Wanting to upgrade current setup... where to start...?

Hi All,

New to the site, but not new to FlightSim. I have a current setup that I have been using for a few years now and was quite happy with it, but I would like to up the ante a little bit and go for something more cockpit like. I should mention now that currently I primarily fly the 747.

Here's a description of my current setup.
PC: sorry that I can't remember the specs, but it's probably 4years old with Dual Video cards.
Software: FS9 to which I have made countless additions, including AFCAD and traffic updates. 400,000 AI flights :)
5 monitors : 3 of which on a TH2Go for external view, 2 for panel (Main panel, MCP, CDU, Throttle Quad)
CH Products : Yoke, Throttle, and Pedals.

I would like to try to model something after a 777, not 100% accurate, but good enough so that I minimize pointing and clicking with the mouse.

SO!... my first stop in the coming months is an upgrade of my PC, something more powerful to handle FSX.
This I am already planning for. I aim to continue to use the TH2Go with three monitors for the outside view.

Other than that, what are people's opinions of adding the following:

GoFlight MCP-PRO Module
VRInsight CDU - I'm reading differing opinions on this... but i would really like to add this component to my cockpit.
GoFLight Pedestal - Including throttle quadrant, radios and switches.. the exact combination i have not worked out yet.

If you guys dont mind sharing experiences or opinions of these that would be great. Or some other ideas would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

Welcome :)

Hi!


You are doing what I did when I first started out. At first it was just the single screen with the GoFlight MCP-Pro. And then I added their pedestal, 3 wide rack, and overhead rack (mounted overhead rack to a tv wall mount to really mount it overhead). Filled all this in with the throttle, ICCS, and various switches/buttons - all GoFlight kit. What I liked about it was I could use all of this on any aicraft and it wasn't 737 specific - used it for a while until the Co-Pilot (wife) uttered those magical words that she regrets to this day:

"Why don't you build a full sim like you want."

I still use the MCP on the "non sim" PM for when I want to just fly around in a quick flight without firing up the entire sim. Everything else is still sitting idle. This was a good start and entry into the FS world (more than just the desktop/mouse/keyboard/HOTAS setup).

I see you are in MA as well - I am in Leominster - definitely open to sharing tips etc - so feel free to contact me.

Matt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mwippern

Hi All,

New to the site, but not new to FlightSim. I have a current setup that I have been using for a few years now and was quite happy with it, but I would like to up the ante a little bit and go for something more cockpit like. I should mention now that currently I primarily fly the 747.

Here's a description of my current setup.
PC: sorry that I can't remember the specs, but it's probably 4years old with Dual Video cards.
Software: FS9 to which I have made countless additions, including AFCAD and traffic updates. 400,000 AI flights :)
5 monitors : 3 of which on a TH2Go for external view, 2 for panel (Main panel, MCP, CDU, Throttle Quad)
CH Products : Yoke, Throttle, and Pedals.

I would like to try to model something after a 777, not 100% accurate, but good enough so that I minimize pointing and clicking with the mouse.

SO!... my first stop in the coming months is an upgrade of my PC, something more powerful to handle FSX.
This I am already planning for. I aim to continue to use the TH2Go with three monitors for the outside view.

Other than that, what are people's opinions of adding the following:

GoFlight MCP-PRO Module
VRInsight CDU - I'm reading differing opinions on this... but i would really like to add this component to my cockpit.
GoFLight Pedestal - Including throttle quadrant, radios and switches.. the exact combination i have not worked out yet.

If you guys dont mind sharing experiences or opinions of these that would be great. Or some other ideas would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

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Thanks ........

Some random comments :)

The VRInsight CDU: several folks made disparaging comments about the first version, which was very limited in facilities. The second version, the CDU II, is a much more serious bit of kit, which can emulate a number of different aircraft. Nothing like the realism or quality of the FDS CDUs (which are aircraft specific), but then it is only a fraction of the price. Good support from Andy Digital on the VR Insight forum.

I like my GoFlight MCP Pro. It works out of the box with the FeelThere 737 Pilot in Command, the Level D 767, the ProSim 737 software suite, and (I think) the iFly 737 (not sure if it needs the cockpit builders version). It used to need payware drivers to interface with PMDG aircraft and there were some reports that the drivers would not work when the MCP Pro was updated to the latest firmware version, so you would need to research that more. I also believe it worked with the SimAvionics 737 software suite, don't know about their 777 though.

I have a number of other GoFlight modules which I picked up cheaply on ebay. They do the job, even if they aren't as realistic as many of the more expensive products. One thing I didn't realise when I started: a single unit like the GF46 can control a number of radios, barometer settings etc etc so you don't need to equip the pedestal with multiple units to start with.

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Bryn