Can/should I upgrade my FSX system from using DX9 to DX10? How do I do this? What are the factors affecting the decision?

 

My system is Win7 Home Premium with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX590.

Hi Richard,

 

There is a full sub-section of Avsim that goes through the DX10 'conversion'. 

 

Go to the main avsim page and look for DX10.

 

With kind regards,

 

Alex

Some Aerosoft Sceneries will not work correcty if flying at night - they will have blank textures.

In daylight , Aerosoft Zurich has strange black light textures

 

http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/66521-mega-airport-zurich-in-fsx-lamps-problem/

I am sticking with DX9. It's tested, stable and reliable. Until such a time as DX10 reaches the same level of reliability, I've no intention of changing.

DX10 in FSX is quite bad, stick to ENBseries+DX9.

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if your system is running good, I would stay with DX9. as stated above, its tested and  reliable. However, for me, I switched to DX10 because it is a better at managing the virtual memory that fsx uses. On my rig, I was constantly getting OOM errors with complex aircraft like the Concorde, DC9, PMDG 373ngx, and addon airport sceneries. I've tried everything to reduce the OOM errors. Since going to DX10, I have not had a single OOM error. I will put up with the odd scenery that's not DX10 compatible, the odd white vehicle, etc, if it means I can complete a flight and land. Most of the problems with flashing that DX10 was known for, as been solved. For me, it was well worth it.

 

My new system, Windows 8-64bit, 16gig ram, NVidia GTX680, was running Windows 7-64bit- 12gig ram, NVidia GTX480

 

Rick

DX10 in FSX is quite bad, stick to ENBseries+DX9.

 

Your correct, ENB does not function in DX10. However, I'm not certain your statement regarding DX10 is entirely correct.

 

The SHORT synopsis of DX9 Vs DX10 is as follows.

 

DX9 - If your pushing your FSX installation with many scenery add-ons, high LOD radius, high memory usage planes like the NGX, hires clouds and FSX sliders to the right, then you become more and more susceptible to OOM's DX9 can be balanced to remove the poor VAS usage, but only at the expense of something else. You can only fill the glass so much and still be able to run with it. In order not to spill the liquid, you have to empty some out.

 

DX10 - To begin with, here are some of the advantages. Improved virtual memory handling. This DOES allow you to fill your glass more and run faster. In other words, you can move sliders further to the right and/or increase your cloud textures and run that hungry plane and ravenous scenery. I'm not advocating that you can indeed 'go mad' their are still limits. Other reported benefits are that some users have experienced better frame rates and the whole sim 'feels' smoother. This smoothing effect is hard to quantify however. The best way to explain it is to liken it to the way the recently released Majestic Q400 'feels' like its flying compared to say the NGX. In addition, it seems that the sim is more stable and you can use bloom without it reducing your sim to a crawl.

 

It's not all rosy in the garden though. Some add-on airport scenery and legacy planes are not compatible. They are not compatible in that you get no textures so they appear white. Also, their have been issues with aircraft lighting. Most of these issues have been solved however and the great work that has been done so far by those in the DX10 forum continues.

 

I'm sure I have not covered every advantage and disadvantage and was only trying to show that DX10 is an advantage for some users. Because their are so many variables in how we all use FSX and what pay-ware we have and use daily, I think it's fair to say that for some DX9 works brilliantly with the settings they choose to fly with. For others, (myself included) DX10 works flawlessly. This maybe because the pay-ware airports and planes I use are all compatible with DX10.

 

Some keep an FSX config file for DX9 and another for DX10 you can then flick between the two and get additional fun from FSX.

 

To state that "its quite bad" tells you very little and certainly gives no explanation as to why its quite bad. In short, (ok I've rambled on far to much) my personal experience has been that I can tweak FSX to get maximum FPS from my computer with better graphics settings than I had in DX9 and have NOT had a single OOM since I converted.

 

The choice and how you fly as they say, "is up to you."

 

 

Much like DarkStar I have experienced similar results with DX10.

 

Negatives:

Blank textures at non DX10 compatible payware airports at night

$20 to purchase a program "addon convertor" to stop non compatible planes (DX9 and prior) from showing up white

If you have the old ATR72, at night the plan becomes transparent and has interior lighting issues in DX10 (still flyable)

ENB series will not work in DX10

 

Positives

On many (not all) systems, more FPS

Easy to install and does not interfere with DX9 should you not like it

Less memory usage (I have not experienced a OOM. I've done flights in the 737NGX to CYVR with no issues)

SweetFX is usable in DX10 as a replacement for ENB series

Better visuals (supposedly you can see shadows in the VC, the water ripples in the direction of the wind, and a few others, but I cannot testify to these as I usually fly jets)

 

My recommendation? Back up your current FSX.CFG, go to the DX10 sub forum, install the changes, then compare DX9 on your system to DX10. Then you can decide for yourself!

I personally think everyone who owns Acceleration should at least try out DX10.  Just go into the FSX settings and click on DX10 Preview.  There should be no modifications of your FSX.cfg or display driver settings.  Keep exactly the same settings.  If you like it, there's a fix for some of the anomalies and you can get that by visiting the DX10 forum here.  There are absolutely no changes done to your DX9.  You are only upgrading to DX10 which is a later and more advanced technology than DX9.  The 'fix' will only change files in a DX10 folder within FSX.  It will not touch anything DX9.  So you can switch to DX10/DX9 on the fly without having to uninstall anything.  What you will get are some sun shadows inside your cockpit to add some immersion to your flying and you'll get choppy and nice whitecaps on the water if you have weather turned on (they really get choppy in nasty weather).  There are other changes but these are the two best ones IMHO.  If you don't like it just go into your FSX settings and untick the DX10 Preview and restart FSX and you're back into DX9 technology.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

Jim

I am now completely sold on DX10. I am getting my 30 fps most of the time. Biggest hit seems to be heavy clouding when it drops to around 22 fps. Very acceptable.

 

I would recommend anyone with a capable PC to try DX10.

Glad to hear it is working for you Richard.  It provides a lot more immersion into FSX, like the shadows in the cockpit and the rough seas/rivers/oceans when weather is turned on.

 

Best regards,

Jim

I personally think everyone who owns Acceleration should at least try out DX10.  Just go into the FSX settings and click on DX10 Preview.  There should be no modifications of your FSX.cfg or display driver settings.  Keep exactly the same settings.  If you like it, there's a fix for some of the anomalies and you can get that by visiting the DX10 forum here.  There are absolutely no changes done to your DX9.  You are only upgrading to DX10 which is a later and more advanced technology than DX9.  The 'fix' will only change files in a DX10 folder within FSX.  It will not touch anything DX9.  So you can switch to DX10/DX9 on the fly without having to uninstall anything.  What you will get are some sun shadows inside your cockpit to add some immersion to your flying and you'll get choppy and nice whitecaps on the water if you have weather turned on (they really get choppy in nasty weather).  There are other changes but these are the two best ones IMHO.  If you don't like it just go into your FSX settings and untick the DX10 Preview and restart FSX and you're back into DX9 technology.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

Jim

 

 

I do not have Acceleration, just FSX + SP1 and 2. Will I experience the similar results or is it best to do this with Acceleration?

You should have the ability to enable DX10 in SP2 too.  SP2 is the freeware version of Acceleration.  It was specially coded so you can not use the stuff included in Acceleration.  Have fun!

 

Best regards,

Jim