SuperFOV & Immersive Display Settings?

Gents, I'm running AC off a single 1080p projector aimed at a 4x8 sheet of hardboard which is curved to provide roughly 180 degrees wrap-around (actual) FOV at approximately a 2 foot (~1200mm) radius. I use a program called Nthusim to warp the flat image properly onto a curved surface so that in the cockpit seat, everything looks proper and "unwarped".

That leads me to my question regarding single screen FOV and triple screen setups. I do indeed have a "single screen" but I find that the vertical FOV slider (and further, INI setting changes beyond the slider limit) create a very unrealistic and warped looking image on a superFOV setup, even with the vertical-FOV setting correctly represented. The issue is not being able to adjust HORIZONTAL FOV independently.

If however I set AC up for triple screens, it will successfully reproduce all three screen images through the single projector. Using the triples app I can set up the FOV *perfectly* and it all works great, except for AC wanting to sharply change the image angle where the monitors bezels would meet if I were actually using triples. Since the screen is continuous, the triple screen image is warped by AC as if I have 3 flat yet seamless images at whatever angle I set in the triples app.

TLDR: Can anyone including the devs recommend a setup that is exactly the same as a triple screen setup except that the image isn't sharply warped where the bezels would meet vertically? Basically a third option for superFOV/curved screens or immersive setups? Or, even more simply, allow for independent single screen *horizontal* FOV changes (again, independent of vertical FOV changes so yes the image would go beyond 16x9) if even only in an INI and not a GUI update??

 

Hi there,
I also work with a projector and kind of Super FOV.

Here is my setup:



Drivers view


I had the FOV set to high for the 67 inch diagonal (148 cm wide) projection when I took the photos.

Now I use the correct value of 50 calculated with that tool set to rFactor 2 and single screen with the eye distance of around 90cm.
http://mrpix.org/rF2/fov/index.php?m=1

It feels very real and immersive.
However I am interested in how you got your curved steen to work.

How do you manage to get a sharp projection acros the whole screen?

Can post some images?

Regarding tour problem:
Did you switch of your image bending software when using the triple screen app?
The two things might interfere which each other and produce strange distortion of the image.

 

Thanks for sharing. I can tell you that the warping software isn't competing with the triple screen settings in a weird way, rather that the triple screen settings assume that you have 3 flat surfaces, so there is a distinct sharp angled bend vertically where the bezels *would* meet if I had them at all. I wish there was a continuous surface setting instead of a 3 panel setting... all else being equal I think the continuous surface setup would be EASY. I plug in curvature radius of screen and distance to screen - bam done! One can wish.

So, for my setup I intended to do a slight curvature but during experimentation I found that my short throw (BenQ w1080st) pj was able to cast a very sharp image across the entire screen regardless of curvature radius. How? No idea, but I'm telling you it works and works WELL! I will post pictures after I'm home from work. I said "let's do something crazy" and wrapped the screen around the cockpit, setup Nthusim for it real quick and I was absolutely blown away by the immersion. It's just so so wild and real. Again, I'll post details and pics tonight, I'm actually looking forward to sharing it's been quite the project!

Devs/sFOV guys - any thoughts on a continuous curvature setting in the display options, or an EASY mod to the triple screen app which assumes 3 curved same-radii screens rather than 3 flat angled ones? It would literally be easier to reproduce optically than correctly setting up 3 flat screens!

 

I think the short throw thing of your projector allows the sharp image over a broader depth than "normal" throw projector like EPSON EH-TW3200.

I never tried how much curving results in acceptable sharpness, will do on the weekend.

Do you know any sim that works well with your setup?

 

Had some time to snap some pics, I have AC sending a triple screen signal through a single head setup. It's prewarped by Nthusim for the curved screen. Again this is a sheet of 4'x8' 1/8" thick hardboard (tempered brown boards commonly found in big box home improvement stores). It's painted a dark near-neutral flat N5 gray (Benjamin Moore "Amherst Gray") over three coats of primer. The cockpit is Simvibe chassis "ready" and running extensions for now.

Stripped down chassis in my 70's era basement hideout:


Lights on view of the setup, don't mind the rough cuts, I have another board being prepped:


Money shot, near 1:1 FOV, the wheel and shifter are real btw :


Demonstrating FOV:


My brother enjoying the P4/5:


Hope you like the pics! Brightness is pumped so you can easily see the cockpit components, in real conditions the room is basically pitch black aside from the ambient bounce light.

 

Holy **** pommes frites this is awesome! Thank you for sharing and the inspiration!

 

Thanks mate! Can't wait to be surrounded by a field of cars with this FOV, it should be a real trip.

 

I have an oldish projector from 2007 that got a zoom lens able to do short throw; but how do you place the projector to be able to hit the curved screen that good? I got vertical and horizontal settings to level the picture and would figure that has to come in to play; but still.

Would you mind showing where the projector is placed to be able to do this?

 

Hi.

While I cant actually offer any help, I just have to say that looks amazing.

Regards.

 

that looks sensational! Love the image with the pagani.

 

OMG wow....I want one for Christmas

 

How do you actually project this and not be in the beam yourself? What kind of ultra-short throw projector is this?

 

Height + angle?

 

Obviously, but to still be able to focus and get lighting that even is... amazing.

 

Ross Brawn phoned, he wants to know where you live so he can send his drivers round to practice!
Amazing setup you have there... well jell...

 

Ha! I completely agree! I'm either wrapping it with grip tape or sanding and painting it flat

For the angle and throw, it's a BenQ w1080st, it's approximately level with the top edge of the screen and maybe 70" from the furthest edge of the screen. It's upside down in ceiling mount setup, so the key stoning is minimal. You NEED warping software though. When seated, my hair casts a shadow over the gauge location if I were to sit up too straight, so all the angles are maxed. A tall guy wouldn't be able to play without difficulty! I'm 5'10 for reference.

 

Thank you. How does 1080p look at that pixel pitch? Is there any interpolation done anywhere?

Edit: just saw that the 1080ST is 3D capable. Can your convolution software handle 3D?

 

Pixel density is the one big trade off here, it's definitely passable given the immersion and better than the current oculus rift in terms of resolution, but this setup would really shine with triple projectors in portrait mode. Since the warping software works on the DX11 side, the IQ is still good after the warp but it's still 1080p across the screen. Once the new OR comes out I'd like to try it at 1080p and either buy in or do triples. As most will tell you even in its current state, the immersion really is a trip, you totally forget it's a game!

 

So the warp is done BEFORE rendering?