How-To: Set up a 4-screen, T-shaped display in DCS

[GregP]

Is it necessary,,SLI/Eyefinity,, to set up the, options.lua files,["multiMonitorSetup"] = "1camera+centeredgui. and monitor setup.lua file as instructed?? "1Camera+CenteredGUI.lua". I am runnin 2 gtx 680's with 3 27inch and 1, 23in touchscreen.. Problem they are not identical models,they work just fine with nvidia surround enabled,, and adding the 4thmonitor disables nvidia surround,. So I buy 1 more monitor to match, so surround works, or just enable all 4 monitors thru windows in proper orientation and the use SoftTH. And modify files as directed above????,,I saw you were using EyeFinity, GregP...

Cowboy10uk, are you you using nvidia surround, to set top3 monitors also??

Thanks guys, ThePutzer

 

It's been a long time since I used Nvidia cards, so I don't know much about NvidiaSurround. Are you saying that 2 of your 3 27" monitors are identical? And you think that if you got a 3rd identical monitor, NS would work even when added the 4th monitor? That doesn't make sense to me .. if all 3 are 1920x1080, I don't understand why the monitor model would be important. Rather, I think what is happening is that Nvidia cards have a very specific way of needing to be set up if you want to run 4 monitors. I don't know the answer, but I bet it has something to do with requiring that 3 of them run through DVI and the 4th thru HDMI, or something like that. I would research that before thinking about buying an identical monitor.

 

Using SoftTH to span the image across all 4 monitors without NS -- I suppose that's possible, but I would imagine your FPS would be a lot lower than if you can figure out how to get NS + 1 enabled again.

[GregP]

Similar question to ThePutzer.....

 

Is AMD Eyefinity the only decent way to do the 3 together like that? My GPU is a GTX 560 OC Edition 1GB. Currently I'm running my main display and my Helios display off it. Would rather not junk it but if it's the only way....

 

Could I instead just get another GPU with 2 outputs, arrange all the screens in windows and then use softTH to render DCS across the desktop? Or do I need to use Nvidia Surround?

 

Similar answer to what I said above. I think it IS possible to use SoftTH to span all four, but I think your FPS will take a bigger hit than if you figure out how to keep NS enabled. Sorry I'm not more help with NS, guys, as I haven't used it in years.

[ThePutzer]

2 of 3 same models

 

I thought the same thing about using the right connections, DVI/HDMI, after 3hrs and all combinations tried during a tech support session with Nvidia folks,,their conclusion,,when adding 4th monitor all3 in surround have to be Identical, and the 4th aux monitor has to be plugged into the same card as the middle monitor in the surround setup, not just resolution and refresh rate, but sync& polarity,timing, must be identical also.

Thanks for quick response.. So if I get 3rd matching monitor the instructions posted should be the easiest and most efficient way to set up..And if not no surround,, then diff head assignments etc. in the SoftTH set up?? as PeterP posted??http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=72308 and your lua changes to center gui?? in options and monitors??

handle says it al!!@@##@!! ThePutzer

[leoakirakblo]

I just passing by to say thank's for sharing your sets GregP!!! I saw the video in Youtube before!!

I bought a iiyama prolite T2452mts just for this display setup!!

The problem was to configurate in Nvidia surround... 3x GTX580 (now 2xSLI :( )

Just work in windowed mode and without bezel correction.

Thank's again!!

 

Ps. Sorry for my bad english if i do some mistakes XD

[GregP]

leoakirakblo, glad to hear my setup instructions helped you out. Can you post some pictures or video of your setup? I'd like to see how it turned out.

 

But you're right, that unfortunately I think using Nvidia cards with 4 screens like this requires running in windowed mode -- which for other games usually means that CF/SLI is not taken advantage of, although obviously in DCS that's not an issue since CF/SLI is never used.

[Cowboy10uk]

Hi guys, Just a Thankyou to GregP for this guide. Ice pretty much switched over to it full time now instead of using Helios, once you get that bottom screen lined up correctly with the top it adds a whole new dimension.

 

I'm currently running it on a GTX680 4GB, top three screens are setup in windows as one screen, just go to display and extend each screen into one. Then the 4th monitor is my utility monitor.

 

Then I use SoftTH to output to them all in DCS.

 

Sadly nvidia surround will only use 3 screens at once, turning the forth off. Pretty stupid as it works well with 4 but I guess that's nvidia for you.

 

Hopefully you can see my current MI8 cockpit below.

 

Cowboy10uk

[leoakirakblo]

Hi guys, my setup:

I'm using 23+27+23 on the top.

I change SoftTH config using 4 displays instead 2, (5770x1080+1920x1080) and keep the lua monitor setup. in both way, the fps rate are the same between 30-40 fps.

A only thing that i still confuse is how to scroll the nobs ex, ILS, Radio and press hold buttons in the touch screen. But is enough for front panel and cdu :)

Later, i will install the iControl for ipad and see how to work. the ipad just for CDU and maybe will be great!

[PeterP]

 

A only thing that i still confuse is how to scroll the nobs ex, ILS, Radio and press hold buttons in the touch screen. But is enough for front panel and cdu

I have setup my touch-screen to recognise every static press (not moving within 8x8 pixels) that is longer as 0.4 sec as right-click.,

so I can distinguish between righ/leftclick without problem (as DCS can't recognise gestures like moving a switch up/down).

This allows me to turn knobs by dragging and/or do a right click at own will.

 

Here is the whole logic:

 

Press and hold longer than 400 milliseconds within 8x8pixels = Right click

Press and release within 400 milliseconds = Left click

Press and Moving out of the 8x8 pixels = Hold the left-click as long the touch-screen is pressed.

 

If your touch-screen-driver don't let you set it up in such a differentiate way:

There is always Autohotkey

Edited October 31, 2013 by PeterP

[leoakirakblo]

Thank's PeterP!! i was using the flick mode :( now i know how to do!!

[doveman]

I've only got the two screens, one 1920x1200 and the other 1920x1080 but I've been thinking about doing something like this, with the smaller monitor below the main one and showing either the cockpit or a Helios layout, for a while now, so thanks for the guide.

 

I'm not sure about the maths involved though, so if anyone could help me out with that, I'd be grateful. To avoid having the main monitor too high, I'm planning to build a wooden box to hold the lower monitor at an angle (something like 30 degrees) so that I look down at it. Would this affect the calculations required?

[piXel496]

Here is the whole logic:

 

Press and hold longer than 400 milliseconds within 8x8pixels = Right click

Press and release within 400 milliseconds = Left click

Press and Moving out of the 8x8 pixels = Hold the left-click as long the touch-screen is pressed.

 

If your touch-screen-driver don't let you set it up in such a differentiate way:

There is always Autohotkey

 

About using a touchscreen:

What you have there sounds great. I use the CTRL-button as my right mouse button on my touchscreen. made with autohotkey. How did you realize your right-mouse config, with autohotkey? ifSo could you please share it. One last thing is right press and hold..

 

I am very curious how others manage there right mouse button too in this configuration. Thx.

Edited November 6, 2013 by piXel496

[GregP]

Hey Cowboy10uk and leoakirakblo,

 

Can you guys confirm exactly how you're running that 4-screens setup with your Nvidia cards, i.e. did it require running DCS in windowed mode, or can you do fullscreen? I'm thinking about making the switch to Nvidia but don't want to be forced to run in windowed mode.

[Cowboy10uk]

Hi GregP, I'm afraid that yes it does require running in Windows mode. To be honest you really can't tell much difference between it and full screen, in fact I had to check on options to see if it was in windows mode.

 

You can't use surround, as Nvidia won't output to 4 cards directly, but it does of course allow a utility monitor.

 

By placing softTH into dcs, then it will allow you to get the output above.

 

It truely is stunning.

 

Cowboy10uk

[GregP]

Maybe I don't need to be concerned about windowed mode; I'd been avoiding it up to this point for two reasons, which may not even be true anymore:

 

1) windowed mode causes driver-forced anti-aliasing to get deactivated

2) windowed mode disables SLI/Crossfire

 

Neither actually apply in DCS right now -- I use in-game AA and DCS doesn't make use of SLI/CF -- but when the new DCS engine comes out, SLI/CF will again be an option, and I don't want to rule out making use of it just because I've made the switch to Nvidia.

 

What kind of FPS do you guys get on your Nvidia cards?

[Cowboy10uk]

I'm getting around 30fps, dosnt sound great, but I must admit it works great for me.

 

That said I do have graphics on high, and running 4 screens on 1 gtx 680, so I guess I can't complain. :)

 

Bear in mind though, that when we do get edge, if it supports SLI, then we will be able to run 4 screens natively through nvidia surround if you have 2 x nvidia cards.

 

At the moment as dcs dosnt support SLI, then we have to use the softTH workaround.

 

Cowboy10uk

Edited November 27, 2013 by Cowboy10uk

[Cowboy10uk]

Out of intrest, has anyone got this setup working with the 1.2.7 beta, I'm trying it on my system and the GUI now displays across all 4 screens, instead of the top 3, which means I'm unable to access to buttons to select anything.

 

Cowboy10uk

[Cowboy10uk]

Ahh don't worry, by manually setting my GUI position like this.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1878641&postcount=21

 

And then using phantom monitor fix I've managed to get a workable solution. Back to flying, :)

 

Cowboy10uk

[leoakirakblo]

Hey Cowboy10uk and leoakirakblo,

 

Can you guys confirm exactly how you're running that 4-screens setup with your Nvidia cards, i.e. did it require running DCS in windowed mode, or can you do fullscreen? I'm thinking about making the switch to Nvidia but don't want to be forced to run in windowed mode.

 

Sorry Greg, i'm change the graphics for AMD's r9 290 :) and sorry for too late answer.

At the price tag, i choice the AMD cards, for another games with eyefinity its awesome!

 

Nvidia cards i can just make the setup at not fullscreen mode in options. with gtx 580 the fps was between 15~30 fps (1.5 gb)

 

when i paly the game just appears in full screen, when i enable full screen doesnt work :(

Edited December 29, 2013 by leoakirakblo

[Hueypilot]

Hey Greg i have a similiar setup but the difference is that i have the fourth monitor on top, not the bottom. now im running 3 monitors in nvidia surround at 5760x1080 and the fourth one is running at 1366x768, now i have everything working but there is one issue that makes it unplayable, my mouse pointer is horribly off for example if i want to flip a switch then i have to move my mouse way below that certain switch to flip it, would you happen to know why it is so off? and please excuse me for anything i do wrong on the forums because i am fairly new to them.

[rcjonessnp175]

Why do you guys keep saying sli does not work in this game? I have two 4gb 770 sli and running nvidia surround full screen and sli works great. ???????? Was thinking of adding my 4th monitor to make this t shape. Will it not still work with game in full screen mode?

[GregP]

Why do you guys keep saying sli does not work in this game? I have two 4gb 770 sli and running nvidia surround full screen and sli works great. ???????? Was thinking of adding my 4th monitor to make this t shape. Will it not still work with game in full screen mode?

 

Yes, DCS will work if you have SLI or Crossfire, but you won't see any performance benefit from the second card. That's what people mean when they say SLI/CF doesn't work.

[GregP]

Hey Greg i have a similiar setup but the difference is that i have the fourth monitor on top, not the bottom. now im running 3 monitors in nvidia surround at 5760x1080 and the fourth one is running at 1366x768, now i have everything working but there is one issue that makes it unplayable, my mouse pointer is horribly off for example if i want to flip a switch then i have to move my mouse way below that certain switch to flip it, would you happen to know why it is so off? and please excuse me for anything i do wrong on the forums because i am fairly new to them.

 

Approximately how much further down do you have to click? A quarter of the screen, half a screen? On a different monitor?

[rcjonessnp175]

WEIRD i see performance improvements with sli with the second card. Granted i run in full screen. Hence the biggest problem with this engine, you cant do all this multi screen especially this t shape in full screen so no real performance gains. I can assure you their is performance benefits from the second card in nvidia surround, and also in nvidia 3d.

[GregP]

OK, I'm curious: what kind of FPS difference do you see when you go from one card to SLI? If more than statistical difference, you're the first person I've ever heard actually seeing any benefit. As far as is known, the DCS engine itself does not take advantage of multiple video cards.

[rcjonessnp175]

Well it's generally an improvement of 20fps minimum in high gpu stress areas. I'm talking in nvidia surround or single screen nvidia 3d. Mission I always test new sli profiles or graphical settings is the a10c free flight starting in the air. Do realize yes this engine still is a victim to its poor coding and hits CPU bottlenecks even with a 4770k at 4.6ghz. I play fully maxed out with the increased view distance mod.

 

Single screen it's best to just run one 770 as it's plenty of power to keep 60fps until the poor engine kicks in. I've tested and re tested many times and I get smooth 60fps with sli in nvidia surround and in 1 screen 3d.

 

I totally agree sli needs improvement in this game, can only hope edge does that.