Ideal PC today

Hi all,

I'm a newbie here and just getting started with X-sim etc. I've been building static sims for years, so this is a big and logical step up.

Anyhow, I'd like to do a regular 2DOF setup with the SCN5 actuators on the seat using X-Sim2 and the regular games (GTR, rfactor etc). I plan on using a Radeon card to control 3 monitors.
Aside from the racing games, I also plan on using X-Plane.

However I'd like to do it all on one PC only. Looking at the market right now, there are many options around, iCore3, iCore5, iCore7. The obvious and expensive choice is an iCore7, but even there many options are around (clockspeed, CPU, RAM etc).

So what's everybody's take on the ideal PC to buy today?

PS: Apologies if this has been asked before, but I didn't find any specs anywhere and also figured this data is somewhat transient.

There are no doubt better options but my system runs everything that available with reliable frame rates.

Im using an i7 920 with 12G of ram, a P6X58D mobo, X-Fi Titanium sound card, ATI 5970 video card in Eye Infinity via 3X27 Samsung Lcd panels. My PSU has just died so Ive ordered a Corsair AX750W which will do the job comfortably. Im currently using a 550W PSU while I wait and its running my system perfectly on standard clock speeds etc.

I use X-Sim to control my SimXperience Motion Base, Rev burner (Tacometer) and GI Max and it does a fantastic job. I have recently experienced a problem with X-Sim controlling my Buttkicker but other than that its awesome.

To memory my system cost me about $1500AU and it would be even cheaper now. The 6970 would be a nice alternative too, its cheaper than my card and almost as fast.

X-Plane has some significant resurce requirements and renders each screen individually. Don't skimp on the graphics card if you intent to do triple screen!

As for X-Sim in a single PC config, any quad-core PC will be sufficient and 4gb or RAM is what I would recommend as a minimum.

Thanks guys, this gives me some valuable pointers.

I was particularly concerned about what CPU to get: Therein seems to lie the biggest price difference.

On a related note: I read somewhere on this site, that for games at least 3 years old it would be better to have two separate PCs. Why is that and is that true? If so, what games wouldn't work with just one machine? Looking at the list of supported games, most stuff is at least 3 years old by now.

How much performance is lost in sending the data through the localhost adapter on the local PC rather than moving the data from the Sender to the Profiler via an MMF or API? It would seem that the single PC configuration could gain some performance in that regard?

Also, I never feel the breaks you are mentioning. I will have to spend some time logging this.

The expensive embedded solution intrigues me. I'd like to read up on what's involved in creating a dedicated box to offload some of the tasks from the PC. I have read the really great articles that were stickied in bvillersjr's post (resources-for-building-an-scn5-based-simulator-t1919.html), but haven't found details about how one might make the embedded box. Can anyone post information or point me in the right direction?

DUPE

Before you go down the path of an embedded system with closed loop actuator controllers, you might consider reaching out to the many Frex users who have abandoned this concept in favor of X-Sim due to improved performance and reliability. If you had an open loop system, it would be different story.

Back to the question of which CPU, you might look at the new SandyBridge CPUs out from Intel this month. 300.00 as as fast as the I7 exteme units. MaximumPC has a nice review of them this month. The Core i7-2600k (300.00 sandybridge) is faster in 3Dmark Vantage than the i7-975 Extreme edition, and about 700.00 cheaper. (depending on where you purchase it)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

I only want to point out that i tested x-sim with a single config and a dual config many times.

Situation now:
Game pc:
i7 920, 4gb Ram, GTX 270(will be upgraded, runs great though), Asus MOBO.
Profiler pc:
Core2duo 2.4, 2gb XMS Ram, GTS8800, Asus MOBO.
Both running Win7 premium.

Result was that the single pc config was unreliable, unstable, especially when you have many hardware, and with a single pc you do not have the extra screen for monitoring and easy editing the profiler. With the dual pc config the motion was smoother and much better. However i also had a netbook running the profiler in the past, but the difference with this setup is noticeable.
Just sharing my experience, no offense but i think running x-sim with dual pc's is better ;-)
Back to topic, a i7 with a 3 gb/sec mobo, ssd, at least 4gb of ram and for triple screens at least a 5870 card will be a very good and fast pc. I had the opportunity to build a pc with such a config for a friends sim. it was about 1700 euro's and is blistering fast. However its always smart to wait till the next intell processors are available, however you will always be in the chase as manufactures will produce faster and better products...

Regards,

Rob

Out of curiosity, what other hardware are you running? Perhaps that is part of the stability issue or maybe all of the extra math axis to support the other hardware causes the profiler to consume more CPU?

I run a single Alienware Core i7 with 4gb of RAM, Eyefinity with 3 46 screens and a fourth monitor (22 touchscreen) all without any glitches or performance issues. I've tried for months at a time with the 'Isolate to First Processor Core' option both on and off and it's always stable. It helps that the SCN5's are closed loop and I only run three axis. X-Sim isn't really doing much other than calculating the math lines and unless you are using one of those crazy motion profiles with a copy and combine after every line, it doesn't take alot of CPU to calculate faster than the SCN5's can accept the data.

To SirNoNames earlier point about the game throttling itself between 1ms and 10ms, I don't understand how it makes any difference if you are on one PC or two. If the game reduces its performance to 10ms, then the sender gets the data at a 10ms delay regardless of where the profiler is.

I would like to learn more about what people are doing differently that results in this issue since I've never experienced it. Would you be willing to share one of your typical motion profiles and export your X-Sim registry entries?

@bvillersjr Thanks for posting that info, along with your opinion about the embedded communications box. I think I'll stick with a single PC for my first attempt at an x-sim build. I'm glad you like the Alienware system -- I was thinking that going that route, instead of building my own PC, is the right way to go for now.

Thanks for that comment, that sounds like the way to go.

Does it matter whether I pick 32 or 64 bit version of Windows 7?

BTW: I'd like to stick to a one machine configuration because it easier to get going. I'm not a fan of booting up a bunch of machines for a spin around the block. K.I.S.S.

Splendiddd has a remarkable setup (I love the triple projection), but I think the fans are overkill (and probably detract from the CPU power) and not terribly realistic: Once you close your visor, you don't feel any air coming at you.

Sure you do. At speed, it can be turbulent enough to jar your head around and make your eyes go buggy.

Thanks, but the fans are more of a fun factor then a realisic one. And i don't use a helmet :lol:

And they do not cost a lot of cpu power, in fact the profile is just one axis with one gforce
math.

@Bernard, yes i sometime use those crazy profiles with copy combine from Nima. However i think you can as you mentioned use one pc, only my experiences are not that great...

Regards,

Rob

You feel the buffeting and the forces working on your helmet, yes. But you don't feel air streaming onto your face as these small fans generate.

I understand where splendiddd is coming from, I've been down that path before. Then comparing it to the real deal I realized that focus on a few key elements is more important for the immersion. The G forces acting on the driver is what sets these sims apart from the rest.

You would be very surprised how much airflow these small fans can generate...

If the direction, dispersion, and strength of the airflow is set up properly to match a real life cockpit, they can be just as realistic as any other effect in a simulator.

Of course if you drive a closed rally car, and you have the fans set up like you are driving an open wheeler, it will be unrealistic.. but the same thing applies to any motion profile and G-Forces too.


Anyways, back to topic!

I think the entire point is misunderstood. Everything about a simulator is scaled. We cant create the full g-forces of an actual vehicle, nor can we create the turbulent air in the face of an F1 driver, but we can create the initial cues that result in an immersive and realistic experience. The same concept applies to air movement. You can't create the full force, but you can create the initial cue accurately and properly scale the remainder.

I think its a great idea. One of the major things missing from simulation is a sense of speed. This results in people being braver than they would be in real life and driving right off the track. The fan can give an accurate initial cue as welll as a properly scaled sustained sense of speed.

Back on topic:

Does it matter whether a 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows 7 is being installed?

This PC will only run the racing games and x-sim, no MS Office etc. Just a browser for downloads/updates.

I think it's safe to say that there will be 64-bit games and also that there is some value in having the OS be able to properly address more than 4gb or RAM. If your building a PC, why install it as 32-bit only to have to reinstalll everything later to be able to run the first 64-bit only game?