screen cap / magnifier software

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:44 am

Really cool setup. I wonder what my wife would say if something like this was presented in the living room when she gets home from work! LOL:P

Sinbad · Post by **Sinbad** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:18 pm

Lol. Do you think you could quickly clear it all away when you heard her keys in the front door!

nebogloee · Post by **nebogloee** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:26 pm

what screen mag software you use in this setup? I cannot get xp to fork a second magnifier process - neither with fatbits.
thanks.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:25 am

Originally posted by MCCON
Lol. Do you think you could quickly clear it all away when you heard her keys in the front door!

ROFL....MCCon...you must have someone who does not like you playing with your toys.......you can have them but no touching........

:P:P:P:P

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:11 am

Originally posted by MCCON
Lol. Do you think you could quickly clear it all away when you heard her keys in the front door!

ROFL! No, she would probably clear ME away instead!

MindYerBeak · Post by **MindYerBeak** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:11 am

I'm getting there slowly, starting with this:

[Edited on 10-20-2010 by MindYerBeak]

MindYerBeak · Post by **MindYerBeak** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:18 am

And this:

Can't afford a proper telly.

Hopsalot · Post by **Hopsalot** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:04 am

Originally posted by nebogloee
But what software are you using for the mfd capture (something like mfd exporter from falcongauges)??
thanks,
Neboglory

I am using a screen capture program called The Magnifier.
http://www.imgpresents.com/magnify/mag.htm
The same program handles all instances, just keep launching. (It is easier to manually edit the config file for fine positioning.)
I have also been playing with the new text file that Vice has added to Mercenary and have some new ideas for the left and right MFD's. I will post new pictures soon. (After we get the panels re-assembled). While the system is down we are doing a couple of re-works.

terrorbyt3 · Post by **terrorbyt3** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:27 pm

My god, that is amazing. It makes my cockpit look childish and amateurish in comparison. But I did have certain requirements for a cockpit that would not be fulfilled in your design.

Here is what I have built so far for my cockpit. There's a link to my build blog on the right of the gallery.

terrorbyt3 · Post by **terrorbyt3** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:42 pm

Yeah, mechs are a second love of mine, after space sims. One of these days I'll get around to trying out that mechwarrior total conversion of crysis.

Hopsalot · Post by **Hopsalot** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 5:36 am

I recently did a couple of minor updates to this home pit. The earlier photos used 3 video captures and a firm key menu system. We switched the home brew MFDâ€™s out for the Thrustmaster Cougar MFDâ€™s and moved all soft keys to be directly on the monitor. (No more LEDâ€™s).

With the new text file that Vice has included in Mercenary, it is possible to customize a home pit a little bit more. These photos show a single video capture for the 3D radar (as before), but the MFDâ€™s are now implemented using the text file. More details are available in the â€œSaving in-game data to a text fileâ€� thread under â€œMercenaryâ€�. The displays are live and show shield, engine or nav damage to your ship or the target ship. This system also has the advantage of showing location and inventory without F1 or F3 screens.

Pit builders that want more of a Star Trek LCARS look and feel could use the same method, but with a large touch-screen (22â€�). This would then become very much like the helm panel in STNG.

There is still an alternate configuration file that uses the same 3 video captures as shown in the previous picture set.

Pyroka · Post by **Pyroka** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 6:03 am

I can only come up with one word for what I think about your setup: WANT.....

Of course, I have no place to put it, unless I get rid of the bed and sleep in the seat, which doesn't sound like a bad trade off TBH.

One question: Does it have an eject? It seems to have everything else a pilot could want.

[Edited on 11-16-2010 by Pyroka]

Hopsalot · Post by **Hopsalot** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:05 am

Originally posted by Pyroka

One question: Does it have an eject? It seems to have everything else a pilot could want.

[Edited on 11-16-2010 by Pyroka]

Thanks.

No Eject, but it does have landing gear (casters).

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 11:09 am

No cup holder?

Hopsalot · Post by **Hopsalot** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:54 am

Originally posted by Eclipse
Nice work Hopsalot, what displays did you mount the MFDs to?

Thanks!

All 3 displays are Ikan 8" touchscreens. The center one is not covered by panels. I mounted the MFD's to the panel and then have a wide angle bracket that runs across behind the panels that the monitor stands are mounted to.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:33 pm

Nice work indeed. That's a nice looking rig!

I like the MFD setup with the displays.

I'm planning on integrating mine into the front panel of my cockpit and adding live displays to them as you've done.

Seeing your rig really drives home the need for a paint job on mine.

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Sat Dec 25, 2010 8:04 am

Unbelievable!

What did you use as F!6 ICM (integrated control panel), looks really amazing!

And I like f16 like gear lever and buttons as well...

Thank you for sharing it, I am drooling right now!

My friends will like it, would you give me permission to share it Hopsalot?

[Edited on 12-25-2010 by warsign]

Skiiwa · Post by **Skiiwa** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:51 am

Looked up the 8" Screens{$165} and the Cougar MFD{$55). All on Amazon. I really REALLY want to set up a cockpit like U have but the software is the issue. Are U still useing Magnifier? Or did U code your own program to use Vice's new text file stuff to comunicate with your MFD's? I Love how FSX lets me just drag and drop on a second monitor, was kinda hoping Vice would make it so, OR there would be a program that would make it almost as simple:)P

Im not a complete tard but I DOn't like screwing with Vices files cause I dont want to pork my install. I Also want my MFD to work in IL2, FSX, TestDrive Unlimited 2 and 1, SH4, Etc:)

Love this game Vice...Wish it worked with My Saitek Panels too, but then Noting else works with them:(

Edit: Holy Cow! Ive been a member since 2005!

[Edited on 1-20-2011 by Skiiwa]

Hopsalot · Post by **Hopsalot** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 8:01 am

From post: 100461, Topic: tid=4153, author=Skiiwa wrote:Are U still useing Magnifier? Or did U code your own program to use Vice's new text file stuff to comunicate with your MFD's?

I DOn't like screwing with Vices files cause I dont want to pork my install. I Also want my MFD to work in IL2, FSX, TestDrive Unlimited 2 and 1, SH4, Etc:)

[Edited on 1-20-2011 by Skiiwa]

I am still using the magnifier for the center display in Evochron. The 2 side displays are currently being run by a system monitor program called "Samurize". I created a text file with the command choices for the menu buttons. Samurize lets you call a text file and use line x-y for a text source, or line x for a meter source for graphs. I use Vices save game data file as the text source to drive those graph / text inputs. (No critical files are altered). For a more detailed description see the "Saving in game data to a text file" thread.

With this set-up you can still use 3 instances of "The Magnifier" mixed with a "Samurize" config that has the menu listings only. (Hello Falcon, FSX, Etc.) (Pretty much works with anything).

Hopsalot · Post by **Hopsalot** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 8:16 am

From post: 98500, Topic: tid=4153, author=warsign wrote:Unbelievable!

What did you use as F!6 ICM (integrated control panel), looks really amazing!

And I like f16 like gear lever and buttons as well...

[Edited on 12-25-2010 by warsign]

The ICP and landing gear panel are from a place that I believe is now out of business. They are really just plexiglass cut to shape and screened with black paint to leave the lettering clear. Translucent white tape completes the illusion and allows for backlighting. I believe several places on the web sell similar panel sets. I am also lucky enough to know someone who is very good with plexiglass (and has the right tools) to cut custom panels. Some of their handiwork appears in some of the photos above.

The switches and knobs can be easily adapted to USB with some very reasonably priced boards from:

http://www.desktopaviator.com

OVERDHILL · Post by **OVERDHILL** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:20 pm

Are you using TrackIR with this setup? If so how does the Magnifier program keep displaying the center display in Evochron if it keeps moving around with your head movements?

I like your setup and having a dedicated pit of my own with a second monitor I would love to have the center displayed on it.

Thanks