Does anoyone have an X-Plane based setup?

[Atomic_Sheep]

I was just wondering whether anyone is actually using X-Plane for their setup?

[macisaac]

I am ! I am currently heavy into construction of the shell and MIPs, but the software and interfacing is complete. All 100% X-plane running on 5 Macs. Due to the lack of commercially available Mac, and X-Plane compatible hardware, there has been a lot of custom plugins, software and hardware built to accommodate the project. It is good to see a lot of hardware companies offering software compatibility with X-Plane for PC. That must make the transition from MSFS a bit easier for those willing try it out. I have never owned a PC and I have never flown MSFS, so I have no personal experience with ether product. I have lots of Macs and have been flying X-plane from version 5, so naturally I wanted a cockpit that I would be familiar with. My 737-300 has a fully simulated electrical system and fuel system mimicking the the real thing. The avionics has a custom HSI by XHSI. I was able to shoot ADFs and VORs completely around the world. I have a buddy who flew T-43s and he says it brings up a lot of old memories, I consider that a complement. I have an earlier post on my build that I haven't updated in a while. I had a big move and started a business, so my "cockpit" time has been limited. Now that cockpit season is here (winter) I plan on updating my post soon. I saw this post and felt compelled to share!



Cheers

[DaveC3]

I use FS9, FSX and x-plane. All my hardware and software works on any of the SIMs,

My personal opinion is that X-plane has the best flight model (for me), but lacks sceenery. FSX is slow on my systems. FS9 runs well. I like using prosim, so I run it on FS9 if I want to use the flight management computer. If I am flying manually I like to use X-plane.

Take care
Dave

[Atomic_Sheep]

Sounds good guys! and that cockpit is looking super macisaac I'm planning on transitioning to X-Plane 10 when it comes out and working building a sim around it for the time being. I'll get FSX running when I think the generation after next of computers comes out and is able to pull FSX but overall, I've been watching some X-Plane videos and I've been getting more and more impressed with the flight model. I tried the demo and really enjoyed it and it actually did feel a lot more like flying but by the same token, there were a lot of drawbacks which FSX covers but yer, I don't want to start another X-Plane vs FSX thread.

I've got 3 computers at the moment and the plan was to get my main one to run FSX and the other 2 to run instruments i.e. without installing FSX. Is this still possible with X-Plane?

I've also got two old joysticks with gameports which are no longer supported by Windows 7 but by the sounds of it, there appear to be solutions which enable joysticks to be recognised over a network. Would this be possible with X-Plane?

I know that you can run X-Plane in a similar fashion to flight simulator i.e. WideView but I don't want to buy a bunch of top of the range computers as it's too expensive so the emphasis is on getting instruments working on other computers as well as my joysticks and get X-Plane visuals on the main computer. Besides, I'm not too keen on buying multiple copies of the game to run on multiple computers.

Lastly, how does the monitor support look like for X-Plane? If you guys say that I'm able to run my instruments over a network like WideFS enables one to do with FSX, then I will have to worry about just the visuals for the main computer and for that I'm planning on using 3 displays, i.e. 3 monitors/projectors. Does X-Plane support massive resoultions? Say 3840x800 or so?

[DaveC3]

I run x-plane and FSX on a Screen resolution of 3840x1024. Not sure about running joysticks over network. My yoke, rudder and throttle run on the main machine.

[Atomic_Sheep]

So I'm guessing you are running 3 displays for your visuals? I just read somewhere that high resolutions were unsupported/problematic wtih X-Plane. Then again, if I think about it, the fact that it's FAA approved would suggest that professional sims use it which means that they probably have pretty beefy screen setups.

[mrmaster]

hi look at my website: www.x737cockpit.wordpress.com i am building a cockpit using xplane - and on a mac as well!!!

cheers

[Atomic_Sheep]

Hi, yep saw your project in your greetings thread. Good work, progressing well. A bit hard to understand German though as I don't speak it :P. I'll use google transalte to hopefully glean some more information about it.

[macisaac]

Great start mrmaster! I think Macs are the way to go. No viruses, no dll's and ini's. I never worry about my hardware, or software, that frees me up to build and fly!

Atomic, X-plane only supports one display per computer. The exception is on the "Master" machine, you can have an instructor station visible on a second display. This really does not affect master machine providing external visuals. X-plane supports the TH2G as well as the DH2G and custom resolutions in between. I have 2 projectors shooting onto a 130 deg. curved screen. For FAA support in X-Plane, you need to purchase the level 3 USB key for about $1000. Not only does it unlock the FAA control check requirements, but it also allows you to adjust the output image so you can correct the distortion caused from shooting on a curved or spherical screen. I am poor and want a throttle, so I am shooting onto 2 curved mirrors. The only way to provide separate displays for visuals, both internal and external, is to run a separate copy of X-plane for each requirement. For my MIPs, I have a display for the cpt., f/o and ecas. Thats 3x core2duo macs running 3x copies of X-Plane. If and when I add and FMS, I'll need to build another mac and have it running X-Plane. This is one area that I feel MSFS builders have advantage both in cost and cabling. There are some PC options such as SimPlugins That provides instrumentation on a networked PC with out having to run X-Plane. XHSI is a stand alone app for an NG style HSI. VasFMC is a great system for Airbus Fans.

Cheers

[Atomic_Sheep]

Hmm, that is a bit of a bummer but at least I now know how much the FAA USB costs - had always wondered. Yep, I know of Vas FMS, hopefully they release an X-Plane 10 compatible version when that comes out or maybe it will be backward compatible already.

EDIT: Have been thinking, and now I wonder whether it would be simply possible to get 1 main computer to run X-Plane, get Triple Head to go which I assume will make 3 displays/monitors/projectors be seen as 1 and hence alleviate the need to get 3 computers to just run X-Plane visuals. Then, there is XPFUIPC which can be used to run project magenta instruments on other computers without the need of installing X-Plane on them as well. At the moment XPUIPC can only run project magenta as I understand it, but I imagine that with time, as further development I hope takes place, it should be possible to do the same with other non project magenta third party software. This way, it would be possible ot get just 1 copy of X-Plane and be able to use much older and obsolete computers for the peripheral instruments.

Shoot down this idea if I have overlooked something.