Looks like I came late to the GA party. After almost 20 years of simming in airliners, I feel now like doing shorter hops to local airstrips here. Since I don't like the FS9 GPS that has been carried over to P3D (because of the low refresh rate and the inability to create a flightplan directly there), I'm looking for options.

I know there's still the RealityXP GTN 750. Looks interesting, but I tried the Garmin Trainer on which it's based, and found out the coverage out of the US is bad (as in can't even show the available runways).

I gave a try to the GPS 2020, but it ended up giving me distances in km, instead of NM, and couldn't find a way to fix that (while keeping weights in kg). Also, it had the same low refresh rate the stock GPS has. The ones included with Carenado and Milviz are simply variations of the stock GPS, so there's the same refresh rate problem. The Flight1 GTN used to be a favorite here, but it's no longer sold (and it's also based on the Garmin Trainer, so the same problems regarding data quality). Any other options that you can recommend, either payware or freeware?

Edited September 7, 20241 yr by Luis Hernandez

4 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

Looks like I came late to the GA party. After almost 20 years of simming in airliners, I feel now like doing shorter hops to local airstrips here. Since I don't like the FS9 GPS that has been carried over to P3D (because of the low refresh rate and the inability to create a flightplan directly there), I'm looking for options.

I know there's still the RealityXP GTN 750. Looks interesting, but I tried the Garmin Trainer on which it's based, and found out the coverage out of the US is bad (as in can't even show the available runways).

I gave a try to the GPS 2020, but it ended up giving me distances in km, instead of NM, and couldn't find a way to fix that (while keeping weights in kg). Also, it had the same low refresh rate the stock GPS has. The ones included with Carenado and Milviz are simply variations of the stock GPS, so there's the same refresh rate problem. The Flight1 GTN used to be a favorite here, but it's no longer sold (and it's also based on the Garmin Trainer, so the same problems regarding data quality). Any other options that you can recommend, either payware or freeware?

You need to get the Reality XP GNS 500, it has all or most small airstips.  I like to bush fly a lot and I made the same mistake, I purchased the 750 not realizing most small airstrips are missing, then I found out that the GNS 500 does have all the small airstrips, when you install it, you are given the option to select from two nav databases, an older one and a newer one, choose the older one.  Turns out, at some point, Garmin decided to no longer keep the navigation information for small strips in it's GPS's units so that is why the GTN 750 has no small airstrips.

6 hours ago, Zylx said:

an older one and a newer one, choose the older one

Thanks Zylx. Which AIRAC version is the older one you have? I installed the GNS 530W Trainer, the one available at Garmin for free. Its database is according to AIRAC 0711, but it has even fewer airports and detail than the GTN 750 Trainer (which uses AIRAC 2310). And I'm pretty sure the airports I miss were available by November/2007.

Edited September 8, 20241 yr by Luis Hernandez

A pity it can't be in P3d as it is in MSFS 2020... Sorry, couldn't resist because as much as I like and want P3D to "survive" in the simmers world, truth is that limitations like these make it rather difficult...

This is one of the reasons I can only use P3d for VFR, no GPS, dead reckoning or the like navigation ... this when not flying airliners with their FMSs ...

1 hour ago, Luis Hernandez said:

Thanks Zylx. Which AIRAC version is the older one you have? I installed the GNS 530W Trainer, the one available at Garmin for free. Its database is according to AIRAC 0711, but it has even fewer airports and detail than the GTN 750 Trainer (which uses AIRAC 2310). And I'm pretty sure the airports I miss were available by November/2007.

I don't recall which AIRAC but you need to get the Reality XP Garmin GNS 530, it is the only one that offers the ability to use an older database.  The free Garmin Trainer doesn't offer this as far as I know.  If it allows you to switch AIRAC versions then you need to try to find the one used before Garmin got rid of small airstrips from it's units.  There is no other option that I know of that will have all airstrips then to get the Reality XP GNS 530.  Actually the Reality XP Garmin 430 should have this option too I think (I don't own it) but who wants to use a 430 when a 530 is so much better.  I personally hate navigating using the 430.

Edited September 8, 20241 yr by Zylx

1 hour ago, jcomm said:

A pity it can't be in P3d as it is in MSFS 2020... Sorry, couldn't resist because as much as I like and want P3D to "survive" in the simmers world, truth is that limitations like these make it rather difficult...

This is one of the reasons I can only use P3d for VFR, no GPS, dead reckoning or the like navigation ... this when not flying airliners with their FMSs ...

I will always love P3D despite it's drawbacks like the very limited functionality of the default Garmin GPS's.  What I like best about P3D is the huge selection of aircraft that work with it, both payware and freeware.  There's far more aircraft to choose from for P3D then there is for almost every other simulator except FSX which has even a larger selection, I get to fly awesome aircraft that don't exist for other sims.  As much as I love P3D though, I have to say the LM P3D developers rely way too much on 3rd party add-ons to add features to the sim such as Reality XP for example.

If your looking for deep systems integration, you should try X-Plane 12, there's nothing better when it comes to systems integration, not even MSFS can compare.

Edited September 8, 20241 yr by Zylx

13 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

Also, it had the same low refresh rate the stock GPS has.

I am curious if anyone knows. What is the "refresh rate" (if it actually applies) for a real world Garmin? Having just used the GPS that P3D aircraft come from I am used to the annoyingly low refresh rates of the GPS screen updating (possibly a reason I prefer to flight plan using old style navaids!).

It's not so much as a refresh rate of the screen but how often the position of the aircraft is "refreshed".  And your right, the default Garmin's are annoyingly slow to update the plane's position, I'm actually surprised that no one has made a mod to fix that issue.  I know there are mods out there (Avsim comes to mind) that has a newer looking version of the default Garmin 530 but I believe the refresh rate is the same.

7 hours ago, jcomm said:

A pity it can't be in P3d as it is in MSFS 2020

I can see where are you coming from: I was thinking initially of the RXP GTN, because I was spoiled with the PMS50 one for the other sim.

5 hours ago, JonP01 said:

What is the "refresh rate" (if it actually applies) for a real world Garmin?

The only reference I have is from the Garmin Trainer itself. Apparently, it runs at 2 Hz. Slow, but not as slow as the FS9 GPS. That one runs at around 0.8 Hz, and with a lot of lag 😂

2 hours ago, Zylx said:

I'm actually surprised that no one has made a mod to fix that issue

There must be a hard-coded limitation somewhere else. The gauge itself is XML, and thus, could do up to 18 Hz.

Edited September 8, 20241 yr by Luis Hernandez
Grammar

Unfortunately for P3D there are not much options available. Flight 1 GTN was one option but lack of updatable database is no go plus they have removed it from sale some time back. There is Reality XP GTN/GNS which is still available but I don't think Navigraph database works as I understand it uses real garmin nav data. This is where MSFS wins and shines well - you got fully updatable sim database (either Navigraph or default MS sim updates every month) and also other advanced avionics like TDS/PMS/Working title, all which are fully compatible with Navigraph database. 

Edited September 9, 20241 yr by CAP1234

11 hours ago, CAP1234 said:

Unfortunately for P3D there are not much options available. Flight 1 GTN was one option but lack of updatable database is no go plus they have removed it from sale some time back. There is Reality XP GTN/GNS which is still available but I don't think Navigraph database works as I understand it uses real garmin nav data. This is where MSFS wins and shines well - you got fully updatable sim database (either Navigraph or default MS sim updates every month) and also other advanced avionics like TDS/PMS/Working title, all which are fully compatible with Navigraph database. 

Yes the Reality XP Garmin uses it's own database separete from P3D's database but most of the time this is not an issue wiht the GNS 530 in my experience.

BTW it is possible to update P3D's nav database but doing so can cause you to run into issues with airports not being lined up right with the approaches and stuff.

Good luck trying to buy Reality XP products. I reinstalled FSX a few months back and purchased P3D so decided to get latest versions as mine were not compatible any more. 

The support forum had been dead from Dev for over 18 months. 

He does not answer any direct emails. 

The product purchase fails every time. I don't care if there's no support I'm happy to do that myself but it's depressing that a still available sim like p3d has NO fully featured gns system for purchase. 

If anyone CAN successfully purchase any version of RXP products please post here and I will try again. Just purchased all the pmdg planes available before they closed shop for p3d I'm trying to guarantee a good offline sim for the rest of my days but it seems to be more crippled day by day. 

Edit : I actually own flight 1 gtn system but the product will NOT Co exist with msfs gtn from TDS as it can't seem to use an existing Garmin trainer install. 

Edited September 10, 20241 yr by sloppysmusic
F1

20 hours ago, CAP1234 said:

Unfortunately for P3D there are not much options available. Flight 1 GTN was one option but lack of updatable database is no go plus they have removed it from sale some time back. There is Reality XP GTN/GNS which is still available but I don't think Navigraph database works as I understand it uses real garmin nav data

Since both are based on the Garmin trainer, I understand both F1 and RXP would have the same limitations. TDS for MSFS would have the same problem, I guess.

2 hours ago, sloppysmusic said:

Good luck trying to buy Reality XP products. I reinstalled FSX a few months back and purchased P3D so decided to get latest versions as mine were not compatible any more. 

The support forum had been dead from Dev for over 18 months. 

He does not answer any direct emails. 

The product purchase fails every time.

Looks like I'll give RXP a shot (I still don't know if the GTN750 or the GNS 530W, both seem to be equally lacking regarding database). In the worst case, it will work with my laptop (that won't run MSFS at all). That or trying to speed up the FS9 GPS refresh rate*

*good luck with that: 21 years and no one has yet managed to do so.

3 hours ago, sloppysmusic said:

Good luck trying to buy Reality XP products. I reinstalled FSX a few months back and purchased P3D so decided to get latest versions as mine were not compatible any more. 

The support forum had been dead from Dev for over 18 months. 

He does not answer any direct emails. 

The product purchase fails every time. I don't care if there's no support I'm happy to do that myself but it's depressing that a still available sim like p3d has NO fully featured gns system for purchase. 

If anyone CAN successfully purchase any version of RXP products please post here and I will try again. Just purchased all the pmdg planes available before they closed shop for p3d I'm trying to guarantee a good offline sim for the rest of my days but it seems to be more crippled day by day. 

Edit : I actually own flight 1 gtn system but the product will NOT Co exist with msfs gtn from TDS as it can't seem to use an existing Garmin trainer install. 

I've never had an issue purchasing RXP Garmins.  Just download the E-Commerce installer for the RXP version you want, run it, log into your Flight1 account in the installer interface, choose a payment method and make the purchase.  Also make sure to download their 30% off discount coupon (it is a file you download) and make sure to select the coupon option in the installer and point it to the discount coupon file to get the 30% off before you make the purchase.

Edit: You are correct though, the developers never answer on their support forum here at AVSIM or via email but RXP is not dead by any means.  It still gets updated regularly.

Edited September 10, 20241 yr by Zylx

4 hours ago, Zylx said:

I've never had an issue purchasing RXP Garmins

Hey thanks for that. Last month I downloaded the coupons followed instructions to the letter but something failed. Will try again.

Does anyone know if the RXP GTN series sits well with the TDS Gtn series for MSFS on same computer? I'm fine using the GNS for now IF I can buy it as I cut my teeth on that back in the day so know inside out but be nice if I could both GTns as well working off same trainer.