Horizons MORE immersion please. Triple monitors ?

Von Roerich · Dec 30, 2015

Hi cmdrs

So, I'm looking for more immersion. I'm looking at the trackIR 5 and am considering triple monitors. I have asked a tech youtuber for some help and would like some feedback from you guys who already have this setup. My present monitor is Samsung S27D39oH 1920 X 1080p. I have GTX 960 4gb card & also have another slot on my board. Please don't mention 4k as a slap in the face often offends...... I do have a budget you know !
Disclaimer: Unless you can find one for less than £300

nexxo · Dec 30, 2015

VR headset. You know it makes sense.

Mesolithic · Dec 30, 2015

Hi,

I run 3 monitors off a single GTX970 along with TrackIR. It all works fine with decent frame rates with graphics set to high. Ultra is okay in space but can bog down a bit (20fps-ish) on planets and in stations. Certainly the Track IR helps with immersion. I can't fault it as a set up. Of course it will never be as good as a VR headset, but it is streets ahead of a single monitor and using mouse-look or some such.

In the game itself, the info panels appearing when you look in their direction is pretty impressive

Meso

Noctover · Dec 30, 2015

Run 3 screens, run the game in Ultra on a 780TI. Planets are heavily unoptimized at the moment so you're looking at 25-30 FPS at the moment until its resolved.

Noogillim · Dec 30, 2015

Down side for me with triple monitors was that it was like playing through a letter box

Not enough height and the stretching on the sides irritated me.

I moved onto a 21:9 34" instead and much happier with the 1440 height over the 1080

I was continually fiddling with the angular setup between the three screens also.

Tepescovir · Dec 30, 2015

I have 3 42 inch screens at 5860x1080 locked at 60 fps on high/ultra settings, or i can play on my 105 inch fullhd projector or i can play on my dk2 vr.
I have played elite for about an hour or so on the triple screen and projector and a few hundred hours on the rift, Simply no contest.

But you cant beat the triple screen for FPS games etc, so dont count it out. But i dont believe oculus is selling the dk2 anymore so you will have to wait for the release version in Q1.
It would definatly be worth getting 2 more monitors, but they really need to be 3 matched ones for nvidia surround and is worth it for so many games, but I would hold off a bit till we can get a more firm release date than Q1.

VR for elite, Triple screen for FPS

Bullet Purveyor · Dec 31, 2015

I have both triple screen setup and TrackIR, and if I had to choose one I would pick the TrackIR, no contest. It's the best hardware purchase I have ever done.
I have used it extensively since 2009 in arma 1-3, racing and flight games and now in Elite. It is a fantastic tool for extra immersion.

If you go for triple screen setup I would recommend 16:10(1920x1200) monitors for extra vertical pixels I you can get hold of some with a decent price. I regret buying 16:9.

Here's a quick look at my setup; Running Nvidia surround with an old i7 930, 6GB ram and a geforce 970. Resolution 6040x1080, bezel correction. TrackIR 5 and a x52 + saitek rudder pedals.

(over exposed mobile footage)
[video=youtube;baUC7-WlbA4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baUC7-WlbA4[/video]

Bullet Purveyor · Dec 31, 2015

*double post*

Rudal · Dec 31, 2015

Every time when I look at screenshots of 3 monitors set up of Elite or Star Citizen it all looks strangely stretched and odd.
Wouldn't it be better to buy GTX980 or something stronger and use VR instead of buying another card and running 3 monitors?
I'm looking at upgrading my own PC next year and I'll probably go for VR set up.

Lestat · Dec 31, 2015

I say forget the 2 other Monitors get the TrackerIR 5. Worth every penny.

Lowievisser · Dec 31, 2015

Rudal said:
Every time when I look at screenshots of 3 monitors set up of Elite or Star Citizen it all looks strangely stretched and odd.
Wouldn't it be better to buy GTX980 or something stronger and use VR instead of buying another card and running 3 monitors?
I'm looking at upgrading my own PC next year and I'll probably go for VR set up.

Only reason i can think of is ppl getting really sick of it , but yeah i would go for the vr too

atomic7431 · Dec 31, 2015

Im sorry but i hate triple screens, the stretching on the side two looks awful. This is a game wide issue, i would look at an UW screen but even then there can be very slight stretching towards the very ends of the screen (planets go a little oval).

Tepescovir · Dec 31, 2015

The streaching effect is pretty much invisible when actually playing, same as seeing something out of the corner of your eye.
You see whats in front of you, but can percieve whats beside you, but just makes the game so, so much more immersive.

Think of driving, you only see the road in front, but you still percieve whats around you.

Screenshot dont show it, playing does.

AstirTII · Dec 31, 2015

Noogillim said:
Down side for me with triple monitors was that it was like playing through a letter box

Not enough height and the stretching on the sides irritated me.

I moved onto a 21:9 34" instead and much happier with the 1440 height over the 1080

I was continually fiddling with the angular setup between the three screens also.

Exactly the same here - 3x ended up being a pain & didn't work well with certain cockpits - e.g Vulture had a see-through gap either side for the last 200px or so. It was just too wide with not enough height. Switched to 21:9 34" 3440x1440 & wouldn't go back.

Abil Midena · Dec 31, 2015

I have been using 3x32 for about a year now, and have been using TrackIR as well.

TrackIR is a no brainer. Get it no matter what you do.

IMO, the choices best to worst go like this:

1. VR for ED. Sometime in 2016, and after everyone realizes you need a pascal or better to really use it.

Every other game you play:

2. Single large 32"-ish (curved if you like) monitor, NOT ultra wide, which is code for ultra short. At least 1440p.
3. 3 screen (until VR gets real, more wide spread support in 2017? 2018?). Problems with 3 screen: hiding bezels, fish eye, sometimes sketchy driver/game support. It is VERY important, IMHO and experience, to buy all 3 monitors of the same type/size, at the same time. This reduces the chance of different batches displaying slightly different colors and/or having refresh rate/compatibility problems. Also make sure your vid card has enough outputs to support your setup.
4. Single small display 27" and below.

Von Roerich · Jan 4, 2016

Thanks for the posts cmdrs. Very informative. I'm going ahead with the track IR first. But I've discovered that to hook up a stand for 3 monitors is not helped by the fact that my samsung s27D39OH does not have vesa mount ! so i won't be getting another 2 of these. I'd like to give you all rep for the replies but went for the 'action post'... although the landing was a bit shaky... hahaha

Ravenov · Jan 4, 2016

Bullet Purveyor said:
I have both triple screen setup and TrackIR, and if I had to choose one I would pick the TrackIR, no contest. It's the best hardware purchase I have ever done.
I have used it extensively since 2009 in arma 1-3, racing and flight games and now in Elite. It is a fantastic tool for extra immersion.

If you go for triple screen setup I would recommend 16:10(1920x1200) monitors for extra vertical pixels I you can get hold of some with a decent price. I regret buying 16:9.

Here's a quick look at my setup; Running Nvidia surround with an old i7 930, 6GB ram and a geforce 970. Resolution 6040x1080, bezel correction. TrackIR 5 and a x52 + saitek rudder pedals.

(over exposed mobile footage)

Nice landing, although the approach looked a little interesting

Mind telling me what kind of FPS you get on planets at that res, and what your gfx settings in game are? I run a 690 which was fine at 6038*1080 until horizons came out, but now if I go near a land able planet I have to drop down to one monitor to get what I consider playable frame rates (although granted 'playable' to me is 60...). Going to have to upgrade soon, been thinking of holding on until pascal comes out, but if the current generation is enough I might have to give it some more thought.

Bullet Purveyor · Jan 4, 2016

haha, yes the approach technique could probably need some fine tuning. Was one of my first planetary landings, not used to the gravity

(bad excuses *cough cough*)

I haven't measured the fps planet side, but it's (mostly) playable. I'm not too fussy about frame rates, as long as they are 30+.
I run pretty high settings, will fire up fraps on my next play and edit* this post with some numbers.
*EDIT: I get about 80-100 in supercruise. 60-80 flying around hubs. 40-50 inside big stations.
On planets it varies a lot, depends on the type of texture, terrain etc. Closing in on the big bases for landing, within 1000 meters, drops the fps to between 22-30. On the landing pad it's back up to 30-40. Flying is generally 30-40 if I'm 2kms over ground. Driving the SRV inside the big bases is also pretty demanding 25-30fps, but increases out in the open.

For people worrying about the stretching of the picture on the side screens, it's not really noticeable when playing with TrackIR. Because you will always focus on the main screen.
The sides just work as peripheral vision, and when you turn your head a bit to see whats there, your eyes will be fixed at the main screen.
It's a completely different experience sitting in front of the setup your self than watching a video of it.

Playing without TrackIr though, is another story. Then I'm annoyed as hell by the stretching.

Wes Mattix · Jan 4, 2016

I think a 21:9 monitor is the best choice right now overall.

VR is a consideration if you already know that it doesn't make you nauseous, give you headaches, or leave you seeing lights spots behind your eyelids after playing. But you'd probably already have to own a headset to know that anyway.

I, personally, will be avoiding VR for a while until we know more about its affects.

Some1else · Jan 5, 2016

I say don't mess around with those 20-30 inch monitors. Go big. I use a 55 in. Samsung curve 4K ultra TV. Granted I pretty much stole it from Best Buy because of a in store mislabeling on an open box deal. But Dang it's nice. I do have the trackir, but just don't care for it.

LLAP
S1E