Hello all! 👋 I was wondering if anyone here has tried a program called wideview to run several PCs to link and sync flight sim 2020? It says on the website that that exactly what it does. If no one has tried it I guess I'll be the guinea pig. Just thought I'd ask. Here's the website:
https://www.wideview.it/wideview.htm
#Wideview for FS2020
fleet pagoda
spring palm
Oh, they have a fs2020 version now.
This requires one PC per view, and given MSFS is connected to the MS servers, you also need separate user accounts and MSFS2020 licenses for running many copies of MSFS at the same time.
It would be interesting if WideVIew supported XBoxes as visual views, as those are a lot cheaper than pc's and still perform pretty well.
mental ferry
sounds expensive to do.
spring palm
yeah, many people do it with two pc's: one for flight model and instruments, and another for outside view
mental ferry
it would be great, but buying two licenses of everything, no thanks.
maybe Asobo should break their integrated model into chunks that can run in different computers
didn't people run fsx in several pcs in the old days?
fleet pagoda
I was able to find a guy who made a YouTube video about his experience with it. I'll report back.
Nvm he was using P3D
mental ferry
p3d is a modified fsx, no?
mental ferry
Expect it's open source?
No, P3D was bought from MS by Lockheed Martin some time ago.
fleet pagoda
Ahh. The opposite of open source..lol
kindred hinge
Does the secondary "view" PC need to be as beefy as your main PC? I mean, think of the GPU it needs to run on par with your main PC/display's fps and performance.
spring palm
Prepar3D is a "commercial flight training" and military focused sim that is based on FSX originally, but it has been improved and has multiple outside view window support etc built in
FlightGear is an open source flight sim that is pretty cool, the issue with an open source sim is of course the world data and scenery quality
when there are no nearly infinite resources like MSFS has for the world data
fleet pagoda
Does the secondary "view" PC need to be as beefy as your main PC? I mean, thin...
I think so. I'll know in a week or so I'm planning on trying g it out
kindred hinge
I think so. I'll know in a week or so I'm planning on trying g it out
if so, daimn it's expensive 😄
spring palm
The PC driving the instruments was usually a bit lower spec earlier at least with FSX / FS9 times, but I don't know how this works with FS2020.
For a 737, a good option to build a home simulator is X-Plane that supports multimonitor, and there is the free ZHSI package that basically does a replica of the 737 instrument views, and then use the freeware Zibo 737 as the plane
this is a pretty neat setup
of course this also is just one PC
you can however do multi pc with x-plane also, its built in I think
fleet pagoda
That is pretty expensive,I wonder if they do a trial
I've been slowly pulled to X plane. Tried it once, liked fsx better lol. But now, I'm seeing there are a lot of things you can't do with fs2020 and you can with Xplane. Don't know much about X-Plane 12
spring palm
I think there is a trial
10 minutes time limit and it does not handle aircraft pitch axis in demo mode
so you can give it a try
the problem is also that you cannot run multiple copies of MSFS2020 at the same time, unless you have as many unique MS store or Steam accounts with their own licensed MSFS2020
I wish they did officially support Xboxes as additional visual views with some combined licensing scheme
fleet pagoda
I could see why they would let you use Xbox for other views but I do see why they would make an exception. If we get enough people to ask for it, they will make a way..
I feel like if I'm patient sooner or later FS2020 will come out with an update that solves that... hopefully..
To where you wouldn't need a second account or special license
spring palm
yeah they could have a "extended view" license for a moderate fee for example
and plug in xboxes and it would just act as an external monitor
it would make so much sense
fleet pagoda
That is genious...
fringe musk
Can MSFS do any multi monitor setup?
mental ferry
Can MSFS do any multi monitor setup?
Go to General Options - Experimental
spring palm
it has, but its very rudimentary
fleet pagoda
I got it working... I have one PC running the 3 main views on 3 4k TVs - 65" using wideview I have a second PC running the instruments 3 - 1080p screens on pop outs perfectly synced and operational. I WILL likely be purchasing the software. Any questions please. Only issue I am having is the main PC doesn't run the PFD so when I using my autopilot through mobiflight, it doesn't reflect on the pfd. I am hoping the payware version of WidevieW will fix this as the free version does communicate 100% of the data. I plan on reaching out to confirm before I purchase
@spring palm @mental ferry @fringe musk
mental ferry
Do you run the simulator on one or both PCs?
fleet pagoda
Both. Had to buy it twice. Same with add-ons 🥲
Two separate steam accounts, two separate Xbox accounts but it does work and it works well.
The software is like 70$ 😬
spring palm
I think wideview might be limited to the standard simconnect variables
so your mobiflight probably needs to connect to the "flight model" pc
yeah multiple fs2020's is a bit of a difficulty
unless you do stuff with multiple user accounts yeah
there is also this
fringe musk
Both. Had to buy it twice. Same with add-ons 🥲
I'll pass then
spring palm
that I should test one of these days
it would be nice to integrate something like this to mobiflight too
spring palm
that instrument panel works fine
fleet pagoda
Interesting.. that seems much less complicated in a sense. Basically doing the same thing as what I've done correct. Wideview is intended to create a separate view, and not so much instruments or data from them. I'm guessing this might be a better suited route since I'm not necessarily after a main view.
spring palm
just not sure how to create instruments
fleet pagoda
Yea. That was my next question. It's linking what software
fleet pagoda
Just need the 3 g1000 displays
spring palm
but those you need to pop out anyway
fleet pagoda
But pop out only works on the host pc.
spring palm
they need to be on the host pc yeah
fleet pagoda
Problem i ran into was my 4th display port output wasn't getting signal to the monitor, cable good monitor good, worked on the other pc fine. Maybe BIOS update for GPU? Otherwise that's what I would do
spring palm
motherboard doesnt have integrated hdmi?
fleet pagoda
Oh snap..
spring palm
that might work for instrument monitors just fine
fleet pagoda
Well I'm still going to need another output for the mfd..
spring palm
but the usb ones are always an option
fleet pagoda
Yea but see I am Def pushing the limits with the 3090 you think I'd be good to run 5 monitors off one pc?
They way it works now, I get 30-40 fps average (can't go lower) 3 main displays running 4k
4th port seems un useable
The cool thing is Wideview is Def syncing up the second PC it's pretty neat. I will plan on still reaching out to the devs but you have peaked my interest.
To do:
Test Mobo HDMI / DP
USB 3.0 to Monitor
fleet pagoda
but the usb ones are always an option
My displays are usb capabile 🤔
fleet pagoda
@spring palm @mental ferry So I tried all the different available ports on the GPU and Mobo but It absolutely will not let me add a 4th screen. I tried everything, cables, HDMI / DP restarts, only thing I can think of is because 3 are running at 4k that it might just be too much band width? Any thoughts? Don't have a USB male - male connecter or I'd try usb
fringe musk
what GPU you have @fleet pagoda ?
fleet pagoda
PNY XLR8 3090
fringe musk
could be resolution limited as 3090 supports up to 4 screens
fringe musk
I never touched GPU's bios, too risky for my taste 😉
fleet pagoda
Same lol
I could always add a second 3090 and try SLI.. I think it might be too much bandwidth for the PCIe Gen 4 ?
fringe musk
I don't know, I never use so much screens before or SLI
fleet pagoda
I haven't found much info.
fleet pagoda
I am going to give this article a shot. It was specifically designed to use a second PC to run strictly instruments over a LAN. https://github.com/scott-vincent/instrument-panel
I'm fine with 3 4k TVs getting 40fps on high end settings. I'll probably never go SLI, just doesnt seem necessary at this point. I just couldn't get WidevieW to translate my inputs from mobiflight to the instruments the second PC. WidevieW is good for views but NOT instrument communication between two PCs on a network
The thing that burns me up @spring palm is that I can use something like a raspberry pi to run on the secondary pc.. not a fairly expensive gaming PC with a 3080 😅 maybe I should sell it?
spring palm
the scott-vincent panel does not give you a G1000 though
but this is something that would be fun to have in mobiflight or a related project at some point - have simple HTML gauges with pointers and elements that can be animated with simvars
a bit like steppers or servos, but with virtual pieces on screen
and use that to build monitor-based panels for GA planes
advanced avionics still need popouts at least until FlyByWire finalizes their remote display stuff and if that can be somehow extended for all planes
but for simple analog instruments it would work great
fringe musk
@fleet pagodathere is one more thing that I recall. SLI was dropped by grean-team so I'm not sure if it is still support it inew drivers or they won't ditch it
fleet pagoda
The 3090 is the only one that supports it.
fleet pagoda
I'm sure it'll be 100% obsolete b4 too long. I'm sure they'd rather see someone get a 4080 or 4090 idk
I think I found another solution.. (Yourcontrols) is a shared cockpit app. The above link requires you to use their panel setups and it's fairly limited.
Yourcontrols from flightsim.to is free and it works on LAN or over the internet. I've watched a few reviews and I think this is my solution for have visuals on one PC and instruments on the second
fleet pagoda
advanced avionics still need popouts at least until FlyByWire finalizes their re...
Has anyone tried using Yourcontrols (shared cockpit app) I'm pretty sure the list of supported aircraft is on there. The Kodiak is 🙂
spring palm
yeah I mean if you have MSFS on both machines then it might well work good
fleet pagoda
In theory it should be exactly what I've been after
mental ferry
In theory it should be exactly what I've been after
I don't really see the convenience outside of having two people share the same cockpit, which is not your case. I think the full sim load will be run on both PCs with no savings to either PC and having the additional sync driver software.
In that case, wouldn't Spacedesk be an alternative?
fleet pagoda
Never heard of it. I'll look into it.
mental ferry
I run Spacedesk to have my old Android tablet act as a Windows screen
connected via wifi or tethered
fleet pagoda
Can you put a pop out instrument on it?
mental ferry
yeah, that is exactly the way I use it. I pop out the PFD and MFD to a 12 year old 10.1 inch tablet
Mind you, it is not perfect as the wifi bandwidth is sometimes not that great.
fleet pagoda
Sounds good to me.
mental ferry
that could be the fault of a 12-year old tablet
spring palm
or try the usb to HDMI adapter
fleet pagoda
Fair enough a full-blown PC should be fine my LAN is 1gb
mental ferry
Spacedesk also runs on Windows PCs, so you could have an old laptop also run as an additional screen
I now have two tablets, one 10.1 inch mentioned and another 8 year old 7 inch tablet... all running Spacedesk and acting like additional monitors connected to my sim PC. So now I have technically five monitors connected.
and I still have one DP port available in my graphics card
fleet pagoda
I see. Hmm
I think my GPU is maxed out. So adding screens to the Master PC seems to be a dead end.. Just curious, can't airmanager run on a separate PC on LAN?
fleet pagoda
Now that I think about it. I know it's maxed out.
mental ferry
try Spacedesk, it's free anyway
fringe musk
LOL, I thought it's payware
fleet pagoda
fleet pagoda
try Spacedesk, it's free anyway
Spacedesk works good so far. Someone had stated earlier you can't have the G1000 screen using a pop out with Airmanager on a client PC. But I did get a chance to try air manager out. It'll Def get used.
mental ferry
I remember having seen videos of msfs popouts being placed behind Air Manager templates that have transparent windows where you can see the popout.
fleet pagoda
Yea, it's doable. Really just needed desk space. Still having an issue tho. For some reason, I can pop out the pdf... it only let's me pop out the mfd ( center g1000 ) but only in normal mode if you click backup mode it won't pop out either. Lol gah. Still making progress tho
spring palm
so I was playing with mobiflight
(>K:FREEZE_LATITUDE_LONGITUDE_TOGGLE)
(>K:FREEZE_ALTITUDE_TOGGLE)
(>K:FREEZE_ATTITUDE_TOGGLE)
that stops the plane from reacting to the flight model
some stuff like stall warning still react etc but whatever
then I have an encoder:
(A:PLANE PITCH DEGREES,Degrees) 1 - (>A:PLANE PITCH DEGREES,Degrees)
and I can move the plane in three axis in the sim world
,
actually didnt get heading adjustment to work yet but pitch and bank can be adjusted with encoders now
would be interesting if we could read plane position and attitude from xplane
and feed it to msfs2020
currently it doesnt work because I think Mobiflight cannot connect to two simulators at the same time
when it detects msfs it doesnt then look for xplane
fleet pagoda
Dude. That would be interesting
fleet pagoda
fringe musk
I definitely need your displays, Scott. 🙂
I see that you use Saitek's yoke. Have you done some mods apart from longer shaft?
also, is it idifficult to allign the view on all screens? I see that on the right one clouds are alligned but on the left screen not so much
