Is EzDok a good replacement for a POV hat?

[cavaricooper 2,613]

The mouse zoom is in the works a la v1.7... used EZCA for years, don't intend to change... works like a treat.

C

[Parping Couplet 117]

Another vote here for Chaseplane from an ex-Ezdok user since its launch. Would never go back.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

It looks like the amount of negative feedback about the need for an internet connection for the software to work is under consideration after v1 is released.

Good. Imagine if FSDT, PMDG and others designed their products so they only worked if you had an internet connection. There would be bedlam and rightly so.

I already fly an aircraft that 'phones home' after a random number of days to check your licence. I can live with that because it means I can still fly it when I don't have an internet connection.

Having watched videos for both EzDok and ChasePlane I am definitely attracted to the latter. I'm not planning to get a PFC yoke for a couple of months so I can easily wait for CP v1 to be released but I'll keep an eye on the forum and may buy sooner.

[stripealipe 87]

Seriously, check ezDok and it's cinematic external camera modes, it's tight integration with ASP4 for ultra realistic weather/cam turbulence effects and it's constantly updated (via user feedback) support... not to mention it's silly easy front end yet hugely customisable front end and you end up with the definitive cam upgrade for your sim. Add to that, as i've said before, pretty much minimal CPU overhead compared to Chaseplane (do a search) and you really cannot go wrong...

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

1 minute ago, stripealipe said:

Seriously, check ezDok and it's cinematic external camera modes, it's tight integration with ASP4 for ultra realistic weather/cam turbulence effects and it's constantly updated (via user feedback) support... not to mention it's silly easy front end yet hugely customisable front end and you end up with the definitive cam upgrade for your sim. Add to that, as i've said before, pretty much minimal CPU overhead compared to Chaseplane (do a search) and you really cannot go wrong...

Both products seem to have their fans. The downside to EzDok as I see it is patchy support in the past and an interface that is less intuitive than its competitor. On the plus side it needs no internet access and appears to have minimal impact on P3D.

It's not clear at this point how much of a hit CP has on P3D. I presume that can be refined during beta testing. It would be odd if it impacted to the extent it seriously degraded the sim. Self defeating springs to mind.

Ideally I'd like to read a review of CP before buying as it would be based on a formal release, not beta. I'm not desperate for this type of utility. My post was to gauge whether there was something out there that would allow me to create custom external views of the aircraft as I'll be losing the POV hat should I move to a PFC yoke. That concern has been resolved with posts here.

[cavaricooper 2,613]

22 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Both products seem to have their fans. The downside to EzDok as I see it is patchy support in the past and an interface that is less intuitive than its competitor. On the plus side it needs no internet access and appears to have minimal impact on P3D.

It's not clear at this point how much of a hit CP has on P3D. I presume that can be refined during beta testing. It would be odd if it impacted to the extent it seriously degraded the sim. Self defeating springs to mind.

Ideally I'd like to read a review of CP before buying as it would be based on a formal release, not beta. I'm not desperate for this type of utility. My post was to gauge whether there was something out there that would allow me to create custom external views of the aircraft as I'll be losing the POV hat should I move to a PFC yoke. That concern has been resolved with posts here.

Ray-

'Twas my PFC Console II that required me to get EZCA... It has served me well ever since.  Either way, I believe you will be well satisfied.  For me, EZCA works, and Marniftarr has returned to active status (after a protracted illness) and is communicating, usually several times daily.  Good luck with whatever you decide on... the point is to FLY :)

C

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

Thanks Carl. I always believe in chewing over any decision. Both have their fans. Both have advantages and drawbacks. Either would probably suffice. Hopefully a clear choice will emerge before I get much older.

[BlueStar 323]

15 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Thanks Carl. I always believe in chewing over any decision. Both have their fans. Both have advantages and drawbacks. Either would probably suffice. Hopefully a clear choice will emerge before I get much older.

Ray,

I'm also using an ol' MS Sidewinder joystick with a POV on top.  It sets beside my PFC Yoke and T/Q.  I also use the joystick for a tiller.  The POV and tiller are programed through P3d.

blaustern

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

40 minutes ago, Bluestar said:

Ray,

I'm also using an ol' MS Sidewinder joystick with a POV on top.  It sets beside my PFC Yoke and T/Q.  I also use the joystick for a tiller.  The POV and tiller are programed through P3d.

blaustern

I'm not going to have a great deal of spare room once this new yoke and throttle quadrant arrive. Using a joystick purely for its POV hat is not possible I'm afraid. I've got rudder pedals for ground steering but your stick acting as a tiller is probably more realistic. Thanks for sharing though. 

[cavaricooper 2,613]

Ray-

Hunt around for one of these- Hall Effect, and you get 6 extra buttons.  Mine sits on top of a computer case at my left knee.....

https://www.amazon.com/CH-PRODUCTS-Desktop-Joystick-100-350/dp/B009EQU4PC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502146782&sr=8-4&keywords=ch+products+hall+effect+controller

HTH- C

[Boeing or not going 578]

Chaseplane is a favorite of streamers not because it is a better program, but because the developer is smart and became friends with all of them.  Almost every stream I see of the popular guys, they have problems using Chaseplane, and every single time, they defend it and trash ezdok. Ezdok has more features, no performance hit, and no requirement to have an internet connection. If your internet dies for hours, or Chaseplanes servers die, you cannot use that addon. I'd never support that being a simple camera addon yet having Fort Knox like security requirements. One streamer let his brother try Chaseplane out for a day and the system banned him because he had it installed on 2 computers.

[Nickbe 401]

Ray, I won't talk bad about ChasePlane, and not going to praise Ezdok because I in beta test for EZCA2. Just want to draw attention to one feature of Ezdok about which few people know. In addition to a powerful management system cameras EZCA2.5 has a very realistic system effects (vibration in turbulence, head movement of the pilot, shaking when moving on the ground). View the author's video program on the latest version.

 

 

[Egbert Drenth 250]

12 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

 

The only possibility is a Logitech G13 keypad but the joystick doesn't look very good and it's expensive.

 

Hi Ray,

I use the G13 specifically for that purpose, however I don't use the joystick.
In EzDok (and ChasePlane) you define custom views (AP, Radio stack, overhead, whatever you want)
These custom views can be assigned to a key, like Ctrl-Shift-F1. I link the programmable keys of the G13 to these key strokes.
Works fluently.

About EzDok versus ChasePlane.
I have both but for now I reverted back to EzDok.
Since ChasePlane still is in alpha release, it caused some issues on my system. Don't have the time to extensively troubleshoot.
Had used EzDok since version one and like it pretty much.

Egbert

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

9 hours ago, lasnubes said:

Ray-

Hunt around for one of these- Hall Effect, and you get 6 extra buttons.  Mine sits on top of a computer case at my left knee.....

https://www.amazon.com/CH-PRODUCTS-Desktop-Joystick-100-350/dp/B009EQU4PC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502146782&sr=8-4&keywords=ch+products+hall+effect+controller

HTH- C

Thanks Carl. Currently unavailable and searching the CH site doesn't show anything.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

8 hours ago, 777200lrf said:

Chaseplane is a favorite of streamers not because it is a better program, but because the developer is smart and became friends with all of them.  Almost every stream I see of the popular guys, they have problems using Chaseplane, and every single time, they defend it and trash ezdok. Ezdok has more features, no performance hit, and no requirement to have an internet connection. If your internet dies for hours, or Chaseplanes servers die, you cannot use that addon. I'd never support that being a simple camera addon yet having Fort Knox like security requirements. One streamer let his brother try Chaseplane out for a day and the system banned him because he had it installed on 2 computers.

Even if the author changes the requirement for a permanent internet connection the performance hit is worrying. Why would it use so much CPU time? Maybe the fancy movement to emulate the pilot breathing? Do fancy things like that justify the hit?

There's no doubt the interface of CP is more attractive but we should never be attracted by looks alone eh?

Thanks for your thoughts.