SPAD.neXt

Spent most of the morning watching YouTube videos about this - SPAD.neXt. Apparently, whoever started the "project" for the original SPAD more or less bailed out - I don't know all the details.

I bought a Saitek Multi Panel and a Saitek Multi-Radio Panel. Minor problems. Downloaded SPAD (w/drivers) and things didn't seem to get a whole lot better. Then I read that you need to divest yourself of the original Saitek drivers. Did that and things seem to be better. But...

In the process, I discovered the existence of SPAD.neXt but, after watching several hours worth of videos, can't decide what the devil is supposed to be so much better - relative to the "older" drivers. I really wanted someone to review SPAD.neXt with the radio panel and none of the ones I watched ever did - they focused almost all their time on the multi-panel (i.e., the one that looks like an autopilot) and/or on the one that looks like the C172 switch array.

The gist of the videos is that you can "choose" what gets displayed by making selections from what looks like FSUIPC (just like I'm already doing with FSX). What I was *hoping* for was the ability to switch-select (with software) instead of having to turn the various selector knobs.

I'm of the opinion that (A) the Saitek pieces of equipment are worth the money, but (B) a decent builder could probably take a small collection of rotary encoders and create pretty much the same thing and be able to see all the items at one time - instead of only being able to see altitude, or heading, or transponder, etc. As near as I can tell, however, the setup for the Saitek multi panels doesn't come anywhere near that level of selection.

I also kept waiting for some info about virtual buttons/keystrokes - none of the "reviewers" I came across ever said anything about them.

Does anyone else here (a) use any of this new SPAD.neXt and (b) willing to share their opinion about whether the labor is worth it or not.

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL