C182 Sound Problem - CFG Q

[macca49]

Hi A2A People. My C182 engine sounds don't work. I'm aware that some other users have had problems with engine sounds going missing from the C182 3D cockpit (and at least one other A2A aircraft), and have tried suggestions offered - e.g. checking the Volume setting via [Sh+3], but no go. As reported by some, the external engine sounds work. I have looked at the A2A C182 'Sound.cfg' file and, while I don't know what could be missing or corrupt, it looks sensible enough to me. Individual WAV engine sound clip files within the C182's 'Sound' folder play as expected through W10's media system. I can't think what could be wrong - but as mine is not a unique problem, it seems there must be some code structure quirk which causes this error on some systems at least. As far as I am aware, all other installed FSX aircraft are OK for sound, including my A2A J3 Cub.

For what it's worth, I did note that while the 'Sound.cfg' file for my (working) J3 Cub has 'Combustion' WAVs with designated 'Viewpoints' of both 1 & 2, my C182 'Sound.cfg' has only 'Viewpoint 2' entries. I think. Now, I was just wondering whether 'Viewpoint 1' entries relate in any way to the 3D cockpit, i.e., as a VC 'location' for the associated sound clip? Of course I ask this as pretty much a software engineering ignoramus. As the sound has worked before, I can't see how this CFG file could be corrupted or altered without deliberate editing, but .. I guess I'm clutching at technical straws. Oh - I did note that, although my J3 Cub sounds are fine, the 'Sh+3' volume slider for that aircraft has no effect.

I wonder about all this because I've checked all I could check (e.g sound defaults, volume setting with 'Sh+3', etc., with no joy. As my A2A Cub and all other aircraft (as far as I've checked - I have heaps) have normal sounds, and as I have no sound issues in general on this PC, I think it's some sort of coding / configuration / corruption issue only for the C182.

Do you have any suggestions? Are A2A's techs aware of anything on typical Win 10 / Intel i7 systems which could affect this? Is there a check list somewhere for the files to be expected in the 'Sound' folder, and a sample text copy of the C182's main .CFG file? Thanks for your attention to this, and for any advice you can offer.

macca49

[Al FR-153]

Very interesting. I ran into exactly the same issue about a week ago. I had not made any changes to my fleet of A2A birds, but suddenly, there was no engine sounds from the C-182T. Like you, I tried about everything I could think of. All other A2A birds worked fine, but not the 182. Finally, I resorted to backing up/renaming the current C-182 'aircraft.cfg' file, then a copying the data of all my current paint jobs over to an old version of the C-182 aircraft.cfg file that I had that was several months old. That didn't help, but put me on the path to the last and correcting step. With the old version of 'aircraft.cfg' loaded, I downloaded the latest update viewtopic.php?f=23&t=57819 dated 02/04/2019 (Feb 4, 2019) and ran it. It detected that my 182 was in need of an update and updated it. Bingo, I had my engine sounds back. Check your 'Microsoft Flight Simulator X\A2A\Cessna 182\BACKUP' directory for any old backups.

For info, I am running FSX-Gold on Windows 10-64 bit.

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

Have they ever worked ok for you?

When things stop working, its normally best to track down what has changed since they did work, as there will be the reason why something on your computer might suddenly stop working.

If its a new install have you ran the updater to make sure you are all updated?

Is your windows default sound device turned on (this is where the Accu-sim sounds will play) and is the common issue users have experienced, that you mentioned regarding sounds not showing after a sound device change etc.

thanks,
Lewis - A2A

[macca49]

HI and thanks, Al and Lewis! First of all, Al: I think I understand your approach re the backups, and certainly the updater, so when I get the chance I will look at those possibilities. So far I haven't changed anything and have made no CFG backups myself, but I'm not sure whether any auto-backups exist, to which I can revert like you. We'll see! By the way, also running FSX-Gold (Acceleration) and Win 10. Thanks for reading and reporting your findings!
And Lewis, thanks to you, too for looking at this puzzle. I did check the sound device settings and can find nothing astray, and there have been no hardware changes, new drivers etc. since the C182 was installed. Yest, the 182 was working initially, but I hadn't flown it for maybe a month or two before finding the VC engine sound to be missing. It's odd. The only thing that I can recall is that, unrelated to FSX or A2A in any way, I have on a few occasions plugged standard stereo headphones into the correct front panel audio output jack. The (Realtek) driver / software always recognises plugging the 'phones in or out correctly. I have had no issues with this or any sound issues at all, apart from the C182.
As I said originally, I have checked that the default sound device is active and OK, A2A panel Vol sliders, etc. (By the way, there is only one sound card on this system - Realtek's integrated sound on a Gigabyte MOBO.)
I won't be able to check Al's suggestions for a day or two, but will report if I learn anything.
Thanks again, both Al and Lewis!
Cheers from 'Down Under' - from a bit that hasn't yet been ashed.
macca49

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

can you please confirm how you are loading into the sim. Its worth noting that for troubleshooting its best to create a new flight each time to test with. Also worth noting you shouldnt be using the Accu-sim aircraft as a 'default' saved flight in the sim.

thanks,
Lewis - A2A

[macca49]

Hi Lewis, Al and any other interested readers. Okay, Lewis: I always create a fresh flight, and have tried both loading the default FSX C172 immediately before switching to a departure in my A2A aircraft, and loading the C182 direct. Neither my A2A C182, nor my J3 Cub has ever been saved in an FSX Default flight. Way back, I have possibly saved a C182 flight in progress - though if I did, I haven't kept it.
I have yet to try Al's fix, but I have discovered that there is an old CFG file (2014?) in the 'Backup' folder of the C182 installation. But - surprisingly to me - the relevant A2A installations for both the C182 and J3 Cub are within an A2A folder inside the FSX 'Aerosoft' folder. Of course the working aircraft files are in 'Sim Objects / Airplanes' as I would expect.
Thanks for your continuing attention to my problem, Lewis, Al, and anyone else thinking about it.
Cheers - Macca49, near YBCG in Aus.

[Lewis - A2A]

Okie dokie, next to try is to delete the .dat files. Are you ok to do this or do you want some guidance on this one, just let me know and I'll let you know how to.

The installation is wherever you pointed it too, though it should be noted that all A2A aircraft should be installed to the same location. So worth me asking if your A2A aircraft installations are all in the same place?

For P3dv4 the default is in my docs > P3dv4 addons folder.

Thanks,
Lewis

[macca49]

Hi again, Lewis, and thanks. Well, I'm perfectly content to delete / modify any DAT files or whatever's required, except that I need to know where they are - a quick look at my installation didn't reveal them. I'm a pretty experienced computer user, so I should be able to do whatever you suggest. By the way, I'm a bit surprised to learn that my installation of the A2A aircraft folders to within an Aerosoft folder must have been directed by me. I really can't remember anything about the installation process, but ordinarily I install 'by the book'. and I can't explain how I came to direct both the J3-Cub and C182 installations to an apparently unrelated folder. Then again, I am an old pensioner bloke now ...
Anyway, if you think there's any connection between the current install location and the sound problem, I'm quite happy to reinstall or whatever. Otherwise, let's have a crack at the DAT files you mentioned.
Okay, if and when convenient ...

Thanks, Lewis.
macca49

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello Macca,

the .dat files are in you my docs A2A folder, for example; \Documents\A2A\FSX\Cessna182

Which A2A Aircraft do you own and have installed?

Thanks,
Lewis - A2A

[macca49]

Hi Lewis - Good News! With assistance from you and Al, my C182 has regained its cockpit engine sounds, and I needn't bother you any more! I found the .DAT files OK, but held off changing anything. As I said, I had been very surprised to find the A2A folder not in the FSX root directory, but in the unrelated Aerosoft folder. I still couldn't believe that I'd knowingly installed my A2A planes therein; and guessing that the .DAT files pointed to sound instructions which they expected to find in the original install location, I decided to move the A2A folder back to the FSX root directory. Yup, problem gone!
Obviously at some earlier time I made a hasty and careless mouse move which dragged the A2A folder into the adjacent Aerosoft folder. Reversing that move seems to have restored normality!
I almost never drag files or folders, but use Cut / Copy / Paste etc. instead, so I'm sure this was an inadvertent relocation of the A2A folder. I'll watch for this error even more closely in future.
(I have two A2A planes at the moment - both the C182 and J3 Cub appear to be just fine after the folder restoration. I might be getting the Spitfire next - I'll triple check the installation!)

Perhaps you could add this to your standard list of things to check, for those poor folk who strike a similar problem hereafter. After all, it's pretty easy - but how many other geese like me would do that?

Thanks again to you, Lewis, and to Al, for steering me towards a solution. I do apologise for wasting your time.

Cheers, macca49
(Near YBCG, but in N.S.W at YMUR)

[Lewis - A2A]

haha great to hear and no worries, the stray mouse click and folder movement is a royal PITA in windows, and its one of my pet peeves that we don't get a 'are you sure you want to do this' box pop up just to confirm. Glad you are all sorted anyway, happy to help.

cheers and happy flying,
thanks,
Lewis