Thrustmaster cougar mfd- display Solutions

[Yan2411]

Hey guys, i thinking to purchase an cougar mfd panels. the plan is to attach the panels to some display.
the thing is that the simulator installed on a laptop and i have only one HDMI output, i prefer to dedicate the output for the panels. its possible to split the laptop monitor and the HDMI right?
The second thing, that is short in space, so even a 15 inch monitor its to big… i seeking for advise…which
solution can you recommend for me? which product i need? ( i want to attach the panels to the same display)
hope that i was clear… my English is not the best

thanks

[AV8R]

All you need are USB 8" LCD displays and put the TM Cougar MFD panels on top of them. You dont need a dedicated graphics card DVI or HDMI ports and cables. USB displays are driven by DisplayLink driver you can download for free.

Below is my rig, BMS on a large screen and MFDs with USB monitors below

8" display:
https://www.amazon.com/Lilliput-Um-80-Monitor-non-touch-Screen/dp/B003LS95SG

[Stevie]

If you buy raw LCD panels, 4:3 ratio 7 inch ones fit behind the TM bezels almost like they were made for them. You can also use USB to VGA adapters to solve the issue with lack of connectivity - use USB 3.0 ones for the best result.

This is the hardware I’m using for my own cockpit build, but it’s also just fine for any desktop setup.

[Yan2411]

Thanks for the answer… about the USB display. how it influenc the CPU and theperformance of the laptop in general?
you have a sweet rig :)) were you get the ICP?

[Icarus]

I’m with AV8R. 8" LCD screens. The 7" ones are slightly too small for my liking.

[Stevie]

@Yan2411:

Thanks for the answer… about the USB display. how it influenc the CPU and theperformance of the laptop in general?
you have a sweet rig :)) were you get the ICP?

Shouldn’t influence it at all, seeing as each adapter contains it’s own GPU and data is data…I have Mike’s ICP kit, but if you were to use a touch screen in the center you could extract the ICP (just like the MFDs) and display it there, and then use the touch screen. I think you’d also need a USB connect for the touch panel? I’ve never used one…but I may need (want) to for my CNC machine.

[Stevie]

@Icarus:

I’m with AV8R. 8" LCD screens. The 7" ones are slightly too small for my liking.

Actually, if you want to use the over slop a 10" one might be just the ticket…but use a wide one, not a 4:3 ratio.

[AV8R]

Yan said he had limited desk space, which is why smaller is better. Otherwise he could use his HDMI port and connect to a single LCD monitor and double sided tape the MFDs to the monitor’s display glass. Alot of the Helios guys like Ice use the mfds on a larger secondary monitor plus other extracted cockpit gauges.

I used to use Helios on a mini usb 7" touch panel monitor for a software ICP, until i built my own hardware ICP. The problem was getting the touch panel to work without messing up the cursor focus on the main monitor.

Left is a 3D plastic printed ICP and the right is one I built from real parts

I did this USB mini-display behind MFD things long ago (one of the first I guess) before 8" ones were available, so I use 7" Mimo usb displays and they are almost perfect. Theres only a 1/4" smaller vertically than the MFD inner hole, so not much size is lost not having a 8" set. On the other hand, they are smaller in size on the desk and under my desk 4K HDTV, as you can see in the picture, which means they dont block the main screen graphics. The other advantage of these desk top mini monitors, is they come already angled back on their own stand. I use velcro to attach the MFDs to the monitor frames.

As for frame rate or cpu hit, i use 3 of these monitors with no impact on a 3 year old 3.8-4.2ghz turbo Intel cpu. I use 18-20 usb devices on a strong MB Asus Z-87. Plus im driving a 4k hdtv on a gtx 770 and still i can run BMS fill glory except i have blur and hdr down low.

Used to use MDFE for the mfd extracted data, but now just use the integrated data extraction within BMS. Low to no frame hit on a system such as mine. But for a laptop, it better be a newer one designed for gaming and has a Nvidia or AMD gpu, and not an integrated Intel spreadsheet gpu.

My rig

[Icarus]

@Stevie:

Actually, if you want to use the over slop a 10" one might be just the ticket…but use a wide one, not a 4:3 ratio.

Don’t use the extra, the excess is covered behind my panel.

[Stevie]

@Icarus:

Don’t use the extra, the excess is covered behind my panel.

…but you could still make a hole in the panel to let the RWR and/or TWP show through. Which wouldn’t be a bad way to go…and you’d still have about the same size panel.

[Icarus]

@Stevie:

…but you could still make a hole in the panel to let the RWR and/or TWP show through. Which wouldn’t be a bad way to go…and you’d still have about the same size panel.

Thats what I use my 7" monitors for.

[Stevie]

@Icarus:

Thats what I use my 7" monitors for.

Copy.

[Yan2411]

Hey guys. thank you all for your advises… about my laptop. i am using a Dell budget gaming laptop. I7 cpu and gtx 960m
About the monitors. that is an a cool idea… because the space limit its can work perfect. and i can save the HDMI output to a future main display monitor. about the usb monitors, they are a bit expensive…
the lilliput and the mimo… do you know about other brands … that maybe cheaper? that made this kind of monitors ?

thanks

[Arty]

If u r on a laptop and no other PC available then you must go for the USB monitors.
Laptops have mostly one monitor port.

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[AV8R]

You could look for used mini monitors on Fleabay. Alternatively, you could go the DIY method Stevie mentioned, it might be cheaper but more effort.

Yan, your laptop should be fine. Maybe have to turn down some graphics detail levels. I can run BMS on a first gen MS Surface Pro even with its integrated Intel gpu and old drivers.

[CobaltUK]

I think you need at least 12" monitor but does your laptop allow 2 separate displays at same time ? Side by side mfd`s and some extra information above/below maybe.

Eyoyo 12" Inch TFT LCD Monitor with AV HDMI BNC VGA Input 1366x768 $93
VGA can be obtained from a usb-vga adaptor I believe.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01KJVERF8/ref=sr_1_4_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1506706668&sr=8-4&keywords=small+monitor+hdmi&condition=used

I did use a 15" 4:3 ratio screen long ago. Unsure about 12" though a widescreen ratio would surely be big enough.

[Yan2411]

The solution with the VGA adapter sims to me like a not bad idea… its much more cheaper from the Mimo and the lilliput monitors…
i thinking to buy tow 7 inch monitors:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD-7-Ultra-Thin-TFT-LCD-Color-Car-Rearview-Monitor-Audio-Video-HDMI-VGA-Input-/272026363930?hash=item3f5608e81a:g:OfgAAOSw9mFWLEp2

and tow USB to VGA adapter
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-3-0-to-VGA-External-Graphic-Card-Video-Converter-Adapter-for-Win7-8-10-1080P-/201956014767?hash=item2f05843aaf:g:dpoAAOSwIjJZP7YB

what do think? its can work? i will be able to split the monitors with the MFD`s

[Jetlag]

@Yan2411:

The solution with the VGA adapter sims to me like a not bad idea… its much more cheaper from the Mimo and the lilliput monitors…
i thinking to buy tow 7 inch monitors:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD-7-Ultra-Thin-TFT-LCD-Color-Car-Rearview-Monitor-Audio-Video-HDMI-VGA-Input-/272026363930?hash=item3f5608e81a:g:OfgAAOSw9mFWLEp2

and tow USB to VGA adapter
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-3-0-to-VGA-External-Graphic-Card-Video-Converter-Adapter-for-Win7-8-10-1080P-/201956014767?hash=item2f05843aaf:g:dpoAAOSwIjJZP7YB

what do think? its can work? i will be able to split the monitors with the MFD`s

I use this type of 7 inch monitor:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VGA-LCD-controller-board-with-7inch-CLAA070MA0ACW-800x600-lcd-panel/261459858800?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

As it fits exactly behind the support struts of the Cougar MFD when struts are fixed between MFD front panel and base

The adapters should be OK but I would check out ones on Amazon first instead of eBay and see what reviews people have been leaving. Sometimes the VGA adaptors do not work well depending I think on the drivers for the adapter. Having said that, the adapters are not too expensive so the alternative is to buy them and see how well they work

[Stevie]

I use these 7" LCDs -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-AV-Lcd-controller-board-VS-TY5060-V1-7inch-800x600-A070SN01-Lcd-panel-/360725334398?hash=item53fce7c97e

Yes - any 7" 4:3 ratio LCD panel will fit between the screw hole pattern on the TM MFD bezel, however - be careful about which LCD/controller board combination you select…if you select one with the VGA connector soldered onto the board it will limit the way you can install things in your setup . Note the one I’m using has the VGA connector on a cable. Much more freedom in how you can work with it for setup (and that this is how/why I now have two sets of 7" LCD sets in my stash…).

And I use these USB 3.0 to VGA adapters -

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-External-Monitor-Adapter-USB32VGAPRO/dp/B00HNX1GDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506801098&sr=8-1&keywords=startech+USB32VGAPRO

I like the StarTechs because: 1) they work for both PC and Mac; 2) range of resolutions possible; 3) the size of them (about the size of a mouse); 4) nice flat bottom surface for sticking Velcro onto.

I have two of these adapters in use right now (I may have three in my parts stash) but I’ll be needing another one to do my HUD with. I also have a bunch of spare LCD panels including a 10" one to make a CPD with just because of how I ended up collecting parts, so I’ll probably end up with a small pile of these. As it turns out a 7" 4:3 ratio panel will also fit inside a 1:1 scale HUD block ( I have one of Kukki’s), so I’ll probably be using one of my “mistake buy” 7" panels to make a working HUD.

[AV8R]

There’s plenty of 7”’and 8” USB LCD displays for under $80 at fleabay. Thats what i paid for mine ($50-75)