funkyhut1

Many Thanks Richard.

Not sure if you got your layout pack from the answers here but I'm sure you have found Will's layout guide on the Aerowinx Forum (PSX Layouts: an annotated example). It has the .9pack download. Also Brian's Guide (PSX introductory tutorial released) on the same forum has a great section on setting up Layouts. For XView, I'm using essentially the setup above with a few small tweaks on a single monitor 1920 x 1080 with a second monitor showing X-Plane (or FSX or P3D) and the PSX Instructor Panel. I also have the landing lights issue and have found that I need to set up PSX with everything before running XView. The set up does not seem to like major changes in PSX. With VisualPSX however making major changes in PSX is not a problem with FSX. I've been using the PMDG 744 in FSX as the FSX aircraft for PSX and it seems to work just fine with no VAS issues but I've not checked the lights etc. I'm not that far along the PSX learning curve yet.

Thanks Jeroen.

As a comparatively small community of simulator enthusiasts or addicts, we have been really lucky. I'm sure all of us appreciate what developers in this field have done to keep our hobby alive. The risks must be high and with a few exceptions, the returns marginal. That is of course unless the developer has an altruistic approach and sees part of his or her return in the form of intangible appreciation. But appreciation does not put bread on the table and there are sites which steal to contend with. Its a tough space to be operating in and hats off to those that are and persist. In 1997. PS1 came into a market when the 744 was in full production and dominated the sky's. It also arrived at a time when the only simulator of note for enthusiasts was from Microsoft; FS 98. When PS1 arrived it did so with no competition. For the hobbyist it was a significant chunk of change. But here on the desktop was a Boeing 747 which you could fly and feel you were in command of the real thing. The biggest airliner in the world was yours. Hard to believe it was a DOS program! Apart from FS98 we (I) had Elite which had just been approved by the FAA as a simulator which could count towards IFR currency but it was limited to GA airplanes. I used to keep IFR sharp for the real world of flying a 172 IFR in the Bay Area. For airlines and ATP schools, desperate at the time for ways to teach “Glass” and find cheaper ways than the FFS to transition people to the New World Reality, PS1 was an unbelievable 'gift' and accepted widely into the professional community. The accolades from the current Aerowinx website are testament to that. Now fast forward to 2014. FS 98 is now FSX and Prepar3d. And X-Plane 10 has arrived too, being the first to break the 4GB limit of 32 bit systems. All can handle pretty darned good attempts at simulating the big jets. PMDG have the MD 11, the 747, the 737 in many variants, and now the 777 and variants. The FMC's are pretty sophisticated and many systems work as in the real world; pretty much. Hats off and thank you to PMDG for all that. The cost of the add on's runs from $30 to $90 and expect higher in the future. In my FSX set up I'm scared to count the cost of all the stuff I have added! PMDG are promising that some of their add on's will soon (?) run on P3D also and maybe even X-Plane. Basically, for the hobbyist, flying heavy metal is here and pretty immersive too. Eye candy development is pretty sophisticated too on all 3 platforms (ASN, ORBX, FS2Crew to mention just 3 of many). Of course there are many other quality developers in the FSX space and the keen enthusiasts all have their favorites. The diversity is great and benefits us all. On simulator systems, it's generally regarded that FSX is dead. Sure, Dovetail have bought it and have said they will release it as a new 'game' in the near future. For the hobbyist, FSX was never a game. We must be patient and wait to see what develops from Dovetail who right now are not saying too much. Personally, I'm not holding my breath. P3D holds a future for sure even if only because Lockheed Martin are at the helm. Version 2.3 is already streets ahead of the Acceleration release of FSX. It still runs 32bit so VAS will always be a serious consideration for developers of complex add on's but we are 'told' that 64bit is on the horizon. Also the ability to work within the limitations of the underlying simulator code must also be seen as a restriction. The recent release of the Majestic Q400, supposedly built largely outside the FSX / P3D framework, is maybe good news and shows what is possible if a developer stretches the boundaries. Is the Q400 a 'stand alone' which uses the underlying simulator for views? X-Plane has removed the VAS issues by being 64bit but lacks the 3rd party developer support which exits in FSX and P3D. It has a really great support community with a ton of great free stuff, a lot of which is really good and transforms it to being a close eye candy rival to the others. Slowly it is getting some of the big jets but so far, not to the PMDG quality level, even though some (777 and 747-8) run quite close. Out in the real world changes since 1997 have been huge. Boeing have the 777 and 787 and Airbus the A330, A380 (flown basically with a keyboard and mouse?) and soon the A350 followed by the 737 MAX and 777X. With new arrivals we also have departures. Almost daily we see airlines writing their own sad but appreciative eulogies for the 744. Other than as freighters, the 744-8's future look quite bleak too. This is the real and simulator world into which Hardy Heinlin has brought PSX but what is PSX? I'm probably going way out on a limb here and if so will be shot down no doubt but here goes. PSX is unique because Hardy has made a simulator which is equally at home with hobbyists looking for the 'real thing' and processionals looking for a tool to support them at work. That in and of itself is a great achievement! (PMDG, please note this when you set your P3D pricing!) PSX is a simulator which allows an airplane (1) to operate realistically in a ground and air environment. It has navigation, ATC and weather built in so that the airplane can connect and interact and in the process get realistically from A to B. PSX is a complete simulation of the Boeing 747-400 and variants and the only one on a PC to do so by simulating everything from the real airplane. Master PSX and you could probably move right into a FFS and do a half decent job in there at first crack. When I read the forums, which I do a lot, there are many threads suggesting that the 'hobby' needs a new platform, built from the ground up, for the big jets. Some even suggest that PMDG could do that. Here again I'm assuming too much and that is dangerous but maybe the base of PSX has the possibility to support more current (in the real world) airplanes? I have no idea, just as I have no idea of the current viability of PSX in the professional environment with the 747-400 declining and going into retirement. Maybe PSX is so good as a systems and procedures trainer, it has a niche and a long life in the professional environment. I really hope so. Also the 744 is said to have at least 6 more years left before moving to the Smithsonian. For the hobbyist, the fact that the 744 is disappearing makes no difference really and I for one, am totally appreciative that Hardy even makes his work available for us amateurs AND spends so much time in the forum helping us all. The chance to fly a 744 like this at a price which is just about affordable but well well below reasonable, is a privilege and I add my thanks to Hardy and the people who helped him deliver PS1 and now PSX. Some are already asking which is better; FSX/P3D/XP10 or PSX. Amazing really. If you go back to 2004 you will find much the same in the form of PS1 vs PMDG 744. PS1 was out and the 744 was coming "soon". Now it's PSX is out and v2 is coming "soon". Absolutely no reason to say much here because it was all said back then. For me, PSX is amazing on steroids if that's your game (which for me it is), especially with the outside view generated by P3Dv2.3 (or FSX or XP10). The existing PMDG 744, while dated compared to the new PMDG 777, is still for me a great planned flight experience without VAS problems even with PSX installed. The promised PMDG 744 v.2 will no doubt do PMDG proud and will arrive to great fanfare and acclaim. Will one be better than the other; is an apple better than an orange? For some yes and for some no but I suspect for most, they'll both make their respective owners very happy indeed, especially if the underlying framework on which v2 will run can match the potential of the plane. I'll almost certainly get v.2 for P3D or X-Plane but not if it's to be run on FSX. On FSX, v1 is just fine. Oh to have so much choice! Even as companies, Aerowinx and PMDG are very different but they have two things in common. They both make top class quality products and they both support the respective needs of their customers. Our hobby is better for them and for that a huge thank you to both. Wherever PSX, FSX, P3D or XP10 go next, when my PSX finally does arrive (I'm now told it will be at 10:00am tomorrow, following 5 days baffling customs!), it's going from Boeing Field to Cardiff for a thorough check up before being released to the BA line to join that incredible morning view of 744 tails lined up at Heathrow ready to depart for every corner of the globe. Maybe in reality, the 744 tails aren't lined up anymore but the memory is! Thanks again to Hardy and Robert and your respective supporters for making our hobby what it is today.

Quite amazing. If you go back to 2004 you will find much the same PS1 vs PMDG 744. PS1 was out and the 744 was coming "soon". Now it's PSX is out and v2 is coming "soon". Absolutely no reason to say much here because it was all said back then. PSX is amazing on steroids if that's your game (which for me it is), especially with the outside view generated by P3Dv2.3. The existing PMDG 744 while dated compared to the new 777 is still for me a great planned flight well spent, even with PSX also installed. v2 will no doubt do PMDG proud and will arrive to great fanfair and acclaim. Will one be better than the other; is an apple better than an orange? For some yes and for some no but I suspect for most, they'll both make their respective owners very happy indeed, especially if the underlying framework on which v2 will run can match the potential of the plane. I'll almost certainly get v2 for P3D or X-Plane but not if it's to be run on FSX. On FSX, v1 is just fine. Even as companies, Aerowinx and PMDG are very different but they have two things in common. They both make top class quality products and they both support the respective needs of their customers. Our hobby is better for them and for that a huge thank you to both.

BA Heathrow to Cardiff for maintenance. The plane is completly empty. That must be fun.

Thanks MC.

I did not delete the panel States before installing SP1. How do I recover? Thanks

By now you have much to cogitate and it's all good stuff. There is a book out there from Wiley Publishing, FSX, Real World Training, which will take you through the Sport, Private, Instrument and Commercial ratings (US). Run through the 750 or so pages and download all the exercise stuff and by the end of it you'll be a pretty darned competent pilot!

OpusFSX is also worth more than a look for camera control AND it's in constant development.

Kick the tires, light the fires and foooom, offffff yooooooo gooooooooooo! Seriously though, if reading is not your forte there are many many really great video's on YouTube which will run you through just about everything and some of them are paced just great for a total beginner.

It is my understanding (and experience) that if you contact Majestic giving reasons, they will happily reset your install counter provided you give them all your purchase details. They were very helpful when I asked (as were PMDG over reinstalls of the T7). Two class acts with class products!

Many Thanks.

I guess I've changed something somewhere but have no idea what. Can someone help me please? Thanks.

My sentiments completely Christopher Low. The DX 11 offload to the video card, the ability of P3D to address the VAS cycling and a probable future on 64bit, makes P3D a giant leap forward. The T7 is great but I can't fly it great. Sad. I have the 747-8i on X-Plane. Impressive but no match to PMDG "feel". But it can go anywhere oom free.

When I look at the P3D licensing and the way P3D react to comments is very clear to me that us enthusiastic would be ATPL folks are more than welcome in their community as we get our heads round learning about aviation hands on. Education runs the gamut from pre kindergarten through seniors classes on just about anything. I know educationally where I fit on that line.

I also think that as soon as PMDG make up their mind about their serious future, the platform they support will grow out of all proportion to where it is now. My only fear is that P3D pricing will forget the core that has supported them to date. I hope not. Opus, Orbx, ASN, UK2000, Majestic, Aerosoft et al are already there satisfying the needs of us students - come on PMDG and help us with a Fall cebration to remember.

In my humble opinion, PMDG should be having a complete rethink right now. Great product but for a system well past it's sell-by-date and that is a real shame. You have a great and loyal following who will follow you wherever you go provided you remember who gave you your current position and the support to enable you to develop over the years - your loyal customers. P3D for sure, fairly priced for us student and aspiring ATPL's which should be no more than a license agreement and a few code tweaks. X-Plane? Maybe more effort required but ooms gone for ever. As I said, that's my humble opinion having just had my first ever oom in FSX. Yup, the T7.

I dream that PMDG is working on the T7 for X-Plane............

I abandoned the cheap copy game controller and used a Logitech joystick instead. Now all worked just fine. Thanks for the help.

Hi, This is giving me grief. Please could you provide a link to the driver download or confirm that I need to use joyinmotion. Our maybe I should be using a simple joystick? Thanks.

If it's any consolation Dave, I too have struggled almost since inception. My first MS Flight Simulator was on a Mac SE in the mid 80's. No Oom's and no issue doing ILS approaches into Everett. It was that small 9" B&W screen which soon had me at Oceanside doing a PPL and a year later at KCCR doing an Instrument rating. Fast forward 28 years and the real world flying is a distant memory so it's back to the simulator and, from my post above, you can see I've tried them all and spent way too much on software to find the "perfect solution". About a month ago I took the ultimate plunge and splashed out on my current rig - see my profile for details. Was it expensive? - yes it was. Was it worth it? - yes for sure because in the end, if you want to run addons and fly high end PMDG airplanes as they were designed, then it's always going to be the hardware. With the current sim options, FSX and P3D will always have Oom problems. X-Plane not so but then the planes are not a patch on the FSX and hopefully soon, the P3D options. So, as they say in Marketing parlance, Hardware - Hardware - Hardware and then a sensible approach to addons and you can then have pretty much what you want. While you patiently wait for things to happen at least you are getting the best experience possible in the meantime. I don't know much about the specifics of your rig but it seems that if you run the PMDG 777 with no addons and the sliders mid range, you should get pretty decent performance. For a purist interested only in perfecting procedures and getting everything spot on, that would be just great. But when you add eye candy and "reality" you pay the price twice over - sim performance and the VISA card! I'm sure a statistician could produce the perfect spend - reality - performance 3D graph to nail everybody somewhere on it, depending on their "needs". With what I have got now, I can concentrate more on flying and less on tweaking. I do run Process Explorer and a monitor for core temperature on a separate monitor. I use Fiber Accelerator and have FRAPS monitoring frame rates. ORBX provides the eye candy and I have some airports loaded (UK2000, VTBS, VHHH and VHHX). Weather is a combination of ASN and Opus. Views are Opus too. On FPS, the eye cannot perceive more than 24 and at 24 I find personally that the sim is smooth and responsive to input. I've set the FSX frame limiter to 30 and Fiber's lower end to 20. Touch wood, all seems to be going fine. Hope this helps your deliberations and searching.

I have FSX, P3D (Academic) and X-Plane 10. FSX is #1 because of PMDG so I live with the "isms" of the system and generally seem to be able to survive if I measure my expectations to reality and understand, without complaining, the effect of exceeding the limits. That way I have endless hours of educational immersion in a world I can't enter in reality. I'm reluctant to do much with P3D until it becomes much clearer who it really will be developed for and at what cost. Will PMDG scuttle use of their aircraft on the Academic version or let them fly anywhere on P3D provided it's not for fun? That "other" turbo prop runs really well on P3D and it's mouth-watering to think PMDG could do the same. X-Plane 10 is, for me, the best and most realistic C 172 (which I used to fly in the real world) but it lacks PMDG and any really great complex planes. I got an email today from Laminar Research trying to sell me a car racing simulation. From the developer of a flight sim platform which could be the 64 bit solution we are all looking for, that seems to me to be either spreading things a bit thin or a need for a wider appealing revenue stream. It must be a tough call for the developers. I liked Capt Randazzo's post about all 3 platforms back in July (I think) and feel confident that he will guide PMDG to look after his loyal supporters on FSX. And I'm sure as he guides PMDG forward to new frontiers, he will not leave us behind on cost or qualification to continue to use use PMDG products. I was always made to believe that education needs to be fun in order for it to be effective.

Thank you for clarifying this Kostas. Very helpful in deciding which way to go.

I'm not confusing the Opus map with the WX Radar display. My weather is from OpusFSI and when I change the weather in Opus it shows in the WX Radar display in the T7. I do have ASN on a networked PC but it is not running and has not been used in a while (4 weeks I guess) since I started to use Opus for weather and views. (From what I understand, ASN has a particular way of connecting the in-sim weather to the T7, some dll "thingy" or whatever. Once that is installed, per the install of ASN, then it's possible to use any weather source to provide weather to the sim from where the ASN "thigy" translates it for the T7 WX radar????????). Whatever, I'm thrilled that OpusFSI works.