Why go from 737 PMDG to Project Majenta ?

[Nick1150]

The more I read, the more I understand that most cockpit builders, advise to start from Project Magenta and then purchase hardware for the rest of the cockpit.

1. Can you please tell me why ?
2. What about PM alternatives ?
3. Can I use I/O cards with PMDG, or do I need PM to asign inputs and outputs ?
4. If the above is yes... how can I do that ? Any tutorial for begginerslike me ?
4. I can understand that overhead panels are too complicated, to ask that question, but is it possible for a MIP or a pedestal to be connected to a I/O card and then via one USB to the pc, making it actualy a PnP MIP for example ?
5. As a continue of question #4, which hardwares of a cockpit cannot be operated without the help of PM or any other alternatives ? In other words, how far can one go without PM ?

Thank you in advance.

Nick

[pdpo]

The more I read, the more I understand that most cockpit builders, advise to start from Project Magenta and then purchase hardware for the rest of the cockpit.

1. Can you please tell me why ?
2. What about PM alternatives ?
3. Can I use I/O cards with PMDG, or do I need PM to asign inputs and outputs ?
4. If the above is yes... how can I do that ? Any tutorial for begginerslike me ?
4. I can understand that overhead panels are too complicated, to ask that question, but is it possible for a MIP or a pedestal to be connected to a I/O card and then via one USB to the pc, making it actualy a PnP MIP for example ?
5. As a continue of question #4, which hardwares of a cockpit cannot be operated without the help of PM or any other alternatives ? In other words, how far can one go without PM ?

Thank you in advance.

Nick

Hi there,

there is a simple answer to your question. The answer is SDK.
Better, the answer is the lack of SDK.
What do I mean, well commercial products (except for level-D 767) do not offer an SDK and therefor many
variables are kept within the gauges. So its very difficult, even not possible to get a LED to be turned off/on or
to drive a 7 segment display.
Mostly the input towards the products is possible via mouse macros (provided by FSUIPC) or by keystrokes
(provided by the programs themselfs)
Also the commercial product are running on 1 computer (the FS computer itself) so there are some issues
with the number of displays. However the latter is getting easier to overcome with USB displays, multiple video cards or the TH2GO or the eyefinity ATI card or the NVIDIA multi monitor cards.
As stated above the level-D boeing 767 product has this SDK so its possible to send and receive data from it to
steer led, displays and give inputs. Niko Kaan wrote a program which resides between this SDK and the opencockpits hardware to make cockpit building for this particular plane easier.

Alternatives for 737 to project magenta are (as far as I know) : flight deck software (belgium)
sim avionics (UK -> 777 software adapted to 737)

My 2 cents , Peter

I apologise if I would have forgotten to mention any other 737 software available ( I build Airbus)

[dukabr]

1. Can you please tell me why ?
Because we dont hav the SDK, and if we dont have SDK we dont know the "adress" to send and recive a specific information.

2. What about PM alternatives ?
The other friend says.. but have the ORION, is a newer glass cockpit project !! Have a very good price.

3. Can I use I/O cards with PMDG, or do I need PM to asign inputs and outputs ?
IOCard is difficult, you can use a mjoy16, buo836 or similar to do a macro with fsuipc.

4. If the above is yes... how can I do that ? Any tutorial for begginerslike me ?
If you use opencockpits cards we know a little number of offsets and its not possible build a "full" cockpit.

4. I can understand that overhead panels are too complicated, to ask that question, but is it possible for a MIP or a pedestal to be connected to a I/O card and then via one USB to the pc, making it actualy a PnP MIP for example ?
I dont understand. But in Opencockpits solution, you can make your card USB using expansion card. This cards can run in networked computer (in second pc).

5. As a continue of question #4, which hardwares of a cockpit cannot be operated without the help of PM or any other alternatives ? In other words, how far can one go without PM ?
Project Magenta have 2 "sets".
1-> Glass Cockpit -> You "dont needed" .You can edit the PMDG panel with FS Panel Studio (abacus) the instruments and use similar a glass cockpit
2-> System Logical -> You cant use this using PMDG (because we dont know the offsets/adress -> NO SDK Louch ) , in this case we need a "second" software to simulate this logical.
Ex.: If no power ON, all instruments are off (no showing nothing). This is the "logical programation systems"

Sorry for my english

[dnoize]

4. I can understand that overhead panels are too complicated, to ask that question, but is it possible for a MIP or a pedestal to be connected to a I/O card and then via one USB to the pc, making it actualy a PnP MIP for example ?

The cpflight MIP737 board is fully compatible with the PMDG 737 for FS9 To interface MIP functionality. You will need the driver from flightsimlabs (www.flightsimlabs.com) . Flightsimlabs is the new company from PMDG's former lead developer.

Alternatively the FLYengravity new ICS plug and play MIP's also use the same protocol as the cpflight MIP 737 board and will also be compatible with pmdg 737.

All radios and rudder trim panel, also work with pmdg by means of the flightsimlabs driver.


Stef

[Nick1150]

Thanks to all for your answers.

Now I can see better

So the lack of SDK if I understand correct, is the only reason to buy project magenta for the average flight simmer. I can understand that PM is a must for the full cockpit builder.

But a stupid question comes in mind. Why PMDG has not created yet a SDK software (maybe an add on? payware of course) and solve many problems to many builders out there ? Of course the same exists for 737-CDU drivers.