BLP vs GC 3 - What Do You Need?

[TGNgolf]

About to pick up a used BLP. The subscription ended, so I am starting fresh... but as am I doing research, a bit confused on what I need for what I want to do or the differences between GC3 and BLP

Questions:

- Can I turn this on, connect it to a project, and get any form of virtual range without the $499 annual subscription?

- Ideally, I want to connect this to the TGC 2019 and just use that. Can I do that without the Bushnell / Foresight $499 subscription?

- If I switch gears to a GC3, is the software included for life as I read it? No annual subscription?

- Does the BLP really need stickers for club head speed? Does the GC3 NOT need those?

[ENadeau]

For background, I own the GC3 and will try to help answer.

Questions:

- Can I turn this on, connect it to a project, and get any form of virtual range without the $499 annual subscription?

I'm assuming your referencing connecting the launch monitor to a PC first which is then connected to a projector. If so, the GC3 yes, unsure about BLP as I don't know what comes with each subscription tier. If you purchase the GC3 through Foresight or a dealer, you are licensed for FSX Play, FSX 2020, FSX Pro (2 licenses), FSX Fairgrounds, and now purchases include Awesome Golf (Lifetime). FSX Play, FSX 2020, and Awesome Golf all have virtual driving ranges. FSX Pro technically does as it's an analysis tool.

- Ideally, I want to connect this to the TGC 2019 and just use that. Can I do that without the Bushnell / Foresight $499 subscription?

Unsure about TGC 2019 as I don't believe it's officially supported. Foresight launch monitors connect natively to the FSX Software Suite and have official connectors to Awesome Golf, GS Pro, E6 Connect, Swing Catalyst, and Creative Golf. There may be an unofficial API that allows you to connect to TGC but I don't have experience with it.

- If I switch gears to a GC3, is the software included for life as I read it? No annual subscription?

Correct. If you purchase the GC3 you get all the software listed under question #1. Depending on which Foresight GC3 bundle you choose, you get either 25 or 35 courses (Player Preferred Bundle). There is no annual subscription with the FSX Suite.

- Does the BLP really need stickers for club head speed? Does the GC3 NOT need those?

The BLP and GC3 are identical launch monitors in that they measure the following.

Ball Data - Ball Speed, Carry, Launch Angle, Total Spin, Side Spin/Axis
Club Data (REQUIRES SINGLE STICKER) - Club Speed, Smash Factor, Club Path, Angle of Attack

[TGNgolf]

Thank you, extremely helpful.

FSX is very good simulation software, correct?

[ENadeau]

It is but it is very GPU intensive. To run it optimally you're looking at computer specifications on par with gaming PC's.

[TGNgolf]

I can run E6 on my iPad pro. I know that is like 2002 graphics, but it works well enough for us budget home gamers... Is there a lighter graphics version of FSX I can run on iPad pro or would need to look at E6 connected to it?

Is the BLP instant after you hit or is there a delay like the Skytrack?

[Ronsc1985]

BLP or GC3 are instant or at least instant enough you won't notice any delay from ball contact to ball flight on screen.

[Hannaford]

About to pick up a used BLP. The subscription ended, so I am starting fresh... but as am I doing research, a bit confused on what I need for what I want to do or the differences between GC3 and BLP

Questions:

- Can I turn this on, connect it to a project, and get any form of virtual range without the $499 annual subscription?

- Ideally, I want to connect this to the TGC 2019 and just use that. Can I do that without the Bushnell / Foresight $499 subscription?

- If I switch gears to a GC3, is the software included for life as I read it? No annual subscription?

- Does the BLP really need stickers for club head speed? Does the GC3 NOT need those?

Make sure you are getting a reasonable price on a used unit considering the current sale price on the new ones.

[TGNgolf]

Does the BLP work okay in a decent lit garage?

[Ronsc1985]

Does the BLP work okay in a decent lit garage?

BLP/GC3 will work in a brightly lit garage or one completely dark. The cameras are infa red so as long as you don't have infa red emitters in line with the Launch monitor cameras they works just fine.

[JaybirdCU]

- If I switch gears to a GC3, is the software included for life as I read it? No annual subscription? No subscription needed. The difference between the BLP and GC3 is simply a pricing model. If you want a subscription model with less up front cost, get the BLP. If you want to just buy it all at once, get the GC3. Last I checked the break even time was about 5 years at the highest subscription rate for the BLP and full MSRP on the GC3. The hardware is identical other than color and branding. I have had my GC3 a year and half and really see no reason to upgrade with the current options out there unless someone hands me a Quad or Trackman, or I win the Billion dollar Powerball tomorrow. I got my GC3 on a black friday sale that cut the break even time down to like 3.5 years, so to me, it seemed like a no brainer.

- Does the BLP really need stickers for club head speed? Does the GC3 NOT need those? Both need a single sticker if you want club data. I just keep them on all my clubs. About once a month I have to stop the guy at the bag drop from trying to scrape them off. Haha. That said, they do technically need removed for tournament play to my understanding. I just always ask and have never been told to remove mine, but I don't play for money.

-FSX is very good simulation software, correct? *FSX Play is frankly a work in progress. If I am being honest, I wont call it great software, but it might be one day. FSX 2020 is what I use for the range still. The graphics aren't as good, but I think it works better just to see data and shot shape on screen. FSX Play is getting better, but I still find the level of bugs to be unacceptable and it is very GPU/CPU intensive.

*This might get some hate on these forums, but the best simulator software right now for playing courses, especially for the money, is GSPro. It's an annual subscription of $250 a year, and worth every penny. To be honest, it blows FSX Play out of the water. I own both, I have even bought probably close to $1,000 worth of courses in FSX Play, and I simply don't use them. I also have about that spent on E6 courses from my Skytrack days, which I haven't touched in years. Every time they update FSX Play, I try it out, and immediately go back to GSPro. GSPro has 100s of courses and all are included in the subscription. The Graphics are on Par with FSX Play, but it is far less PC intensive, presumably because the coding is just better. I have been building Gaming PCs for 25 years and there is simply no reason FSX Play should be as CPU/GPU intensive as it is other than the games coding is a mess.

-Is the BLP instant after you hit or is there a delay like the Skytrack? The numbers on the on screen display are darn near instant. If you are talking about the delay between the ball strike and the ball flight in the simulator, I do think that has at least something to do with the power of the PC driving it. Mine is as close to instant as I have seen in any sim, but I have a powerful PC driving things. Cant really comment on how it would work in a lesser PC.

-Does the BLP work okay in a decent lit garage? General rule of thumb is that camera based LMs are better inside and radar are better outside. BLP/GC3 work excellent in a garage. I never keep the lights very high unless I am running cameras, as less light makes the projector image look better. If you can see the ball, so can the camera.

-I can run E6 on my iPad pro. I know that is like 2002 graphics, but it works well enough for us budget home gamers... Is there a lighter graphics version of FSX I can run on iPad pro or would need to look at E6 connected to it? I don't believe there is a light version. FSX Pro has an Ipad app, but its basically a driving range (its what I use when I take my GC3 to the course). FSX Play and FSX 2020 both require a PC, as does GSPro. At some point, some sort of gaming PC/Laptop need to be part of any real simulator build. I have never tried to hook up my GC3 to E6 (again, GSPro is just so much better).

Other thoughts. If you have a skytrack, the BLP/GC3 is absolutely a massive upgrade. The price tag is painful, but I would absolutely do it again if given the choice. I have blown a lot of money on my sim, including multiple enclosures, hitting mats, LMs, PC upgrades, Projector upgrades, refinishing the garage, etc. They only money I truly regret spending is the a la cart courses I bought in FSX Play and E6. As far as I am concerned, I set that money on fire. GSPro is life.