Future of RC ?

[ronzie 21]

Not the best alternative, but if a database can not be used, perhaps an enroute menu item could be added to change the TA for an "informed" user where routes cross such changes.What really would be nice is a flight planner utility could add the field and export in a format that RC would interpert. The choice would be in the flight plan load/import whether to use FS format or said specialized format. I am only using NAV 3.1, but perhaps other planners allow this. Perhaps a planner would export an expanded plan for RC (added fields) and a subset for the FS standard using one command with various options kept in its preferences section. It would make a nice companion product.I've been syncing the NAV 3.1 database with RC's after updating from navdata's site. It would be nice to have a common database for all NAV products.

[Guest Scott Campbell]

Ian,Yes, but the actual voice paks are 5000-6000 files in size. So taking phrases or syllables and recombining is fine if you have the internal system FS uses. I have no idea how it's actually done. There are many cue points and segment headers in the files. The work involved is intense. Also, note how MS itself only has 10 total voices - for controller and pilot. RC has more than 10 for controllers alone, many more for pilots.I frankly get irritated that the FSATC controller and pilot are always the same guy/woman. What happened, did they run out into the plane to respond?RC has at most 1134 files and getting people to record those, much less correctly, is a major PITA.Plus, RC does have a lot of actual world-wide features (Center/Control, altimeter/QNH, etc), where MS has none. Listening to FSATC outside the US is a joke, and a joke IN the US as I hear someone 34,000' below me getting vectored to somewhere (just as one example).The voice paks aside, RC still has (as you know) a lot more realism than FSATC.So to add airports around the world is fine if people are willing to do all 20,000+, or even the 9000+ major ones.Plus, there's only one guy working on every file you hear (all 58,000+ of them). And that guy has a lot of his own stuff to take care of.Which reminds me - where's your controller set? ;-)

[ConstVoid 110]

Scott,OK - you got me there! In fact I'm full of admiration for the time and effort you guys have put into recording these voice sets, and to you in particular for pulling them together. I don't think I'd ever find the time to record one - in recent weeks I've hardly even found time to fly!Just a few final thoughts on the matter though:There are an ever-increasing list of new airlines that people have requested. Add to this the request to have real airport and waypoint names, and as you say it puts an impossibly onerous task on all of the voice artists to record.If instead each voice artist recorded a syllable set (I'm guessing less than 100 wavs) then these could be compiled programatically to form the wav files for the new airlines and airports. In fact, if this were extended to include the existing airlines and center names, then future voice artists would in fact have fewer wavs to record, and you might have more volunteers.Of course I'm not sure how the process of combining the syllables into wav files would actually work, and the program to do this would take quite some effort, but as with Lars's EditVoicepack it must be do-able.Anyway, I think I've written enough on the subject, so I'll get off the soap-box now. :-)Ian

[jd 57]

i think we would be laughed out of the sky if we started putting together syllables. it just wouldn't flow.jd

[Ray Proudfoot 8,903]

Hi Ian,<>I thought the same until I bit the bullet and started recording. Although 1138 wav files sounds a lot just about every wav comprises a single word so you can get through them quite quickly using Scott's excellent software which displays the word(s) to be spoken and then plays it back to you immediately after you've recorded it and if you're happy with it you move on to the next word with a mouse click. The software makes it about as straight forward as it's possible to get.I think it took me about 3 hours to record a controller set which you may think is a long time but once you get into it you don't really notice the time.I would ask those who feel they do have a few hours to spare to at least download the software and give it a try. It might not be as bad as you think and we could make an excellent program even better with a good spread of accents.Perhaps JD could offer some kind of incentive?Cheers,

[Guest Scott Campbell]

I would like to jump in here and say it's not my recording software. It was done for JD by another of his pals. I only enhance and process, and most of the time, clean up.There is one proviso to those recording. I have since had to reject a couple of sets that weren't trimmed to remove the silence off the front anf back of the word/phrase to be recorded. It simply takes too long for my limited time. There are exceptions, of course, depending on how good the recording quality is. That's why I include test scripts one can records and send me for advice on how to improve the quality.Since we are in such desparate need of female controllers, I will do all the trimming and processing, but I still need good quality recordings (no ambient background sound, hum, clicks, popping P's, T's and S's, or HVAC systems running). I can automate the process easier that way.At the moment it's controllers we need. We have a good number of pilots - but again, female pilots are also welcome.

[Guest A386]

An idea I got yesterday while spotting incoming airliners over my house:Example:In my Area (LPFR) arrival traffic goes mostly through 3 different routes to land on RWY28.One route goes over my house, 4 airliners in 2 minutes if it's busy (3000-6000 feet).There's a STAR to fly near my house but ATC have changed it a bit.Another route is close to a mountain, and wrong verctoring could mean the biggest television antenna beeing in danger :)So, I wish a tool like AFCAD where I could draw the most common routes airliners fly within my airport area (with speed/alt range etc.) As I have the ATC information I could make these routes for my airport easily (and share them somehow like Ulitamate Traffic Updater).Then RC could 'read' these custom made routes and depending on my actual flightplan choose the best of these 3 arrival routes to vector me in towards the localizer as real as possible.The default vectoring in RC is way off reality, of course.And telling RC that I'll fly the last miles with own navigation (without RC) because RC has no idea how to handle real world procedures or dangerous areas is not so cool :)Hope you all understood what my idea is about ?! :))I'm myself a programmer that thinak such a 'RC-CAD' tool should be possible to make.

[Guest RichR4]

I really enjoy using Radar Contact, it is fine addition to Flight Simulator.Here are a few requests for RC version 4:Holding at other than final fixes, enroute holding is not uncommon.A full time key to repeat calls or instructions.During departure climb, instructions for further climb nearly always come just after power is reduced at interim assigned altitudes. ATIS weather; it never gets to minus 15C in Los Angeles or San Francisco.Rgards,RichR

[Guest Scott Campbell]

Rich,>I really enjoy using Radar Contact, it is fine addition to>Flight Simulator.Great.>Here are a few requests for RC version 4:>>Holding at other than final fixes, enroute holding is not>uncommon.I'll leave this to the experts.>A full time key to repeat calls or instructions.There is already one. Look at the RC Key Assignments (Options/Customize RC Keys). You also have to make sure you have Pilot Auto-reply off.>During departure climb, instructions for further climb nearly>always come just after power is reduced at interim assigned>altitudes.I would also like to have more random step climbs/descents. I'll leave this for JD as well.>ATIS weather; it never gets to minus 15C in Los Angeles or San>Francisco.Make a dat when this happens. Also, run Pete's WeatherSet2, included with FSUIPC. What does it say is the temperature for the airport?

[Guest Badger]

Can RC write to the Kneeboard in FS2004 in the same way that the standard ATC does?I know we have the repeat key, but sometimes its difficult to hear the exact words in some of the waves. (not a problem, in fact I think its like this in real life) but, having a brief summary of the command might help if its possible.RegardsMark

[SteveLewis 0]

Scott, Since the difference between the Controller and Pilot sets is only about 100 files couldn't you talk some of your female pilots into doing the extra files in order to make them controllers??? Just a thought. PS>> Haven't been able to get the wife to do any recording yet. She's so shy. :-lol Now, if I could disguise the mike as a phone, we're in business......Steve -- aka Controller #12

[Guest RichR4]

Thanks for the reply.Why is the repeat key set to work only when the Pilot Auto-reply is off? Is there a reason that it could not work when the reply function is on? That is the way I use RC.One more item:It would be better, in my opinion, to not harangue us in the critique when we make a mistake. Just a reminder to learn from is enough. Most of the time we already know we have goofed up.Thanks for the interest from a user.RichR

[Guest Scott Campbell]

Steve,I think you just answered your own question. ;-)

[jd 57]

if the pilot auto reply is on, then the reply is played, and purged. if you want the repeat key, turn off pilot autoreply. that is even more realistic. you have to remember to answer the callsjd

[jd 57]

that might be possible. but if what if someone else is already using the kneeboard?