PSX Beta Version and Matrox Triple Head2Go with multiple LCD monitors

[Bruce Hall]

Hi, Hardy.

It's wonderful news that PSX is now nearing the stage of "Beta" testing. You deserve every credit for all your hard work and expertise!

I just wondered if your Beta testing might also include testing PSX compatibility with Matrox Triple Head2Go and multiple LCD display monitors. I recall that when I raised "Matrox" compatibility some months back, it seemed that perhaps this aspect was already being looked at at that time by someone (although I might of course be wrong!)

Also, is it likely that PSX will work better with Windows 7 - rather than with Vista or XP?

Many thanks.

All the best.

Bruce

[Hardy Heinlin]

Hi Bruce,

yes, with the Matrox Triple Head2Go, the PSX flightdeck frame can be stretched over multiple monitors, or multiple PSX instances locally networked on that one computer can be positioned anywhere across the triple monitor system (just like multiple PSX instances on a single-monitor system).

I can't recall who in the team tested it on XP, but I can say that it runs nicely on Vista and higher. Actually, it's rather a matter of the Java version than the Windows version. If the hardware has enough power and Java 1.6 or higher is installed, PSX should run regardless of the underlying operating system (Mac OSX, Windows, Linux ...).


Cheers,

|-|ardy

[John Golin]

A caveat - there are limitations with some graphics cards that prevent a window rendering properly when it is moved to a second screen, or runs across 2 logical monitors* - i.e. dragging one PSX window across to a second screen may result in it not rendering properly, or the area that overlaps onto the second monitor may appear black.  Note this is nothing to do with PSX, it happens to other graphics apps as well.

HOWEVER - if you have this problem with multiple monitors, you can configure a second shortcut to PSX pointing to a separate Preference (config) file that has the window position remembered as the second monitor, and the second instance will then display correctly.   Can't do that when you have this problem with other programs!

RE XP - I would have on my roadmap to upgrade in the next year or so.

Microsoft is stopping support for XP in April 2014, and I suspect most vendors will stop supporting it around the same time, if they haven't already.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows/end-support-help




* A logical monitor appears as a distinct,  separate monitor in the OS.  A TripleHead2GO appears as ONE monitor to the OS, and the magic box splits that into the three signals, so this issue does not arise.

[Bruce Hall]

Many thanks for your replies, Hardy and John - Very helpful!

All the best.

Bruce

[ahaka]

Is there any way to test beforehand if PSX will render properly when the window is stretched across multiple displays (not TH2GO or surround)?

I have an nvidia GTX670 card.

[GodAtum]

unfortunately there is no trial so you will have to either buy it or ask other people what their experiences are.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

On my old clunker Dell under XP, I have a HD monitor attached and use the original notebook monitor as a sidekick. There is no special hardware, just a 1996 notebook. PSX is fully capable of running stretched over both monitors, though I prefer to run two PSX instances as the monitors aren't of the same vertical size. Another very good possibility for this setup is sim frame on the large monitor and instructor frame on the smaller one.


Hoppie

[ScudRunner]

Hi Hoppie,

just noting the last line of your post >> " Another very good possibility for this setup is sim frame on the large monitor and instructor frame on the smaller one."

I am planning to run PSX on my main desktop box with a laptop connected via my home LAN.  

Assume the answer is `Yes', but confirming with this configuration I could run an instance of PSX on the laptop with the instructor frame displayed showing (for example) the Situation -> Position page displayed with the aircraft position being updated `real time' on the map as the main PSX `flies'??

thanks
Scud.

[John Golin]

Yes.

 

[ScudRunner]

thanks John, excellent!

[John Golin]

You could minimise the main PSX window on the laptop, or instead display something like the CDU, lower EICAS, trim gauges, radios, or some other 'secondary' function (if you have the screen real estate).

[ScudRunner]

That sounds great.

I guess I was thinking of running a setup where one person will fly the sim and the other can play instructor, introduce faults, weather etc etc.

Cannot wait to see the flexibility of this system in action.

chrs
Scud.