Help!!! How do I interface the realsimgear 530 with reality-XP?

[Jameslcfj111d 0]

I have to confess, I am extremely disappointed with the lack of support from both Realsimgear and Reality-XP.

I am new to flight simming (well have been absent since the first release of Microsoft's first release of Flight Sim) and it appears much has changed in terms of both software and hardware.

Full disclosure: I do not possess a Phd. in computer/software engineering and I most certainly cannot write code at all. I am just a simple guy who is looking for a new hobby. I am sure if there was a lot more product support from the producers of software and hardware there would be a lot more members of this community. Such a shame:(  Even if you buy a product as simple as a bookshelf it gives you full instructions....they do not refer you to a community forum for the instructions.

So, to my issue. I have purchased X-plane 11 and installed in on my computer with no issues following their instructions. I subsequently purchased the realsimgear GNS 530. I even managed to get that to work. I subsequently learned that the Reality-XP software for the realsimgear gns 530 enhances it's capability to that which I would expect in the real world. This appealed to me greatly. The problem is, even though both company's state that they are compatible, neither provide instructions for doing so, instead, referring you to forums. What company doesn't provide direct support for their products instead referring you to a community to provide the information which they should readily provide???

I any case, I could not find any information in the forums specific to my issue (even tried YouTube).....but I did give up after a day and a half. Why is it like this? If you had more members then to technical advancements would increase exponentially as membership grew....this appears to be a community living in the shadows and only available to those in the know or with the experience neither of which I can be accused of.

My current status: I do have X-plane 11 installed. I have the hardware for the GNS 530 installed (and works if I use X-planes GNS). Problem is, I cannot remove the bezels of the reality-XP (which appears as its own window independent of the X-plane 11's) and when I drag it into the realsimgear's gns 530 screen the bezels still appear on the screen and additionally, the bezels on the harware have no effect on the reality-XP......it is as though they are not interfaced. Having installed the reality-XP i thought at a minimum it would at least replaced the panel GNS 530 instead of appearing as a separate pop-out window. If there is a way of doing it, there is absolutely no information provided that would instruct you on how. If I can't get this work, I will have no choice but to get a refund for both and this community will lose another potential member :(

Would anybody please provide me a means of finding this information?

Many thanks in advance:)

 

 

 

 

[TopGun33 124]

Hi!

I am sorry to read about your struggle. I don't own either of those products but quickly wandering around the Realsimgear website I found this page was a bunch of instructions. Have you tried them yet?

http://help.realsimgear.com/en

Also have you tried contacting them directly?

Edited August 12, 2019 by TopGun33

[Chocorua 112]

Not quite the finest first post I've ever seen!

All the instructions are on the realsimgear site for installation and removing the bezel in XP11 and/or P3D. I had the Realsimgear GNS430 and had no trouble setting it up. I now have the GTN750 unit and received excellent support from them when I had a small issue. Is it possible you were looking for support over the weekend? Maybe these folks are not available for an immediate response. I have no doubt they will reach out, but meanwhile, try navigating there site carefully: everything you need is there. 

Greg G

[RXP 2,338]

10 hours ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

they do not refer you to a community forum for the instructions.

Hi,

It is unfortunate you've missed our old-fashioned User's Manual PDF file installed with our product which also contains all the details about the product, its configuration, its settings and even a tutorial to replace the default GNS with our on the 3D cockpit.

It is indeed installed along with our product with a convenient shortcut icon directly on your desktop.

[Jameslcfj111d 0]

Thanks for the response it is very well received.

I have been in possession of the PDF User Manual for X-plane and have been trying to follow them. Is it safe to assume that the actual instructions for replacing any aircraft default X-plane 11 GPS requires following the instructions starting on page 21 of the PDF which uses the Baron 58 as an example? If I may, I would like to furnish my step-by-step process.

1/ I start X-plane with a new flight with the Baron sitting on the ramp with the engines running.

2/ I have tried at least 20 occasions to take a 'panel preview snapshot' by simultaneously pressing the following keys: 'CTRL+ ALT + SHIFT + SPACE'. Then I exit X-plane as directed. If i then go to my X-plane file and follow the following process : XPlane\Aircraft\Laminar Research\Baron B58\cockpit_3d\-PANELS-\Panel_Preview.png. I do find a panel preview but it looks nothing like the actual panel as the aircraft appears sitting on the ramp (that may be normal). I am not sure if this preview is part of the installation of X-plane because I am not able to replicate the process with any other aircraft such as the C172. It is only the Baron which appears to have a panel-preview even though I follow the same procedure.

3/ I even experimented by taking a screen snapshot of the screen as it appears of the Baron simply sitting of the ramp with engines running just in case the instructions are implying I should measure the coordinates of the panel as it would appear if I was actually flying the aircraft. I did this because of the following reason. Step 7. instructs me to write down the coordinates of the 530 screen. Because step 8. seems to differentiate between those of the display dimensions and the (Panel_Preview.png image height).

4/ Step 8 requires you to compute the display dimensions as follows: (i am assuming from the panel preview found in: XPlane\Aircraft\Laminar Research\Baron B58\cockpit_3d\-PANELS-\Panel_Preview.png). For myself, I get the following results:

Left = 275 (X1)

Top = (Panel_Preview.png image height? Y2-Y1? ) => (Y2-Y1) - Y1 = -169???

Width = (X2 - X1 + 1) = 534 - 275 + 1 = 260

Height = (Y2 - Y1 + 1) = 547 - 358 + 1 = 190

I wish there was a way I could post images but I am unable to.

Just as a reminder, I am running Windows 10. Not sure that people were using an earlier version of Windows which would explain the confusion in the instructions.

Many thanks guys.........like I said, I am computer illiterate :)

 

 

 

[Jameslcfj111d 0]

Oh, and just as an after thought, I have researched Realsimgear info and am able to get the legacy X-plane gns530 to work on the realsimgear hardware, no issues there. Unfortunately, it is the interface with the reality-XP software to operate the same way.

There is a great youtube video from realsimgear for the process which works perfectly for getting the X-plane-11 software to work with the realsimgear hardware but in the video he states that if you wish to use the reality-XP on there GNS530 that you must follow reality-XP's instructions.

[RXP 2,338]

34 minutes ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

if you wish to use the reality-XP on there GNS530 that you must follow reality-XP's instructions.

Go to the RealSimGear website, click "SETUP" in the top bar, browse the articles and locate the one with "Reality XP". This shouldn't be too difficult to find with an online search either.

 

[RXP 2,338]

49 minutes ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

CTRL+ ALT + SHIFT + SPACE

This command is "Make Panel Preview" and it is standard:

https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/24285/x-plane-11-10-controls-keyboard-commands/

Just make sure to cross-check your XP11 settings and make sure it is not unassigned or assigned to different keys.

 

52 minutes ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

Panel_Preview.png image height

Well you take the Panel_Preview.png image in your favorite paint programs, and you look what is this image height in pixels. 

 

53 minutes ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

Y1?

 I believe you have the answer for this one:

53 minutes ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

Height = (Y2 - Y1 + 1) = 547 - 358 + 1 = 190

 

Dont forget there is also a community driven official panel configuration mods discussion, where you may find the mod for your aircraft and/or further your knowledge about "how-to":

 

 

NB: the discussion is for posting links to ready-to-fly mods. For requests and questions create a discussion instead.

[Jameslcfj111d 0]

If you follow Realsimgear's instructions and you are on the X-plane 11 plugin - Windows installer page the first note states: ' If you are planning to use Reality-XP for the GNS430/530 or GTN650/750, please ensure you have installed Reality-XP and loaded into your desired aircraft and configured it at least once.  The RealSimGear installer below will handle hiding the bezel IF the proper Reality-XP .ini file is found.' . but provides no instructions to do so.

Like I said, I have followed realsimgear's installing advice to interface their hardware with the Xplane-11 and have had no issues. It works. The additional steps to interface the reality-XP is not provided by realsimgear. For example, I was having this difficulty so I visited their help pages. This is what they state in the following link: http://http://help.realsimgear.com/en/articles/2777576-additional-troubleshooting-steps  (reference step 'The buttons don't work or do not respond with Reality-XP'. I have tried to comply with reality-XP's instructions with no success as per instructions. I cannot get as far as instructions on page 22 of the PDF. Just to note, the Enable the option to use simulator GPS commands has been selected.

This is a great YouTube reference I have used which has worked. But in this video it states that you must follow reality-XP's instructions.

 

 

[RXP 2,338]

23 minutes ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

If you are planning to use Reality-XP for the GNS430/530 or GTN650/750, please ensure you have installed Reality-XP and loaded into your desired aircraft and configured it at least once.

Ok, if you look closely the video, the RealSimGear devices wants a popup window dragged into its monitor.

This means you just have to:

1. load the aircraft
2. open RXP GNS device in this aircraft
3. this creates a popup window by default (if not displaying, use the RXP GNS menu "Reset Window")
4. make sure the RXP GNS settings have "Use Simulator GPS Commands"
5. drag the RXP GNS window onto the RealSimGear monitor like in the video (you might need check whether it requires "popping out" the GNS window)

NB: the panel preview discussion above is to render the RXP GNS in the 3D cockpit only. 

[Jameslcfj111d 0]

I truly do appreciate your time and patience it is very much appreciated.

I have tried all those tasks as listed that but when I do, the buttons and knobs around the actual screen remains. Additionally, when it is in the 530 screen, none of the buttons or knobs have any functionality.

The Reality-XP product in itself is great and has amazing expanded functionality over the legacy system that X-plane comes with and stand amazed how far we have come since I last used flight sim.

I can get the legacy system to load in the Realsimgear 530 hardware and function perfectly but I simply cannot do the same with Reality-XP which is incredibly frustrating for me because I feel like a kid in a candy store who cannot reach the top shelf where the best candies are. I can assure you, I have spent many hours trying.

 

[RXP 2,338]

15 hours ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

I have tried all those tasks as listed that but when I do, the buttons and knobs around the actual screen remains.

Which is what you'll find referred to as 'bezel' in the forum. According to your previous post:

19 hours ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

The RealSimGear installer below will handle hiding the bezel IF the proper Reality-XP .ini file is found.'

So when using their installer once the RXP GNS is opened (not before) it seems it will handle this for you. In not, it is just a matter of manually changing the setting in the RXP GNS ini file (see RXP GNS User's Manual for more information about the ini file in question, then, once open in any text editor, find the device 'WINDOW' entry and change 'nobezel' to true - you'll see what I mean when you edit the file).

15 hours ago, Jameslcfj111d said:

Additionally, when it is in the 530 screen, none of the buttons or knobs have any functionality.

19 hours ago, RXP said:

• make sure the RXP GNS settings have "Use Simulator GPS Commands"

 

[omklj 0]

I've found finally the proper settings for RXP_GNS 530 , 430 and RealsimGear GNS530 and everything works! I'm sorry I didn't get any help from RXP or RealSim Gear! 

If CommandMapping.ini at RealsimGear is not correct RXP_GNS530, 430 is crashing and X_plane will shut down!

[PilotXav 0]

I read through this forum and I am having the same issue. I dont see if this was resolved? I have the RealSimGear430 and the Reality XP 430. I have removed the bezel from the RXP 430 and its in the window but the buttons and knobs wont respond. I have clicked the Use GPS Simulator commands and yet it hasnt done anything. Ive restarted the game, tried different aircrafts and nothing.

 

If someone can link me to the solution please?

[monica6211 178]

http://help.realsimgear.com/en/articles/2777814-setup-for-reality-xp 

this is the portion of the setup that is required to get your buttons and knobs to function. The line you need to look at is "Use Simulator GPS Commands"

The page is using the GTN gauges as the example, but the setup is the same for the GNS's.

 

http://help.realsimgear.com/en/articles/2805587-gns430-setup-guide

This section covers how to make sure the Sim is recognizing that the GNS gauge(s). Select the X-Plane Plugins menu, RealSimGear Device Interface menu item, click on "Connected Hardware" . You should get a window that shows  "Hardware/Port/Version/...), under that on line #1 should show your GNS hardware IF it is recognized. If it is blank, you can try clicking the "Disconnect" button on the right side to disconnect all hardware, the "Connect" to try to establish connection. Sometimes this would fail for me, but disconnecting the USB cables from the back of the unit(s) and reconnecting them would usually get them to establish the connection.

Also check to make sure you have the correct "CommandMapping.ini" file for your version of X-Plane from this page:

http://help.realsimgear.com/en/articles/3090794-just-the-downloads

(scroll down to "X-Plane Aircraft Config Files" to see the files)