Good ATC program possibly with voice activation (flyinsidefsx VR)?

[glider1 90]

Do we have to manually create DWVAC voice recognition profiles to tell it what keys to send to PF3 for each voice command, or is there a premade profile available? Hoping we don't have to reinvent the wheel for each user. It would be nice if PF3 had profiles already in place. I looked on the DWVAC webpage but couldn't find any profiles for interfacing with PF3.

 

Thanks in advance

[RALF9636 1,960]

I haven't found a VAC-profile for PF3 so I had to create one myself. My profile has grown with every flight and is quite extensive by now. If there are some people interested, I'm considering to share it on the PF3 Forum soon, but I have to work a little more on it before I can do that.

[glider1 90]

I haven't found a VAC-profile for PF3 so I had to create one myself. My profile has grown with every flight and is quite extensive by now. If there are some people interested, I'm considering to share it on the PF3 Forum soon, but I have to work a little more on it before I can do that.

 

I think DWVAC voice recognition that you are using with PF3 does seem the way to go right now - so yes please share if you can.

 

I was thinking of going with Multi Crew Experience to control PF3, but I am turned off by having to pay for a lot of features I won't be using. The lite version costs less but they say on their website is not supported with updates? and I'm not even sure that the lite version can interface with PF3.

[RALF9636 1,960]

I think DWVAC voice recognition that you are using with PF3 does seem the way to go right now - so yes please share if you can.

 

I was thinking of going with Multi Crew Experience to control PF3, but I am turned off by having to pay for a lot of features I won't be using. The lite version costs less but they say on their website is not supported with updates? and I'm not even sure that the lite version can interface with PF3.

 

Exactly my thoughts. And with DWVAC it is totally transparent which phrases are possible and which hotkeys are triggered.

 

I'm working on my profile to make it suitable to be used for everyone.

[FS++ 708]

 

 

Whether both MCE and PF3 can be affinity masked off the main sim job (so as not to impact FPS)

 

Affirmative,

 

MCE runs outside the simulator process in order to prevent speech engine eating valuable VAS. It runs as "mce.exe" and can be set to run on specific cores if you like.

 

PF3 also runs externally as "pf3.exe" and you can set preferred affinity mask.

[theskyisthelimit 48]

I think DWVAC voice recognition that you are using with PF3 does seem the way to go right now - so yes please share if you can.

 

I was thinking of going with Multi Crew Experience to control PF3, but I am turned off by having to pay for a lot of features I won't be using. The lite version costs less but they say on their website is not supported with updates? and I'm not even sure that the lite version can interface with PF3.

What made you opt to not continue testing pilot2atc with its integrated voice?  I havent gotten around to testing either of these.. i just installed dwvac in trial mode, so i'm looking to test the atc's in the next week or two.

 

Would using VAC + PF3 basically be like saying the phrase you usually would speak to a controller, but you dont need to get it exactly right, and the trigger just initializes something like "request clearance for takeoff" (button press or hotkey), whereas you still have to remember the right phrasing or you could just cheat your way around it.. i'd prefer no cheating, like with vox, you have to get everything just right, call sign IDs etc.

[RALF9636 1,960]

Would using VAC + PF3 basically be like saying the phrase you usually would speak to a controller, but you dont need to get it exactly right, and the trigger just initializes something like "request clearance for takeoff" (button press or hotkey), whereas you still have to remember the right phrasing or you could just cheat your way around it.. i'd prefer no cheating, like with vox, you have to get everything just right, call sign IDs etc.

 

It's on you. You define what phrases trigger the hotkey.

[glider1 90]

 

 

What made you opt to not continue testing pilot2atc with its integrated voice?  I havent gotten around to testing either of these.. i just installed dwvac in trial mode, so i'm looking to test the atc's in the next week or two.

 

Same here, still doing initial research. Voice activation makes so much sense in VR.

 

Pilot2atc could be an alternative thanks for pointing it out. I rejected it because it doesn't seem to have the regional voice sets I really want and natural sounding audio and because it has too much flight planning stuff (feature bloat) when all I want is top notch ATC.

 

Latest rumours going around is that MCE can command PF3 out of the box, you can add words before and after the phrase like "please" and it understands any callsign you speak (don't have to program the voice recog software to understand your specific call signs).

 

Still early days.

[Gregg_Seipp 568]

I got the demo of Pilot2ATC 2.0 beta a few days ago.  I don't see any performance issues with it.  I have to say I'm impressed.  The issues I've seen are mostly minor.  It handles SIDs and STARs...easy to file your flightplan...lots of tools to help like the frequency list for the airport, approach plates for US.  From what I see, it's a strong beta.  Feels really nice to be talking to ATC.  They have a 10 day demo.

[RALF9636 1,960]

Latest rumours going around is that MCE can command PF3 out of the box, you can add words before and after the phrase like "please" and it understands any callsign you speak (don't have to program the voice recog software to understand your specific call signs).

 

 

It certainly does. If you want something you don't need to setup yourself you can definitely go for that.

 

The reasons why I stick to VAC are these:

 

I'm not interested in the FO / Crew functions of MCE because I already have FS2Crew for the aircraft I fly and am content with it. So the price for only the PF3 interaction seems quite high.

 

When MCE for PF3 came out there were some reports about MCE sending the wrong hotkeys to PF3 in some situations. So I started with VAC. And over time I invested so much time in setting up VAC that I thought now that I've done all the work I can stick to it. I don't know if MCE works flawlessly by now.

 

VAC gives me total control over the phrases and the hotkeys. I know ( and decide) which phrases work and what hotkeys are sent. And it is very versatile. For example I can set it up for talking to ATC myself or for making my first officer talk to ATC (something like: "would you please contact ground and get taxi clearance now"). As far as I know MCE does not offer this - at least not out of the box.

 

But I don't want to belittle MCE at all. It is a nice software for sure.

[glider1 90]

 

 

But I don't want to belittle MCE at all. It is a nice software for sure.

 

Thanks for the advise.

 

For now I've gone ahead with MCE voice recognition using the Rift built in mic. It is pretty accurate and recognition is fairly flexible to different ways of phrasing a command.

 

I did have to turn up the CPU processing to "more" inside the MCE settings to get the accuracy rate up. So long as MCE is not running on the same core as the main sim job it isn't a problem.

 

MCE does have an option to drive either default ATC or third party ATC's. I'm probably going to go the PF3 route but haven't bought it yet still thinking.

 

MCE has a script engine that can create custom scripts for controlling the simulator. Haven't tried it yet though.

[theskyisthelimit 48]

I tried the DWVAC software.. it seemed to work ok, though i was having trouble figuring out how to use the hotkey assignments to make camera changes work.. appears you have to change each individual aircrafts assignment in the cfg file + controls view 5-9 to assign them.. too tedious.. and you have to figure out which spots are the keystrokes that go first in the syntax of it all with VAC..

 

The Voxkey part of MCE is nice, just press the keys and it associates it.  I've also heard that voice attack is good as well.

 

So i then tested out pilot2atc.. i have to say i rather liked it, though i found it a bit daunting at first.. i still frankly dont know the whole procedure going from parking spot to takeoff thats involved.. i have a basic understanding and all the handoffs and frequency changes that go with it.. so I did like that you could click the grammar button and view the syntax for each, though you had to know where to look.

 

You can also use the sayit function to have the program say it.

 

Only thing with pilot2atc, short of just pressing the vtt button and remembering commands (while in goggles), the main program would be tricky to drag into the flyinsidefsx area and manipulate blindly, i would think.  So you would have to recall what they say each time (as in real life i guess) to know which frequency to change to, ie: going from ground to tower etc... then in VR manipulate the radio till its on the right frequency (whereas with the window for pilot2atc you can cheat and just click the right frequency).  So in a way i guess its more "real" in this sense, but ultimately still going to need at least a map or the frequency list "brought into the vr cockpit", or take the goggles off to see them, maybe, unsure

 

I'm going to try the PF3 soon and do some MCE testing too, at least with the voice commands.

 

I guess what i'd also like is a way to issue a series of commands that can bring up other windows and other apps.. not sure if voxkey can launch apps on command or not, but the dwvac can (so if you dont have as16 opened, you can just say, "open as16" etc)

[FS++ 708]

 

 

I guess what i'd also like is a way to issue a series of commands that can bring up other windows and other apps.. not sure if voxkey can launch apps

 

Not Voxkey which acts like VAC only dedicated to Prepar3D, FSX and FS9 and not suitable for cockpit switches control as both don't check the switch status before toggling..

 

But there is an even more powerful way, called <Voxscript> (should have been called <VoxFlow>  as it's not a programming thing at all)

 

You create your own voice command and decide what gets done. That includes...

 

- Getting co-pilot to perform a chain of actions in the sequence and pace you specify on any supported aircraft (currently 36 complex aircraft supported. Support for FsLabs A320 expected to be added within a month)

 

- Triggering other commands created in Voxkey

- Playing and stopping custom audio

- Launching any program exe you provide the path for

 

All, using that single custom command.

 

There are a couple of limitations.

You cannot script dialing commands such as "com 1, one eighteen seven" (these must be spoken)

Built-in commands take precedence over custom ones, therefore, they must be different from built-in ones by at least one letter.

 

You could have something like "Going for a break, make sure we're all set for startup when I come back",

 

Then teach FO and other crew members what is expected from them as part of your instruction. :smile:  

[theskyisthelimit 48]

Not Voxkey which acts like VAC only dedicated to Prepar3D, FSX and FS9 and not suitable for cockpit switches control as both don't check the switch status before toggling..

 

But there is an even more powerful way, called <Voxscript> (should have been called <VoxFlow>  as it's not a programming thing at all)

 

You create your own voice command and decide what gets done. That includes...

 

- Getting co-pilot to perform a chain of actions in the sequence and pace you specify on any supported aircraft (currently 36 complex aircraft supported. Support for FsLabs A320 expected to be added within a month)

 

- Triggering other commands created in Voxkey

- Playing and stopping custom audio

- Launching any program exe you provide the path for

 

All, using that single custom command.

 

There are a couple of limitations.

You cannot script dialing commands such as "com 1, one eighteen seven" (these must be spoken)

Built-in commands take precedence over custom ones, therefore, they must be different from built-in ones by at least one letter.

 

You could have something like "Going for a break, make sure we're all set for startup when I come back",

 

Then teach FO and other crew members what is expected from them as part of your instruction. :smile:  

 

Interesting, so this voxscript is part of MCE?  I installed MCE (demo) and was experimenting but havent gotten that far yet.

 

So via voice you can set frequencies on the radio using MCE (requiring voxscript?).. can the same be done with pilot2atc some how?

 

 

As far as MCE goes, i didnt get far enough.. does the ATC work like pilot2atc, where you can initiate commands via voice..

 

I guess what i'm getting at is that I still think for me personally i want software where I have to manually say the right commands, so far pilot2atc seems to be the winner in that arena, with pf3 being more realistic i guess.

[FS++ 708]

 

 

So via voice you can set frequencies on the radio using MCE (requiring voxscript?).

 

Correct, you can request thousands of things via direct voice commands, including telling FO "going to Heathrow tower" or "switching to tower" and expecting him to workout and dial the correct frequency. For this, Voxscript isn't required at all.

 

As far as ATC is concerned, affirmative you must adhere to proper ATC phraseology.

 

MCE supports native ATC. And here is an example video with MCE Lite Edition that doesn't even have Voxscript capability..

 

 

 

MCE also lets you talk proper ATC jargon to either PF3 ATC or Radar Contact ATC. It effectively makes them voice control capable.

 

For instance, you could make requests such as "City ground KLM 143 requesting runway two eight for departure"

 

MCE will then read PF3 suggested runways at the airport, scrolling through them until it finds the relevant one and automatically selects it.

 

The next thing you hear is controller granting the new runway.

 

Same with requests for higher or lower altitude.

 

You aren't expected to say "request higher" then "press five" or "press six" as you would do with VAC.

 

Just like in the real world, you request "London Control KLM 143 would like to climb to flight level one six zero", or other variations like "Center KLM 143 requesting flight level one six zero"

 

MCE will then automatically workout the difference between currently selected autopilot altitude and the requested one, and sends the relevant hotkey to PF3 or RC4.

 

Can request direct to waypoint if you wish

 

"Control KLM 143 requesting direct course to Papa Golf Sierra" (PGS is assumed to be a waypoint along the flight plan).

 

 

I don't think you can do any of that with VAC (or its equivalent Voxkey (which we provide as an extra tool, for other things than aircraft or ATC operation)

 

 

The built-in Voxscript capability allows you to create your own voice commands in order to get FO to do what you want, when you want.

 

 

We're talking about setting up a command that will get FO to set many aircraft panel switches accurately in one go. Thanks to this feature, your flows and procedures can be customized to exact real world airline SOPs.

 

For instance, here is a real world pilot using MCE for recurrent training. Helps practice procedures, even emergencies, so when you go into the real thing (Level-D) sim, you already have them mastered, exactly as your airline QRH SOPs and abnormals dictate.

 

He actually chose to ignore the standard flows we ship with MCE and made his own, then triggered them using his own speech commands. This is Voxscript at work.

MCE lets you also have the exact checklist to match your real world or virtual airline one.

For instance, there is no "Single engine landing checklist" as part of the checklists we distribute. You can make it happen though.

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRLYAwDFM9c

 

 

 

 

 

I's not possible to test all MCE features during the Demo. You would need 3 months to check it out against the 36 complex aircraft and the 3 ATC systems it supports. Not to mention integration with GSX & AES