FS Crew

[CaptHill 0]

Guys, I'm looking at getting FS crew to add a virtual first officer.I would like the PIC 737 option but it says it's a voice commander option which I think is different from a normal FS Crew?I don't have a microphone and dont really want to have to talk to get my virtual first officer, is it possible for it still to work without voice commands.If not is there another product that can do a similar thing?Also some of the other packages by FS Crew are not voice commander ones so maybe this is better.I'm just a bit confused.Many Thanks for your helpRich

[Paul_Yorks 97]

The voice commander versions of FSCrew will only work via voice.The older versions e.g. the 747, the MD-11 and the 767, are all operated by twin joystick button presses.You can get a mic for a few quid off amazon - you don't need anything very special (think mine was under a fiver). And you soon get used to using voice - it's much much nicer than button pressing. Give it a try, you might like it.That, or try the older versions. If it doesn't say voice commander, you can use buttons/keys.ETA: the 767 is in fact now available in both flavours - the old button one, and the new voice comm one.

[ESzczesniak 128]

FS2Crew absolutely transforms the level of immersion in flight simulator. The button press versions are very good, but I would highly recommend considering the Voice editions. It might seem a little awkward talking to your computer at first, but it's really not bad. The checklists themselves are nice ot have by voice, but not all that different than a button pushing version. The real difference is that when you have your hands on the stick flying the aircraft, you can command your virtual FO by voice to set various MCP/Flight director and overhead settings. You never have to take your hands off the yoke and throttles for things like heading changes from ATC, turning on the windshield wipers when it starts to rain and so forth.The additional benefit of voice is that button controls require a certain amount of scripting. For instance, while on your approach a button control version only know one or two commands ("positive" response and "negative" response). This meant that there were rigid sequences to deploy flaps and landing gear. As an example, in the MD-11 version it was always dial-a-flap, flaps 15, gear down, flaps 28, flaps 35. With voice version I can deploy the flaps and landing gear in any order just by speaking the commands. On top of that, in the middle of this sequence, I can ask for new headings, altitudes, and speeds as well as arming LOC and APP as appropriate for the approach (and a number of other commands beyond just those).You can't go wrong regardless which versions you look at getting, but since they've come out I haven't flown any aircraft that doesn't have an FS2Crew Voice edition (except for the VRS F/A-18E...which doesn't have room for an FO)--they're that good.

[MrSpeaker 121]

I broke my $60 mic in a little hissy fit and got a new one from Walmart for $12 and its probably the the best mic I have ever owned. :( FS2Crew is amazing, but please don't be put off by the talking. What Bryan York has done with this voice control thing is amazing, it's so easy and natural. And it comes in so handy especially if you fly on Vatsim and after takeoff you start getting vectors, just say set heading XXX and your copilot sets it for you. Button or Voice there all good but Voice is the future for fs2crew.

[byork 2,258]

FYI, I recommend not using a regular "mic"... Get a headset instead.A $20 headset will do the job just fine unless you want to go all out and buy a noise canceling one, which is hardly necessary.For the Original Poster, FS2Crew Editions are now available in two flavors:Voice Control and Non-Voice Control.The newer ones are Voice Control only.The Wilco 737 PIC version is available with Voice Control only.FYI, though, I'm not abandoning the 'button control' style FS2Crew's... I'm actually working on a new 'button control' version for the PMDG JS41 as I type this. Cheers,

[brucek 38]

............FYI, though, I'm not abandoning the 'button control' style FS2Crew's... I'm actually working on a new 'button control' version for the PMDG JS41 as I type this. Cheers,

I have the mic etc., however I share my "flight deck" (spare room (ex-bedroom) in a 2 bedroom condo) with my better half (who sees same room as a sewing room) and sometimes our visiting family and sewing clubs, so talking to the PC can become awkward :), glad to hear that you might have "button style" versions in the plan!Thanks, Bruce.(59 year old RW instrument pilot, 15 years simming, who has little space to be alone! )

[CaptHill 0]

I have posted this elsewhere, so please forgive me. The wealth of information on this forum is fantastic. Thanks for the responses.SO if I go for a headset, what should I be looking at? AND what do I do about my brilliant speakers in terms of sound?Rich

[ESzczesniak 128]

I have posted this elsewhere, so please forgive me. The wealth of information on this forum is fantastic. Thanks for the responses.SO if I go for a headset, what should I be looking at? AND what do I do about my brilliant speakers in terms of sound?Rich

I'd recommend a USB headset. They seem quite a bit easier to tune in terms of microphone levels--just run a quick calibration within Windows. In terms of the speakers, they can still broadcast most sounds. FS2Crew selects seperate audio from FSX so you can have FS2Crew in the headphone and FSX in the speakers (which can be heard easily through most headsets). Even with FSX you can assign different audio outputs to voice and the rest. So I have FSX and FS2Crew putting voice sound to my headset (that's ATC plus FS2Crew stuff) and the rest (engines, gauges, etc.) goes out the speakers.

[byork 2,258]

I definitely 2nd that.A USB headset is the way to go.And Rich is right... with the FS2Crew Voice versions you can split the sound so the FO comes through your headset, if desired, and the engine and other sounds come out your main speakers.Cheers,