FSX on a modern laptop

For family-use we had to buy a new portable computer, a good one with a 17" screen. So I decided to spend some extra money to allow this portable computer to also run FSX. Which in turn allows me to bring my Simulator to FlightSim gatherings.
The problem with laptops is that you cannot put together a computer with individual parts best suited to FSX. You have to buy a ready made model.
So I bought an:     MSI GE70 OND-268BE Azerty

My choice was based on the following:
-processor: quad core i7  with a high clock speed
-a recent nVidea graphic card with 2 Gb memory
-a computer designed for gaming
-8 Gb RAM
-17" screen
-USB 3.0

My first concern was by all means the processor. The portable computers come with relatively low speed processors to allow the computers more available time on the battery, when not connected. High processor speed means high energy consumption.
In fact the new Intel processor, 4702MQ,  has a clock speed of  2.2 GHz, the older 3630QM 2.4 GHz.
With the gaming type computer the processors can use a turbo to reach  2.2 GHz and 2.4 GHz respectively. So I decided I wanted the older model, yielding 0.2 GHz extra speed.
I definitely wanted a quadcore. With some changes to the FSX.cfg file the workload can be spread over the remaining 3 cores, while the OS runs on the 0 core.

The regular laptops do not come with a good graphic card. All forums on FSX-performance agree that the nVidea card is best suited for FSX, from GeoForce 650  and above is considered more than adequate for running FSX/Prepar3D well.
The nVidea GeoForce GTX 660M is not the latest model but is a very good FSX performer. The version for a portable computer comes with an outlet for a VGA screen and another one for  HDMI.

Then looking at "gaming" computers I came across the  MSI GE70 OND-268BE Azerty:
-screen: 17.3 inch diagonal, pixels 1920 * 1080, anti-glare, full HD
-processor: Intel i7 quad Core, 3630QM, 2.4 GHz, turbo frequency 3.4 GHz
-RAM: 8 Gb, SO-DDR3 1600
-video card: nVidea GeoForce GTX 660M, 2048 Mb mem, HDMI, VGA
-other: 3 USB , USB 2 and 3, blue ray player

I purchased this computer at CoolBlue in Antwerpen, normal price  1249 Euro but probably because of the older model processor there was a 12% discount. Final price: 1099 Euro.
link:
http://www.laptopshop.be/category/56498/laptops.html?prijs=0-1210&6517=18540&821=9286

This computer comes with Windows 8!!
How FSX behaves in Windows 8 is a separate issue and commented elsewhere on this blog.

Results:
I installed FSX and then SP1 and SP2, then global mesh and Ultimate Terrain for Europe and the USA, then for testing purposes the Aerosoft scenery for Madeira LPMA) and Lisbon (LPPT) and the freeware scenery from David Maldonado for Venezuela's Santa Margarita airport (SVMG).
I started with the airport EGFA in Wales (I spent a week out there a month ago!).
The FSX display-settings were taken from Kosta's site:
http://kostasfsworld.wordpress.com/fsx-software-and-hardware-guide/

Framerate fixed at 30 fps, and the scenery with sliders pretty much all to the right (see the Kosta site for details).Also a used the settings for the FSX.cfg suggested by Kosta, notably the additional line to spread the processor work and the line that puts more load on the strong GPU.
When I took off from EGFA in a scenery full of autogen and traffic on the roads and nice cliffs by the seaside I was surprised to see that the framerate counter stayed on 30.1 all the time, even when looking around fast with the hatswitch, or when making a fast turn or coming close to the surface. Flawless on a simple airport.
Then Madeira, the Aerosoft version. This is a very well made scenery. With emphasis on framerates!
The counter remained at the 30 level, sometimes with some hesitation. The complex scenery doesnot affect the FPS. There were only few AI planes though.

Then Aerosoft's Lisbon airport. Her there is a lot of AI traffic and a nearby large city. The FPS dropped to about 20 when all the AI planes were in view, but when turning away from the airport the FPS mounts to the mid twenties. I took the Learjet for a a faster landing and there was no stuttering in the scenery, even with all the AI traffic
Again, FSX runs perfectly well on this portable computer when flying into a large airport with AI traffic.
Then a freeware airport: SVMG made by the Venezuelan scenery maker David Maldonado. This is a beautiful airport, with a lot of details, and it is free!!!!
This airport showed framerates in the mid twenties, no stuttering whatsoever when manoevering.

Conclusion: it is perfectly possible to use FSX on a portable computer. It is necessary, however, to choose the right processor and graphic card and to make adjustments to the FSX.cfg

A recent to trip to Wales (June 2013)

A trip to Wales

Because of bad weather in Spain we decided to go to Wales in stead, the weather forecast being favorable and maps with cycle-routes already purchased last year.

We take the customary route: in less than 3 hours we arrive in Calais, P&O ferry to Dover, and then more boring motorways to circumvent London.  We detest the motorway service restaurants so at midday we leave the M4 to have lunch at a real English pub near Swindon.

Another 3 hours takes us to Aberporth near Cardigan on the Welsh coast of the Irish Sea where we rented a cottage for a week. We are welcomed by the Welsh speaking owners, the cottage is perfect and includes a private terrace with a distant view of the sea. We want to stretch our legs and take our bikes down to the beach at Aberporth village some 3k m away. We immediately know what we are in for on our biking tour when we have to climb back 140 m to get  to the cottage.  

I had prepared Ordinance Survey maps from the internet, so next morning, after our self-catered breakfast, we set off on our bikes heading for Cardigan along country roads.

At Gywbert we drop down to the sea, a country lane lined with blooming, yellow gorse. An exhilarating ride!!

On country roads in the UK there is a rule: what goes down has to go up again. So, before reaching Cardigan we climb back up the hill, only to descend to the old bridge

 The roads are narrow but with very little traffic and the verges  full with flowers, all is green. A paradise for cyclists. 

                         We always picnic somewhere suitable at lunchtime

                                                                                                   

On the second day we take the bikes in the car to a site where we pick up parts of an old railway track and follow the track to Aberystwyth on the coast. 

The going is not so easy, some parts of the track are blocked, we drop 90 m and have to climb back pushing the bikes over steep footpaths, but there is no traffic, flowers everywhere and fresh forest air. Very pleasant cycling.

 
We have a look at the seaside of Aberystwyth, a pebble beach and follow River Ystwyth back to where we left the car. Using the same route, including the many up's and down's. The exercise is worthwhile. We have a healthy appetite in the evenings, having diner in local restaurants: there is some good fish around!

We take a day off, lunching at Gwbert's Flat Rock restaurant at the sea front: fish of course! Then find a lonely spot near the cliff's where we can play our bagpipes.

But being near the coast we really want to do some cliff walking on the Pembroke shire Coast path. In fact we spend two days on the Coast Path, a total of 15 hours, with blue skies, a fresh sea breeze, the continual sound of the waves on the rocks, the call's of the sea birds and the scent of the blooming gorse. It is like a dream, a never ending dream, because there is always the next cliff to climb or another narrow path between the gorse and all around blue-bells, again and again......

But the path is not without danger, you can't afford to dream, the path is narrow and very often a shear drop of at least 50 m is only centimeters away, you have to stay alert.

But the dream does not last, we reach the end of one section and need to return, at least  3 hours.

We look across at Pen Dinas, another section of the coast Path that we walked back in 1997.

This was a return visit and we need to return again, health permitting of course.

                                                                  I made a video of the Coast Path walk: 

                               (click on image to see a video)

                                                                    I made a video of the bicycle trip:

                         (click on image to see a video)

Anyone interested in staying at the same cottage we rented for the week??

Y GAER Cottage, BLAENPORTH

LINK: http://westwalesholidaycottages.co.uk/y-gaer-cottage

A Video Of A DC3 Flight In Prepar3D

Prepar3D: DC3 flight in Canaima, SVCN, Venezuela

VIEW VIDEO ON

 YouTube:        http://youtu.be/-G73UWpHD9c

For this flight I used an FSX default DC3, exchanging the un-interesting sound file by an FS2004 freeware sound file (DC3deluxesounds.zip on avsim). 

The FSX-scenery is by David Maldonado, a Venezuelan scenery maker. The scenery can be found on avsim, svcn.zip, under FSX sceneries. He makes Venezuela worth visiting, there are many more sceneries by this author.

I used a panel which I designed myself, using the FS2004 SDK. The panel is designed to be used with multiple display-screens, the subpanels will pop up during the start-up procedures. 

What I have tried to make clear, is that all these applications work flawlessly in Prepar3D. Once P3D is installed, most of the applications used in FSX will also work in P3D. And many FS2004 items aswell.

The images may seem rather shakey at times, stuttering. This is mainly due to the use of video capturing programm. Without the video recorder the framerate is about  20 on my computer (an old graphic card: nVidea 9800). 

I also wanted to show the difference between PhotoReal scenery and FSX/P3D autogen scenery. There is definitely a feeling of reality with the real scenery. However, the aim of FSX/P3D is to have a plausible scenery, with a world filled with objects, trees, houses, traffic. Somehow, this world is more 3 dimensional, even though the mesh is the same.

At the end of the video I state very clearly, "I like P3D"

PR-TE 7

PR-TE 7

a signposted walk in the south of the province of Teruel,  Aragón,  Spain

Images of the entire route, 2006 and 2007

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR DETAIL TEXT

Saitek panels in Prepar3D

Toen ik de Multi_, Radio_ en Switch panels 3 jaar geleden kocht en ze trachtte te gebruiken in FSX funktioneerde het niet. Erger nog: op de Saitek support site kwam er geen hulp!
Er was toen een inventieve Italiaan,  -Massimo- , die een programma maakte dat SPAD heette en daarna werkte alles perfekt. Beter nog hij bracht zelfs bijkomende funkties aan, zoals QNH settings, 2 dme's, 2 NDB's en in latere versies zelfs een mogelijkheid om de magneto's voor twee motoren te gebruiken. Bij SPAD zijn ook de radio en multi panel niet aktief (geen lichtjes!) wanneer de avionics uitstaat.
Ik zal dus in FSX SPAD blijven gebruiken.  www.fstools.weebly.com

Bij het opstarten van P3D werkten geen van de panels, ook mijn Flight Instrument niet. Ik heb de forums bekeken en dit is wat men moet doen om de Saitek panels te laten werken in P3D:
1. Haal de driver Saitek_Pro_Flight_Panels_SD6_All_Software.exe op van de Saitek site:  www.saitek.com
2. Installeer deze op de komputer van de P3D. De istallatie plaatst een map in de Program Files (x86) directory.
3. Er wordt ook een exe.xml. file aangemaakt inC:\gebruikers\beheerder\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX.
4.Deze file heeft bij deze tekst:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="Launch" version="1,0">
<Descr>Launch</Descr>
<Filename>exe.xml</Filename>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>

<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Saitek DirectOutput RadioStack</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Path>C:\Program Files (x86)\Saitek\DirectOutput\SaiFlightSimX.exe</Path>
<CommandLine>-run</CommandLine>
</Launch.Addon>

<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Saitek Panel(s) Plugin for FSX</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Path>C:\Program Files (x86)\Saitek\Pro Flight Panels\SaiPanels.exe</Path>
<CommandLine>-run</CommandLine>
</Launch.Addon>

</SimBase.Document>
5.Haal deze file weg uit de FSX file en zoek in dezelfde Roaming directory naar Lockheed Martin, hierin vindt men de Prepar3D map. Plak de exe.xml in deze map, die zo ongeveer de tegenhanger is van de FSX map.
Toen ik Prepar3D weer opstartte werkte de panels.
Iets minder mogelijkheden dan SPAD, maar jet werkt!!