I can't see any direct comparison threads between these two products, apologies if I've missed it.

 

For an average user like myself, is there much to choose between the two?

 

My needs are quite simple, just to either depict real world weather or custom weather of my choice into the sim in the most realistic manner possible.

 

Weather engines are not something I've had much experience of so would appreciate any insights.

 

Many thanks

Try them both both have  trial versions I believe   than pick the one  that suits you.  Your going  to get one is better  than the other from both sides of the fence on this post

ASN hands down.

Very happy with opus for my own needs and also comes with dynamic cameras which is a bonus (and more realistically implemented) if you don't have Ezdok

If you want weather radar in you PMDG 777 that it has to be ASN

I have both now. 

I like that I can access Opus in game from the FSX Add on Menu. I like that Opus is constantly updating. I like that Opus has camera features. I like that Opus gives winds, in FSX, for various WX stations.

 

I mainly purchased ASN due to it's upcoming compatibility with PMDG's upcoming WX RADAR. The depictions in ASN do seem to be "extra", but at times can be stunning. I do not like that I have to window FSX to see ASN's WX information.

 

Both programs have demos, so try it out for yourself. For me, I'd stick with Opus if it weren't for the upcoming WX RADAR.

I use ASN with very high satisfaction, don''t own OPUS, but have a little question for users: is it possible to run it only using cameras not for weather engine? I own EZCA but has not native installer for Prepar3D 2.0

FS GLobal Real Weather in combination with REX 4...hands down.

 

This is based on comparing it with other products including ASN and comparing it with live webcams in numerous locations in the world. It was a very time consuming process, but it was worth it. Opus is a good second, but it tends to make the weather more dramatic than it actually is.

I use ASN with very high satisfaction, don''t own OPUS, but have a little question for users: is it possible to run it only using cameras not for weather engine? I own EZCA but has not native installer for Prepar3D 2.0

 

 

Yes. Easy to disable. 

Many thanks Anthony

One thing to consider big time, is that Opus does not recreate aircraft turbulence if you use Ezdok. I was pretty peed off at this, as you effectively need to disable Ezdok and initiate Opus's own camera system to enable RW turbulence. I don't know if the situation is the same with AS, I suspect not, but it needs to be considered by those who use Ezdok.

ASN by a mile

ASN by a mile - that OVC depiction is just spectacular...

Interesting response, but may I ask, those who say ASN "by a mile", have you made a direct 'one to one' comparison?

For me ASN has two distinct advantages over OpusFSX.

 

One is the visibility control by the engine, which finally makes flying through clouds a convincing experience. Flying through a broken layer will result in often losing the ground view, one otherwise very disturbing feature in IFR flying.

 

Second is the wind interpolation, both in horizontal (positively no jumps) and in vertical. Especially in vertical, OpusFSX works with an assumption of veering the surface wind upwards until 20000 feet, while in nature most of veering only happens within the lowest part of the boundary layer, which is between a few 100's feet deep at night, and perhaps 6000 ft on a hot day. It has happened to me that a surface wind of 280 degrees (METAR, airport in a non-flat terrain) made a 350 degrees turn towards 270 degrees at 20000 feet due to this assumption. In ASN the wind, in my experience, simply turns from the surface, METAR reported direction towards the free atmosphere wind direction, provided by the global model data, i.e. if any surface layer veering is assumed in ASN it is done in a correct and non invasive manner.

 

I do like the camera in OpusFSX, and also the realistic implementation of turbulence affecting the view and aircraft motion.

 

Mark