Hi guys:I have been a AS user for about two years (I think) and have always been VERY happy with the product. No problems what so ever.I decided to buy ASV based on this... and the reduced price. I am finding that it is MUCH more taxing on my system. I will try to give some examples of my settings (general), and my system specs. Please let me know if you see something that I could try, in order to improve FPS. Please do not suggest using lower cloud settings. That would be counter productive.1) I followed the manual to the letter as far as FS settings go.2) I have ASV configured as suggested as far as the START up proceedure. I start ASV before FS and load the flight plan I am going to fly.3) I am using the (mipped) 256x256(32) clouds. 4) Here is what I have checked under OPTIONSOnline UpdatesVATSIM Online WeatherUse Update SuppressionUse Local Range SuppressionAuto Global Write ToggleForce Dest Wx ZoneIgnore FS ready StatusCeiling(ft): 20000Range (nm): 100Interval(mins): 10Start PausedUn-Pause on FS...Disable TestVoice ATIS/Auto .PLn VonvertAuto Refresh AIUse Sytem TimeAuto TimezoneAuto Set FS TimeVisibility SmoothingEnforce Vis. LimitsFog Lager Gen.Depict FS HazeMin Vis.(sm): 0Max Vis(sm): 59Enable Vert. AirAuto Gen VASWake TurbFSUIPC Wind Smoothing (set in FSUIPC at 2 seconds)Surface wind(kts): 10Wind Drift(secs): 30Aloft Pred.(%):80Auto VAS(%): 40Overcast EnhanceLimit LayersAdd Rain with TS RepsPrevent All IcingCloud Layer Limt: 5MaX Thick: 10000Status Sep: 7000ICS + Random Sky/EnvAuto Save Theme on SubmitDisable Random Light Select******************************My system specs...OS: Microsoft Windows XP ProfessionalVersion: 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600Mobo: MSI MS-6702Processor: AMD 64 3000+ ~2000 MhzTotal Physical Memory 1,024.00 MBPage File Space 2.40 GBATI X800 Pro 256MBSB Audigy 2 SATA RAID0 - 2 X 36GB WD Raptor HD (Main drive)1 x 160 SATA HD1 DVD/RW Burner1 CD/RW Burner1 FloppyxAllien Tower with 6 LCD fansEnermax 350 PSUMicrosoft Cordless KB and Mouse19in NEC FE991sb monitor17in Philips 107Ts monitorLogitech 5.1 surround speakersTrackIR 2CHProducts Yoke and Pro peds (Gameport)Saitek X45 HOTASDSL connection (315 avg. DL)Dlink DI-704 up routerAll the newest BIOS and Driver updates for everything!I run SB3, FS Flightkeeper, ASV and FS9. I also have "AutoSave" (by the developer of FSUIPC) running in the background.I use FSAutoStart to shut down "everything" that is not needed before I start.The last senerio I flew where I had some FPS/Lag/Stutter issues was on VATSIM coming into CYYZ (Toronto). There were 5 other planes either landing, taking off, or taxing. The stuttering/FPS drop started about 50 NM from the AP. The cloud cover was very dence between 6000 ft and 10,000 ft. The wind was about 12 kts. The weather within 16 nm was relatively free of clouds.Thanks!Murray W.

Hi Murray,Thanks for the detailed post.Limit your cloud layers to 3.Lower your cloud draw distance in FS04.Try without clouds mipped.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Sales and Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

Jim how come "try without mips" isn't this the opposite considering he has an ati card. Maybe they were never mipped. just curious.

Hi Joe,Because he wrote that he was using mipped clouds so I asked him to go the opposite way! All systems are different!!Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Sales and Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

Hi, The problem here is 5 layer is way to much, and reduce the cloud draw distant to the left. Ps: Leave them mip mapped.ThanksChris WillisHiFi Simulation Software Team Developerhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

>Hi,> The problem here is 5 layer is way to much, and reduce the>cloud draw distant to the left. >>>Ps: Leave them mip mapped.>>Thanks>Chris Willis>HiFi Simulation Software Team Developer>http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg>http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpgThank you all for your suggestions. I will give them a try. Chris, are you more qualified than Jim. I noticed that both your sigs show you are ASV developers and therefore since you both suggest something different, I need to know which one of you I should pay attention to.Thanks! EDIT: Ok, I have reduced Cloud Layers within ASV from 5 (default) to 3. I have lowered Cloud Draw distance in FS to 40 mi from 50 mi. I will test this and let you know my results. If I see no improvement, I will lower the Cloud Draw distance to 30 mi. and test again. I hope I will not have to go this low as that would again be counter productive and make ASV a bad investment. I will wait though before rendering any final judgement since I just noticed your post about an upcoming upgrade. I still have faith in your product as you have proven yourselfs to me in the past.Thanks again!

HI Murray,We will release DXT clouds as well, it improve performance from what's you are using now.There is thing to understand, ALL feature from Msfs at the same time with internal fs2004 weather can cause stutter for tons of things. AI traffic at full slider is not recommended, these can degrade performance alone without any others things, specialy if they are dense at airport.There is some kind of weather metar are more denser than others, these will take more performance hit. Running Msfs at full and everything at full, is hard to to keep performance stable.Video Cards SettingDepend on many system and configuration, you can start with the basic Setting and increase them after slowly and see your performance.-AA and AF at 2-Image setting to performance-Turn off Vsync In Fs2004 Display Setting-Antialasing is disabled -Lock your Target Frame Rate Slider at 25 or higher.-Set Mips slider default (4) -FS display filtering, test with Bilinear or Trilinear.-Check your fs2004 resolutionMicrosoft Knowledge Base posts for FS9 http://support.microsoft.com/search/defaul...=false&numDays= Sound Related Issue for fs2004 http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...394&Product=gms Improving game performance for fs2004 http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...069&Product=gms ThanksChris WillisHiFi Simulation Software Team Developerhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

Thanks Murray for your vote of confidence!! I only suggested that as an idea to change your mips. Yes, Chris is the clouds expert and I too am learning new things everyday from him. I hope that this will improve my level of support in the future!Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Sales and Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

>Thanks Murray for your vote of confidence!! I only suggested>that as an idea to change your mips. Yes, Chris is the clouds>expert and I too am learning new things everyday from him. I>hope that this will improve my level of support in the>future!>>Hope this helps,>Jim>ActiveSky Sales and Support>http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg>http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpgI am afraid you are "miffed" at the wrong person my friend. I do not know you at all, so therefore it would be impossible for me to make any comment that should make you feel that way.I simply posed a question to a person called Chris, who seemed to think he new best. All I wanted was to know what I should do. If you read the posts again, and look at it from my point of view, than Chris is the guy you should be miffed at. Don't you think?Anyway, thanks guys (Jim as well) for you help. I think the DXT cloud version is a GREAT idea, and I thank you all (Jim too) for your assistance with my queries. Jim... be happy brother... when you reach my age someday, you will know why it is not important to spend any time sweating the small stuff! Murray

Ok, I have tested with the settings that were suggested and the stutters have cleared and the FPS are acceptable... a little slower but worth the trade off for MUCH better looking clouds than with AS2004.5Thanks!

HI Murray,There is also the water effect slider, if you don't care about it, this can improve performance.You have to tweak here and here, you will get noticable improvement on performance.ThanksChris WillisHiFi Simulation Software Team Developerhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

Hi Chris:The only changes I made were to lower the Cloud Draw Distance in FS, and the Cloud Layer to 3 in ASV. I have my video card set the same as before I installed ASV... high! Everything is working just fine now. BTW, I just went for a little spin in my IFDG/PSS A320 with ASV running. I was looking at the "real" sky/sunset through my basement window... and the virtual sky/sunset created by FS and ASV... all I can say is, "I get it now"... "Awesome"... "As close to perfect as I have ever seen".Excellent product Chris and Jim! Thank you!P.S. You can quote me if you like!

HI Murray,Excellent, we will continue to update the product as well!ThanksChris WillisHiFi Simulation Software Team Developerhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg

Thanks Murray!Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Sales and Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_dev_team.jpg http://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_proud_supporter.jpg