setup myself and am trying to workout how I should configure things. I've read several times that the "3 screen" setup isn't appropriate for most people because it's designed around three similarly sized monitors placed at 90° or 60° to each other - which is actually exactly what I want!

 

My question is... is it 90­° or 60­° (or anything else) and how exactly should you configure things to achieve this?

 

I'm also wanting to understand exactly what the ViewDx and ViewDy values represent. I know it's to do with view rotation but if I'm to go ahead with purchasing the gear for a 3 monitor setup I want to know exactly what I'll be dealing with and this seems the best place to ask.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Slartibartfast

 

If you are going to spend out on three new monitors you might want to consider VR instead. Three monitors in Surround, as one viewport, will give you stretched views as it moves further left and right which I really didn't like. I have four 27" monitors, three as left/forward/right viewports plus one below for instruments but those four viewports and even three viewports are very demanding on your GPU, almost as much as VR (which is effectively two views to be generated). Note that I am using four separate viewports. If you are going to use one viewport in surround you are still hitting 3 times the monitor pixel count but it won't be as demanding as separate viewports. Your GPU will be very important.

 

Anyway, my side monitors are angled forward about 40 degrees from the middle monitor. I sit 70cm from the middle monitor which is close enough for the side viewports not to look as if my wings are poking forward. In the jets you won't notice anyway but in a straight wing aircraft like the spitfire you will if you pull back from the monitors but generally you won't notice it much. The '3 screens' or '3Cameras' are intended to be used with monitors at right angles to eachother but that calls for very large screens which you can literally sit between, or projectors and screens. Angled screens work quite well as explained.

 

So you pays yer money and you takes yer choice.

 

For multiple monitors, viewDx and viewDy are horizontal and vertical view angles. viewDx = 0 is looking straight ahead. viewDx = -1 is the view left out of the cockpit (the left hand monitor). viewDx = 1 is the view looking right out of the cockpit (the right hand monitor). viewDy is the vertical (up/down) angle and viewDy = 0 is looking level ahead. You could play with, say, -0.8 through 1.2 to get the view ahead that you like best but remember it applies to all aircraft, you are better off using viewDy = 0 and setting each aircraft view in your C:/Saved Games/..../Snapviews.lua which is what happens when you set a view in the cockpit then hit RAlt + KP0. If like me you had a fourth view for instruments ('Bottom' viewport) you'd use something like viewDy = -1 to look down at the instruments or whatever value gives you the instrument view you like best.

 

 

Hope that helps.

[Slartibartfast]

Thanks @klem.

 

Ideally I'd actually like to build a 90° simpit. As it is I've been inspired by this X-Plane setup:

and have a thread in the "Cockpits" section accordingly: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=269878

but I thought here may well be the best place to ask about configuration settings.

 

 

If you are going to spend out on three new monitors you might want to consider VR instead.

As it is I was about to order a VR headset however after much deliberation and finally settling on the HP Reverb, right on the day when I logged in to make my purchase my feed was filled with teasers of the upcoming HP/Valve/Microsoft collaboration which, for lack of an official name, is being dubbed the "Reverb #2". In particular it was Microsoft's collaboration (given the upcoming and highly anticipated MS Flight Simulator) that gave me pause. So just as I was hovering over the "purchase" button I decided to hold off on a ordering. And, after being inspired by "Home Sim Pilot"s video above, I am trying to investigate whether such a 90° setup would be feasible in DCS.

[Cowboy10uk]

Hi guys, sorry for resurrecting an old thread. BUT I’m really struggling after deciding to setup Helios once again on my system.

 

However I’m really struggling to get the menus and cockpits show in the right resolution on my main 4k monitor.

 

The menus are squashed up towards the left when I start, which if I alt tab will then show full screen as it should. The bigger issue is when I enter the aircraft, the cockpit itself seems squashed and rather than displaying over the entire screen as it does when I select normal 4k resolution, the cockpit is only across 3/4 of the screen. When I select 5670 x 2160. My touchscreen is below the 4k monitor.

 

Any ideas guys guess it’s been driving me nuts for the last 6 hrs. I just can’t seem to get the resolution to work.

 

my monitor lua is as follows

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('2_monitors_FA18C');

Description = 'Right, Left, RWR, IFEI, UFC, and AMPCD in right monitor'

 

--TOTAL DEL VIEWPORT

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 3840;

height = 2160;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = screen.aspect;

}

}

 

 

--LEFT

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 4095;

y = 686;

width = 395;

height = 378;

}

 

--RIGHT

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 5076;

y = 691;

width = 387;

height = 377;

}

 

 

-- RWR

F18_RWR =

{

x = 5296;

y = 1199;

width = 200;

height = 210;

}

 

 

 

--AMPCD

CENTER_MFCD =

{

x = 4596;

y = 1181;

width = 368;

height = 356;

}

 

--IFEI

F18_IFEI =

{

x = 3896;

y = 1247;

width = 601;

height = 209;

}

 

 

--UFC

F18_UFC =

{

x = 4538;

y = 493;

width = 496;

height = 323;

}

 

 

 

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

 

GUI =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 3840;

height = 2160;

}

Edited May 2, 2020 by Cowboy10uk

[ilikepie]

is full screen unchecked in dcs options?

[Cowboy10uk]

is full screen unchecked in dcs options?

 

 

Damn, ok that was a simple fix. ????????????????????

 

Thankyou, I had thought I tried everything, never occurred to me to check if it was full screen or windowed. Damn. :doh::doh:

 

Thankyou.

[ilikepie]

yahoo! sorted.

[shu77]

I find the right LAU the disable the mfd in cockpit. Problem solved.

 

The right one: Scripts\Aircrafts\ _common\cockpit

Hey any chance you can expand on what you did here? I know theres a way to turn them off but I cant find it

[ilikepie]

viewporthandling lua. -- in red square has been added

[shu77]

viewporthandling lua. -- in red square has been added

My understanding is that this stops all viewports, so RWR, IFEI and UFC from working, is that correct?

[AustinN360]

What would the FOV be for combined 5760x1080 triple monitor (3x 1920x1080) setup be if I want the canopy rails on the centre screen? I'm running with each monitor set as its own viewport.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('Austin_Multiple Aircraft');

Description = 'Capt Zeen A10C setup'

 

--TOTAL GAME VIEWPORT

displays =

{

[1] =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY1,

x = 1920,

y = 1080,

width = 1920,

height = 1080,

},

 

[2] =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY2,

x = 0,

y = 0,

width = 1920,

height = 1080,

},

 

[3] =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY3,

x = 3840,

y = 0,

width = 1920,

height = 1080,

},

 

[4] =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY4,

x = 1920,

y = 0,

width = 1920,

height = 1080,

},

}

 

Viewports =

{

 

LEFT =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY2,

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

aspect = 1.777778;

useAbsoluteFOV = true;

useAbsoluteAnglesShift = true;

FOV = 0.748042;

viewDx = 0.772075;

viewDy = 0.000000;

},

 

CENTER =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY3,

x = 1920;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

aspect = 1.777778;

useAbsoluteFOV = true;

useAbsoluteAnglesShift = true;

FOV = 0.739574;

viewDx = 0.000000;

viewDy = 0.000000;

},

 

RIGHT =

{

-- \\.\DISPLAY4,

x = 3840;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

aspect = 1.777778;

useAbsoluteFOV = true;

useAbsoluteAnglesShift = true;

FOV = 0.748042;

viewDx = -0.772075;

viewDy = 0.000000;

},

}

 

Gui =

{

x = 1920;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

}

 

UIMainView = Gui

 

---KA50 =

 

Shkval =

{

x = displays[1].x + 717,

y = 1080 + 240,

width = 507,

height = 320,

}

 

ABRIS =

{

x = displays[1].x + 1280,

y = 1080 + 376,

width = 421,

height = 543,

}

 

---A10C =

 

A10C_LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 1971;

y = 1080 + 147;

width = 443;

height = 423;

}

 

 

A10C_RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 3335;

y = 1080 + 147;

width = 443;

height = 423;

}

 

 

--countermeasures right

CMSP_SCREEN =

{

x = 3100;

y = 1080 + 25;

width = 207;

height = 41;

}

--countermeasures front panel

CMSC_SCREEN =

{

x = 2781;

y = 1080 + 121;

width = 246;

height = 55;

 

}

 

-- radar RWR

RWR_SCREEN =

{

x = 2514;

y = 1080 + 162;

width = 185;

height = 185;

}

 

-- clock

DIGIT_CLOCK =

{

x = 2398;

y = 1080 + 825;

width = 123;

height = 123;

}

--Uhf left panel

UHF_FREQUENCY_STATUS =

{

x = 2466;

y = 1080 + 438;

width = 112;

height = 28;

}

 

 

-- uhf small window, left panel

UHF_PRESET_CHANNEL =

{

x = 2557;

y = 1080 + 367;

width = 34;

height = 27;

}

-- uhf repeater main dashboard

UHF_REPEATER =

{

x = 2586;

y = 1080 + 698;

width = 95;

height = 25;

}

-- cdu right panel

CDU_SCREEN =

{

x = 3145;

y = 1080 + 642;

width = 222;

height = 163;

}

 

--radar F-15C

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 2197;

y = 1080 + 0;

width = 386;

height = 386;

}

 

--LEFT

FA18C_LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 2200;

y = 1080 + 198;

width = 393;

height = 373;

}

 

--RIGHT

FA18C_RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 3184;

y = 1080 + 198;

width = 393;

height = 373;

}

 

 

-- RWR

F18_RWR =

{

x = 3413;

y = 1080 + 719;

width = 182;

height = 182;

}

 

 

 

--AMPCD

CENTER_MFCD =

{

x = 2703;

y = 1080 + 690;

width = 360;

height = 360;

}

 

--IFEI

F18_IFEI =

{

x = 2074;

y = 1080 + 756;

width = 525;

height = 201;

}

 

 

--UFC

F18_UFC =

{

x = 2664;

y = 1080 + 30;

width = 456;

height = 264;

}

 

--F14_Pilot

 

F14_UHF_ARC159 = -- main UHF

{

x = 2372;

y = 1080 + 486;

width = 137;

height = 30;

}

 

 

F14_UHF_ARC159_RP = -- remote pilot UHF

{

x = 3372;

y = 1080 + 270;

width = 120;

height = 30;

}

 

 

F14_VHF_ARC182_RP = -- remote VHF

{

x = 3372;

y = 1080 + 354;

width = 120;

height = 30;

}

 

 

F14_HSD =

{

x = 2709;

y = 1080 + 697;

width = 357;

height = 408;

}

 

 

F14_VDI =

{

x = 2714;

y = 1080 + 290;

width = 338;

height = 324;

}

 

F14_RWR_P =

{

x = 3392;

y = 1080 + 443;

width = 170;

height = 170;

}

 

F14_JESTER_MENU =

{

x = (5760 / 2) - 350;

y = 0;

width = 700;

height = 700;

}

 

Edited May 4, 2020 by AustinN360

[ilikepie]

My understanding is that this stops all viewports, so RWR, IFEI and UFC from working, is that correct?

 

yes

[Peaches]

I'm drawing a blank here, fellas. I export MFCDs, RWRs, etc successfully with the A-10C, F-18, F-16, but I cannot get the exports to work with the F-14. Is there anything different about it? Thanks!

[ilikepie]

are the viewport co ords set correctly for your monitors?

[Peaches]

are the viewport co ords set correctly for your monitors?

Yes. I am trying to use the same monitor coords for the F14 HSD that I would use for example for left MFCD for the A10. I know the coords are correct because they work in the exports for other aircraft.

[ilikepie]

Yes. I am trying to use the same monitor coords for the F14 HSD that I would use for example for left MFCD for the A10. I know the coords are correct because they work in the exports for other aircraft.

 

so then, is the reso set correctly in the lua, are the file paths correct if using a mod switcher...I've overlooked something fairly straight forward things in trying to get things to work. Check all the basics first, becausr as you say, the others work. do you have a copy of the lua for the 14 others could check to see if something is amiss?

[Peaches]

so then, is the reso set correctly in the lua, are the file paths correct if using a mod switcher...I've overlooked something fairly straight forward things in trying to get things to work. Check all the basics first, becausr as you say, the others work. do you have a copy of the lua for the 14 others could check to see if something is amiss?

Thanks for the ideas, and I'll double check them. One question: are the F14 viewports for HSD, DDD, VDI, etc. predefined (like the F18 DDIs and A10C MFCDs), or do you have to create and name them in the individual init.lua files like you do when exporting RWRs, IFEIs, CDUs, etc?

[Peaches]

Here's what my monitor lua looks like; note at the bottom that the coordinates for the F14 HSD are the same as for the A10C left MFCD, which is working fine with my monitor set-up (2560x1440 on the left--main view; 1980x1080 on the right--used for my exported viewports).

 

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('JRM-Two-Monitor');

Description = 'Two monitor configuration';

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 2560;

height = 1440;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1.777777777778;

}

}

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 2560;

y = 380;

width = 700;

height = 700;

}

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 3260;

y = 380;

width = 700;

height = 700;

}

RWR_SCREEN =

{

x = 2695;

y = 5;

width = 370;

height = 370;

}

CDU =

{

x = 3277;

y = 5;

width = 486;

height = 370;

}

-- F-18C

F18_LEFT =

{

x = 2560;

y = 440;

width = 640;

height = 640;

}

F18_RIGHT =

{

x = 3200;

y = 440;

width = 640;

height = 640;

}

F18_AMPCD =

{

x = 3840;

y = 440;

width = 640;

height = 640;

}

F18_RWR =

{

x = 2565;

y = 5;

width = 400;

height = 400;

}

F18_IFEI =

{

x = 3000;

y = 5;

width = 765;

height = 340;

}

-- F-14B

F14_HSD =

{

x = 2560;

y = 380;

width = 700;

height = 700;

}

[ilikepie]

it might be because there is dual functionality for that, my export is set out differently, and when i say mine I mean Capt Zeens with an adjustment to get the dual functionality. The other thing i thought it might be because the first export is not defined (a10).

 

here is what i have for the 14. I'm not a pro at exports by any means but have spent a bit of time problem solving my own set up

[Peaches]

it might be because there is dual functionality for that, my export is set out differently, and when i say mine I mean Capt Zeens with an adjustment to get the dual functionality. The other thing i thought it might be because the first export is not defined (a10).

 

 

 

here is what i have for the 14. I'm not a pro at exports by any means but have spent a bit of time problem solving my own set up

 

 

 

Thanks for the thoughts. I am still wondering whether the F14 viewports you are using, HSD and VDI, are pre-defined, or did you need to stick code into their individual init.luas, like when one exports RWRs, CDUs, etc?

 

 

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