I'm a recent purchaser of the bundle. I'm enjoying the products but have been a bit frustrated with the impact that ASX seems to have on my computer. I've tweaked here and there and reinstalled and got it working better (using default settings for clouds). However, there is certainly a noticeable difference with ASX running--frame rates dip a lot (large FPS variability) with choppiness and some stuttering. Running without ASX, FSX is pretty smooth. I'm going to update my video drivers and see if that helps. Given my modest computer specs below, should I expect anything better? Granted, I am also running Trackir.Thanks for any help.RandallWinXPNforce 2 motherboardAthlon XP 3200+2 GIG RAMSoundblaster Live!

Hi,A few suggestions:Lower your cloud layers to 3 in ASX.Make sure your cloud draw distance is set to 40 in FSX.In X Graphics, try 128 X 128 clouds.What video card are you using?Please let us know,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

Thanks for the quick reply. My video card is a Nvidia 6800GS 256mb. I lowered the cloud layers to 4 and that helped--I'll try 3 though I don't want to go down too far and miss out on a lot. I'm hesitant about 128x128 textures as sometimes the 256x256 textures don't look right to me. I have tried the 512x512 with little difference performance wise. I did upgrade the video drivers but only tried them out briefly--seems to have helped. Basically, it's down to an annoying but slight stutter most/all of the time to a a very real stutter/pause with the FPS variability jumping to 15-25% for a minute or so. Overall framerates are OK.I thought FSX only went down to 60 miles for cloud draw distance. How do you set it to 40?Thanks again. Randall

Hi,I did that from memory! Just make cloud draw distance full left!If you use FSX weather do you get stutters?Thanks,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

personally, I wouldn't reduce cloud draw distance. It can make clouds look really bad. Reducing cloud layers is a much better idea IMO.

Had a much smoother flight this evening--perhaps it was the video driver update. I did notice spikes from time to time in FPS variability. I usually run fron 2% to 7% but it will jump to 15% or more. However, this might not be from ASX. Still need to check on that for sure. Maybe it's just FSX.As to your last question, I did test with FSX weather (4 cloud layers like in ASX)and really could not say it was any better or worse--still smooth this evening.Thanks for the help. If it keeps running like this, I'm happy.Great product and great support. Thanks!Randall

HI Randall,The performance gain is probably the clouds layers limited and maybe driver but, since FS use less clouds layers then ASX.As for clouds, you should not have issue with 512x512 with dxt5, I use always this.Also defrag each week to keep your system optimized.ThanksChris Willishttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-dev-sigbanner.jpg

Thanks, Chris.Randall