VoxATC, has anyone tired this?

[Guest av84fun]

My take FWIW, as a RW pilot, I don't understand why anyone who wants it to be as real as it gets, wouldn't opt for a VA instead of any software application.I have ALWAYS wanted to join a VA and haven't done so only because of a lack of time due to the learning curve involved but there is at least as much learning to figure out the software ATC aps too.So, why not just go the VA route and talk to REAL controllers who, from what I can tell, know what they are doing and who will give you REAL vectors and REAL traffic calls and REAL emergency assistance if you ask??Just IMHO.Jim

[blave 0]

I think my post is largely an echo of another one here, but I wanted to chip in because I think this is somewhat of a revolutionary add-on.I spent about three hours with it last night, and I came away very impressed. The two biggest beefs I have after flying part of the VFR flight and one of the IFR flights, is (a) the ATIS is given in the wrong order (at least as compared to what I'm used to in the US), and (:( I wish there were more voices. (And yes they sound robotic but that's the nature of the Microsoft voice synthesis stuff that's built into WinXP.) There are also some slight weirdnesses in the phraseology of the responses it expects, as already noted somewhere above.A minor nit that I will also mention is that it doesn't support COM2, so all interactions (even ATIS) must be done on COM1. IRL I use COM2 for tower/ground/atis and COM1 for approach/center, and it would be nice to do that with VoxATC.Nonetheless, sitting there, pressing my joystick's trigger button, and speaking just as fast as I do IRL and having only two "say again"s in about an hour of flying is pretty amazing to me. The only thing that could make it better in this regard is to make the recognition engine smart enough to accept slight radio call deviations from what its templates make it understand, but that's probably a tall order.Ironically voice-controlled ATC is one of the three or so things I put in my short list of what I'd like to see in the next version of FS. (But let's please not turn this thread into another looooong one about what Microsoft should put in FS200x.)In closing: someone asked whether this would be a good tool to practice ATC calls with - I think so, with the caveat that (of course) real life ATC throws curveballs at us on a regular basis. But just stringing the proper phraseology together is a good exercise - I wish I'd had something like this prior to my primary flight training, as talking on the radio was probably the hardest thing for me to do acceptably out of all of the things that a pilot is supposed to be proficient at.Dave Blevins

[Guest Id Rather Be Flying]

"make the recognition engine smart enough to accept slight radio call deviations from what its templates make it understand, but that's probably a tall order."That is EXACTLY what my FS Speak addon is doing right now AND it works with all the default FS ATC as well as AI. I will be posting more information soon on my new website when I wrap up a few issues with my FS Remote Control program.Carmine http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/Images/wave.gif

[ShezA 176]

There is a program freeware available here at AVSIM which I use for taxiway location identification. I think it is called Airport Chart Viewer or something similar. This installs as a module in FS2004 and detects all AFCADs/Airport diagrams and allows you to view them within FS as an airport diagram with all taxiways/runways and their designators. I think it is a brilliant program and much more realistic than using progressive taxi. Whenever I get an instruction to "taxi via..." I just open it and follow the diagram on the program. It detects your aircraft and shows a crosshair to show your position. Try it.Shez

[SAS263 1]

Hi Jim, since you ask. I fly both on-, and off-line and while all you say is true on-line flying does have some drawbacks. Unless you opt to only fly when and where there is ATC coverage you

[Dirk98 354]

>"make the recognition engine smart enough to accept slight>radio call deviations from what its templates make it>understand, but that's probably a tall order.">>That is EXACTLY what my FS Speak addon is doing right now AND>it works with all the default FS ATC as well as AI. I will be>posting more information soon on my new website when I wrap up>a few issues with my FS Remote Control program.>>Carmine http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/Images/wave.gifCarmine, can you post here the future address, or any other one where I can look for your coming FS Speak?Also, I always use WideFS extensively when I fly because of the other add-ons I always run with FS. So will the FS Remote work with WideFS simultaneously? Very much interested in your FS Speak. Absence of any visual traffic is still a huge drawback in VoxATC compared to a similar voice interaction ATC that might have one in my opinion.

[Guest RsZ]

Help me pls!:)Still no positive results,always the same:"Fatal error,disable VoxAtc"

[Guest David Lee 2]

I flew one of the demo flights last night and was really impressed! Recognition was close to 100% for me and I was talking fast. There are definitely quirks - for example, reporting in at "2800 for 5000" can be a problem if you happen to be at 3000 at the time. The program is waiting for you to say "2800" and it just gets worse if they ask you to repeat since at that point you might be at 4000. For times like that you need to read from the prompter. The program needs to be able to disregard extraneous words to allow a little more personal variation. When I contacted the tower for takeoff, I added "holding short..." but it didn't like that. The terminology needs to be improved to meet FAR/AIM standards. I had a long period with little sound enroute to Epply and for kicks I requested a higher altitude. It was very cool to have ATC reply and approve it!I will say the robotic voices were worse than I expected. They sound like coneheads from a 1970's vintage SNL skit. One sounds like a robotic gameshow host. I will probably use this as a tool to practice IFR communication for real world flight but when I just want to enjoy flying I will probably go back to regular ATC. at $58 USD, it is not a cheap investment.David

[G7USL 117]

I am using a registered version. Using it together with 'Flight deck Companion' as well, keeps me well busy!Just like I was really doing it in the air!!!!!!!!I thoroughly recommend it.All the best,Dave.'Three greens and soft landings'