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HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly Wish-ListiFly Wish-Listwanted: Microsoft FSX connectionwanted: Microsoft FSX connection
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11/5/2012 3:30 PM
 

IMO, X-Plane is a bit primitive in that it simply presents COM1 through COM20 and makes you pick one. It would be better if it presented only a list of valid COM ports, so you wouldn't be forced to peck around. Would even be better if it auto-detected an NMEA input. Also, some USB to Serial converters can create a COM port numbered past "COM20"...I had one that was numbered "COM36", which X-Plane couldn't see at all.

This is what I did - but a geek would be more comfortable with these steps. After plugging in your com port launch the Device Manager (Control Panel / System / Device Manager). You should see a "Ports" option in the tree - open this up, if you have only one option double click that (if more than one double-click the one that sounds like your USB to Serial port). Then click Port Settings tab, click the Advanced button - at the bottom of this dialog is your port number. This is what you should pick in X-Plane. If it's > 20, you can change it to a more reasonable number.


Walter Boyd
President, Adventure Pilot
 
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11/8/2012 4:53 PM
 
Greg Greene wrote:

Tom, All

Here is my Win 7 X-Plane 10 setup.

This is the USB to RS-232 Converter that you can buy from the iFly shop.

It is an active device and come with drivers.

https://ifly.adventurepilot.com/shop-t136/usb-to-serial-cable.aspx

If you don't have the old 9 pin RS-232 jack on your computer you will need the following so that you can use a USB Port on the computer.

You will need a 9 pin Female-Female Null Modem adapter. (see photo)

And a short 9 pin male to USB extension cable. (Study the cable lengths to reach your computer and the iFly).

http://www.serialstuff.com/products/Windows-7-64%252dbit-Compatible-USB-to-Serial-Adapter-RS232-DB9-Short-8-Inch-Cable.html

When you plug in the ( iFly USB cable) to your computer make a note of which COMM Port is activated, you will need to know that when you configure X-Plane. In my case it was COMM3 as you will see in the photo.

Next, in X-Plane, you have to configure the NEMA Output.

Look under settings for the Joystick & Equipment then Equipment tab. (see photo)

Walter suggests a setting of 3 transmissions per second to replicate the on-board GPS update rate. In the photo my rate was set to 5. For me 5 was a little smoother, but start with 3 as suggested. 10 was too high, it made the iFly sluggish on button pushes, etc.

Walter also says to start X-Plane first, once it is up and producing NEMA stream, connect it to the USB port of the iFly.

Once you connect to the iFly in the nav mode, the map should change to the airport where you are in X-Plane, in some cases it has taken almost 2 minutes for the sync to happen, so be patient.

That's it.

It really works great.

Much Thanks to the iFly Dev Team!

Excuse me for asking, if it's already posted....but why not just one usb cable? Is all of what is in your picture, what we need?

I'm ready to get whatever connections devices I need, but seems a bit confusing. Please advise....Thx, DM

PS. I have an IFR ready RV9A and wanting to get X-Plane and my iFly 720 coupled, to start some practicing....in my basement!

 
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11/9/2012 9:53 PM
 

drmax,

It would be nice if we could use one USB - USB cable, However, my understanding is this if you are going to use a computer USB port to interface with the iFly:

1. The computer USB port needs an interface chip and software driver to make it emulate an "old style" RS-232 COM port. The two cables listed have the Chips built into them and come with software drivers. The NULL Modem is needed to mate the two RS-232 plugs and make the proper "electrical connections" so that the Transmit and Receive pins work properly end to end.

So, that is all that is needed to make the connection from your computer to the iFly 720.

 
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12/9/2012 9:22 AM
 

Anyone Help!!

trying to get X-Plane 9.xx to work with my iFly 720......

I purchased the serial cable from iFly and the null modem cable and usb short cable from another vendor but no joy! The cable worked for about 5 minutes yesterday (took repeated reboots to get it to work) but I can not get it to function again today.

Using serial port 3, refresh 3 times per second, plugged in and booted up X-Plane first then connected to iFly 720....

I am perplexed.

Thanks to anyone for suggestions.

Paul

 
New Post
12/9/2012 9:27 AM
 

Hi Greg,

I purchased all the cables hooked it up and only got the iFly to work for about 5 minutes yesterday. I am stumped! Set everything up (i thought) the way Walter and you suggested but no joy.

Am I missing something?

Regards,

Paul

 
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