Dummies Guide to MFCDs on external displays

[Scorch]

Hello all,

There are a BUNCH of threads/posts on this, please bear with me as I learn enough to be able to ask intelligent questions. Let me try and share what I think I need to do and I welcome your help. I reserve the right to get smarter. I've watched a number of videos and this one seems to come the closest to answering how to do this, but still not enough for me, I am trying though.

Currently, I have two ATI 4870's in Crossfire. I can use two displays on it, I do that in my everyday PC use. I tried getting a VGA splitter and setting up the three monitors that way, but that did not work.

So, after looking at the forum, it appears I need to modify the "LMFCD+Camera+RMFCD.lua" file for others looking for this information for me on Win7 Pro x64 the path is:

"C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS A-10C\Config\MonitorSetup"

This is the contents of this file:

_ = 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 / 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;

}

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

My main monitor is 1920x1080

My MFCD monitors are 1024x768 native, but they may work better at 800x600

I further gather I need to use a software product called SoftTH not sure what to do with it yet, if I actually do need to use it.

I would love to get my TM Cougar MFD's going with real monitors. I just can't quite figure this out, yet.

That's about all I think I know, now questions:

1) Can I use output #2 from my existing ATI 4870 Crossfire setup, or must I get another PCI ATI card for the two MFCD monitors?

2) How can I determine the values for the "LMFCD+Camera+RMFCD.lua" file?

3) What other considerations are there I have not mentioned?

4) What other advice can you offer?

Thank you all very much!!

[PeterP]

Hello Scorch,

1) Can I use output #2 from my existing ATI 4870 Crossfire setup, or must I get another PCI ATI card for the two MFCD monitors?

Yes - just use the second output.

Another card will only be needed if you use more than two monitors and you haven't out-puts at you primary card.

2) How can I determine the values for the "LMFCD+Camera+RMFCD.lua" file?

This is a very complex theme - but you are lucky!

I have just started to write a PDF that covers all this aspects.

 

 

 

 

:PBut as I said "just started" (two hours ago and filled already 4pages - and some more to come)

I would like to hand you out to this thread in the meantime:Multi-monitor set-up guide & help (unofficial)

Or be a little patient and wait for my PDF...

3) What other considerations are there I have not mentioned?

Many, many - this is also a very complex theme I could fill a book with!

 

You will maybe experience some design flaws when utilising more than one monitor , so please read this:

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

Please go through all points and keep special attention to the solutions/workarounds links I have posted for each problem.

This will help you with the most common problems you may encounter.

 

4) What other advice can you offer?

 

...You talked about utilising SoftTH to be able to run different sized screens in Full screen.Please browse through this thread to see what all you have to take into consideration, ....SoftTH NEWS

 

 

So long- let me finish now the PDF and I will (hopefully ) post it in the next couple of hours.

 

 

And I' sure (I hope) others will jump in and post their solutions for you.

 

 

Edited May 28, 2012 by PeterP

[PeterP]

Finished!

>>> Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“

 

 

This should answer all your questions

2) How can I determine the values for the "LMFCD+Camera+RMFCD.lua" file?

[Scorch]

Yes - just use the second output.

Another card will only be needed if you use more than two monitors and you haven't out-puts at you primary card.

 

My wish is to have my main 27" in monitor for the center view, or they may call it "camera" and two 8" monitors on either side for the MFCDs for a total of three monitors.

 

I'm not going to be able to split output #2 on my 4870 crossfire setup, I'm going to need a second card and use both outputs on it for signals 2 and 3, correct?

 

Thanks!

[PeterP]

Sorry I'm too inexperienced with a CF settup - allways going the one GPU route - much less problems, and I have really only click'n'point advantures beside Flightsims at my system.

 

-you can always disable CF to use all four outputs.

I anyway read on the forums that CF is not really giving a great advantage for DCS

- you may have high fps when you on a single player free-flight mission, but as soon you go into big battles , and the CPU have a heavy workload - your fps will also go down - whatever GPU you are using.

 

 

Please do a forum search about DCS and crossfire.