AirNav Systems Forum

AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: ChrisGR on June 22, 2008, 05:07:57 PM

Title: Time to renew subscription
Post by: ChrisGR on June 22, 2008, 05:07:57 PM
This is an open letter with my thoughts.
After a year using and playing with RB in a few days expires my subscription to RB network.
The big question is if it should be to I renew it or not.

I write a few things about overall RadarBox first.
First a few words for RB community and AirNav support.
It's perfect in all times. Always someone will stay here for any help.
Next thing is the hardware that is outstanding.

Small good constructed box and very easy carrying to anyone user who is need to travel with this.
Excellent receiver and easy connected to USB port.
Not any hardware problem except one major thing that is the software.
I run it 24/7 for a long time before, sharing my data to network with half of program functionality.

A good example is the bad database function in previous versions and this makes me curious for the next versions.
And when this new version it’s comes …….. again problems. 
From the first version to the latest 1.5 its still have a lot of problems and disappoint me.
I don’t know why this happens.

The only reason that stops me to use it any more is this software. 
I had written to this forum for software problems and imperfections, and the most of answers who I receive is about my computer hardware failure.
Is this not solution of course because with this computer I run most calculation and memory eater programs than the RB software.

Anyway because my budget is low for a new super duper PC for now, I decide to stop my subscription till to when some new clean, different, light, software released by AirNav software programming team, or win the Lotto and buy new PC :)
I read some folks here have no problems I think also how many has problems.

In a community with a few hundred users is strange a high number of them to have major or minor problems with this software.
I say to you my opinion again.
Are a very nice hobby and perhaps the Programming team maybe needs to paying more attention to software, perhaps redesigns to from the beginning if needs.
I will say when the new version comes out without these problems is my pleasure to join again and share 24/7 from my area.

Thank you for reading my bad English and regards
Chris
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 22, 2008, 05:21:35 PM
Firstly renewal subscription is still a few months away so you will have a bit more time to think about that.

Please remember that when customers have an issue they are about 10X more likely to search our website through and through to find a way to mention it. We still have hundreds of other customers who are perfectly happy (in fact we have users connected to the network for more than a week still using Version 1) who have never contacted us since or just contact us through support.

Having said that we do know some customers have experienced problems and we are beta testing and trying to find and fix issues on certain pcs. Remember each pc could have a number of different setups and it could be a conflicting software causing issues which we know nothing about.

If you feel disapointment please tell us what you want and we will see whether we can include it :)
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Allocator on June 22, 2008, 05:27:59 PM
Chris,

I think that you will find that it isn't time for your subscription to expire.  AirNav extended the period due to the software development process.  I'm sure that AirNav Will correct me, but I think that the 12 period started with the release of V1.4 or V1.5, so You've still got a bit of time yet.

As for me, I will be renewing my subscription as I can afford EUR 5 per month and I consider this a small price to pay for the Network Data function.  I stopped using my SBS-1 when I got my RadarBox - I only purchased the SBS-1 in June 06 because their network data (MapModeS) was promised at that time.  Two years on and the SBS-1 gathers dust because the Kinetic Network was never delivered!


All the best

Allocator
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 22, 2008, 05:31:53 PM
Just to clarify it was 1.2 which was released in September.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: ChrisGR on June 22, 2008, 05:50:23 PM
Thank you for your answer AirNav and Allocator

I know the 5 euro for subscription is nothing and I mean that.
The RB is marvelous and I mean that.
But I still have software problems and this is not good I think.
I have describe this problem in the past here and all suggestions from friends (you are for sure) and AirNav is not solves my problems.
The last one is to delete my Log and of course works fine for a couple of days and again when goes to 1000 entries stuck again.
Minimize maximize window, etc. 
I hope to the next version of RB solves all this.
Believe me I use the previous version in most of times for watching but as you know also have problems.
Agree about different programs on different PCs but why this not happen with   AirNav Live Flight Tracker 6 is a good example.
Any way thanks for you attention on this post.
I think again about as AirNav says -:)

Chris

PS I do not give a penny for SBS-1 (watch them only ones)
I don't like and never i thought to buy one.
Thats for info.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Allocator on June 22, 2008, 05:59:16 PM
I've got 11,425 entries in MyLog and still increasing every day :-)
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: waddington1 on June 22, 2008, 09:25:58 PM
Hi I have been using my Radar box for just under a week and I am still getting used to it.  I must admit I think it is an excellent product.  My only problem is as Chris says; the software on my system has started running very slow too.  It was running fast for the first few days but is keeps getting slower every day. 

I have started using a program called End It all before I start Airnav just to try and speed up the program.  I use Airnav on a laptop with a 1.6 gig processor and 512 meg of  ram.

Stuart
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 22, 2008, 09:30:30 PM
Make sure you are using version 1.5 which is on the support page for RadarBox on our site.

The new update will be out this summer and we hope it will correct the major issues.

Please remember there are a lot of functions built into RadarBox and if you don't have a fast computer you will need to turn some off.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: waddington1 on June 22, 2008, 09:45:07 PM
What an amazing response.  I thought long and hard about which system, Airnav or SBs-1.  One of the things that made me go for the Airnav was the support.

Many thanks

Stuart

Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Protzenalp on June 22, 2008, 10:30:21 PM
 I stopped using my SBS-1 when I got my RadarBox - I only purchased the SBS-1 in June 06 because their network data (MapModeS) was promised at that time.  Two years on and the SBS-1 gathers dust because the Kinetic Network was never delivered!

Hi Allocator. If your SBS-1 is gathering dust in the attic, fancy flogging it to me?
You can send me a PM if you are interested.

Regards
Mike
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: tarbat on June 23, 2008, 08:17:27 AM
I'll probably renew at the end of my 12 months.  I'm hoping that Airnav will get v1.6 (or even v2.0) released by then, and so encourage more to renew their subs as well!!
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Allocator on June 23, 2008, 10:08:01 AM
 I stopped using my SBS-1 when I got my RadarBox - I only purchased the SBS-1 in June 06 because their network data (MapModeS) was promised at that time.  Two years on and the SBS-1 gathers dust because the Kinetic Network was never delivered!

Hi Allocator. If your SBS-1 is gathering dust in the attic, fancy flogging it to me?
You can send me a PM if you are interested.

Regards
Mike

Mike,

I tend to keep most of my old kit as you never know when it might come in useful.  Also I "butchered" my SBS-1 to fit the internal Ethernet module (this was how Kinetic described the modification - now they are about to launch an Ethernet conversion of their own!)

I still live in hope - after 2 years - that Kinetic may finally launch their network service.  Very unlikely, but you never know.  I also fire up the SBS-1 whenever Kinetic issue a software upgrade - very rare these days though - just to compare the performance with RadarBox.

However, RadarBox is still head and shoulders above the SBS-1 and the BaseStation software, and RadarBox is still being developed rather than stagnating.  The SBS-1 does a very good job at the moment, blocking the hole that the cat uses to get behind the printer, so it still has its uses :-)

Allocator
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: steveb25 on June 23, 2008, 10:43:34 AM
Things people will do with a SBS-1 :-)
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: JimK on June 23, 2008, 11:13:51 AM
I've been having big issues witht he software and my laptop just running like a dog. I've just put another 2gig of memory in it which means it's now got 4 gig.

And hey presto sweetness and light.

Jim
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: steveb25 on June 23, 2008, 11:41:15 AM
Jim

Are you running other things at the same time.?

It seems a huge amount of memory to run RB software
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Allocator on June 23, 2008, 12:05:38 PM
My Laptop runs RadarBox fine with 1Gb of RAM.

It's a Gateway MX6640b with an Intel Pentium 1.8 Ghz processor.  I can't remember when I bought it, but it's at least 2 years old now.


Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Roadrunner on June 23, 2008, 12:08:50 PM
My PC is 1.60Ghz with IGb of RAM and I have no problems. The machine spec, as defined in the manual at page 6 is Microsoft Windows, a PC with 400 Mhz processor (higher preferred) 128 Mb RAM and at least 50Mb hard drive space and a USB connection.  However, I have seen elsewhere reference to a processor of 2.0GB minimum being required so perhaps the requirements need to be set out again.

Regards
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 23, 2008, 01:19:35 PM
You can use it a 400mhz, but you will need to turn off some features and depends on the message load.

If you have a max 10 aircraft then thats fine but if your handling 100+ aircraft you will need a faster computer.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: steveb25 on June 23, 2008, 01:22:19 PM
Very much as I thought, my laptop is 1.7Ghz with 758Mb of RAM, and that runs fine.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Roadrunner on June 23, 2008, 03:35:13 PM
You can use it a 400mhz, but you will need to turn off some features and depends on the message load.

If you have a max 10 aircraft then thats fine but if your handling 100+ aircraft you will need a faster computer.

AirNav would it not be better to quote what is needed to achieve the sort of aircraft levels one gets if everything is turned on. Who wants to buy one and then find it will only work properly when there are not many aircraft about - just a point :-) :-)
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 23, 2008, 03:44:06 PM
We could spend years getting that exactly right :)

As all software companies do we just right Minimum Spec being 400mhz but Recommended should be 2Ghz etc.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: jasper37 on June 23, 2008, 04:13:30 PM
I love the Radar box.........but as mentioned here  great pity there are still lots of problems with the software......hopefuly many will be sorted in the next version and future versions. Can support plz advise when we can expect to see the next version?
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: Allocator on June 23, 2008, 06:18:36 PM
I love the Radar box.........but as mentioned here  great pity there are still lots of problems with the software......hopefuly many will be sorted in the next version and future versions. Can support plz advise when we can expect to see the next version?

Jasper,

I disagree that there are lots of problems with the software - there are certainly one or two bits that could be tided up, but then that's the case with most programs.

Maybe it would be better to say that you are having lots of problems?  What sort of problems are you having, maybe the other users here could help you?

Allocator
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 23, 2008, 06:45:34 PM
These are known major (bugs) issues:

- RadarBox crashes under certain conditions (rare)
- Minimizing causing issues on some computers
- Freezing when deselecting from full screen on some machines

There are few other minor bugs. But nothing totally serious as jasper says.

Maybe you guys are getting confused with new requests for features etc. which is totally different.

PS. If you found a bug and its no under the major list above don't worry it will be dealt with.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: steveb25 on June 24, 2008, 12:02:01 PM
Thanks for that support.

It is always useful to have a yard stick so we can compare what you have as bugs and what users have. I agree with your list.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: ChrisGR on June 24, 2008, 06:04:24 PM
steveb25

AirNav products is not for use by themselves constructors.
In to the battle field with buyers vs constructors who is the winer you think?
Or who has the right to say what device is working wrong or works flawless?
-:)

Chris
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: tarbat on June 25, 2008, 07:52:10 AM
These are known major (bugs) issues:

- RadarBox crashes under certain conditions (rare)
- Minimizing causing issues on some computers
- Freezing when deselecting from full screen on some machines

What about the freezing when coming out of standby?  Reported all the way back in March during the v1.5 beta testing.  For me at least, that's the biggest bug that needs fixing.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: AirNav Support on June 25, 2008, 08:19:19 AM
Don't have that listed, we will take a look, probally not best to put it in standby as that will stop any software running and probally power down the RadarBox.
Title: Re: Time to renew subscription
Post by: RodBearden on June 25, 2008, 09:31:05 PM
Just want to add my twopence-worth.

I just love RB and its network. Nothing's perfect, but - hey - it's revolutionary stuff and it's only been going a year!

I think 5 Euros a month is good value - I'll be signing up when the time comes - but I'm still looking forward to the bug fixes and software upgrades :-)

Rod