PIlot2ATC Full Screen Vs Windowed Mode in FSX

[Skyseek 18]

Reading the Pilot2ATC documentation, you need to run FSX  in windowed mode, because if the main FSX is in full screen mode and Pilot2ATC needs to always be on top, causing FSX to main window to lose focus and  cause the SIM to minimize and pause.  My understanding is that this takes a pretty substantial performance hit on FSX when running in windowed mode. 

 

This being the case, wouldn't it make more sense to run Pilot2ATC in a networked configuration, leaving FSX in full screen mode and interacting with Pilot2ATC on a different system / monitor?

 

 

Just wondering if a good percentage of the Pilot2ATC users are running FSX versions in windowed mode with Pilot2ATC always on top on a single computer OR using a networked configuration using full screen mode in FSX?

 

This will help me determine how to start demoing Pilot2ATC.

 

Thanks!

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

I don't have any actual statistics. but I would say many more are running on the same PC over networked.  However, there is a growing number of folks running networked and that topic does come up a lot.

 

Perhaps folks running networked on this forum could chime in.

 

It would be great if you have it running networked and can do a video of how you set it up, others could definitely benefit.

 

Thanks,

Dave

[Skyseek 18]

Thanks Dave,

 

Maybe you can email all the users and take a quick poll.  Here on the AVSIM forum??

 

I just did some testing and it looks like the only annoyance is going to be the sound pausing when you switch to Pilot2ATC on another monitor. The FPS doesn't seem to be a factor between modes full screen vs windowed. Any ideas how to solve the sound pausing?

 

Thanks again!

 

 

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

I will look into how to set up a poll on the forum, but I can't email all the users. 

I can tell you that I know 5 or 6 users that network, but I also know it's a fairly hot topic.

 

Are you using P3D?  If so here's how from their User Forum:

 

To Enable or Disable Muting Sounds When Application Loses Focus

When the application loses focus, sound is muted by default. Disabling this setting requires editing the Prepar3D.cfg file.

1. Locate the Prepar3D.cfg file which can be found in the %APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2 folder.
2. Right click file and click "Open", "Edit", or if prompted choose notepad or your other favorite text editor
3. In the [uSERINTERFACE] section, add MUTE_ON_LOST_FOCUS=0
4. To enable muting on lost focus, change it to MUTE_ON_LOST_FOCUS=1
5. Save the newly updated Prepar3D.cfg

 

If you're using FSX, there is no way that I know of to stop this.  The P3D trick doesn't seem to work for FSX.

[Skyseek 18]

Dave,

 

I am using FSX SE.  So I am wondering if in would work for FSX-SE?  I can try it.  If I run it networked, the biggest issue is then having to manage multiple mouses and keyboards. Again for apps like Active Sky where you specify the flight plan, lauch the app, and rarely have to interface with it , dealing with another system w/ multiple mouses and keyboards is no big deal.  But for Pilot2ATC, which requires extensive interfacing with ATC, it can be problematic.   I did find a utility that will share your mouse accross networked computers through a Windows Service. It really needs to detect the end of one display and then pass control over to other machine and vice versa.  I am not sure exactly how it works. but if you have to use hot keys to switch, then it becomes more busy and more cumbersome.

 

Is there anyway to demo Wide FS?  I hate to drop the $ and find out it does't work very well.  I assume that Wide FS doesn't work with the Freebie version of FSUIPC.

 

I doubt if Dovetail is going to fix this sound ssue because they are releasing a new SIM in a few months.

With all of the Gurus out there in the flight sim community, someone must know if there is a way to correct it. It sounds like more of a Windows OS sound issue than FSX. I think I will post this on the General FSX / FSX-SE forum.

 

Thanks!

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

Wide FS is free and to my knowledge works with the free version of FSUIPC. 

 

Did you read the pinned thread on this forum about Using the PTT button on a Networked computer?  That actually goes into all the issues you are asking about.

 

Dave

[Skyseek 18]

Hey Dave,

 

I'll look in to Wide FS.  I saw it bundled with the commercial version of FSUIPC on SimMarket, and FSUIPC and Wide FS were listed at 18 Euro each, if purchased as a bundle. Wide FS7 is listed at 24.00 Euro if purchased stand alone.

 

Thanks!

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

Go to the link for FSUIPC in the Pilot2ATC User's Guide and you'll see WideFS right there.  It is free.

 

http://www.shiratti.com/dowson.html

 

It sure looks free to me.

 

Dave

[MindYerBeak 73]

I'm running p2atc in networked configuration. No performance hit whatsoever.I'm  also using multiplicity by edgerunner  so that I can control two computers (p3d machine plus laptop with  as2016 +p2atc+simplates ultra running on the side) with just  one mouse and one keyboard.Multiplicity takes  also care of the sound (sound sharing).Basically the sound,any sound,coming from the networked computer is sent to my p3d machine into my headphones. 

[Skyseek 18]

Hey Dave,

 

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.  I think you are misinformed about WideFS being free   Am I missing something?? From the WideFS manual...

 

WIDEFS IS NOT FREE! For FS2004 and before, WideFS 6 will not run on Flight Simulator without FSUIPC also being installed, and at least Version 3.53 of FSUIPC is required. WideFS must be registered, using an Access Key, before it will work. For FSX and beyond, WideFS 7 consists of the WideServer component built into FSUIPC4, and the same version 6 WideClient. No changes at the Client end are needed. However, as with version 6, WideFS must be registered with FSUIPC4, using a different Access Key, before it will work.  You can purchase access keys from http://secure.simmarket.com/pete-dowson-widefs6.phtml (WideFS6) or http://secure.simmarket.com/pete-dowson-widefs7.phtml (WideFS7). Full details about purchasing access keys and registering both FSUIPC and WideFS are also to be found in the early pages of the appropriate FSUIPC User Guide. You can save money if you purchase keys for FSUIPC and WideFS at the same time.

 

Thanks!

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

Looks like you're right.  I have a registered version of FSUIPC/WideFS so it was never an issue for me.

 

Sorry for the mis information.

 

Dave

[Skyseek 18]

Dave,

 

I went ahead and purchased the bundle... FSUIPC and Wide FS.

 

Now I can test Pilot2atc. Thanks!