Simviation Forum - Cockpitware

May 12^th, 2007 at 11:15am

JSpahn Offline
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Hello Again,

Was wondering if anybody was using Cockpitware for the Nav and PFD? I went ahead and got the nav-data for it and it seems awesome. Cool thing over freefd is its still supported. I think in the near future they are coming out with a cdu & complete MCP(payware).

Setup is a bit more involved but both the nav an glass work really smooth. You can also output mcp functions to an IO card.

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Reply #1 - May 12^th, 2007 at 11:31am

JBaymore Offline
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masternerd,

I have seen that... and have it linked on the "Resources" stickies... but have not explored it. I think the thing that sort of stopped me at first was the sort of tight "tie in" to a hardware solution that I do not prefer to use (IOCards).

Maybe I have to give that software another "look see". It would remove the continuing tie to FreeFD and trying to get some stuff straightened out there to keep it running....like a current navdata file. Although some work on that front IS progressing slowly.

Thanks for "jogging my memory" in that direction.

best,

.....................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #2 - May 12^th, 2007 at 11:41am

JSpahn Offline
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I would imagine that you could avoid most of the io card integration(more for building a custom MCP). What impressed me the most was how smooth and how close it looks to PM's PFD/ND. Also if Im not wrong(still havent tested it out) it will display your flight path in the ND.

Not to beat a dead horse but the documentation is pretty kick butt too!

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Reply #3 - May 12^th, 2007 at 12:01pm

SilverFox441 Offline
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It looks like development is making it more open to other hardware.

I'll have to keep an eye on it, but for the moment I'm pegging my hopes on Gert and Flyware.

Steve (Silver Fox) Daly

&&

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Reply #4 - May 12^th, 2007 at 12:02pm

JBaymore Offline
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masternerd,

Well .... if in your first posting you mention downloading their navdata file... I would IMAGINE that it displays the "magenta line". Wink

Unless that navdata file is for the upcoming FMC...... and it won't display that line without using its' OWN FMC setup.

Very interesting memory jogging..... I'll have to play a bit. THANKS!

best,

.................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #5 - May 12^th, 2007 at 12:04pm

JBaymore Offline
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SilverFox441 wrote on May 12^th, 2007 at 12:01pm:

It looks like development is making it more open to other hardware.

I'll have to keep an eye on it, but for the moment I'm pegging my hopes on Gert and Flyware.

I LOVE the FSXpand stuff that I have been playing with. But my display will likely remain "mixed" sources. One thing that I don't like with FSXpand is the heavy tie to joystick buttons. I want simple key press access to stuff.

And at the moment.... the FreeFD ND has a LOT of functions enabled that my Hagstrom card can control.

best,

...................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #6 - May 12^th, 2007 at 12:26pm

JSpahn Offline
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I love fsxpand for the AP, and radio + the ability to build custom panels, which for me will work nice when I decide to fly props. But the PFD/ND seem to be lacking some. I also noticed the PFD/ND frame rates are a bit low on my pc's.

Im gonna use fsxpand along with this card:
http://www.lbodnar.dsl.pipex.com/joystick/index.html

For my AP/radio/rudder pedals, Im also gonna build a standby and the EICAS. But as far as the Nav/PFD its cockpitware or/freefd

What you are saying John is, correct me if Im wrong, a flight plan needs to be inputed from a custom FMC using cockpitware? And a generated flight plan in fs9 will not show up in the ND/PFD?

I have to play with it some more.

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Reply #7 - May 12^th, 2007 at 2:09pm

JBaymore Offline
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JSpahn wrote on May 12^th, 2007 at 12:26pm:

But the PFD/ND seem to be lacking some. I also noticed the PFD/ND frame rates are a bit low on my pc's.

masternerd,

Gert JUST started addressing us "metal cigar" flyers in the last release... so those are pretty much "beta" type gauges and a work in progress. FSXpand was dedicated almost totally to GA flying for a long time. Don't judge them too hard just yet. Wink

He acknowledges that they are in development... as is the WHOLE software package. Give him some time.

JSpahn wrote on May 12^th, 2007 at 12:26pm:

What you are saying John is, correct me if Im wrong, a flight plan needs to be inputed from a custom FMC using cockpitware? And a generated flight plan in fs9 will not show up in the ND/PFD?

I don't KNOW this for a fact... I was sort of asking the question myself. That is the case in most add on stand alone ND type gauges.......... they don't pick up the data from fs2004 directly. Plus if they DO, they are very limited as to the FS2004 navdata... that is outdated completely from the real world, and does not have the capability to add SIDS and STARS and such.

So if it picks it up automatically from fs2004 ....... that actually is NOT a good feature....... unless we can correct the default database... whcih I seem to remembner seeing something about in another thread somewhere.

With FreeFD you have to place an (old type) Squakbox flight plan into the FreeFD ND directory before you run the gauge for it to show the "magenta line". That is one big reason why I use Flight SIm Commander for serious flight planning.... it outputs the .sbp format across the network directly into the FreeFD directory for me.

Hope that clears up what I said.

Also... maybe BEWARE that controller for a lot of uses. I just rescanned the docs fast..... knew about it before.......

I THINK it ONLY allows momentary switches....... which severely limits the use in a pit... and destroys realism. It then acts just like a keyboard.

best,

.......................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #8 - May 12^th, 2007 at 2:48pm

JSpahn Offline
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Bear with me Im trying to figure this all out. Im getting a better picture of how this works thanks John. Now the nav data in FS is out dated right? There is a folder in FS9 FMCWP, but I do not see any data in there. Is this the default folder for Navdata in FS?

Cockpitware uses the PMDG navdata downloaded here: http://www2.navigraph.com/www/fmsdata.asp. If I loaded the navdata into the FMCWP folder in fs9 would this pull the updated info into FS?

Im gonna walk over to the cockpitware forum and ask some questions.

Ps Not slamming Gert at all what he did was amazing, it is what it is right now.

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Reply #9 - May 12^th, 2007 at 5:08pm

JBaymore Offline
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masternerd,

I just read the documentation for the latest Cockpitware PFD/ND combo Version 1.2. Focused on the ND for right now.

Looks VERY interesting.

There are some functions that I designed my simpit panels around in FreeFD that are not available in the Cockpitware ND implementation...... but there are more items implemented in Cockpitware that are NOT in FreeFD... and for some for which I already have the switches on the panels. (Like the EFIS panel on the glareshield having the L+R nav radio selects for the displays).

One thing that I LIKE a lot in the FreeFD ND is the TACAS on/off display. I find I really like having the situational awarenss that helps bring to me. For online flight I use AIBridge to get the info on multiplayer aircraft in there. That is not on the Cockpitwares one. Nor are there separate selectable NDB/VOR displays, nor the FREQ display for the navaids. The docs also do not show a TRK/HDG display select for cockpitwares either.

One thing that Cockpitware has that I think is very NICE is the ability to assign the Nav radios to the specific left and right needles. It also appears that there are some calculated display lines that the Cockpitwares one generates that FreeFD does not.

Do I want to "trade" nav display tools for TACAS? Hum....... not easy to decide. What I really want is BOTH. Wink

The Cockpitware version also has an expanded range selector for the display over the FreeFD one. But that will require rewiring the selector on my EFIS panel... since I used a six position rotary wafer switch....and for the new one it'd take a 8 position switch. BUT... I like that 5 mile range option! Not sure how useful that 640 nm range is really though.

The second autopilot option that is built in there but not yet implemented is interesting........ eventual autoland system?

I really, REALLY, REALLY
like the assignable key stroke commands in Cockpitwares!

So......... this is worth exploring.

best,

......................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #10 - May 12^th, 2007 at 5:09pm

JBaymore Offline
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JSpahn wrote on May 12^th, 2007 at 2:48pm:

Bear with me Im trying to figure this all out.

Aren't we ALL!

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #11 - May 12^th, 2007 at 8:31pm

JSpahn Offline
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The difference is I dont even know 1/4 of what you know! Undecided

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