This post explains how to emulate triplehead functionality for AH.
To do so requires a TH2Go box, Nvidia card and Track IR (and 3 lcd monitors – doh!).
As some of you may know, WB recently introduced support for the Matrox TH2Go, allowing widescreen display over 3 monitors. As it turns out, a similar effect can also be achieved in WB with Softth (subject to hardware requirements) without the need for the Matrox TH2Go box.
It set me thinking about AH and I thought you might be interested to see the rambling and deranged results.
AH II restricts horizontal field of view to approximately 90 degrees (less if zoomed). The vertical field of view is scaled according to the fixed horizontal 90 degree setting. In other words, if you use a Matrox TH2Go with AH, you still get a horizontal fov of 90 degrees; just a much narrower vertical band; most of the instrument panel will be cut off and so is space above the canopy. Aesthetically it is pleasing to see more detail spread across three monitors but there is a significant functional disadvantage with the reduced vertical fov.
Softth is barely better than TH2Go in AH and still unplayable. It is worth mentioning one configuration setting which forces the primary display to expand to 3x fov but this doesn’t help solve the problem in AH. There are numerous display glitches. Whilst the landscape appears ok (albeit with patchwork errors at the margin) objects drawn onto the landscape rotate at the wrong rate (because AH doesn’t know the landscape itself has been streteched). As a plane manoeuvres, icons and trees are all over the place. There are also goldfish bowl issues. A non-starter then.
Ok. So what does work?
Well, to begin with, it has long been possible to obtain a better vertical FOV in AH by rotating a LCD monitor into the vertical (i.e. from 4:3 to 3:4 or 5:3 to 3:5). Because the horizontal fov is always fixed at 90 degrees in AH, the vertical fov is thereby enhanced. If you have a high resolution monitor (for arguments sake a 30”, 2560 x 1600) the reduced horizontal pixel count doesn’t matter too much in rotation and AH is perfectly playable. Indeed, I should have thought that most AH pilots with medium or high end LCD monitors would see a benefit from this simple adjustment, if their monitor can be rotated. If your monitor does not support rotation but you have an Nvidia card, the rotation can still be achieved through Nvidia advanced display settings, albeit that you then have to figure how safely to rotate your monitor physically and keep it propped it up on the desktop
Now what if you have a TH2Go and an Nvidia GPU? Here, it starts to get more interesting… First, set up the TH2Go into a three monitor desktop (say) 3840 x 1024. Second, use the advanced Nvidia settings to rotate the entire thing through 90 degrees, into 1024 x 3840. Be warned that you will now have a very odd looking desktop and using a mouse becomes counter-intuitive; I twist my mouse through 90 degrees at this stage to confirm settings and navigate. Third, fire up AH in 1024 x 3840 resolution (you may need to cold reboot and or adjust the video configuration file in AH (“video8”) so that the 1024 x 3840 resolution is offered). Once you are in, you should have a 90 degree fov and an exceptionally large vertical fov, over three monitors. Everything seems to work correctly and the only problem is how then to rig three monitors in a vertical array. I suppose you could glue your chair onto a side wall. Personally, I prefer to dispense with the “bottom” monitor (mainly showing the cockpit floor) and retain the center and top monitors This IMHO is a perfectly playable setup for AH.
And what if you have a TH2Go, an Nvidia GPU and a Track IR that recognises roll? (Obviously, you are spending far too much money on gadgets…). However, you can then emulate an expanded 270 degree horizontal fov. Leave the desktop monitors in a conventional TH2Go desktop array. Then follow the steps to get yourself AH in 1024 x 3840 with Track IR fired up as well and launch yourself in a plane. The cockpit will be at right angles to your head. Rotate your head slightly and – still holding your head at a slight angle – press F12 to calibrate the Track IR at that spot. When you return your head to a normal posture the cockpit will unwind the rotation. With trial and error you can get the rotation to unwind perfectly, matching a normal 270 degree cockpit view. Et voila!
There are, of course, some technical hitches. All the icons, text and GUI are still at 90 degrees to your los and unreadable during flight. And if you need to recalibrate the Track IR in flight, you have got a major task on your hands. Twisting your neck to achieve correct calibration is an own risk activity. Don’t blame me if your head comes off, etc.
Wouldn’t it be easier if the nice people at HTC followed the lead of Warbirds and simply allowed multimonitor support?
All grateful financial donations and offers of female companionship to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, please. All complaints and requests for technical support to No 10 Downing Street.
Kind regards
grimmers.
