New VA MPC owner seeks help!

[soppie 24]

This isn't the most active of forums but I'm not sure where else to find the support I'm looking for so nothing ventured...

In short I've bought a second hand VA MCP and have successfully got it working with the default 737 in X Plane. So far so good but I suspect that the MCP could also be used with other default aircraft in XP like the 747 but I can't figure out how to get it working fully. Some features work but I don't seem to be able to engage or disengage the a/p using the mcp switches, they have no effect. 

In my efforts to find a solution I ended up at Spadnext and it would appear that using spadnext instead of VA software, I can not only get the MCP working with any aircraft in X Plane but also with the new MSFS2020. I have tried installing some of the online x plane profiles for default planes but the MCP just sits there, turning dials doesn't do anything even though spadnext is confirming its connected etc.

As you can tell I'm a complete novice so if anyone out there would be kind enough to confirm if what I'm trying to do is even possible, and if so, where to start, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks

[LesOReilly 176]

On 9/14/2020 at 9:01 AM, soppie said:

This isn't the most active of forums but I'm not sure where else to find the support I'm looking for so nothing ventured...

In short I've bought a second hand VA MCP and have successfully got it working with the default 737 in X Plane. So far so good but I suspect that the MCP could also be used with other default aircraft in XP like the 747 but I can't figure out how to get it working fully. Some features work but I don't seem to be able to engage or disengage the a/p using the mcp switches, they have no effect. 

In my efforts to find a solution I ended up at Spadnext and it would appear that using spadnext instead of VA software, I can not only get the MCP working with any aircraft in X Plane but also with the new MSFS2020. I have tried installing some of the online x plane profiles for default planes but the MCP just sits there, turning dials doesn't do anything even though spadnext is confirming its connected etc.

As you can tell I'm a complete novice so if anyone out there would be kind enough to confirm if what I'm trying to do is even possible, and if so, where to start, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks

Spad.Next is supporting the VA MCP....

 

Read some threads here and I even show using it in P3D with Spad.Next

 

I use it with MSFS as well 🙂

 

Les

[soppie 24]

Hi Les, many thanks for responding, I was beginning to give up hope!

Unfortunately my 14 day trial of spadnext has now expired and I never managed to get it to connect to my MCP. I could see a list of profiles but none seemed to fit my requirements in terms of sim/aircraft combination. I don't find it the most intuitive of programmes though so there's a very good chance I was doing something wrong.

Spadnext are very clear that its up to the user to test the software before buying, its no use complaining afterwards if it doesn't work, so I'm intrigued by your experience, particularly with MSFS2020. I've got the all bells and whistles version but only fly GA at the moment because I find the airliners totally unrealistic in their handling (not to mention the multitude of bugs reported). However I'm curious to hear that you have used spadnext to connect the MCP to MSFS2020 and at least one of the aircraft. This gives me hope for the future!

If you have the time perhaps you could explain a little more. I only fly X Plane when not wrestling with MSFS2020 and left P3D behind a few years back. If you use your MCP with X Plane (I'm guessing you don't because you don't mention it) then it would be great to know more.

Many thanks for replying

 

 

Edited September 30, 2020 by soppie

[LesOReilly 176]

On 9/30/2020 at 4:16 AM, soppie said:

Hi Les, many thanks for responding, I was beginning to give up hope!

Unfortunately my 14 day trial of spadnext has now expired and I never managed to get it to connect to my MCP. I could see a list of profiles but none seemed to fit my requirements in terms of sim/aircraft combination. I don't find it the most intuitive of programmes though so there's a very good chance I was doing something wrong.

Spadnext are very clear that its up to the user to test the software before buying, its no use complaining afterwards if it doesn't work, so I'm intrigued by your experience, particularly with MSFS2020. I've got the all bells and whistles version but only fly GA at the moment because I find the airliners totally unrealistic in their handling (not to mention the multitude of bugs reported). However I'm curious to hear that you have used spadnext to connect the MCP to MSFS2020 and at least one of the aircraft. This gives me hope for the future!

If you have the time perhaps you could explain a little more. I only fly X Plane when not wrestling with MSFS2020 and left P3D behind a few years back. If you use your MCP with X Plane (I'm guessing you don't because you don't mention it) then it would be great to know more.

Many thanks for replying

 

 

I have used Spad.Next now since 2015...... It is the number one Add On for me as I love to have all kinds of configurations for different planes.

It drives my FIPs and all of the other panels that Logitech makes.  They also added Go Flight Range and of course all Generic controllers "just work" since they are HID devices.  I built my own GNS 530 controller using an Arduino board configured as a "Joystick" and it just works..... Of course in MSFS 2020 they did not implement GPS or G1000 command yet :).  Just recent full support for StreamDeck was added to the complete edition -- as in not a plugin to the stream deck software but rather will take it over and drive it....You can make anything with it and some users have built total flight decks from it.

I have only flown the GA planes thus far as well....I have been working my way through them 🙂 and building profiles for them..... Note that most people don't publish the Profiles as many have different devices or tweaks....what tends to happen is that we publish the Devices...... ie if you were to go into Spad.Next and go to a device click on a button you will see a online snippets button on the right.  Going into that you will find the ability to search by Button or entire device.  I have published many of my devices that way since it makes it easier to pick and chose the pieces I need for my different planes..... ie I make a profile per plane then pull in my best options per device.

So I have made a couple of different MSFS MCP devices that are based on the behaviour of the AP..... ie a G1000 one a KAP140 one a Collins one.....etc...

The term "Intuitive" is a very subjective statement.  Really it just means that it is an interface that you have similarities and familiarity with....similar statements are made in the real aviation world regarding moving from one avionics stack to another.....even from the same vendor and the reality is that none are really "intuitive" they just have similarities.....

I have put up a few different videos now about how to setup and uses spad.next with some other devices....even how to use it to configure to work with RealityXP as it is able to support extra data (ie -- you hav the ability to use Press, Hold and Release commands like the real one) in the commands to get beyond the basic Button push functions that the simulator keybinding would support...

If you are wanting to maybe get some idea of how to configure things and better how to sort out the data I would watch the one i did regarding the Carenado 208 and a switch panel....since you need to use conditions of Data in association with Sim Events since carenado does not let you drive the data directly....

As for XPlane -- based on the Discord and the Forums for Spad.Next the community is able to work with it just fine...... I fly my PMDG777 in P3D v4.5 (won't go to v5 as I just can't be bothered at this point) and for all my GA flyings (minus my IFR proficiency which I like to do at least 2 times a month...does not count as hours but if you practice the motions...) I use MSFS for now....

Les

[soppie 24]

Thanks for the comprehensive response Les but unfortunately I must confess I probably didn't understand more than about 10% of it!

If its not already abundantly clear, I bought the VA MCP primarliy to add immersion when flying the default 737 in X Plane. I've no interest in study level aircraft and spending ages loading FMC's and the like, I just like being able to turn a knob when changing heading and that kind of thing, nothing too complicated. Hence I haven't invested in any of the more complex 737's available for X Plane but wanted to explore if there was a simple and straightforward way to use the MCP with other aircraft in X Plane. It is clear that Spadnext does support x plane and that its perfectly possibe to create a profile to get the MCP communicating with suitable aircraft in X Plane, however unrealistic a the VA MCP that may be. However, I singularly failed to find a suitable profile in the spadnext library and could not make head nor tail of the instructions for creating one from scratch, so the 14 day trial expired and I'm now faced with the choice of laying out £25 plus VAT for a licence with no certaintly of having any more success in future! When I said I found Spadnext unintuitive what I meant was that I stared at the options without really having the faintest clue where to begin. I watched your video with the 777 (I think) and tried to follow it but got nowhere.

I have searched high and low and not found an active forum populated with people using the VA MCP with X Plane. My search will continue and I also live in hope that the manufacturers will update their software to support MSFS2020 in due course.

 

Thanks again and take care.

 

Paul

[LesOReilly 176]

VA will not do a thing about it 🙂

 

As for MSFS -- Well I have a device published for making it work with lot's of planes......doing a device publish allows the picking of different items without the need for the profile to match identical configurations....

I don't do XPLANE..... I just do P3D and MSFS.....  But yes it will work and the Discord group is active with users that would be able to better help out....What is also nice is that it is actually designed in a way that any MCP --- ie the Go flight ones and the CP ones all will work together.  So any 737 MCP "device" have a logical map.  So if you say a device published that said CP or Go Flight it would work with XPlane as well.

Spad.Next is a GUI....You can press the button or move the knob then click your way through options of what you want to assign.  I wish I could help you with XPlane but I can not.....I can with MSFS though.  I use a 737 MCP with all my GA planes 🙂 it's mounted why would I change 🙂