What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

My dream panel!!!

D

DarinFred

Active Member
Well, I was messing around the web when I came across XPanel 5000 and spent the 30 bucks to get the full up program. It's awesome...I just spent the last 6 hours messing around with it...here's my dream panel.

rv8bpf4.jpg


Here's the setup:

Dual GRT Horizon Series 1 with XM WX and Internal GPS
EIS 4000 with Fuel Flow
Standby Instruments (ADI Pilot II for AI, 2.25" Altimeter and Airspeed)
Tru Trak ADI Pilot II (whenever they come out with a 2.25" version)
Garmin GMA GMA-340 Audio Panel
Garmin SL-30 Transciever (Primary Radio)
Microair SL760 Transciever (Secondary Radio)
Garmin GTX-330 with Mode S
G-meter (Up high for Aerobatics)
Compass
Some Car Steroe with CD Changer in the back
AOA and Caution Lights up top

I think everything together will cost around $30k. It should be enough for some moderate IFR. What do you guys think?

Jay
 
Leave out the CD player, get a portable MP3 player and make yourself a place to plug it in. These things are small, sound great and hold tons of songs without having to change and or store the disk. Bonus is extra panel space.
 
Looks nice Jay!

If that is is a Hobbs meter over on the right, I can save you more space....the EFIS/EIS keeps track of total time on the engine just the same, so you really don't need the extra gauge.

And (this is purely my opinion), you will probably never actually use the EIS mounted up there on the panel, once you see the EFIS systems pages.....;)

I know, just when you get it exactly the way you want it, people bring up other ideas....I went through about 30 revisions before I ended up where I am...the important thing is when YOU"RE happy, cut metal!

Paul
 
Ok, lets get things going on this issue. Why pull out the stereo? Mp3 players on their own will not put out enough volume. I just have a small com system and with the mp3 player added into the system I cannot hear it very well. I put in the stereo to boost the sound, works great. Am I doing something wrong?
 
allbee said:
Ok, lets get things going on this issue. Why pull out the stereo? Mp3 players on their own will not put out enough volume. I just have a small com system and with the mp3 player added into the system I cannot hear it very well. I put in the stereo to boost the sound, works great. Am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...

Would have to know more about your system but sounds like you are using the MP3 without the aid of a audio panel or intercom or you have it connected directly to the headphones or something of that nature. Using an audio panel or intercom with line level inputs, they have plenty of power. Some even find that they have to pad the output to keep it from overdriving the audio panels inputs.
 
I'd pull the car stereo because it's heavy. You have an Audio Panel so it will probably have an internal amp to drive a MP/3 or iPod. You can also drop the EIS since all the engine instruments are controlled via the GRT screens. You can also drop the G-meter since the GRT will have that covered too. Same for the hour meter and trim indicators. These are all duplicates and not needed since the GRT will cover it.

That should give you a little more space for other electronic goodies. :D
 
f1rocket said:
You can also drop the EIS since all the engine instruments are controlled via the GRT screens.
Click to expand...

Randy, are you suggesting not installing the EIS at all, or just not in the panel???

IIRC, it is needed to supply the EFIS with data, and for programing input. The EFIS just presents the data in a graphic manner rather than a string of numbers like the EIS.

Mike
 
It may not be clear to everyone from the above posts, but you cannot simply get rid of the EIS - the data from it are used to drive the EFIS display. You may choose to simply mount it behind the panel and out of sight if you need the panel space. The down side to this is that the EIS boots up almost instantaneously while the EFIS does not. Its nice to be able to at least read your oil pressure immediately after start up - you cant do this on the EFIS because its still booting up. The EIS screen is also a backup in the event the EFIS screen goes out.

erich
 
Brian,
I am using a flightcom in dash on my kitfox and it doesn't have the ability to boast the input for the mp3, I hooked it up per drawings and the volume isn't great at all with the mp3. I installed the stereo with aux input and put the mp3 to that and then the stereo to the flightcom, works great.

Now with that said, the RV will have the same basic system, I'm going with an Icom radio and basic com system. Is there a basic com system that I can use that will take place of the stereo, if so which is it? I wouldn't mind dumping the stereo, if I can have the music and not be faintly playing in the background. Nothing like rocken to ZZ when doing touch and go's.
 
Sorry for the confusion I caused. No, I am not saying get rid of the EIS4000. Yes, you need it to drive the GRT. However, you do not need to install it in the panel, that's what I meant to say. I have mine installed behind the panel. Besides, I think the face plate is kind of ugly and it's size doesn't match up well with anything else. Here's a picture of mine.
Engine218.jpg
Engine219.jpg


This is looking at the boot cowl area forward of the windscreen.
 
Steve-
There are old threads that talk about adding small amplifiers your system to allow most intercoms to put out the sound needed to utilize MP3 players. I don't know anything about this myself, but thought I'd pass along the notion that you apparently don't need an audio panel or stereo to drive your MP3 volume. As best I can recall, it's a small, simple, Radio Shack type of addition. You're panel "looks" really nice.
Good luck.
 
Mike S said:
If you feel like spending a hundred bucks, there is a really nice billet adapter to make the EIS fit into a standard radio stack.

http://www.steinair.com/enginemonitors.htm

Nice, but not for me anyway. Same $$ buys me seat heater, and lunch.

Mike
Click to expand...
Never knew that existed. I still wouldn't mount it on the panel because it's such a space eater.

One thing I can add as a lesson learned regarding the MP/3 amplifier. I was never able to get an external setup to work. It is not easy unless you are an electrical engineer. You'd think you could just buy something off the shelf and install? Nope, doesn't exist. Bostaroo didn't work either. (Long story) In the end I changed to LightSPEED headsets with an audio jack built into the power box and that solved it finally.

When I re-do my panel, I will definitely go with an Audio Panel with a built-in amp. I'd like to be able to switch between COMMS anyway.
 
I was un-aware of it also, until I saw one in the panel of a friends Murphy Moose.

Really nice piece, in addition, the buttons are protected from being hit accidentally due to the design of the unit-----------it is about 1/4" thick.

Mike
 
allbee said:
Cool, I guess I'll be going to Radioshack.
Click to expand...
Steve-See Randy's post above. The Radioshack thing may be a myth I repeated. I do remember Randy pointing out the difficulty of finding a suitable amplifier on one of the earlier threads. Good luck, and definitely let us know if you find something that will work.
 
Car stereos do come in handy ...

f1rocket said:
Never knew that existed. I still wouldn't mount it on the panel because it's such a space eater.

One thing I can add as a lesson learned regarding the MP/3 amplifier. I was never able to get an external setup to work. It is not easy unless you are an electrical engineer. You'd think you could just buy something off the shelf and install? Nope, doesn't exist. Bostaroo didn't work either. (Long story) In the end I changed to LightSPEED headsets with an audio jack built into the power box and that solved it finally.

When I re-do my panel, I will definitely go with an Audio Panel with a built-in amp. I'd like to be able to switch between COMMS anyway.
Click to expand...
Now you can get an "entertainment subsystem (car CD)" as I prefer to call it that has an AUX in on the front panel. The beauty of this is that some of them (all??) have some amount of gain and the volume gets controlled by the volume knob on the "CD player". What this gives is MP3 CD, AM, FM, HD radio, Ipod interface, and this AUX that all gets fed via ONE input to your intercom stereo input.

Works great.

James
 
I have a similar panel! No back up round gauges though. Right now I actually only need to figure out what plug end to put on my MP3 for the intercom; i heard their all different and I don't have ANY type of walkman etc.

041407026xi8.jpg


62107093qs4.jpg
 
Last edited:
steve,
AT the time I gave up and just bought a stereo and put it in the fox. I wanted sounds in the ears, nice and loud. If I don't find anything for the RV I will do the same. I want to avoid to many gadgets, but this one is a good one. Also, I find I need no entenna for the radio, I listen to that as well. Plus I can plug in an occational cd as well.
 
EIS with altimeter and airspeed options

DarinFred said:
Well, I was messing around the web when I came across XPanel 5000 and spent the 30 bucks to get the full up program. It's awesome...I just spent the last 6 hours messing around with it...here's my dream panel.

<snip>
EIS 4000 with Fuel Flow
Standby Instruments (ADI Pilot II for AI, 2.25" Altimeter and Airspeed)
<snip>
Jay
Click to expand...
Hi Jay,

The EIS can also be configured to include Altimeter/VSI ($149) and airspeed ($195) functionality.

http://www.grtavionics.com/model_4000&6000.htm
http://www.grtavionics.com/Price.htm

Just something to think about.

Regards,
/\/elson
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top