Have put together what is turning out to be a nice ergonomic control setup for MSFS using the VKB FSM-GA module (autopilot head which is an almost exact copy of the Garmin GMC 507), the VKB SEM module and the Behringer X-Touch Mini.
The mini fits perfectly in the VKB mount space between the two modules and held semi-permanently with VHB tape. Used Spad.next to program the mini for overhead controls, door and cabin controls, lighting on the slider and enough push button controllers to do anything needed.
VKB FSM-GA for upper controls, SEM for baro, engine, batt, alt, elec, etc and the middle for everything else.
A bit of button learning but I have full plastic overlays coming that will solve that. I’m getting to like that I can make a dial / condition event / trigger on almost anything, and dials for anything that can use them. Right now just using A layer with yet another 24 buttons and 8 encoders on the B Layer.
I’m a newcomer to all of this and pretty much followed the voluminous Spad support videos to do everything. Amazing to me vs. my last foray into flight simulation.
1 Like
Did you absolutely need SPAD to get the vkb controllers to work properly or can you use them plug n play style too?
I have SPAD which isn’t the problem, i’m just too ADD to sit there and mess with the app.
If and when i decide to upgrade my HOTAS to a VKB set, i may ask for your SPAD profile lol
I have much the same setup - minus the mini and plus the THQ module. All the VKB stuff works out-of-the-box with any of the supported bindings in MSFS. The only thing that you would need a 3rd party tool like Spad for is unsupported bindings such as the G1000/G3000/G3X etc. inputs.
You don’t need Spad but once you see what all it can do, it’s easy to get hooked.
On my Alpha setup I have blinking warning lights, speech altitude callouts, warning sounds, triggers and conditional events that happen with no manual input and much more. It makes the controls ‘come alive’.
The biggest problem with VKB is they don’t make their equipment open to talk to - you can’t address their LEDs for example.
Once you learn the program a bit you’ll find a huge repository of already made snippets for devices, controls and aircraft. And having it automatically switch ALL your control inputs automatically when you get into a new plane is great.
