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

[deskoilot]

OK, The up-grade will be down the road for me. Thank you very much.

 

"The Old Fart"

[deskoilot]

:thumbup:Peter P

 

I did some tweaking on my lua,s and was able to have this. However ,like you said the game is very slow {in the low setting) but I was able to fly and land. In the "higjh Setting" well thats another story. I will probaly have to up-grade to win-7 and BS-2, but for now I have a perty good idea what to do. Thank You VERY much for your help.

"the old fart"

[PeterP]

:thumbup:Peter P

 

I did some tweaking on my lua,s and was able to have this. However ,like you said the game is very slow {in the low setting) but I was able to fly and land. In the "higjh Setting" well thats another story. I will probaly have to up-grade to win-7 and BS-2, but for now I have a perty good idea what to do. Thank You VERY much for your help.

"the old fart"

Nice!

Keep in mind that upgrading to win-7 x64 and BS-2 alone will only make setting it up easier - but don't expect a significant boost to the performance.

Your hardware - especially the 8400 - is still too weak to run this setup somewhere near "smooth".

 

You won't get away without at least up-grading your GPU.

[atledreier]

Ok, having issues here.

 

Got my 8" lilliput today, and went to work getting my right MFCD on it.

 

So, the screen works fine in wondows, got my desktop extended to it. It's set up as a secondary screen to the top right of my main monitor, which is a 24" 1080p widescreen LCD.

 

So, ingame I have set my resolution to 2720x1080, chose my correct monitorsetup LUA-file and verified the correct aspect is calculated. The LUA is posted below.

 

Also disabled fullscreen, and disabled V-sync

 

So, I start up World, andall seems normal. When I go to a mission the splashscreen is off center, which is expected, but nothing comes up on the lilliput screen. I can move my mouse cursor out onto it and it seems to make sense position-wise, but all I see is my desktop wallpaper and mouse cursor.

 

What am I not doing right here?

 

_  = function(p) return p; end;
name = _('Camera + LMFCD lilliput');
Description = 'Left MFCD on the lilliput and camera on the center'
Viewports =
{
    Center =
    {
         x = 0;
         y = 0;
         width  = 1920;
         height = 1080;
         viewDx = 0;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = 1920/1080;
    }
}

LEFT_MFCD =
{
    x = 1930;
    y = 10;
    width = 512;
    height = 512;
}

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

[Kuky]

Is the MFCD showing in game... in another words, is the MFD turned on in game? If you have cold start MFD's will be off, hence the black screen

[PeterP]

Your lua looks legit - check this thread:

 

>>>USB Monitors in DCS World

Un-check "disable aero interface" in the "system" tab in-game DCS- than your USB-monitors should work as usual.

[atledreier]

Yep, it was the AERO thing that threw me a curveball. Works great now! :-)

[helios932]

Black Shark Dual Monitor Woes

 

Hello! Thanks for all the resources provided already, but I've run into a problem while following these steps to the letter.

Situation:

I have a 1440x900 widescreen monitor on my left here which is flush with my primary 1920x1080 monitor on my right. As follows in this picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My monitor configuration thus, is as follows. I am pasting the actual file to show that I do not have errors

_ = function(p) return p; end;
name = _('Shkval Left Custom');
Description = 'Two monitor configuration';
Viewports =
{
Center =
{
x = 1440;
y = 0;
width = 1920;
height = 1080;
viewDx = 0;
viewDy = 0;
aspect = 3.1111111111111;
}
}

LEFT_MFCD =
{
x = 0;
y = 0;
width = 1440;
height = 900;
}

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

Finally, my game resolution is 3360x1080 as I believe it should be.

 

The problem:

When I load the game, the image always seems to draw on my right 1920x1080 monitor. If I were to virtually move my left-side screen over to the right side of the desktop (making it's new position x=1920 y=0) then I end up displaying the skval information on the right side. However, this seems to be a crappy workaround, and I would prefer to avoid this if possible. Is there some setting that I have gotten incorrect during this setup?

 

Furthermore, I have the strange issue of having my image 'Crunched' when I do this so that the world appears to be slightly zoomed in and stretched. A screenshot is here.

 

 

 

 

The error here is much more apparent in-game than it is on this small screenshot. It's just another issue which is making this whole thing more difficult to sort-out.

 

Relevant System Specs and Config

Windows 7 64 Pro
Single Nvidia 560
Adequate RAM, processing power, and drive space
Resolution: 3360x1080
Aspect: 3.1111111111111
Windowed Mode?: True
Vsync: True (I have attempted to produce a solution for the resolution for this by disabling Vsync to no avail. I cannot tell if Vsync is responsible for the 'stretching' of the graphics because the screen is cluttered by the shkval dimensions)
Disable Aero Features: False and True (neither worked)
Cockpit Shadows: True
TSSAA: False
MSAA: False

Thank you all so much for your help in advance with resolving this issue. This has been driving me insane for days, and I've exhausted as much as I can think of to resolve it. I have even disabled most advanced graphical features. If anyone can resolve this, or if there is any information that I can provide further to help, let me know!

 

EDIT:

I have attempted to use the phantom fix to no avail, I have also attempted to enable the 'Disable Aero Features' to try and remedy the issue, but that has not worked either.

Edited July 22, 2012 by helios932
New information 7/22/12

[BIGNEWY]

I could be wrong and I am sure someone will correct me,

I think it is because your main monitor is the one on the right and DCS has issue's with it this way.

 

Have you tried SoftTH setup which allows the right monitor to be a main display ?

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=71710

[helios932]

I have attempted to use SoftTH which has the following set of effects:

1. Image in the main menu is divided between the two monitors.

2. Images in game are not divided

3. Main menu has some inaccessible or illegible items.

 

How do I get DCS: Black Shark II to run with the split monitors in simulation, but not in menu?

 

I have attempted to switch between non-local and local head settings as well. Really confused at this point

 

EDIT:

I have managed to get the SoftTH to work with the following

1440x900 left monitor, non local

1920x1080 on the right monitor, center, local

 

The game, when in fullscreen, displays this properly. However, I see some serious aspect ratio issues that will not go away, furthermore, some elements are missing from the main menu and cannot be clicked. The main menu is also divided between the two monitors, this renders some things unclickable and out of reach.

 

Are there any other solutions for simply having

1440x900 on the left

1920x1080 on the right

 

It seems like such a simple thing to do, but it won't work no matter what I've tried.

 

EDIT II:

 

In my options I have changed the resolution to 6240x1080 (1920+1440+1440+1440)x1080 which has resulted in the game rendering everything proprerly. However, I still have this horrible tearing and some significant framerate drop caused by the absurd number of pixels being rendered by my GPU. There has got to be some kind of work-around for this whole thing. I have already tried the "phantom fix" exe and aformentioned SoftTH. Neither of these softs produced any results for me.

 

EDIT III:

I now have a properly functioning Shkval screen. Camera monitor still shows weird horizontal stretching. However. I cannot see the radio which means no re-arm, landing, or refueling or wingmen commands.

 

EDIT IV:

I have managed to squeeze the ABRIS onto my leftmost monitor as well. I have also used Phantomfix.exe to solve the phantom monitors issue. However, three issues remain still.

 

1. External views are stretched out

2. I cannot visualize the radio dialogue menu and thus cannot rearm/or send orders to wingmen or talk to people at bases

3.The cntrl+enter screen which shows the true positions of my joystick does not appear (This is invaluable, as I have an X52 without FF)

 

Are there any solutions for these issues?

Edited July 22, 2012 by helios932

[PeterP]

Lets solve one problem after another - don't take the next step while you are still fighting with the previous ;) ...

 

I have attempted to use SoftTH which has the following set of effects:

1. Image in the main menu is divided between the two monitors.

2. Images in game are not divided

3. Main menu has some inaccessible or illegible items.

 

How do I get DCS: Black Shark II to run with the split monitors in simulation, but not in menu?

 

I have attempted to switch between non-local and local head settings as well. Really confused at this point

 

EDIT:

I have managed to get the SoftTH to work with the following

1440x900 left monitor, non local

1920x1080 on the right monitor, center, local

 

The game, when in fullscreen, displays this properly. However, I see some serious aspect ratio issues that will not go away, furthermore, some elements are missing from the main menu and cannot be clicked. The main menu is also divided between the two monitors, this renders some things unclickable and out of reach.

 

Are there any other solutions for simply having

1440x900 on the left

1920x1080 on the right

 

It seems like such a simple thing to do, but it won't work no matter what I've tried.

 

EDIT II:

 

In my options I have changed the resolution to 6240x1080 (1920+1440+1440+1440)x1080 which has resulted in the game rendering everything proprerly. However, I still have this horrible tearing and some significant framerate drop caused by the absurd number of pixels being rendered by my GPU. There has got to be some kind of work-around for this whole thing. I have already tried the "phantom fix" exe and aformentioned SoftTH. Neither of these softs produced any results for me.

 

EDIT III:

I now have a properly functioning Shkval screen. Camera monitor still shows weird horizontal stretching. However. I cannot see the radio which means no re-arm, landing, or refueling or wingmen commands.

 

EDIT IV:

I have managed to squeeze the ABRIS onto my leftmost monitor as well. I have also used Phantomfix.exe to solve the phantom monitors issue. However, three issues remain still.

 

1. External views are stretched out

2. I cannot visualize the radio dialogue menu and thus cannot rearm/or send orders to wingmen or talk to people at bases

3.The cntrl+enter screen which shows the true positions of my joystick does not appear (This is invaluable, as I have an X52 without FF)

 

 

 

So I don't will reply to your post above - as I see you still miss some of the Basics - and this isn't working well to use SoftTH while you didn't really understand how DCS works on multiple screens in windowed mode....

Instead - first solve your initial questions:

 

 

EDIT:

I have attempted to use the phantom fix to no avail, I have also attempted to enable the 'Disable Aero Features' to try and remedy the issue, but that has not worked either.

 

 

So:

First lets put SoftTH aside and start with the basics.

(please remove the dll from your bin folder)

 

Read this guide:

Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“

 

Than configure your monitors exactly like you have posted here:

 

 

Use this "moniotorsetup".lua - I have marked the changes:

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('Shkval Left Custom');

Description = 'Two monitor configuration';

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 1440;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1.777777777777778;

}

}

 

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 1440;

height = 900;

}

 

GUI =

{

x = 1440;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

}

 

UIMainView = GUI

Set the DCS-ingame resolution to 3360x1080 and make sure the aspect ratio is 3,111111111111111.

 

Than use the phantom monitor fix and make sure you have clicked in the simulation screen of DCS after a mission load - so the phantom monitor-fix will be active.

 

 

Also please make sure that you haven't ticked the "disable Aero" check box in DCS 1.2.0 - so aero is active when running DCS windowed.

Please report back!

 

Once this is working for you:

windowed, while the right monitor is the primary. - we can go on writing a SoftTHconfig for you.

 

Please also read this so you know which kind of bug/flaws you have to deal with in DCS:

A Plea for View-Export/Multi-head/TH Users. - ED Forums

 

Further:

I'm very confident that once you have done what I have written above - you will be able to isolate and solve the problems you described on your own. ;)

Edited July 23, 2012 by PeterP

[helios932]

And yet another absolutely excellent effort by the great PeterP! These aspect ratio changes have fixed the stretching problem, earned me some frames, and has allowed me to yet again enjoy black-shark aside from some occasional crashes!

 

People should note that I have also run both DCS: World and Phantom Fix in Administrator for this to work.

 

One remaining problem is that the left side of the briefing screen and lowest pixels of the UI are cut off on the left monitor (1440x900) for fairly obvious reasons. Is there a way to fix this issue so that I can have the RCNTRL+ENTER windows, the Shkval laser distance indicator, and the bottom half of briefing screens returned to the proper height?

[PeterP]

Thanks.

 

 

 

....please read this again:

 

Please also read this so you know which kind of bug/flaws you have to deal with in DCS:

A Plea for View-Export/Multi-head/TH Users. - ED Forums

 

 

And point your attention at the workarounds in 2. and 8.

Edited August 2, 2012 by PeterP

[USAFMTL]

MadTommy

 

Thank you for the instructions. Worked like a charm and now I have my MFCD's on another screen and its working like a champ.

[SV_huMMer]

Eyefinity, Windows monitor arrangement and DCS multi-monitor setup

 

Hi everyone!

 

I would greatly appreciate your help and/or explanations on how to properly configure multi-monitor setup where one of the monitors is a merged eyefinity display.

 

I am trying to achieve the following set-up:

 

I have a total of 5 physical monitors, 3 of which are 27" 1920x1080 screens connected to a Radeon 7950 and two more are DisplayLink-driven 8" 800x600 USB monitors.

 

The three main screens are merged into a single Eyefinity Group, the two USB monitors are just Extended Desktops in Windows. The combined Eyefinity Group is the leftmost in Windows, USBs are stacked to the top right corner.

 

I want a (seemingly) very simple and standard set up: my center viewpoint on my big EyeFinity, and two MFDs (A10C) or Shkval and ABRIS (BS2) on my two USBs.

 

I tried to set things up with just one USB monitor connected (for the sake of training) and stacked in Windows at the top right corner of the combined Eyefinity screen, but failed, and can't understand where.

 

I think I followed Peter's excellent guide precisely. I manually set my total resolution in game to 6848x1080 (6048 is bezel-compensated Eyefinity Group width + 800 USB monitor width), and respective aspect ratio of 6,34.

 

I set my Center viewport to X = 0 and Y = 0, and 6048x1080

I set my RMFCD viewport to X= 6050 and Y=0; and 560x560

 

I launch a mission (with full screen disabled)

 

I have my Center viewport correctly displayed on the entire Eyefinity combined display, and I have... nothing on my USB monitor. Just black.

 

Does it have something to do with the way I have my DCS set up, or shall I look elsewhere to see various issues with USB monitors?

 

For one, I don't have Aero enabled in Win7 64 bit, and I think I read somewhere that this might be necessary to have USB monitors refreshed properly.

 

So my humble request is to tell me whether I have things right in terms of monitorsetup.lua, or tell me otherwise.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

The USB monitors are UM-80c's, non-touchscreen 4:3 800x600 by Lilliput.

 

 

UPD: got everythink working now!!! The problem was old Displaylink drivers. After updating the monitor correctly outputs the MFD.

Edited September 8, 2012 by SV_huMMer

[stelios2000]

Sorry guys for bothering you...

I have read so many times all these but really i cannot find where i am doing wrong...

I have bought a 8" monitor with VGA out and connect it to my second and last output of my VGA card.

its analysis is 800x600 and i tryed to put it vertically.

I use as main monitor a 32" Samsung TV with 1920x1080 analysis

here is my setup

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('stelios');

Description = 'stelios'

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = 1920;

height = 1080;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1.777777777777778;

}

}

 

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 1934;

y = 2;

width = 560;

height = 560;

}

 

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

 

when i run the DCS world i choose from the options the 2520x1080 and the aspect 1,77777etc and the stelios for the number of monitors...

i run a instant mission and at the loading says

"DCS ELEMENT STOPPED WORKING"

and it closes and get me to the first menu....

what i am doing wrong gyus ?

thanks in advance

stelios

[stelios2000]

a member of here helped me....i should run it NO FULL SCREEN.

thanks anyway

[pitbull]

Main monitor spills across all monitors during loading screen

 

So, I have everythiong working the way I want it, using SoftTH, thanks to PeterP :thumbup:

 

Not a major issue, but annoying nevertheless. So a picture worth a thousand words:

 

here is my desktop arrangement:

 

 

and a visual on my issue:

 

 

So it basically overlaps on the bottom monitors.. I still can hit the start but it`s the best way to do it.

 

any way to fix this??

 

Pitbull

LMFCD+Camera+RMFCD.lua

options.lua

config.SoftTHconfig.zip

[stelios2000]

guys i have two nvidia VGA cards....

can you please tell me how i make them work?

when i install the drivers of the first card it works only this cause it uninstall the drivers of the second....the same happens when i install first the second VGA card....

from control panel i "see" them both...but with an "X" the first or the second

thanks in advance

stelios

[cheap charlie]

Im a newbie , all I can say is after 3 hours and a re install..it worked! persistence pays off :-)

thanks Peter

[_Dredd]

Pulling my hair out

 

Hoping I could get some assistance here..:helpsmilie:

 

Im running 4 monitors(left portrait 24", center landscape 27", right portrait 24", bottom 23") all 1920x1200 except for the bottom monitor which is 1920x1080.

 

I've got three screens running, but the problem is that the render alignment is out, and I've tried to adjust the bezels with SoftTH and try to overlap the screens , but nothing seems to work. After spending 3hrs trying different things I thought I better seek some help.

 

One problem I had was with the center 27" set as primary, the screen would be centered on the right bezel, ignoring the left screen, so in the end setting the left screen to primary solved this; but the problem still lies with bezel adjustments and alignment.

 

Here's some screens. If it helps to attach the .lua files also let me know. :doh:

[MadTommy]

Hoping I could get some assistance here..:helpsmilie:

 

Im running 4 monitors(left portrait 24", center landscape 27", right portrait 24", bottom 23") all 1920x1200 except for the bottom monitor which is 1920x1080.

 

I've got three screens running, but the problem is that the render alignment is out, and I've tried to adjust the bezels with SoftTH and try to overlap the screens , but nothing seems to work. After spending 3hrs trying different things I thought I better seek some help.

 

One problem I had was with the center 27" set as primary, the screen would be centered on the right bezel, ignoring the left screen, so in the end setting the left screen to primary solved this; but the problem still lies with bezel adjustments and alignment.

 

Here's some screens. If it helps to attach the .lua files also let me know. :doh:

 

If you are planning on following my guide these requirements are IMPORTANT.

 

Essential Requirements:

• Full screen OFF (ingame).
  
• Extended desktop enabled in Windows.
  
• The 'primary' monitor, in Windows, needs to be your top left most monitor, otherwise you may have problems.

 

Yours is the right most monitor.

 

I'm only willing/able to support my guide if it is followed.. the essential requirement are, well essential.

 

Hope this helps.

 

( i know if you use SoftTH you can use full screen.. but i suggest you follow the guide 1st get it working and then use SoftTH to improve performance.)

 

EDIT: Read your post a bit closer.. all i can suggest is make the left the primary and then provide your lua and settings. Having anything other than the left as main is just problematic.

 

If you want the the 3 top monitors to be viewport=centre you will not be able to utilise the full height of the portrait ones. Each view port is governed by one set of x / y coordinated and sizes. You can't have the left & right monitors having a different height resolution to the centre monitor and have them all governed my the same settings without loosing some of the viewable area.

Edited September 30, 2012 by MadTommy

[_Dredd]

Hi Tommy,

 

I manged to get it working with that monitor arrangement and bezel correction, though I had to raise the center monitor to align the dash and horizon.

Omly issue is now with mfcd's on top of bottom monitor that they game also renders to that bottom monitor to make up the 1920 height. If I could only tell the sim to not render that bottom half somehow if at all possible.

With center monitor as primary everything worked fine with softth, but I had to use fullscreen mode for softth to work.

I'll have to tinker some more as I think nothing is quite right as the frame rate suffers at 21-27fps now with quite a few features turned off, and the left/right screens are suffering stuttering.

But the view sure is sweet.

Reading somemore I need to see if it's possible to run softth in window mode where fps are much better. Aero modde seems to switch off also even though my options haven't requested too (switches to basic mode on game load) so I need to look at that further.

[MadTommy]

I struggle with softth to be honest, all sorts of issues. For help with that PeterP is your man.

 

I know that fps really suffers if you run in window mode and Aero off, no idea why but with Aero on my fps is practically double what it is when its off.

 

Glad you have got it working more or less. If you need help with this setup & softTH i really can't help much.

 

Good luck

[Spadje]

Nevermind...I fixed it

Edited October 8, 2012 by Spadje