COMMENTS: Announcing AirNav RadarBox 3D

[AirNav Development]

On side note and writing to our users as usual work never stops at AirNav Systems.
As per the press release (link below) we want AirNav RadarBox to grow and we will always continue to put all our efforts on the development of new features.

Link to the Press Release:
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=3332

Hope you liked the good news and let's wit for November!
Again, below the amazing Screen Shots of AirNav RadarBox 3D.

Live South UK 3D Flight Tracking by AirNav RadarBox 3D:



British Airways Boeing 747-400 realistic model flying over the UK:



3D Approach and Landing:



3D Approach Paths:

[73TORANA!]

Well done can't wait, will It be offered as a free software upgrade or will It be a new program avalible for purchase as an up grade to older units?

Geoff.

[pjm]

This is exciting news :)

Is the ACARS interface integrated with the Radarbox hardware/software, or do we still need to run audio cables to the sound card and run separate programs to decode the ACARS data?

[AirNav Development]

We are still making decisions regarding on how RadarBox 3D will be offered: free or with a very small upgrade fee. This will be announced in early Nov only. Our focus is now just on development.

Regarding ACARS: it will work exactly like with with RadarBox current versions.

Keep your suggestions coming as the software is still being developed.

[GlynH]

Well that certainly looks impressive...well done AirNav!

Why no large screenshots?

Here's hoping it will run properly without issue on my PC unlike the current version...or else it may have to be new PC time...

Apart from the 3D views are there any other changes such as we have been requesting for over a year now?

You really need to be careful when announcing a firm release date...I mean you are referring to November 2009 aren't you? ;^)

<ducking>

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

[Deadcalm]

Just a bit confused at the moment - is this in addition to the long awaited version 3.whatever-the-latest-is, or instead of it?  Will it further delay the upgrade you've been working on for so long, or will that disappear completely?

Whilst I'm all in favour of development, it seems that "new" versions seem to crop up before all the problems have been sorted out with the old one, so can you clarify, please.

As Glyn says, if it works faultlessly on everyone's machine, then that's good news.

DC

[itestoo]

Question : always five minutes delay for sharing data ?
Regard's
Laurent

[GlynH]

Hi DC,

Yes I would say in addition to the long awaited v3.x and no it should not delay the planned upgrade...although to divert resources away from v3.x for the 3D look by necessity would have impacted the amount of man hours put into v3.x

Like you I am all in favour of development which will always attract 'new blood' but I can't help but feel that the existing version (which has basically been the same for the last 12 months) should have progressed much further with bug-fixes and basic enhancements before incorporating 3D graphics...nice though that is to see.

Fix the existing version first and then charge for the 3D option maybe? I realise AN are caught between a rock and a hard place...

Do you still suffer the slow/hanging menu issues Chris?

Maybe drop me an email when you get a minute...it would be good to hear from you again.

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

[tarbat]

I do wonder whether my PC will be able to cope with moving 3D models of aircraft around a 3D airspace.  I suspect I'll play with the 3D map, and then revert to traditional 2D ;)  I've used a 3D view before (Planeplotter feeding into Google Earth), and found it fun but not that useful.

But I do realise that Airnav have to compete.  With Basestation 2 rumoured to have a 3d-map, cockpit view, weather overlay, etc. I guess they had to respond by moving into the 3D space.  I personally would rather development effort was put into more features (Airnav have my list!!), rather than eye-candy.  Just my personal view.

My advice - keep the aircraft icons small, and de-clutter any large text that Google Earth throws up.

[pjm]

is this in addition to the long awaited version 3.whatever-the-latest-is, or instead of it?  Will it further delay the upgrade you've been working on for so long, or will that disappear completely?

It looks very much like an upgrade to the radar display of the existing radarbox software, so I'd say there will be no impact on release dates.

I'd imagine (and hope) that the standard display is still available as an option.

[pjm]

I do wonder whether my PC will be able to cope with moving 3D models of aircraft around a 3D airspace.  I suspect I'll play with the 3D map, and then revert to traditional 2D ;)

Is the display going to be moving any more than the existing display does? Looks more like a spectacular backdrop with the flight displays enhanced.

I suspect I may go back to the 2D version as well once the novelty wears off :)

[EMA]

I personally would rather development effort was put into more features (Airnav have my list!!), rather than eye-candy.  Just my personal view.

I would also prefer to see a more functional system with extra features than system hogging graphics but I do see that it looks good to the eye.

[AirNav Support]

An answer to some of the questions above:

-  this in addition to the long awaited version 3.whatever-the-latest-is, or instead of it?

It is an addition, and no it hasn't affected version 3. The developers working on this version were not or have been invovled in version 3.

- always five minutes delay for sharing data ?

Yes delayed data, there are many posts and a stick post about why this is the case. I suggest reading those if you want background into why.

- Apart from the 3D views are there any other changes such as we have been requesting for over a year now?

It will have any changes that version 3 has. Since Version 1 we have added dozens of requests and will continue to do so. Though please remember each request goes through a price, time, popularity test first.

Hope that makes sense.

[vonsmalhausen]

looks verry nice to me, and i shurely would try it out even with a upgrade fee, but i fear ill be back to normal 2D vieuw pretty soon ; it just does not look practical to watch bussy parts around airports to me, but as i said, i'll try it out :-)
i'd rather prefere functions like going directly to a flight on the screen or list by clicking on the alert pop-up, or second screen capability on the software as it is now, than a nice looking 3D interface ( that will be of no use in a aircraft rich enviroment i.m.o., anyway, not from what i can see from the screenshots )
..... and then there is the question if all this fancy 3D will run on my laptop/P.C.

[DaveReid]

If it's not a silly question, why don't professional ATC systems have 3D displays, or do they ?