Hi, I'm going to start my project to build my playseat/rig and I have a dilemma right now. The thing is, I'm having a difficult time to choose between those two options. Triple screens is more expensive because apart from building the support for the monitors and buy the monitors I still have to upgrade or buy a new GTX660 to SLI with my card because I don't believe the GTX660 can handle 3 monitors in games like rFactor2 with good graphics obviously. The video-projector option is more appealing because apart from being a lot less expensive it provides an amazing experience (at least from what I see in videos on Youtube). Obviously the video-projector has it's downs, like the durability of the projector's lamp, and probably the image quality won't be as good? So what are your thoughts on this subject? Examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1YC3TZMns
Three monitors (or projectors) are better because you can angle the side screens and therefore try to loosely approximate a cylindrical style of render. Of course, real cylindrical and spherical rendering would be even more ideal, but still...! This kind of view helps to greatly reduce the rectilinear distortion and provides a better sense of your surroundings / speed, since you can angle the side screens to "envelope" you. Of course, this isn't fully implemented in rf2 yet (the screen angles are locked), but you can see what i mean in the assetto corsa tech demo and probably iracing too (though i haven't tried iracing). Compare: One single plane, huge distortion and limited peripheral vision. to: Three separate viewports, with angled side screens. There is also the fact that with 3 screens, you probably have more pixels to play with too Three projectors if better than 3 screens, as you can make the image projection size a lot bigger, but then projectors are quite expensive, especially for a decent resolution. I suppose you could buy one projector now and then get more later on. They would certainly be more flexible than screens. Another unknown with projectors is input lag. Are there even any projectors with low input lag? This reminds me, i need to make a topic about multi-view here, as i have some suggestions for improvements that i'm not sure have been mentioned...
If I could choose between one of the two I'd pick the superFOV setup. As you said you could save you some money for the GFX card but I'd invest in a proper projector. But the main reason for me is that you have obviously more vertical view which makes the hole thing really immersive. Horizontal there is not really much difference. I was also thinking about setting this up but I just don't have enough place for that at home. Was the main reason I didn't. If you want to go for it here is the thread where you can get all details about the setup. http://insidesimracing.tv/forums/topic/3184-tyrrell-p34-replica-cockpit/ Just compare this tripple setup to the first posted video above. You can run them side by side and see the difference is obvious.
There have been some old threads on this topic but will give you my two cents. I previously used triple 26" screens and switched to a single LED projector, i.e. no bulb worries. Having a projector, in my experience, is much more immersive than three small screens. I could never go back to triple small screens. I sit very close the the projected image and it measures about 65". One of the problems with smaller screens is you lose a lot of the environment if using the correct FOV and this is especially noticeable in open wheelers. If you sit close to the projected image (e.g. the first video) you don't need the right and left view. The problem again on small screens is you lose the benefit of the right and left views unless you shrink the car down to fit a small animal. I think almost 9/10 rigs with triple screens in the 2x" range have it setup this way. I couldn't stand driving a miniture car so I'd adjust the FOV on my triples and thus would lose almost all benefit that provided. If you can go with say 40" screens or better, then that should would work rather well. Another option I plan to look into is using two projectors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo33PceNS3o&feature=c4-overview&list=UUtfobVcY3s0FY42V1NRuNew I don't like the placement but move the pros to the ceiling (or tripod) and use a good FOV (and get the rig close to the image) and that would be about perfect for home use. Nothing like driving an open wheel car and seeing tires on screen that are very close in size to the real thing. You'll also get better performance from your GPU as you already mentioned.
There are definitely pros and cons for both as has been discussed before. On the one hand, projectors require that there be low light in the room or the image starts to look washed out. On the other hand you have those pesky borders running in the middle of the scene with triple monitors. There is mention about the distortion due to the extreme width of the screen with the projectors, but there is software that can do things for projected images that is amazing. As an example, you could create a nice 1/4 hemisphere from floor to ceiling and wall to wall and have a projector fill that screen with fairly accurate results. It all really depends on how much time and money you want to invest to get this thing up and running.
Wait to 2014 and you´ll can buy: - Oculus Rift - InfinitEye (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH86II2CwdE) - Portal Dual (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_X4-xC3y7g) Cheaper than the 3 screens/proyectors, and absolutly immersive.
Yes, those things have the potential to be really good (although you still have the problem of not being able to see your own wheel / button box etc). However there is still the massive problem with VR and really having long term damaging effects on your eyes! Having a screen that close is not going to be good for you. And it is 3d too so it is tricking your eyes and brain in terms of distance. So for me, the increased immersion for that is not worth the damage to your health. Although, i have not really heard anyone else even consider that, which is surprising. You only get one pair of eyes, don't wreck them
I have 3 monitors as well as a couple of projectors...and for sheer physical space and image quality, the monitors are better for everyday sim racing. The monitors are brighter, have more contrast, and are much more adjustable as far as angles are concerned. Also, while that projector based McLaren open wheel video looks amazing, the reality of lining up your wheel and tweaking your rFactor settings to line everything up so it looks that good are a significant effort, and not one you'll want to repeat for different cars & other sims....not to mention, that guy cut a whole in his screen, so it's pretty much 100% dedicated to simracing. As for 3 monitors, most sim racing titles will support NVidia surround, and all seat/FOV adjustments can be done in the software. I use my projectors when I play arcade oriented titles on console gaming systems and I'm looking forward to playing Forza 5 on the XBox One when it comes out (which will probably not even have a wheel upon release).
I tested the Oculus, and I have to say that I didn´t feel anythings you say, and the 3D is the most real and natural (your eyes are always look like a real world, and you don´t tire them). I know people who use it to play a lot of hours and they don´t describe any problem with eyes and brain; in fact, they say their eyes are less tire after play with the Oculus.
I'm using a single, rear projection screen (so no shadows like the video posted since i am not sitting between the projector and screen) onto a curve screen with nthusim software to take care of image warping, and have to say that if you have the space it is worth investigating. Car to car, apart from lower or raising the seat in car, I don't really have any adjustments to make. I've tested three monitors and the rift, both good, (though the drifting and resolution in the rift make it more of a novelty item than a serious alternative for sim racing at this point) but I always go back to the projection screen. The sheer size of the screen makes it so when sitting in single seaters the size matches up with reality and it is really cool. Also my horizon is at eye level, something I haven't seen in most 3 screen setups I have seen.
Read this and and then decide... and you can make a google search for "input lag" and "display lag" for more info. http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/input_lag.htm http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57589240-221/best-low-lag-hdtvs-for-serious-gamers/ http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57587317-221/game-mode-on-cnet-tests-tvs-for-input-lag/
There are things called lenses that change the way light gets to your eye You're not effectively looking at something a few cm from your eyes. Actually it would be possible to set it up so your VR headset is effectively farther away than most people's physical screens, but where the current ones are at and how feasible it would be (size, weight etc) I don't know. The whole 3d thing is probably more of a concern if you're using it a lot, since your eyes need to keep focusing at a single distance despite their relative direction suggesting a distance that would need a different focal length, but again it's difficult to say how much effect that would have without... well... knowing from studies or something. Did you know if you constantly wear glasses that invert your vision (make everything upside-down), after a day or so your brain adjusts and flips it the right way up again? Then if you take the glasses off it'll take a similar time to go back to normal. Pretty cool stuff
Watch my links and u got the answer. Porjector with aluminium or wood dm for a curved screen. Result 100% immersion and scale 1-1. Cheapper and still good image at fullhd with good AA. Option to 2 or 3 projectors is available link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6LMKW64vMQ
LOL... its amazing the rift its like wandering around looking at a real house. if my my missus loves it well that says it all. as for damaging your eyes as others have said when you have it on its like looking in life (with bad glasses at moment with the low res lol) everything is where its meant to be i use TriDef and just sit there in the cars with my mouth open and laughing at how real it feels lol there is going to be no damage to eyes or brain only thing ive found with people (ive tested about 20 people at work) about half of them got nausea some real bad some not so bad but this was using a ORift setup for me & doing no adjusting for different people i think with atleast a 1080p screen alot of that nausea will dissapear smoke
How did you build the curved rear projection? Do you have some pictures or links to a similar setup? I have a free one car garage that I might be able to setup a similar configuration in this winter.
This thread has a description of my setup and some good comments from other posters as well as some pics. http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/7308-Curved-screens-DIY/page5
Which projector OK So I too plan on improving display immersion of my simracing and decided a single projector on a flat screen is the way to go for me: So now I need to choose the projector, if anybody could help. -I plan to sit pretty (or very?) close to the actual screen, almost exactly 1 meter. Sitting so close should allow for incredibly nice FOV and immersion, but I'm wondering whether that will be hard on eyes, hopefully not. -Ambient light isn't a problem as I mostly drive in the evenings and nights so I can shut down any light completely. -3D projection is not a requirement, I don't plan to use it, saw it at friends and wasn't impressed. -Low lag is a requirement, though, and so is native 1080p res. -Price must be under 1000$ (without screen which I can get for almost free). So far afer reading a few reviews Benq W1070 seems to be clear winner but I could be wrong?
Hmm the input lag test i can find for that Benq W1070 seems to be done against an lcd laptop screen from what i can see, which isn't ideal as the laptop screen will have reasonable lag itself. http://www.projectorreviews.com/game-projector-blog/review-benq-w1070.html Maybe have a look at Optoma hd131x (or hd131xe - not sure what the difference is - from reading it seems it might be slightly improved). Input lag seemed to be low on these when i was researching, but then it is quite difficult to find reliable information on these things A direct comparison puts the Optoma faster: http://www.projectorcentral.com/opt...jector_review.htm?page=Shootout-vs-BenQ-W1070 (the hd131x is basically a cheaper version of the hd25) http://www.avsforum.com/t/1484644/o...ome-theater-projector-sub-800-new-budget-king http://www.avsforum.com/t/1484644/o...-theater-projector-sub-800-new-budget-king/30 I'm not exactly an expert on projectors or anything but this seemed to have low lag and be decently priced with good reviews.
Thanks for the links, great info. It looks overseas both projectors should cost about the same but for some reason where I live the Optoma is whole 30% more expensive. I could get benq for 900$ while the optoma would have cost 1200$ so I just grabbed the benq. Should be here on wednesday, will report how it works for simracing.
FWIW - I have a ML500 Optoma and there is no noticeable input lag. As long as vsync is disabled and you have around 90+ FPS (I cap it at 120FPS). Beyond 1:1, easy image placement, etc. one thing that makes playing more enjoyable with a projector is the light is directed to a screen and not your eyes (unless using as rear projection). This not only gives the "at the movies" feel (folks with HT Projectors will understand this) but also gives a more satisfying sim experience. Something even playing on a large screen TV can't replicate.
