In regards to the question about the VM 1000,  in it's day it was a fine piece of equipment. But it's outdated and hard to get repaired or support. It is also extremely limited in it's functionality
I would urge you to look at some of the newer engine monitors. In fact most of the EFIS companies have an engine monitor integral in the unit. A couple to look at would be Dynon or Advanced flight systems. There is also the MVP -50 which is a stand alone but will display on some EFIS.

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Jon Hadlich
AI Systems
(541) 815-7381