Prepar3D Forums

Hi,Hello everyone,
I am writing on behalf of a friend who is trying a multichannel system on his simulator. We followed perfectly the whole guide that was in one of the posts of this forum making the system work perfectly between a server pc and a client PC. The system consists of the following setup:

1. pc server i7 6700k + gtx960 + 760 used to run a p3d at the minimum settings with CAD-only airports and panel equipment.
1. pc client i7 7700k + gtx1070 with a projection screen with 3 projectors optoma gt720 with 4800x1200 warpato in surround with 3 views undocked via warpalizer. 3 windows have been undocked for the 3 view rooms in order to obtain a 220 °.

steps:
1. launches prepar3d server side, everything ok directly launches the saved scenario and every time you have to do a reading of the scenery obiejcts putting several minutes, both to load another airport and location (unusual thing until you used opus and was fast) . in any case it does not start client side p3d (you have to launch it specifically).
2. prepare client-side 3d is synchronized tutavia giving us different time.

problems:

1. at the moment of the connection the saved flight on the client side completely loses the saved views rooms by putting a single window into a view and not being able to return to a 220 ° view.

2. We have tried to remove the "shared aircraft" from the multichannel xml without any effect.

3. I do not need to synchronize the plane (shared aircraft does not interest me) but interesas maintain increased performance even in view of possible additions to other client PCs. The problem is how to keep the screen setup on the client so that nothing updates to the server.

4. I do not understand why if I inject a weather from an instructor station and actually changes in the server the client does not update the weather.

it would then seem that the multichannel system worked very well with a hardware between the two PCs exploiting resources of both PCs and in fact trying with a test to synchronize a single monitor in the server and the view in the client does not notice jerky and performance. But, when you go to exploit more monitors in the server for the cockpit instruments going to make gpu cards like the 760 (which for monitors vga as the FMC is fine) the system begins to collapse


Thanks for your help
simon

The way that the server controls client views is by activating a view group. The view group defines the frustum offset values, field-of-view, etc, for each view in the group. The server typically renders a single view that controls the view group. This way that view on the server can pan and zoom and the client views update accordingly. The main advantage here is that ability to synchronize frames between the clients. The server may run faster than the clients.

Content and settings should match between server and all clients in this case to ensure that the same models are rendering and the same number of clouds are drawing, etc.

From your description, it sounds like you are not using a view group, and that all 3 of your main 3d views are rendered on the same client. It also sounds like settings and content are different from the server to the client. This setup isn't really the use case multichannel is currently intended for.

1) It should be possible to configure a view group with the same offsets and fov values used for your undocked windows. This would allow you to control the view group in multichannel or single channel. This would also allow you to pan the camera around and switch between view types (VC, locked spot, etc)

2-3) I have to look into this. I think sharing the aircraft may be required to keep aircraft animations synchronized.

4) Weather is synchronized when the scenario loads and enough data is synchronized to keep the simulated changes to weather synchronized. A big part of this is keeping the eye point location and simulation time of each frame up to date. Weather injection is currently not accounted for.

As for the performance, you may want to try a combination of multichannel and multiplayer. You could potentially use 3 multichannel clients for the each of the 3d views, and use a multiplayer client to drive panels.

Hi Beau,
thank you for your reply.

Sorry for the delay i had no time since today to test something with multichannel.

I perform something great about smooth and syncro with the pc.
I have also some trouble about:

1. viewgroups that all is setting perfect according with sdk but when i try to preview no work.
2. i dont understand well your suggest about, are you gentle to explain better?
"As for the performance, you may want to try a combination of multichannel and multiplayer. You could potentially use 3 multichannel clients for the each of the 3d views, and use a multiplayer client to drive panels".

3. if i use most different area scenario, how to update the clients with the same scenarios? need to have a remote monitor to activate deactivate areas from all clients or is easy from to control fomr server?

4. i noted that custom model airplane (i use pmdg737 and also maddog from loeaonrdo) dont cope the landing effects at night from the client so in the server i have correctly the lights by on all the clients no (simconnect dont pass commands trought the lan?)

many thanks
Simone

1. ) Are you getting any alert pop-ups? We do to validate view group configuration and display warnings in situations such as where two views have been mapped to the same display.
2. ) I was suggesting that you try to find a way to do the panel work on a client machine. We don't have panel window support in view groups, so panels cannot be automatically opened on a client. I think you could open up a panel window manually on a client. You might be able to get better panel support using a multiplayer client.
3) In multichannel, the scenario xml data should get sent from the server to clients. This should allow basic scenarios to load with requiring a updating copies on the clients. The system does not send over any associated content such as sound files, that you may have packaged in with your scenario. It won't synchronize add-on content such as scenery either. For the best results, you should have the same content and add-on setup on the server and clients.
4) We can't guarantee add-on content will work correctly in multichannel. The simconnect commands are not broadcast to the clients because that might cause duplication. A simconnect command for placing an explosion effect for example, would likely work fine because the effect itself is broadcast to the clients.

Hi Beau,

1. no popup alert, simply you can click every time on preview and nothing change on clients. all settings are perfect and well set up. I don't understand impossible to set views.

2-3 ok

4 for this fact is impossible to use multichannel because night flights are ipossible. Hope in the future will be possible to implement at least ctrl+L command.

1) If you post the contents of your viewgroups displays and multichannel xml, we can skim them over and see if anything jumps out. My guess is there is something going on with the DisplayID AdapterIndex or MachineID values and you windows are getting assigned to the wrong machine or adapter.
4) I believe Ctrl+L works on default aircraft. Please let us know if that is not the case. Visual effects, including lights, should get synchronized. Some addons use vc gauge textures to implement cockpit lighting. You may want to look back at your aircraft sharing settings. If a gauge click drives a script variable that in tern drives an some other visual effect, you may not see the effects on clients if they are not sharing the aircraft.

my pc's use for test:
kennedy - systems server - machine id 1
b737_client1 - right and center view (for the moment i have no other pc) - machine id 2
b737_server - left view - machine id 3

MULTICHANNEL:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<SimBase.Document Type="ConfigurationFile" version="4,2">
<Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
<Multichannel.ConfigurationSet>
<Configuration>
<ConfigurationName>2 Channel Cfg</ConfigurationName>
<Machine>
<MachineName>KENNEDY</MachineName>
<MachineID>1</MachineID>
</Machine>
<Machine>
<MachineName>B737_CLIENT1</MachineName>
<MachineID>2</MachineID>
</Machine>
<Machine>
<MachineName>B737_SERVER</MachineName>
<MachineID>3</MachineID>
</Machine>
</Configuration>
</Multichannel.ConfigurationSet>
</SimBase.Document>


VIEWGROUPS:

<SimBase.Document Type="ConfigurationFile" version="4,2">
<Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
<ViewGroups.ViewGroupSet>
<ViewGroup>
<Name>VISUAL</Name>
<SideAngles>105.000000,-105.000000,25.000000,25.000000</SideAngles>
<ViewGroupShape>Flat</ViewGroupShape>
<AllowZoom>False</AllowZoom>
<View>
<Name>LEFT VIEW</Name>
<DisplayID>4</DisplayID>
<Viewport>0.000000,0.333000,1.000000,0.000000</Viewport>
</View>
<View>
<Name>CENTER VIEW</Name>
<DisplayID>3</DisplayID>
<Viewport>0.333000,0.667000,1.000000,0.000000</Viewport>
</View>
<View>
<Name>RIGHT VIEW</Name>
<DisplayID>2</DisplayID>
<Viewport>0.667000,1.000000,1.000000,0.000000</Viewport>
</View>
</ViewGroup>
</ViewGroups.ViewGroupSet>
</SimBase.Document>

DISPLAY:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="ConfigurationFile" version="4,2">
<Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
<SimDisplay.ConfigurationSet>
<Configuration>
<Name>B737 DISPLAY SYSTEM</Name>
<Display>
<Name>SYSTEMS</Name>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>RIGHT</Name>
<DisplayID>2</DisplayID>
<MachineID>2</MachineID>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>CENTER</Name>
<DisplayID>3</DisplayID>
<MachineID>2</MachineID>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>LEFT</Name>
<DisplayID>4</DisplayID>
<MachineID>4</MachineID>
</Display>
</Configuration>
</SimDisplay.ConfigurationSet>
</SimBase.Document>

Hi Beau Hollis, had you time to checked my files?

Until I find I'm noticing these other problems.

1.There is no correct synchronization with the frame between the two PCs. both work perfectly in single mode with 30fps. But while the server is constantly working at 30fps, the client crashes at 12fps at some moments with obvious stuttering.
2. im using custom sceneries area via CFG editor, and its difficult to switch to every area for all pc. Do you use a sort o f remot pc to change in each pc the correct area or there is another solution?

thanks SImone

Thanks for posting your xml files. I see a few issues with your configuration:

1) You Displays XML assigns Display 4 to Machine 4, but there is no Machine 4 defined in your multichannel xml

2) Display 2 and 3 both map to machine 2. This would be ok if they had different AdapterIndex values. But since neither has an AdapterIndex defined, this means they get the default value of 1. This means that both Display 2 and Display 3 map to Adapter 1 or machine 2,

3) Your side angles appear to be invalid:
Your values are:
Left: 105 Right: -105 Top: 25 Bottom 25

This would give you a horizontal field of view of -205 (right - left = hfov) and a vertical field of view of 0 (top - bottom = vfov). I think what you meant here was:
Left: -105 Right: 105 Top: 25 Bottom -25

4) Based on your machine names, it looks like your server is part of the view group. Multichannel process the full scene on the server and then helps synchronize clients which should beach be rendering a part of the scene based on their display entries in the view group. You can assign display on the server to the view group, but they will update at the framerate of the server which is typically a frame ahead of the clients, and possibly more if the client frames run long.

Hope this helps.

Thanks
Beau

Hi Beau,
thank you for your explanation, but nothing work.
I think i send you what p3d create me about display and multichannel xml files.
If you can add me some parameter to add in order to test something because i tried to undock all view s in all monitors and nothing appear.

About display and adapter probably mistakes:
display is the number of assigned tv monitor etc (device)
adapter is the physical port of gpu card
in multichannel server dont detect the client gpu card i see
(need to lanch prepar in the client and see what generate in order to understand the correct display and adapter port?)

about shared aircrafts
client only cockpit view with camera viewe control
server virtual cockpit with instruments and FMC etc opened.
in the client the same setup of server passing but i dont want everytime go to client and lave the virtual cockpit the FMC etc, so how to setup only cockpit view in the client?

thanks,
Simone



DISPLAY.XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<SimBase.Document Type="ConfigurationFile" version="4,2">
<Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
<SimDisplay.ConfigurationSet>
<Configuration>
<Display>
<Name>NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660.0.0</Name>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>AMD Radeon HD 5800 Series.1.1</Name>
<DisplayID>2</DisplayID>
<AdapterIndex>3</AdapterIndex>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>AMD Radeon HD 5800 Series.1.4</Name>
<DisplayID>3</DisplayID>
<AdapterIndex>6</AdapterIndex>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>AMD Radeon HD 5800 Series.1.0</Name>
<DisplayID>4</DisplayID>
<AdapterIndex>2</AdapterIndex>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>AMD Radeon HD 5800 Series.1.2</Name>
<DisplayID>5</DisplayID>
<AdapterIndex>4</AdapterIndex>
</Display>
<Display>
<Name>AMD Radeon HD 5800 Series.1.3</Name>
<DisplayID>6</DisplayID>
<AdapterIndex>5</AdapterIndex>
</Display>
</Configuration>
</SimDisplay.ConfigurationSet>
</SimBase.Document>


MULTICHANNEL.XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<SimBase.Document Type="ConfigurationFile" version="4,2">
<Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
<Multichannel.ConfigurationSet>
<Configuration>
<ConfigurationName>2 Channel Cfg</ConfigurationName>
<Machine>
<MachineName>Host</MachineName>
<MachineID>1</MachineID>
</Machine>
<Machine>
<MachineName>Client1</MachineName>
<MachineID>2</MachineID>
</Machine>
<Machine>
<MachineName>Client2</MachineName>
<MachineID>3</MachineID>
</Machine>
</Configuration>
</Multichannel.ConfigurationSet>
</SimBase.Document>

Hi Beau,
I solved the arcane.
The problem was that I did not select the view groups in the menu below prepar3D.

I have now a new issue.

on the client PC where I'm sending the 3 camera views I have a stable and fixed 10 frame collapse (exactly 1/3 of the 30 blocked), if I remove the two side view cameras the fps back to 30.
Really strange because before the multichannell I used the surround of nvidia always with 3 view at 220 ° with the sync used by opus between the two PCs.
As if he cut me the fps in 3 by destroying it.

Simone

Again from Multichannel after some testing.

1. SMOOTH

the system is composed of one server pc I7 6700k R9 390 8gb in minimum settings and like some tutorials unlimited frames with no sync. the 2 client pc I7 7700k with R9 580 8gb, just tested and performed with TV at 30hz blocked at 30fps with vsync and TB with a perfectly smooth.

the host.cfg and client.cfg are set to enable sync at 30fps but there are stutters at the ground. If i block to 60fps to server i note client comes down to 15fps.

I think most depend on GPU load, probably the R9 390 on the server need to change with the same GPU card on the client?

2. AI TRAFFIC

I have activated the AI traffic with the same setup of the server and of the other client, but it seems it can not synchronize the same traffic and compare the green writing that the airplane XY is replaced with an IVAO plane. Also (I do not know if this is the problem causing stutter) with the activated traffic AI everything becomes unflyable and need to put the traffic slider to 0 have more smooth.

3. SYNC VISUAL VIEWS ON CLIENT

the procedure to start a multichannel from the server and after the client. Server start with some 3D virtual cockpit only views saved. On each client, I have 2 TV, front and lateral for each position captain and FO side (other client2). On startup client report only one view and the virtual cockpit views shared from the server. I need every time to go to each client go to mouse back and select the viewgroup name. There is a mode to start automatically just in position from server?
There is also a possibility to block open close views on each client if I open and close the instruments panels from server?


many thanks Simone

1) You should probably disable v-sync and any frame limiters on the server to keep it going as fast as possible.
2) Are you using any 3rd party plugins to drive traffic?
3) If your view groups and display configurations are set up properly, you should be able to select the view group on the server, and all clients with views in that group will switch to the group and open the views that are on that machine. The view group settings made on the server should also get synchronized to the clients. Even previewing viewgroup settings changes in the UI should applied to clients. The main view on the server will open up a view that approximates the whole group and allows you to control the group from the server by interacting with that window. Switching cameras, panning around, etc. Also, the viewgroup at the top of your view group list in the settings should get automatically applied at startup when in multichannel.

Thank you Beau for prompt reply.

I have all disable vsync and fps unlimited. I tested more than one configurations without VC, only cockpit with panel only also gain more than 1000fps but clients stutters. Probably is a LAN problem? i tested the ping and is perfectly an all clients with <1ms.

2) yes 3d pack woai free.

3) this is resolve i need to activate from server the viewgroup and not for each client.

another problem is to use VC cockpit of payware aircraft and if i open FMC the same is opened to all clients. I leave share aicraft in the host.cfg but nothing.

many thanks for the precious support.

Simone