Best MCP for FSX?

[B777ER 2,485]

I am upgrading my ten year old PFC hardware. Will be buying a new yoke from PFC and the throttle quadrant from Jetmax. Still looking for a good MCP and possibly a radio stack.

 

I am wanting to buy MCP hardware for use in fsx. I am looking at either the one from Jetmax (www.jetmax.ca) or the one from Go flight which is cheaper. Primary use will be with the pmdg NGX and 777. Anyone have either of these and have it working with PMDG aircraft? What is your recommendation? Ideally a USB plug and play with setup through fsuipc will be fine. Rather not have to depend on third party drivers (other than fsuipc of course).

 

As an aside, does anyone know where to find a good radio stack?

 

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[SAS443 1,722]

I used to own an older 737 MCP made by CPflight, loved it!

 

It worked flawlessy with the PMDG 737 and PMDG 747 (both in FS9) and I think they have good drivers for the NGX and probably the 777 aswell when it arrives.

The MCP also offers basic funcionality with aircraft coded with the native FSX autopilot.

 

 

I can truly recommend CPflight

 

Below was my set-up, the newer models from Cpflight are far superior in detail and accuracy!

 

[phoenixphire 50]

I have the Goflight mcp and it had been rock solid in terms of its physical durability. CP flight and fly engravity makes a very nice but expensive models. I am not sure about the drivers though. As far as the Goflight hardware is concerned it interfaces perfectly with software available in the avsim library at the moment I forget the name just key word NGX Goflight and it will come up. It works flawlessly with the NGX. I have only ever had it freeze once. Sometimes it will not recognize the airplane for some reason after a saved situation. Switching between the 800 and the 700 and back again sometimes solves the issue. I am not sure if it will be functional with the 777. I think the developer would be better at answering that. The mcp also works with the 747 but requires a very expensive driver from FSLabs. It works well but has often frozen under high input situations. I have tried using fsuipc to get it working with minimal success. I just stick with the drivers for ease of use.

[ohsirus 241]

Opencockpits ver 3 .

[B777ER 2,485]

Did not think about CPflight. The the one from Jetmax is just under 1100 dollars so anything less than that would be good.

 

Anyone else using the CPflight with PMDG stuff? Thoughts?

 

 

Opencockpits? Never heard of them. A link?

 

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[ohsirus 241]

Never heard of OpenCockpits?

 

http://www.opencockpits.com/index.php/en/

[B777ER 2,485]

Thank you for the link. Based on what the gentlemen in this thread have so far said, I think it is between the CPflight or the one on the Jetmax website. Would be really interested to hear from anyone using the MCP from Jetmax.

 

 

For those with the CPflight hardware, what is the main difference between the MCP737PRO and the MCP737EL? Saw a big price difference. I see they look different but anything else? Lastly, how easy/hard is it to get it running with the NGX? I am guessing it plugs directly into the computer via USB?

 

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[RedSpinnaker 35]

I'd highly recommend the CPFlight MCP737 PRO. That's what I have for my current rig (along with a FDS CDU). With the CPFlight and (optionally) FSLabs drivers, you can use the CPFlight MCP with the NGX and (optionally) the PMDG 747. CPFlight also has a pretty slick mounting bracket for either 1 or 2 EFIS units as well.

 

On the other side of the coin, FDS makes quality equipment. I'm using (almost exclusively) them for my 737 home cockpit. Their pro line MCP runs around $3k-$4k. The JetMax line is set for a different market/pricepoint/build quality. While I don't want to say anything bad about FDS, if you're not looking to spend $4k for an MCP/EFIS combo, I think the CPFlight would fit the bill for you.

 

The CPFlight quality/build is phenominal, and would seamlessly fit into my 737 cockpit if I needed it to (for a backup) with no loss of functionality.

 

I can't speak to the differences between the 737PRO and 737EL as I just have the PRO. Interfacing with the sim is incredibly easy. Once you install the comms driver, you connect the NGX to the MCP via an option in the FSX Addon Menu within the sim. Data is handled via USB, and there is an additional power supply you need to plug in as well (the MCP is not 100% USB powered).

 

Here's my current general simming setup:

 

http://www.arcticspinnaker.net/misc/obutto/FS.jpg

 

 

Just my $0.02. Good luck!

[ohsirus 241]

If you're planning on spending that kind of money then CPFlight would be my choice.

[megs8888 20]

I am after one to, one that will work with NGX, I fly , T777 (when it's released) I am not building a cockpit, does it need a bracket to slot into to stand on a table?

 

 

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[RedSpinnaker 35]

I am after one to, one that will work with NGX, I fly , T777 (when it's released) I am not building a cockpit, does it need a bracket to slot into to stand on a table?

 

CPFlight makes a desktop bracket for the MCPPRO and the left EFIS unit (It's what I'm using in the above picture). Works quite well. If you go with another vendor, you'll have to construct your own bracket.

 

The CPFlight MCP737PRO works with a few aircraft with the provided drivers (NGX, iFly, LVL-D 767, and most seperate avionics suites). Using it with the PMDG 747 requires purchasing drivers from FSLabs. The upcoming T7 is a wildcard. It'll all come down to who wants to write the drivers for it.

[megs8888 20]

Might wait then I like MCP PRO what's the difference between that and the EL version just the buttons etc. I take it the pro is an exact replica where the EL is not? I like you cockpit is you EFB screen a touchscreen BTW? Wayne

 

 

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[B777ER 2,485]

 

The CPFlight MCP737PRO works with a few aircraft with the provided drivers (NGX, iFly, LVL-D 767, and most seperate avionics suites). Using it with the PMDG 747 requires purchasing drivers from FSLabs. The upcoming T7 is a wildcard. It'll all come down to who wants to write the drivers for it.

 

And that is the problem, relying on some other person or dev to write a driver for the PMDG 777 when it comes out. If not, when flying the 777, the CPFlight MCP becomes a real expensive desk ornament. I really wish there was a good MCP that you could somehow program just using fsuipc.

 

I have yet to read anything about someone using the Jetmax MCP.

 

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[ohsirus 241]

And that is the problem, relying on some other person or dev to write a driver for the PMDG 777 when it comes out. If not, when flying the 777, the CPFlight MCP becomes a real expensive desk ornament. I really wish there was a good MCP that you could somehow program just using fsuipc.

 

I have yet to read anything about someone using the Jetmax MCP.

 

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Eric, Think you have it sort of backwards.

 

In order for any piece of hardware to interface effectively with payware ACs, there must be a SDK for the AC. FSLabs sells drivers for the old PMDG planes as initially IIRC PMDG used to sell the drivers themselves, but one member of their team left and started FSlabs and continued to sell them. PMDGs NGX is their first foray into releasing a SDK for hardware manufacturers to interface with their AC. I believe the T7 will follow the same route as the NGX and not have an SDK at launch, but after a few SPs.

 

You haven't really said what you are wanting in a MCP as price/features/plans have a lot to do with it. I mean with a price range  of 300US to 1500US that's a big range to see some digits and turn some knobs. Are you going for the top of the line most authentic MCP to sit on your desk? Or are you looking for an affordable fully capable MCP that incorporates a radio-stack/efis/etc? Or just looking for a full scale MCP? I think right now you are basing your decision on just compatibility of PMDG and If I were you I would look into my requirements a little bit deeper before dropping that kind of money. 

[B777ER 2,485]

Eric, Think you have it sort of backwards.

 

In order for any piece of hardware to interface effectively with payware ACs, there must be a SDK for the AC. FSLabs sells drivers for the old PMDG planes as initially IIRC PMDG used to sell the drivers themselves, but one member of their team left and started FSlabs and continued to sell them. PMDGs NGX is their first foray into releasing a SDK for hardware manufacturers to interface with their AC. I believe the T7 will follow the same route as the NGX and not have an SDK at launch, but after a few SPs.

 

You haven't really said what you are wanting in a MCP as price/features/plans have a lot to do with it. I mean with a price range of 300US to 1500US that's a big range to see some digits and turn some knobs. Are you going for the top of the line most authentic MCP to sit on your desk? Or are you looking for an affordable fully capable MCP that incorporates a radio-stack/efis/etc? Or just looking for a full scale MCP? I think right now you are basing your decision on just compatibility of PMDG and If I were you I would look into my requirements a little bit deeper before dropping that kind of money.

Good points. I am looking for a fully functional MCP to mainly use with PMDG NGX and 777 but capable of use with other aircraft such as say the Quality Wings 787 when released. While it would be nice to have it very authentic, ala, MCP737PRO style, I am thinking maybe more cross compatibility ala, VRi hardware is the way I should go. I originally wanted ultra real looking but I am thinking in the long run I may be disappointed with my return on investment with that thought process.

 

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