Widescreen Gaming Forum

This project is in limbo until we can figure out the adapter issues to run DVI or HDMI. There isn't a single DisplayPort projector on the market. We really need a cost effective HDMI adapter solution for this to work.

3 projectors is definitely possible because of the DIRT 2 projector video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teE5wqT2DNU Granted, they could have had a very expensive solution, but why show off a tech in a way that is impossible for normal consumers...

I think after a week or so of everyone getting these cards and ATI seeing the community response, we'll have a lot more info.

(hello, my first post here btw! I think eyefinity is a very exciting technology, and can't wait to get 4 wide HD projectors in 2x2 config for a cheap 4k setup!)

3 projectors is definitely possible because of the DIRT 2 projector video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teE5wqT2DNU Granted, they could have had a very expensive solution, but why show off a tech in a way that is impossible for normal consumers...

I think after a week or so of everyone getting these cards and ATI seeing the community response, we'll have a lot more info.

(hello, my first post here btw! I think eyefinity is a very exciting technology, and can't wait to get 4 wide HD projectors in 2x2 config for a cheap 4k setup!)

We're all aware of the example of the simulator projection setup, but they had to of used expensive active converters to achieve it. There is no way to just directly plug in a projector without having to foot at least $100 more per projector to achieve it.

I would suggest picking up Sol7 Home Simulator edition to do the edge blending with. ImmersiView needs to know that they should update thier capability for the non-commercial version to include options for edge blending over 3 projectors though.

I know I shouldn't be this frustrated about the issue, because really the option simply didn't exist before to run 4 or more projectors. And you are very much correct, 4k HDTV before this was released was something you needed $100,000 to achieve.

Small update. I found a place that had 2 Optoma EX525ST in stock factory refurb for $719 so I pulled the trigger on that purchase. Hopefully, they will routinely stock refurbs so I can get the rest that way too.

To just get things working I'll probably use one of the DH2G Digital I have sitting around with these initial 2 projectors. So, as of next week sometime I'll be dual-head projector wall sized. Guess that means I need to hurry up on my screen design and prototype build. :wink:

I hope the 5870 Six will be out soon. I'd like to figure out the adapters for it.

If anyone sees a place selling the EX525ST for $800 or less let me know. :)

wonderful project, keep us updated, please!

wonderful project, keep us updated, please!

Will do. :)

As soon as I get my 3rd projector my goal is to show off the 180 degree FOV capabilities of World of Warcraft. With the 5870 Six not out yet and the DP/DP+ port issue still unresolved I'll have to use my TH2G Digital box for now. The goal is still to show off EyeFinity though, because I'm shooting for 5 projectors eventually.

[quote]So in the projector setup I'm building I can use 2 passive single-link dp to dvi adapter and 3 active dp to dvi adapter to achieve my goal of 5 DVI based displays?

That should work.

IIRC - we have heard about one vendor interested in a single link active adapter which should be cheaper than then active ones. I need to check on the status of those as to whether or not they are a go.

This at least gives me a game-plan on what I have to account for as far as cost. I guess three active adapters isn't as bad as five.

Checking my package tracking, I get the 2 projectors Friday. Looks like this weekend I will be having fun trying out 120 degrees of projection and getting my initial test screen set up. It's probably going to be a pretty rough design just to nail down some real-world projector throw and screen layout information. I have a bundle of 2x2s and a bunch of Masonite ready to build the temporary screen. :wink:

I'm still on the hunt for another affordable EX525ST so I'll have 3 total for my initial setup.

With the release of the 5850s today for the first time on Newegg I almost got one. I'm still going to hold out for the 6-port as to not have to sell an extra card later on.

with a DH2Go Digital and a TH2Go (Digital??) you already can achieve 5 displays with the present 5870 or 5850, without going to DP to DVI active adapters. However for now, Eyefinity can only be enable in 4 display/projector setup (2 for Each DH2Go and TH2Go). Actually if you have 4x 1080p projectors, you can cover up to 6x (1280x 1024) projectors, or 7.5 (1024x768) projectors

As I have two TH2Go... I can enable a 6 surround projector setup through the 2 legacy VGA/DL-DVI 5870/5850 (presently available)

with a DH2Go Digital and a TH2Go (Digital??) you already can achieve 5 displays with the present 5870 or 5850, without going to DP to DVI active adapters. However for now, Eyefinity can only be enable in 4 display/projector setup (2 for Each DH2Go and TH2Go). Actually if you have 4x 1080p projectors, you can cover up to 6x (1280x 1024) projectors, or 7.5 (1024x768) projectors

As I have two TH2Go... I can enable a 6 surround projector setup through the 2 legacy VGA/DL-DVI 5870/5850 (presently available)

That might work, but I'm not so certain I want to keep the TH2G and DH2G boxes as I can make more money off of them than I'd need for Mini-DP to DVI adapters. You are correct though that I could just use my GXM boxes to achieve this with any old 5000-series card (but I'm not wanting to run 4 or 6 projectors. I want to run 5). The problem is, I want to wait for the 6-port card and sell off these expensive GXM boxes. So far right now while I wait for the 6-port to be released, I AM using the GXM boxes to prototype the setup. :wink:

I currently have 1 TH2G Digital, 1 TH2G analog, and 2 DH2G Digital. I sell all of those and I probably have my 6-port card with some nice extra cash towards one of the projectors.

I currently have 1 TH2G Digital, 1 TH2G analog, and 2 DH2G Digital. I sell all of those and I probably have my 6-port card with some nice extra cash towards one of the projectors.

Do they all run nicely together?

I'm currently running 3 x 19" and 1 x 24" but would like to still use those screens with an additional 3 x 24" for my pit setup but I also have 3 x 10" screens that would do great as small instrument panels.

Just looking into the options and an additional TH2Go or DH2Go may do it - may also be a secondary card, especially if they won't do the wide resolutions on the 5000 series cards.

[quote]I currently have 1 TH2G Digital, 1 TH2G analog, and 2 DH2G Digital. I sell all of those and I probably have my 6-port card with some nice extra cash towards one of the projectors.

Do they all run nicely together?

I'm currently running 3 x 19" and 1 x 24" but would like to still use those screens with an additional 3 x 24" for my pit setup but I also have 3 x 10" screens that would do great as small instrument panels.

Just looking into the options and an additional TH2Go or DH2Go may do it - may also be a secondary card, especially if they won't do the wide resolutions on the 5000 series cards.

Matrox took into account detection and use of multiple GXM boxes with PowerDesk, so that's no issue. They work fine in any combination as separate spans of screens.

Cheers, good to know. :D

There seems to be some method to the madness for painting screens so they have the right gain. I'm curious what a 10x10 room with a full circular screen 8 foot tall will need as far as paint for 5 Optoma EX525ST projectors. I suppose I could use one of those projector calculators to figure the gain I should use for paint and then have some mixed up. My curiosity is does the curvature of the screen effect the gain and for that matter projecting in a full circle?

All this screen tech is new to me. I've just been lazy and projected on a regular painted wall for the last few years.

I just got my first 2 Optoma EX525STs unboxed. I also purchased my 3rd EX525ST today for $855 (with 5% Bing cash back). So, I'm about 5 days away from wall size circular triple-head projecter...(yea!) :D

Here are unboxing pics:

heh
that be really great to follow ;)

Definitely keeping an eye on this, even though there is nowhere I'd be able to do something similar... ;)

A small work log update on this...

Projector #3 arrives Thursday. Today I purchased 3 projector mounts and 3 15ft DVI cables for the room.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10209&cs_id=1020902&p_id=2760&seq=1&format=2
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082803&p_id=3874&seq=1&format=2

Here is the 13x13 foot area that I need to frame, sheetrock and finish this week:


The plan for the room is to make it a 13x13 foot square room. The air ducting is a minor annoyance, but the room isn't used for anything else except storage, so it's otherwise ideal.

I'm going to set it up with 2 different screen setups. The initial screen will be a full wall screen that is 12x7 foot 2.39:1 aspect ratio for watching movies in full anamophic format. A lot of Blu-ray content is 1920x800, so that'll work perfectly. The second screen will be the 180 degree half-circle. I'm planning on bending some L metal extrusion into the curve and mounting it on both the ceiling and the floor, then velcroing the screen to it so it can be put up and removed as needed. Also adding in 2 extra projector mounts because the projection offsets are different for the side projectors on the circular projection than on the wall projection. That'll give me the capability of both 180 degree circular projection and also traditional 2.39:1 theater projection in the same room.

I finally got the projector mounts and 15 foot DVI cables from monoprice. I also purchased a 12x7 foot of projection screen material that should arrive later this week. It should be interesting building a screen frame that large.

I spent most of the weekend framing and putting up the walls and ceiling. Here are a few pics of the progress. Nothing that wonderful to show, but it's progress. :wink:

Primering the front wall after it's been framed and panels are up.


A bit more progress. A majority of the ceiling is up now.


Here is a pic showing the 2-projector front screen configuration. This'll be the configuration for watching HDTV and movies. The circular screen setup will be added in after I get the 2 screen setup working and the projector mounts located and wired. The 180 degree circular screen will use all 3 of my projectors and will be a removable screen that I can velcro up as needed and remove when I want to watch TV or movies on the back wall 2-projector screen setup. That'll allow the room to have 2 configurations.


I'm running into a few minor configuration issues with Sol7. Apparently, it only currently likes 32-bit versions of Windows. That's not a major issue. It just means having less memory available for gaming (for now). I'm going to go ahead and test it using XP, Vista and Windows 7 32-bit versions to see how they work with Sol7. Everything seems to be ok with it other than that slight hiccup. The configuration and setup all works fine, but with it being a 64-bit OS, I think DirectX 64-bit doesn't see the 32-bit Sol7 DirectX tie-ins. The screen blending within the configuration window works perfectly though, so it just means going 32-bit for now.

One thing I found out about the EX525ST projectors is the scaler in them works quite well. I'm just as happy with using 1600x1200 on the projector as the 1024x768 native. It's a rather clean downscale. I've been running desktop and in games at 3200x1200, which gives a lot more room for interface windows than 2048x768 native does.

I'm anxious to get the room in a more permanently functional state this week so I can start using it and working out the bugs. As you can tell above, for now I've just been projecting onto the primered wall until I get the 2.39:1 back wall screen built. It seems to be working well enough to get rough numbers on where the ceiling projector mounts need to be. It should actually be decent looking in about 2 weeks (I hope). :lol:

This is soo incredible cool! :D