advices before buying the PRO ATC !

[wanabflyer]

rjord why shoul we belive you?give me just one good reason!!!!

 

there is an update underway you say,year right you have said that for over 1 year now,its is just to keep people buying proatcx.

i have lost faith in you,sorry to say,and i know many others have to.

We all (PRO ATC owners) probably have our opinions on that product and its dev, but looking at it objectively, the choice between PRO ATC vs RC, VOX & PFE should be a no brainer and if you don't own it, just read the forums.

 

As for personal feelings............. enough said.

 

Regards,

[Jarkko]

I think I have found a combination that works for me.

 

I now fly with online ATC and when there is no human controller available, I turn on VoxATC. When a human controller comes available, I disconnect VoxATC.

[StubbinMyToe]

I have never understood why folks consider RC's voices to be "robotic". They are all humans, laboriously recorded by volunteers. One of them is a friend of mine and sounds exactly like him, and he is not a robot.

 

Maybe the system being used is a bit overloaded and some parts sound disjointed? If that's what you mean by "robotic" then you shoul consider running it on a networked PC rather than on the FS PC. That has the additional advantage of allowing the ATC voices to be sent to a different speaker, such as headset or overhead.

 

Some users claim that the distortions added in the "Meatwater" versions of the sound files makes them sound less "robotic", but to me they just make them almost unintelligible, especially on a headset.

 

Robotic voices are those synthesized from text, as used by VOXATC. Some of the more expensive ones can almost sound human, but are still caught out by weird mispronunciations.

 

Pete

 

 

You are correct, robotic is the wrong term, disjointed is better.  These RTC programs sound like they recorded someone on Monday, then recorded the same person a week later which is fine, but the levels and intonation changes drastically.  To me it removes all sense of realism.

[Glynn]

To me it removes all sense of realism.

 

How many of these ATC programs have you bought, or are you forming your opinions from Youtube videos ?

 

You really need to try them on your own system, then you will not hear any disjointed speech while you are trying to respond to the ATC calls.

Flying without ATC or flying with Default ATC removes realism far more quickly.

 

It's a hard call to make for someone wanting to test them out as these programs are not cheap to buy and apart from VoxATC there are no demo versions available, but if I had the choice to make again I would buy Radar Contact in a heartbeat.

[nam1394]

How many of these ATC programs have you bought, or are you forming your opinions from Youtube videos ?

 

You really need to try them on your own system, then you will not hear any disjointed speech while you are trying to respond to the ATC calls.

Flying without ATC or flying with Default ATC removes realism far more quickly.

 

It's a hard call to make for someone wanting to test them out as these programs are not cheap to buy and apart from VoxATC there are no demo versions available, but if I had the choice to make again I would buy Radar Contact in a heartbeat.

 

He doesn't own RC by his own admission on another thread, yet he kept saying untrue things about RC and bashing it until the thread got closed. My advice is to ignore him.

[StubbinMyToe]

How many of these ATC programs have you bought, or are you forming your opinions from Youtube videos ?

 

You really need to try them on your own system, then you will not hear any disjointed speech while you are trying to respond to the ATC calls.

Flying without ATC or flying with Default ATC removes realism far more quickly.

 

It's a hard call to make for someone wanting to test them out as these programs are not cheap to buy and apart from VoxATC there are no demo versions available, but if I had the choice to make again I would buy Radar Contact in a heartbeat.

 

I own PFE and of course used the built in one.  I want to replace PFE, but like you said there are no demos of anything except VoxATC.  I would like to eventually move over to P3D from FSX, but I am waiting for 64 bit support.  So any future purchases for addons, I am concerned that the authors will not update them, for example PFE clearly will not be updated. 

 

Out of all my other addons, FSPAX will probably be useless,  GSX I am not sure of,  ASN will likely be updated as well as REX (although I only use REX for the textures, its weather engine is bad).

 

So yeah I agree, I wish there were demos because otherwise all I can go on are reviews from people like Froogle and a couple other guys.

He doesn't own RC by his own admission on another thread, yet he kept saying untrue things about RC and bashing it until the thread got closed. My advice is to ignore him.

 

I never said anything that was not true,  I said RC was no longer getting updated, and that is true.   Not sure why you are trolling here, but I am not looking for an argument. 

 

There are many addons that I already own that are no longer updated, two are: PFE and FSPAX.   When I move to 64 bit (when P3D does), this will become a problem for *me*.  So I am looking to replace PFE with something that is currently getting updated, why is that a problem?  Seems like the intelligent thing to do, in any case it is what I will be doing. 

[ZKOKQ]

There are many addons that I already own that are no longer updated, two are: PFE

You have that wrong. PFE was only recently updated to 2.15 and 2.16 is on the way..

[StubbinMyToe]

You have that wrong. PFE was only recently updated to 2.15 and 2.16 is on the way..

 

Wow, I was not aware of that, thanks.   So it's PF2000.exe that they will never change (according to the manual).   Glad to see they are keeping up with it though,  I should click that "Check for updates" button now and then.

[Guest voodoo101]

There are always threads like these asking about ATC's so I though I would add this. I have used Pro Flight Emulator, Radar Contact 4.3 and VoxATC.

 

Radar Contact 4.3 is very easy to set up a flight. Voices sound good especially with the free voices on AVSIM. It does not use SIDS or STARS instead vectors you to and from the airport. Once you are on the ground then it finishes so you have to find your own gate. It is button control and can also be run on a network PC. As far as I know the developer has stopped working on version 5 and support is only from the forum, however it is very good, not manned by the developer but people that worked on the program.

 

Pro Flight Emulator is a bit more work to set up a flight as you have to convert the flight into a mission. It has a lot  more voices then RC and they are also regional, so you fly to the US and you get US controllers, in Germany you get German controllers. It uses SIDS and STARS although it has no navdata. You enter the name of the SID and STAR on setup, including where it intercepts the flight plan. When you are given take off or arrival instructions it reads them out, then lets you fly them. When you land it gives you taxi routes and gates. This is also button controlled and can be run over a network. This is still in development and I believe that the developer has just released a new version. The support forum is very good and the developer is very active on it.

 

Both of the above can become voice controlled via Multi Crew Experience.

 

VoxATC is very easy to set up your flight as you just load your flightplan in FSX. It is different then the other two as it uses TTS voices, some of these sound a bit robotic but you can buy more that sound more natural. This does have some advantages you are not limited to the words recorded so you can make up any airline name etc. SIDS and STARS are allocated to you via navdata and depends on the runway in use, although it may vector you in to give you variety.  This one is voice controlled so you talk the lingo of the ATC, ideal if you use voice control such as FS2Crew. It will give you gate to gate instructions including taxi routes and hold shorts when crossing runways. The other plus with is that Vox will read your AI traffic, you turn FSX AI traffic to zero and Vox will put it's own in. It may not be realistic to the airport but it allows Vox to control the AI, something no other ATC does apart from the FSX default ATC. This means that there will be no more taxi way crashes. This is still being improved by the developer and from what I see support is very good.

 

Now PROATCX.... I WILL NEVER EVER PURCHASE PROATCX. When it was released I spread the word, based on the information provided on the website. This was to be a ATC like no other, however the forum is full of people having problems. I can understand this as all software has teething problems, however as I know it has been some time since the last update and still people are having problems. This does not worry me as I have not bought, however looking to the future and as a future customer, I thought I would ask a question. Over a year ago it mentioned that it would be made voice controlled. This interested me as I use MCE and FS2Crew, both controlled by voice not buttons. I watched the forum and the question being asked for an update over and over again with no response. I tried to ask the question, however I got my head bitten of by the admins. It seems like if you don't agree with them then you are not welcome. I speak from first hand experience. I seem to remember a Boeing 737 add-on by Ariane that was an excellent model for it's time, however the after sales service was so bad it disappeared quickly. The same I feel will be the same with ProATCX should they not change their attitude.

 

I highly recommend anybody thinking of buying ProATCX to look at what you get with ProATCX and what you can get elsewhere. Want a flight planner, PFPX or one on the net. Want a co-pilot, FS2Crew or MCE, both have superb customer service. Want an ATC then look at the other three.

[StubbinMyToe]

@Badfinger:  I just checked and did the update!  Now I need to check PFE out again!  You rock man, thanks again!

[ZKOKQ]

@Badfinger:  I just checked and did the update!  Now I need to check PFE out again!  You rock man, thanks again!

Thanks. Not sure when 2.16 will be released, but it fixes the default hot keys that can become corrupted.

 

from the Dev:

 

 

The reset actually works except for the last two hotkey entries in the INI file. So if you open the PF_Emulator.INI file and find the [HotKey] section, following the reset the last two hotket entries (Hotkey21 and Hotkey22) will be set as:-

 

HotKey21=0027

HotKey22=

 

But they SHOULD be:-

 

HotKey21=0076

HotKey22=0027

 

[StubbinMyToe]

Thanks. Not sure when 2.16 will be released, but it fixes the default hot keys that can become corrupted.

 

from the Dev:

 

 

The reset actually works except for the last two hotkey entries in the INI file. So if you open the PF_Emulator.INI file and find the [HotKey] section, following the reset the last two hotket entries (Hotkey21 and Hotkey22) will be set as:-

 

HotKey21=0027

HotKey22=

 

But they SHOULD be:-

 

HotKey21=0076

HotKey22=0027

 

 

Good to know, thank you!

[Parping Couplet]

I'm encouraged that the completely justified bad feelings over ProATC have spilled over to as influential a forum as this one. One, indeed, that their over zealous, rose colored spectacle wearing admins, one of whom I see has been rather desperately fire fighting on this thread, cannot unfairly censor. In over 20 years of serious flight simming I have never ever come across a developer with a poorer product service ethic, as distinct from forum support, which they do certainly provide but only via work arounds that limit product functionality. They charged and are still charging, big bucks, just shy of 70 bucks in fact, for this unspecified as alpha/beta product and yet it has been well over a year that a much needed update, to make the product at least properly functional, has been consistently promised and still nothing, nor any word on what the update actually contains or when it might finally surface, despite a claim made by an admin almost six months ago that it was imminent. Things have gone south on their forum as a direct result, and no wonder . This kind of developer contrasts with the otherwise mostly very professional flight sim add on industry and I can only echo the views of others that this is a product to be avoided at all costs, or at least until it is fit for its intended purpose.

 

Might I even go as far as to suggest that this developer is fast becoming a candidate for Avsim forum Hall of Shame treatment ! They have taken a large amount of cash from enthusiasts and have so far failed to deliver a fully functional, bug minimized add on, and yet their website contains no fair warning, plus the forum is now being cleansed of negative comment.

 

In the meantime, if negative feedback on here limits further customer disappointment, that will be a very good thing. Caveat Emptor.

[ZKOKQ]

 

 

can only echo the views of others that this is a product to be avoided at all costs, or at least until it is fit for its intended purpose.

Well, I can only echo your statements. With RC4 (Which I still use on a regular basis ), and PFE (  which I also still use ) and Vox, are still supported by their respective developers. Apart from RC4, they are still being updated, which is great for us, the user, as they have been around for quite some time.

[Guest voodoo101]

As I said in my previous post, any people looking for an ATC addon-on, there are three fully working ATC add-ons, with fully proven good support to choose from instead of ProATCX.

 

However, just for fair play, the developer of ProATC X had an idea for a add-on which he though was much needed, an ATC with inbuilt planning, could read weather, could give you an inbuilt co-pilot. He probably did not have the resources to beta test the add-on such as many developers have now. Least we not forget, Radar Contact, PFE and Vox all had teething problems.

 

The difference is how it is handled by the developer and the forum admins. Some developers want there product to be the best it can, it is not about money. If things are wrong then they want to put them right, if people make suggestions for additions, they are willing to look into them. The last dealing with a developer I had was Multi Crew Experience. I asked to find out some commands and was told the do not exist. The next thing I knew I had an email with a link to the new update, they had added the commands I asked for. On ProATC X I asked for an update on something that they said would be added a year before and got shut down.

 

This is why I will not give my money to this developer.