I've just looked at the pss website and it claims(though i have'nt seen it)that their 777 has a weather radar built into the nav display.How have they managed this when PMDG have said it cound not be done due to limitations in fs9.

PMDG has said it can't be done to how THEY want it done. Just because another developer has done it, doesn't mean that it's up to PMDG standards.

>How have they managed this when PMDG have said>it cound not be done Because they were willing to trade realism for practicality. Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

The PSS one is a freeware gauge they got permission to incorporate I believe...

As I far as I know it's actually a payware gauge that you can buy from simmarket.Jeff

I respect PMDG's decision, but respectfully disagree with the "purist" approach concerning fidelity. This sim is replete with simplifications and approximations and picking out weather radar as the realism spoiler is silly. It is as realistic as the simple math models crunching out lift and drag. :)Integrated weather radar on the 777 adds to my enjoyment. :)Bob....

Is this one that will track the display range selected on the ND control panel and match the heading? That's the "gotcha" is this synchronization capability.

>It is as>realistic as the simple math models crunching out lift and>drag. :)Bob,I would not be so sure about it. We know that generally a good simulator (like say this 744) replicates major systems with the "first" order of accuracy. In other words a qualified pilot would judge it to be close "enough". Is the same true about the weather radar in this paricular 777 simulator? In other words (assuming such test can be performed) is the picture you see on your simulated radar even close to what you would see in real life assuming weather conditions are close enough? I briefly recall some (real) pilot with weather radar experience saying on some forum it is not. So there are simplifications and there are also "gross" simplifications. :)Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

True, but it looks cool. =)-Andre

Basically there are 2 techniques:Represent the metar stations in color. This could be done by metar interpretation or post-weather introduction reading. This is the standard approach and there are products using it for a long time. I believe that the first one was FSFlightmax or similar. As far I know there are only 2 products that are capable of giving the needed information to this kind of radars: FSUIPC and FSINN.Reading the clouds information directly from FS. This is the approach done by reality-XP. I don

The weather gauges are at http://secure.simmarket.com/default.php?manufacturers_id=153

Hey gang,I would be very wary talking of simplifications in terms of the 744, especially with the message above that mentions the lift and drag mathematics. Vangelis (a professional aerodynamicist) spent a huge amount of time on creating a performance model for the aircraft. I have seen the equations, they would make Stephen Hawking dizzy ;)All of the other aircraft systems have been modelled to the same fidelity. If you see any simplification in any part of the aircraft simulation you can rest assured that it is as a result of an FS2004 limitation that cannot be circumvented.The whole ethos of the design process was to make this aircraft as realistic as humanly possible within the confines of a desktop simulation, and FS2004 in particular. At this time, as Rob and Lefteris have pointed out on many occasions a weather radar would require a level of compromise that they feel would impact on the realism of the aircraft. They are simply not happy with the constraints that would be imposed. When you see a weather radar in a PMDG product as FS matures further, the radar will match, point for point, the features of the real aircraft implementation and will not be a compromise or eye candy. You will not see one implemented until the team are sure it can be done accurately.For the 744, the team made the decision, quite rightly, that they had built a high fidelity representation of the aircraft and that it should not be spoiled with a bolt-on compromise that whilst eye candy would detract from the overall aircraft representation quality.Other developers have other priorities, differing values and differing target audiences. It is always pointless to compare developer X to developer Y and who did what and when. I am sure the vast majority of PMDG owners support the "we will not do it until we can get it perfect approach" adopted by PMDG.take careJane-Rachel

>>"we will not do it until we can get it perfect approach" Or, like from this famous Paul Masson's wine commercial: we sell no wine before its timeMichael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg