Stand alone GPS add-on for P3D?

[FlyIce 354]

I recently get interested at GPS avionics like GNS 530 in Carenado PC-12 or G1000 in C172 (I copied it from FSX to P3D and it runs fine). I found that even FSX/P3D default GPS or G1000 eats a lot into fps, so I'm thinking to buy a stand alone GPS add-on that I can run on a second computer and connect to P3d.

 

I searched and only saw Flight1 selling a stand alone G1000 for $245 which is of course too steep for my purpose, at least at present. As far as I can see, Mindstar GNS530 or Flight1 GTN750 needs to be installed into P3D and can't be run on a second computer? Any company selling such addons in a networkable standalone version?

 

 

 

[pmb 5,137]

Hi,

 

I use and *love* Apollo Airmap

 

http://www.apollosoftware.com/ADefault.aspx

 

if this is what you're looking for. Runs networked on my system. I tried quite a lot of alternative programs, but settled with this one now.

 

Kind regards, Michael

[Poppet 703]

Yes same as Michael, i use Apollo Airmap, i own Version 2 and Version 3,  V3 has slightly better screen Res and maps are better, clearer and more detail.  Apollo V2 is still a great gadget though and well worth the money.    The only problem i am having when you purchase the older model you get 1 link, click on it and bingo thats all you do BUT with the new version "V3" when you make the purchase you get 3 links

          

You get 3 links the actual GPS,  IFR Charts   and the Terrain charts, problem is which do i download first and how to intergrate the Terrain charts into the GPS

[pmb 5,137]

Hi Poppet,

 

not sure if you solved the issue, however: Terrain Charts and IFR Charts are just installer exes. You run them and they install themselves. You'll find the corresponding Soft Buttons acitve in the menu afterwards. I think in the manual it's stated you'll have to buy them additionally, but they are now provided with the program.

 

I like Version 3 much better than Version 2 because of the Airport layouts ("Nearest"). This way you can change without interruption from the airport diagram while taxiing to the geographic map display just by zooming (which could still go a bit more quickly for my taste). There are very few alternative programs which can do this.

 

To the OP: There is a demo which you can try.

 

Kind regards, Michael

[Poppet 703]

Hello Michael,

Thank you for the Information.  Yes the Nearest Airport function is great.   I will have to read my manual again i think    Thank you again. 

[FlyIce 354]

Michael, thanks a lot for the heads up to Airmap! It certainly looks nice and I'll give demo a try soon. Still, I'm also interested on GNS or GTN etc that I can play with VOR, COM, etc.

 

Yang

[caaront 109]

Hi,

 

I use and *love* Apollo Airmap

 

http://www.apollosoftware.com/ADefault.aspx

 

if this is what you're looking for. Runs networked on my system. I tried quite a lot of alternative programs, but settled with this one now.

 

Kind regards, Michael

I cannot find the price of the product.

[pmb 5,137]

I cannot find the price of the product.

That product was discontinued and replaced by a freeware with (nearly) the same functionality a year ago:

 

http://www.geminisoftware.de/

 

The issue was with the "here" map service for satellite images being no longer available to use. 

 

Kind regards, Michael. 

[turner112 52]

I highly recommend avoiding Mindstar.

 

One option for a 530, though $150, is actually from Flight1 - the G530 Student Simulator. According to them, the database is updatable. That said, they're not the easiest bunch to get information from, so I can't speak more about the process. F1 has classically been an excellent company for me to work with.

 

I will likely be getting this as I am supplementing real world training. 

 

I would say that the RealityXP stuff is great but unfortunately has not been supported in a long time.

[n4gix 4,947]

I highly recommend avoiding Mindstar.

 

One option for a 530, though $150, is actually from Flight1 - the G530 Student Simulator. According to them, the database is updatable. That said, they're not the easiest bunch to get information from, so I can't speak more about the process. F1 has classically been an excellent company for me to work with.

 

Flight1's G530 Student Simulator was coded by Jim Rhodes. It runs completely outside of FSX or Prepar3D, and works best on a networked computer, or at least a second monitor. It is updatable by purchasing a subscription directly from Garmin for ~$320/year. It costs $149.95 for a single GNS530. It is also the only "stand alone" GNS530 available today.

 

Mindstar's GNS530/430 @ $49.95 was coded by Stasi Poulous and Ed Wilson. It is upgradable through a subscription to their own RealNav navigation database. It runs inside the sim and supports FS9, FSX, FSX:SE and all versions of Prepar3D.

1. For home use, quarterly update cycle is $39.95/year
2. For Professional use, quarterly update cycle is $495/year
3. For Professional use, 13 cycle is $995/year

[ryanbatc 12,820]

Wonder if the F1 sim uses the worldwide.bin file for navdata...

[n4gix 4,947]

Possibly it does Ryan. I don't know as I've never been interested enough to ask Jim.