Multi-Channel (one channel per display)

[peterk41]

Thanks for developping Prepar3D further und support of our community.

Any concrete plans to get Multi-Channel (one channel per display) back ? Grahic cards hardware supplyer must be interested to sell more cards ? It is finally the simplest (for the user) and only way to get framerates and very high resolutions !

Peter

[Beau Hollis]

The kind of multi-channel you described is supported in v2 and is in fact the default behavior of the application. For each Prepar3D window, the application determines which monitor the window is on and which GPU that monitor is driven by. The resource copies and rendering commands needed for that view are only sent to that GPU. You can actually drive more than one monitor per GPU if need be. We have some customers driving 10+ displays from a single computer. The features we dropped moving from v1 to v2 is was a network-based muti-channel solution where each view could be driven by a different computer. Focusing on optimizing for the single-computer, multiple-GPU use case was actually one of biggest reasons we decided to hold of on multi-computer support. Note that there is CPU overhead involved with rendering multiple views. Thus, the single computer, multi-GPU use case will allow you to potentially crank up certain GPU intensive options like higher resolutions and better anti-aliasing, but adding GPUs won't speed things up if the system is CPU bound.

[peterk41]

Dear Beau
Thanks, I'm talking of the "network-based muti-channel solution".
We have our own (Visual Basic 6 based) software to show instruments on separate computers over networks.

Main computer with FSX/P3D installed is used to show the exterior cockpit view on 3 beamers/screens, and send data over network.

Even newest hardware close to airports in approach let drop frame rate far under 25 fps. Mainly because details on airports are getting crazy. When approaching I do not care of the coffeemachine insiede waiting room is switched on or off ...

We never tried 3 GPU's in one system. Until now we use matrox TripleHeadToGO. 3x 1920x1080 (or x1200) native resolution is target. this is almost 3-4 times higher resolution thean today. All "big" simulators are using "network-based muti-channel solution".
It does not look this features get's back ?

[Psybear]

When approaching I do not care of the coffeemachine insiede waiting room is switched on or off ...

Indeed! Bloatware from some misguided 3rd party developers. Used to sell a shiny product that incorporates a useless performance hit.

[OldAirMail]

For each Prepar3D window, the application determines which monitor the window is on and which GPU that monitor is driven by. The resource copies and rendering commands needed for that view are only sent to that GPU. You can actually drive more than one monitor per GPU if need be. We have some customers driving 10+ displays from a single computer.

Amazing!

I knew that my multi-monitor/multiple video card setup (not in AMD Crossfire mode) was working better in Prepar3d than in FSX. Now I know why.

Thank you SO MUCH!