Simkits USB gauges for multicrew usage

[Brodhaq]

Hello all,
I would like to ask you a question about using Simkits USB gauges. I am building generic twin piston airplane for multicrew and IFR training. I have already bought the simkits USB gauges (airspeed, attitude, altimeter, turn coordinator, gyro compass, vertical speed indicator, vor1, vor2, adf) - two from each of them (18 gauges in total). All of them are connected to USB hubs and to one computer which runs the FSX. According to the simkits documentation I have switched the switches at the back of those instruments to distinguish between captain (CPT) and copilot (FO) gauges. It all appears to be working as intended by simkits, but I dont like it. The problem is that when I set the altimeter by CPT knob, the pressure changes also on the FO side. The same for the gyro compass drift. But ok, I would get over those things. The main problem are the VOR gauges! When I tune some VOR on my NAV radio I can easily turn the CPT omni bearing selector (OBS) to get the radial. But the problem is that the FO VOR receiver makes the same indication as the CPT VOR, regardless of the FO OBS setting. It means that by turning the CPT OBS I am working with both CPT and FO VOR gauges (the same for VOR1 and VOR2). I think this is a must-be feature due to FSX limitations (AFAIK FSX knows only one VOR1 and one VOR2 receiver, not two or more independent which demodulate the signal inside of the gauge like the real instruments do). Do you, please, understand me what I mean?

Does this situation have any solution? I am unhapy with it as the flightdeck is intended as university training device for ATPL training and this thing makes the multicrew training almost impossible - it would be good as toy for home usage but not for serious sim). I could switch to X-Plane if it helped (simkits have some xplane driver: Simkits – X-Plane Beta software « simFlight.NL) but I dont know if the xplane is better in this aspect.

If anyone has something to say, please do it!

Thank you in advance,
Pavel Brodsky

Screenshot from work in progress: 563413_4415043738087_1644579088_n.jpg

[Brodhaq]

Any ideas? Their customer support is so slow that it isnt even worth writing them such a complicated letter...

Pavel

[hyamesto]

Pavel
I am not a user of any products SimKit, but reading the software requirements of Simkits USB gauges, you need FSUIPC, and FSUIPC only recognizes two VOR and only one Giro. (Limitation of Flight Simulator in any version).
However, you can have 2 altimeters and two ADF. The data in FSUIPC are called offsets.
FSUIPC gives the main altimeter (offsets 0330 and 3324) and the standby altimeter (offsets 3542 and 3544), and two ADF (offset 0C6A for ADF 1 and offset 02D8 for ADF 2).


Simkits should add those features in the interface software for Flight Simulator( at least for Altimeters and ADF)


In X-plane, there are different functions for CPT and FO instruments like you need (called DataRefs), but apparently there is not yet a stable x-plane software interface (like FSUIPC for Flight SImulator) to connecting Simkits USB gauges. (just a beta version, but i cannot find documents or read the forum of this beta. The web returns a "server error").

Sorry for my english, and I hope that helps you.
Regards.
Horacio.

[Brodhaq]

Hello Horacio,
thank you for your hint, I didnt even realise FSUIPC. I am now using their driver (standalone exe app) which connects via Simconnect, but FSUIPC version is also available. I will give it a try... I wish they responded the e-mail better, it would save me tones of time

Pavel