How to use headset and mic in flight sim

[lewblok 1]

I want to use the headset and mic in flight sim for a more realistic experience.  How do I get started and what do I need to get this working for me?

Thanks in advance

[allardjd 1,853]

Get a headset with a built in boom mic.  It will have two jacks, one for audio, one for the microphone.  Plug each into the appropriate jack on your PC.   Test both outside FS.  You may have to go to the audio panel in your OS software to turn on the microphone, adust levels, etc. but it should not be too difficult.

 

The difficult part is getting FS to pay attention to your voice.  I use a piece of $18 shareware, VAC (Voice Activated Commands).  It's a little technical to set up but mostly uses a very detailed menu system to associate keyboard macros with spoken commands.  Its ability to create very detailed and extensive keystroke sequences is pretty amazing.  For reverse thrust I say "Beta" and it presses the F-2 key 98 times, holding it for 10 milliseconds each time and pausing for 5 milliseconds between each keystroke.  I may not be remembering the numbers exactly right but you get some idea of what it's capable of.  You can save different "profiles", i.e. sets of commands for different aircraft or different situations and load whichever you want to use.

 

Although it can be used for keystrokes to operate the aircraft controls, e.g. "Gear Up",  "Flaps 10", etc. the main use for me is to use it to acknowledge the ATC menu from Radar Contact (or MS ATC - Ugh!).  I use "Transmit 7" as the spoken command to press the 7 key to acknowledge most ATC messages, but it could just as easily be triggered by any other phrase I choose, whether it makes any sense to the context or not.  It's very flexible.  

 

A word of warning, avoid short, one-syllable responses, as a cough or other spurious background noises can trigger a false response.

 

There are other ways to get at this but what I like about my solution is that it can be used for both ATC and for routine aircraft actions, and even to operate other pieces of software running in parallel, e.g. Radar Contact, AirHauler, Plan-G, etc. 

 

Others might have some other options for you too.

 

John

[lewblok 1]

Thanks for the response.  Will play around with it to see what happens.  Thanks again

[eland2705 16]

John,

I am running a 5:1 surround sound for the engine and airframe sounds. I would like to use my headset for ATC/VATSIM etc. but I don't want to loose the fantastic sound of the Merlin over the 5:1.

Is there any merit in installing a second sound card to the PC and setting FSX to use this card for ATC and the surround sound for the rest?

Regards

Steph

[allardjd 1,853]

Can't say I blame you for that.

Someone here might know, but I really don't. Not sure you even need to do that. I think my headset (no longer made) has a wye in the audio cable so you could use other devices as well. I THINK it is possible to have voice and cockpit sounds going to one device and environment sounds to another, but have never tried it.

Some of the folks here are pretty sharp. For most any topic that comes it it's usually possible to find someone lurking around here who's an expert on that particular facet.

How 'bout it Hangars-On - can anybody jump in here and offer some help?

John