Building PC for Racing/Flight Simulators (multiple projectors)

[007ELmO]

Hi,

SUMMARY: I would like to build a PC for use for Racing and Flight simulators. It will be connected to 2-3 projectors, and use edge blending software to create eyefinity-type resolutions, without any monitor seams! It will need to display high frame rates on average (60+). Multiple projectors allows us to create a 180 degree FOV.

Depending on using 1080p or 720p resolution projectors (difficult to find 1080p short throw projectors), the resolutions it would need to support:
2560x720 (two 720ps)
3840x720 (three 720ps)
3840x1080 (two 1080ps)
5760x1080 (three 1080ps)

Youtube of intended usage (iRacing). This guy has 3x1080ps, which is expensive and difficult to implement because of throw ranges (you need a large room). Look up warpalizer on youtube for more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b---5S-8dGk

Here's another, edge blending not working as well in his setup, First Person Shooter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh3GCxjB23A

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Simulation gaming

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$1500-2000

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
United States

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
ATI Fanboy (own a single "AMD" 7970 and I like it).

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
No

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Prefer default speeds, but will OC if you can help me out with safe OC'ing

8. What resolution will you be using?
2560x720 (two 720ps)
3840x720 (three 720ps)
3840x1080 (two 1080ps) - optional, if I use 1080p projectors
5760x1080 (three 1080ps) - optional, if I use 1080p projectors

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
ASAP

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?
Naw

Other note: I think we probably would be safe with multiple video cards based on the resolutions, but your call.

Thanks!
ELmO

 

[Ken g6]

Well, sorry to burst your fanboy bubble, but it looks like just about everybody uses nVidia for iRacing. There may have been and may still be problems with AMD, especially multiple cards.

So, I'd start with [thread=2192841]Mfenn's build[/thread],
- Swap in 2 EVGA GTX 670 FTWs ($840-$240 = net $600 more)
- Swap in a slightly better PSU, same price AR.
- Add a better CPU cooler, $30

And that comes to $1631 AR AP.

Edit: Video of a similar setup.

(The AMD alternative is this card if you insist.)

 

[mfenn]

Well, sorry to burst your fanboy bubble, but it looks like just about everybody uses nVidia for iRacing. There may have been and may still be problems with AMD, especially multiple cards.

So, I'd start with [thread=2192841]Mfenn's build[/thread],
- Swap in 2 EVGA GTX 670 FTWs ($840-$240 = net $600 more)
- Swap in a slightly better PSU, same price AR.
- Add a better CPU cooler, $30

And that comes to $1631 AR AP.

Edit: Video of a similar setup.

(The AMD alternative is this card if you insist.)

:thumbsup: to this.

If you end up going with just 720P projectors, a single GTX 670 should be fine. I believe that you'd need one of the projectors connected via DisplayPort in a single-card configuration though (somebody correct me if I'm wrong). If you do decide to go with 1080P projectors, you will definitely need a SLI/CFX setup.

 

[007ELmO]

My microcenter has two Optoma GT750Es for only $699 each. They are only 720p, but people use thsi projector for eyefinity type setups. I'm worried about the lower resolution.

Thanks for your mid-range setup, I actually may be using some of it for my 4 player Local LAN build happening this month.

Ken, thanks for letting me know about Nvidia.

Given I will probably spend more time gushing over the technology and not playing games as much on it as I should, I should probably do 720ps instead of 1080p which would raise the cost all over the place. Though, I wonder if two 1080p projectors might be a sweet spot (with the vertical resolution better than three 720ps).

The problem with 2 projectors is the edge blending occurs where your crosshair is!

 

[mfenn]

The problem with 2 projectors is the edge blending occurs where your crosshair is!

Exactly, I recommend always using odd numbers of panels in Eyefinity setups for this reason.

Unless you're talking about an extremely short throw distance (short enough that you would be better off just using monitors) or have eagle eyes, I would say that the 720p projectors will look 90% as good as 1080p but cost a heck of a lot less.

 

[007ELmO]

The question is surrounding the increased amount of pixels 1080p brings, though. In my brother in law's 720p projector, sitting at a distance of 3 ft I can possibly make out some screen door/pixels. With my 1080p projector you can go right up to the screen before you can make out a pixel, and if you do, it just seems sharper.

Yet for my purposes, I may be doing 720p as I simply cannot incur that cost. I would rather spend the extra money on a chair that enact G-forces!

Thanks for the reply,
ELmO