how does the camera utility in OPUS FSX compare to EXdok from both a functionality and ease of use point of view? I'm in the same boat as the OP, looking for a better way to manage views in the virtual cockpit although I've been using it for a while. 

Thank you all for your comments.

 

Precentralis and Dan, the undocking of panels and moving them during the very intensive approach phase surely adds to the heavy workload. Maybe after doing it for a while you get more adept but it is a bit off-putting. My current method of flying is second nature to me so a switch to 3D is going to be a seismic change. I need the solution to be simple and one that becomes second nature.

 

Rickjake, that sounds a much better way as I have a Saitek yoke and throttles with programmable buttons. View changes have to be easy and quick to do and Ezdok seems to be the better option.

 

Does the 3D panel reduce frame rates much compared to a full forward view? My current setup with all instruments on a WideFS PC means my FS display only shows a full screen forward view. There's bound to be some hit with a panel visible but hopefully not too much.

Meh, not really. During boring cruise click on the PFD and put it where you want it, then click it back onto the panel. Maybe before FAF or whenever, click on it and presto it's there. For that matter, I only undock a screen for convience. Get the right angle and zoom and you can see the runway and instruments just fine for most approaches.

 

 

I see the PMDG777 has been released without a 2D panel. Something of a first for PMDG

 

The js4100 was released ages  ago without  a 2d  panel

Thanks for the clarification Dan.

 

Peter, I don't fly anything smaller than a 737 and in case you hadn't spotted it I'm still flying FS9. :wink:

I only ever use spacebar + move the mouse. The scroll wheel helps zoom in and out while holding spacebar too.

 

My usual practice is to push 'seat positiion' back slightly so the angle you need to move to see the whole MCP isn't far to the right. This is done with various combinations of Shift, Ctrl, Backspace and Enter. Don't get so far back that you are inside the seat headrest because that will stop you pressing buttons in the panel sometimes.

 

You can move eye point up down and left/right too using those same keys in different combinations.

 

Ideally I like to be ever so slightly back, right, and up from the default position, so that "straight ahead" is rougly pointed at a point halfway between PFD and ND, with the Altitude window of the MCP visible under a 60% zoom 

 

From here you can spacebar-mousewheel+mouse movement move your view to pretty much anywhere you need. Overhead, FMS, MCP, EICAS, Radio Panel etc.

 

This is the only method I use in this video:

 

 

 

(Excuse the "Hydraulics not powered for engine start" alarm early in the piece, still learning the flows, too used to the 737 )

Thanks for explaining how you navigate around the panel Trent. I can work out that moving the mouse left and right pans left and right across the panel.

 

To pan up and down do you move the mouse forwards and backwards? And is scrolling the mouse wheel zooming in and out?

 

As I said earlier this is a HUGE change from how I currently fly with all instruments on a separate PC / display. No cockpit is visible. I use the GoFlight Pro-MCP and GoFlight modules for radio and other aircraft commands. I would like to continue to use the GoFlight MCP with the 777. Using real buttons and knobs is far more realistic than mouse clicks.

 

I appreciate the 3D panel looks fantastic but having to rely on the mouse so much would be a bit off-putting for me.

 

The alternative of programming views and assigning them to buttons is far more appealing. In all the videos I've seen the results look impressive but what I'd really like to see is a video of the user sitting in front of his PC using his preferred method and seeing how it looks. A bit like a duck gliding along a river but videoed from underneath so you can really see how much effort is being applied. :smile:

Hi Ray,

 

"I use the GoFlight Pro-MCP and GoFlight modules for radio and other aircraft commands. I would like to continue to use the GoFlight MCP with the 777."

 

I will be further expanding the Goflight PMDG Interface to support the 777 once the SDK is released by PMDG. In the meantime you could use my other product, Goflight Interface Tool that provides access to all simconnect events and variables as well as lvars.

 

The software can be found here: http://www.pollypot-software.org.uk/

 

Best wishes

Steve

Hi Steve,

 

It's a pity that GoFlight can't be as committed as you when it comes to enhancing the abilities of the MCP-Pro. Thanks for the link.

 

There is a fair bit of software I need to enhance a virgin FSX before I consider the 777 but I'll certainly take a look at GIT.

hi

 

i only use the two colly hat´s of my ch eclipsy flightyoke and for me it´s ok.

Hi Ray,

 

To be fair to Goflight they have approached me to develop the Goflight PMDG Interface further to support the 777. The only delay is the lack of an SDK.

 

GIT supports access to lvars and thus provides similar capabilities to that of LINDA but without the need to use FSUIPC.

 

Best wishes

Steve

Thanks for explaining how you navigate around the panel Trent. I can work out that moving the mouse left and right pans left and right across the panel.

 

To pan up and down do you move the mouse forwards and backwards? And is scrolling the mouse wheel zooming in and out?

 

 

Yep up down with mouse forward/up backward/down and mouse wheel rolling forward/zoom in back/zoom out.

firstly let me say to all i enjoy reading topics like this reading how others "sim".

 

i'm a trackIR4 user & like you ray have hardware such as an mcp panel to set those "flying" commands whilst using it ... thus avoiding the need for mouse clicking (an erring/impossible task for most while panning in trackIR).

 

i also use ezdok but to a limited extent .... mainly to see panels "beyond" track IR's "view" & then only for example if as in the case of pmdg's 77L it has no 2D overhead panel which i would otherwise park on a 2nd monitor.

 

for me, trackIR is a must below 3000' and is the only way you can as needed "realistically" look outside or scan your instruments just by moving one's head and still with having hands on yoke/trim & throttle ... when i'm on short final i don't expect as in the real to see both at the same time.

 

my bottom line (for you ray) ... using 3D requires trackIR plus hardware such as you have but you will never use the main 2D again. unfortunately with the 77L, you'll probably need ezdok as well.

 

 

To be fair to Goflight they have approached me to develop the Goflight PMDG Interface further to support the 777. The only delay is the lack of an SDK.

 

That's encouraging for the 777. Pity they couldn't reach a similar deal with FlightSim Labs but that interface requires a serial number whereas yours doesn't I guess.

 

GIT supports access to lvars and thus provides similar capabilities to that of LINDA but without the need to use FSUIPC.

 

FSUIPC has been invaluable to me in programming the MCP-Pro for Project Magenta in FS9. But when I move to FSX I will only be able to fly a 737-800 with PM. For the PMDG747 and the 777 I will need a different solution for the MCP and yours sounds ideal. I've never heard of lvars and only have a vague understanding of LINDA.

 

 

Yep up down with mouse forward/up backward/down and mouse wheel rolling forward/zoom in back/zoom out.

Thanks Trent. Since I posted I've seen a demo video of Ezdok and it does look very good in being able to customise views albeit with a little bit of effort.

Ray

 

EZDok is probably the best money you will ever spend on an add on - certainly one that works brilliantly with all your aircraft.

 

I use it to make custom views in all my aircraft which I assign to buttons on my joystick. I have several views set up with buttons assigned to them, such as captain view, first officer view, central view, FMC, lower overhead panel, radios, etc.

 

I have them organised in a logical way - for example I have a 4 way hat switch where pushing "up" will look "up" at the overhead panel, pushing "down" will look "down" at the FMC.

 

It really is a brilliant program, and you'll never go back.