In the old days with FSX/P3D, USB 2.0 was my preferred choice (see Post 582) when connecting Saitek/Logitech Flight Instrument Panels (FIPs) to the simulators.
Since I replaced my older computer for MSFS in last November, I’ve been deliberately avoiding to use any more USB 2.0 ports and hubs. Now all my 12 FIPs are connected to the system via a powered USB 3.0 hub.
In the past 6 months, Continue reading
Just in case you are not aware. There are some high-resolution DEMs, Digital Elevation Models, you can download from Flightsim.to, which can largely improve the rendering of terrains in their respective regions.
Not sure if you want it? Here are two sets of photos comparing the terrain appearance of LSGR Reichenback Airport, which I randomly picked, in Switzerland with and without using the 20m DEM from Troglodytus.
In photo set 1, with DEM, the taxiway and runway intersection now has a gradient; the roads and other objects on the hill sides seem more rational; and the edges and shapes of the mountains in the background are more prominent as well. Continue reading
FPS hit isn’t uncommon when a pop-out screen is moved to a second monitor, despite how small and low resolution of the monitor it might be.
In a “conversation” I had with Michael Basler in Germany earlier last month, he said that his fps were literally cut by 50% when he shifted a pop-out screen to a touch monitor connected to the main computer.
My reaction was: since I don’t see any performance hit from my GNS430 and GNS530 connecting to the motherboard’s integrated graphics ports, I suggested him to give it a try if his computer supports the feature.
Later he came back to me saying that he still couldn’t believe it but it works. Continue reading
Have you ever noticed when the Just Flight PA28 Arrow III for MSFS is loaded with engine 
running (meaning the aircraft isn’t started from cold and dark), its VOR2 needle is always deflected to the left?
It’s a bug, I believe, since the needle won’t return to center when no NAV signals are present.
To correct this error, we’ll have to flip Continue reading
Due to vulnerability of the Community folder in MSFS, I recently use
the MSFS_Addon_Linker to map all my external apps to the folder in oder to keep things manageable just in case.
Everything works fine except the RealSimGear app for the GNS430 and 530, unfortunately. It was similarly put under the Addons folder where I store all my external apps.
The app seemed to be loaded into MSFS successfully but only a few buttons work. Continue reading
While I was cleaning up and finalizing my work PC with new components yesterday, I discovered an effective way to increase FPS and smoothness of MSFS instantly.
The trick simply involves the changing of a few options in the game.
Read from RealSimGear’s forum that some users have alignment 
issues when moving the GPS displays from the virtual cockpit to the GNS430 and GNS530.
The official instruction says that there is no need to resize the popped out GPS screens from the virtual cockpit. Just move them over to the GNSs and press right Alt-Enter. The GPS screens will fit on the devices accordingly.
Unfortunately, it’s not just those users in the forum having problems in doing so. I encountered the same situation that the GPS screens wouldn’t fit onto the GNSs by following the official instruction as well.
Here’s my solutions: Continue reading
During the CTD period in the last two days, a few friends including Demetrius and Robert Temmerman recommended me the free utility MSFS Addons Linker in Flightsim.to, which helps effectively manage addons loaded to the Community folder as well as to enhance a safer and easier environment in case I need to empty the folder.
The utility was also suggested by John H. Helms, who provided the tips for increasing ships in Post 665 about a month ago.
Honestly, Continue reading
Received a few inquires asking why their logbook records in MSFS didn’t update accordingly.
Actually there are answers in various MSFS forums over the Internet. But in case you didn’t aware of it, here’s the fix: Continue reading
FS Times 