Wide monitors -to curve or not to curve

[Rhetro]

Hello all,
I'm moving forward with my cockpit mockup. I realize this is probably more of an MSFS question, but I thought I'd ask here anyway.
Has anyone here had adverse effects with corner distortion for use with the environment (scenery) using a curved monitor? I'm going to be using touch screens for the overhead and internal (dash). Any advise is appreciated.
Thanks!

[JG]

Several questions arise from your RFI. First are you using a combined PSX cockpit/MSFS scenery setup on the same monitor anywhere or totally separate monitors for PSX and MSFS? You will likely need to compromise to some degree with aspect appearance for the scenery if you are combining images from both sources on the same monitor, there are ways avoiding this by using portrait mode and their will be others out there with more knowledge of this than I because my sim isn't set up that way. Also the maximum angle of view you are attempting on a particular pixel width will have an impact on distortions in the scenery images. If you are trying to achieve a 180 degree view with 3 monitors that have a wider aspect than 16x9, you will have image distortion issues at the outer edges of your view. Curved monitors with a 16x9 aspect ratio in my experience don't create image distortions and give a more natural feel to the surrounding of the images.
The decision you make will be based on your tolerance of these distortions. A full cockpit mock up requires a total view angle of at least 180 degrees and likely monitors with an aspect ratio greater than the 16x9 ratio to fill the needed scenery space due to cockpit dimensions. The only way to avoid this is to use image manipulation software. On my setup I tolerate image distortion at the extremities of the side views to aid in runway location during visual opps. Unless you have the space for projection screens and a big budget, a proper result will be impossible to achieve and in so doing the equipment and software costs can very quickly add up to a huge number.
In short MSFS 2020 (can't comment for 2024) can produce 3 outside view images of 16x9 ratio to give a view angle of a little under 180 degrees. Anything more and you will spend a lot of time messing with it to reduce image distortion noticeably! I don't know if the 2024 version even supports multi monitor, it was poorly supported within 2020 and I got the impression the developers put it into the too hard basket, but it does work all be it somewhat unreliably! People with pro setups are running 3 instances of MSFS 2020 because the multi monitor feature is so rubbish. Can anyone comment on multi monitor capabilities of 2024?
I used ACER 27 inch touch screens in the areas you describe, I have 3 for the MIP with the centre one doing the image encompassing the Capt and FO ND's, the outer 2 monitors do from the PFD's to the edge. This enables the seams between the monitors to not cut through any switches or displays on the MIP. I use another of these in portrait for the Pedestal, and 4 more in landscape for the overhead. Unfortunately, most touch screens through design necessity will have thicker bezels. This gives a cockpit image size of about 88% scale that suites my limited space but still allows 1-1 parts and panels to be integrated into the space because the space that the seams from the monitor bezels fill adjusts the size to very near 100%.   
Cheers, J.G.

[Rhetro]

Hey JG, Thanks!
This is what I was wondering about. Turns out I don't have the available space for 3 monitors for the scenery view (center, L and Right). The side panels would just take up too much space for my room dimensions. Right now, I'm looking at just one monitor for the scenery. It looks like the curved one will give me the best option for scenery -but will the curved one get along with a L and R flat panel SHOULD I CHOSE TO LATER ON?  Again, I am thinking on using touch screens for the overhead and one for the PFDs. I may not have the necessary space for a pedestal touchscreen at this point. I suppose I could get smaller monitors for the sides (L and R), but I think I'm just going to have to start with essentially a front view setup. And add later if it's absolutely driving me crazy. I like your idea but since I'm thinking just a center point of view, would it make that much of a difference flat to curved?
I realize there's nothing better than just trying it out. You can have all this mapped out in your head, but until you start playing with it and moving stuff around, you won't know. I'm guessing you probably have a room solely dedicated to this? I'm checking out your pic next to your name. Very impressive !

[JG]

Hi Rhetro, I specifically built the room for the sim. It was prototype'd in my living room for dimensions....you can imagine how that went down with the family! The left roof of the sim is actually the underside of the house roof. The scenery monitors have been the hardest thing to get right because of the limitations of the available space.
If your going for a single forward view, go curved screen 32 x 9 aspect. Expensive in a single monitor, however, you can get a good result with 2 x 16/9 butted together with the seam running down the centre in normal flight. Note though that you will be biasing your view to the pilot flying side for T/O and landing so the seam may not be desirable. The fact is though that the single forward view from MSFS will stretch across a 32/9 aspect with minimal distortion.
My setup is indeed 2 x 16/9 curved centre monitors with 2 x 32/9 flat monitors at the sides. Some maths will tell you that for a 1080 pixel height I need to fill 11520 pixels horizontally....way more than the design ability of MSFS. I fix this by not stretching across the entire pixel width and tolerating some distortion at the outer edges. I use the outer blank parts of the side monitors to monitor what the PC and the connection software to MSFS is doing. The mixture of curved and flat screens has not impacted my experience too much....but I'm guessing it would have been nicer with all curved screens. It is important to ensure you use monitors of the same physical height and vertical resolution or you will have scaling issues.....so the suggestion of using smaller monitors for side views is not recommended. You could minimise the impact of this with image manipulation software like Fly Elise.
Remember also to integrate touch and 1-1 size panels and parts as you build will require minimum 27 inch touch screens and even then considerable juggling is required to make it what you will want it to be......if you have the budget 32 inch is better....slightly oversized but you can make the images smaller....but way more expensive for the hardware.
Cheers, happy building, J.G.

[Rhetro]

Hey JG,
Yes, I'm wondering how you convinced the family for allocating the space for this beast! Haha! Cheers; where ther's a will there's a way!  I appreciate the input. I will start with the curved screen 32/9, then. And probably blow off the side monitors. Still interested in the over head 27" touch screen, and a dash panel underneath the curved scenery screen. A pedestal touchscreen would be nice, but I just don't think I'm going to have the room. We'll see what happens.
Thanks again!

[Kurt]

Hey.

The most important advice I can give after my process of buiding a 1:1ish 744 cockpit is to define exact ambition and make a plan upfront and stick to it!!!!...

Descide early on what ambition you have for the final sim and align ALL what you doo to that.

As mentioned in the other thread I have been suffering from constant scope creep which has resulted in endless rework of panels, PC´s new HW etc.

Now I have arrived at a nice 1:1ish representration of the real full 744 cockpit after a couple of years of work BUT - that could have been down to months if I had planed for the actual state my sim is today from the beginning..

I will happily expand on my experience if needed and help out on your journey.

Cheers

Kurt

PS - if you missed my rather lengthy post on my experience then it is here: https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php?msg=82385