Matrox Triplehead2go and Zalman Trimon Stereo3D

Matt Simis

Im considering swapping from my Zalman Trimon 22" Stereo3D monitor to 3x LCDs with a Matrox Triplehead2Go module (super widescreen gaming!).

Since people here rotate hardware fairly quick and always like new tech, thought it would be worth mentioning. I would be selling/trading the Trimon, so if anyone has any questions on it fire away. Im not (just) trying to hawk stuff here, I personally didnt realise Matrox took the Surround Gaming concept off their dog slow graphics cards and onto a module until recently, so maybe others would be interested in discussing these off the beaten path gizmos too:


Zalman Trimon/Stereo3D
It works with Polarised lens not shutter glasses, so no brightness reduction or batteries and low weight. The Trimon is basically 2 22" panels in one to produce 2 seperate images for left and right. The 3D effect is like looking at the game characters running around a box infront of your (like looking at a little play sitting in the front row) as opposed a "jump out" effect as seen in SCI Fi. Very cool for FPSs none the less, the sense of depth is very real looking.
Only works on Vista with nVidia cards.


Matrox Triplehead2Go
Completely unrelated to Stereo3D, this is Graphics Expansion Module (GXM) that works on any card, tricking windows at the hardware level into seeing 3 monitors as one giant one. Also comes with Bezel management software to help position the image "around" the LCD bezels. Supports upto 5040x1050 resolution at the moment (3x 1680x1050 screens) which is something like 4.8:1 Aspect Ratio. Kinda pricey at $260 for the Matrox plus the costs of the screens, so if anyone is offloading any 19 to 22" LCDs let me know!

Cuddlesworth

The problem I have seen with the Matrox system is how viciously gpu limited most systems are at those resolutions. And the cost can come close to the 30inch widescreens, which are in my opinion better.

Matt Simis

A 30" monitor doesnt address the fact humans see about 180 degrees (and sharpest to the front), the majority of your potiential game space is the wall behind your monitor. I have a 1080p projector that I tried 2:35:1 Aspect Ratio on recently (standard 16:9) and the wider image gives a much more pleasent impactful image.


Some random reviewers setup


Matrox's FSX setup:


HL2 on 3 screens

According to reviews and WSGF forum, Frame rate drop tends to be 20% occassionaly higher (upto 40%), obviously faster gfx cards are given. The vertical res isnt increasing, so it isnt as much more pixels as you would suspect.

Matt Simis

Ok, put up a advert for the Trimon here:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=78559

Cuddlesworth

Hmm, for me it would make sore sense to just buy LCD panels and try to mount them closer together as the bezels on the monitors would just piss me off.

Also I use a setup on my work desk the exact same as above, 3 19 inch LCD's. TBH I would still prefer to game on a 30 inch LCD.

Matt Simis

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Hmm, for me it would make sore sense to just buy LCD panels and try to mount them closer together as the bezels on the monitors would just piss me off.

Also I use a setup on my work desk the exact same as above, 3 19 inch LCD's. TBH I would still prefer to game on a 30 inch LCD.

People tried the panel approach, unfortunately the LCD panels have edges that are usually in the bezel, you save 1mm (thichness of the plastic bezel) only. I will play around with 3 lenticular lens which will bring just the image out from the screen by enlarging it somethime in the future.

I already had a large monitor (24") and still use the 90" projector. Fun, but just so different to the objective here. They give you vertical height that you visually just dont want that can only be compensated by sitting further back. They help engross you more by sheer size, which you most appreciate on the horizontal axis anyway. In a PC gaming setup I would suspect a monitor as large as 30" would be very uncomfortable to use.

The surround concept works by virtue of the fact you dont "see" the bezels as they are in your peripheral vision, just like you dont see the edges of sunglasses despite the fact they are much more obtrusive.

Cuddlesworth

Matt Simis wrote: »

People tried the panel approach, unfortunately the LCD panels have edges that are usually in the bezel, you save 1mm (thichness of the plastic bezel) only. I will play around with 3 lenticular lens which will bring just the image out from the screen by enlarging it somethime in the future.

Really. All the panels I have taken apart(IBM, HP and DELL 17inch) have all had a 2-3 mil steel frame around the panel itself. While the bezel would be just over a centimetre. Creating a frame around the panels themselves which the steel supports on the LCD's could mount to would leave the gap between at most 4-5 mil thick. But I suppose I am just being a bit OCD about it.

Matt Simis

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Really. All the panels I have taken apart(IBM, HP and DELL 17inch) have all had a 2-3 mil steel frame around the panel itself. While the bezel would be just over a centimetre. Creating a frame around the panels themselves which the steel supports on the LCD's could mount to would leave the gap between at most 4-5 mil thick. But I suppose I am just being a bit OCD about it.

Ive seen the photos (they were from larger panels however) of the step by step when this was tried and the general consensus was it wasnt worth the effort for the minimal reduction, largely as you dont see the bezels when playing anyway, the other screens are your peripheral vision, all the action is directly in front of you. I think you are still comparing it to a large screen single monitor, where you have a big chunk of LCD in front of you with all the relevant gaming elements playing out there. Its not meant to "compete" with single displays, its very different.

Ive just read the "Surround FAQ" post on the excellent Widescreen Gaming Forum and it sums it all up:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8418

WideScreen Gaming Forum FAQ wrote:

Bars between the screens
You should be too busy playing/concentrating on the centre screen to notice them ...
Do you notice the edges of the screen when you are playing on one screen ? ... no ... because you are busy concentrating on the game.
So ... just as when you are using one screen you don't notice the edges of the screens or the bars because you are too busy concentrating /playing the game on the centre screen ... the sidescreens as I have said just add to the emersion giving you some peripheral vision.
The emersion is stunning ... giving a view that is far far closer to the way your eyes work in reality ... way more than just one screen could ever do.

TripleHead
I guess it is one of those things you have to experience ...
Looking at screenshots most get it wrong and moan about or point out the distortion ... "fisheye" ... etc.
Looking at photos of setups with 3 screens most get it wrong and moan about or point out the bars between the screens ... "one of those ultra expensive seamless triple monitor setups" really really isn't necessary.
It you ever get to try it you will understand ... until then trust me those that say these things are wrong ... or just picky ... Wink

Its just a shame most people are totally missing out on Surround and Stereo3D gaming. Its pushing the envelope exactly like this that separates PC gaming from consoles, where you just have no options to dramatically change your gaming.

Matt Simis

Got it setup with 3x 22" monitors. In a word.. wow. Playing on any size single screen seems so detached and "small" now.

Imagine if the monitor you are looking at now had 30% either side covered in cloth, then you removed it and used up the whole screen for the first time..