Double Screens

[girarcat]

Hi! I'm building up my first racing simulator.
As far as I know, with a triple screen setup a higher strain will be put upon the GPU since it has to render many more pixels, so the overall performance of the computer will be degraded.

For the moment my intention is to build the cockpit using a single 37" FHD TV connected via HDMI to my desktop PC, which already has its own FHD monitor connected on another free HDMI slot.
With this configuration, I presume both displays (Sim TV and Desktop Monitor) will display exactly the same image.
My question is: in that case, will the strain on the GPU increase due to the doubled screen and I will suffer a loss on the overall performance of the computer, or since the image on both screens is exactly the same the GPU's workload will remain unchanged regardless of the number of screens I'm using? Might it be better to unplug the desktop monitor while using the Sim on the TV screen?

Thanks!

 

[GEO147]

The game can be set to only play on the monitor you want it to. You just drag it to that monitor and it will remember which monitor you played it on last as far as I can remember. So it would be game on the TV only and desktop on the monitor .

 

[girarcat]

The game can be set to only play on the monitor you want it to. You just drag it to that monitor and it will remember which monitor you played it on last as far as I can remember. So it would be game on the TV only and desktop on the monitor .

That's nice to know, thanks.
However I would like to have the game image on both screens, this way I could navigate through the menus and settings with the keyboard and mouse using the dektop monitor, and then move to the cockpit just at the beginning of the race. If I only have the in-game image on the cockpit TV, I will not be able to use my dekstop monitor with the keyboard+mouse for the menus and I will need to set up another keyboard+mouse on the cockpit, which is something I would like to avoid for the moment to keep things as simple as possible.

 

[GEO147]

Pretty sure you can't run a game on two screens at the same time. I think you would need a hdmi splitter for that. Which would be fine as then the pc is only powering one game image but the splitter would send the same image to 2 screens.
Somebody else who might have done the same thing could comment also .

You could just set the game up on your desktop screen. Drag it over to the TV and sit and drive. A small wireless keyboard would be as cheap as the splitter .

 

[girarcat]

I didn't know you couldn't run a game on two screens. I thought it would be the same as when you use a projector together with a laptop. In this case you see the same image on both the laptop's screen and the wall where you are projecting it.

Well it doesn't really matter. I'll just get a small bluetooth keyboard and I'll leave it nexto to the rig.

Thanks for your help.

 

[mteam]

I have 2 monitors connected to my pc If you press the windows key and P you get options of your displays. Although I do have a wireless keyboard next to my rig for ease

 

[David Turnbull]

as above, just use windows key + p, and select duplicate and it will clone the same onto both screens.

 

[T_rac3]

Although I do have a wireless keyboard next to my rig for ease

This is very recommended. It is not only the game menu before the race. It is also the setup while you are driving. It is not an option to go to your desktop to change something in setup and then go back to your cockpit and drive. Also change view, enable/disable HUD, not to mention multiplayer and chat and many many more.

 

[girarcat]

So as I can see, with the duplicate option I will certainly see the game both on my desktop monitor and my cockpit TV. Going back to my initial question, will that increase my GPU's workload or since it's just a mirrored image the strain on the GPU will be the same? I'm running a GTX1070ti

Regarding the keyboard, I will follow your advice and get a wireless one indeed, but since I'll be racing with the Logitech G25, I already have plenty of buttons to navigate the menus and change view, HUD, etc. that's why I didn't plan to get an extra keyboard initially.

 

[David Turnbull]

I think the the GPU overhead is the same, it should still only be rendering the images once but just sending it to 2 screens.... dont quote me on that though I'm not entirely sure.

 

[girarcat]

I think the the GPU overhead is the same, it should still only be rendering the images once but just sending it to 2 screens.... dont quote me on that though I'm not entirely sure.

That would be my guess, but i'm no expert so I would like to know it for sure.

 

[GEO147]

Interested to know the answer to this for sure .

 

[mteam]

I have tested this but my screens arent the same resolution so it displays at the lower res on both screens


display in single or duplicate equals same fps

 

[girarcat]

I don't have the two screens yet, but if I had I would just test if there's any decrease in the performances of the computer just by checking if there's any fps drop when using both displays at the same time instead of just one. Quite easy to learn the answer to our question

 

[T_rac3]

Well … you never have enough buttons
And if you get the keyboard, then is no need for the second display

 

[girarcat]

Well … you never have enough buttons
And if you get the keyboard, then is no need for the second display

I already have the second display. It's my desktop computer monitor
I will place the sim rig at the other side of my office room, and will connect the cockpit TV to the computer with a 5 meters HDMI cable. That reminds me I still need to buy a 5 meters USB cable extender to connect the G25 wheel to the computer as well.

 

[mteam]

I don't have the two screens yet, but if I had I would just test if there's any decrease in the performances of the computer just by checking if there's any fps drop when using both displays at the same time instead of just one. Quite easy to learn the answer to our question

see post above ^ no fps drop

 

[T_rac3]

I already have the second display. It's my desktop computer monitor

Yes, I understand this, so please read "no need for second display running the game"
And, yes, no FPS drops. Tested yesterday with AC on my triple. Was very strange to drive on three screens

 

[Durge Driven]

Yes be even weirder on 2, if you play shooters how would you see the cross hair lol

If i get this right all he wants is to be able to do sim menus. setups etc on 2nd monitor as he drives on the other
No sim has drag and drop menus but even if it did you would need to garage
for changes to take effect

 

[T_rac3]

If i get this right all he wants is to be able to do sim menus. setups etc on 2nd monitor

No. He want to setup up all on monitor and then go and sit in the cockpit and drive (in front of a big 37" FHD TV 5 meters away). A little strange, I know.