VisualPSX suite upgrade to v 6.5 and 7.5 released

[Garry Richards]

This upgrade adds an extra search path to RunwaysPSX to find FSX-SE on 64 bit systems.

VisualPSX and TrafficPSX are now more resistant to network failures and have improved shutdown procedures. These changes follow from a code review that resulted in numerous subtle improvements.

During stress testing I was running a PSX client with boost server, FSX and VisualPSX all on the same elderly computer and noticed that FSX was showing a high variability in frame rate and performance. The FSX aircraft was not proceeding smoothly but was slowing down then speeding up. The Windows task manager revealed that FSX was using 50% of the CPU time, PSX was using about 7% and VisualPSX was using less than 1%.

I then used the task manager to assign each application to its own processor, the computer having four cores. This resulted in immediate smoothness in FSX, with a stable frame rate having variability of less than 1%.

Thanks for using my software. Enjoy this upgrade!

[cavaricooper]

Garry-

As a late adopter, I am now a big fan.... a brilliant combination of P3d visuals and the PSX sim- MANY, MANY thanks!  My regret is that I waited this long.... but Peter's (Skino) Real Windshield View program promises to let me use this combination in a single large display- which is exactly what I needed to use the combination.

Re-
"I then used the task manager to assign each application to its own processor, the computer having four cores. This resulted in immediate smoothness in FSX, with a stable frame rate having variability of less than 1%."

do we do this manually, or does this upgrade send Visual PSX to a different core than PSX automatically?


Also, is it best to just overwrite files, or is it better to delete the current VisualPSX folder and recreate?

Ta!

C

[cagarini]

From the README...

"For users upgrading from versions 6.0 and 7.0 or later:



Replace RunwaysPSX.exe, TrafficPSX.exe and VisualPSX.exe with the versions in this package. You will not need to run RunwaysPSX again unless you experienced problems previously.

The file "VisualPSX Suite History.pdf" summarises the changes made in this upgrade."

[Kabbers]

Thanks Garry! I really appreciate your gift that is VisualPSX, had a wonderful short flight last night Istanbul - Thessaloniki enjoying the PSX fidelity with a great view in a side "window" monitor using PSX + P3D last night thanks to VisualPSX;

I recognise the issue this update addresses that you mention; fixed spot was the view I've been using to avoid that judder, so also keen to understand as asked by cavaricooper whether you're recommending we go into task manager directly or not to address the balancing -

best respects,
Kabbers X

[Garry Richards]

Hi guys,

VisualPSX doesn't assign processor affinities to itself or other apps.

My report on setting processor affinity was intended to be just an observation. It may or may not be relevant in your situation. You should only need to consider assigning processor affinities if you are running everything on a single PC and cannot get smooth graphics from FSX when VisualPSX is running.

Remember that this is all experimental. FSX, PSX and VisualPSX automatically spread their processing across whatever cores are available and confining them to single cores may degrade performance, especially for FSX which is very processor hungry.

So if you want to experiment, try assigning PSX and VisualPSX to a single, shared core, or a single core each, and assigning FSX to all the remaining cores. You can use the task manager displays to monitor the core usage of each app.

Cheers,

[cavaricooper]

Garry:

Thanks for the affinity info and especially for your hard work on VisualPSX.  I am most grateful.

Best- C

[tango4]

Hi Garry,
Unfortunately, it still can't find my FSX SE install.
It was just to let you know, my install is probably corrupt somehow, but it's working otherwise, that's why I don't want to touch it !
RunwaysPsx  (7.5) does find my P3dV2 install though.
Really odd.

Anyway, thanks for your hard work, I'll try the affinity tip with P3d when I have time !

Charles

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

Hi Garry,
thanks  you for your great add on, love it, but got a small problem.
when in slewing mode to allign the gate position in pepar3D  the keys to do so  don't do anything.
VisualPsx is the active window.
Am i missing something ?
beacon off
runway turn off lights both on
navigation lights on
The visualpsx screen tells me ready to slew and save the situation, but no movement.
ivo

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

Hi
Found the solution in the mean time.
I entered the airport in the  instructor/position  box
selected a gate , setup the aircraft beacon, navlights and runway turnoff lights as required.
but then closed the RWY/gates page before slewing, it does not work then anymore.
You have to keep the RWY/gates page open, slew, and the close it and save the  situation.
ivo

[Garry Richards]

Thanks guys. I won't be able to investigate the various issues raised for a couple of weeks.

Cheers,

[Garry Richards]

Unfortunately, it still can't find my FSX SE install.

Hi Charles. I have found conflicting information about whether the new key should have DovetailGames or Dovetail Games in it. I will include both in the next update.

Found the solution in the mean time.
I entered the airport in the  instructor/position  box
selected a gate , setup the aircraft beacon, navlights and runway turnoff lights as required.
but then closed the RWY/gates page before slewing, it does not work then anymore.
You have to keep the RWY/gates page open, slew, and the close it and save the  situation.

Hi Ivo. I can't reproduce this. I sometimes get caught out by having my keyboard switcher pointing to one computer while I'm looking at the focussed app on another and thinking I'm typing to it. Maybe that's the cause?

Cheers,

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

hi Garry,
Think I found it.
2 things, I run PSX on 2 monitors for the instruments and a third for instructor station plus  charts, EFB etc.
When the VisualPSX screen is slewed over to this third monitor it does not work, it has to be within the layout window, at least for me.
the mistake I made is this, when the  VisualPsx screen is visible and I click on the nav lights, or beacon lights, does not matter which one, it might be any key, the VisualPsx window disappears to the taskbar, which in my case is auto hidden.I then click on the icon in the taskbar to bring it back on the screen and click in the VisualPsx window to make it active, it then does not work.
If I click on the icon in the taskbar to bring it back on screen and do not click the VisualPsx screen to make it active, but just use the  keys, it works flawless.
thanks for your response.
ivo

[cavaricooper]

Garry-

I am happily flying around the world I'm my Cargolux 744 with VisualPSX 7.5 and P3D v2.5.12946.0- THANK-YOU!

As far as smoothness tuning, I keep working at "butter smooth" (perfectly acceptable, but I want perfect :-o) and was panning around in the external view to help load frames when I noticed that the FSX default plane moved in a series of small steps.... It does not behave anything as obvious in the cockpit view, however, it led me to wonder if there was something in my internal network that was slowing down position updating? 

I run VisualPSX, TrafficPSX and PSXWx on a second networked computer.  I paused, and closed VisualPSX, TrafficPSX and PSXWx, after which I re-started them on my primary machine (with PSX server and P3D).  Strangely enough, there was no difference, in EXTERNAL view, the a/c still moves in a series of jerks.....  any ideas on what would cause this?

With much gratitude for your efforts,

C

[Hardy Heinlin]

I'm not an MSFS expert, but I have some experience in logical thinking ... :-)

If your cockpit view is smooth, and if you know that there is just one aircraft position data stream in the network; not two, not three, just one aircraft, -- then why should this data stream, which feeds your smooth cockpit view, have any problem?

Perhaps your external camera position is updated at longer intervals. PSX doesn't send external camera position data into the network. Camera positions are MSFS functions. PSX doesn't know what an MSFS camera is.

What I'm trying to say is: If your cockpit view is smooth, why are you not happy? :-)


|-|

[cavaricooper]

Hardy-

While I am happy with the cockpit view, there is definitely room for it to be a little smoother (occasionally in turns on the ground, there is some minor stuttering). It is towards this end, that I shared my observation of the external view performance.   My thinking remains several planes below yours, and thus I now understand  that internal and external views are totally separated data streams, and therefore no relationship for performance exists between the two.

Unlike some others here, who have indicated reducing detail in P3D,  I remain resolved to keep all my eye candy.  As soon as the Skylake 6700K CPU  is more readily available, this should not be a continuing issue.

As ever, I remain obliged - C

[Hardy Heinlin]

... I now understand that internal and external views are totally separated data streams, and therefore no relationship for performance exists between the two.

There are not two data streams. There is just one. The one of your aircraft.

The calculation of the Tower view or whatever spotter view is performed by MSFS within MSFS. MSFS doesn't need another data stream for this internal job. So, yes, in this respect there is no relationship between MSFS and the network.


|-|

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

Hi Carl,
I run P3D 2.5 on an good system, not top notch, not slow either. It is a I7 3770K at 4.5 GHz and a nvidea 760 GTX.
there are all sort of simmers, I belong to the group who like it as real as possible regarding systems and not so much for eye candy, meaning by that I don't feel the need to watch ground services load the luggage and look at the external model of my plane    or see it being pushed back.. In real life when sitting in the cockpit one can not see it either.
However, in planes are windows, and looking outside to the virtual world is important to me also. It enhances the feel of flying, there for I run P3D with all the nice addons like Rex clouds and Orbx scenery   .
over the years used many planes, the level D 767.300 and the 737 .700 NGX, both of them the best in system    simulating as far as I am concerned for what people call our scenery generator.
Both of them very demanding on CPU power, but never I experienced stutters in turns in the air  or on the ground, while taxing,
I think that if you set all sliders to the left there still will be those micro stutters, and  the Skylake 6700K CPU will not change that IMHO.
I believe that it is because we have to run 2 flightsims  acting as 1.
many years I tweaked and tweaked to get  the last frame out of it, in the mean time killing the joy of flightsimming.
I learned my lesson and am great full there are people who make it possible to get a perfect flightsim and  very nice out of the window look possible.   
just my 2 cents
ivo

[cavaricooper]

Ivo-

I too don't care for ground services etc, valuing systems over pure fluff.  I DO HOWEVER, value detailed airports and the visual environment when breaking out of IMC etc and use REX w/ Soft Clouds, Pilot Mesh, Orbx FTX, Vector and individual country area LC.

Yes, I do agree, a balance must be found and TBT my current system performs admirably for a 3 year old build.  That said, I am looking forward to the 6600K/GTX980 combo for the gains I "hope to see".  Finding the balance is the secret to life, nicht?  :-)

Best- C

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

Totaly agree, to nice flights and lots of mailfunctions
Ivo

[Frans Spruit]

carvaricooper wrote: in EXTERNAL view, the a/c still moves in a series of jerks.....  any ideas on what would cause this?


Go to views in FSX or Prepar3d and use locked spot.

Frans Spruit