those running triple monitors please enter

[legacy-tshboy]

considering getting a third screen to run a 180 deg fov.

I would like some input from those using three monitors to do this. Can this be done just using nview or would I need some other separate application? I am running a 128mb FX 5900 non-ultra for my two screens. I would get a PCI card for the third input.

Again, I would like some input and/or digital pics /screen caps of what this looks like. I can speculate myself as I am familiar with multiple monitor setups, just looking for some real world experience.

[legacy-tshboy]

nobody?

[legacy-EternalNoob]

Get outta here, you rich bastard, we hate you!! ;)

[legacy-A_WHITE_MAN]

Only time I have even seen it was with - one of these. (http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/parhelia512/technology/surround_gaming.cfm) looked great though.

[13XBMSPEC]

All I can say is for godsake buy a projector or something. :p

[legacy-m4d_cl1x0r]

Wouldn't the sides of the monitors get annoying? I don't like horizontal lines across cheap CRTs, let alone 2 inch thick vertical lines.... :bulb:

[legacy-tshboy]

Originally posted by EternalNoob
Get outta here, you rich bastard, we hate you!! ;)

lol, I'm not that's why I'm only "considering" it. It just annoying that one screen is always black and wasted when playing 3d games.

I should have asked:
I'm curious which games out there now support resolutions like 3072x768 and if UT2004 supports that. So IF I were to get a third screen, would it run simply by setting the resolution in the game or would I need a 3rd party app. I was looking for some input on how to do that.

no projectors, thanks ;)

[legacy-tshboy]

Originally posted by m4d_cl1x0r
Wouldn't the sides of the monitors get annoying? I don't like horizontal lines across cheap CRTs, let alone 2 inch thick vertical lines.... :bulb:

not sure what you're saying...

with 2 monitors one screen is shut off and the game is displayed 4:3 on the primary monitor. I don't have CRTs.

[legacy-A_WHITE_MAN]

there may be more but these games support it (http://www.matrox.com/mga/3d_gaming/surrgame.cfm)

[legacy-tshboy]

Originally posted by A_WHITE_MAN
there may be more but these games support it (http://www.matrox.com/mga/3d_gaming/surrgame.cfm)

thanks :)

[legacy-Xipher]

Problem is FOV beyond 110 isnt settable inside the game, so servers might drop you for something that high.

[legacy-undrtakr]

Originally posted by UnknownAlias
OMG playing UT on a projector...... oohhhh nerd orgasm....

:up: :haha:

[legacy-ChinaCat]

If you have money to burn, just get one of these :D

Grand Canyon (http://www.go-l.com/monitors/grand_canyon/features/index.htm)

[legacy-NachoUK]

Originally posted by ChinaCat
If you have money to burn, just get one of these :D

Grand Canyon (http://www.go-l.com/monitors/grand_canyon/features/index.htm)

92" = $17999.99

:eek:




-edit: Sorry, I don't think that conveys my feelings quite strongly enough... let me try again.

18 THOUSAND DOLLARS. OH MY ****ING GOD!!!
:eek: :eek: :eek:

[legacy-Dark Flame]

Originally posted by ChinaCat
If you have money to burn, just get one of these :D

Grand Canyon (http://www.go-l.com/monitors/grand_canyon/features/index.htm)

*drooooooolll* *writes down on list of thigns to get before dying*

well, if my career in Oracle Database Design goes as I want it too (even at minimum wage for that type of job) i'd be able to afford that in.... 2 months

[legacy-Jelo]

Pshhh...I got you all beat:

http://russ.angrypacket.com/albums/2001-03-14-searspoint/work_projectors_csc.sized.jpg (http://russ.angrypacket.com/gallery/2001-03-14-searspoint/work_projectors_csc?full=1)

Even seating for an audience and their PCs. :eek:

[legacy-ChinaCat]

Originally posted by NachoUK
92" = $17999.99

:eek:




-edit: Sorry, I don't think that conveys my feelings quite strongly enough... let me try again.

18 THOUSAND DOLLARS. OH MY ****ING GOD!!!
:eek: :eek: :eek:

My sentiments exactly!

[legacy-DaysAway]

Let me fill you all in on a little secret.

............. -the closer you move to the screen, the bigger things seem.

:p

[legacy-Ghost_Freeman]

How about CaveUT2K4?

[legacy-Sketcher]

I run three Viewsonic 19" LCD's on a Matrox Parhelia 128 AGP at the office. I gave UT2004 a quick try via Matrox's surround gaming; it's sweet. My workflow tailored to three screens makes it frustrating to work with fewer monitors. I only gave it a quick go but I imagine that once you're used to triple monitor gaming, well...

I have three Dell 20.1" LCD's at home and a Matrox Parhelia APVe PCIe 16x on pre-order. Until then I'm pushing the LCD's with an AIW 9600 and a PCI GeForce.

So is anybody RUNNING UT2004 across three monitors without a Matrox card? I think part of the 180 degree FOV and overall desktop resolution/span have to do with Windows recognizing the three screens as one. Matrox' app does this, and I think their apptimizer prog configures the game settings appropriately. I don't know if nView, Hydravision or UltraMon's configurations would allow the same capability for dual card setups. UltraMon has a free trial, mabye I'll give it a shot.

Cheers,

[legacy-Knobby]

What the hell is that website with the 200" displays??? They claim to be designing personal super computers...

http://www.go-l.com/super_computers/index.htm

[legacy-Sketcher]

Panoram
http://www.panoramtech.com/products/pv230.html

9X Media
http://www.9xmedia.com/

TigerVista
http://www.digitaltigers.com/index.shtml

Those are off the top of my head. Most of the triple+ LCD setups out there use a rebadged Ergotron LCD stand. That's what I'm using to support my sets. IMO, best bet is to find a good deal on LCD's, buy the stand separate and save some dough. Those sites sell typically to corporations that have staff who see the web picture and don't realize you can come out ahead parting it out (or they don't want to deal with the config). No doubt it's good gear and they are quality monitors (especially that patented Panoram w/almost zero bezel *cough* price *cough*) but the pricing is up there even for the more obsessive home users :)

[legacy-Sketcher]

Originally posted by Jelo
Pshhh...I got you all beat:

Even seating for an audience and their PCs. :eek:

Yeah, but can you GAME on it!? ;)

[legacy-nl^]

Originally posted by tshboy
I would get a PCI card for the third input.
Don't you mean output?

[legacy-Anoobis]

Originally posted by ChinaCat
If you have money to burn, just get one of these :D

Grand Canyon (http://www.go-l.com/monitors/grand_canyon/features/index.htm)

why not get the athens?


Originally posted by Knobby
What the hell is that website with the 200" displays??? They claim to be designing personal super computers...

http://www.go-l.com/super_computers/index.htm

16 Gigaflops too. not to be sniffed at

why are they a scam?
despite having AMD64 4500+ processors :weird:

[legacy-f1@k]

you can't play in 3 monitors unless they are all connected to the same gfx card, like a parhelia. you can game in the 2 monitors connected to your 5900 ultra, but you won't be able to play in the 3rd monitor. don't ask why, that's just the way it is. also be glad you can play in 2, us ATI'ers can only play in primary monitor. i run dual CRT's in my 9600 XT, and had a lot of problems connecting a 3rd monitor to a PCI card... try visiting ultramon's foruns, you'll learn some cool stuff there about multi monitor:up:

[legacy-olobley]

To address points by various people in no particular order:

1) Playing UT/Quake on a projector is awful...while impressive for about 2-3 mins, and great to show off to mates, you'll find that in DM you get owned like there's no tomorrow (Your 'in-focus' area is now a 2footx2foot square on the wall, rather than a 1foot square infront of your nose, so you can't really track anything other than what's immediately around the crosshairs)

2) I run four TFT's at home http://www.bplondon.org/images/4way.jpg (well, tell a lie, I _can_ run four, although I tend to use 3 at once with my primary system). The main GFX is a 5900U, with a FX5200 powering the two side screens. afaik UT only sees them as one _large_ screen if I switch the nview into stretch mode (at which point performance really starts to drop off - <30fps).

3) Playing stretched across 2 monitors is a real waste of time, as the crosshair being in the middle of the screen is right on the inner edge of where the screens meet, and it's a _royal_ pain trying to line up good shots!

[legacy-Duffman]

Originally posted by olobley
To address points by various people in no particular order:

1) Playing UT/Quake on a projector is awful...while impressive for about 2-3 mins, and great to show off to mates, you'll find that in DM you get owned like there's no tomorrow (Your 'in-focus' area is now a 2footx2foot square on the wall, rather than a 1foot square infront of your nose, so you can't really track anything other than what's immediately around the crosshairs)

2) I run four TFT's at home http://www.bplondon.org/images/4way.jpg (well, tell a lie, I _can_ run four, although I tend to use 3 at once with my primary system). The main GFX is a 5900U, with a FX5200 powering the two side screens. afaik UT only sees them as one _large_ screen if I switch the nview into stretch mode (at which point performance really starts to drop off - <30fps).

3) Playing stretched across 2 monitors is a real waste of time, as the crosshair being in the middle of the screen is right on the inner edge of where the screens meet, and it's a _royal_ pain trying to line up good shots!

Bottom left of that picture.. is that somones legs underneath the desk? :bulb:

[legacy-Big_Iron]

Mmmmmmmm ... Fosters :D

[legacy-olobley]

Heh, no...it was a pile of stuff that had to go out for a car-boot sale...The bit I think you're seeing as a leg is a rolled up rug (it is...honest...it's not where I hide the bodys or anything)

[legacy-S3Y3N]

Notice the cup in the bottom left.

By golly if it aint teh Wizard of Oz' legs I think it might be his.

Along with the Fosters...

cheers mate.

[legacy-olobley]

Heh,
That cup is actually an ashtray (I find it better to keep it small as then I smoke less :))

[legacy-S3Y3N]

Actually I meant what looks like a cup with a straw coming out of it in the very bottom... left of the picture. Blue colored straw ? Am I missing something here or is that my imagination?:bulb:



:up:

[legacy-Phleace]

http://www.teamlorenz.com/Signs/113%20Fosters%20crocodoles.JPG

[Henrik]

Man.. Some people have got the messiest desktops.. I only have 1 19" Hyundai L90D+ (8ms) but eventually I'll buy a 2nd.. 3 is kind of pushing it. 4, even worse. Especially when you have mismatched brands. Yuck.

Here it is, may not be a panorama but sometimes less is more ;)

http://metalhq.com/L90D+.jpg

Forgive the webcam quality.

[legacy-Anoobis]

HA HA HA HA had to show it off at some point eh berserker?

[legacy-S3Y3N]

heres for starters

http://img156.echo.cx/img156/5926/trimonitor5tt.th.jpg (http://img156.echo.cx/my.php?image=trimonitor5tt.jpg)

[legacy-Sketcher]

This just arrived today :cool:

http://www.matrox.com/mga/workstation/video/news/press_rel/2004/parhelia_apv_e.cfm

Unfortunately, it'll be about a week before I even have time to plug it in :(

[Henrik]

Originally posted by Anoobis
HA HA HA HA had to show it off at some point eh berserker?

yeah.

[legacy-IRN_DOG]

I say you might wanna put that keyboard level with the mouse and screen, will make you play better and stop you getting RSI or CTS ;).
Those underdesk keyboard things are annoyin to use, I use mine for holding gaming Haribo

... and you might wanna put that passport somewhere safe too, its a bugger losin those things... :sour:

[Henrik]

nah, I like being able to stretch my legs out more. but thanks for the suggestion.

[legacy-IRN_DOG]

Np m8e ;)

[Henrik]

\m/

[legacy-Teddie]

Originally posted by UnknownAlias
OMG playing UT on a projector...... oohhhh nerd orgasm....

http://teddie.beyondunreal.com/images/misc/cartwrighthall_event/CartwrightHall_Event1.jpg

[Henrik]

lol, major ghosting on those things however.. no thanks. hell, you can even see it in that screenshot.

[legacy-MrWaxhead]

To address points by various people in no particular order:

1) Playing UT/Quake on a projector is awful...while impressive for about 2-3 mins, and great to show off to mates, you'll find that in DM you get owned like there's no tomorrow (Your 'in-focus' area is now a 2footx2foot square on the wall, rather than a 1foot square infront of your nose, so you can't really track anything other than what's immediately around the crosshairs)


Actually your focus will be fairly similar due to scaled size and distance, ie say your looking at a 15 inch lcd from 2 feet away, now lets say you blow up that lcd by a factor of 8 for a 120" diagonal screen and your distance 2 feet x 8 would be 16 feet. So if you viewed that 120 inch screen from 16 feet your fov on the screen or focus area will be
about the same.

I know for the projector I am currently building I plan on using about those dimensions a 16 foot seating distance to a 120 inch diag 4:3 screen and 110" diag for 16:9 movies. Granted I don't plan on doing all my fps gaming on that screen but I will do some. It will mainly be for ffdshow upscaled dvd viewing basic tv viewing and some gaming for giggles hehe. (and no i am not building one of the cheesy tomshardware lcd projectors )

And as far as ghosting goes ya even at 16ms on/off I do notice some ghosting when I view my 16ms lcd beside my crt, but its not a ton so I am not to worried about it. In game I notice some when i spin fast but where i notice it the most is with things like dragging a irc chat box around the screen with a white background with black text. And on a plus note the lcd is much crisper looking for text over my crt.

I will post some 120" UT2004 pics as soon as I get everything finished up. I have everything ready to go, I am just waiting on shippment of my optics and lens triplet :)

[legacy-olobley]

MrWaxhead : I think I'd still disagree with your post!
On a projector, your max res is going to be 1024x768 (800x600 if you've done it on a budget). If you've got a 16 foot diagonal, that'd give you about 12 foot wide by 9 foot high. I still recon your primary focus is going to be a 1 foot by 1 foot area, but for arguments sake, lets call it 2foot by 2foot, so your in-focus res will be about 170x170.
Contrast this to a 17" monitor running 1024x768, where your in-focus area is say 6inches by 6inches, giving you an in-focus res of about 470x420, allowing you to track your next shot a lot better.
We also found that having to actually move your head to the corners/off centre to work out your next move was also cause for getting 'pwned' :)
For driving sims though, _nothing_ can beat the immersive experience you can get from a projector!

[legacy-MrWaxhead]

Actually the budget ones are 1024x768 xga which leaves you alittle shy for 720p, and 120 inch diag makes a 8x6 screen.
I am making one of those, but that will be for the kids room, for my personal beast I am going to be using a wuxga panel with a controller board so I can use it with a standard dvi or dsub connection. Which will give me the ability to play 1080i or 720p movies or game with 1920x1200 16:10 wide fov or a 1600x1200 4:3 standard fov.

And yes I know your eyes focus don't physically cone out the way I meantioned so technically yes my focus will be on the centre of the screen but my peripheral fov of view will be the same range, and since when I play I don't really focus on my crosshair anyway it should be fine. As I will see the same peripheral screen, and that is the way I aim anyway. I use a dead generic kinda viewing the whole screen method rather than physically viewing the x hair. And aim by where you are on my screen etc. But vertigo will most likely be a factor if you were to play for long periods of time staring at a screen of that size with a fast paced fps.

But I don't plan on doing much fps gaming on this screen just games for fun here and their, but driving games flight games etc that will be fun :)

[legacy-olobley]

Wow, I didn't realise they'd come so far!
What tech are you going for? LCD, DLP or CRT? (used to own a nice CRT set until the missus insisted that we didn't need life-sized Kylie on the wall at home :( )

Maybe my generally bad level of skill could to be to blame for me getting 'pwned' so much when I played it on the projector - would be interested to know how you get on with an FPS!

[legacy-DrSiN]

I've run UT stretched across all 3 of my monitors. You can do it, but you have to run windowed, and I really suggest using matched cards (ie: 2 nvidia or 2 ati). But it's doable.

However, it's a lot slower at that point.

[legacy-olobley]

Out of interest, how did you get that to work DrSin?
http://www.bplondon.org/images/windowed.jpg
per screenshot, if I run it in windowed mode, I don't get an option greater than 1280x1024 (highest res of my central monitor).
The only way I've got it to span more than one is to enable the nvidia clone thingy!

EDIT: <brownnose>bows down in awe at DrSin for giving us such a great game </brownose>

[2th]

Originally posted by DrSiN
I've run UT stretched across all 3 of my monitors. You can do it, but you have to run windowed, and I really suggest using matched cards (ie: 2 nvidia or 2 ati). But it's doable.

However, it's a lot slower at that point.

Dr. Sin do you see any problems with running on 3 monitors? like do you think it would create problems for DMing? or maybe a loss of frames?

[legacy-MrWaxhead]

Well most commerical dlp, lcd or crt projectors ar in the svga budget, xga mid end, 720p higher end range. And a good crt will be the best are far as contrast goes. With draw backs to lcd being screendoor if you don't have enough viewing distance or high enough res to mask it. And DLP chips in the gen2 which most are can be rainbow hell if your eyes are sensitive to the speed of the colour wheel.

But I am building a diy homebrew model, so I am basically just at the mercy of the size of the box, as to get to xga even your looking at a 15 inch lcd as the source, 17 inch if you want 1280x1024 to get into the 720p range. But laptop screens can get into the wuxga range but need a contoller board to work without the actual laptop which drives the price up. But you can get away with a 15.4 inch laptop lcd and still get into 1080i resolutions. And pretty much any projector in that range is like buying a damn car.

Yes I know you can get commercial xga units for just over $1000 canadian and 720p units for about 2000 canadian, but then the bulbs rape you, at 450 for 2000 to 3000 hours no thanks.

Where with a diy method you can use a 40 dollar bulb that will last 15,000 to 20,000 hours :)

And build a xga model with all new parts for under 600 candian or build a wuxga model with controller board for under 1200, and get the benefit of true hdtv in both formats. Choice seems simple to me :)

[Henrik]

Originally posted by olobley
Out of interest, how did you get that to work DrSin?
http://www.bplondon.org/images/windowed.jpg
per screenshot, if I run it in windowed mode, I don't get an option greater than 1280x1024 (highest res of my central monitor).
The only way I've got it to span more than one is to enable the nvidia clone thingy!

EDIT: <brownnose>bows down in awe at DrSin for giving us such a great game </brownose>

Stretch the window across all 3 screens manually by dragging the edge with your mouse.

[legacy-UrFatMom]

i use 16 screens

all 1'' each

[legacy-squoibymox]

Originally posted by 13XBMSPEC
All I can say is for godsake buy a projector or something. :p

I've played UT2004 on a projector. 7 foot image.

It IS very fun and awesome looking, but unless you're on a $10,000 projector it loses some crispness and is IMO inferior to a monitor for serious play.

Where I've found the projector to be the best is for racing games, flight simulators (long as you're not doing real serious instrument work), and slower paced games.

Another point though - one thing you DON'T gain with a projector is FOV. Well, you CAN jack it up higher than you might on a monitor, but not 180 degrees like you might with a triple monitor rig...

Oh, and someone mentioned ghosting. Nope. You just get blur VERY easily when trying to take a picture of a projector in the dark.

[legacy-Homicidal]

http://www.go-l.com/monitors/athens/features/index.htm

FIVE SCREENS!!!!!!!

if you want me i'll be passed out in the corner having convusions.....

[legacy-DeepDubTrauma]

You all make the badge of "geek" look like something that comes out of a candy machine at WalMart.

You're going for more screens, when you should be going for almost total immersion (http://www.elumens.com/products/visionstation.html) :D

http://www.elumens.com/products/images/VisionStation-splash.jpg

[2th]

Deep... HOLY F*CKING SH*T!!!!! that is quite possibly one of the sweetest things i have ever laid my eyes upon....


/me jumps up and down like a 5 year old screaming I WANT! I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!!!!!

[legacy-kevinroe327]

Originally posted by SweetTooth
Deep... HOLY F*CKING SH*T!!!!! that is quite possibly one of the sweetest things i have ever laid my eyes upon....


/me jumps up and down like a 5 year old screaming I WANT! I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!!!!!

Not quite how I would put it...but my thoughts nonetheless...


/me drools...

[Da Spadger]

Originally posted by SweetTooth
Deep... HOLY F*CKING SH*T!!!!! that is quite possibly one of the sweetest things i have ever laid my eyes upon....


/me jumps up and down like a 5 year old screaming I WANT! I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!!!!!

I bet i can make a more excessive post than you. ;)