New DX 9.0c update, Gooood!

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

I just installed the Oct, 2006 DX 9.0c update.When loging onto Avsim after a reboot I noticed Avsims home page loaded much faster.Interesting??I then loaded FS9 with the queen. The first thinh I noticed, when switching to spot view I used to see an unpainted aircraft for a split second, no more, virtual cockpit is also instantly painted (like PRE-Painted.All this was after setting aircraft to "Ultra High", Terain maxed, Trafic maxed, etc.The result is a whole new experience.http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56511&clcid=0x409The link above is for the runtime distro.The link below is for installing over the web, requires proof your running a legal copy of XP.http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=enWhatever was broke is now fixed!

[Guest Jeff Berman]

Thanks for the heads up :)

[markadeane 272]

Just bumping Buck's original post here, has anyone else tried this upgrade and seen improvements?I had trouble with my last DX upgrade so just want to verify the benefits.Cheers

[strider 0]

I really hate that Windows Validation thingy...but it appears that it's the only way to get the latest 9.0c update...sheesh! I'll find my instructions for removing it (validation) after 9.0c update is installed and let you know if I see improvements. Vic

[johndrago 4]

>Just bumping Buck's original post here, has anyone else tried>this upgrade and seen improvements?>>I had trouble with my last DX upgrade so just want to verify>the benefits.>>Cheers My install went fine. I really need to test this further to verify if anything has changed. From time to time, I had the repaint issue that Buck had. I need to see if the update helped.- John

[Tabs 2,790]

Guys,I see absolutely no way a DX runtime file update could have some sort of dramatic effect on performance in FS and certainly not make a website load faster.Those updates are very minor changes - so much so that MS doesn't even push them to Windows Update.

[Guest tmetzinger]

I notice a difference in that the view out the window seems to "shimmer" more after applying the update, and that is the ONLY update I've applied. Can't say if it speeds up anything or not.

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

>Guys,>>I see absolutely no way a DX runtime file update could have>some sort of dramatic effect on performance in FS and>certainly not make a website load faster.>>Those updates are very minor changes - so much so that MS>doesn't even push them to Windows Update.Ryan. When I brought up Avsims home page it was a missmash of graphics etc. The harvey graphic would apperar in the center of the screen, the rest of the layout was all over the place.Now it comes up much faster and all of the graphics are placed where they belong from the getgo.I know your a better programmer than I'll ever be. But I have been dealing with computers for 20 years and built hundreds.I have learned to know what I see.In an ideal world I suppose one could write/optimize routines for every single hardware setup in existance. I don't have to tell you it'l never happen. Tim see's shimmering, I don't???I DO know I was able to advance my sliders a lot and enjoy the sim much more now. In fact for the first time last evening I looked down from FL300 and saw taxi lights come on and an aircraft take off, never saw that before. I know that may be small thing, still neat tho!I'm holdig off a bit WRT FSX, I have it but I don't have the Queen or LDS's 767 so whats the hurry.I'm thinking AMD's 4x4 or Quadcore K8L, will see what comming down the road.Your FSX guide did help, all the way up to 12 FPS. 0,2 FPS with everything maxed, crazy but true!

[Guest HeavyMetal]

Gonna download when I get home from work tonight.. I hope this helps some of my FPS issues.. Thanks for the heads up..------------------------------------------------------------------Joe FritschChief Operations OfficerNoble Air VAhttp://www.nobleair.com"It's not the fall that kills ya. It's the sudden stop at the end"http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/for...argo_hauler.gif

[Tabs 2,790]

Buck - web browser rendering has nothing to do with DirectX though, that's the thing... That's all within IE/Firefox or whatever you're using.

[strider 0]

I'm going to have to go along with Ryan on this...I saw no difference in FS9, or anything else, since installing this DirectX update, and certainly nothing in FPS improvements. Happily, the "Windows Genuine Advantage" nag didn't get installed...maybe because MS got SUED for spyware!??!!! LOL!Talk about ironic justice!!! Vic

[strider 0]

Spoke too soon. FS9 is suddenly "pausing", all on it's own, every 15 minutes. I'll bet "something" is changing it's "focus". Wanna bet it's the Microsoft WGA "phoning home"? LOL! What a bunch of *$@(). And I'm supposed to allow MS to take care of my system security??????? RIGHT! Just too darn funny! I'll handle my own security, without anything from Microsoft, thanks anyway! Vic PS. "SP2...what the heck is 'SP2'" LOL! Not on THIS machine!

[Guest aarskringspier]

If you hate MS so much uninstall windows get rid of flight sim and enjoy your Linux experience.

[Guest pilotbrian0]

Uh, not to try and make you sound dumb or anything, as I'm sure you know a fair deal about computers, or you wouldn't have any knowledge to base that statement on. Unfortunately, I have to say that that statement is inaccurate. As of DX 9.0c the Direct X rendering system is now the primary rendering subsystem of Windows. What this means is that unless the program (few do) uses the older API (I can't remember the exact calls at the moment to render a 2d window) it will likely now be managed by the Direct X rendering system. The net result is that code wise, nothing has changed, people still call the Windows painting API to write their GUI's but "under the hood" DX has taken over what Windows does with that.SO, where that leaves us.Effects on FS: Minor unless you didn't install 9.0b because 9.0b included major upgrades to several rendering methods, including specular lighting and reflections.IE/Firefox: I know IE uses the "primary" Windows API for it's painting, and I'm guessing Firefox DOES NOT. Why do I say that? Well, Firefox was originally designed to be a multi-platform IE alternative. In order to do that, it would have to get out of using windows API calls. My guess is that then Firefox will continue to use the older API as their syntax is extremely similar to Mac (the original GUI OS) as well as having been copied almost verbatim syntax wise to Linux, Solaris, and many others. This makes life easier for their coders when compiling to various systems.Of course, this is speculation as far as Firefox goes because I have not had the free-time to pour through their source code and find out. All in all, are you going to see improvements with direct X 9.0c? If you already have an insanely high end video card, or you don't change any settings in FS, no. If you ramp up a few basic quality settings in FS, you will likely see improved rendering without much influence on frame rates. Why? DX 9.0c does a better job of bypassing the CPU when it comes to full-screen rendering. So, we're accessing more of the GPU without accessing more of the CPU. Sounds like a win to me.Until next time,Brian

[Guest gremel]

Sounds good to me. What few basic quality settings would you recommend?Regards,jack