The web link shows the page as not having been updated since 2010. So if it is really a new update where is it?

 

You said "Its been available since 2010" and I said "Not for 6.99 direct from the developer it hasn't" and that was the point of post #30 which you quoted earlier. Aerosoft don't sell PFE or the Voice pack anymore (if you had read just the first 3 posts in the thread you would have known already) and that is why Patrick posted a link later in the thread, so new users could buy the product if they wanted. At no point has anyone said the voice pack is a new product.

You said "Its been available since 2010" and I said "Not for 6.99 direct from the developer it hasn't" and that was the point of post #30 which you quoted earlier. Aerosoft don't sell PFE or the Voice pack anymore (if you had read just the first 3 posts in the thread you would have known already) and that is why Patrick posted a link later in the thread, so new users could buy the product if they wanted. At no point has anyone said the voice pack is a new product.

Well I've been given the new link and it appears to be a whole new version up from 2.14 to 2.15

That is fair comment Ric. Go here https://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

 

 

 

tf51d Tom is a regular here @Avsim, and he has done some PFE video's.

 

Badfinger - I read your post and believe me I want this to be great, but better than others does not equate to good if others are bad. The YouTube videos are not that great, can you link a video that shows what PFE really sounds like? $50 is a lot of money.

 

thanks

As Badfinger mentioned, I have a number of PFE videos (Full flight)! Note, PFE has a feature if you have the enhancement voice packs (XPACKS) called XPACK enhancer. It's purpose is to make the Xpack voices sound like they are broadcast over a radio. It's affect though makes some of the voices, especially the American voices sound robotic. This maybe what is giving you that impression. The video of mine Badfinger posted above has this feature on. I have since turned it off, and I think for the most part it sounds much better. The following link is a PMDG 737 flight from TJSJ to SVMI which has this feature off. It also has a section that demos PFE Oceanic transmissions. So it's a good example of it's capabilities. I think this will give you a better idea of what PFE can sound like.

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/417579-american-1191-from-tjsj-to-svmi/

Try going here too: http://www.oncourse-software.co.uk/pfe_details1.htm and listen to some of the Expansion & Enhancement pack voice examples.  Not robotic at all (and my voice has never been called robotic - perhaps you may have heard a voice example of the original ProFlight Emulator ?).  Another cool feature that you hear sometimes is static interference during voice transmission - nice touch  :wink:

 

This example killed it for me at this point. I know it is not easy to get all the numeric sounds in the same voice inflection, however there is software out there that can do much better with numbers, probably cost prohibitive. Maybe if I listen to the examples more and desensitize I won't mind. Again, I really want this to work for me, FSX ATC is awful.

 

Before posting this reply, I listened to that example about ten times and I think it may not be as big an issue as I made it out to be, when combined with actual flight.

As Badfinger mentioned, I have a number of PFE videos (Full flight)! Note, PFE has a feature if you have the enhancement voice packs (XPACKS) called XPACK enhancer. It's purpose is to make the Xpack voices sound like they are broadcast over a radio. It's affect though makes some of the voices, especially the American voices sound robotic. This maybe what is giving you that impression. The video of mine Badfinger posted above has this feature on. I have since turned it off, and I think for the most part it sounds much better. The following link is a PMDG 737 flight from TJSJ to SVMI which has this feature off. It also has a section that demos PFE Oceanic transmissions. So it's a good example of it's capabilities. I think this will give you a better idea of what PFE can sound like.

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/417579-american-1191-from-tjsj-to-svmi/

 

What I am sensitive to is the numeric call outs, which are known to have been very difficult. After watching this video I am now convinced that PFE is for me, very excited, thanks. 

 

 

What I am sensitive to is the numeric call outs, which are known to have been very difficult. After watching this video I am now convinced that PFE is for me, very excited, thanks.

 

Unfortunately that's the nature of the beast. While the recorded phrases, will sound free flowing the variables, like call sign, heading, frequencies have to be pieced together, which make it hard to do seamlessly. Some voices sound very good, while some others may seem a little abrupt. PFE does have the capability to pick and choose what voices are used. So if you don't like a particular voice you can suppress it.  BTW if you want to hear the Oceanic SELCAL section of that video it starts in the timeline at 51:00.

Badfinger - I read your post and believe me I want this to be great, but better than others does not equate to good if others are bad. The YouTube videos are not that great, can you link a video that shows what PFE really sounds like? $50 is a lot of money.

 

thanks

Hopefully sometime between now and the end of next week I'll put up a short video. As on my system PFE is very smooth and very realistic. I agree that the videos already available don't do PFE justice. Keep tabs on this topic as I'll post the link here when I'm done.

The best update PFE could do is to make it less of a chore to get started. It's just too many steps.

The best update PFE could do is to make it less of a chore to get started. It's just too many steps.

 I seriously doubt that practical or even possible due to the cumbersome link to PF2000

The best update PFE could do is to make it less of a chore to get started. It's just too many steps.

It's actually not that bad and only takes me a minute or 2 to setup.

The best update PFE could do is to make it less of a chore to get started. It's just too many steps.

That suggests that you didn't have it installed or at least you weren't running 2.14

 

 

I have since turned it off, and I think for the most part it sounds much better.

Thanks for that little tip Tom, will give that a try.

The best update PFE could do is to make it less of a chore to get started. It's just too many steps.

Takes me no longer than it did for radar contact.

Sorry for bringing up this topic, but I am interested in PFE and would like to know if an important missing feature has been added or not. Based on this, I will purchase it or not. The question is:

 

Is it possible to ask ATC to assume a different heading in order to avoid bad weather?

I see there is the option to ask for a different altitude, but don't see the heading and this request is much used in real life in bad weather areas.

 

Thanks.

James

 

Once you have loaded your flightplan in PFE and started your flight there is no facility to alter your plan. What you can do however is to alter the settings so that ATC will not nag you if you are "off the airway". You can set this to any distance from 1nm to 99nm or actually turn it off.

 

 

Is it possible to ask ATC to assume a different heading in order to avoid bad weather?

I see there is the option to ask for a different altitude, but don't see the heading and this request is much used in real life in bad weather areas.

 

If you use it with MCE (Voice control) it expands it recognized vocabulary to include course deviation for a number of reasons. It's sort of pseudo command, as I don't think PFE will internally recognize it, but it doesn't complain. For example you can request "Delta 2015 off course due to weather" then commands to return to course. (A whole slew of other valid responses as well) It's all defined in the MCE manual  interfacing with PFE. MCE also does this with RC4 are well. Working with PFE or RC4 MCE really expands their flexibility.

Thank you, Peter and Tom.

Peter, I understand, but for me realism is in the first place and it's not realistic that you deviate without asking ATC first.

Tom, I don't like voice control because I (the captain) fly the airplane, while the copilot handles ATC. That's the same reason why I don't like real ATC such as VATSIM or IVAO: I can't fly and communicate with ATC at the same time, unless I have a real copilot who interacts with ATC while I fly the airplane.