Setting up triple monitors

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Andrew Nagy, Jan 28, 2021.

  1. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    I realize this isn't an rFactor2 question, but the shop I bought my computer from is closed, I would really like to get this working tonight, and on my thread devoted to getting up and running in RF2, when I mentioned that I'm currently only running the center monitor of my triple monitor setup, and that my next step was to get all three working, someone mentioned that it's a tricky process, and to check back here for assistance. He wasn't kidding! I've googled the heck out of this, spent the last hour fruitlessly trying to get it working,but my system isn't responding the way any of the responses describe.

    My computer is brand new, and very capable. I have three MSI G27C2 curved monitors, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER video card. Per the instructions I've found, I hit the Windows key and type p, select 'Project to a second screen', then highlight 'Extend'. Then I got back to the Settings screen, and navigate to Display, but that's where the trail runs cold. The instructions say to next select 'Identify', but that option is nowhere to be found on my Display screen. It suggests to try selecting 'Detect' if Windows did not succeed in detecting all three of my monitors, but when I do that, I get a message in red scolding me that Windows didn't detect another display. Argh!

    Yes, all three of my monitors are plugged in, I turned on their power buttons (the two side monitors' power indicator lights are flashing blue), and I'm used DisplayPort rather than HDMI. I tried rebooting the computer, but that didn't help. Did I leave out a crucial step known only to those who know the secret handshake? Thanks in advance as always.
     
  2. nonamenow

    nonamenow Registered

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    This is what works for me with a 1070.
    Open Nvidia control panel
    Select Configure Surround, PhysX
    Check Span displays with Surround and select configure
    The rest should be self explanatory. If not let me know if you're still having issues.
     
  3. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    Never mind - turns out I just didn't have the DisplayPort cables fully seated into their connectors on the monitors, thereby providing further proof that I'm a complete idiot... With that little detail corrected, I'm now displaying all three monitors. However, only the center monitor is "active" - when I open an application (RF2, or anything else, like my internet browser), it only comes up on the center monitor, so there appears to be more work to do. I'll get back to it after dinner, but I didn't want to waste anybody's time trying to help me when I'd discovered I just didn't have my cables plugged in all the way.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
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  4. nonamenow

    nonamenow Registered

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    NP mate, helping people isn't wasting time.
     
  5. Traveller

    Traveller Member

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    If you don't like how NVidia Surround behaves, go to NVidia Control Panel/ Display/ Set up Multiple Displays. It will auto detect your displays. You arrange the monitor icons as your monitors are physically placed for proper cursor movement. Run rF2 in windowed mode with a custom video resolution of 5760, 1080 (or whatever your triples are). You may have to tweak the rF2 configdx11.ini file.

    Try one, or both, and see which one you prefer.
     
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  6. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    Ugh... Something is really wrong now - all three of my screens are flashing on and off, and after a few minutes of that, I'm getting an ominous error message telling me Windows didn't load correctly(!). It gives me the choice to restart my computer (which I tried, and it just goes back to doing the same thing), or a series of advanced options which look way over my head. Crap - I'm going to have to contact the shop who built my computer. Wish me luck...
     
  7. nonamenow

    nonamenow Registered

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    Never had that but I'm sure someone here will know whats happening
     
  8. Comante

    Comante Registered

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    I've not understood the problem, but restart from scratch: disconnect the 2 extra monitors, and see if Windows digest this, probably you clicked something wrong in Nvidia control panel, but Windows is usually able to sort these mistakes alone.
    Then, once situation restored, retry to make it recognize the 3 monitors in windows. What you want to achieve is to have your desktop span on the 3 monitors without repetitions and without parts that fall outside of the screens.
    Once you are there, you can think about making RF2 use this.

    You can even tell windows which is you main monitor (the central one I think).
     
  9. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    OK, let me try this again - hoping making an entry here will bring this thread back to the first page. If not, I'll start a new one.

    I was able to recover from my little debacle described above, and have been driving my sim using just the center monitor for a couple of weeks now. I would like to dip my toe back into trying to get my side monitors active again, hopefully without blowing everything up this time. I've gone through the procedure to turn them on (in extended mode), but they're not active. Only the center monitor is active not only in RF2, but in any applications. Each of the side monitors operate completely independently of the other two. In other words, I can have RF2 (or a web browser, or any other application) up and running on the center monitor, but the side monitors just display the Windows logo, along with a few items in the bottom start-up tray. I can open applications on each of the side monitors completely independently of the other two. For example, I could be posting something on this forum on one (or both) of the side monitors, while having RF2 active in the center one. So, how do I get all three monitors simultaneously active in the same application? And once I get to that point, what other set-up things do I have to do to optimize the display? Thanks.
     
  10. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

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    The simplest way (yep, dangerous phrase!) is to enable Surround in the Nvidia control panel. That will let you arrange the screens correctly and provide their combined resolution to games.

    When that's done you just enter the rF2 video config by clicking PLAY in steam, select the full resolution from the list, probably tick "Multiview" and then click ok. Then start the game. In the graphics settings you'll be able to configure the screen distance and angles.

    That's a broad overview. Enabling Surround is covered about 15million times on the net. I'm sure someone here can provide screenshots if you can't work it out.
     
  11. JamesB

    JamesB Registered

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    I have had NIGHTMARES with Nvidia surround and a 2070 so tread carefully, I am quite handy around a pc but I have had black screens, been unable to boot windows except into safe mode, nvidia surround only offering impossible resolution options, unable to set custom resolutions and all sorts of rubbish, its all sorted now but even yesterday it went into meltdown because i turned off one monitor! took me an hour and a half to get it working again! There is another way to do it without using nvidia surround, check this video on youtube:
    This works fine but I have found it does give me slightly worse frame rate than nvidia surround BUT its less dangerous to be messing with if you don't know what you are doing!
     
  12. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    Holy crap! (I've found myself saying that a lot since embarking on this sim journey...) - what a nightmare. I am most definitely NOT the least bit handy around a PC, so I'm suddenly even more terrified about venturing back into the triple monitor quagmire. People use triple monitors all the time - why/how can it be so complicated and dangerous? Anyway, thanks for posting that video - I'll give it a try when I get home from work tonight.
     
  13. JamesB

    JamesB Registered

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    I don't wish to scare you because I am sure that for some it works well but I have always had the feeling that Nvidia surround is a very "half baked" piece of software. I would start with the method outlined by Dan in that video just to get you up and running with triples, then when you are ready to move on perhaps get someone you know who is good with PC's to help you with Nvidia surround.

    You must bear in mind though that with a triple setup your graphics card is doing 3 times as much work so you WILL have to reduce some settings to get it to run smoothly. When you first run triple screens it will also feel VERY different and odd, persevere and the rewards are there, I find it a lot easier to place the car with a triple setup.

    You need to look up how to set up your FOV (field of view) getting the FOV set up correctly is VERY important with a triple screen rig, there are many videos on it but you will need a tape measure to get distance from the screens and dimensions of the screens. If you get it set up correctly the car feels more natural because you are mimicking what you see out of a real car, including your position within it, this makes you better able to understand how the car is rotating around you (intentionally or otherwise!) so you can catch spins and mistakes easier.

    But take these two things as separate issues, get the triples working and with an acceptable frame rate first, then worry about the FOV but don't do too much driving in triples before you sort out the FOV or it will just feel very alien to you once you have got it right. I saw a very good youtube video on FOV setup the other day, if I can find it again I will post you a link to it.

    This stuff may seem like a lot of agro to setup, but you only have to do it once.........
     
  14. Comante

    Comante Registered

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    I know that this can be quite hard during a pandemic... but seriously, Andrew, go out, see people and get a friend! I mean a real carbon based living being, not us digital online bots. :D If you social skill are like ours, pay someone to be your friend for 1 hour , get there and setup the system for you... tell him to bring pizza (ehy, you get what you pay for no?). :D
     
  15. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

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    I can't deny some people may have issues, but I've been using surround for 2 years without any problems.

    And, because rF2 has a triple screen configuration tool (now in the actual settings, not just via an in-car shortcut) there's no need to configure bezels in windows, nor to calculate FOV - just screen distance and rough angle will get easily close enough to avoid it feeling alien.

    So it really should be that simple: Nvidia config, screen setup, enable surround, arrange screens, change rf2 config, run game. None of those is difficult.

    But, yes, sometimes things mysteriously don't work for some people, so can't say with certainty there'll be no issues.
     
  16. JamesB

    JamesB Registered

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    You are probably right it's just that every time I have ever needed to mess with it, it has caused carnage, and I am quite handy with all that stuff. I would certainly know how to deliberately boot the pc into safe mode in case you need to reset graphics settings as I have had situations where the machine would not boot with anything but a black screen if not. If you do end up with a machine that has a black screen, then you can try shutting it down, unplugging 2 of the monitors then reboot, sometimes that will get you something.
     
  17. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    Your post gave me a chuckle. I remember a post on the Porsche forum from Peter Krause, a well-known driving coach who also coaches sim racers, to the effect of, "No matter how good you think you may be with tech gear, you're not good enough to set up your own simulator - don't even think about it - hire a pro." Did I listen? I would dearly love to hire somebody with the knowledge level of many of you on this forum to come to my house and spend a couple of hours with me walking me through all of RF2's capabilities so I can optimize the experience, instead of running into brick walls every time I try to do something new, and learning piecemeal how to get through them. But until Covid passes, that isn't going to happen. This is a pretty inefficient way to learn something new - I wonder how many people throw up their hands in frustration and allow their expensive rigs to collect dust. Thankfully, thanks again to this forum, my experience has been far more positive than negative - I really feel like I'm getting very well versed in the nuances of the track I'm going to be driving in real life in just over a month, so it has at least met, if not exceeded my expectations.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2021
  18. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    This is a very good video, as it walks you through step by step what you need to do. Just one question, out of sheer blinding ignorance, as usual. In the video, for his screens, he states that the resolution is typically either 7680 x1440, or 5760 x 1080. I have no idea what these number mean, but I looked up the specs for my monitors (MSI G27C2's), and their stated resolution is very different at 1920 x 1080. Does this make sense? These are very new monitors that were recommended because of their very fast response time of 1 ms (again, no clue what that actually means - just following the recommendations of knowledgeable people). Thanks.
     
  19. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

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    Yep, so your combined resolution is 5760x1080.

    (3 screens wide, 3x1920 = 5760. Still one screen high, so still 1080)
     
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  20. Andrew Nagy

    Andrew Nagy Registered

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    Thanks - I would never have figured that out. OK, anxious to try this out.
     

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