Okay, I've found out what was dragging P3D 3.2 down at EGLL. It was Orbx FTX England.

 

I've now installed UTX 2.1 Europe and put that on top (higher priority) of Orbx FTX Global. FTX Vector is disabled completely (but I did that a while back). I've disabled FTX England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and N.Ireland. It's actually a bit of a relief. I was dreading finding problems at the UK2000 airports of which I have all.

 

With that arrangement, performance in my benchmarks at Heathrow is up there with FSX-SE's, or maybe slightly above, and definitely looks a "go". I even tested it with autogen a notch up at both 'dense' and it didn't deteriorate much, and with MT6 traffic slider back up to 55% it's still not much down, though I'll normally use 30-40% along with UT2.

 

No time for flying at present though! That'll need to wait will I'm back from holiday.

 

Pete

 

That's why I unfortunately parked the regions and write them off it's FTX global and the rest...

Okay, I've found out what was dragging P3D 3.2 down at EGLL. It was Orbx FTX England.

 

I've now installed UTX 2.1 Europe and put that on top (higher priority) of Orbx FTX Global. FTX Vector is disabled completely (but I did that a while back). I've disabled FTX England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and N.Ireland. It's actually a bit of a relief. ...

 

Pete

Soooooooo, does that mean that we all wasted 50 bucks on Orbx Vector and 50 bucks on EU and 50 bucks on Wales and 50 bucks on Ireland? ... $200 for severe(Ly? Verb or adverb??)performance limiting EYE-CANDY????

 

Other ducking travesty!! VerryyyyIssed-Pay

 

Chas

Chas - so what else is new?

Not disagreeing in any way AND not really knocking ORBX but that has always been their tradeoff, even going back to FSX days. If you want the eye candy you pay the price in performance. Depending on the system it can be a show stopper or livable.

As to whether it's a waste of $$$ - that's an individual call.

I have one system set up with OTBX stuff and a second with GEXP3D and UTX. There is a definite difference visually and performance wise. *I* find the GEX stuff more pleasing to the eye and the system - others comment that GEX colors are "faded".

IAC, for what started out as a simple $50 investment in FS - it sure has grown in leaps and bounds with all the add-ons. I won't even venture a guess but add three 0's to be close.

 

:smile:

 

Vic
 

I think you just have to apply use of FTX regions according to what planes you're going to use and where you're going to fly in and out of.  When you're flying tubes and especially if using something like FSCrew or FSCaptain you don't have a lot of opportunity to gaze out the window flying in and out of larger terminals, so it's perfectly grand to me to just use Global on these flights.  When VFR or lighter aircraft flying lower then it starts mattering more to have the scenery FTX regions offer, right?  Seems so.   Since 3.2 I've been able to fly in moderately complex airports w/ the NGX and hardly go below 24 frames and smooth and that is even in FTX regions.   Seems P3D has truly matured into a hold pat platform--the need for a new box and a 64 bit simulator has all but vanished for me--and my machine is now 3y/o.   FWIW, I never installed Vector, but use the NGX & 777.  Can't wait to see what the Aero CRJ700 does but sounds like it's still months out.

I think you just have to apply use of FTX regions according to what planes you're going to use and where you're going to fly in and out of.

 

Absolutely ... I wouldn't recommend using any Orbx "Regions" with a highly complex aircraft AND complex airport with high levels of AI traffic ... unless of course one wants to dial back graphics settings considerably.  I use Orbx Global for those situations.

 

But in I do agree with Pete that MT6 does produce stutters with higher levels of AI (above about 15%) ... I'm not sure exactly why because when I use default AI I can increase AI traffic setting considerably and get no stutters and no delays in textures loading on the aircraft.  But if you notice MT6 aircraft have working flaps, rotating wheels, strobe lights, tire smoke, contrails, etc. which could be a source of the stutters when turned up.

 

I have Vector installed but keep it restricted to primary roads: http://www.robainscough.com/Orbx_Vector.html

 

What I have noticed recently is the latest ASN version 921 seems to be causing all kinds of stutters, disable ASN and make my own weather themes that looks very similar to ASN and no stutters (quick check and I'm getting a 10 FPS hit with ASN just sitting on the ground) ... need to check in with HiFi folks on this one.  Also with ASN active, my view/pan hat on my Yoke gets "stuck" in a rotation direction.  Disable ASN and panning is fine ... I'm thinking ASN have perhaps tapped into the wrong offsets or structure change.

 

If using SGSS AA that will induce a performance hit also 2X SGSS AA is actually better (visually) than 4X MSAA but has about a 3-4 FPS hit (at 4K res).  

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

 

Now, I if I understand well, this behavior can be eliminated by a monitor capable of 30Hz refresh rate.

 

Yes and No, you can eliminate the problem at 60 Hz also, but it requires more CPU/GPU and high overclocking such as to be able to sustain 60 FPS or higher in "ALL" situations.  30Hz works well because it's easier to sustain 30 FPS in ALL situations for any given CPU/GPU configuration.

 

There are some add-ons that are prone to induce stutters ... exactly why I don't know, but it could be related to keeping FS9/FSX legacy support in the models/textures.  There are definitely differences in how you product DX11 (P3D) content vs. FSX content ... differences aren't "huge" but can be problematic for developers it trying to figure them out.

 

P3D is DX11 using a different shader model than DX10/DX9 (see here).  DX11 handle "full screen exclusive" mode VERY differently than DX9/DX10 ... nVidia GPUs don't seem to care Window or Exclusive Window, but AMD GPUs seem to have some issues with it not being exclusive window.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Rob, when turning off FTX Regions, etc.  is it best to do that from FTX Central or just use the P3D Scenery Library's "Inactive/active" boxes or does it matter?

 

Also, is there any way other than to use 1/2-Refresh Rate VSync (which I understand doesn't really work in P3D) to "cheat" on a monitor that doesn't have 30 Hz. refresh rate?  Mine is a Samsung 6500 series which supposedly is only 60Hz. refresh rate, although I do have the option of 30Hz. shown in the NCP.  I have set my limiter in P3D to 27 (sometimes 30) with Standard VSync and TB and that seems to work pretty well. Using MT6 Airlines 10% and GA 5%.   Just trying to consider all angles on this.  

 

Thanks,

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

 

I always use FTX Central to do this.  I also never run Hybrid mode.  If it's complex commercial aircraft then I'm FTX Global with OpenLC and Vector, if it's GA then I'm using an Orbx region.  The Orbx regions do look better but they of course come at a performance cost.

 

Can't help you on the 1/2 refresh rate Vsync since I have no experience with it.  How well a monitor works at 30Hz seems to be hit and miss ... I experience no mouse lag at 30Hz on my Sony using HDMI 2 (do NOT use "game mode") ... but yes, you should be able to set 30Hz in NCP if your monitor supports it.  You can experiment, with RGB and YCbCr also.  

 

In theory DisplayPort 1.2 spec is slightly better than HDMI 2.0 spec, but many of the folks that have contacted me with "mouse lag" issues at 30Hz were using DisplayPort 1.2 connections or older HDMI 1.4 connections.  Not suggesting a connection, just sharing information. 

 

Cheers, Rob.

Thanks again, Rob, for the as-usual very helpful information.  Game Mode is off.

 

Jeff

 

 

I've now installed UTX 2.1 Europe and put that on top (higher priority) of Orbx FTX Global. FTX Vector is disabled completely (but I did that a while back). I've disabled FTX England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and N.Ireland. It's actually a bit of a relief.

This is really good to know.  Also the interesting part is that you found that these ORBX region stuffs were the cause of the microstutters and hesitation.  I am curious though: these regions cause zero hesitation in FSX-SE?  The microstutters must be something innate to ORBX because you use ProSim not PMDG, you also did not use VC, so the resource used is quite lean and mean.   I was always suspicious on whether anything in ORBX was done to optimize for P3D.  If ORBX just provide an installer and nothing in the guts was taking advantage of P3D, then the different in performance behavior is really not surprising.  

Oh no Pete is going on holiday...must be LM is releasing 3.3 soon....

Chas - so what else is new?

Not disagreeing in any way AND not really knocking ORBX but that has always been their tradeoff, even going back to FSX days. If you want the eye candy you pay the price in performance. Depending on the system it can be a show stopper or livable.

As to whether it's a waste of $$$ - that's an individual call.

I have one system set up with OTBX stuff and a second with GEXP3D and UTX. There is a definite difference visually and performance wise. *I* find the GEX stuff more pleasing to the eye and the system - others comment that GEX colors are "faded".

IAC, for what started out as a simple $50 investment in FS - it sure has grown in leaps and bounds with all the add-ons. I won't even venture a guess but add three 0's to be close.

 

:smile:

 

Vic

 

Add three zeroes? You spent almost 50 grand on your sim..?

LOL! Not me but I do know of a few who have. One built a complete 747 cockpit replica in a spare room.  I'm only in the two extra zero bracket.

 

Vic

What I have noticed recently is the latest ASN version 921 seems to be causing all kinds of stutters, disable ASN and make my own weather themes that looks very similar to ASN and no stutters (quick check and I'm getting a 10 FPS hit with ASN just sitting on the ground) ... need to check in with HiFi folks on this one. Also with ASN active, my view/pan hat on my Yoke gets "stuck" in a rotation direction. Disable ASN and panning is fine ... I'm thinking ASN have perhaps tapped into the wrong offsets or structure change.problematic for developers it trying to figure them out.

Rob,

 

This describes my situation with ASN 921 and P3Dv3.2 - fresh install with all Orbx regions, airports, global, and vector. Flying the A2A C182, VFR with RTMM in the Pacific NW. With ASN on, I lose about 10 fps and have panning freezes with TrackIR where my view is locked for a second or two. I also have random P3D CTD which are new with this version of ASN. With ASN off and OpusFSI handling the weather, The problems disappear. I love Opus FSI for the cameras, but the abrupt changes in Opus weather decrease immersion. I hope that you and the folks at HiFi are able to sort it out soon. I appreciate all of the help that you give so freely to our community.

 

Scott

 

 

There are some add-ons that are prone to induce stutters ... exactly why I don't know, but it could be related to keeping FS9/FSX legacy support in the models/textures.  There are definitely differences in how you product DX11 (P3D) content vs. FSX content ... differences aren't "huge" but can be problematic for developers it trying to figure them out.

 

Merci Rob for those details concerning DX11 vs DX9, which help me to understand even if that not cure my problem.

I can say that FTX vector produce more microstutters than in FSX SE, sometimes in FSX in certain area the stutters are, I would say mega, and they also exist in P3D (Clacton VOR for exemple in UK).

 

For me, I may be wrong, Vector ORBX is a static description of roads, coastlines... which are just interpreted and drawn byt the simulator engine. May be there are too many vectors in certain area.

 

Cheers

Claude

It's 2016 and we're still dealing with the idiocy of 32-bits. I'm back to hiding, nothing changed here.