Well, the question is, what is the ideal aspect ratio?
I would have assumed that one you're above maybe 3:1 there would be little point to continuing to go wider, but you guys have more experience than me, what do you think?
I take it the bezels are more noticeable in portrait mode setups? Unlike in landscape mode setups, the bezels aren't going to be only in your peripheral vision?
It's really a preference thing, and that is what I was trying to highlight here - all the options, with all the gives and takes.
3x1-L has the wides FOV, but you get the most "stretching at the edges". It has the fewest bezels, but physically the monitors are the smallest installation. It's also the cheapest.
3x1-P is basically a 16:9 ratio with a super high res and the bezels in the middle. Same expense as above, but no increase in FOV.
3x2 and 5x1-P are both a bit wider than normal widescreen (though not as wide as 3x1-L), but avoid a lot of the stretching of 3x1-L (and not all games stretch badly). They physically fill your vision, but you have more bezels.
Decisions, decisions, decisions... :doh
Yes reduced vertical but a lot more screen space between the bezels which could make it more attractive.
The left 4 dead 2 shots from the link show the game zoomed out when in single monitor and tripple head but zoomed in when using 3x2 and 5x1 creating almost the same vertical view no matter what setup is used. Is that just because of the way it was edited?
Exactly right on the spacing of the bezels, so it becomes a preference thing. And, the bezels are just one piece of the entire puzzle. The bezel width on a 22" to 24" monitor is about what it was on a 19" 4x3 monitor. I was used to that on my TH2Go, so this doesn't bother me.
The
FOV tool (which I used to grab the images) scales the image to the width of the tool, imitating the Hor+ behavior of L4D. That "zoom" is the actual increasing aspect ratio and FOV due to Eyefinity.
I used those samples for comparison shots as the "panels" in each image are roughly the same size. Was meant to show the balance between the FOV and the physical size.
Notice where the yellow pole is in each pic. That helps you compare the aspect ratio and FOV. The pole isn't even in the widescreen pic on top, and it's very near the center on the 3x1-L at the bottom (which has the widest aspect ratio) The positions are close on the 5x1-P and the 3x2. However, the cars are bigger on the 5x1-P and the 3x2 as those monitor setups are significantly larger. The car is rendered across far more pixels and screen inches.
I have simple question
Can you turn 3 top monitors in 180* (physically) and in drivers as well and then make any eyefinity group?
I am asking bcoz temporary I dont have ANY ati card and when I try make in in windows XP @ nvidia gpus/nview panel after when I turn view in drivers (any angle 90 or 180) I cant make extended monitors group.
if this will be possible will be great bcoz some monitors like mine (samsung 226BW) are wider at bottom and have also white stripe
No, with Eyefinity all the monitors have to be rotated all the same direction. I understand what you mean about putting the narrowest bezels in the middle, but that's a bit much for the driver to handle.