Simulator for Beginner

[winc0029]

Hello All,

I admit I was lazy and didn't search the forum very much. What is a good simulator for a beginner?

Thanks,

Lloyd

[daybyter]

You should mention at least, what kind of models you want to fly. Helis? F3a? F3b?

For helis, heli-x.net should be a good start. For f3b look at CRRCsim.

[bullwinkle9]

Clearview

[Malc C]

Lazy... Uhmmmm !

If you use the search function, or spend some tim ebrowsing, you will find a post with links to a comparason site - all the info is contained there.

However as you seem too lazy to search, or browse:

FMS - free, plenty of options for control (keyboard / tx etc) - good for basic stick orientation - naff physics

Clearview - $40 - good graphics, good physics, requires no dedicated hardware

AFPD, XTR, G4 and Phoenix - all good sims, dedicated hardware comes with them, excellent physics, and graphics - costs £80 - £200

[Mike66]

AFPD, XTR, G4 and Phoenix - all good sims, dedicated hardware comes with them, excellent physics, and graphics - costs £80 - £200

You forgot HeliSim, another free simulator.

I will also add that the high-end simulators could have specific computing power requirements. I recently purchased PheonixRC for my two year old PC and it would not run correctly using the built-in graphics chipset. It works great in reduced graphics mode, but this gave me the reason to upgrade to a dedicated 1GB video card :)

I never got Heli-X to work, likely for the same resource problems, but HeliSim worked without a problem. I could use any Microsoft controller or the Esky controller with my HBFP or HBK2.

[flyx]

If you're too lazy to Brows...ain't nothing like FMS to get
you kick started. :D

It's hit and miss and right off the bat...it's gonna miss if your
PC only has USB ports.
If you have Vista...it needs a .dll file..which you can get anywhere.lol
If you have Vista and Nvidia..you'll get a nice flash rate.lol

Anyway, you can get RCplane master demo and plug a gamepad
into it.

CRrcsim is also FREE.
Heck...you can replace .wav sounds in any sims :D
Or mess with the sound frequenzy settings.
I have nice 4 stroke engines sounds in my FMS.lol
Heck...since I was messing with those folders...I decide to
Change the color scheme using any kind of art software.

Or for beginner, beginners. You can download the G4 DEMO for FREE
and use the keyboard for control the trainer.

If you can master the heli using a keyboard...you'll almost be a certified
r/c pilot :p

Heli-x is cool...you have to atleast assign the idle up 1 to the keyboard
for the engine to fire up.lol It runs on JAVA just like Clearview.

If you do enough reserch like me...You'll know how to make Clearview's
heli fly in Heli-x...BLENDER. Lot's of reserch and practice to use BLENDER
thou. You can also convert FMS models to fly in Clearview.
There's a .MQO import/export for Blender availiable for download...reserch.lol
Blender comes with AC3D export.
The .X files import for Blender are Hit and Miss. I got some FMS models
to fly in Heli-x. It's insane..but I did it..just to see if I could.lol
Heli-x use .wave front/.obj types files.

However, sometimes the "CONTROLLER" folder is empty.
It was a good thing I had both version.lol (java/non-java)
Maybe you can E-mail Michael S to send you a copy of whats
suppost to be in those folder. He helped me.

Anyway...You can also use BLENDER to make models for REALFLIGHT.
It just needs a KEX convertor..but you can get that from the
KnifeEdge forum.
GIMP is a cool art software. You can change or create your own CS
for RF..or FMS,Clearview, Aerofly...etc :D

I used FMS as a training tool for basic PC game designed comprehension.

[Malc C]

It works great in reduced graphics mode, but this gave me the reason to upgrade to a dedicated 1GB video card :)

LOL - any excuse :)

However there lies the problem, most sims (and probably othre apps for that matter) work best when using a normal dedicated graphics card rather than an embedded chipset that uses shared memory.

I use AFPD, running on a 4 year old AMD Athlon 2800+ 2.2 GHz PC with 1.5 MB PC3200 RAM and a cheap ATI 9250 128 MB card on a 19" widescreen monitor (1440 x 900 res) and still get 70 - 120 fps so you don't need to have an all singing all dancing top of the range PC to run the top end sims. However some (G3 / G4 ) seem more power hungry than others.

[Mike66]

LOL - any excuse :)

However there lies the problem, most sims (and probably othre apps for that matter) work best when using a normal dedicated graphics card rather than an embedded chipset that uses shared memory.

I use AFPD, running on a 4 year old AMD Athlon 2800+ 2.2 GHz PC with 1.5 MB PC3200 RAM and a cheap ATI 9250 128 MB card on a 19" widescreen monitor (1440 x 900 res) and still get 70 - 120 fps so you don't need to have an all singing all dancing top of the range PC to run the top end sims. However some (G3 / G4 ) seem more power hungry than others.
As luck would have it, my GeForce graphics card and extra RAM arrived today. I installed them and PhoenixRC screams! Now I crash in spectacular detail in a full-screen window.

I noticed that with HeliSim, I was hovering the 450-sized model fairly well after a few hours. I could even make it go and stay where I wanted it to on the practice pad. With PhoenixRC, I think I am learning to walk all over again :(

[winc0029]

I'll be flying planes. A foam trainer at first, yet to be purchased, and then hopefully some Guillows conversions.

[buds302]

i need a little help here as well. im going to try some of those free sims... but i have an Eflite blade transmitter. it has a trainer plug in the back... but how would i hook it to the computer to use it?

[flyx]

http://www.geocities.com/shaul_ei/SmartPropoPlus.html

I'm not familar with your TX.

But you bascailly run a line from the trainer jack to the PC.
The term use is Dongle. Most dongle will plug into the USB port.
Different TX brand will have different types of trainer jacks.

SmartPro goes through the MIC jack using a MONO jack.
You need the correct software/driver for your TX.
There's different files you can

Some people mistake Esky for FMS. Esky is just TX and software/driver.

You can also use a walmart Playstation type Gamepad.

[Malc C]

but i have an Eflite blade transmitter. it has a trainer plug in the back... but how would i hook it to the computer to use it?

Its been well documented here befor, but hopefully the following will help:

The "standard" or "accepted" protocol for the signals from a trainer port (or DSC - direct servo control port ) is a train of pulses for each channel, plus a sync pulse, all or which is repeated every 20ms, something like this
http://www.micro-heli.co.uk/scope.jpg

Each of the pulses last between 1ms and 2ms. 1ms is normally taken as low stick, 2ms as full stick and 1.5ms as centre stick. Using this "standard" its quite easy to develope interfaces using microcontrollers to convert this stream of pulses into values that the software converts to make the model in the sim behave like the real thing (go up, down, left right, roll etc). The other method uses a soundcard to read the frequency of the pulses and create a virtual joystick on the PC. Both systems work and both have advantages and dis-advantages.

When most of the hardware / software interfaces were developed there was generally two "versions" of PPm, Futaba, and JR. The both followed the same pulse width etc, but one uses negative going pulses, other is positive. However with so many of these RTF helicopters and planks coming out of the far east, they often don't follow the "standard" and so whilst they may send a stream of PPM signals from the port, it may not be recognised by the hardware that you may of purchased or that came with the sim. The other problem that is often found with some of the collective pitched helies, is that the CCPM mixing for the swashplate is fixed in the transmitter, and thus when hooked up to a sim, all the mappings for each channel are scrambled.

So you see, its very hard to answer your question - unless someone else has already found the answer, or a work around has been developed. If you want a cheap option try the soundcard method, or if you want to use a decent USB interface then I would suggest the one offered by Milehigh Wings as being the best option. Yes it may cost a few more $$ but it has by far the most flexibility and options than any other USB interface on the market. This is assuming you want to use FMS, Clearview or the any of the other free sims. IF you opt for any of the top end sims then you are stuck with the dedicated interfaces which might not read the PPm signals, and as they provide the copy protection as well, there is not alot you can do, unless you buy another interfaces like the Milehigh Wings one and use it as a secondy controller.

[my_anton]

G4 hands down. You get what you pay for.

Anton

[jim_ag3y]

The beauty of G4 is that you have at least two models of basic .40 size high wing Clark Y airfoil trainers to pick from, and if you include the electric models and their variations, the number quickly increases to around 5 ( IIRC )

The simulations are almost dead accurate, and you can go from not knowing which gimbal does what, to being proficient enough to fly your first airplane the first day you take it to the field!

There are even instructional programs built into the software, and you can refine your technique during off season or times when you just cannot get to the field.

Highly recommended by this satisfied user!