KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 There seem to have been numerous updates over the years since I used these. Real Flight Evolution on Steam is around £120 , and I cant make out on first glimpse if this an annual licence update or a one time purchase, or how they get the controller to you . So my question to the experienced is, for fixed wing flying on a modern powerful computer, what is the best level of flight sim to go for. Do they allow you to use your own Spektrum DX transmitter to control the sim or do you need a dummy unit to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul devereux Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Phoenix is free here:Phoenix Simulator Downloads – RC-Thoughts.com A dongle you plug into your own Tx is £10-£20. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 Ok Paul thanks this is my sort of price 🙂 Not to seem ungrateful are the graphics etc as good as Real Flight G4.5 - 9 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Lewis 3 Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Yes they are just as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 Fantastic , thanks to you both for your prompt and helpful replies . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 The 'official' models in Phoenix are really good..... lots of the user-crested ones are pretty poor tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lima Hotel Foxtrot Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 This is going to come down to "how valuable is a training tool to you, or, how much do you want to pay for supported software?" Phoenix is no longer officially supported, and people have had problems making it work on more recent computers; I assume this is something to do with software architecture. Realflight IS supported and updated. Realflight Trainer on Steam is only £43 and I suspect using the 22-in-1 dongles from Amazon/Ebay will work. I have RF8 from Steam and use one of those dongles and it work fine for my purposes. I hevent bothered upgrading. read this thread to witness one man's horror show regarding Phoenix: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 I happily run Phoenix on 3 computers - a pretty powerful one with W10, a less powerful one with W11, and a Surface with W10. Never had any issues on any of them. For a cost of 310-£20 for a dongle, it's worth a punt for a fully-featured piece of software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Burch 1 Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 I agree with Grumpy; for £10-20, it's got to be worth a shot. If you can't get Phoenix to work, try PicaSim; it’s an excellent free download which seems less fussy about hardware. My personal view is not to worry so much about the realism of the graphics; it’s the flight model that’s important. PicaSim's flight models are IMHO very good indeed. https://www.rowlhouse.co.uk/PicaSim/versions.html If you buy a cheap dongle, take care with the leads; their quality is poor and they shed pins easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 Have downloaded Phoenix and updated to 6 , only thing to sort now is the controller / dongle . There is an £8 or so one that has a Spektrum style jack to jack connector and a USB stick that claims to work with Phoenix 5 ..... so one jack into my DX8 and the other end ??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 Lima Hotel Foxtrot , I noticed the Real Flight Trainer for £ 40 ish , but feel they miss a trick by not letting you have a trial mode to see how it looks , last time I put money into anything using faith was a church and that did me no good ! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 Simon Phoenix works and looks good on my screen , I run i7 3600 , RTX 3060 TI with 32 gigs ram and have no problems .... just need a dongle and a controller to run it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) I think I just answered my own question ...... dont tell me that the chord you tug on at one end and plug into the USB at the computer is not going to crack that circuit board and case quickly . If I am seeing this right then a large tube of shrink wrap to reinforce the USB might be in order. Edited June 3, 2023 by KenC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zflyer Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 I have the Phoenix and have found it to be a good sim. I got my brother a copy but he required a dongle so got one from e bay, didnt work and no success with another we tried. So for me its the dongle that's the issue. (I have the original but you cannot get into it as its surrounded by a black tar like substance) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 OK perhaps then as I see various dongles on Fleabay , perhaps there is one that works where others are a problem. Could someone that has had success with a USB dongle , Phoenix and Spektrum transmitter , please post a phone pic of their dongle ( only the usb one please to save issues ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) 32 minutes ago, KenC said: OK perhaps then as I see various dongles on Fleabay , perhaps there is one that works where others are a problem. Could someone that has had success with a USB dongle , Phoenix and Spektrum transmitter , please post a phone pic of their dongle ( only the usb one please to save issues ) . Not to muddy the water Ken, but my set up of Windows 10, Spektrum Tx and Phoenix runs simply by Jack plug to USB cable Some quotes here Edited June 3, 2023 by Denis Watkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 Like this one ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 To make sure can you post a link to this item. GDB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul devereux Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, KenC said: OK perhaps then as I see various dongles on Fleabay , perhaps there is one that works where others are a problem. Could someone that has had success with a USB dongle , Phoenix and Spektrum transmitter , please post a phone pic of their dongle ( only the usb one please to save issues ) . I downloaded Phoenix (from the site I just gave) to my Win 10 gaming PC a month or so ago- works perfect! Someone on RCME gave me the link to the dongle. I'll post the link in a mo. Here: https://www.flyingtech.co.uk/accessories/usb-flight-simulator-adapter-cable-phoenix-aerofly-fms for the dongle and lead to connect to your Tx. Phoenix Simulator Downloads – RC-Thoughts.com- to download Phoenix https://youtu.be/X-hPbfW_Ktw?t=537 to get an idea of what flying with Phoenix is like Edited January 17 by paul devereux Edited June 3, 2023 by paul devereux 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul devereux Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) 13 minutes ago, KenC said: Like this one ???? I once bought that, it didn't work. I recommend the flyingtech link in my preceeding post: Here: https://www.flyingtech.co.uk/accessories/usb-flight-simulator-adapter-cable-phoenix-aerofly-fms for the dongle and lead to connect to your Tx. Phoenix Simulator Downloads – RC-Thoughts.com- to download Phoenix Edited June 3, 2023 by paul devereux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul devereux Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 1 hour ago, KenC said: Simon Phoenix works and looks good on my screen , I run i7 3600 , RTX 3060 TI with 32 gigs ram and have no problems .... just need a dongle and a controller to run it The dongle plugs into the buddy lead socket on my Futaba Tx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Yes the Flyingtech one. GDB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 First class Paul, you saved me buying a poor choice on EBay, I will get the one you suggest . When I commented on the two ends I knew of the trainer connection but had not understood that the other end goes into the plastic USB thing. Will have to take care not to pressure it as it looks a bit flimsy. Your help has been fantastic, thanks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted June 4, 2023 Author Share Posted June 4, 2023 Not trying to teach mothers to suck eggs, but I found this worked to get by the issues of dongle etc... Go to your 😄 drive and look for folder Program Files (86x), the look for the folder Phoenix and open it. Inside here is a file called launcher.exe click on this an you will be offered the chance to select the joystick used and then a button to start the program from there and not the usual place...... this works for me and any Microsoft compatible control works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heather Posted June 4, 2023 Share Posted June 4, 2023 On 03/06/2023 at 15:30, KenC said: There seem to have been numerous updates over the years since I used these. Real Flight Evolution on Steam is around £120 , and I cant make out on first glimpse if this an annual licence update or a one time purchase, or how they get the controller to you . So my question to the experienced is, for fixed wing flying on a modern powerful computer, what is the best level of flight sim to go for. Do they allow you to use your own Spektrum DX transmitter to control the sim or do you need a dummy unit to play. Real Flight Evolution is a one off purchase - but (and I need to be fact checked on this) you might have to run it on Steam these days One advantage is that you get the next major update for free - for example, I bought 9.5S and then when evolution came out I was upgraded for free. In fact if you can find a new copy of 9.5S for sale that might be a cheaper way of getting Evolution A disadvantage is that once on Steam you can't sell it on if you have grown tired of it It's on Steam, that may be an advantage or disadvantage depending on how you view Steam It's pretty good for aircraft, not very good for helicopters in my opinion You can use any transmitter using a dongle via the trainer socket - generic dongles cost around £10 Some modern transmitters allow you to connect direct to the computer using a USB lead - in which case you don't need a dongle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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