MobiFlight Community Support

I am looking for recommendations on motherboard and graphics cards...

Hello, I am new to this group and have not had much experience with Flight Simulators in the last 15 years. I own a real Cessna 172RG and looking to build a replica of the Cessna 172RG cockpit for X-Plane (I have the Alabeo 172RG which does an adequate job of representing this particular aircraft). Obviously this will be only a training aid and not an approved device therefore would not allow for logging of the flight hours. The instrumentation is as follows:

All the standard "steam gauges" as in the Alabeo standard cockpit (for now I plan to go with simparts.de)

From RealSimGear:
The Garmin Audio Selector Panel
GNS430 Bezel with Reality XP
Garmin G5 PFD

From Simkits:
Number 2 NAV (hopefully) CDI
Bendix King DME
Bendix King NAV/COM
and potentially carb heat, fuel selector, magnetic compass and a few other odds and ends.

The Throttle setup will be the Redbird Cessna style Vernier throttles.

The Yoke I can't remember now and the rudder pedals for now will just be the cheapo ones from CH products.

I have already set up a test rig running off an old laptop and the Garmin 430 (the Reality XP software is awesome and far superior to what X-Plane provides), I am using the laptop screen for the instrument panel and a television for the forward view. In addition, I am running the GNS430 screen via a USB to HDMI converter. This setup works fairly well, except that I occassionally lose the rudder pedal connection on booting.

The plan is to represent the steam gauges produced by simparts.de, but to eventually have at minimum the front scenery screen (potentially a projector), the Garmin 430 and G5 PFD as screens, and an instructor station. Having two side screens may be nice to add later, so I am up to 6 screens minimum right now (with the 430 and G5 being low resolution). I have about 5 USB to HDMI adapters just in case it comes to that.

Obviously I will need to build a computer and was wondering what the recommendations for motherboard or graphic cards would be? I may also try to run this whole system on Linux (Ubuntu) but this would also add another challenge.

For now I have no plans to run "Flight" (World) Simulator 2020 since personally I do not care about scenery except to get around the traffic pattern at the local airport...by the way, how hard is it to add a full ALSF-II approaching lighting system to an 800 meter GA runway? It would not be realistic but would make it easier to identify where the runway is during circuits. This cockpit would be intended for unofficial flight training, so X-Plane is the way to go.

Thank you for any input.

CFI in Germany

Hiho

I have no experience with Xplane.... But for FSX/ P3D there was some basic rules.... SPEED SPEED and again SPEED.
The older Sims ( not know how XP handle this) used only 1 Core. ( Whatever you got a 8 or 16 core machine) .
So here we basicly try to have a single core as fast as possible ( Overclocked 5+ Ghz) . And sure a monster CPU cooling device!.
Hopefully Xplane support multicore ( Cause Xp is much newer then FSX/P3D) .... But the main logic remain.... A Extrem fast 4 Core is maybe better then a medium 8 Core.
If my information is wrong.... Finaly the result is the same.... Each Sim is verry CPU related.... So the fastest CPU you can buy with your budged is the best !

Same rule was in the past for RAM and HDD.... 16GB Ram is normaly more then ever needed (Prior FS2020) . So instead of using a 2666 32GB Ram its more profitable to use a 16Gb Ram and invest the saved money into a 3600 or 4000+ Ram. ( Means also a Mainboard that support those Ram speeds.... And think about RAM Overclocking)

HDD is simmular.... The Sim normaly not need 1TB or more.... So a 512GB or 256GB HDD is maybe enough.... But it should be a Monster..... So a M.2 or minimum a SSD. Not think about old Stoneage technology.

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May other Users can help you more detailed..... and feel free to talk to us in Discord.... Your from Germany.... So we can talk in german via Headset !