AI Traffic sounds in FS9

[martinlest2 58]

I have posted more than once on this topic, but not for a couple of years, so I am starting a new thread. Folks who know what this is all about will I am sure understand why!

 

As I am abroad for work for an extended period (two years), I have brought FS9 on an Dell XPS laptop (it works OK, better than nothing anyway). The one big advantage over my PC back home is that I installed XP (x64) as the O/S, so can run FSHotSFX on it...

 

I tend to forget what a difference this makes to airport environments - the coming and going of the AI traffic is just wonderful. It is SO sad that the programme won't install with a Windows 7 O/S!! Lots of programmes/scenery/aircraft are still of course coming out for FS9 (which I fly 100 times more often than FSX, given the years of great add-ons I have accumulated). It would seem to me that a programme that does in Win7 what FSHotSFX did in Windows XP is the one major thing still missing in FS9 now that most people will be running it on the later O/S.

 

No amount of fiddling with AI sound files (and I have done a lot of that, ending up with a reasonable result with what's available) comes anywhere close to FSHotSFX.

 

So, in my annual dig here - can no one devise a similar programme for an Win7 environment? I don't think anything exists for FS9 even similar.... PLEASE advise if I am missing some great programme somewhere (but I doubt it).

 

Just to be clear, I am not asking for links to freeware AI sound files, as I am sure I have the best I can have at the present time. In any case it's not the sounds themselves that are the problem. I have never, for instance, managed to get reverser sounds to work as Ai a/c land, or to get AI sounds which are audible as aircraft start their take-off roll. FSHotSFX is subtle (not over intrusive) and adds a whole dimension to the "Win XP airports" that I sorely miss in Win7. Anyone who had FSHotSFX will know what I mean. If you never used it, you probably can only imagine what I am talking about - but I think the programme is just awesome!

 

If only the original developer would take this up - but that's not going to happen I am afraid - there's no response these days on the website to any support input. How sad...

 

Anyone (hope beyond hope??) able to help? If I knew where to start (and then continue, and then finish!) I'd do the job myself (if anyone is able to help, I'll give it a go, though this isn't my FS area of expertise at all!).

 

Martin

[tgibson 11]

You can add the touchdown chirp and reverser sounds using effects (not directional, though) but not the takeoff sound, unfortunately.  That's as close as I've been able to come when not using FSHotSFX.

 

Actually, I have been able to add takeoff sound using effects (using a timed silent section as it takes the runway), but it crashes my computer.  Too bad.

[Wangdangdoodle 1]

I suggest looking at three files uploaded to flightsim.com by Pedro Melendez (please search under his name, these are his only uploads). They don't crash my system. 

 

I'm getting a lot of mileage out of them. They require adding one line to the "lights" section of the aircraft.cfg (all explained in the downloads). Moving the "environment" slider in the options/sound menu all the way to the right makes them carry better (and doesn't seem to have any other drastic impact on the aural environment).

 

Tom, I remember the very good reverse-thrust sound effect for AI (landing jetliners) in the Cal Classic AI package. Would it be possible for you to share the formula for adding this effect to other AI aircraft or point out where the instructions can be found?

 

Bill

 

Let me add that I'm getting good results from the Pedro Melendez sounds on a Windows 7, 64-bit system. 

[HaraldG 559]

I can only second the plea to develop FSHotSFX so that it can work on a Win7 system, too. No solution via effects/lights can give the experience as this useful tool did under WinXP.

 

Meanwhile WinXP 64 bit seems to be the best environment for FS2004, doesn't it (not taken into account the lack of security updates...)?

[martinlest2 58]

I am seriously thinking of installing WinXP x64 on my FS9/FSX PC, when I return to the UK, simply to be able to have FSHotFX. No sound files get close to it - but I'll have a look even so. The problem for me so far is that the AI sounds are great close up, but are inaudible from more than a few plane distances away. The sounds of jets taking off in the distance with FSHotSFX is superb... I suppose if you've never used it (like anything) you don't really miss it, but FS9 without it these days is a slightly lesser experience, on the ground anyway!

[tgibson 11]

Hi,

 

The instructions to add it to other planes are located in the Read Me NOW.txt file in the Sound package.  They are:

 

MANUAL EDITING FOR OTHER PLANES

If you have other planes you want to give these sound effects, you will need to edit the plane's aircraft.cfg "touchdown=" line in the EFFECTS section as follows:

Tire chirp only (i.e. DC-4):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_tires

Short piston reverse (i.e. CV-340):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_piston_short

Medium piston reverse (i.e. DC-6B):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_piston_med

Long piston reverse (i.e. L1649A):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_piston_long

Short Allison turboprop reverse (i.e. CV-580):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_Allison_short

Long Allison turboprop reverse (i.e. L-188):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_Allison_long

Jet reverse (i.e. B707):
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_jet
 

 

Package is at:  http://www.calclassic.com/files/AI_Sound_Effects.zip

 

The rest of my Classic AI Traffic package is at:  http://www.calclassic.com/AIAircraft.htm

 

Hope this helps,

PS.  If you need different reverse sounds (assuming you have some reasonable high throttle WAV files on hand), you can substitute your reverse sound (s) for mine by renaming it to the same name I use (and rename the effect if you wish).  But there are a limited number of WAV file names available (these are hard coded in FS), and thus you cannot create your own.

[martinlest2 58]

I'll certainly follow up on your notes Tom, thanks. As I said though, I have never been able to get any sounds that are audible at even medium distance from the source. If I position my a/c next to the runway as planes land, maybe I cna hear the reversers. But from the apron, as one can in a real airport, never. And as you said, those wonderful take-off sounds are sadly missing now.

[Wangdangdoodle 1]

Thanks for the pointers to the Cal Classic AI sound files with instructions.

 

What I've learned from this discussion is how limited the options are - but those limited options are still a lot better than nothing.

 

Bill

[tgibson 11]

Glad to help.

 

Yes I agree, you need to be relatively close to the runway.  You can make the WAV files louder but this is only a limited solution, and has its own problems.

[martinlest2 58]

Yes, the passing a/c are so loud, even from the cockpit; then you can't hear them at all after half a minute.

 

I am seriously thinking of making a dual-boot system with XP x64, so I can use FSHotSFX again. I so wish I could meet the developer and bribe him (one way or another) to redo it for Win7!!! I'd pay really good money for such an essential (as I see it, anyway) add-on - having it on my temporary XP laptop here only makes the loss more apparent when I go back to my Win7 PC of course..

 

Anyone who never had FSHotSFX can't imagine how good it is!!!  :-(

[PebbleBeach 120]

I too miss FSHot very much. However, it's been my experience that FS9 performs much better in Win7 rather than XP.

[sascha 314]

Will FShotFSX runin Windows Vista? This is one addon I have missed completely! And what is the difference toFSHotSeat?

[Tulpenmuster 0]

@Sascha

 

As far as i know,  FSHotSFX and FSHotSeat are separate products, whereby FSHotSeat includes all the functions of FSHotSFX and gives you more like a copilot. Please search for fshotseat - they still have a homepage which provides further details even about specs.

To bad the program just runs on XP. It surely won't do on a 64bit system.

I heard their aisounds once (they call it AiBlast technology) - and for sure it's a blast! 

 

Jens

[martinlest2 58]

It runs fine in Windows XP 64-bit. It's a great programme, and very realistic. It's not designed to blast you out of your seat, but I dare say it could at max settings.

 

Mitch could you please give some explicit examples re. better performance in XP? Thanks.