I'm looking for some advice on getting mesh for USA. I've got the Lago mesh for the British Isles, great stuff, and they really enhanced my sim experience. Now I'd like to do the same for the U.S. I don't do much GA flying, I do more airliner stuff, A320, PIC, Dash 8, and ERJ-145, but I do want some great looking terrain, especially since I know the terrain around some of the airports I fly to (thinking mainly of Alburqurque, Colorado Springs and of course Little Rock). I've downloaded some terrain from this site:http://www.simviation.com/fsdterrainusa.htmbut I'm not to sure I'm very happy with it, they seem to be made for FS2000.Any ideas on what mesh to use, I'm not bothered by paying for it, just looking for anything better than default.Lobaeux

Lobaeux - I'd recommend a look at www.fsgenesis.com . Justin now has a complete set of 38-meter mesh for the entire mainland USA.Trip

I'm such an impatient guy, everything I purchase has to be downloadable (well, except Wilco's Airport 2002, but I'm still made it wasn't a downloadable product), so I wouldn't be able to wait for CD's of mesh. I did download all the mesh from Simviation, installed the west coast stuff, it's not too bad, much better than default.Lobaeux

Forget 38 m mesh for Usa!!Get 10 mesh - - at http://www.fsfreeware.com - Downloadable scenery!Ray

Exactly. Don't pay for what you can download for free. The CD's Justin provides are a convenience, and I do believe he uses a higher LOD, but I can't see paying for what I've already downloaded and burned to disc.J

HI Lobaeux4,Not sure what kind of internet connection you might need to download more than 3 Gb of terrain data, but there are several free 38.2m offerings under the Mesh Central tab at www.fsgenesis.com. You'd probably be most interested in the Ozark Mountains, Albuquerque, Taos, Superstition Mountains, Colorado Springs, Aspen/Vail, Rocky Mountains NP, and a few others there.Downloading the whole US set might take about as long as the two days shipping to Arkansas. :-)Justin

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I'll check out the free stuff on FSGenesis.Lobaeux

Hello Lobaeux,The problem is, few know enough about mesh - to make informed decisions or to offer helpful advice. So we end up trying to compare apples and oranges.I have constructed a series of 6 (large) screenshots using all the popular source data resolutions readily available for the USA, as well as the default mesh. (10m, 30m, 100m (2 LODs), 1000m, and default)I discuss this thread in more detail, and you can view/download the screenshots at:www.fs-traveler.com/meshcomp.htmlHope this helps,Stevewww.fs-traveler.com

Those screenshots are great. The set I'm using is 30m at LOD 9 or 10 I believe. I think FSGenesis uses an LOD11 or higher mesh. You'll see the difference, but you'll also feel it performance-wise.I have the ultra-high-res Grand Canyon mesh by FSGenesis and it's stunning. I can't see paying for the whole continental US at this resolution though - especially when 90m LOD9 mesh looks just as good as 30m LOD 12 mesh from ten thousand feet.But if you're the 'low-n-slow-VFR' type, the purchase may be worthwhile.Cheers,J

900 degrees ?

Interesting perspective, isn't it. Actually, I believe the count is about 930, including partials along the borders and coasts.The US mainland extends roughly from -65W to -125W and 30N to 50N, or 60 x 20 = 1200 degrees (an order of magnitude check). And most of the data I downloaded to create my 30m mesh was in subsets of 6 files/degree (to keep the DEM files small enough to obtain for free) - some 5000+ files of raw DEM data. And that's just the beginning.Steve

You do not need screenshots to show - that 10 m mesh is the best - or complicated explanations -You need to produce 10 m mesh - rather than pictures - Producing 10 m mesh with extensive coverage - that is what many can not do - just yet.Ray

I think the point of the screenshots was to illustrate that not all meshes are created equal - that LOD has alot to do with how good the mesh will actually look inside FS.

Yes that could be the idea!I rather put simmers on top if it! than just sit on the chair and look at screenshots. Just a different approach.

What the H$#! is Ray talking about? Screenshots help you decide, HELLOOOO....