Simviation Forums

Sometimes it seems like I'm the only one using Prepar3d V2.

At any rate....

I've been using both FSX & P3d.

At the moment I give FSX the higher score. Mostly that's due to the crashes & incompatibilities with P3d.

But it's also due to FSX being the more mature of the two.

Once they get the first update out, I think that it'll pass by FSX with ease.

All in all, though, it's a lot of fun. Most of the time I use FSX for a while, and then I'll "play" with P3d.

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The latest problem has to do with my two 9" DoubleSight USB monitors.

If either of them is set up and running when I start Prepar3d, P3d will crash.

If I were to ask the LM P3d team, they would say that it's because the resolution is 1024 X 600, and Prepar3d V2 requires 1024 X 700 to run.

OK, I can agree with that. Or I might if I were trying to run P3d on those 9" screens.

But these are only used for flight instruments.




The next part of that problem is that I also have another monitor using a USB connection running at 800 X 600. That's the DesktopAviator GPS.

(Side note - If you find this GPS interesting be careful: they also sell the same thing BUT WITHOUT THE MONITOR.
Yes, you do end up getting the knobs & buttons. But just spend a little extra money and get the one with the monitor in it. It's only $230.)



It's not a major problem, just a nuisance. The DoubleSight monitors have an on/off switche behind the top edge. I just have to turn the monitors off before starting P3d.

BTW - Prepar3d V2 doesn't have any problem with the DesktopAviator GPS. On, Off. No problem, it runs.

Once Prepar3d V2 starts, I can turn on the two 9" monitors and run the instruments in the two of them. Everything works fine from there on.

As I said some where or another, I think that the error handling needs a bit more work. There are too many things that'll cause an IMMEDIATE crash.

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The left hand monitor is turned off in this shot, but this is the way that Windows 7 sees the monitor setup.

Monitor number 5 is the GPS. That's an interesting name that the OS gave to the monitor.


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Programing that GPS is the other incompatibility I ran into today.

Now I know that this is a hardware issue that'll probably affect VERY few people, and will therefor get little, if any, attention. That's fine. I have an easy solution.


The problem pops up when trying to program each button and the concentric knobs into Prepar3d V2.

Where FSX registers EACH button, P3d only captures 9 or 10 out of the 16 buttons.

So I went back into FSX and checked. All button presses registered. So it's not the GPS buttons.

Probably the firmware is sending a signal that FSX does recognize, but that P3d does not.

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If you have the full (paid) version of FSUIPC you can use that to program the buttons & send the command to P3d.



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One thing interesting in that picture above - Anyone want to build a "Central Fire Control system"? One person could be flying, and another person could act as a gunner.

After following this thread and many similar threads on the Lockheed Martin Forum it is clear to me I do not have the computer skills neccessary to 'adjust' Prepar3d V2 to an acceptable, or usable, level of performance. So, barring a miracle, I've crossed it off my shopping list.

CP ASMEL Instruments

Don't rush to that conclusion too soon.

My theory is that some high echelon idiot in LM started to wonder why the Prepar3d team hadn't pushed P3d V2 out the door yet.

Having the misfortune to have worked with a few of those clueless Bstdrds types, I'll bet he (they?) put a lot of pressure to "Get it out NOW!"


If you've been over to their website, you can see the results.

On the other hand, I truly believe that they'll be coming out with an update to resolve most of the problems.

Wait until V2.X comes out.


Meanwhile, this is what I was doing with PRepar3d V2 Saturday night.

St. Stephan, Switzerland (LSTS) to Geneva, Switzerland (LSGG).



When everything works right, it is better than FSX.

Maybe it's only by a little right now. But it'll continue to improve throughout the year.



I never had FS9/FS2004, but I'll bet that the complaints about "That new program, FSX", were very similar.

DirectX11 seems to be the performance key but as per today this excludes lots of users.

Yes. DX 11 with 1GB memory is required. No way to get around that.

You're using a laptop?

Is not a PC problem is a GPU problem. I have a 4 year old PC Desktop HP Pavilion Elite HPE-140

Intel i7 860 @ 2,8 GHz
Memory: 8 Gb
GPU: Nvidia Gforce GTX260

I run with no problems:

FS9: Adjustments to maximum
FSX: DirectX10, tweaked, adjustments according scenery.
X-plane 10: Adjustments medium-high
DCS world and North American P-51: Adjustments medium-high

But my GPU is for DirectX10 maximum so I'm directly out of P3D V2.

Being DX11 (in my opinion) the key performance improvement for P3D V2 , they don´t have an alternative to run the program in DX10. Some of the visual effects of P3D V2 I think are not related to DX11, for instance X-plane has volumetric fog or shadows in trees.

One of the reasons that I don't care for laptops, is that aside from the memory and the hard drive, you can be a bit limited as to what you can install yourself.

On the other hand, if you were interested in a big video boost you could go with a 2GB (GDDR5 memory) video card with DirectX 11.1 for only $140 US.

Club3D CGAX-7758LM4 Radeon HD 7750 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5

Many thanks for the info.
I'll see if is possible to install this card in my HP without problems (i.e. power source).

WHAT AN IDIOT!

It looks like I didn't include the link in that posting, and now I can't find it.



One thing that doesn't bother me at all is buying "reconditioned" computer hardware from Amazon.

If there really is a problem, Amazon will take it back.

But most of the time it's just that the person who originally ordered it didn't know how to install it, or ordered the wrong one.

SOMETIMES though the difference between used & new is so little that you may as well get the new one.



As to your power supply, that won't be a problem - HD 7750 power consumption.

A GTX 660 will use a bit more power (and money) and might be a very good choice for you, in that you wouldn't have to worry about changing to a totally different type of video driver. You could probably just replace the video card and update the driver.

If you aren't familiar with replacing video cards it, usually, isn't all that hard.

HP How to change your Video card, graphics card

Many thanks again, I'll think on it.
Also seeing the possibility of using te two video cards.

Thanks OldAirmail you convinced me:
Finally, I replaced the Nvidia GTX260 for a Palit GTX660 (200€). I was afraid that my HP could be tricky... but it was easy: "Plug and play",
P3D V2.1 is a big improvement, graphics levels very nice, no stutters, etc. Similar to X-plane, that is my main sim.
This is my opinion: If FS9 is equal to Windows XP , FSX= Windows Vista , P3D V2= Windows7 . Nice future for P3D.

I know that you're see a great deal of improvement with the video switch-out.


As to Prepar3d V1.x vs P3d V2.1.9.

There were a fairly large number of people giving high praise to V1.x. Personally, I think that it was mostly hype over a "new" flight sim, that was almost identical to FSX.


The newest version still has some problems. In fact if you go to their website, you'll see a many still unable to even install it.

Like anything else, if you make big changes, somebody, somewhere, will have problems. That's life.


But P3d V2.1.9 is now good enough for me, so I'm in the process of switching over to it as the main flight simulator.

And it certainly doesn't hurt that MOST of the money that I've spent on FSX add-ons can be easily ported over.

I agree with you 100%, P3D V2 is the sim with more future at this moment, keeps the advantages of Microsoft simulators with good performance. The FSX addons can be ported or more precisely used, for instance, I have all sceneries in an external drive, so I have activated some of them without problems.
Maybe my X-plane will go to second place, the main fault is that has not seasonal textures, for the rest is OK.

Holy Smokes, Airmail

All that Techno Stuff, I'd be lost !

I'm still using my dads ol' Flying Nautical maps , don't know which way I'm supposed to hold them upside down, or right side up

don't guess it matters

I do notice tho - that I keep seeing the same kinds of scenery over & over, its been like this for last 3 years, I turn the map that way, then I turn the map this way and it just keeps repeating , I've seen that same Farm house, tractor and bridge everyday for the last 3 years

I just keep following those "Circular lines" on the map, that are round I don't seem to be goin anywhere but in Circles

This ain't quite like a Rand McNally road atlas - follow the lines

good thing I know where to land at, over by that Rock, by the fence post by the old post office that used to be there back in the 40's, ain't there no more tho

OK - I'm lost !

Mr. Jetman, your paper maps will still work, you just need a faster PaperWeight CPU.



The newer PW-CPU's are able to auto-rotate. MUCH better.