A few more questions before a potential purchase

[QuadFan]

Greetings,

TL;DR: I have some more questions about PSX before purchasing, after reading https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php/topic,7247.0.html too.

Longer story:
I'm at a crossroad in my simming 'career': I'm currently looking into purchasing PSX and concentrate my simming efforts on one platform instead of 3 or 4. Let me explain that a bit. I started my simming career briefly with X-Plane 9 and 10. Life got in the way so I wasn't very active until 2019, when I got into X-Plane 11. As I am a big 747 fan (greatest plane ever built IMHO    ), I got the SSG 747 for XP11, only to be disappointed frankly. I kept flying on XP11 with the Zibo B738 and the B733 from IXEG (which is a very nice plane), but I was still longing for a good 747. I bought P3Dv5 and the PMDG QOTS II package too.

That kept me in the air for quite a while, but P3Dv5 is an aging platform in the sense of no more (3rd party) development and horrible default visuals. MSFS2020 came along, so I got that too in the end, mainly because of the PMDG addons and availability of 3rd party scenery. The PMDG 747 will not come anytime soon though, which made me look further and finally land here :-)

To be frank, my intention from the start was to fly a good virtual 747 and nowadays I feel kind of stressed with the abundance of choice in simulators and aircraft. More often than not this leads to not flying at all... During all these years I based a lot of my choices on experiences of other simmers, which led to all the past choices (and the lack of PSX as a viable option unfortunately). I had great fun with XP11 and P3Dv5, but I would like to concentrate my simming towards the 747, preferably with all my hardware working too. I'll probably be combining PSX with MSFS2020 for the windscreen visuals for an optimum result.

In order to make an informed purchase I'm curious about the following:

1. If I want to use two PC's, do I need two licenses?
2. Are the Saitek rudder, yoke and throttle quadrant supported natively?
3. Do I need the NG FMC to be able to use an iPad for the FMC?
4. What is the quality of ILS alignment in PSX? (MSFS tends to be 'off' sometimes)
5. Would my CPFlight MCP737EL work with PSX?
6. What VATSIM client do people use with PSX while flying online?
7. What takes care of the right barometric pressure while being online with VATSIM?
8. For cockpit builders, where do you source your hardware from? I find it difficult to source 747 panels or modules.

Thank you for your time!

Henrik, based near EHHO 

[Hardy Heinlin]

Hi Henrik,

thank you for your interest.

1. One license allows you to run 4 networked copies (computers) at the same time in a home cockpit.
2. Saitek uses regular USB axes, so it should work. I haven't heard of any problems in the past years.
3. I think, the remote CDU control add-on for iPads works with any CDU in PSX. This has nothing to do with the NG FMC package. That package provides optional multicolor CDUs and the NG FMC software for the 744.
4. I don't want to brag, but I'd say the ILS in PSX is excellent.

I'll leave the other questions for the hardware and add-on experts ...


Regards,

|-|ardy

[Will]

Let me add that PSX and MSFS connect extremely well together. I was a skeptic of external (non-PSX) visuals for years, until Gary's MSFS.WASM made it basically effortless. There are already a number of threads up about how to connect the two. You can do whatever you want with them. You can have PSX running a hardware cockpit with MSFS visuals projected on a screen like in a Level D sim, or you can run them both on one computer and one monitor (which is all I do).

To your question about ILSs, the ILS alignment is excellent. If the real ILS brings you straight into the runway, then the ILS in PSX will do that. If the real ILS is offset by 2 degrees, then the ILS in PSX will do that also.

But for full transparency, it's worth noting that the scenery in MSFS lags the real world by a few years in some cases. PSX can be as up-to-date as you want to make it (with real-world nav data from Navigraph or another vendor), but the planet in MSFS seems to be a few years old. Thus it's possible that a real-world ILS in PSX will bring you right to the threshold of a runway in MSFS that isn't built yet. You can check this by looking at the runway map for your destination in MSFS before flying there. Also, I'm sure everyone who uses MSFS experiences the same thing, so I imagine VATSIM controllers won't be using an ILS for a runway that doesn't exist in the sim.

The world of third-party airports for MSFS addresses this issue to some degree, but I can't comment on that as I don't use any 3rd party airports myself.

PSX native visuals are always as up to date as the nav data you are using, so the problem I described above only happens when you use PSX to fly to a runway that isn't built (yet) in MSFS. Within PSX, things are always consistent.

[B747-400]

Hi Henrik,

answering #8 without knowing:

-   do you think about OEM HW or aftermarket?
-   would you prefer plug'n'play HW, or do you want to build / modify / connect by yourself?

is hard. But here are some hints:

OEM panels will be offered at sites like Plane Reclaimers, Planestation, Airline Pilot's Historical Society and others. Sometimes they pop up on ebay as well. Prices are from reasonable fair to inacceptable high!

When you think about aftermarket, one of the key players is Flightdeck Solutions. Others like Opencockpits and Hispapanels offer DIY kits and pre-assembled HW as well. It all depends on your budget, skills and level of realism you want to achieve.

In most cases, a mixture of above mentioned + lot of DIY + lot of time and effort lies ahead of you.

BR
Hans

[QuadFan]

Hi Henrik,

thank you for your interest.

1. One license allows you to run 4 networked copies (computers) at the same time in a home cockpit.
2. Saitek uses regular USB axes, so it should work. I haven't heard of any problems in the past years.
3. I think, the remote CDU control add-on for iPads works with any CDU in PSX. This has nothing to do with the NG FMC package. That package provides optional multicolor CDUs and the NG FMC software for the 744.
4. I don't want to brag, but I'd say the ILS in PSX is excellent.

I'll leave the other questions for the hardware and add-on experts ...


Regards,

|-|ardy

Hardy, thank you for the answers. Much appreciated!

Looking at a lot of YouTube videos, so far I like what I see 

One more question, what is the current limit of other traffic in the simulator when injected with RealTraffic or VATSIM?

[QuadFan]

Let me add that PSX and MSFS connect extremely well together.

That's good to know, thanks! I suspect I'll be using MSFS for the external visuals. Might also be XP12, as I have both. I guess the ease of setting up the interconnection dictates the end result. I read about frame issues with XP earlier.
 

To your question about ILSs, the ILS alignment is excellent. If the real ILS brings you straight into the runway, then the ILS in PSX will do that. If the real ILS is offset by 2 degrees, then the ILS in PSX will do that also.

Good to know too 

PSX native visuals are always as up to date as the nav data you are using, so the problem I described above only happens when you use PSX to fly to a runway that isn't built (yet) in MSFS. Within PSX, things are always consistent.

I'll be using my Navigraph subscription, so navdata will be updated consistently.

Thanks for the insight!

[QuadFan]

answering #8 without knowing:

-   do you think about OEM HW or aftermarket?
-   would you prefer plug'n'play HW, or do you want to build / modify / connect by yourself?

is hard. But here are some hints:

Good question, Hans. I was looking at aftermarket modules like the CPFlight MCP. I met them at FSWeekend 2019, unfortunately they no longer sell the 747 MCP. I guess my aim is to build some hardware myself; any pointers to what software is mostly used for interfacing is greatly appreciated.

It'll be on a budget as long as the lottery is not helping 
I don't mind programming or scripting a bit here and there, but I'm not a diehard programmer.

[B747-400]

Yeah, it's a pity. FDS did also stop selling their MCP for "the foreseeable future" as they say.

I interfaced all my HW (OEM and FDS aftermarket) with the SimStack boards from Simulator Solutions! A really versatile and clever solution! Have a look at their website.

Here are some pics of my project and SimStack etc.  ...  still a WIP, and always will be ...   

[QuadFan]

I interfaced all my HW (OEM and FDS aftermarket) with the SimStack boards from Simulator Solutions! A really versatile and clever solution! Have a look at their website.

I'll have a look!

Here are some pics of my project and SimStack etc.  ...  still a WIP, and always will be ...   

That's looking _very_ good! I hope I'll ever get to build something like that, you must be enjoying it a lot! 

[Hardy Heinlin]

... what is the current limit of other traffic in the simulator when injected with RealTraffic or VATSIM?

The TCAS simulation in PSX handles up to 7 intruders at the same time.

[Gary Oliver]

PSX.NET.vPilot will inject TCAS targets from VATSIM

[B747-400]

That's looking _very_ good! I hope I'll ever get to build something like that, you must be enjoying it a lot! 

Thx! I had the same thoughts a long time ago. Good luck and stay focussed!

Enjoying? Yesss! Especially when my son comes over up and we fly together! 

[macroflight]

6. What VATSIM client do people use with PSX while flying online?
7. What takes care of the right barometric pressure while being online with VATSIM?

6: Use vPilot, running on the MSFS computer. It will inject as many VATSIM planes into the MSFS visuals as its settings allow.
7: It just works, VATSIM ATC and other aircraft will see your PSX plane at the correct altitude. If you install PSX.NET.vPilot you will also see the 7 closest VATSIM planes in the PSX TCAS display.

Other cool addons:
- PSX.NET.GateFinder - position your PSX aircraft at any gate instantly.
- Simfest Dispatch and BACARS - simple web portal for flight planning (Simbrief) + ACARS client that can download the flight plan + weather into PSX (needs NG FMC for enroute wind import, I think, but the other parts will probably work without NG FMC). ATIS, METAR, PDC, etc. through the PSX CDU.

[QuadFan]

Thank you all for the answers and insight! I'm taking notes, so I can hit the ground running

Great to see that the forum is very much alive too!

[Ton van Bochove]

Might also be XP12

Henrik, XP11 works very well as scenery generator but XP12 does not work with View

[QuadFan]

Henrik, XP11 works very well as scenery generator but XP12 does not work with View

Thank you Ton, I was leaning towards MSFS for visuals. Good thing I haven't deleted my XP11 install though (with all the orthos and Orbx TE)

[QuadFan]

An additional question, is it possible to network PSX between different OS'es? Like Windows 11 and macOS? I'm guessing yes, because 'Java'. But would be good to know. My trusty MacBook Air would make a great instructor station

edit:
Just found the answer, it's portable indeed. Another 'pro' bullet on the list

[Swiso]

Thank you Ton, I was leaning towards MSFS for visuals. Good thing I haven't deleted my XP11 install though (with all the orthos and Orbx TE)

In regard to XP12, take a look here:
https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php/topic,6907.0.html

[QuadFan]

In regard to XP12, take a look here:
https://aerowinx.com/board/index.php/topic,6907.0.html

That is looking promising too! I'll follow the development for sure. It's nice that my previous investments are not becoming obsolete in the future 

[QuadFan]

I would like to thank everyone for their insight and feedback, I just purchased my copy of PSX! 

Currently diving into the rabbit hole of setting things up with help from the manual