Hello,I am a flight sim pilot only. I have been flying sim A/C for about 2 years and have accumulated a lot of payware and some equipment in this hobby. I am using a 5 module GOFLIGHT setup, a TRACKIR2 and CH Yoke and Pedals. Recently I added a second display to my computer and thought that I had found the end of my quest for a really great sim flying experience (undocked use of gauges). I have had my share of support issues with some providers and some really good experiences also.By a quirk of fate, while surfing the web, I came upon the Project Magenta site. I did a lot of reading and decided to invest in their GA console addon. After a trial period, I bought it and installed it on my Dell 8200 on a second display. The experience was really captivating. I was no longer a slave to the panels on the sim I was flying and could really fly ILS and use my TRACKIR2 to slew the VC. WHAT A DIFFERENCE.I then decided to add the BOEING set of tools - A CDU, MCP and Glass Cockpit for sims of the BOEING ilk like 737-400, 747 , etc. I came to realize that I needed to add a second computer to the sim (to drive one or more of the Project Magenta modules) so I dredged up an old HP Vectra 5 and set up the expanded sim, interfaced through my Linksys Access point. I obtained the necessary WIDEFS program (already had FSUIPC) and read the manuals. THE RESULT IS BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS. The flying experience with almost any BOEING A/C seems almost real to me. The Project Magenta modules are now deployed on 2 additional screens and the FS2004 sim runs on the "server". One display is the Glass Cockpit and the slave is running the CDU and MCP. The server runs the FS2004 main screen. What is amazing, is that I now can look for great flight models and no longer care about cockpit eyecandy.With this out of the way, my post is really dedicated to the Project Magenta organization. Yes the products are quite dear in cost. They are also EXCELLENT in performance and deliver what they promise. The level of integration is superb. The support from Enrico Shiratti is almost surreal. He answers all of my support questions quickly, with a great deal of helping suggestions, respect and a true love of the hobby. I want to thank the Project Magenta organization for their support to me (just a sim pilot) in my efforts to raise my simulation to a level that feels like a multi-million dollar resource. I will continue to use the products as the basis of my flight sim activities and am looking forward to adding the AirBus assets (WHEN I CAN AFFORD THEM).Thank you,Ron [email protected]

Hi Ron!I was reading your letter with a big interest. It's amazing how you describe everything, how excited you are.If it's possible, would it be possible to see some pictures of your set-up? Not the screencaps, but real pics of your equipment, how does it look like when you turn everything up, the screens with Magenta CDU and MCP etc etc...I'm thinking myself also one day to build a small home-cockpit, and to see how other people do it is also quite interesting!Already looking forward to some pics (if possible :) )

I agree Ron. My son has a multi-monitor, multi-computer setup built around the 747 MCP/CDU and he uses all Project Magenta software. The results are fantastic. I can't believe how accurate and fully-functional those instruments are. The outside video is tied to a large-screen projector but it's not turned on much. Too much fun just to watch the gauges and fly solely on instruments. Great stuff.Doug

Ron, I'd like to see a picture too, if you can post it here. Or if that's not possible a screenshot of all the screens with a description of how they're placed and how you use them. I assume your "front" screen" is full screen out the window, i.e. no gauges on it? Sounds very interesting. Thx!billg

Hello again,Thanks for the interest!I will send photos when I can (soon), My setup is just evolving. I am retired (near KCHS) and play a lot of golf also (badly but good exercise) - that means that our new home is not really finished (going on three years)! We are setting up a FROG (Southern notation for Finished Room Over Garage). The front room is for our hobbies and will soon house my sim setup. Like others, I'm not a real pilot so I doubt that I will set up a full-sized cockpit of any kind. What I have done - is purchase an additional big screen TV (projection ) and am looking to set it up as the "out of the window" view. I will probably use a tabletop type of sim setup with the computer(s) underneath. We have a contractor due to layout the wall units for our hobbies. For those interested, I will be glad to keep you informed, both visual and in the forum, to my victories as well as to my defeats (they have been many!)To be quite candid, my experience as a computer "nerd" has been an asset. While the setup of this sim is evolving, the technology utilized by the developers is also evolving. The use of TCPIP interface instead of the old IPX network has made the Project Magenta setup really easy. What I probably will do is go to a local computer builder and buy really small, fast and hopefully inexpensive computers for the PM modules. With their assistance (PM), I have learned that the Display Adapter is far more important than the computer itself. Enrico helped me pull and old HP Vectra out of the trash and, with an added RADEON 7000 display adapter (about $80US) get my Glass Cockpit to run quite well. I know that his is a pricey way to go - but I am really up for this challenge. The flying of these sims is really fun but the feeling of really looking at instruments during my feeble attempts to land in ILS conditions is quite a rush.Lastly, for those who may ask why I did this, the answer is:I want to be able to sim BOEING and Airbus A/C and use really good flight models without caring about the addons' cockpit display. The PM concept lets me get instruments on my displays that really look like the real thing and perform like the real thing without having to set up a ton of dedicated analog sim gauges.Thanks for the interest in my project - I'll try to help out when I can - even with the golf failures!!!Ron Sagelnear KCHS