I'm new to RC flying, with only a few months experience. I'd like to get a RC flight simulator, but they all seem SO expensive. Can anyone recommend an option that would be $100 or less. I don't have a compatible transmitter, so I'll need that too. I've seen controllers with FMS on ebay for about $50, but I've read some unflattering things about FMS. Any options or opinions would be appreciated : )

You can try [link=http://rcflightsim.com]ClearView [/link] - it has free trial time and is only $30 to register.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

I have been playing with the free FMS for a little while, which usually gives me about 200 Frames per Second.
On the very same computer using Clearview, I get more like 1 frame every 200 seconds. No help file at all for $30?
I was trying to use my USB controller that is basically a dual joystick, and couldn't make the rudder work at all.
No help file anywhere with SW or on website.
Awful. Just awful. Save your $30.
Athlon 1.2 Ghz - 512MB ram - Radeon 9550 w/256 Mb ram - All latest drivers, opengl and directx.
[:'(] [:'(][:'(] [:'(]

You look a little biased. I never remember you asking for help - we have [email protected] and help many people daily.
There is FAQ and help page on the web site, but you didn't bother to read. You say "I could not make the rudder to work". How you did manage to try if you get one page every 200 seconds? How you know it is awfull if you have not been able to run it?
Oh, well.....

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

I am not biased at all. I can not get the rudder to work with any setting in the setup. Everything takes sooo looong to happen though.
JAVA.EXE is taking up 99% of my CPU on a 1.2 Ghz Athlon CPU.
I read the FAQ and the "help" page on the website. I just went and read them again.
There is no mention of setting up anything on either page.
The "help" on the website only refers to helicopters. Since I said
rudder, I was talking about trying to get the airplane to fly.
Did I say I sent you an email and you did not answer? No, I did not.
How do you know I did not read the help and faq pages? I did.
Do you track the IP of everyone that reads it? You must have made a mistake.
You said "There is FAQ and help page on the web site, but you didn't bother to read."
Can you prove that? I didn't say it wasn't there, since I did already read it.
For a typical mode-2 TX, the left stick X axis would control the rudder, but no setting works.
I don't think it matters. The screen updates once every 10-15 seconds, not 200.
Exaggeration is a subtlety of the English language, sorry.
Yes, I disabled antialiasing. I really think the main problem is Java.exe locking up the CPU at 99%.
That, and the rudder can not be setup. The install routine did not tell me where the SW was being installed.
I found it the hard way, but still no help file there.
Oh, well........... indeed.

N7OR,
I am not quite sure what the problem is..but I can assure you that Clearview will run great on a 1.2 gig machine...I currently have it running on 3 different machines

CPU 1- Athlon 1.2 ghz, 1 gig of ddr2100 memory, Geforce4 5700 256 meg video, 40 gig Hard disk

CPU 2- Athlon 3.0 ghz, 1 gig DDR 3200 memory, Geforce4 5700 256 meg Video, 80 gig Hard disk

CPU 3- Athlon 64 3.2 Ghz, 1Gig DDR 3200 memory, Geforce4 6800 GT video, 120 Gig Sata Hard isk

On all my machines Java.exe is taking up approx 25,000-30,000k...not a whole lot....I think you may some issues with your machine if Java.exe is taking up that much of your computer. We need to figure this out. Just a few question:
1. How much Ram does your machine have?
2. What operating system are you using?
3. Programs running in background?
4. Is your USB device configured properly in the windows control panel? This is VERY important!!

I will enclose a screenshot of my system resources on this particular machine....Hopefully we can work this out for you.
I am not Tech support for Clearview, but I do create and convert models and make them available for other users. I am a computer tech, and I'm willing to help you find out what is going on....Talk to ya later

Ken

I'm considering buying clearview. I'm not sure if my computer will run it. I have a 1.4 GHz with 256Mb RAM. How can I find out information about my video card and compatibility with Open GL?

The best way to know is to download and run the program. There is free trial flight time so you can evaluate if the program will meet your expectations. If the program fails to run, in 99% of cases, updating the video driver to the latest one fixes the problem.

If you still have a problem, e-mail me this file: c:\Program Files\SVKSystems\clearview\log.txt

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

I just updated my video card driver to the latest available last week.
HELO-36, I see on your machine java.exe takes up 97% of your CPU resources.
Is that really WAY better than 99%?

Oh, I guess I forgot:

1. 512 MB
2. Windows XP Pro
3. None, other than Norton AV
4. I don't know what "configured properly" means, I still haven't found the help file.
It doesn't have a yellow "?" next to it, and it works perfectly with FMS.

I think I may have figured out the controller problems.
Do you really only get to fly for about 40-50 seconds before
it says "trial period ended"
No, forget that. Now, as it takes forever for the program to start,
then you have to load an airplane and get rid of the default helicopter,
as soon as the airplane appears ready to take off, the trial period ends. Nice.

N7OR,

Please send me this file: c:\Program Files\SVKSystems\clearview\log.txt and I will try to see what is happening.
The fact that your computer works with FMS is not representative if is will work with ClearView or any other simulator. I wish the life would be that simple, but it is not. FMS does not support photorealistic fields (no need for much video memory) and uses DirectX.Todays simulators (including CV) have some minimal requirements for the video card and the video memory. In ClearView case, dedicated 3d video card with OpenGL 1.3 driver and 128 MB video card memory is required. Regarding you having 99% CPU utilization, the simulator needs to maximise the frame rate and uses a lot CPU for that. If we get it working on your computer, there is a way to lower the frame rate and get lower CPU utilization if that is what you want.

Looks like the trial time is 0 seconds?
Now it expires the second the helicopter appears.
I can change it to an airplane and I can tell that I figured
out on my own how to get all the control surfaces going the
right way, and the plane throttles up, but won't move.
I wonder if it would fly and the screen would update now?
Who knows? Is that really a demo, if it expires by the time
you finally get it setup by trial and error on your own with no
help file? Shouldn't I be able to test fly it for a minute or 2 or 3?
The timer starts from when you first load the program, and
expires permanently by the time you get it setup, so it never
actually flies? It did once, for less than 1 minute, and never again.

It looks you got the program working after all. Even with trial period expired, you know:

1. The program is working on YOUR computer
2. You can measure the frame rate and make some decisions if your video card is good for today's sims
3. You know the controller is working with CV

I think that you can make informed decision now. This is the whole point - it is free for you to try. If you don't like CV, don't buy it. Do you go to a store and throw a tantrum just because YOU didn't like a particular item that no one ever forced you to buy?

Have a nice day!

Stefan

That file is too big to send on RCU, I guess.
I'll see if I can send it using a junk e-mail account like Yahoo
I won't give my actual email address.

No need to send me the file now when I know the program is working on your computer. I was trying to help and there is no need now.

Thanks,
Stefan

I sent the file to both addresses.
The one you said to send it to, with the word "support" misspelled like "supprot".
And, I sent a CC to "support" spelled correctly. One of them should work.
I thought you might have meant "support" but maybe you meant "supprot", not sure.

So how do I know it works? The airplane won't move.
You said I could measure the frame-rate.
How do I do that? The airplane does not move.
Is the flying realistic with a controller? How can I tell?
How can you tell? The airplane (not the helicopter) just
sits on the runway. How can I tell if I like CV if it never worked?
You said the whole point was to try it, but I used up all of my very few
seconds trying to get it to run? So, now, how do I know if I like it?
It looks very good, but I would want to know if the airplanes fly.

1. The program is working on YOUR computer
2. You can measure the frame rate and make some decisions if your video card is good for today's sims
3. You know the controller is working with CV

1. It is? Why doesn't the airplane move when I throttle up?
2. How?
3. How?

Thanks, I received the file (was indeed support on the e-mail). Everything is fine, you have the proper video driver and the program is working. The models are locked and not moving because the trial period have expired. I can't prolong expired trial period; If you want to check the program some more time and see all models and fields and features, you can purchase it. During the next 14 days, if you don't like ClearView for whatever reason, just e-mail me and you will get full refund. I will ask you to de-activate the program and send me the de-activation key and then proceed with the refund.


Thanks,
Stefan

I just want to add to this...I was giving you suggestions..there was NO NEED to attack my post..as I was only trying to help you out....BTW 100% cpu usage is normal for me...as when I took that screenshot....I had CV, 3 instances of IE running on web pages...as well as a video capture program running. anti-virus,antispyware ect......Now since you seem to be such a great expert at everything...Fix it Yourself!!!

Ken

Who "attacked" you. Me? Where?
Sorry, I don't see it above.

I also don't understand how I used up my demo time.
Was the clock counting down while I left the program running
while trying to get the controller working? When I first started
the SW and was attempting a quick look using the keyboard,
was the program countdown clock running while the screen was
updating once every 10 seconds? How about in the future, the timer
runs something like once per session for 1 minute or maybe once
per day for 2-3 minutes. Something like that would be more realistic.
I can't possibly believe that I am the first person ever to have the program
not work fast and be perfectly controlled the very first time they ever turned
it on. I finally got the plane to leave the ground for about 40 seconds, but the
aileron and elevator were both reversed. I allowed the plane to crash quickly
so I could go into the setup and switch those 2 controls. That was the end
of the demo. Still not sure it works.

Sorry. It looks like it has a nice picture on the screen, but that's it. If the
planes flew realistically for $30, that would be quite a bargain. I realize
it is only $30, and you claim it to be refundable.

Is the flying in ClearView more realistic than FMS?

Yes, it is.

hmm... i can play the trial for good five minutes before it ends

The trial time currently is set to 40 minutes. The time is not counted when in Controller setup screen, but is running when CV is up, flying or not. So if you leave the program running and go check something on the web, the trial time may expire rather quickly.