SOUND FILES FOLDER?

[Tommy Engman]

I read the vPilot document. Apart from some things that seem obsolete/concerning earlier Win and vPilot versions, I search my computer for the folder where the sounds files should be stored. The folder indicated in the documentation can't be found. The only place where I have found sound files that seem to be linked to vPilot is in ths Sounds folder in the vPilot folder (vPilot\Sounds.

As i don't hear any sounds from vPilot apart from the NewMessage sound from ATC I need help. Currently there are 12 sound files in the Sounds folder, from Alert.wav to SelCal.wav. All of them are audible i the win Player, but not in vPilot.

Thankful for help.

[Ross Carlson]

You mentioned a folder indicated in the documentation. What folder are you referring to? I want to make sure the docs are not misleading.

You said that you hear the new message sound, but not others. What other sound(s) did you expect to hear but didn't?

[Tommy Engman]

Hi.
Concerning "some things that seem obsolete/concerning earlier Win and vPilot versions" I refer to the Audio Tab instructions. Concerning "folder" it is the "Tips and Tricks" on sound: "You can find the current location of the sounds here: %localappdata%\vPilot\Sounds Alert.wav is the file that is played when a new text message comes in. " That library doesn't exist on either of my harddrives. As mentioned I find the 12 sound files under the vPilot install folder: vPilot\Sounds.

Frankly I don't hear any of the sounds but for "NewMessage" when prompted to switch to a certain ATC. Or if the other sounds are too low/weak? As I don't hear them and there is no way of knowing which sound to expect (When is "RadioMessage" played? "Error"? "JoinChannel" should perhaps be when I change to a live ATC freq. but I hear nothing. Only calling ATC confirmes I am tuned in. "LeaveChannel" perhaps at switching from ATC to Unicom? What is "Broadcast" for?

Regards

[Robert Shearman Jr]

 

Ever since the VATSIM voice system was upgraded this past October, there's no longer an audible chirp when you tune your radio to or away from an active ATC frequency. Real aviation radios don't do that, so now ours don't either. When you tune to a new frequency, if you don't hear chatter going on, you just have to do the same thing you'd do in the real world -- press the push to talk and start talking, and cross your fingers that someone's listening on the other end.

Broadcast would be heard if a VATSIM official published a text broadcast to everyone connected to the network. I see one of those maybe once every ten or so flights.

RadioMessage is the burst of static that is played when a controller or pilot makes a transmission on your tuned frequency via text rather than voice. I'd be surprised if you weren't hearing that at all, but with most people using voice on VATSIM these days, it may be that you don't hear it much.

Error is just a light beep. You'll hear it if vPilot loses connection. Try typing .metar followed by a gibberish ICAO code and I think you'll hear it too, if you want to know what it sounds like.

Any others?

 

[Tommy Engman]

 

Oh thanks for that comprehensive explanation!

JoinChannel/LeaveChannel are perhaps the ones you didn't mention, but since there is no "comfirmation sound" when tuning in on and recieving on a frequency I suppose the channel sounds are for network/server channels? I see the term channels on TS2...

REgards,

 

[Ross Carlson]

Ahh, you were referring to the Tips and Tricks post here in the forums. When you said "documentation" I thought you meant the documentation on the vPilot web site.

The folder mentioned in the Tips and Tricks is the default installation of vPilot, but you have the option of changing the installation location. If you chose to install it somewhere other than in your local appdata folder, then that's where you'll find the sounds, which you said is the case. So everything seems to be installed correctly.

Here is the full list of sounds and what they are used for:

Alert - not used
Broadcast - for when a supervisor sends a broadcast text message to the entire network
Buzzer - no longer used
DirectRadioMessage - for when a controller sends a text message on the radio frequency and that message starts with your callsign (i.e. the message is directed to you specifically)
Error - for various error conditions
JoinChannel - no longer used
LeaveChannel - no longer used
LeaveJoinChannel - no longer used
NewMessage - for when a new private message conversation starts (i.e. for the first private message from a given sender)
PrivateMessage - for subsequent private messages
RadioMessage - played when any text message is send on the radio frequency and it is not directed to you specifically
SelCal - for when a controller sends you a SELCAL alert

[Tommy Engman]

Ross,
Thank you very much. May I suggest that the sounds no longer used are omitted in the install package, or that this is mentioned in the documentation?

All the best, and happy Easter (if perhaps not merry during the Corona circumstances),

Tommy

[Ross Carlson]

Just now, Tommy Engman 953135 said:

May I suggest that the sounds no longer used are omitted in the install package, or that this is mentioned in the documentation?

 

I already have that on the list for the next build. I haven't deleted them yet because I was waiting to see if they might be needed again, after giving AFV plenty of time to mature.