Suggestions about Flight Sim setup please...

[mdavenport]

Hi,

I have moved my flight sim setup to the loft as its drives the wife mad when its left out so I normally have to pack it all away.

No I have a desk in the loft and can leave this out and am wondering how to make this even better.

At the moment I have the following:-

1. 27" Monitor
2. TrackIR 4
3. Saitek Yoke, Throttle and Pedals
4. Aerosoft 747 MCP
5. Ivibe TFS 3 - seat feedback system

What I would like to do and are after recommendations is get another smaller monitor (or use my ipad) to have all main flight controls shown, like EFIS, PFD etc. upper panel etc.. so I can have my main monitor as just "out of the window view".

1. Is this something that is recommended?
2. Is it possible to do this using an iPad?
3. Will this render my TrackIR redundant or do people still maintain them?
4. Would I be best keeping the Virtual Cockpit?

Also I am thinking of purchase a 128GB SSD to increase the experience. I currently have a Dell XPS 420 so its getting a bit old but can't afford to upgrade the whole computer (as I have just purchased an iMac for the office where my sim use to reside).

Any way I am after any suggestions you can give that allows me to get a more realstic feel from my setup (not worried about altering the software aspects as I am happy with the airports, scenery and aircraft I fly - PMDG747).

Look forward to your suggestions.

Thanks
Mark

[mdavenport]

Is there anything like this available for the PMDG747:-

http://bit-shift.com/icontroldcs/index.html

[mdavenport]

No suggestions from anyone yet. Surely you must have some great ideas that I can adopt??

Thanks in advance.
Mark

[curbz]

Hi Mark,

I recently purchased an Acer T231H 23inch touchscreen monitor as my 2nd monitor for FSX - it's fantastic and a great addition to my flightsim setup and experience. I have my non-touchscreen monitor (also 23inch) wall mounted on a swivel bracket directly above the touchscreen that is on my desk.

I have the non-touchscreen displaying the virtual cockpit but zoomed so it's pretty much just displaying the view outside the window but you can also see some of the MCP and window surround on all sides. The touchscreen I have displaying the 2D cockpit (i'm flying the iFly 737NG btw) with pretty much the whole captain's side of the cockpit upto and including the landing gear and the MCP controls as far right as the FOs course selector.

I then switch panels (via the touchscreen) as needed, bringing up the overhead panel, FMC etc as needed. I can't recommend the touchscreen enough - it feels far more realistic and engaging flicking switches on the overhead and buttons on the FMC etc. using the touchscreen than using the mouse. Obviously it can't compete with actual cockpit hardware but it's a good compromise for an investment of just £200 compared with the cost of multiple hardware units.

Regarding Track-IR... I have this too (+CH Yoke/Pedals) and also wondered how a 2nd monitor would affect my use of it. I still use it and wouldn't be without it for my monitor configuration i.e. vertically mounted. I still need that horizontal panning that Track-IR gives you.

I have a question for you Mark if you wouldn't mind.... it's actually how I came to find your post here! I'd like your opinion on the TFS3 - I'm seriously considering buying one but would like to know from someone who has one whether it's any good and worth the investment? FYI.. as mentioned I use the iFly 737NG addon and would like to know how you think the TFS3 would benefit the experience of flying jets e.g. where and when you feel the effects and how effective it is? Lat week I visited a fixed based 737 simulator at the Sywell Aerodrome, Northants, UK and really felt the experience was enhanced by the vibrations felt through the seat - hence my search for something for my setup at an affordable price.

Thanks!

[mdavenport]

Hi Mark,

I recently purchased an Acer T231H 23inch touchscreen monitor as my 2nd monitor for FSX - it's fantastic and a great addition to my flightsim setup and experience. I have my non-touchscreen monitor (also 23inch) wall mounted on a swivel bracket directly above the touchscreen that is on my desk.

I have the non-touchscreen displaying the virtual cockpit but zoomed so it's pretty much just displaying the view outside the window but you can also see some of the MCP and window surround on all sides. The touchscreen I have displaying the 2D cockpit (i'm flying the iFly 737NG btw) with pretty much the whole captain's side of the cockpit upto and including the landing gear and the MCP controls as far right as the FOs course selector.

I then switch panels (via the touchscreen) as needed, bringing up the overhead panel, FMC etc as needed. I can't recommend the touchscreen enough - it feels far more realistic and engaging flicking switches on the overhead and buttons on the FMC etc. using the touchscreen than using the mouse. Obviously it can't compete with actual cockpit hardware but it's a good compromise for an investment of just £200 compared with the cost of multiple hardware units.

Regarding Track-IR... I have this too (+CH Yoke/Pedals) and also wondered how a 2nd monitor would affect my use of it. I still use it and wouldn't be without it for my monitor configuration i.e. vertically mounted. I still need that horizontal panning that Track-IR gives you.

I have a question for you Mark if you wouldn't mind.... it's actually how I came to find your post here! I'd like your opinion on the TFS3 - I'm seriously considering buying one but would like to know from someone who has one whether it's any good and worth the investment? FYI.. as mentioned I use the iFly 737NG addon and would like to know how you think the TFS3 would benefit the experience of flying jets e.g. where and when you feel the effects and how effective it is? Lat week I visited a fixed based 737 simulator at the Sywell Aerodrome, Northants, UK and really felt the experience was enhanced by the vibrations felt through the seat - hence my search for something for my setup at an affordable price.

Thanks!

Hi,

Thanks for you comments about the touch screen. That an interesting idea. I would like to consider using my ipad as the touchscreen but am not sure how this is achieved. Any ideas? I've heard of people using Air Display that basically lets your ipad act as a second monitor (over IP)..

Funny you mention TFS3 and the 737 sim at Sywell as that is exaclty where I first experienced it and decided to purchase it... I used to have a Butt Kicker Gamer 2 but got a lot of "comments" from the wife about how noisey this was down stairs. When I felt the TFS3 I liked it as you could feel the landing gear, flaps and when hurteling down the runway you got a lot of feedback and that relaxed when you left the runway (just like the real thing).

The guys who supplies these (Craig) is extremely helpful but quite difficult to get hold of. When I purchased mine and connected it up it wasn't working as I expected and emailed Craig. He added me on Skype and called me that evening (very nice personal touch).

With regards to it being quiter than the BK2 I don't think it is but they are working on a version of the control panel to turn the whole intensity down, therefore reducing the noise. But I have subsequently moved my sim into the loft which has helped and this is the reason I am looking to extend me sim setup as now mess and space of flight sim kit isn't an issue.

I am glad that I purchased TFS3 but I do feel it has some development to go, i.e. when starting the engines on the 747 you don't get any feedback like you do in the real plane or from the BK2 but I am sure Craig willl find ways to do this.. You get a very personalised touch to this (when you can capture his attention) and he is very open to feedback and developing your requests.

Any chance you could post a photo of your setup?
Do you think an Ipad could give a similar setup of what you have described?

Regards

[curbz]

sure.. pic below. That is a funny coincidence about the sywell sim. Do you know if they use the TFS3 or using something else?

On your setup at home do you feel any feedback/sense of motion during flight e.g. turns, nose-up/down? and as the plane goes over joins in the concrete on taxiways - you know that bump that you feel in the real thing every few yards? - in FSX you hear the thump every few seconds as you make your way to the runway.

Regarding the iPad - I see there are a few apps out there that act as a second display - Air Display as you mention, Maxivista is another I've heard of but have no experience of using any of them. I also have an android tablet that I attempted to do the same with - I wanted to use the tablet as the FMC, but it was not possible to drag any FSX window onto the display for some reason - I don't know if this was FSX or the App that I was using. It was a bit sluggish too when I dragged calc onto the display. So I gave up with that idea and went for the dedicated monitor. It's great being able to access the whole of the overhead panel on one screen without having to scroll anything into view which you would need to on a tablet... it's probably ok for an FMC, or PFD and the like, but the flexibility of a 23inch monitor is great and much more like a real cockpit when the monitors are mounted vertically.

[mdavenport]

Hi curbz

The feedback system they have at sywell is the TFS3. That's how I came to know of it. I asked what he was using as he had just got it. I purchased solely on this basis.

I haven't used it for a few weeks but can't recall it thumping from bumps on the run way but when you apply power on the ground and head of down the runway the vibrations get quiet intense (although fully customisable). Then when you rotate there is a little less as the nose wheel leaves the ground and then it's goes a lot smoother as all wheels leave the ground but you still get feedback from the engines. As you life the gear you feel this with a couple of thuds.

Banking left or right give sensations on the left to right of the seat but I can't say it makes me feel as if we are banking motion in the plane but then I haven't used it that much.

There is something called audio sense built in that I believe works on sound feedback but I think this is more for when the intellisense doesn't support a particular game.

I don't think you would be disappointed but it may be worth you going back to sywell knowing that it's the same system you are considering. I went back for a second go in their sim before committing to the purchase.

Regards
Mark

[loki]

Check out the thread linked below regarding the use of an iPad.

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showth...m-your-tablet!

[curbz]

Thanks for the info Mark. Good suggestion to go back to sywell... unfortunately its quite a long way from where I live and last week I happened to be holidaying in the area. I think I will go ahead and order one as I was pretty impressed with it.

[mdavenport]

Any other suggestion for improvements to my sim from a hardware point of view?

What about a SSD drive? Does this improve the overall performance and FPS?

What about multiple monitors? Would you suggest 3 monitors for "looking out the window" or use other monitors for dials etc?