Multiple Displays

[Luca_brasi]

How can one go about setting up a computer to run multiple monitors off the one system. I will only want to run it with MS FS 2004 so I can have the Primary Flight instruments on my 17" monitor and the GPS/Engine Instruments off to the right on the second monitor. Is there a way to do this?

Also what good Flight Sim is there that has all the Australian navaids. I have tried looking for Elite FS but with no luck. I have been recommended to use the Jeppesen program but it doesn't look that crash hot.

Thanks in advance

[Hamrah]

I believe you will need a graphics card that supports multiple monitors. There are a few on the market.

H

[Wing Commander Fowler]

Yes, I have two monitors linked up using an Nvidia GeForce card and it seems to work well EXCEPT have tried taking advantage of splitting the views when playing CFS2 and for some reason game struggles when I do this as if the refresh rate can't cope...... Using the two monitors with completely independent applications works fine so that may be one to be aware of!

An alternative arrangement that my mate uses is two graphics cards - one in the AGP slot and a second PCI one. Hopefully the Guru's here will be able to advise better on the most appropriate solution to give you the best performance...... Good luck anyhow.

[goates]

The nVidia cards have better drivers for multi monitor gaming support, but I think the ATI ones will allow for what you want to do. With nVidia's cards you can span across monitors and should be able to have different views as well. Keep in mind the video card now has to drive two monitors, so get as fast a card as you can, preferably a GeForce 5950, or if you can afford it one of the new GeForce 6800s.

The ATI cards don't allow views to be split across the monitors, but will allow you to have different views or windows open on teh second screen. ATI doesn't seem to save the configuration either, so you need to move the windows around each time you start the program.

A PCI card will allow you to have multiple windows open, but won't allow for having one view spread across both monitors.

Not all games support this either outside of flight sims.

Have fun!

goates

[fintan]

If you check over on www.avsim.com, there is a good bit about this. u will need 2 monitors two graphics card, as you will only be putting the likes of the TCAS, FMC , PFD, etc on this seperate screen best just get a 2mb odd PCI graphics card and there cheap cause most pc's only come with one-two aGP SLOTS, U will get alot more infor from flight simulation websites.

[Mac the Knife]

For Dual Display it's hard to get much better than the Matrox Millenium P Series cards. Though not 3D speed demons they're still fast and the quality is breathtaking. Unlike many dual-capable cards where the quality and refresh rate of the second display are limited these are full bore multi-display cards.

http://matrox.com/mga/workstation/3d...ts/pseries.cfm

Go for the Triple P-750 rather than the Dual P-650 - there's little difference in price and the P-750 is a more capable card. And one day you'll want to add a third display....

Windows drivers are excellent and all us Penguinistas are nagging Matrox to improve their very so-so Linux drivers.

[goates]

Try this link for some tips.

goates

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Luca_brasi,

When you setup dual monitors in FS2k4, you will need to set it up each time you go for a flight, since it does not remember your settings.

Take Care,

Richard