I had read good things about voxatc on some of these forums online. Many say it works best with the AT&T voices and other voices found in the DVD version. However, looking at the only source I could find that sells it (in UK, i'm in USA).. the USD equivalent is about $145 which is a bit steep just to add some more realistic ATC and ability to actually speak when using ATC (outside of Vatsim)..

 

Are there any other alternatives that work as well.. I saw a note about RadarContact, but not sure on pricing on that one.. Many still seemed to prefer Voxatc though?

 

I've also read that traffic may not be accurate if you are using an addon like Ultimate traffic 2 or mytraffic.. that VoxATC uses its own schedules.. wouldnt this cause issues or does it simply add to traffic visible if you have the fsx sliders beyond zero?

 

Thanks for any advice..

Check out MultiCrew Experience. It lets you talk to FSX ATC or Radar Contact. Plus a whole lot more !!

Check out MultiCrew Experience. It lets you talk to FSX ATC or Radar Contact. Plus a whole lot more !!

 

Looks pretty good.. do you like it better than VoxATC or have you compared. Wondering if i can install a demo of box side by side without causing issues (toggle which to test).

Check out MultiCrew Experience. It lets you talk to FSX ATC or Radar Contact. Plus a whole lot more !!

 

If you want to TALK to ATC almost like you would in a real plane go for VOX ATC, you won't regret. The other products (like It's your plane, MCE), that essentially 'push the buttons' via windows voice recognition engine, are just basic in voice radio comms.

 

Dirk.

I did look at VoxATC, but I found it too complicated for the sort of flying I do (low level VFR) and too rigid (you have to follow a script pretty much exactly). MCE allows you a lot more flexibility in your phrasing. On the other hand, I'm told the VoxATC system is more accurate than FSX ATC or RC, especially if you fly airliners. So it may depend on what/how you fly as to which one you choose.

 

MCE certainly offers a demo, and their support is second to none.

FYI RC is only IFR, whereas VOX ATC does both VFR and IFR. Also it uses SIDs and STARs available from the Navdata AIRAC cycle.

 

"VoxATC supports all aspects of Instrument Rules flight".

"VoxATC supports all aspects of Visual Rules flight"

 

 

Diversions

After a missed approach, rather than attempting another, a diversion to an alternate airport can be opted for.

Alternate Routings

Flights can be created with alternate routings as variations on the filed flight plan. ATC will then issue a clearance including a full routing for the variation from the original flight plan.

Virtaul First Officer Available

A virtual first officer is available to handle communications with ATC. The FO can takeover the radio at any phase of the flight.

 

 

What else is needed?

 

Dirk.

If you want to TALK to ATC almost like you would in a real plane go for VOX ATC, you won't regret. The other products (like It's your plane, MCE), that essentially 'push the buttons' via windows voice recognition engine, are just basic in voice radio comms.

 

Dirk.

 

I tested out VoxATX last nite.. I was pretty impressed. I'm not at an advanced stage of Flight Simming / Piloting to really judge the accuracy of the phraseology though, but from the air traffic chatter I have heard from actual recordings, it sounded close, but I felt some commands were slightly different or missing some (how do you request a flight following etc). Granted I didnt have a chance to fully read the manual and so forth yet. Either way, light years ahead over pressing numbers and using the default atc

 

I didnt see if there was a way to have voxatc auto enable either.. It seems to be limited to the quality of the text to speech addons you can install too.. I'm sure with more of them, the more realistic it can be.

 

On the one saved flight I had, it seemed to do the same sequence of events as well.. over and over each time I retested it. IE: there was a plane waiting to take off, in each instance it was the same one and the same runway etc.. (ut2 was enabled)

 

I was going to try the MCE demo out later this weekend

I was going to try the MCE demo out later this weekend

 

which is actually trying Radar Contact, just pressing buttons through MCE voice commands.

 

Dirk.

which is actually trying Radar Contact, just pressing buttons through MCE voice commands.

 

That's not entirely true. Radar Contact isn't a pre-req for MCE. It interfaces with FSX ATC too. And it is not 'just pressing buttons through MCE voice commands' (although you can use it that way if you want to). You speak to ATC using ATC phraseology.

 

Give it a try. It's free.

I tested out VoxATX...Either way, light years ahead over pressing numbers and using the default atc

 

I concur.

 

Dirk.

Hi theskyisthelimit - see my PM.

I havent had the chance to test out MCE yet, but will soon.

 

I read more on VoxATC, i guess it uses its own traffic system, so the part i am wondering is if you have default traffic turned to 0 in fsx (because of using ut2 traffic).. then does the Ut2 traffic interact (properly?) with atc.. I saw some other comments on this, but forget what the basic gist was. I think that it revolved around voxatc schedules and ut2 being different (ie: should one or the other be used to avoid weird conflicts).

There are posts about VoxATC and ut2 traffic in VoxATC section of avsim, check them out.

 

Dirk.

The latest patch for MCE now supports PFE. I haven't tried interfacing with PFE yet, but I intend to give it a try. The main attraction of PFE for me is that it uses real recorded voices from around the world, so that you get regional accents which greatly adds to the immersion.

 

I love using MCE with the default ATC, but you should be aware that it can be frustrating in high traffic density situations. Here's why: MCE can't know what you are going to say until you have finished speaking your message. Consequently your voice message isn't sent to ATC, or other traffic, until after you've released the mic button. In the real world ATC and other traffic can hear you the moment you begin speaking. In busy traffic you will often start talking only to have other traffic or ATC step on your communication. Sometimes you can beat this problem by holding the mic button a little longer until no one is speaking. Sometimes you just have to press the numbered choice in the ATC menu to break in. For me, though, the fun is worth the frustration.

 

Just my 2 cents worth!

 

Tom

you should be aware that it can be frustrating in high traffic density situations.

 

Agree it can be frustrating sometimes with native FSX or FS9 ATC. That's because every traffic acknowleges every single instruction, whereas in the real world, professional pilots will do their best to give others a fair share of the frequency usage.

 

For such scenarios (high density traffic), the workaround is to download and install a free utility called EditVoicepack.

 

In addition to allowing you to use almost any airline call sign, you have the option to speed up the ATC chatter so that there are more gaps between transmissions.

 

http://www.editvoicepack.com/

 

Cheers,