Do you

- fumble like me with your mouse to set what you want (I specially hate the range/pan button 😱 😁) ?

- transfer it a touchscreen tablet/iPad ? How ?

- use a Streamdeck ? I recently discovered this new (?) gizmo meant for streamers but apparently used for a myriad of other purposes. Browsing flightsim.to I saw that @guenseli has released an utility for it. 

Edited February 27, 20215 yr by Dominique_K

For the GNS 530 (excellent MOD) I use the mouse. It's not perfect, but WAY better than the default.

Gn530 mod and the Mobile Companion app you can access with a browser on either the same machine or a different device on the same network.

What about the 1000 and 3000 ?  

I have RealSim Gear 530 and 430 units which are just amazing.  I’m tempted to get a G1000 but it’s big bucks.

For the other units I just use the mouse, though I can at least take one of the G1000 displays (usually the MFD side) and display it on my GNS530 unit which helps with visibility of the moving map etc.

And I fully agree, the range/pan button drives me crazy, it’s honestly the thing that makes me want G1000 hardware the most.  It seems like it’s just close enough to the edge of my screen that even when I hover the mouse over it I can’t activate it, I have to shift my view right slightly.

Edited February 27, 20215 yr by regis9

I have hardware panels from RealSimGear for the 430/530 & G1000.  Makes using the Garmins so much easier (but of course it's not cheap).  

If your using a mouse make sure you use the camera view that takes you to the GPS in close up, trying to do it in normal cockpit view, especially with trackir is an exercise in futility

I'm using two Streamdecks connected with Spad.Nxt (because I already had that set up for the Saitek radio panel).
But looks like Axis and Oh is a very popular alternative for a similar result.

 One of the big advantages of a  Streamdeck is that it supports two way communication, so as well as sending commands to the  sim your can also display information from the sim on it. They aren't cheap though and like lots of sim hardware they aren't easy to find.

As a cheaper option A&O had added support for midi controllers like Behringer X-Touch Mini which offer lots of rotary encoders and buttons which can be mapped to the GPS controls (Spad is adding similar functionality as well but I don't think it's in the release version yet)

Edited February 27, 20215 yr by Matchstick

I haven't even managed to initiate an ILS approach yet. Never used a Garmin before and pretty confused.

I use a Class Echo and couldn't be happier.

 

BTW, there is an option to use your own dual rotary encoder instead of the single one included with the kit (currently available as a beta), so you can have inner and outer knows with push that perform the same as the in sim knobs. Just don't get the Propwash one as it will not fit. The Elma E37 will and IMHO is much better quality anyways.

Edited February 27, 20215 yr by Phantoms

4 hours ago, Dominique_K said:

Browsing flightsim.to I saw that @guenseli has released an utility for it. 

 

Yes, but you need AxisAndOHs and the StreamDeck plugin for it.

I'm meanwhile a big fan of the StreamDeck (with that plugin) because you can nearly control everything you like. But the advantage to any dedicated hardware panel solution is, that you are way more flexible and can use the SD for any button you like and rearrange it as often as you like till it serves your needs. And then, you do not have hardware buttons which fit probably just for one aircraft, but you can change the look of the buttons according to every single aircraft.