Can't get ATC voices in FS2002

[Guest]

I've recently purchased Microsft Flight Simulator 2002 Pro Edition and am having trouble with it. One of the main reasons I purchased it was the inclusion of audio ATC and was eager to get it working. However, after installing the game I cannot get ATC working. All other sounds play perfectly but I can get no ATC sounds. This is even the case when I turn their density up to full and request weather info (which I believe should start a voice up). While attempting to play any of the wav files in the sound directory with WinXP I get the message "codec not installed". Note that this doesn't happen in the subdirectories.I have tried uninstalling the sound codecs within WinXP and the installing them again bit to no avail. During reinstallation of the codecs I did not have to use the original XP cds - is this correct? Does anyone know any other solution to this problem as this is the first game (out of a hell of a lot) that I am having any problems with? Many thanks in advance

[Guest JonP01]

Unfortunately I am not up with the latest in technology and am not familiar with Win XP. However I do know that in Win 9x and Win ME, if you don't have Audio Compression installed (in Control Panel ==> Add / Remove Programs ==> Windows Setup ==> Multimedia ==> Audio Compression) then the ATC and weather reporting will be silent. Maybe if there is something similar in Win XP you could give that a try. If there is such an option you could removing it then re-installing it. Maybe you can go the MS website and check to see you have the latest Multimedia codecs for XP as well. If you install the latest version of Media Player, it should have the main ones needed.

[wsieffert 0]

The ATC voices are contained in the two large files with *.gvp extensions. You cannot use Windows Media Player to listen to these files. You should be able to use Windows Media Player to listen to the *.wav files. If you double click on a wave file, and it indicates that the codec is not installed, you should open Windows Media Player, tools, options, player tab, and make sure "download codecs automatically" is checked and select the frequency you want for Windows Media Player Updates. Click OK to save the changes. If you have WinXP Pro, you will have to be in an administrator account for the codecs and update, otherwise it will not allow updates to occur.With Windows Media Player open, select one of the fs2002sound*.wav file, see if WMP plays the file or searches for the codec on the WMP website. It should find a codec for simple *.wav files.Do not download Window Media Player 7.1 to your WinXP because WinXP uses WMP 8.x.

[Guest]

When I double click on anything in lessons directory media player loads but nothing plays (auto codec download enabled). When I click on files in the sound directory they play (although those are the sounds I can hear in the game.

[Guest Staggerwing]

Have to go along with JonP01 on this one...I just solved this problem a short time ago. A long process to say the least, and it came back to what I thought it was from the start :-)Mine had nothing to do with MSFS 2002 pro, it had to do with Windows and CODEC files. The ATC files are compressed and need to be UNcompressed on the fly using MS media tool.After trying the latest CODEC files from MS and double checking everything I went and UNinstalled the CODEC from the windows in theSettings /add & remove programs / windows setup / multimediaUnchecked the box and rebooted system and then REinstalled by checking the box again and rebooted..Fixed it !Mine worked fine and then just quit so something else messed these up and stopped my ATC voices. Putting them back (originals from Win98se install disk) worked :-)Hope that works for you too..Staggerwing

[Guest]

Thanks for your advice but WinXP doesn't have this option

[wsieffert 0]

You can find this screen within WinXP by clicking Start, Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices, Hardware Tab, Click on Audio Codecs, Click on Properties, Properties Tab, and view the Audio Codecs on your machine. You could also click on the "Troubleshoot" box on the previous page to see if WinXP can solve the problem.The Lessons wave files are ADPCM and the Normal wave files are PCM. Look for the two files at the top of the attached picture. I believe these are the codec for ADPCM.

[Guest Staggerwing]

I knew there had to be a way to do it in XP. Doesn't XP have a Windows "setup" area or tab to work with anymore ?Can't you add and delete most anything you want now ?Seems the more I hear of XP the more I'm happy with my Win98 :-)Hope he gets his ATC working now...BTW... I even had two 3rd party add-on aircraft that lost JUST their engine sounds when I lost my ATC voices. They were fixed as well when I UNinstalled and REintalled the CODECs. Guess some people are using compressed .wav file for engine sounds now it seems. At least that is what it indicates with this scenario :-)Staggerwing

[Guest]

OK the plot thickens.Gone into Control Panel-sounds-hardware-audio codecs and clicked on properties. However the next box that comes up only has general and drivers (as shown in the attached piccie).Don't know why this is but I know it's not right. Can anyone shed any further light on this problem?

[wsieffert 0]

Boy, I don't know!! I just checked two other WinXP Home units set for appearance (I use WinXP Pro set for performance). The box that comes up before the Codec selection has all the audio/video equipment, and codec selections. When you click on audio codec and hit properties all the different codecs installed are listed.Have you tried to reload WinXP, select the repair or recovery mode?

[Guest]

Well, I decided to reinstall WinXP and have now been greeted by ATC in FS2k2. Thanks for all your help guys - it was much appreciated.

[Guest Staggerwing]

Wonderful... glad to hear it :-)Now take a look at what it says for your CODECS so you know what's there.Have fun,Staggerwing