FSX 2D Cockpit Question

[bpops]

I'm putting FSX on a computer with a TH2G (3840x1024 resolution). The 3D cockpit looks fine, but the 2D cockpit view stretches the hud (gauges and such) completely across the 3 screens.

I've also noticed this problem of the stretching when just playing FSX on any widescreen monitor.

Does anyone know of a way to fix this issue (or manually set the size of the 2D panels)?

 

[Bj]

Well, one workaround you could try is set FSX into 'windowed' mode. Then drag the cockpit view into the center screen, then 2 other views onto the other screens.

so it looks like;

At home though, it would look more like;

I like the 3D cockpit anyway, it has a much better look to it, providing your graphics card can keep up.

 

[bpops]

I'm not a big fan of windowed mode, or having to do this every time I start up the sim, but I have to say that it does look pretty cool! I didn't know you could do separate windows like this.

 

[Hielor]

http://www.tradewind.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=15

 

[Moonwalker]

This is why I don't and won't use widescreen displays as long as I run FS9, which is still for many years to come. I also can't understand why people love to watch movies using a strange aspect ratio which lets look everything squashed.

For flight simulation I prefer Triple Head To Go in future, rather than a wide screen display.

 

[TSPenguin]

I also can't understand why people love to watch movies using a strange aspect ratio which lets look everything squashed.

The human vision is much closer to 2:1 than to 4:3. Ever been to the cinema? Does that look squashed to you?

 

[Hielor]

This is why I don't and won't use widescreen displays as long as I run FS9, which is still for many years to come. I also can't understand why people love to watch movies using a strange aspect ratio which lets look everything squashed.

Um, what?

A movie's native aspect ratio is far closer to that of a widescreen monitor than a "normal" monitor. By using a widescreen monitor, you can have the movie take up more space without squashiness.

For gaming, a widescreen monitor lets you see more. It's that simple. And as I pointed out, FSX has a very simple edit to solve this problem.

For flight simulation I prefer Triple Head To Go in future, rather than a wide screen display.

Because a TH2G display is totally not "wide" at all... Plus, that's significantly more expensive than a single widescreen monitor. Not even in the same ballpark.

 

[bpops]

Thanks for the link, Heilor. But as I understand it, the

WideViewAspect=True

just makes it so the video itself is not stretched, which the TH2G software fixes automatically. But what I'm looking for is just the 2D HUD. I found another site (http://blogs.technet.com/torgo3000/archive/2007/01/12/2d-panels-on-a-laptop.aspx) that apears to have the solution, and it's also in the fsx.cfg file. It's to change:

PANEL_STRETCHING=0

Haven't tried it yet, but will report back on the results.

 

[Hielor]

Thanks for the link, Heilor. But as I understand it, the

WideViewAspect=True

just makes it so the video itself is not stretched, which the TH2G software fixes automatically. But what I'm looking for is just the 2D HUD. I found another site (http://blogs.technet.com/torgo3000/archive/2007/01/12/2d-panels-on-a-laptop.aspx) that apears to have the solution, and it's also in the fsx.cfg file. It's to change:

PANEL_STRETCHING=0

Haven't tried it yet, but will report back on the results.

Ah, okay--I don't use the 2d panel since I have a TrackIR, so I didn't know that the WideViewAspect doesn't affect those--I just knew that without it, it looks odd in widescreen and with it, it looks right.

 

[Moonwalker]

Um, what?

A movie's native aspect ratio is far closer to that of a widescreen monitor than a "normal" monitor. By using a widescreen monitor, you can have the movie take up more space without squashiness.

Some people prefer an aspect ratio that lets look everything squashed, especially persons.

For gaming, a widescreen monitor lets you see more. It's that simple.

I guess that's the purpose of widescreen displays...

And as I pointed out, FSX has a very simple edit to solve this problem.

2D panels that come only in one version, not made for widescreen resolutions, won't look like they should look. It is possible to fix it, but you'll have free spaces at the left and right side then. I prefer complex professional 2D instrument panels. This makes wide screen displays crap in my case. I only use the 3D cockpit view for take off and landing.

This is what makes widescreen displays unusable for me:

Because a TH2G display is totally not "wide" at all...

As I said, it's the 2D panel stuff, not the obvious fact that TH2G and widescreen displays are wide.

Plus, that's significantly more expensive than a single widescreen monitor. Not even in the same ballpark.

Expensive is not a criterion for me. TH2G will be just the prestage until I get my full fixed base A320 home simulator. For me this will be the end of desktop flight simulation anyway, but the beginning of an awesome new era of simulation.

 

[Hielor]

Some people prefer an aspect ratio that lets look everything squashed, especially persons.

Then those people are stupid. Using a widescreen monitor doesn't force you to make everything look squished.

2D panels that come only in one version, not made for widescreen resolutions, won't look like they should look. It is possible to fix it, but you'll have free spaces at the left and right side then. I prefer complex professional 2D instrument panels. This makes wide screen displays crap in my case. I only use the 3D cockpit view for take off and landing.

This is what makes widescreen displays unusable for me:

Use the 3d cockpit, full stop. Get a TrackIR. It's cheaper than a TH2G, has fewer compatibility issues, and completely changes the way you interact with the game. The immersiveness is incredible.

As I said, it's the 2D panel stuff, not the obvious fact that TH2G and widescreen displays are wide.

You will have the exact same problem with the TH2G that you have with a widescreen monitor, except worse.

 

[TSPenguin]

Some people prefer an aspect ratio that lets look everything squashed, especially persons.

Hielor is right, those people are stupid.
They would not preserve aspect ratio on a 4:3 screen either, and every movie would look like this:

 

[Moonwalker]

Use the 3d cockpit, full stop.

Thanks for your nice advice, but I guess it's my decision.

As I said, I use the 3D cockpit for take off and landing. I don't and won't use 2D panels on a widescreen display since I won't use a widescreen display at all.

Get a TrackIR. It's cheaper than a TH2G, has fewer compatibility issues, and completely changes the way you interact with the game. The immersiveness is incredible.

I know TrackIR. And as I said, money is not a criterion for me anyway.

You will have the exact same problem with the TH2G that you have with a widescreen monitor, except worse.

The 2D panels will run static on separate non-widesrceen displays, as everything else also will run on non-widesrceen displays.

Full stop

 

[Hielor]

The 2D panels will run static on separate non-widesrceen displays, as everything else also will run on non-widesrceen displays.

Full stop

At the point that you have the 2d panels on a separate non-widescreen display, what is the disadvantage of having your primary displays be widescreen? The TH2G Digital can support three 1680x1050 displays, which would give you a nontrivial increase in your FOV and resolution in the overall display.

 

[Moonwalker]

At the point that you have the 2d panels on a separate non-widescreen display, what is the disadvantage of having your primary displays be widescreen? The TH2G Digital can support three 1680x1050 displays, which would give you a nontrivial increase in your FOV and resolution in the overall display.

It is just a matter of taste. I don't like the geometry of widescreen displays. I prefer quadratic displays. I don't like to have a narrow view on a display, even if the aspect ratio is correct. I want to see more of the hight as well, not only wide. I always think there is something missing on top and below. Plus, my flight simulation depends on complex 2D instrument panels, that are not made for wide screen, while the 3D cockpit is not fully functioning (especially the Dreamfleet Boeing 727 Whisperjet addon).

 

[Hielor]

It is just a matter of taste. I don't like the geometry of widescreen displays. I prefer quadratic displays. I don't like to have a narrow view on a display, even if the aspect ratio is correct. I want to see more of the hight as well, not only wide. I always think there is something missing on top and below.

Most modern programs do widescreen via +h (they add to the horizontal field of view), not -v (subtracting from the vertical field of view). You are not losing anything off of the height, you are only gaining to the sides.

And honestly, for both GA and airliners (moreso for airliners), your horizontal field of view is what matters most, since your vertical field of view is so limited by the size of your windscreens anyway.

After moving to widescreen, I find it very difficult to use 4:3 displays, especially for gaming or simulation. The view is far too confining.

Plus, my flight simulation depends on complex 2D instrument panels, that are not made for wide screen, while the 3D cockpit is not fully functioning (especially the Dreamfleet Boeing 727 Whisperjet addon).

I thought you said you were going to move the 2D instrument panels to another, non-wide-screen monitor?

 

[Moonwalker]

Most modern programs do widescreen via +h (they add to the horizontal field of view), not -v (subtracting from the vertical field of view). You are not losing anything off of the height, you are only gaining to the sides.

I know. But I just don't like a wide view. I prefer a quadratic picture. I don't understand the purpose of heaving a wide view, while I could also see almost as much vertically, which results in a quadratic display.

And honestly, for both GA and airliners (moreso for airliners), your horizontal field of view is what matters most, since your vertical field of view is so limited by the size of your windscreens anyway.

I have no problems with any views on usual displays at all.

I thought you said you were going to move the 2D instrument panels to another, non-wide-screen monitor?

Yes. But everything else as well

 

[Hielor]

I know. But I just don't like a wide view. I prefer a quadratic picture. I don't understand the purpose of heaving a wide view, while I could also see almost as much vertically, which results in a quadratic display.

And I don't understand the purpose of having a narrow view, which confines your view to the sides while not allowing you to see any more vertically...