AS2004.5 Beta Update Now Available - B163

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hello All!Thank you very much for your patience and support!The new beta update is now available. Remember, this is a BETA version and is not official. Use this at your own risk and always backup your original AS2004 installation package in case you need to revert back.Thanks to the internal Beta Team for their help getting the update ready for the public!! Thanks to Jim Skorna for all his help! Thanks to Pete Dowson for his assistance in optimizing our interface... And thanks to all our users for your great support and feedback!Download B163 at: http://www.hifisim.com/AS20045-b163.zipYou must have any version of AS2004 / AS2004.5 installed prior to applying this BETA update. This version is designed to use FSUIPC 3.411 / WideFS 6.4 or the soon-to-be-released updated FSUIPC/WideFS versions which we have been testing successfully for quite some time now. Please always use the latest available official FSUIPC/WideFS versions at http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html.Revisions:------Update 2004.5 Beta Version (Build 163)

[Guest Erups]

Just downloaded, will report.

[Guest Flyer_116]

Hello:Downloaded the new up date and experienced the following porblem.Flew from CYYC CYWG in a PMDG 737 900 with 2D panel. Everything looked ok till I commenced decent into Winnipeg and the panel began flickering on and off and all weather vanished. It was reporting 1 mile in light snow and I could see for miles.This is the first time this has occured since my intiial purchase of AS and I used the other versions in this AC before.Any ideas? BTW was using FSUIPC 4.11.Regards,Ron

[Guest Fjorko]

I got "error during decompression" twice tonight after the upgrade.My DSL connection is very reliable....Must say those cloud pops seems to have been fixed (so far) !!

[Guest Fjorko]

And just when i got excited this is what i foundI am really frustrated now ! On descent i still get the visibility change from all grey to white'ish to grey etc etc....it's just not a smooth transition....(not shown in picture below - that is a thick cloud above some other clouds)See the Metar below and what is drawn on screen.... does that make sense ? Or else i must be doing something really wrong here !!!My "ini" file settings to follow as well...http://img57.exs.cx/img57/3614/pic1medium8qv.jpgSettings://AS2004.5 configuration file B163[General]WindowPosX = 105WindowPosY = 105DefaultWeatherFolder = C:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesFlight Simulator 9ModulesActiveSky2004SuppressionCeiling = 4000SurfaceWindLimit = 10CloudLayerLimit = 4LocalSuppressionRange = 100MinimumVisibility = 0MaximumVisibility = 59LastPlanFolder = NONEIncreasedWake = FalseDisableWindsAloft = FalseForceTstormsWithCB = FalseAutoConvertPlanFiles = TrueDisableVisGraduation = FalseForceDestinationWeatherZone = TruePreventIcing = TrueOnlineUpdates = TrueExtendedDestinationWindsForce = FalseGlobalWrites = TrueDepictFS9HazeLayer = FalseExtendTstormLayers = FalseDisableDirectWindControl = FalseVoicePlayback = FalseLocalSuppression = TrueStartupSound = FalseDisableGroundUpdates = FalseUseProxyServer = FalseFogLayerGeneration = TrueUpdateSuppression = TrueOvercastEnhancement = TrueIgnoreFSReadyStatus = FalseFSUIPCWindSmoothing = TrueLimitSurfaceWinds = FalseLimitCloudLayers = TrueAutoGlobalWriteToggle = TrueRainWithTS = TrueDisableUpperLayerGeneration = FalseVisibilitySmoothing = TrueDisableMessages = FalseAutoTimeZoneDetection = TrueUpdateInterval = 5VATSIMData = FalseZuluConversion = 0AloftPredictability = 100WindDriftRate = 0TAFProcessing = TrueEnforceVisibilityLimits = TrueWakeTurb = TrueStartPaused = TrueUseSystemTime = TrueDisableCAVOKClouds = FalseProxyAddress = NONE

[JSkorna 137]

Hi,Yes FAGG is the closest station, but how close? A station has a direct influence only if you are within 2 miles. After that, many stations are used.TAF Processing=FalseHope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Guest Fjorko]

Should i set TAF Processing to OFF ?Why ?

[JSkorna 137]

Yes, because in Online mode there is no reason for it.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi,Technically TAF can be used in online mode too when a wx station is reporting old data for whatever reason - it will then go dynamic and provide changing wx according to forecast, and will reset if/when a particular station finally updates.In either case it hasn't gone DYNAMIC for the station in question so should not have much influence... but there is a chance for different results depending on other nearby stations. If turning off TAF processing stops such effect please let us know.I can't really tell what is happening with that screenshot without the main AS2004.5 screen. How close was FAGG during this shot? What was the wx like in nearby areas?Concerning panel flickering: Double check your render to texture setting, this needs to be off..

[Guest jubjub]

The problem with turning render to texture off it that many people who use AI and addon scenery have dxt3 textures in the sim. When turning render to texture off it will crash when it comes in contact with any dxt3 textures.

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi,FSUIPC requires render to texture off as documented. Not sure why anyone would release an add-on incompatible with FSUIPC?

[Guest Edwin]

Hi,When entering a flight plan on build 163, the navigation log still ignores the altitude entry in the "Flight Plan Entry" dialog box. I have a flight plan that had a cruising altitude of FL390 (set in FSNavigator) but when I changed the number to FL370 in the ActiveSky Flight Plan Entry dialog box, after processing, the navigation log still shows average winds for 39,000ft.Is this just a cosmetic problem (i.e. the average winds are actually from 37,000ft) or a real bug (i.e. the average winds are indeed from 39,000ft ignoring the input in the Flight Plan Entry dialog box)?Many thanks and other than the above minor issue, great work!Edwin

[Guest thx1137]

I just had a flight with the new AS beta plus the latest FSUIPC beta and the cloud transitions were wonderful. It is definately the best I have seen it so far. Congratulations if it is consistant! :-)Regards, Steven.

[Guest Fjorko]

Latest FSUIPC Beta ? Where did you get that ?1 ) Does that get installed with the B163 update or are you talking about the current 3.411 ?2) Another thing i was thinking of is this : How does AS2004 decide what clouds should be drawn on the screen ? i.e. the metars usually just report the AMOUNT of cloud cover, but never the TYPE of cloud that should be used to represent that. Is this a hidden piece of information that AS2004 deals with in the background ? i.e. draw SCT025 cumulus or stratus etc ?Thanks

[JSkorna 137]

If you import a plan AS reads the altitude from the plan itself. If you manually enter the data AS will read the entered data.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg