PMDG and default ATC

[Flyboy85 0]

I'm somewhat new here, as this is my very first PMDG purchase...until I purchase another aircraft later tonight.

 

As I don't own a headset, I don't fly online.  I'm confined to the default ATC.  It seems though, that at least half the time, even with the radios on and tuned to the right frequency, they won't pick up ATC.  Is there an option or setting I should play around with?

 

Thanks,

 

Marc

[scandinavian13 5,192]

I'm somewhat new here, as this is my very first PMDG purchase...until I purchase another aircraft later tonight.

 

As I don't own a headset, I don't fly online. I'm confined to the default ATC. It seems though, that at least half the time, even with the radios on and tuned to the right frequency, they won't pick up ATC. Is there an option or setting I should play around with?

 

Thanks,

 

Marc

Yep. Have a look at the intro manual (Start > All Programs > PMDG Simulations > 777 > Intro Manual).

 

You're not configuring the audio control panel correctly. Hit the MIC selector on VHF1 (aka COM1).

[Flyboy85 0]

Thanks!  That worked.  Is there a way for me to contact someone with some suggestions?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

Thanks! That worked. Is there a way for me to contact someone with some suggestions?

You already have

 

What are your suggestions?

[Flyboy85 0]

I've been following PMDG for quite some time.  I love the 777, and have already purchased the -300ER expansion, as well as the MD-11, and the 737 is on my radar so to speak.  But I've come up with the following questions/suggestions.

 

1.  While I understand your products are geared more towards professional pilots who may not want the bells and whistle so-to-speak that come with typical FS planes (flight attendants delivering food and beverage to the cabin, cabin calls, etc...even a virtual co-pilot [as seen on a competitor's Airbus]), Why not make this an optional purchase.  You sell Fs2Crew on your site...but I don't fly online because I don't have a headset with microphone.  If PMDG were to make it an optional add-on, you could charge for it.

 

2.  Nowhere on the product information page does it say that the weather radar doesn't recognize default weather, or REX, which is what I use.  I did a flight the other night, and because my radio wasn't working (which your post above did fix), My entire approach was through a nasty thunderstorm that airlines would have avoided.  If your products are only going to work with a certain weather add-on, that should be specified before the purchase is made.

 

3.  I run the 777 - haven't flown the MD-11 yet - on a good laptop.  When switching to an external view of the aircraft, I get a very quick view of the interior as the aircraft renders.  If I can get a glimpse of the interiors that way, why not design an interior, and make it an optional add-on?

 

Someone in a Facebook group suggested I not even waste my time, as you're more geared towards the experienced pilot who doesn't care about the bells and whistles.  It's something that could be done by volunteers (especially voice recordings), and is another stream of income, which could bring in more customers and money.  The thing that kept me away for so long (I've only been using Flight Simulator about 15 years) is that I've heard how complicated PMDG's planes are.  I think that i some of my suggestions are followed, even more people would buy your aircraft, because especially with a co-pilot, there'd be another set of virtual eyes on the controls and running checklists.

 

I don't know if I'll get a response, or if my ideas will be laughed off, but these are coming from someone who is a PMDG newbie (I've flown less than ten hours in the 777), and wants to help make your planes even better.

Thanks,

 

Marc

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

1.  While I understand your products are geared more towards professional pilots who may not want the bells and whistle so-to-speak that come with typical FS planes (flight attendants delivering food and beverage to the cabin, cabin calls, etc...even a virtual co-pilot [as seen on a competitor's Airbus]), Why not make this an optional purchase.  You sell Fs2Crew on your site...but I don't fly online because I don't have a headset with microphone.  If PMDG were to make it an optional add-on, you could charge for it.

 

FS2Crew has a button version included in the voice version now, so they've taken care of that part of the market for people both with, or without headsets. Also, their voice recordings are done by volunteers as well. If you ever get their 777 version to work with your new 777, say hi to the ground crew in the United States. That would be me  :wink:

 

 

 

2.  Nowhere on the product information page does it say that the weather radar doesn't recognize default weather, or REX, which is what I use.  I did a flight the other night, and because my radio wasn't working (which your post above did fix), My entire approach was through a nasty thunderstorm that airlines would have avoided.  If your products are only going to work with a certain weather add-on, that should be specified before the purchase is made.

 

This is definitely stated on the 777 product page:

 

 

• Weather Radar - included free as part of the SP1 update, the 777 is the first PMDG product to feature a working simulation of the Collins WXR-2100 weather radar. In conjunction with the Active Sky Next weather engine addon, the radar depicts actual precipitation returns (not clouds!) and gives you full control over tilt, gain and radar mode including turbulence and windshear detection.

(Emphases mine)

http://precisionmanuals.com/pages/product/FSX/777LRF.html; and

http://precisionmanuals.com/pages/product/FSX/773ER.html

 

While it could probably be a little more obvious, it's definitely there. I'll bring up the idea that it might be better to make that more prominent somewhere.

 

 

 

3.  I run the 777 - haven't flown the MD-11 yet - on a good laptop.  When switching to an external view of the aircraft, I get a very quick view of the interior as the aircraft renders.  If I can get a glimpse of the interiors that way, why not design an interior, and make it an optional add-on?

 

From what I understand - and I think our modelers would have a better answer for this, but the VC and External models are different objects. Because we stuff so much realism into the flight deck, there isn't much left in the VC model to model the interior - at least not without negatively impacting frame rates. As for having options, that all comes down to whether the option is worth the additional development time, and that's all up to RSR.

 

 

 

Someone in a Facebook group suggested I not even waste my time, as you're more geared towards the experienced pilot who doesn't care about the bells and whistles.  It's something that could be done by volunteers (especially voice recordings), and is another stream of income, which could bring in more customers and money.  The thing that kept me away for so long (I've only been using Flight Simulator about 15 years) is that I've heard how complicated PMDG's planes are.  I think that i some of my suggestions are followed, even more people would buy your aircraft, because especially with a co-pilot, there'd be another set of virtual eyes on the controls and running checklists.
 
I don't know if I'll get a response, or if my ideas will be laughed off, but these are coming from someone who is a PMDG newbie (I've flown less than ten hours in the 777), and wants to help make your planes even better.

 

Ideas and opinions are just that. There's no true harm in them, usually, especially when it comes to suggestions like yours. Sometimes, people just don't know that they're doing something oddly or differently until someone speaks up, which, you never know...you might just influence something down the line.

 

 

 

Also, I was answering on my phone for the previous posts, so I didn't catch it (the mobile version of the forum cuts off signatures to save space), but it's a requirement to use full names here. Please do so in the future. Thanks!

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Marc-

 

Our opinion of what comprises "all the bells and whilstles" is different than yours.

 

Computers provide limited resources- so we must make some decisions along the way as to what is important to our product line, and what is not.

 

At PMDG- we are interested in simulating the cockpit environment and all the bells and whistles involved in flying the airplane. 

 

If we take the resources required to create a detailed cabin model- then we will need to reduce the detail and capability of the cockpit portion of the simulation- thus watering down the product.

 

If we were to do this- another user will inevitably appear in this forum and say, "why do you waste all those resources on the cabin?  Get rid of it- and give us all the bells and whistles up in the cockpit!"

 

So...  The old addage that "you can't please everyone" certainly comes to play.

[Flyboy85 0]

With the weather radar, I see that now on the page,  I think you should add that ASN is the only add-on (currently) that it will work with, and is a separate purchase.  Someone like me could well purchase the product, and not be too happy when they're doing a visual approach (radio wasn't working, but Kyle helped with that) and they discover that the ceiling is less than 1000 feet.  In that situation, for example, I could have attempted an ILS approach, but I was past the point where I feel comfortable changing approaches...and was low on fuel - that was my fault.

 

Can I ask if there are any plans to make the weather radar compatible with other add-ons, such as REX?

 

Thanks,

 

Marc Eichler

[LN-KMM 7]

Marc, the problem with other weather addons, such as REX is that they don't give addon developers like PMDG access to weather data. The only reason it work so well with ASN and that is the only supported weather engine, is that PMDG can pull data directly from Active Sky, and not from FSX, since FSX doesn't give any information about precipitation in the clouds. It's been explained NUMEROUS times on the forums why this is why. It's even in the manual.

[Flyboy85 0]

I'm doing some research to see if my laptop can handle ASN.  If I listen to some of my FSX friends, I can't run the PMDG 777, yet it works great.

 

Marc Eichler

[Zuendholz 50]

ASN doesn't have a great impact on your performance. With or without the WXR, ASN is one of the greatest addons. 

 

What laptop do you have?

[Flyboy85 0]

ASN doesn't have a great impact on your performance. With or without the WXR, ASN is one of the greatest addons. 

 

What laptop do you have?

It's an Asus G75VX, with no modifications.

 

One of my friends tells me that if I can run AirbusX (which I do, easily), I should have no problems running anything from PMDG - that PMDG is much friendlier on frames.

 

Marc Eichler

[Flyboy85 0]

One aircraft I've had my eye on for quite some time is your 737NG.  Based on my machine - an ASUS G75VX with no mods, would I be wasting my money if I purchased the NGX?  I'm trying to save myself some frustration (and money)

 

Marc EIchler

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

One aircraft I've had my eye on for quite some time is your 737NG.  Based on my machine - an ASUS G75VX with no mods, would I be wasting my money if I purchased the NGX?  I'm trying to save myself some frustration (and money)

 

I get about the same performance with both of them. If you can run one, you can run the other.

[777simmer 117]

I think REX is also working on making a weather radar that works with PMDG, no?