Questions about Global mode performance and SimConnect

[flyinjoe 0]

Now that Global mode seems to be working correctly with the beta build, I have noticed that using it has caused a slight decrease in my FSX performance. Not a huge decrease, but enough to make me want to want to see if I can do anything about it. So I have questions...1.) Will running ASA over a network using SimConnect help to aleviate the performance loss I see using Global mode? Or does the performance loss I see actually come from within FSX trying to depict the global mode weather so running ASA networked won't matter? Depending on the answer, you may be able to skip the rest of the questions.2.) If running ASA networked, does the client system that ASA resides on need to be a powerhouse system so that it can keep up or would an older Athlon 2700+ based system with 512 megs of RAM be adequate? Dumb, but worth asking....SimConnect gets installed on the client system that has ASA or the server system that has FSX or both?3.) Is it best to network the client system hard wired or is the bandwidth via a wireless connection fast enough? Not sure how much data is getting passed from ASA to FSX4.) Last one. Once I have everything setup, do I launch ASA off the client system, set my weather and start FSX (via the start FS button), then move over to the server system with FSX installed and go flying? If so, I guess it would be best to have both systems in the same room to keep from having to go back and forth between the two systems in different rooms. I guess I could use a program like LogMeIn to view the system in the other room to launch ASA and make changes when needed.Thanks for the time and info....UPDATE: Tried to do this myself and i'm getting a message about not having the proper SDK installed when launching ASA. If I have the Acceleration pack, should I be using the SDK that came on that DVD or the one that came on the original FSX DVD?

[Andydigital 93]

I can only speak as a humble beta tester, but quite simply I think it is that there is more cloud generated in global mode as it fills the whole active weather space you are in, more clouds equal more work for the processors to do, hence slightly less performance. I don't think the actual information ASA is sending over simconnect makes a massive difference, obviously there will be some but not much. To be honest I dont really see any difference in performance on my quad core PC.

[flyinjoe 0]

Thanks Andy. I had a hunch it might be FSX related, so running ASA networked wouldn't matter. I still might try and see if I can get ASA to work networked just because I'm a computer nerd who likes to tinker with things. Just can't seem to figure out where i'm going wrong with the error message about incorrect SDK. I've triple checked that everything is set the way the help file says, but no luck

[Andydigital 93]

There is a good guide about simconnect and how to go about reinstalling it at the page listed below from Pete Dowson. I dont think things are quite so simple though if you are using Vista, it's definitely worth a read though.http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?...a303ce456a20388

[flyinjoe 0]

Thanks again. The one thing I was confused about when reading the ASA manual was whether or not the SDK stuff needed to be installed on both the client and server. I also wasn't sure which SDK to install. I started with SDK1 and the SDK1a update because that's what the manual said to use. Then I noticed on my Accel DVD, there was a different SDK version. Never did try that last night because it got to late. When I get home today, I plan to uninstall SDK off of both machines and try the Accel version.BTW, will uninstalling and reinstalling all of this SDK stuff effect my actual FSX installation in any way? I have so many add-ons and stuff that the thought of reinstalling everything is frightening. So if it's going to cause any problems, i'm just going to quit trying to run ASA networked.

[Andydigital 93]

You don't need to remove the previous versions as the Acceleration SDK installer on the disk will take care of that for you during the install process. If you have any add-ons that aren't designed for SDK SP2 then you may need to find out if there are any updates for them to make them compatible.If you have Acceleration installed though you really should install the Acceleration SDK as well otherwise you will have problems with some add-ons.And sorry I cant help regarding networked setups as I have never used them myself, but I would presume that the relevant simconnect from the version of SDK installed on the FS PC must also be installed on the networked machine too, although as I say I may be wrong about this.

[flyinjoe 0]

I'm pulling my hair out here. I have SimConnect working because I can run the AI Traffic test with no problems, but I just can't seem to figure out why I can't get ASX/ASA to work. I just keep getting the same improper SP# SimConnect Client installed error message. I have tried this with both SP1a and SP2 SDK and it's the same problem. I'm not sure what to do now. I have tried the suggestions in the readme file, but they didn't work. I have tried it with the SDK installed and not installed on the client machine and that didn't work. I have read several threads with people having the same issue as I am having, but no one seems to have a definitive answer as to how to resolve this issue.And the worst part is, when it comes to computers, I get really upset when I can't solve a problem and it causes me to spend hours on end trying to resolve it. :)

[flyinjoe 0]

I think I got it figured out. I found a thread buried deep in these AVSim forums that gave me another way to try it. It said to go ahead and install SDK SP2 on the server machine, but to only go as far as SP1a on the client side. The exact directions were to install the SDK off the Deluxe DVD on the client and then run the SimConnect.msi file. Then install SDK SP1a on the client machine and again run the SimConnect.msi file. So in your Add/Remove programs list you would have two listings for SimConnect clients. After doing this, I launched both ASA and ASX off the client machine and did not get an error about an incorrect version. Now i just have to test and see if an actual flight works.

[flyinjoe 0]

This all started because I wanted to see if the performance loss I noticed using Global mode with the beta build was a result of ASA working harder or FSX having to do more to depict the Global mode weather. What I discovered was that it must be within FSX because running ASA networked did not help me gain back my fps loss. But it was not all a waste of time. While I didn't gain any actual fps back, I have to admit the the flight as a whole seemed much better. It's hard to explain, but the best way to describe it is that it seemed like FSX was free to do more and things happened that never seemed to happen before. For instance, this test flight is one i have taken probably 30 times now with the beta build because i know the weather, the cloud coverage changes 3 times during the flight so it's a nice short flight to test with. This time around, the plane seemed to sway more in the wind, the ground textures seemed a bit crisper and the overall cloud depiction seemed better. Even X Gauge functioned faster when updating my location or opening a new image. It's like before, FSX was forced to skip things it couldn't keep up with to meet my target frame rate, but now with ASA functions being handled on a different machine, it can now do things it couldn't do before. While I thought running ASA would get me back my lost frames per second, even though it didn't, I think i'm still going to run it networked because of the other changes I see.I guess the moral of this is if your FSX rig is dual core (mine is dual core) or less and you have another decent system in your house, you might benefot from running ASX/ASA networked. Might not help overall frame rates, but it seems to benefit other things.