I think it's been awhile since a comparison topic was made about these two products. A couple of years ago, I bought 1 year of the PMS50, and last year updated to the unlimited version. I also bought the TDS some time ago as well. Since the TDS was pretty much on par with RealityXP gauges, I was really hopeful that it would be just as good -- and it was. The only issue I had with the TDS was the limited Navdata and the performance hit. I liked the PMS50 because any weird/custom airports that either didn't exist IRL, or various bush strips that didn't have a designated ICAO would show up as long as the airport was in your community folder. Creating a "waypoint" using the TDS is pretty simple....but it was the overall lack of Navdata that kept me away. The PMS, on the other hand, was still a bit annoying though. Some of the real world features/expected behavior didn't (and to an extent) still doesn't work correctly. But, I kept the PMS because there is almost no noticeable performance hit.

Decided to revisit these products, and just learned that the TDS has full Navigraph support now (for an extra fee of course). Before I decide to shell out another $30, I've got a few questions for those of you that use these.

1) Has the performance improved with the TDS?

2) Is there any unexpected behavior with the TDS & Navigraph support, or does it work as it would in the real world (flight plans, VNAV incorporation, RNAV approaches, accurate instrumentation linking, etc)?

3) Any other info you could provide that you think would be helpful.

Thanks!

Have bought the PMS50 in January, mainly because of no import from Navigraph Navdata in the TDS.

Now that TDS has import Navdata from navigraph Support, i looked  further into it.

One thing that i have found is, that TDS has no direct import from simbrief (but you can export flt Plans and import it).

And if a plane, like the C414AW has 2 TDS, there is no crossfill between them. There are completly seperate.

 

I have read that the TDS is more true to life, and that the PMS50 has function that are not in the real one.

But never found a direct 1:1 comparsion between the two. From the main map screen, the look identic.

 

One real life function that the TDS seem to have, but not the PMS50 is the "smart glide" function, a wind corrected

radius where the glide range of the aircraft is.

Edited July 12, 20241 yr by Merawen

26 minutes ago, Merawen said:

 

 

I have read that the TDS is more true to life, and that the PMS50 has function that are not in the real one.

 

IDS is not "more to true life" it is a "true life" as it can be! LOL TDS is using official Garmin training app and adopt it for MSFS use! So what you see in TDS is what you see in actual GTN inside real cockpit!

 

 

39 minutes ago, V1ROTA7E said:

I think it's been awhile since a comparison topic was made about these two products. A couple of years ago, I bought 1 year of the PMS50, and last year updated to the unlimited version. I also bought the TDS some time ago as well. Since the TDS was pretty much on par with RealityXP gauges, I was really hopeful that it would be just as good -- and it was. The only issue I had with the TDS was the limited Navdata and the performance hit. I liked the PMS50 because any weird/custom airports that either didn't exist IRL, or various bush strips that didn't have a designated ICAO would show up as long as the airport was in your community folder. Creating a "waypoint" using the TDS is pretty simple....but it was the overall lack of Navdata that kept me away. The PMS, on the other hand, was still a bit annoying though. Some of the real world features/expected behavior didn't (and to an extent) still doesn't work correctly. But, I kept the PMS because there is almost no noticeable performance hit.

Decided to revisit these products, and just learned that the TDS has full Navigraph support now (for an extra fee of course). Before I decide to shell out another $30, I've got a few questions for those of you that use these.

1) Has the performance improved with the TDS?

2) Is there any unexpected behavior with the TDS & Navigraph support, or does it work as it would in the real world (flight plans, VNAV incorporation, RNAV approaches, accurate instrumentation linking, etc)?

3) Any other info you could provide that you think would be helpful.

Thanks!

1) TDS performance is heavier

2)   I believe PMS support for  autopilot modes than TDS right now . At least in several add airplanes I own, that is my impression

3) I personally prefer TDS because it's based on official Garmin trainer. With Navigraph support you can fly all over the world! 

TDS is very accurate to the real one - I used to fly a bird with a 750 and later a 650 - identical basically

Future WIP features I believe as stated in their discord, VNAV, crossfill, and G3X integration (nearing beta test)

Performance is fine as long as you do the anti virus exclusions - if you use VR and pimax crystal with turbo mode the TDS may lag though - basically if your GPU is saturated it could lag a bit.

When I've given my opinion in the past I had said TDS hands down for me, as the PMS is just a facsimile while the TDS is the real garmin software.  With the addition of Navigraph, I will say this:

PMS: If you like to use flight planning software and import.

TDS:  If you want everything to be exactly like the real world GPS.

23 minutes ago, BennetHill said:

TDS:  If you want everything to be exactly like the real world GPS.

Nailed it - my aircraft has a 750 / 650 combo and I can attest to this statement.

Thanks for all the info. I think for flat panel flying it'll be the TDS, in VR, the PMS. best of both worlds.

I may be wrong but I don’t think the two can exist in the community folder side by side. 

They can, because I trialed them both before making a decision.

I like TDS too. I just wish they'd get rid of the "registered to -user-" screen that pops at the beginning, and it'd be nice if they figured out a way for dual Garmins to talk to each other. Other than those minor annoyances, it's a very good addon.

 

I have both and prefer TDS as its more realistic, especially as it now is supported by Navigraph.

If I recall, the Garmin  trainer left out small airports back in my P3D days. Also it was updated maybe once a year sometimes. This may have changed, but I got the PMS GTN a long time ago, it is constantly updated. 

I have both. It’s been months since I used the PMS. I much prefer the TDS.

On 7/12/2024 at 10:51 AM, Merawen said:

But never found a direct 1:1 comparsion between the two. From the main map screen, the look identic.

Not really.. the PMS is close, but not quite "identical" 🙂

Since TDS added Navigraph support, I see no reason to use the PMS anymore. The TDS is using the real life Garmin trainers so it works exactly like the real thing.