PMDG Windows Vista FAQ

[Guest jetman07]

>1. Dual core is something that has to be programmed into the>application, you won't get any increase simply by having that>kind of CPU. FSX at present uses very minimal multithreading>on the 2nd and higher cores.>>2. SLI is basically the same thing. It benefits some games a>lot more than others. FSX is not one of these games because>it is CPU limited and doesn't rely on the GPU for most of its>processing the way other games do. The only boost you'll see>from SLI in a CPU limited game is the ability to run higher>levels of AA and AF because that's all stuff that's done>internally inside the video card's GPU without any reliance on>the rest of the PC.>>3. Not sure what you're referring to with firmware upgrades>here... BIOS updates for video cards are extremely rare, I've>never performed one in 10 years of having 3D cards.Ryan:I thought that might be the case. Most sales people, understandibly, don't have a clue as far as what hardware will do in a complicated environment like FSX, but I'll lay odds that most would say: "Oh, man! this is just what you need.!" Regarding programable firmware I was hoping it might be possible but obviously that wouldn't push us to sell the farm and get 'bigger and better' would it? :-lol ~`Ron CYEG

[Tabs 2,790]

Well firmware doesn't do much other than give a piece of hardware like a CD drive, your motherboard, and so on its basic operating instructions. You can't actually make the same kind of improvements that a new CPU or GPU design gives you with firmware, that really is changes in the physical hardware, the actual integrated circuit within the chip, that do that...Check out these links for more info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firmwarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

>Ron,>>I'd wait until the driver situation is resolved. The Nvidia>drivers are extremely bad at the moment... I get less than>half the FPS in Vista that I do in XP.Ryan.With Vista @ 1600x1200 I get 30 FPS if i'm facing toward the ocean. If I spin around in spot view and face the NY skyline with it's buildings, i get 26-27. I tried to post some screen shots but they are way over 150kb or what ever the Avsim limit is.I know it sounds like bull, but i don't see much difference between Vista and XP.My problem is this. As nice as FSX is, it don't cut the mustard until PMDG builds some AC's for it. Cant stand the default stuff of FSX.I have water at 1x, the little ponds and lakes look like a tsunami is happening. Other than that the scenery is pretty darn good!Most of the time when you launch yourself at a gate they put a push back tug in front of you, pretty cute when it drives up and pushes you back. Same with the fuel truck. Fraps runs ok with Vista and the new release is multi threaded.Maybe I'll lower the res and can get some screenies below Avsims size limit.FPS target is set at 30 FPS.

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

Graphics------------Tex res- very highFrame target 40 FPSAircraft-------------Global-high3-D VCShadows, ground,itself, land lights.Scenery---------------Detail - mediumMesh Complexity = 70 " Res 76mTexture 2mWater high 1xLand detail - checkedScenery Complexity - normalSpecial effects - highWeather-----------Global - medium lowNo thermalsCloud density - mediumChange rate - mediumTraffic-----------Global - medium highAirline - 30%Gen. aviation - 10%Vehicle - mediumRoad - 30%Ships - 10%Boats - 11%Screen shots are 1024x768 to make em small enough, i now think 1200x1024 would work.

[Tabs 2,790]

Buck,I know Nvidia focused on the 8800 first as far as optimizing the Vista driver so that may be why...I can tell you without a doubt though that I'm getting less than half the frames in almost every game under Vista on my 7800GTX than I do in XP.

[Guest Nickman]

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted on these foruns =Anyhow, I too have upgraded to Vista. I haven't ran into any problems installing PMDG products under Vista, nor have I had any problems using them.However, I have noticed (not sure if this is localised only to me) that in order to see installed liveries, I must run FS2004 as administrator.Can anyone else try and duplicate this?Nickhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/800driver.jpg

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

>Buck,>>I know Nvidia focused on the 8800 first as far as optimizing>the Vista driver so that may be why...>>I can tell you without a doubt though that I'm getting less>than half the frames in almost every game under Vista on my>7800GTX than I do in XP.Ryan. I see and understand. NVidia sure has dropped the ball WRT drivers for cards that are not brand new. If their not careful ATI is going to jump ahead of them. From whats being written on the net ATI is showing some real driver support.

[Tabs 2,790]

For those of you that were having trouble on localized language versions of Vista, we have a fix:http://ops.precisionmanuals.com/wiki/PMDG_..._Vista_versionsLet me know if that works.

[neilbradley1 2]

Buck,Did we forget the nav/position lights?Neil

[Guest Buck Bolduc]

>Buck,>>Did we forget the nav/position lights?>>NeilYes on a few shots. Trust me, no difference at all.No diff with resolution either. I run 1600x1200.A person said hey, low resolution, he probably didn't know about the 150kb Avsim limit.I really don't care that much about FSX until PMDG releases for it!If anyone doubts the performance I'm getting, who cares, not me.:)

[Guest dcbaker]

I found that problem out today too. I had very poor frame rates in Vista until I uninstalled FS9 and my PMDG products then reinstalled them in XP Compatibility Mode. Now it runs well.I too couldn't see my installed liveries until I read the previous message and tried running FS2004 as an administrator. You're not alone Nick. David

[Guest christopherbarbas]

GoodeveningI have the same problem to install PMDG Queen as many users allready report.My systemVista UltimateNvidia 6800 UltraFS9I have try the Vista FAQ with no results at all.Thank youChristopher Barbas

[Tabs 2,790]

>I found that problem out today too. I had very poor frame>rates in Vista until I uninstalled FS9 and my PMDG products>then reinstalled them in XP Compatibility Mode. Now it runs>well.Not sure what you mean - if you're talking about the setup, all you're doing is running the installer in compatibility mode, not the sim itself. Compatibility mode is something you can change at will, it's not part of the install. You just right click on the program's exe, hit properties and then go to the compatibility tab...

[Guest stew286]

hi all. this is my first post here at pmdg site.Vista is not that bad once you get used to the way it works.Everyone assumes vista is just xp upgraded, wrong.I get 35/55fps with vista on fsx with the 737.No autogen,water x1,thats as much a frame killer as autogen.I don't use Nvidia never been a fan i use ATI have done for quite some time now.There is a web site Blackviper.com that gives a good overview of vista with tweeks and above all explanations of some of the workings of the complexity of vista.There is quite a lot of extras in fsx that the aces team left for us designers and there may be a work around some of the gauges,there is some backward capability programmes built in, its just understanding them.Its a learning curve at the moment.I miss my pmdg aircraft in fsx,i have modified the default 737 but no fmc or decent flight planners yet.Does anyone know a release date for the fsx pmdg models?regardsstu

[Tabs 2,790]

Stu,I didn't realize blackviper was back up - thanks for letting us know! That's a great site...