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Nice review.Not sure how you put CaptainSim in the same category as the QW offering though with regards to functionality.

Well, the model you're using is beta, and usually beta models have bugs such as missing gauges and stuff, particularly because the model is an unfinished model that has been released for more than a month or so. If you feel so dissatisfied with the beta model, its best to buy the full model or go over to the Flight1 models.

1. I have the final version. Please re-read the first line of the post. I had the beta; I now have the finished product.2. I am really not unsatisfied. As I said in another thread, this is probably CLS's best product.As far as the sounds are concerned, I have had trouble with most sounds in FSX except the default, TSS and Sonic Solutions and Audio Environment. Any sound that was created with FS9 and ported to FSX sounds terrible on my system with lots of phasing. Many people don't have this issue but some do. As a result, I have already replaced their sound with the TSS package. I expected this when I bought it because their 747 and 767 sounds do not agree with my system.When you refer to looping, are you talking about a swishing/phasing type sound? If so, that is the problem I have with all CLS sounds and most sounds created for FS9 in FSX.I complained about the sounds in the beta and sent a sample of what I was hearing to CLS. I don't know if they changed anything in the final version because I already had the TSS soundpack and installed it immediately. They did make a lot of changes based on my suggestions but it sounds like the soundpack remained the same.If you are having trouble with the soundpack, post it over at the CLS forum.BTW, for those having trouble with the soundpack, do have their 747 and 767? If so, how are the sounds for those aircraft?

......I spent most of last night trying to get cockpit sounds and finally had to admit defeat. I...............

FYI- I had an issue with cockpit sounds that only was resolved when launching the Co-Pilot's 2D panel, then exiting that 2D window again. Not sure if any cockpit 2D panel would work, I was doing the tutorial and needed the 2D view to access the lights and/or hydraulic switches. After that it was fine.Bruce.

Can't you access the lights or hydraulics from the VC, Bruce?

Regarding the sounds, it's nice to hear you guys being vocal about them. Payware groups need to put more emphasis on better quality sounds. When you have a great model, VC, gauges and all, good sounds are equally important for immersion.

Nice review.Not sure how you put CaptainSim in the same category as the QW offering though with regards to functionality.

Let's not get carried away now, both products offer similar levels of functionality.

FYI- I had an issue with cockpit sounds that only was resolved when launching the Co-Pilot's 2D panel, then exiting that 2D window again. Not sure if any cockpit 2D panel would work, I was doing the tutorial and needed the 2D view to access the lights and/or hydraulic switches. After that it was fine.Bruce.

That exactly did the trick! Thanks. Captain Sim's 727 has a similar issue where you have to load it, then reload it before you get sounds. Weird. That's not so bad.You can indeed access the hydraulic switches and lights from the VC, even from the captain's seat. Maybe one of the hydraulic switches is hard. I have tended to switch seats for the copilot's flow. As for the looping, I can definitely hear a three-second loop for the engines at cruise. To get rid of the awful "packs" noise on startup (which sounds like a hairdyer in your ear) I just renamed the packs.wav in the sound folder. What are these TSS engine sounds and how hard are they to install? I don't mind fiddling with an airplane if I like it, and I do like this one. It may not be as faithful to the real thing as some products, but it does keep me busy throughout the flight, which is a nice change of pace from the robo-liners I usually fly.You can only get rid of the left and right engine start warnings from the 2D overhead panel. I can't do it from the 3D -- the only thing I've found that I can't. I also wish they would fix the simicon pull-down which keeps disappearing in the VC, causing me to have to shift+1 to reload if I want it. I have to do this several times on the ground during preparation to roll.Would love to see a mod to put the Captain Sim Weather Radar in the VC! Would also love a fix to these uncommanded turns. Might be a nav data error, though since it has happened twice at CRG on a KMCO - KIAD flight.

Can't you access the lights or hydraulics from the VC, Bruce?

Hi Paul,Yes you can- I had just set up several cams with EZDoc which didn't include a copilot one, so bringing up the 2D panel was easier. I had also wondered about the lack of cockpit sounds, and was amazed when invoking this 2D panel introduced sounds- but alas not the female recorded voice that all MD's have. Bruce.

The TSS sounds are from Turbine Sound Solution. I love their products and their FSX ones are the only ones that work well in FSX for me. The FS9 ones only sounded good in FS9. Some say they port over fine but not on my system.http://secure.simmarket.com/turbine-sound-...k-for-fsx.phtmlThey also created the sounds for Audio Environment: http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=audioenvAdd on sounds are very easy to install. Rename the sound file in the MD80 folder to sound.cls. Unpack the TSS sounds in to a folder named "sound" with the .wav files inside that folder and drop the folder in to the MD80 folder. Done. As for the weather radar, there is a separate file that comes with the manual that explains how to add the CS Weather Radar, Reality XP Weather Radar, Default GPS or XGauge to the VC. You can have 3 of the installed and switch between them in flight. You have to modify the instructions a little if you have the CS radar that came with the 727 rather than the standalone version. Which version of the CS radar do you have? If you have the 727 version do the following:1. Copy the following files from the CS 727-100 panel folder to the MD81 panel folder:Captain_Sim.p721.WXR.dllCaptain_Sim.r001.P01.cabNow you have to add the gauge to the panel and the vc. Open up the panel config in the MD81 panel folder, and do the following (don't forget to make a backup copy of the panel.cfg)2. Add a window under [Windows Titles] by typingWindow49=CS Weather Radar3. scroll down to the end of the window definitions and add the following as the last one:[Window49]size_mm=525,386window_size=0.44position=2background_color=1,1,1visible=0ident=11223zorder=1gauge00=Captain_Sim.p721.WXR!wr_display, 81,32,364,279gauge01=Captain_Sim.r001.P04!P04_radar, 0,0,525,3864. Scroll down to the section [VCockpit05] and add the gauges to make it look like this:[VCockpit05]file=CLS_MD80_WXR_BG.bmp size_mm=512pixel_size=512texture=$M8WXR2gauge00=Captain_Sim.p721.WXR!wr_display, 80,32,350,275gauge01=Captain_Sim.r001.P04!P04_radar, 0,0,512,3825. DoneThe only problem with this is that window 49 will be impossible to pull up as a pop-up window because you can only call up pop-up windows using Shift 1-9. As a result, you will only be able to operate it in the VC. To rectify this, you can move up the pop-up windows so that the ones that are important to you will display within the first 9. See my post above to see the changes I have made.

Wow thanks. Guess they gave me that word thing for a reason. I also got a new config file emailed to me by the developer that solved the packs sound problem. I added the Hi Fi X Gauge and the CS Wx Radar, but the latter looks all squashed at the top. I posted over at their forum so I'm sure someone will figure it out, but I just cut and pasted their entries.I had another flight last night, and this bird is really growing on me. My first Big Boy airplane was the old Maddog by LAGO, so it brings back some fond memories.About the only remaining significant beef I have with it is the lack of waypoint IDs.

Regarding the sounds, it's nice to hear you guys being vocal about them. Payware groups need to put more emphasis on better quality sounds. When you have a great model, VC, gauges and all, good sounds are equally important for immersion.Let's not get carried away now, both products offer similar levels of functionality.

I am not casting a poor lite on the QW product at all, but it is not as in-depth as the CS offering. Just about all of the CS panel and overhead is functional, IIRC (I haven't flown it in a while). It also has a weather radar.I look at both for what they are and enjoy both.