AirNav Systems Forum

AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: tarbat on March 01, 2008, 10:17:09 AM

Title: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on March 01, 2008, 10:17:09 AM
My ISP has an 8GB monthly download limit.

I've noted that when I turn ON network traffic in ANRB, usage for ANRB.exe averages around 220,000B/min (in Windows performance monitor), which works out at just under 9GB per month, if I left it running all the time.

So, a suggestion/request.  Could we have the option to only download network aircraft that are within a "user defined" distance of their home location.  Planeplotter works like this, only downloading aircraft that are visible on the current map.

Your server software would need to be changed to handle a request from each user that included their location (lat/long) and the range.  You would probably then see a decreased bandwidth requirement on your servers as well.

You could put the option in preference:
(http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5307/pphn9.gif)
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Roadrunner on March 01, 2008, 11:12:16 AM
Sounds like a sensible idea.  I often wonder what is happening when I get told the network is sharing 600+ aircraft ! I can only see on the current screen those in a 100 mile radius and most of the time that is all I want. I would still like to occasionally watch, for example, the comings and goings at Los Angeles,, without it being too difficult to set up - Just changing the map picture and letting the servers sort out the area I am looking at and only download whats relevant would be great.

Mike
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: AirNav Support on March 01, 2008, 01:41:04 PM
Interesting suggestion, of course you could just turn of the network when your not watching it :) (yes I know you mentioned a earlier issue you had about it turning it off and on)

It will be noted for future versions.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on March 01, 2008, 02:38:34 PM
Another advantage would be that instead of having a list of 700 network aircraft, you could have a much shorter list of just the aircraft that are on the map.  Or maybe a filter for the network list for Range < xxx.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Roadrunner on March 01, 2008, 03:19:19 PM
AirNav,  Using your arguement - just switching off the internet , another alternative also exists - the watch aircraft "over" and select England, but that would not be much good if you happen to live on the coast and want warning of aircraft coming in across the water. Tarbats idea of picking up the area covered by the current maps watch area is a much more effective possibility :-)
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on March 01, 2008, 04:00:00 PM
Yes, I've tried the watch aircraft over Scotland option, but that then doesn't pick up the aircraft over north England and the Atlantic.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Allocator on March 01, 2008, 04:52:06 PM
I don't think that it affects the network data download rate, but you can use Advanced | Range filter to filter out traffic beyond a certain range.

Edit: No, I'm sure that all this does is filter what you see, not what is downloaded from the network.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on March 01, 2008, 05:16:29 PM
Using the range filter only filters what appears on the map, not what appears on the aircraft list.  I really want something that would:

1. Reduce the amount of data being downloaded every 30secs, so I don't have to keep turning network flights on and off.

2. Reduce the number of aircraft on the Network aircraft list to just those that are on (or near) the map.  How do others deal with the large number (>700) of aircraft on the list?
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Roadrunner on March 01, 2008, 07:24:00 PM
How do others deal with the large number (>700) of aircraft on the list?

To be honest, I only look at the screen when using networking as the list is far tooooo big !.  Anyway, as stated I am only taking a general look at say Japan or Australia whereas I am looking at potential "eyeball" targets when using the local trafiic information so the list is very helpful alongside the screen

Mike
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: AirNav Development on March 01, 2008, 08:06:35 PM
We are reading all this and taking notes. :-)
As usual keep the suggestions coming. Very difficult to have this ready for V1.4 as it is almost out but copied for the next one.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 03, 2008, 03:42:29 PM
Any change that this will get implemented soon?

With the current levels of network activity (>1000 aircraft), my bandwidth allowance is really getting hit.  RB now averages around 420,000 B/min (in Windows performance monitor), which works out at around 18GB per month, if I left it running all the time.

And using the aircraft list has become so cumbersome.  Looking through a list of over 1,000 aircraft is impossible.

By contrast, I can leave Planeplotter running all the time, just downloading the aircraft wthin range of the displayed map, and only use 5,000 B/min.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Tallyho on August 03, 2008, 03:43:45 PM
I agree we should have some control over the data that is downloaded to our machines, especially as the download traffic is going to steadily increase. In addition to what has been suggested I believe we should be able filter the download information from the server in the same way we can on the display side of things (e.g. range, type, airline, commercial/GA,etc). Having that flexibility would be great, and going forward it may well affect the network subscription package that we can subscribe to. e.g. low level/high level/all, GA/Commercial, Europe/Middle East/Americas/Asia could be a lower costs mix than having global coverage for all traffic.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: AirNav Support on August 03, 2008, 04:17:00 PM
We did some tests today regarding some of our other products (Live Flight Data) which can download the network data. The data at the maximum amount of traffic today was 300kb per download (600kb per minute).

But this is data downloaded in readable and uncompressed format. RadarBox itself downloads in a compressed format (we won't go further explaining as of security reasons) But it is much less. Infact we zipped up the 600kb file and was less than 100k. We can make future versions better equipped with compressing further so that's not much of an issue.

Regarding the amount of data, there is the filter system when its downloaded so the only reason why you would want to go through all the list is if you want to see all the list in the first place (if that makes sense)

Regarding additional subscriptions which may make it even cheaper. Unlikely that we will go lower in the cost as its already decreased by a large amount and those changes as mentioned will require a lot of development and also extra strain on the server and will more likely mean higher rates if done.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 03, 2008, 05:41:18 PM
Regarding the amount of data, there is the filter system when its downloaded so the only reason why you would want to go through all the list is if you want to see all the list in the first place (if that makes sense)

So, what filter can I apply to the aircraft list to show all network aircraft within 300 miles of my home location?
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: AirNav Support on August 03, 2008, 05:45:40 PM
Hi Tarbat,

That is not possible and I think you know its no possible having been a long time user (only displaying those aircraft on the map we assume you mean) :)

Implementing a feature like that would nice in RB but then it would defeat the point of downloading all the data in the first place.

As Tallyho suggestions, they will be looked but they if they are put developed they will take a while to implement.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Allocator on August 03, 2008, 05:48:13 PM
Quick Filter in Network Tab

Dis (NM) < 000284.2

For some odd reason, you have to pick a maximum range from the drop-down list.  This doesn't filter the downloads as we already know, but it does reduce the number of aircraft in the list.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 03, 2008, 06:11:14 PM
I understood this was being developed for the version after v1.4, but obviously not :(

For me at least, the high volume of data makes the network facility useless for day-to-day use, and I always use Planeplotter instead.  Probably means I won't pay for the network access when my free period expires.  A great shame really.

If you were to at least provide a workable filter on RANGE for the aircraft list, then I would probably still use it.  The current DIST (NM) filter is useless since you can't filter on DIST < 300, for example.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 03, 2008, 06:17:32 PM
Allocator, I've tried that, but if I filter on <300.7 for example, I still get everything that's less than 3000nm as well.  If I put any zeros in front of the 300.7, then I get nothing in my aircraft list.

I reported this back during v1.4 beta testing, but I still can't get a filter on <300nm working.

The most useful filter I've found is Latitude >55, but that still gives me aircraft over Russia, Norway, etc.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Allocator on August 03, 2008, 06:33:04 PM
Allocator, I've tried that, but if I filter on <300.7 for example, I still get everything that's less than 3000nm as well.  If I put any zeros in front of the 300.7, then I get nothing in my aircraft list.

I reported this back during v1.4 beta testing, but I still can't get a filter on <300nm working.

tarbat, don't enter a figure in the range box, use the drop-down in the range box - this works fine for me.  If I type a figure in, it doesn't work, just as you say.

My list drops from 780 to 175 if I do it now.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2729220174_58579f7028.jpg)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2729220174_70cde3f745_o.jpg
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 03, 2008, 06:39:53 PM
Allocator, that's what I do.  I select 300.6 from the dropdown list, but I still get anything >1000 and <3000 as well.  Are you using the beta release or v1.5?

And how do you get leading zeros added to the drop-down list?

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/2729223768_c0540fb5c6.jpg)
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: Allocator on August 03, 2008, 06:42:27 PM
Allocator, that's what I do.  I select 300.6 from the dropdown list, but I still get anything >1000 and <3000 as well.  Are you using the beta release or v1.5?



I'm using a beta version at the moment.  Maybe its been fixed :-)
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 03, 2008, 06:43:55 PM
I'm using a beta as well.  The one released on 2nd July.  Maybe they've dropped me off the beta programme :(
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 05, 2008, 08:01:32 AM
Airnav support, can you confirm if the problem with filtering on DIST< is being fixed, or is there something different in the setup I have compared to Allocator who can filter on DIST<?
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: AirNav Support on August 05, 2008, 09:40:48 AM
It should be fixed, you are not off the beta list. The latest version has not been sent out yet.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: tarbat on August 05, 2008, 11:09:52 AM
Airnav Support - it doesn't appear to be fixed for me.  I don't get the leading zeros in the drop-down list.
Title: Re: Feature Request - limit network download
Post by: AirNav Support on August 05, 2008, 11:21:48 AM
Let me correct myself, it should be fixed in the latest version we are using :)