Mindstar GPS

[WarpD 824]

We have plans on implementing our own airspace display. We simply haven't had time to deal with it yet.

[fppilot 4,360]

Still a lot of detail that should be divulged.  Will these 430's and 530's store flight plans?  Will they write their flight plans to FSX flight plan files? Will there be capability to install multiple units in an aircraft?  And if that is done will they crossfill and or share flight plans?  What percent of the functions of RW Garmin GNS430 or GNS530 is modeled?  If Mindstar stays quiet then will some of you first adopters report on these?  Would be appreciated.

[WarpD 824]

Will these 430's and 530's store flight plans?

Yes.

Will they write their flight plans to FSX flight plan files?

It uses the FS9 flight plan format, not the FSX XML type.

Will there be capability to install multiple units in an aircraft?

It's already been stated in this thread that you can install any combination... single 430, single 530, 430-430, 430-530, 530-530 and they crossfill.

 

What percent of the functions of RW Garmin GNS430 or GNS530 is modeled?

That's not something I could possibly answer, have no idea what percentage.

[Pahvihousu 1]

Where can I found the manual? I didnt find it from the installation folder? am I missing something?

[WarpD 824]

Where can I found the manual? I didnt find it from the installation folder? am I missing something?

Garmin's website, assuming you're asking how to use the GNS.

[jimmy64 43]

However, the only aircraft that I have been able to successfully integrate the units into the VC so far are the old Carenado addons like the C208B, and the A2A Cessna 172

Does this mean that the gauge will be 3D in the A2A, or will it just fit right in 2D?

[Pahvihousu 1]

negative I meant like some brief instructions how to install it on other planes via panel.cfg edit

Garmin's website, assuming you're asking how to use the GNS.

[Pahvihousu 1]

I can't find these files that are mentioned in FAQ at your homepage

 

"For further information on custom setups, please see the readme files distributed at installation as listed below:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mindstar\Flight Simulator Addons\ Readme.txt
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mindstar\Flight Simulator Addons\ Technical_Info.txt"

[JRBarrett 3,070]

Bert... correct me if I'm wrong but I don't recall Flight1 offering a stand-alone 430/530 gauge for installation into other aircraft. As for RXP, I will not discuss how they did it other than to state it's not legal to do so and Mindstar Aviation will not go down that 'path'.

I'm afraid you've lost me here. As a real-world Garmin-certified avionics installer, and FSX user with a fair amount of experience in gauge integration and programming, I don't understand your assertion that it is not "legal" to use the VDEV output of a simulated GNS-430 to drive the simulated vertical input of a simulated autopilot, CDI or HSI in FSX.

 

Whose "law" would prevent this from being done? There is certainly nothing in the FSX SDK that would prohibit a developer from extending the functionality of "stock" FSX gauges or processes. If doing so was "illegal" Peter Dowson would be a world-class felon, as would many other leading developers.

 

A different matter in a real world aircraft, where FAA approval of an IFR WAAS GPS installation using vertical guidance, (in accordance with Garmin's STC) requires the use of specific makes and models of CDI, HSI etc. But FAA regs have no bearing on the "legality" if simulating VDEV in a non-commercial flight simulator for home use.

[jimmy64 43]

I never bought the Reality XP gauges so I'm not sure exactly what integration means for a panel (like some Carenado planes claim). I'm assuming that it doesn't need to be sized to fit in the dash. Could someone enlighten me about this?

[KingGhidorah 209]

I never bought the Reality XP gauges so I'm not sure exactly what integration means for a panel (like some Carenado planes claim). I'm assuming that it doesn't need to be sized to fit in the dash. Could someone enlighten me about this?

 

There is manual integration and then their is automatic integration.  Manual integration means you add it to the VC or 2D panel yourself, sizing it and placing it in the proper coordinates in the panel.cfg. You need a free space in the panel to do this, and you either won't have 3D knobs, or in some cases the 3D knobs from the instrument you replaced, built in to the model, will interfere.  Some planes like the Milviz Cessna 310 have a Free Radio model which is a panel with just a flat, blank space in the panel for you to add 3rd party avionics to your heart's content, but at the expense that they are 2 dimensional.   In some planes, such as those made by Real Air, you can choose from a selection of panels from the airplane's own configuration utility that automatically incorporates the RXP gauges and provides a built in 3D model of them on the panel to fit.

[twharrell 38]

Does this mean that the gauge will be 3D in the A2A, or will it just fit right in 2D?

 

If by 3D you mean the virtual cockpit, yes. The A2A C172 panel.cfg file has entries for both the VC and as a 2D popup that you can open by clicking the hidden click spot on the VC gauge screen. Simply put, wherever you see the RXP entry, just replace that with the Mindstar entry. The key with the A2A C172 is you have to create a dummy rxpGNS.dll file and place it in your gauges folder in order to activate the portion of the panel.cfg file containing the Mindstar GNS entry.

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

OK, I realize a lot of you are confused about how to edit the panel.cfg file using the Mindstar entries, so here's a good way to grasp how it is done. Migrate to your Program Files (x86)/Mindstar/Flight sim addons folder. You'll see a series of zipped folders of default aircraft. Extract the contents of C172gns.zip and find the panel.cfg file. If you study that panel.cfg file, it will give you an example of how to integrate the Mindstar units into both the [windows] and [virtual cockpits] sections.  Replacing an existing GPS entry with the Mindstar equivalent is pretty self-explanatory if you have done any panel.cfg editing. If you have never edited a panel.cfg file, then I would go learn how to do that first, as a certain knowledge of panel.cfg file editing is assumed.

 

1) Aircraft that have both VC and 2D GPS entries but the VC is not compatible (probably the most common scenario)

 

In the case of aircraft like the Aerosoft Twin Otter or RealAir Turbine Duke, where you cannot integrate the Mindstar gauges into the respective VC's,  you can just replace the default GPS gauge in the [window] section with the Mindstar entries. You then need to disable the default GPS entry in the VC, as you don't need it, plus the default GPS doesn't always play nice when something better is being used, and your sim will likely crash. 

 

2) Aircraft that have no GPS in either the VC or as a 2D popup

 

If you have an aircraft like the Razbam Metro III that has no Garmin GPS unit modeled in either the VC or as a 2D popup, then obviously you can't have a VC entry. You can, however, add a single unit or a combination of 2 of the units as a 2D popup window. Simply copy the [window] entry from the aforementioned C172 panel.cfg file and paste that entry into the [window] section of your aircraft's panel.cfg file. Again, be sure to disable the GPS in the VC (by placing '//' in front of the default GPS gauge line in the [virtual cockpit section].)

 

3) Aircraft that have a Garmin GPS in both the VC and as a 2D popup. These are the ones we hope become more and more prevalent as time passes. These panel.cfg files are probably the easiest to edit.

 

A quick how-to and the 5th parameter

 

As you study the panel.cfg file of the default C172 contained in the Mindstar folder, you notice the 5th parameter entry that comes after the 4 coordinates of the Mindstar GNS entry.  Let's say you have an aircraft that you can integrate both a 530 and 430 into both the VC and as a 2D popup window. The 5th parameter should read like this:

 

[virtual cockpit.x]

3-4 lines of stuff here

 

MSI_GNS!GNS530, w,x,y,z, 1:1:-1

MSI_GNS!GNS430, w,x,y,z, 2:1:-1

 

[window.x]

ident=y or GPS_PANEL

 

MSI_GNS!GNS530, a,b,c,d, 1:2:y (or if ident=GPS_PANEL, then y=225, which is the standard code for GPS_PANEL)

MSI_GNS!GNS430, a,b,c,d, 2:2:y

 

So, the fifth parameter is the 3 numbers separated by colons. The first number is the priority of that gauge in the panel.cfg file. If you want the 530 to be your GPS#1 then that first number should be 1, just like in the above example. So, that means in the above example, I have the 430 as my GPS#2. The second number of the 5th parameter is the instance of that gauge in the panel.cfg file. Important note here: if you have both a VC and a 2D instance of either gauge, the VC entry will almost always be '1' and the 2D entry will almost always be '2'.  Finally, the 3rd number of the 5th parameter. For VC entries, this is always '-1'.  For the 2D entry, the third number should equal the number following ident=... If you see ident=GPS_PANEL then the third number is 225.

 

Hopefully this helps folks get started. It really is straight forward once you look over that C172 panel.cfg file.

 

Todd

[Pahvihousu 1]

Thank  You Todd that is great stuff! Exactly what I was looking for! 

[sgreen91 182]

Well I purchased the product this morning and have given it a test run.  I fly a DA20 in real life with a GNS430 and also use RXP in FSX just for a little background so I am familiar with the real unit.  I use these to practice real world procedures at home when I'm not flying in real life.

 

This is using the default C172 it installs the units into.

 

The default map graphics seems to be just the FSX GPS map images for airports, ndbs, airspace etc.

Measure distance on the second nav page of the 530 is not functional.

Refresh rate of the maps is a little slow but seems to be adjustable in the GNS.ini which I'm not sure where it goes without instructions.

The AUX page is there but the only function usable is the DATABASE VERSION.  Fuel planning, trip planning etc are not available.

VNAV is not functional from what I've tested so far.  

The CLR key will not declutter the map.

On the NRST page for VOR you cannot select a frequency to input in the VLOC standby position.

 

This is just a very quick rundown of the unit so far.  There is some great potential to the product if development continues and for now I don't regret my purchase as at least I will have up to date nav data for my GA aircraft.  

 

Right now my feeling is its basically just the FSX GPS but with direct capability, flight plan input, and up to date navdata if you wish to pay for it.  (I have not ordered yet but is the biggest plus)

I personally would not recommend it for training purposes for the real GNS430/530 as its missing quite a few functions that are availiable in the real unit.  For FSX flying around it works as advertised.

 

I will continue to use RXP before my real world flights to practice at the moment and use the Mindstar unit for playing around.

 

If i'm Incorrect in any of my statements please correct me as this is only playing around with it for about 30 minutes.

[fakeflyer737 992]

Well I purchased the product this morning and have given it a test run.  I fly a DA20 in real life with a GNS430 and also use RXP in FSX just for a little background so I am familiar with the real unit.  I use these to practice real world procedures at home when I'm not flying in real life.

 

This is using the default C172 it installs the units into.

 

The default map graphics seems to be just the FSX GPS map images for airports, ndbs, airspace etc.

Measure distance on the second nav page of the 530 is not functional.

Refresh rate of the maps is a little slow but seems to be adjustable in the GNS.ini which I'm not sure where it goes without instructions.

The AUX page is there but the only function usable is the DATABASE VERSION.  Fuel planning, trip planning etc are not available.

VNAV is not functional from what I've tested so far.  

The CLR key will not declutter the map.

On the NRST page for VOR you cannot select a frequency to input in the VLOC standby position.

 

This is just a very quick rundown of the unit so far.  There is some great potential to the product if development continues and for now I don't regret my purchase as at least I will have up to date nav data for my GA aircraft.  

 

Right now my feeling is its basically just the FSX GPS but with direct capability, flight plan input, and up to date navdata if you wish to pay for it.  (I have not ordered yet but is the biggest plus)

I personally would not recommend it for training purposes for the real GNS430/530 as its missing quite a few functions that are availiable in the real unit.  For FSX flying around it works as advertised.

 

I will continue to use RXP before my real world flights to practice at the moment and use the Mindstar unit for playing around.

 

If i'm Incorrect in any of my statements please correct me as this is only playing around with it for about 30 minutes.

 

 

Really, I'm disappointed. They said "go download the real manual" and then we find out half of thing doesn't work. i was going to buy it but now I'm not.