Scott (sctholson) -- Regarding some of your graphics issues, what type of graphics card are you using with your laptop?

Hi Brian,
Here's a report from the Intel software:
Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Mobile Report


Report Date: 04/29/2007
Report Time[hr:mm:ss]: 15:40:03
Driver Version: 6.14.10.4814
Operating System: Windows XP* Professional, Service Pack 2 (5.1.2600)
Default Language: English
DirectX* Version: 9.0
Physical Memory: 1014 MB
Minimum Graphics Memory: 8 MB
Maximum Graphics Memory: 128 MB
Graphics Memory in Use: 9 MB
Processor: x86 family 6 Model 14 Stepping 8
Processor Speed: 1661 MHZ
Vendor ID: 8086
Device ID: 27A2
Device Revision: 03


* Accelerator Information *

Accelerator in Use: Mobile Intel(R) 945GM/GU Express Chipset Family
Video BIOS: 1264
Current Graphics Mode: 1024 by 768 True Color (58 Hz)



* Devices Connected to the Graphics Accelerator *


Active Notebook Displays: 1


* Notebook *

Monitor Name:
Display Type: Digital
Gamma Value: 3.54
DDC2 Protocol: Supported
Maximum Image Size: Horizontal: Not Available
Vertical: Not Available
Monitor Supported Modes:
1280 by 800 (58 Hz)
Display Power Management Support:
Standby Mode: Not Supported
Suspend Mode: Not Supported
Active Off Mode: Supported

* Other names and brands are the property of their respective owners.

Im running a p4 1.7 1G Ram and a Radeon X1300 512MB and only get if im lucky a 12 frame rate. what gives?

Hi Guys,
I got the axis switch, Trial and error, took me about 6 attempts to figure out how the sequence. Still it would be nice to know if I can make this text visible, even though my system is under minimums.
As an aside, in the options pane I set the window to windowed 800 x 600 and when I'm flying around in the Decatur Club site I'm getting 200+ frame rate. I knew no one would believe me, so here are two screen shots.
Scott

Yes, FS One let's you use your own Tx programming.

I've not set-up a heli for this, but I can outline the basic concepts. The first image below shows the Blade CP heli FSOne Tx (the one you're using, referenced above). I used the slider to move the panel to the right. On the right, this is the stuff inside the heli. The stuff is grey because in this window it's the Tx Editor and not the Heli Editor. So to avoid confusion you cannot edit the heli here. That's also good - you don't want to edit the heli. The heli has all the Rx and gyro and servo gear the way it needs to be (like the real Blade CP).

To use your own DX6 Tx set in Heli mode, you need to start w/ this baseline Tx (the one you're using) and delete all the mixing stuff that the FS One software radio is doing. Click on the mixing button and delete the mixes (second image). You're going to use your own Tx Mixes. Click on the flight mode button and delete the flight modes. You're going to use your own Tx Flight Modes.

Now in the third image, the four channels from the Tx are shown on the left. Assign your axes from your real radio accordingly (according to the labels which are consistent w/ how they are hooked up to the servos).

Doing this will be difficult (impossible?) if your buttons are not displayed properly. I asked Brian about this button issue, and he recalls it happened once before w/ another user and it was related to computer graphics driver issues. It was resolved ... probably w/ installing new drivers (which is not so easy on a laptop when some times you need to use the specific ones that came w/ the laptop). You're mileage here may vary .... Let me know how you get along here.

Postscript: Does the DX6 let you set your own pitch curves for mixing?

Caveat/Disclaimer: Did I say before I'm no heli guy.

Michael

Michael,
Your too modest. Seems like your ready to take the heli plunge!

I'll have a go at this process.

1) I did replace the graphics drivers today, I'll hunt around for an alternative set and see if this makes any difference. If it does I'll report my findings.

2) I'll need to reset my transmitter to heli mode, correct?

Scott

Right, go to heli mode when you're using your own Tx setup and not using your Tx in 'dummy-box' TacCon-emulation mode.

Heli's intrigue me, but I'm still sorting out planks.

Michael

Mselig asked: From: http://www.turbinetoucan.com/clubtoucan/rc.php

"Infinity Entertainment Inc. and Quique Somenzini join forces to create a line of Turbine Toucan R/C scale models. Under an exclusive licensing and distribution agreement, Quique Aircraft Company will provide the R/C modeling community with both gas and electric powered models in a variety of scale."

I would guess that small to mid sized electric ARFs will be joint ventured with either E-flite or Hanger 9 and Horizon Hobby while Quique Aircraft will distribute larger scale gas kits (just a guess). I can only think that this would be a no brainer with the future intoduction of the R/C versions to add to FSOne exclusively and even get a few vids of testing and QQ flights. Could even help initial testing for selection of flight characterists using FSOne prior to developing test kits for production. Considering the amount of hits that this site has been reporting (1,000,000 a week) and has just begun test flights I can only venture to guess what is going to happen when word gets out to the mainstream.

For more detailed information and feedback from David Kervinen (Team Owner of the Turbine Toucan) a forum has been ongoing at: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=668968

Please look into the amount of possibilities with this and let us know if we can look forward to it in the future. I would like a midsize (40-45" ) electric if anyone asks (both simulated and ARF kit).

Good Flying!

Thanks for the info on this. All new to me. It's definitely food for thought.

Michael

Edit: And now I see Horizon Hobby is a sponsor also. Hummm ... "coming to a sim near you???"

Scott,

The biggest issue for your laptop is that you lack an NVIDIA or ATI graphics card -- this is a system requirement. You see, FS one uses OpenGL for its graphics and not all Intel graphics cards provide adequate OpenGL support or 3D graphics speed/performance. My guess is that this may be the problem. If it is, I'm sorry to say that the only way to deal with it is by getting a graphics driver with adequate OpenGL support.

To be honest, I'm surpried to find that it's working on your system at all, so at least things are better than expected. Sorry, but it really does require ATI or NVIDIA.

If possible, please post a screenshot of the missing text, so I can better see what is missing. Thanks. We still may be able to figure a way to fix this...

Hi Brian,
I totally understand about the minimum requirements and really appreciate your interest in helping anyway. No worries,
Here are several screen shots, along with one from the Intel software (I think they must be trying to emulate Open GL compliance? Just a guess on my part)
Scott

MSelig-

Thanks for the input and thoughts on the full sized toucan/ ultimate- just tried it and what a mind blowing performance level on a full sized plane. I would be happy to beta test sims anytime although I don't think I would be in line to be the first pilot to hover that thing in real life even if I had a licence.

Any initial ideas for a scaled electric version to try out?

Great program and support by the way. [8D]

Scott -- Thanks for the screenshots, which are very helpful. We'll look into this problem and see if we can get a fix. Thanks.

It is pretty amazing. Besides all the hover craziness, I get a flat line speed of 300 mph (260 knots) in the sim. They don't list VNE on website. Stall speed in the sim pretty much matches what they list - 64 mph.

Scaled Electric - what size?

Michael

MSelig-

I was thinking a 40-45" wingspan keeping a 1.66-2:1 thrust in mind (somewhat scaled to actual) using electric with about 40 oz. weight sounds about right to keep it honest.

11 - 12 inch prop?

Thanks.

Alright you guys(and ladies), be nice to an old man and don't make fun for the following question. How do I copy a FSOne screen shot and then access it?

The images below show the setup for this. Make a copy of the Ultimate, and then click edit. Pick an electric motor (any one will work since this is getting made using the automatic Scaling Wizard stuff). Then pick sounds. I picked the one that has a audible sound range from 1700 to 9000 rpm. Then in the scaling tab, set the wingspan to 40 inches. On the other scaling tab, set the max prop rpm (I tuned this to feel like a thrust-to-weight ratio around 2). I let it autoscale the prop, but you can input the prop diameter to be what you want. If you do this and leave the prop weight unchanged (zero), it will autoscale the prop mass properties.

It reminds me of a twitchy small gas biplane that I had once before and crashed promptly.

Michael

Press the 'Print Scrn" key. Then use ctrl-v to paste it into your favorite image editor. A free image editor is Gimp, and it's pretty good.

Michael

I'll add to the print screen command, if you hold down the alt key and then print screen then Windows only copies the top most window. Then paste as Michael said into an image editor.
Scott

Mselig,
Thats another thing we need is more electric motor selection. I mean I had no Idea I could use a 2000+ watt motor to power a 40" plane.
I can guarantee the little scaled down "mini funtana" has about a 3:1 Ratio in it. something not possible in real life at that given weight with that airframe.

i dont know if its been talked about or not.im new to this thread .i love fs one so far .i had it since it was released , some say it looks cartoony but my computer is not that great.anyway the physics are great and so are the variey of things to do.all kinds of sky settings wind settings etc. but does anyone if there is gonna be an expansion pack coming anytime soon.i wanna learn pylon racing and theres not really a racer plane on the sim.but han9 has a new f1 comin out and just wandering if their might be some new planes ,fields.might be coming soon.thank you for any info.

That's right. In the sim you can pick any motor, and then when the Scaling Wizard is used, the prop size can be put in and also the approx max speed of the prop. The scaling is then done inside the sim to resize the prop, figure out the drag, resize the motor, figure out the friction/losses, and then it adds the right amount of power (re-scales the motor) so that the scaled prop spins at the speed you set. All of this is used to scale a plane up or down (e.g. like the Ultimate mentioned above - going up to 256 inch span w/ a variable pitch prop and down to 40 inch span w/ an electric motor).

I tend to agree. The "mini funtana" is a bit hot (but fun I think!). Maybe it could only realistically fly for a few minutes like that??? It's easy enough to tweak. Make a copy, and then set the max prop speed slower.

It might be handy to have the sim report thrust-to-weight ratio when flying?

Michael

Yeah to report the thrust to weight would be a beautiful thing. I tend to like my planes just under 2:1.

So ok ,You just opened up a whole new realm for me with this scaling of the motor thing. I dont know why I didnt realize I could do that with all the playing around Ive done with different motors in the F90S

Thank You!
Mike,

The scaling thing is definitely a new concept w/ sims (well only FS One has it). It evolved out of the sim as we worked on various things.

Basically, anything that is set prior to the Scaling tabs defines the airplane ... that can then be scaled. The scaling can be simple, like 'grow/autoscale the plane by 2x, 200%' and let the chips fall where they may, or scale the plane up and then selectively over-ride items to add extra definition.

I find it easiest to go in this order:
- set the wing span
- let the weight autoscale, or set it to what I know it should be for the larger/smaller plane
- autoscale the power, or set the HP or set the prop speed to what I want
- autoscale the prop, or set the diameter to what I want (leaving the weight at zero to autoscale the weight)
- then go back and pick a different sound. In the menu, the sound files indicate the range overwhich they give proper sound. So the sound file RPM range does not define the prop speed. It just has sound in case it's needed for that RPM.
- then sometimes I go back and set the control throws
- I don't often swap from gas to electric, but that step is easy as shown in the screen grabs above (taking the gas Ultimate to electric).

So the steps are pretty simple and it seems to work 99.99% of the time. It's amazing when it comes to the amount of scaling. If a plane goes from say a 3 inch span up to 30 ft or 300 ft, the power can change by many many orders of magnitude. I would have no idea how to guess numbers like this ... It blows my mind that it all works. I think I've said that before in these forums.

Michael

I've added it as something to do. I agree that 2:1 (thereabouts) is good.

Michael