FOV and how to achieve it

[Lohne]

Well, having found a rather large informational source on home pits, thanks to a thread in this category, and with Buckshots own contributions, I've deterimed the true switch to flick when it comes to beleving both speed and immersion are the sense of speed, which is, as noted and understood, only garnerd by a 45 degree or more view of your surroundings, IE, one entire field of vision from the regular human eyes.

Question. How best to gain that FoV? Multi monitors? If so, lcd or crt? I'm leaning lcd. Projectors? Screens? A head set or some sort?

I wasn't GOING to built a pit....but the idea of having one has intriuged me. Anyand all help would be appricated.

Thanks!

[Nikolas_A]

I wasn't GOING to built a pit...

Yeah, they all say that at the beginning...

IMHO the best solution is pit+multiple projected views
Not the cheapest, but then the cheapest is keyboard, mouse and small monitor. If this was enough for you you wouldn't be here, would you? :wink2:

[Lohne]

True.


So what size is the best mix of effective FoV and cost? Sure, the bigger the better, but what's a nice, "good" average size for these things?

[Nikolas_A]

I want to try my hand on the DIY projector thing, it would make things more affordable. I plan to make things modular. Start with the center console and my monitor. Then add panels to the pit and projectors.

[ruprecht]

Other option for a single screen setup is to use a fresnel lens. You can see one here http://www.flightsim.com/howto/kevssim/17.jpg in action, and buy one here http://www.simkits.com/product.php?prodid=304

Also check here: http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/scenery_display_1.htm

[Shockdiamond]

This really gets my juices flowing - I won't have resources to build a pit for a few years but I can scheme in the meantime and I think that large FOV would be one of the most critical aspects of an immersive pit.

It seems fresnels are a good way to achieve this. I am not sure if I have used them before (not sure because I think I might have used one in a hanggliding simulator, in which case they are awesome) so I can't comment authoritatively. However, they seem to have pretty amazing potential, especially if arranged in an array. I have no idea why there is no evidence of this being widespread practice, especially given availability of programs like WidevieW for MSFS. I have a theory that you might be able to get something like ~120 degrees FOV horizontally AND vertically using perhaps six normal screens (because the fresnels can sit close to your face) but have done no experiments to verify.

Anyway, to the point: I don't know what it is about Simkits' lens that makes it worth nigh on 400 Euro. If there is not anything particularly enchanting about it, perhaps consider

www.icetec-uk.com

or

www.3Dlens.com

Both sell lenses individually for about AUD25-30 - about 16-20 Euro. I don't know if either provide a reasonable product - this advice is based purely on idle net trawling. Rup has provided you with a page containing a link to a very interesting article:

http://www.rickleephoto.com/rlcoll.htm

read it if you missed it in the Mike's Flight Deck page - you'll see what I mean about arrays.

Good luck. May we all one day have massive 360 fresnel displays.

[SnakeEyes]

i had seen a setup that a that had 3 projectors that a boeing team used on a simulater and i thought that worked realy well. the screens set up some what like this \_/