DCS on a 55-inch 4K TV

[GregP]

Don't you miss the extended side views you had with your 4-screen setup, as shown in your photo here http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1677969 ?

 

I do, yes, but the overall improvement through having the entire cockpit visible on one big screen more than makes up for it. I can still zoom out and get a nice sense of motion in my peripheral vision. For me, having one large, hi-res screen where I can size things nearly as large as they'd be in real life, makes it feel much more immersive.

[Loz]

Saw what you did here, oh over 6 months ago, now Greg and was just waiting for a decent sized 4k monitor that did 60Hz to come out.

 

Well it finally did here in UK on 1 May and I bought this straight away.

http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/viera-televisions/led/tx-50ax802b.html

 

I reasoned that a 50inch would be, in terms of real estate approx the same as taking my four previous 24 in monitors and putting them in a square setup, but without the bezels. Trying this convinced me to go for it and I haven't been disappointed. Like you I've kept the touch display for general use but haven't integrated it into DCS yet. (not sure that I will)

 

Here is my layout now

 

 

And here is a full screen ingame screenshot.

 

 

You can just make out that this is at 32fps with every thing set on max, mirrors and TGP on, but I was borrowing an AMD R9 290x to try out, rather than my usual HD 7970. The rest of my spec is in my Sig. It is super smooth and looks beautiful. Roll on Edge.

 

Cost substantially more that your set, £1899, but along with the 6 year warranty and the excellent reviews that it's had, I think it is great value (ie: a lot cheaper) compared to the dedicated 31" monitors by Dell and ASUS and a lot larger for sure.

It is also excellent for general windows use too, as you can layout the equivalent of four full size 1920x1080 windows for viewing.

As a TV it is probably the best that I have ever owned with a fantastic picture and many great features. Of course there is virtually no 4K content yet, but that's not why I bought it.

All in all, I am very pleased that you gave me this idea all that time ago. :thumbup:

[HiJack]

What refresh rate is it on these big TV's? Don't you get a lot of "tearing" when playing?

[_Dredd]

Very nice, I've been watching 4k panels to see whether it was worth taking the plunge as yet.

What fps are you getting over water and at the airports.

 

And yes, we need EDGE! Wags keeps teasing us, I hope it will be out this year

 

Pity we don't get the same offerings in Australia, that's what I hate about Australia's current conditions, manufacturers take advantage of our dollar, and economics.

Edited May 16, 2014 by _Dredd

[SkateZilla]

I'd say you can get a 2nd 7970 cheap on ebay and XFire when Edge comes out.

 

But the 900MB/sec transfer rate of the Xfire Bridge might be a problem at 4K.

 

It's already a known issue with Eyefinity 3 at higher MSAA.

[Loz]

What refresh rate is it on these big TV's? Don't you get a lot of "tearing" when playing?

No I didn't see any at all. It's running through the DP output at 60Hz.

 

Very nice, I've been watching 4k panels to see whether it was worth taking the plunge as yet.

What fps are you getting over water and at the airports.

 

And yes, we need EDGE! Wags keeps teasing us, I hope it will be out this year

 

Pity we don't get the same offerings in Australia, that's what I hate about Australia's current conditions, manufacturers take advantage of our dollar, and economics.

 

It varied of course but my standard check has always been, instant action/Easy-East Georgia-Spring, as soon as it comes on Autopilot on, TGP on and watch the fps for the run over Waypoint 2.

With this I was getting 40 FPS with the borrowed 290x (single GPU) at 3840x2160, the rest of my setup is in my sig. This is with all settings on high and Mirrors down.

I'm very pleased. It even makes flying the Huey easier somehow. :)

[Loz]

I'd say you can get a 2nd 7970 cheap on ebay and XFire when Edge comes out.

 

But the 900MB/sec transfer rate of the Xfire Bridge might be a problem at 4K.

 

It's already a known issue with Eyefinity 3 at higher MSAA.

 

I've already got the second watercooled 7970 so I've been waiting patiently for Edge for a while now. I hope the transfer rate is not a problem as I've already seen some great 4k on my monitor, running on Xfire. Crysis although very taxing looked superb so did Bioshock Infinite.

Thing is of course you don't need high MSAA with this sort of resolution, 2x is plenty.

3840x2160 screenshot above was with 2xMSAA and looks pretty good to these old eyes. :)

[SkateZilla]

I've already got the second watercooled 7970 so I've been waiting patiently for Edge for a while now. I hope the transfer rate is not a problem as I've already seen some great 4k on my monitor, running on Xfire. Crysis although very taxing looked superb so did Bioshock Infinite.

Thing is of course you don't need high MSAA with this sort of resolution, 2x is plenty.

3840x2160 screenshot above was with 2xMSAA and looks pretty good to these old eyes. :)

 

You should be fine then...

 

I wish AMD would re-code their CrossFireX drivers so that I can use 2 bridges for 1800MB/sec transfer rate, but I wont hold my breathe.

 

Last time I tried to run 2 bridges it messed up my system, and possibly fried the 2nd card, as issues didnt get resolved until pulling it out of the system completely.

Edited May 16, 2014 by SkateZilla

[Sorin]

You should be fine then...

 

I wish AMD would re-code their CrossFireX drivers so that I can use 2 bridges for 1800MB/sec transfer rate, but I wont hold my breathe.

 

Last time I tried to run 2 bridges it messed up my system, and possibly fried the 2nd card, as issues didnt get resolved until pulling it out of the system completely.

 

Newer AMD cards do not use any bridge at all, all transfered via PCIe now.

[Sorin]

I've already got the second watercooled 7970 so I've been waiting patiently for Edge for a while now. I hope the transfer rate is not a problem as I've already seen some great 4k on my monitor, running on Xfire. Crysis although very taxing looked superb so did Bioshock Infinite.

Thing is of course you don't need high MSAA with this sort of resolution, 2x is plenty.

3840x2160 screenshot above was with 2xMSAA and looks pretty good to these old eyes. :)

 

No other anti-aliasing but 2x MSAA? The image looks a bit soft so I guess there is some postprocessing AA active.

 

So you are not going to use a touch screen for instruments anymore?

[SkateZilla]

Newer AMD cards do not use any bridge at all, all transfered via PCIe now.

 

I know this, and already stated this,

 

R9-280X/280/7970/7950s still use the CrossFireX Interconnect Bridge.

 

R9-290/290X/295X/295X2's use xDMA, which uses a PCIe Link at 32GB/sec

 

Read the conversation before you try to randomly drop knowledge in.

Edited May 16, 2014 by SkateZilla

[Sorin]

I know this, and already stated this,

 

R9-280X/280/7970/7950s still use the CrossFireX Interconnect Bridge.

 

R9-290/290X/295X/295X2's use xDMA, which uses a PCIe Link at 32GB/sec

 

Read the conversation before you try to randomly drop knowledge in.

 

Just trying to help... sorry.

[SkateZilla]

it's appreciated...

[Loz]

No other anti-aliasing but 2x MSAA? The image looks a bit soft so I guess there is some postprocessing AA active.

 

So you are not going to use a touch screen for instruments anymore?

 

Yup Just 2 MSAA but after reading your observation, been back and compared the Screenshot on my PC compared to that from imgbox and there is a slight softening. Don't know why.

What I can say is that it's the best looking A10C that I've ever reproduced and that's including Dell IPS monitors (24" and 30")

As for the touch screen I haven't decided yet. The monitor is vast and I can't place the touch screen physically below it, and with the screen to one side it is too far to reach without a stretch. (and I have long arms) Added to that, my CPU and GPU would be pushed to run the res

required to output Helios and maintain a decent frame-rate.

I shall have to experiment, but it looks like the end for Loz's Profile for me. :cry:

[Sorin]

Why not use the touch screen just for "non 3D" stuff? meaning buttons and instruments, no MFD, RWR, etc. exports or kneeboard which require 3D.

In that way it will not slow down your rendering at all.

 

As you know there are lots and lots of commands in DCS and it is definitely better to use a touch screen interface than remembering keyboard shortcuts.

 

I am using your Helios profile and I thank you for building it.

PM me if you need any help with the setup.

[GregP]

Loz, happy to hear you too have made the switch to a big 4K and are liking it. Looks incredible, and I'm jealous of your 60 Hz. Despite my model being only 30 Hz, 6 months later I'm still loving it. Honestly I rarely notice the 30 Hz limit because the size, the resolution, as well as simplicity of running just a single monitor, are more than worth it for me.

 

As for the touchscreen, I tried in various ways to integrate into my pit and just couldn't get anything I was comfortable with. Eventually I sold it and now retain just one of my original 4 27" screens, a 3D model that I use for 3D gaming and temp/load monitoring when flying. I bought a second X-Keys programmable keypad and use it for the UFC/CDU, so really the only time I need to use the mouse to click inside the pit is for the MFCDs.

 

Anyway, I'd definitely encourage others to consider 4K. Sure, it's maybe not worth it yet if you're planning to use it as a TV, but as a monitor, it's just incredible.

[KaspeR32]

Wow, just noticed the 39" Seiki 4K tv is on amazon for $340. I just bought a R9 280x 3GB that will arrive in a few days also! That seems like a pretty awesome deal to me.

 

EDIT: Also, does this tv have VESA mounts?

Edited July 15, 2014 by KaspeR32

[SkateZilla]

Loz, happy to hear you too have made the switch to a big 4K and are liking it. Looks incredible, and I'm jealous of your 60 Hz. Despite my model being only 30 Hz, 6 months later I'm still loving it. Honestly I rarely notice the 30 Hz limit because the size, the resolution, as well as simplicity of running just a single monitor, are more than worth it for me.

 

As for the touchscreen, I tried in various ways to integrate into my pit and just couldn't get anything I was comfortable with. Eventually I sold it and now retain just one of my original 4 27" screens, a 3D model that I use for 3D gaming and temp/load monitoring when flying. I bought a second X-Keys programmable keypad and use it for the UFC/CDU, so really the only time I need to use the mouse to click inside the pit is for the MFCDs.

 

Anyway, I'd definitely encourage others to consider 4K. Sure, it's maybe not worth it yet if you're planning to use it as a TV, but as a monitor, it's just incredible.

 

Buddy of mine brought his 4K over because he wanted to test it with other games... (his system is being Shipped from his old station, he bought a 4K locally when he arrived.)

 

Didnt get a chance to test DCS, but it looked great in other games we tested, as well as Windows Media Center/HDTV Viewing (oh, and BluRay).

 

We also found a site that has 4K Videos, shot with 4K Cameras (Skateboarding/Biking/Extreme sports etc), and those videos looked amazing.

[Chief1942]

What to do? What to do?

 

Been eyeballing those 4K TV's for some time now and watching closely the price points as they come down. I've done almost weekly research on the 'Net regarding these 4K TV/monitors and from everything I read, it is probably too early for me to pull the trigger. I am really looking forward to the ability to clearly see the scripts on the knobs and switches in the A-10C without having to zoom the view. Reading these sort of posts and experiences make it even tougher to postpone the purchase. But since I don't have the luxury of being an "early adopter" I guess I will have to wait until such time as they put out the HDMI 2.0 and GPU's that support it. Heck, in all my research on this, I haven't even come to appreciate all that 4K brings and some sites are already talking about 8K. And yes, I am aware that if one waits for the next latest-fastest-greatest gizmo, they will wait forever. I do appreciate these threads where you folks have already made the leap and are honestly willing to share your experience with others. It does help in the decision process.:smartass:

[GregP]

KaspeR32, yes, they do have VESA mounts.

 

8 months later and yup, still loving the 4K. :) My overall view hasn't changed; for DCS, the Seiki 4K line is undeniably the best bang for the buck you can get -- as long as you're OK with 30Hz. I've found that without question, I am. Everything sharp and on one screen was the ideal I'd imagined for years, and with a large 4K, it's now reality.

 

I do other gaming too, and really can't complain there either. Sure, response time could be better, black levels could be better, etc. But for a cheap, huge, ultra-high-res monitor, I'm happy. I finished Wolfenstein recently, and lately have put a lot of time into Dark Souls 2. Both look fantastic at 4K.

[aeliusg]

KaspeR32, yes, they do have VESA mounts.

 

8 months later and yup, still loving the 4K. :) My overall view hasn't changed; for DCS, the Seiki 4K line is undeniably the best bang for the buck you can get -- as long as you're OK with 30Hz. I've found that without question, I am. Everything sharp and on one screen was the ideal I'd imagined for years, and with a large 4K, it's now reality.

 

I do other gaming too, and really can't complain there either. Sure, response time could be better, black levels could be better, etc. But for a cheap, huge, ultra-high-res monitor, I'm happy. I finished Wolfenstein recently, and lately have put a lot of time into Dark Souls 2. Both look fantastic at 4K.

 

 

Don't forget 1080p at 120hz. There's really nothing like it out there. Considering I got it on sale for $429 I'm completely blown away.

[Sorin]

Don't forget 1080p at 120hz. There's really nothing like it out there. Considering I got it on sale for $429 I'm completely blown away.

 

It would take a real monster video card to drive DCS at 120 fps...

[aeliusg]

It would take a real monster video card to drive DCS at 120 fps...

 

Yeah, that's why I stick with 3.8K and 30hz. A smooth 30 fps is fine for me on DCS. I was considering doing an Optoma GT760 setup at 720p with black-frame insertion at 120hz, but having the resolution to discern cockpit labels is more important to me than silky-smooth terrain at the moment. Maybe when EDGE finally comes around and OLED is affordable we can have a bit of both.

 

P.S. Actually only the 50" and 39" do 120hz at 1080p, the 55" cannot, I believe, so don't buy it or the larger 65" if you need 120hz

 

Edit: CaptainPecan, can you actually get 120 fps constant? I was going to do some tests at 720p but since I decided against it I never did end up doing them.

Edited July 18, 2014 by aeliusg

[grant977]

I have a question about this just got a 4k Monitor today don't understand the difference between the DP and HDMI.

 

And can I run a converter from my video cars DVI to DP?

 

My Card: GeForce GTX 780 Ti

[aeliusg]

Did you get a proper 4K TV? If so you'll want to use Displayport if you want to get 4K at 60hz. Get a Displayport-certified Displayport cable. Most of the new ones should be.