Triple screen line up

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Alex72, Mar 17, 2019.

  1. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    Hi guys, do your sim world "flow" perfectly from the middle monitor to the side monitors? What i mean is that for me for example the track railing/fences etc when they go into the side monitors they "bend down" instead of flowing straight (see image below). Two things: when i see images from others i can see it doesnt look like that but instead its lined up and flows correctly. Secondly, if i lower my head (eye level compared to the screens) the world lines up perfectly... The amount i have to lower my eye level though would mean i have to move my monitors basically 10cm higher up and that means the bottom of the monitors would be above my wheel. So, i just dont get how others can get it lined up and not bend downwards on the side monitors? Or maybe you guys sit really low in comparison to the screens? The weird thing is that ive seen photo's from guys standing up taking photos of their rig and it still lines up on the screens. If i stand up and take a photo the world in the sim will bend down heavily on the side monitors. If i take a photo from a lower angle however the sim world will line up over all monitors. Maybe this is something most people experiencing? I know Lazza said it was hard to line everything up so maybe im not alone. I also seem to remember that when i had the monitors in a straight line it looked good but i want the monitors to come down my sides so i have to look left and right. Just nicer to be "inside" the cockpit. :)

    triplebend.jpg
     
  2. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,346
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    Just so we're all on the same page, you do have multiview on? And are you using the on screen triple screen tool to input your screens sizes and distances and angles?

    I've done all that and have a similar experience to yours. The sides aren't massively wrong but enough when you look for it, and many fences look better if I lower my eyes - but I suspect objects high on the screen then start to look worse.

    I lined up my screens so their tops are parallel, and verified alignment by checking the reflection of a light at my eye position. On all 3 screens the reflection is in the middle. So it all sounds good, but isn't lined up right still. I need to do some more experimenting when I get back to driving.
     
    Alex72 likes this.
  3. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    Yes my friend. Multiview is on and ive used the triple screen tool to the best of my knowledge. I cant remember where the screen height of "340" comes from but i guess the sim put those in? I set my monitors width to 600mm as i think i read the specs of them being that. Maybe its diagonally though so i gotta check all the measurements again. I set the angle to 30 degrees because thats what it looks like on the triple screen app compared to how i have my screens even though i thought i had them at 45 degrees (between 90 degrees). I tested changing the angle though in the app and it doesnt help the "bending down" on the side monitors. Its my last issue now after getting a new middle monitor that has the exact screen size as the side monitors. Its much better now except the bending down effect on the sides. When i sink down in my seat it all lines up but i cant sit like that, and raising the monitors even higher means i wont have my physical wheel overlapping the bottom of the screens. I just thought im the only one with this problem since i see photos and videos of others not seemingly having my issue.

    Oh good idea on the angles with a light reflection! I was going nuts wondering how the hell i would get it all perfectly angled, lol. :D I also have my panels perfectly lined up height wise. I have lines going from side to side and they all line up. Top and bottom of the panels line up. Just that bending downwards effect in the sim that is a little annoying. Not a massive issue but just wondering if im missing something i could get help with. Cheer Lazza.
     
  4. davehenrie

    davehenrie Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2016
    Messages:
    7,454
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    oh the troubles with tribles when you have 3 screens to line up.
    Confucious say: Man with one watch, knows exactly what time it is.
    Man with two watches is never quite sure.
     
  5. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,346
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    @Alex72 The diagram for the side screens doesn't seem to match the angle, which doesn't inspire confidence either. But like you I experimented with that, and still nothing made it quite right.

    It should be quite easy to make things correct, so I feel like I am missing something.
     
  6. nonamenow

    nonamenow Registered

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Messages:
    1,282
    Likes Received:
    570
    It is exactly the same for me and I've tinkered many hours with no luck...I chose another way to fix...I ignore it now...;)
    However if anyone finds a real fix...I'll be all over it...:)
     
  7. Jonas Hammar

    Jonas Hammar Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    14
    Hi Alex! the problems you experience is not something that can be fixed by settings or coding (at least not easily), it is (as you've already experienced) entirely based on the relation between your eyes and height of the monitors.

    Sometimes having the monitors just above the wheel base seems tempting but if your monitors are too small for the center point of the monitors to match the level of your eyes, the only thing you can do to get rid of the problem is to tilt the entire triple screen package to the point where the a perceived center line between the three monitors would be straight again.

    I did this in my old setup where i used 3x24" and then tilted the in-car view to make the world feel level again, this does however never feel quite right unless you get rid of all the visual ques you have in your room telling you what is level or not, and even then, your brain just knows the view is a bit off.

    My old rig with monitors tilted 10 degs

    20151104_184223.jpg



    Here's a basic representation of what's going on with both multiview and non-multiview distorsion depending on your eye level.

    Monitors.jpg

    Hope this help.
     
    pascom, Alex72, Louis and 1 other person like this.
  8. Louis

    Louis Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,379
    Likes Received:
    840
    Amazing. I knew it has to be something related to eye level height because i experience this alingment change when i move up or down in my seat (my eye level is about samee height of center monitor center; So in this position if i look more to monitor bottom (Tilt head down), i get "x" alingment, if tilt head a little to look up, i get "y" alingment. Looking right to center, is perfect,)
    Maybe you could change seat pitch settings to feel more confortble
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2019
  9. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,346
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    @Jonas Hammar It's a fair point, unfortunately it's something I had considered already and despite having it lined up correctly with all 3 screens tilted so that my eyes are lined up with the middle of each screen (the light reflection test I mentioned earlier was vertical as well as horizontal) I still find things don't line up.

    However, right at the moment I need to correct my screen alignment as my DIY solution has sagged a little :p so I can't properly test. I do at least have 27" screens and the centre one is above my wheel base, so not much tilting required for things to line up correctly and not much pitch adjustment needed to have the horizon at my eye level.
     
  10. ADSTA

    ADSTA Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2011
    Messages:
    2,013
    Likes Received:
    1,369
    Centre of monitor should actually be lower (not much) than your eye height.
    Your head naturally rolls down and your eyes look slightly lower than horizontal.
    Of coarse seating position has to be taken into account.
     
  11. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    Yeah i tried changing the angle value and ive tried so many things without luck. The ONLY way this phenomenon goes away is if i sink my head under the center of the monitors. So if i like like a F1 driver it looks good and im thinking of getting a new seat that lets me get lower. @ADSTA as you see what i wrote if i put me eyesight above the center the effect is much worse. Only when i put my eyesight under the center does it look good and lined up.
     
  12. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    Ok so the trick is to lean the whole triple screen package and sit in a way that it all lines up. I can see it all line up when i dip under the center of the monitors so its an angle and eye position height wise that corrects it. Thanks a lot mate! :)
     
  13. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,346
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    Have you searched for a higher line (fence etc) or just used freelook to pitch your view down and see what happens near the top of your screens? I couldn't find a (real) head position that gave me straight lines top and bottom.

    And unless I'm mistaken, games are drawn to the centre of the screen; so your eyes should be perpendicular to the centre of the screen(s) in order for things to appear correct. We do have 2 eyes, obviously, and your head does tend to move when you look around, so it'll never be perfect - but so far I haven't seen it close enough to blame my not-straight-lines on that.
     
  14. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    Basically the way i get it lined up is when i dip down and that means the monitors should in reality lean back a little and your eyesights come just at the middle or a little below. Thats what it looks like from when i change my head position and it lines up (he he he) with Jonas photo of how he sits in relation to the monitors. My only problem is that i dont have a fancy rig at the moment and my monitor stand wont allow for that so im gonna have to get handy and a bit crafty. :D
     
  15. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    Yeah i looked all over when i dip down and everything lines up much better. And especially "the world" flows straight outwards compared to now where the world turn downwards and float downwards which breaks immersion a bit. Like when turning and the middle monitor the sim world is perfect but when it comes to the sides the world move downwards. It breaks the connection of the world between the monitors and it feels bad. It feels disconnected. But when i lean down it feels amazing. Just like 5-10cm down. At least the way i have my monitors now which is basically flat towards me and the sides are about 40 degrees. Trying to have the sides face me perfectly where my head is. Gotta experiment more.
     
  16. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    992
    The trick can also be less angle. With monitors flat there is no issue but thats boring. I shall test 10 degrees.
     
  17. Jonas Hammar

    Jonas Hammar Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    14
    Im at work at The moment, but ill dive deeper when o get home
     
  18. Jonas Hammar

    Jonas Hammar Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    14
    Well yes tilting your head will result in a raising or lowering of the eyes and needs to be taken into account,
    figure out your seating position and how you naturally tilt your head under a race and use THAT as a base point for measuring, the eye level will vary as you look around and the only way to get rid of that effect is get way bigger monitors and have them further away, so regarding this problem, we will have to settle for a happy medium, or get way bigger monitors.

    6.jpg


    OK so lets just get some of the basics out of the way before we start rearranging monitors and going crazy with the configurator

    We have established the basic fact that you need to have a perceived center line that goes across all 3 monitors without creating a bend upwards or downwards on the side monitors, this can be done by either raising or lowering the monitors in relation to your eyes. regardless of what people will tell you, this HAS to be correct for the configurator to work as designed.
    5.jpg


    Here's an example of a setup that is correct in terms of eye position in relation to the monitors and with all the correct measurements dialed into the configurator
    1.jpg



    Here is the exact same setup but the head moved slightly higher than center line, you here you can clearly see that even if you have the correct angles and measurements typed into the configurator and without changing the actual distance to the monitors, you see a distortion solely due to eye level in relation to the monitors not being correct

    Remember, the configurator has no option to type in center offsett, it just assumes you are centered with your monitors, this is why this single bit is so important for the rest of the math to add up!
    2.jpg



    Here is the exact same setup but this time the head moved slightly lower than center line, you here you can clearly see the same type of distortion only in the opposite direction.
    3.jpg



    Again Here is the exact same setup, this time the head is in perfect alignment to the monitors and your seating position is perfect, however this time the side monitors are angled further in without changing the angle in the configurator, this is an example of the physical side of the rig being perfect but the measurements being off
    4 add monitor angle.jpg

    Getting this right can be tricky and yes the real world perception of what feels right can vary from person to person, but having everything mathematically and physically "correct" is the absolute best starting point to then start fiddeling with personal prefferences like higher or lower fov, but once you start backing away from what's correct, the math wont help you any more

    If you see bent lines or crocked horizons that look right in the middle of the screen but not in the top/bottom part, the math is wrong.
    If you know the math is right but you still see crocked lines, your view alignment is off in relation to what the configurator expects you to be physically, easy as that =)

    Hope this help! I aim to make a video of this at some point but i havent gotten around to it
     
  19. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,346
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    I can only assume my measurements were a bit off compared to reality, as others have been able to line it up correctly. I'll give it another shot at some point and see what works.
     
    Jonas Hammar likes this.
  20. Jonas Hammar

    Jonas Hammar Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    14
    Most likely! Let us know how it goes! =D
     

Share This Page