Feature Request - limit network download

[tarbat]

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:

[Roadrunner]

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

[AirNav Support]

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.

[tarbat]

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.

[Roadrunner]

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 :-)

[tarbat]

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.

[Allocator]

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.

[tarbat]

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?

[Roadrunner]

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

[AirNav Development]

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.

[tarbat]

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.

[Tallyho]

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.

[AirNav Support]

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.

[tarbat]

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?

[AirNav Support]

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.