Thanks.  I've tried several usb ports as directed and the program keeps crashing.  It seems to always happen about half way through the descent if that offers a clue.  It doesn't crash (i.e. there is no report in appcrashview), it just stops responding (shows not responding in task manager).

Any other ideas?

Thanks Doug

16 hours ago, halobiont said:

Thanks.  I've tried several usb ports as directed and the program keeps crashing.  It seems to always happen about half way through the descent if that offers a clue.  It doesn't crash (i.e. there is no report in appcrashview), it just stops responding (shows not responding in task manager).

Any other ideas?

Thanks Doug

Stick to a USB 2.0 port on the back of the PC. That will rule out specific USB 3.0 driver issues.

Nothing specific is coded to happen before or after descent.

Only thing I can think of is that it happens after a while....

If using a wireless headset, be aware these are designed to preserve battery life, therefore might have some auto-disable feature built-in.

Suggest you go to Windows device manager and set USB ports not to go to sleep.

Not saying that MCE will never crash. There is always that possibility and that's why we deliberately chose this 2 tier approach whereby MCE, speech engine and FO audio all run inside an external process (mce.exe) to the simulator, and specific dlls (those inside \Prepar3D\MCE dlls\) that run inside the sim, and do nothing critical and mainly read and set switches on request.

The worst case scenario is having to restart MCE mid-flight and Co-pilot will pick things up where he left (as if he want for a loo break without permission 😋), as there is no requirement to start from cold and dark and such instructions.

Unless many other users report a similar behavior,it would be difficult to reproduce.

All I can say, it would revolve around audio system and maybe power if overclocking.

A USB headset has a built-in audio device that needs to be properly powered without interruption. Front PC USB connectors sometimes don't deliver enough of it for specific devices. And it must be on a reliable USB 2.0 port connection.

As said before, if for some reason the device registers as missing even for a split second, MCE will lose its connection to the speech engine.

Sometimes I get this with my Wifi dongle. For some reason it occasionally disconnects itself (I get Windows audio alert used when a device is unplugged) and reconnects itself straight away or after moving the device a little bit (unreliable connectors?? device itself of the actual USB port connection??).

Do you mute (use NumlockKey) MCE when not in use or leave it on hot mike all the time.

Does this happen after not communicating with Fo for a while, or is it random.

Try to keep asking Fo something every 10 minutes or so, just to check.

Use non-disruptive commands such as "synch heading", "confirm latest wind" for that purpose.

 

 

 

Thank you for the response.

I am using a usb 2 in the back of the computer.  I'm not using a wireless headset.  I do restart mce but it's usually during the busy phase of descent that I discover it's hung up.  I do appreciate that it doesn't hang up the sim!  

I usually leave it on hot mike but occasionally I mute it but with the icon not numlock.  I do keep testing the co pilot to see if things are ok.  

It seems kind of random. I haven't timed it but I'll try that.  I don't feel like I've gone more than 45 minutes before it hangs up.

I've already checked to make sure the usb ports don't go to sleep.  Maybe it's a connector but more likely some audio setting or conflict.  I had this problem with a previous headset.  

I think my computer came overclocked but I know the gpu is not overclocked.

I won't give up yet.

 

Thanks,

Doug