Hardware for 3-monitor 3D-vision setup?
I want to put together a gaming PC for iRacing which will have three stereoscopic 3D displays. Is that currently possible? Can I run three 3D displays at 1080p/60Hz? What desktop GPU (GPUs?) should I consider in setting this up? What are my display options at 1080p, and at 720p? Most larger displays will only accept HDMI 1.4, and are thus limited to 720p/60Hz, right? Will 3D vision with NVsurround play nice with any 3d-enabled display? If I get 3 passive 3D displays, can I expect everything to be nicely synchronized across all three?
I want to put together a gaming PC for iRacing which will have three stereoscopic 3D displays. Is that currently possible? Can I run three 3D displays at 1080p/60Hz? What desktop GPU (GPUs?) should I consider in setting this up? What are my display options at 1080p, and at 720p? Most larger displays will only accept HDMI 1.4, and are thus limited to 720p/60Hz, right? Will 3D vision with NVsurround play nice with any 3d-enabled display? If I get 3 passive 3D displays, can I expect everything to be nicely synchronized across all three?

#1
Posted 10/14/2014 06:34 AM   
I dont know the answer to all your questions, but I can tell you how I did my iRacing 3D surround setup. 3 Asus VG278H (5720x1080p@120hz) displays via DVI, 1 GTX780 + 1 120hz displayport/dual-link DVI converter (club3D). 3D surround works fine in iRacing. cheers
I dont know the answer to all your questions, but I can tell you how I did my iRacing 3D surround setup. 3 Asus VG278H (5720x1080p@120hz) displays via DVI, 1 GTX780 + 1 120hz displayport/dual-link DVI converter (club3D).
3D surround works fine in iRacing. cheers

#2
Posted 10/14/2014 01:13 PM   
VG278H or VG278HE is probably your best option. You could go for the ROG swift at 1440p, but you'd struggle to maintain playable framerates. 3D TV Play (required for HDMI connections) does not support surround, so you must use 3d vision ready monitors. Passive displays will not work in surround. As for the GPUs, that depends on which games you want to run. Best ask about those, because not everything works well in 3D. Is it just iRacing, or are there other games too?
VG278H or VG278HE is probably your best option. You could go for the ROG swift at 1440p, but you'd struggle to maintain playable framerates.

3D TV Play (required for HDMI connections) does not support surround, so you must use 3d vision ready monitors. Passive displays will not work in surround.

As for the GPUs, that depends on which games you want to run. Best ask about those, because not everything works well in 3D. Is it just iRacing, or are there other games too?

#3
Posted 10/14/2014 01:49 PM   
Playing Assetto Corsa and raceroom @ 3xAsus VG278h 5760x1080 3D Vision @ Gtx 780 Sli @ 3770k 4.5 GHz and logitec g27. Works Great an smooth @ 60 fps stable with high Details. Fantastic , absolutely fantastic 3D Vision Surround Out of Box ... that's racing as its best.
Playing Assetto Corsa and raceroom @ 3xAsus VG278h 5760x1080 3D Vision @ Gtx 780 Sli @ 3770k 4.5 GHz and logitec g27.
Works Great an smooth @ 60 fps stable with high Details.
Fantastic , absolutely fantastic 3D Vision Surround Out of Box ... that's racing as its best.
#4
Posted 10/14/2014 07:22 PM   
Are there larger 3d vision ready displays? I mean, TV-sized (47+") displays that work with 3d vision and will allow surround?
Are there larger 3d vision ready displays? I mean, TV-sized (47+") displays that work with 3d vision and will allow surround?

#5
Posted 10/15/2014 03:11 PM   
I don't believe so. Your other option would be a projector, which is excellent. It won't give you the same peripheral vision, but it'll give you a great screen size for a reasonable price.
I don't believe so.

Your other option would be a projector, which is excellent. It won't give you the same peripheral vision, but it'll give you a great screen size for a reasonable price.

#6
Posted 10/15/2014 03:31 PM   
If you place your wheel right in front or under the center display, and if you angle the displays at round about 70degrees each (iRacing allows to set up screen angle), you almost get 180FOV. Good enough for me. Todd Bettenhausen has a great iRacing screen setup tutorial on youtube with some smaller 23" displays: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rri19PqJ3qU
If you place your wheel right in front or under the center display, and if you angle the displays at round about 70degrees each (iRacing allows to set up screen angle), you almost get 180FOV. Good enough for me.

Todd Bettenhausen has a great iRacing screen setup tutorial on youtube with some smaller 23" displays:

#7
Posted 10/15/2014 05:26 PM   
Thanks, sounds like 3x27" is a great option. Now, assuming price is no object at all.... Could I set up three 3d vision-enabled projectors against three projector screens? I see a lot of posts about the H5360, but that appears to be HDMI-only, and no video card I see will do three HDMI outputs. I'm unclear if a simple Displayport or DVI -> HDMI adapter would work with 3D vision or surround.
Thanks, sounds like 3x27" is a great option. Now, assuming price is no object at all.... Could I set up three 3d vision-enabled projectors against three projector screens? I see a lot of posts about the H5360, but that appears to be HDMI-only, and no video card I see will do three HDMI outputs. I'm unclear if a simple Displayport or DVI -> HDMI adapter would work with 3D vision or surround.

#8
Posted 10/15/2014 06:55 PM   
[quote="beandog"]Thanks, sounds like 3x27" is a great option. Now, assuming price is no object at all.... Could I set up three 3d vision-enabled projectors against three projector screens? I see a lot of posts about the H5360, but that appears to be HDMI-only, and no video card I see will do three HDMI outputs. I'm unclear if a simple Displayport or DVI -> HDMI adapter would work with 3D vision or surround.[/quote] Again I have no definite answers, but rather suggestions in which direction you may want to research, as this issue is a little more tricky, and I am not sure if it can be solved. The problem is, that with projectors, an edge blending software, to seamlessly blend the 3 projector images together, has to be used. IIRC, there are issues using blending software with at least the Tridef driver, which the AMD folks have to use. So you would have to research if the Nvidia stereo driver works with that particular blending software that you are going to use (an example for edge blending is Nthusim). Be warned that setting up a 3D projector surround setup is quite hassle, where lots of money can be wasted, if not planned correctly. Regarding 27". At first I was disappointed as well, that there arent bigger active 3D screens out there to purchase. But as you can see in the video, even the 23" setup is quite impressive if it is set up correctly. With my 27" setup I am quite happy now, as it is even quite a bit bigger than Bettenhausens setup. In fact I dont even have to place my Fanatec CSW under the screens (which wouldnt leave much space for big hands). I have it in front of the center screen and everything looks proportional. To wrap it up, if you'd asked me, I'd rather advise you to buy 3 27" and wait for the Oculus Rift consumer version. I'd be quite amazed to see you post a working 3D surround projector setup though :)
beandog said:Thanks, sounds like 3x27" is a great option. Now, assuming price is no object at all.... Could I set up three 3d vision-enabled projectors against three projector screens? I see a lot of posts about the H5360, but that appears to be HDMI-only, and no video card I see will do three HDMI outputs. I'm unclear if a simple Displayport or DVI -> HDMI adapter would work with 3D vision or surround.


Again I have no definite answers, but rather suggestions in which direction you may want to research, as this issue is a little more tricky, and I am not sure if it can be solved.
The problem is, that with projectors, an edge blending software, to seamlessly blend the 3 projector images together, has to be used. IIRC, there are issues using blending software with at least the Tridef driver, which the AMD folks have to use. So you would have to research if the Nvidia stereo driver works with that particular blending software that you are going to use (an example for edge blending is Nthusim). Be warned that setting up a 3D projector surround setup is quite hassle, where lots of money can be wasted, if not planned correctly.

Regarding 27". At first I was disappointed as well, that there arent bigger active 3D screens out there to purchase. But as you can see in the video, even the 23" setup is quite impressive if it is set up correctly. With my 27" setup I am quite happy now, as it is even quite a bit bigger than Bettenhausens setup. In fact I dont even have to place my Fanatec CSW under the screens (which wouldnt leave much space for big hands). I have it in front of the center screen and everything looks proportional.

To wrap it up, if you'd asked me, I'd rather advise you to buy 3 27" and wait for the Oculus Rift consumer version.
I'd be quite amazed to see you post a working 3D surround projector setup though :)

#9
Posted 10/15/2014 08:12 PM   
I know of two user currently using a triple projector setup. The_Nephilim uses a curved screen with warpalizing/edge blending software. Which can be pricey, but is provided by Nvidia for free to users of Quadro GPUs. https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/757740/nvidia-surround/new-curved-screen/ Mikemav3 used 3 Optoma Projectors on angled screens. https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/544759/3d-vision/3d-vision-surround-video-gallery-/post/3823810/#3823810 [quote="D-Man11"]You probably remember Mikemav3's YouTube video from a few yaers back when he first mocked up his setup with projectors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNU6ITOfzV0 Last month he put up a more refined version that's pretty sweet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9cDwZgLHS4 His room looks pretty small. [/quote]
I know of two user currently using a triple projector setup.

The_Nephilim uses a curved screen with warpalizing/edge blending software. Which can be pricey, but is provided by Nvidia for free to users of Quadro GPUs.

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/757740/nvidia-surround/new-curved-screen/

Mikemav3 used 3 Optoma Projectors on angled screens.

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/544759/3d-vision/3d-vision-surround-video-gallery-/post/3823810/#3823810



D-Man11 said:You probably remember Mikemav3's YouTube video from a few yaers back when he first mocked up his setup with projectors.

Last month he put up a more refined version that's pretty sweet

His room looks pretty small.

#10
Posted 10/15/2014 09:19 PM   
Here's another one by Mikemav3. In this one he uses 4:3 projectors instead of 16:9, because he wanted more height. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpRnSd44qnk
Here's another one by Mikemav3.

In this one he uses 4:3 projectors instead of 16:9, because he wanted more height.

#11
Posted 10/15/2014 09:30 PM   
If you can source 3d vision ready projectors (specifically 3d vision, not "regular" 3d), I believe it should work. There's not really many around now though. I think you could also (in theory) do this with edid overrides and normal 3d projectors.
If you can source 3d vision ready projectors (specifically 3d vision, not "regular" 3d), I believe it should work. There's not really many around now though. I think you could also (in theory) do this with edid overrides and normal 3d projectors.

#12
Posted 10/16/2014 12:09 AM   
Why can you not do 3d vision with portrait mode? This should not make a difference.
Why can you not do 3d vision with portrait mode? This should not make a difference.

#13
Posted 10/16/2014 03:41 AM   
You can do portrait mode with a projector, just not with LCD monitors. The problem is that the glasses use polarized light to shutter on and off. Like small LCD screens for each eye. If your monitor is also LCD, then you have two LCD polarizers and they have to be at the same angle, otherwise they go fully dark. Same thing happens with all LCD screens. Put on polarized sunglasses, then look at your screen turned 90 degrees. (With my glasses, it's actually 45 degrees.) If you use a screen that doesn't not require polarized light, like a projector, then orientation doesn't matter. However, I've read that projectors do not run properly on their sides and will overheat. I don't understand why that would be true when it can be upside down without any problem, but it's something to be aware of.
You can do portrait mode with a projector, just not with LCD monitors.

The problem is that the glasses use polarized light to shutter on and off. Like small LCD screens for each eye. If your monitor is also LCD, then you have two LCD polarizers and they have to be at the same angle, otherwise they go fully dark.

Same thing happens with all LCD screens. Put on polarized sunglasses, then look at your screen turned 90 degrees. (With my glasses, it's actually 45 degrees.)


If you use a screen that doesn't not require polarized light, like a projector, then orientation doesn't matter.

However, I've read that projectors do not run properly on their sides and will overheat. I don't understand why that would be true when it can be upside down without any problem, but it's something to be aware of.

Acer H5360 (1280x720@120Hz) - ASUS VG248QE with GSync mod - 3D Vision 1&2 - Driver 372.54
GTX 970 - i5-4670K@4.2GHz - 12GB RAM - Win7x64+evilKB2670838 - 4 Disk X25 RAID
SAGER NP9870-S - GTX 980 - i7-6700K - Win10 Pro 1607
Latest 3Dmigoto Release
Bo3b's School for ShaderHackers

#14
Posted 10/16/2014 07:35 AM   
Unlike most other racing games (or games in general), iRacing allows to set the screen angles, and then renders each screen independently, to project the correct perspective onto each screen. With my setup, I can actually see the left car window on my left side, rather than kinda in front of me stretched onto a flat screen. Mikemav3's screens are in line. I have yet to see a triple projector 3D setup, with edge blending AND angled screens. Because displaying high FOVs (160-180degrees) on a flat screen doesnt look natural imho.
Unlike most other racing games (or games in general), iRacing allows to set the screen angles, and then renders each screen independently, to project the correct perspective onto each screen. With my setup, I can actually see the left car window on my left side, rather than kinda in front of me stretched onto a flat screen. Mikemav3's screens are in line. I have yet to see a triple projector 3D setup, with edge blending AND angled screens. Because displaying high FOVs (160-180degrees) on a flat screen doesnt look natural imho.

#15
Posted 10/16/2014 06:58 PM   
Scroll To Top