Parhelia video card

[Giorgio Donadel Campbell]

I Pete,

I know you use a (128 or 256) Parhelia video card for your FS9. Can you tell us please your impressions, your system configuration, your setup and your recommendations.

Thanks,

Regards

Giorgio

[Pete Dowson]

I know you use a (128 or 256) Parhelia video card for your FS9. Can you tell us please your impressions, your system configuration, your setup and your recommendations.

I use a Parhelia 256 Mb on a P4 3.2GHz Pc for the main FS PC. This is used currently at only 2400 x 600 x 32 resolution despite the three 18" TFTs being capable of 3840 x 1024 x 32 between them, mainly to keep frame rates well into double figures -- I like to run with most everything in FS2004 turned up to maximum (and with Ultimate Traffic that can impose quite a frame rate penalty). Really most all scenery looks as good at any resolution, so the lower values don't bother me.

The screens on the FS PC are only used for the forward view, set at 0.50 Zoom. I find this right for me, though some I know use three screens at 0.31 Zoom.

The performance of the Parhelia is not as good as the latest nVidia or ATI cards. In fact it isn't really as good as the previous generation of nVidia cards (the Ti4600 etc). However, for me, the splendid widescreen views out of the cockpit window are well worth it.

Note that I do not use any FS cockpits at all. All my instrumentation is either on separate PCs using Project Magenta, or on hardware such as the Aerosoft MCP and the PFC Jetliner Console. I really could not recommend a Parhelia for a normal FS configuration with 2D cockpit displays. Maybe it would work well with the 3D virtual cockpit modes, but I'm afraid I don't like those much.

If you have a cockpit design with external (to the FS PC) instrumentation and controls, then I think the Parhelia 3 screen system is really excellent. Otherwise I would not recommend it. You'd do better with dual monitors on an nVidia card, or ATI if they now allow a single window to be spread over two monitors with 3D acceleration still operating.

The problem with only two monitors is that either you get left (or right) offset views, or the straight-ahead point is in the dividing line of the two screens, which is why I went for the Parhelia. I don't think anything else offers three screen windows at present.

Regards,

Pete

[lalex]

The problem with only two monitors is that either you get left (or right) offset views, or the straight-ahead point is in the dividing line of the two screens, which is why I went for the Parhelia. I don't think anything else offers three screen windows at present.

DOUBLE WOW!

This is one of the more accurate description of what a Parhelia card can practically give a FSimmer! I have been browsing the Net for FS-relevant information regarding Parhelia's 3D performance, and here I see that you use the same addons which are "dear" to me, including the UT. I imagine that you spend quite a while around the EGLL where UT traffic can really bring any system to its proverbial knees.

I am encouraged by your "double digit" performance under these circumstances, so Parhelia is back on my nice-to-have list.

On the dual screen however, please accept a hint. You are perfectly right when you say that there is a parallax problem, but that can easily be solved (partially) . You just display the forward view in the "left" monitor and the forward-right view in the "right" monitor. Of course that might pose a problem to the person sitting in the 1st Officer seat :-), and won't solve the monitors gap problem, but this is as close you can get without spending $$$ on a collimating display. BTW, you should use the same trick with the Parhelia, with the added advantage of a wider field of view.

Best,

Al