Read Bob Scott's very informative info the Garmin 530, from a relatively new simmer, the description is way over my head (today anyway) but I try to get the latest and greatest stuff and was looking at the Reality, in simple terns, does it work with Active Sky and FS Navigator?? I have the Meridian but so far way to complicated to jump in and go, are there some simple instructions on how to program and use the 530........I would think if more of us newbes could use this, more of us would purchase same....................PS, does it make ILS approches easier??? Appreciate the comments...:-newbie

"or fly in the VATSIM virtual environment where current nav data is needed. "Never got the problem at VATSIM.Jos

Bob,I'm reading your comments with great interest and I think there are some missing facts and biased opinion from missing technical information both about the Reality XP products and the HT technology. Let me try better understand your issue with the product and let me offer some additional biased opinion then...based on technical and practical facts:"in fact, buying a product with an obsolete database that can't be updated." and "As I said...for some simmers this obsolete database is a problem. For others, it isn't"So you would not purchase FS2004 either because it has the same database as the Reality XP 530XP? (in your opinion, outdated)An actual Jeppesen Database update for the real GNS530 with Worldwide coverage for one 28 days cycle is roughly $10,000 (that is $120,000 a year...No wonder "free" databases are missing a lot of navaids, SID, STARs etc... Again, as mentionned in the Reality XP forums several times: a Database offer is being considered and thought off for the Gns simulation. With Reality XP's professional grade software for simulation and training purposes, a half baked solution is not an answer to this need and only a professionaly made solution is planned. This comes at bost a cost, and a time frame to make it available.In the meantime, it shouldn't detract anyone from enjoying the only 100% simulation of the GNS530 when used in the FS2004 world. Furthermore, missing NAVAIDs and procedures is a common thing in the real wolrd aviation too. This is why pilots need to have current paper charts, and this is also why the 530XP offers up to 1000 user waypoints.Now here is the catch with an updated database: how would you be able to tune a VOR frequency that your 28-days AIRAC for XXX product offer, when the underlying FS2004 BGL file supporting the VOR frequency, and location, is not udpated? does this give your dead needles (or more virtualy dangerous: wrong needle indications)? what about flying this great new Airport KXYZ just opened RWY17 in IMC, to discover when getting out the clouds you are not seeing the RWY17 because your "outdated" FS2004 BGLs have not been updated to stay current as well?These are greater questions to offering a database service for FS2000x in my opinion. In the meantime, the 530XP is the most accurate, FS2004 wise, simulation of a GNS530."Likewise, the HT issue" and "people should be informed that to make the RXP Garmin run without a potential serious performance hit, they have to disable a performance capability which may be otherwise important to them, or alternatively write a processor affinity mask into the FS9 executable--which also prevents FS9 from taking advantage of HT when using any other panel that doesn't have the RXP product incorporated within it."Why do you consider this an issue?Let me say this straight, and let me offer the technical knowledge below to assess what I say and what I know about HT in general, and HT and FS2004 in particular: FS2004 does not take advantage on 99.9999% of the computer base from Hyper Threading simply because Hyper Threading is not designed for games such as FS2004, and because FS2004 is no more HT aware than any other program.In terms of performance, you "claim" than user have a "potential serious performance hit" and that they have to "disable a performance capability which may be otherwise important to them".This is plain wrong and I have two reasons to say so: 1) most reports from people disabling HT in the computer for running FS2004, regardless of the 530XP, have had up to 100% increase of FPS (without even running the 530XP). 2) HT is a serious performance inhibitor for FS2004 and here is finally the "tech" information needed to understand why:NB: the recommended setting for HT and the 530XP is directed at FS2004 in particular, not the whole computer. In following the recommendation, you will make FS2004 mostly run better, and, you will not loose HT for other applications (as opposed to disabling HT in the BIOS).================================================================First: ONLY THE GNS530 v2.1 (the latest available for now) requires a special HT aware operation which cures any Windows XP issues with its subsystems.********************************************************************EVERY OTHER REALITY XP PRODUCTS RUN GREAT WITH OR WITHOUT HT IN YOUR CPU!!!********************************************************************I feel this thread needs more specific information for a wise understanding of HT and Reality XP products for one, and FS2004 and windows XP for second.Let me remind some facts about this HT technology and let you understand how it could (and not) benefit FS2004 in particular, and windows in general:First, don't expect much from Windows XP Home:==============================================The processor limits which result from this licensing model for 32-bit versions of the Windows Server 2003 family and Windows XP are shown in Table 2.----------------------------------------------------------------Windows Version Maximum Physical Processor Limit Maximum Logical Processor LimitWindows XP Home Edition 1 2Windows XP Professional 2 4Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition 4 8Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition 8 16Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition 32 32Table 2. Processor Limits for 32-bit Versions of the Windows Server 2003 family and Windows XP----------------------------------------------------------------Also note there are 3 topics covered with HT:=============================================As a result of the HT processor identification support, the following HT-aware features are included in Windows XP and the Windows Server 2003 family.

>Bob,>>I'm reading your comments with great interest and I think>there are some missing facts and biased opinion from missing>technical information both about the Reality XP products and>the HT technology. Let me try better understand your issue>with the product and let me offer some additional biased>opinion then...based on technical and practical facts:>>"in fact, buying a product with an obsolete database that>can't be updated." and "As I said...for some simmers this>obsolete database is a problem. For others, it isn't">>So you would not purchase FS2004 either because it has the>same database as the Reality XP 530XP? (in your opinion,>outdated)Well, first, thanks for engaging in intelligent debate on the issue.In the case of FS2004, there are many add-ons which avail me of the opportunity to use real-world nav data, regardless of what's encoded into the Microsoft stock BGLs. And, frankly, that's what I thought I was getting with the RealityXP GNS530.>An actual Jeppesen Database update for the real GNS530 with>Worldwide coverage for one 28 days cycle is roughly $10,000>(that is $120,000 a year...No wonder "free" databases are>missing a lot of navaids, SID, STARs etc... Again, as>mentionned in the Reality XP forums several times: a Database>offer is being considered and thought off for the Gns>simulation. With Reality XP's professional grade software for>simulation and training purposes, a half baked solution is not>an answer to this need and only a professionaly made solution>is planned. This comes at bost a cost, and a time frame to>make it available.I, for one, would be willing to pay for something like an annual update to the navdata. With current nav data your GNS implementation is good enough to warrant that. I fully understand the issues surrounding getting a new Jeppesen database put into a proprietary trainer that Garmin owns...lots of moving parts there. And if it doesn't happen, I won't hold you responsible for anything except not telling me up-front that there was no means to update the data. I think most folks would agree that it's a fairly reasonable expectation that a product of this type should have that capability.That said, without the update, I see the product as seriously limited now, and getting more so. The facts are what they are...and for obvious reasons you do not publish these particular facts conspicuously on your website or in your advertising. When a wise prospective buyer asks about any product of which I have knowledge, I offer my opinion if I think the experience or perspective could help them make a more informed decision. There are, in this case as well as others with other vendors, issues that aren't publicized or going to be publicized by the vendor...that's why we have forums and usenet groups to act as clearinghouses for a wider body of knowledge than what can be found on vendor web sites and moderated forums.>In the meantime, it shouldn't detract anyone from enjoying the>only 100% simulation of the GNS530 when used in the FS2004>world. Furthermore, missing NAVAIDs and procedures is a common>thing in the real wolrd aviation too. This is why pilots need>to have current paper charts, and this is also why the 530XP>offers up to 1000 user waypoints.I guess the FSAvionics Garmin 530 must be the other "only" 100% simulation of a Garmin 530? Both your product and theirs get to the 100% mark because you both implement an interface to the same Garmin trainer.I've flown Gulfstream IVs and Vs all over the world with integrated Jeppesen nav databases, and don't recall ever having a problem with a missing navaid. And the need for paper charts isn't necessarily there any more, either...the Jepps are now available electronically on CD-ROM, and there are CD-ROM based approach chart displays that attach to a yoke just like the paper chart holder.>Now here is the catch with an updated database: how would you>be able to tune a VOR frequency that your 28-days AIRAC for>XXX product offer, when the underlying FS2004 BGL file>supporting the VOR frequency, and location, is not udpated?>does this give your dead needles (or more virtualy dangerous:>wrong needle indications)? what about flying this great new>Airport KXYZ just opened RWY17 in IMC, to discover when>getting out the clouds you are not seeing the RWY17 because>your "outdated" FS2004 BGLs have not been updated to stay>current as well?Well, that's the beauty of GPS...the GNS530 is, after all, primarily a GPS solution. I can fly an overlay approach with the GPS regardless of whether there's a navaid programmed into the BGL where it should be. But...that said, the majority of the incompatibility problems arise from the steady flow of changes in airways and the fixes associated with them. Also, new GPS approaches are cropping up all over the world, and they, too, are fix-based and are independent of anything programmed into the Microsoft scenery BGLs. Navaids are relatively static...waypoints/fixes aren't.>>These are greater questions to offering a database service for>FS2000x in my opinion. In the meantime, the 530XP is the most>accurate, FS2004 wise, simulation of a GNS530.Well...as accurate as the underlying Garmin trainer anyway. But not the most accurate of all the possible RNAV/GPS solutions out there any more. Not with a 2 year old database that continues to age. >>"Likewise, the HT issue" and "people should be informed that>to make the RXP Garmin run without a potential serious>performance hit, they have to disable a performance capability>which may be otherwise important to them, or alternatively>write a processor affinity mask into the FS9 executable--which>also prevents FS9 from taking advantage of HT when using any>other panel that doesn't have the RXP product incorporated>within it.">>Why do you consider this an issue?>>Let me say this straight, and let me offer the technical>knowledge below to assess what I say and what I know about HT>in general, and HT and FS2004 in particular: FS2004 does not>take advantage on 99.9999% of the computer base from Hyper>Threading simply because Hyper Threading is not designed for>games such as FS2004, and because FS2004 is no more HT aware>than any other program.>>In terms of performance, you "claim" than user have a>"potential serious performance hit" and that they have to>"disable a performance capability which may be otherwise>important to them".>>This is plain wrong and I have two reasons to say so: 1) most>reports from people disabling HT in the computer for running>FS2004, regardless of the 530XP, have had up to 100% increase>of FPS (without even running the 530XP). 2) HT is a serious>performance inhibitor for FS2004 and here is finally the>"tech" information needed to understand why:No, it's NOT plain wrong, Jean Luc. It is probably true that many people experience performance increases in FS2004 from disabling HT...assuming, of course, that FS2004 is the only thing running on the PC at the time. I achieve moderately improved performance when I run FS2004 together with some of the sideline applications like ActiveSky or Adobe Acrobat for approach plates etc with HT enabled. The only times I see significantly improved performance with HT disabled is with a few applications known to behave badly with HT...your GNS 530 being one, and an older version of the CIVA INS unit being the other. And for a brief moment in time there was a version of WideFS that had HT thread control problems as well.>>NB: the recommended setting for HT and the 530XP is directed>at FS2004 in particular, not the whole computer. In following>the recommendation, you will make FS2004 mostly run better,>and, you will not loose HT for other applications (as opposed>to disabling HT in the BIOS).>>================================================================>First: ONLY THE GNS530 v2.1 (the latest available for now)>requires a special HT aware operation which cures any Windows>XP issues with its subsystems.>>********************************************************************>EVERY OTHER REALITY XP PRODUCTS RUN GREAT WITH OR WITHOUT HT>IN YOUR CPU!!!>********************************************************************This discussion pertains only to the GNS530. I am a fan of your Jetline gauges and the Meggitt implementation you did for the F1 Meridian, except maybe for the standby altimeter and the fix for that which never came. I've never brought the other products up in these discussions except to praise them.>I feel this thread needs more specific information for a wise>understanding of HT and Reality XP products for one, and>FS2004 and windows XP for second.>>Let me remind some facts about this HT technology and let you>understand how it could (and not) benefit FS2004 in>particular, and windows in general:>>First, don't expect much from Windows XP Home:>==============================================Why? WinXP HE can use a single physical CPU with two virtual CPUs. WinXP Pro can use two physical CPUs and four total vCPUs, but very few sim users have multi-processor machines. In practice, both HE and Pro offer the typical home WinXP user the same ability to use two virtual CPUs if they have an HT-enabled machine.>The processor limits which result from this licensing model>for 32-bit versions of the Windows Server 2003 family and>Windows XP are shown in Table 2.>>---------------------------------------------------------------->Windows Version Maximum Physical Processor Limit Maximum>Logical Processor Limit>Windows XP Home Edition 1 2>Windows XP Professional 2 4>Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition 4 8>Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition 8 16>Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition 32 32>>Table 2. Processor Limits for 32-bit Versions of the Windows>Server 2003 family and Windows XP>---------------------------------------------------------------->>Also note there are 3 topics covered with HT:>=============================================>>As a result of the HT processor identification support, the>following HT-aware features are included in Windows XP and the>Windows Server 2003 family.>