Fly Engravity or Opencockpits FMC which way to go???

[docmeister]

Hi All

Right then.... I have decided that I'm going to go the next step up with my sim and now that I have bought a throttle from Throttletec (still waiting for it to get here), I am now looking at a FMC/CDU.

This unit is for the 737 and I have looked at Fly Engravity (F/E) and Opencockpits (O/C) and I have read up on some info but I am a little confused. Firstly the price difference, F/E are selling for $889.00 euro which for me is $1350.00 $AU (ouch) and then there is O/C which are selling for $347.00 euro ($573.00 $AU) so what is the big diffence between the two. From what I can tell the F/E has back lit keys and the O/C does not, the O/C requires a TV output fron the Video card (i don't have one of those and I am currently using both DVI outputs) so do I need another card? and I think the F/E requires only a USB port.

With all this in mind, are they both plug and play?? apart from loading up the software I dont need to plug them through another card ie and expansion card. I want to make sure that I have all the right information before I place an order and find that I cant use it.

Well thats it....WOW building a cockpit is so much fun but soooooo bloody expensive

Cheers Guys

Chris

[twisted8]

Can't speak for the F/E unit (which looks excellent) but I do have the O/C unit and it looks good and it works just fine. I think you have the differences down pretty well. Also the O/C unit doesn't have the lights (exec, msg ofst, etc) You have to add those with a O/C master card. So it's probably better for those of us who are running other O/C products.
I guess it depends whether you want a plug-n-play unit or something cheaper but that you would have to play around with and add some work to it. I personally like building so I got the O/C FMC kit (which is even cheaper) and have been having fun building it. Also the O/C can be backlit, but again that's even more additional work.
I guess is a question of time vs money
There are RCA to VGA converters but not very cheap about US$70
Good luck!

[mascot]

Hi Chris

I have the F/E CDU and this unit is a true masterpiece. Rigid design and it only needs a power adapter and a USB cable. So no new GPU's needed. The Display and the Keyboard is dimmable, you can adjust the contrast of the display you can even adjust the loudness of a keyclick if you want one... The EXE Light is built in of course. I know the unit is expensive but if your looking for a true plug and play unit there is no way round it... And it never failed to work so far!

Greetz

[bindook]

Hi Chris,
dont forget to add customs duty to the F/E unit which would put a few more $$$$$ on to the unit.


Michael

[twisted8]

Not sure if you made a decision yet but just to let you know I got a VGA to RCA converter for about $18 USD. You can get them on ebay. They work great with the opencockpit/PSone Screen so you don't have to worry about not having a TV output on your video card.

[OliT]

Hi guys- I'm considering the Opencockpits FMC too- currently using the VR Insight- or at least I would be if'd not decided I'd rather use the keyboard and mouse than that "thing".

My question is this- I have to outs on my video card- currently one goes to a TH2G for externals and one to a single monitor for the instrument panel.
I can't afford the engravity one although I know hoe fabulous everyone thinks it is. Can I use something like this
http://www.lambda-tek.com/components...ld=#productTop
to cheat and plug the FMC into (two ) USB ports? Any downsides to be wary of?
If so I can build it into my current system very easily and can go ahead and get the EFIS at the same time.

Anyone help a newbie?
Many thanks,
Oli T.

[twisted8]

That adapter wouldn't work for the opencockpits cdu since it uses an RCA input unless you get the VGA to RCA adapter as well. I think if your motherboard can support a second video card I would look for an older cheap video card with the analog RCA output. Something like the nvidia 8600 I belive would work

[Thiago Pessanha]

Not sure if you made a decision yet but just to let you know I got a VGA to RCA converter for about $18 USD. You can get them on ebay. They work great with the opencockpit/PSone Screen so you don't have to worry about not having a TV output on your video card.

Hello Fabian, could you post here the link for buy it on ebay?

Thanks!!

[Westozy]

Hi Chris, where in Oz are you?

Flightdeck Solutions are about to release their new FMC which apparantly has a colour VGA screen. I am waiting to buy two for my sim and they are supposed to be priced similar to their existing FMCs. (CAD$995.00) Last I heard they were bench testing the prototypes and there is already a queue of people waiting for them. I'm looking forward to upgrading my sim to SimAvionics and FDS hardware. I've just ordered the 128/256 Sys 1X card in preparation.

Cheers, Gwyn
www.aerosimsolutions.com.au

[Anderson/SBSP]

If money is not problem, Flyengravity is the right choice!!

I have one FMC from OC and dont like!! The OC FMC is not plug&play, the quality of material is not so good, for hard use i dont recomend this.