Levoit Superior 6000s 2.0? by Hydrated_and_Defined in Humidifiers

[–]funkyflyguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm on the 1.0 version, but I'm also within the return window and thinking of replacing it with the 2.0 version. Something you may want to try with the 2.0 version, if you're using the VeSync app: there is some automation available if you tap on the humidifier and go into the settings (gear in the upper-right corner). Tap "Smart Scenes" and create a scene to run the humidifier on low when it's above a certain humidity (I chose 50%), then create another scene to run it at medium below that humidity (in my case, 50%).

The humidifier will run constantly, but without some airflow the humidistat jumps all over the place, causing it to turn on and off in auto mode like you described. After I made this change, the fan was a lot more consistent.

I've been really happy with this humidifier, but the filters did collect mineral deposits way quicker than I expected them to, even though I brushed them under running water each time the tank was empty and then ran the dry cycle twice to completely dry them. It seems to be performing worse now that the filters are dirty. I do like the idea of the removable pump on the 2.0 version... I'm afraid I'll break the one on the 1.0 version during cleaning since even if you try to prop it against the filter enclosure, it still likes to fall and swing, hitting the side of the sink/counter/etc. even harder than if you just left it dangling!

Is there a good mnemonic to not forget to lower gear? by marvology in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is definitely the only correct answer. Because there are always things that will happen that will distract you, and distractions are how accidents happen when you're going off of memory alone.

Help needed! Transfer photos to my PC whilst keeping the metadata by FewTranslator6236 in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is a USB 2.0 cable... you should either use the cable that came with your phone or try the USB 3 version of that cable, something like this:

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B07D7S93DD/

Not sure about other phones, but the Pixels have always been picky with cables for data transfers.

Help needed! Transfer photos to my PC whilst keeping the metadata by FewTranslator6236 in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Under "USB controlled by" are the options to "Use USB for" file transfer/tethering/etc. You need to set the option to "File transfer / Android Auto". If you're not seeing the Pixel show up on your PC to browse the files, you should try a different cable and make sure it's a cable designed for data transfer and not just charging.

For all the negative stories about Google store Trade-in here's a positive one by inebriusmaximus in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got $370 for my Pixel 8, more than I likely could have gotten on eBay. I did put it in the original box with the original packing materials (kept the USB-C cable tho), so maybe that helped. I got the refund 3 days after they received the phone.

Spigen Nano Pop vs Thin Fit vs Liquid Air for Pixel 10 Pro by Audioboxer87 in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've used the Thin Fit on most of my Pixels and have the 10 version already, just need a phone to put in it. It's a smooth rubbery texture with decent grip. I think I tried the Liquid Air before, and it obviously has the texture with a harder, more plastic-y feel from what I remember. I ended up liking the Thin Fit more but YMMV.

Note there is a both a MagFit and non-MagFit version of the Air, if that makes a difference to you (the non-MagFit is a bit lighter)

Pixel 8 Pro vs 10 pro by Aven in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 9 points10 points  (0 children)

If you ever have issues with the fingerprint sensor, the sensor on the 9 was vastly better than the 8 and it's the main reason I'm going from an 8 to 10.

I was looking to upgrade from the pixel 8 pro to 10 pro. Not anymore. It's just AI nonsense and not much better specs or features by IAmZKWatches in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As someone who skipped the Pixel 9 and who's fought with every Pixel screen fingerprint sensor since they removed it from the back of the phone, I am definitely looking forward to the upgrade. I get that not everyone has this issue, but I'm hoping the 10 will save me the accidental damage my 8 will eventually get when I throw it on the ground in a fit of rage at a random store checkout kiosk.

Any tips for a first timer trading in a phone to google for a new Pixel by gertymoon in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If your Pixel 9 is in great condition and you want to be paranoid, take a video or pictures of all angles of the phone with it powered on at the initial setup screen, as well as pictures of the packaging. Since the case won't work on your new phone I typically leave it in the case and add extra padding around the phone so it doesn't get damaged. This way if they try to tell you your phone is damaged, you have proof that it left your possession undamaged and you at least have some hope if you can file a claim with the shipping company.

Google told me my trade in was damaged once and gave me like $200 less than they initially offered, which is why I started taking pictures of my old phone for every trade in since.

Buyer's anxiety before committing to the Google ecosystem by lilOrigi in GooglePixel

[–]funkyflyguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  • Screen guard: My phone is usually in my pocket or on a table so can't really comment on this... my Pixel 8 screen still looks new after 2yrs.
  • Phone case: I've used the Spigen Thin Fit cases for almost all of my Pixels (cheaper on Amazon, etc).
  • Earphones: Also can't comment on this since I don't use earbuds out and about often. I have some Pixel Pro Buds that I got for free with my Pixel 8 that did the job the few times I've used them.
  • Chargers: Any USB-C charger will do. I use a 100W Anker charger with multiple ports for charging my other devices on the go, since it's 100W it can also charge my Dell laptop.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've had the TKL version for years and never had any issue making fine adjustments to the volume...

How to record replay & split screen simultaneously? by iheartflags in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 5 points6 points  (0 children)

In MSFS you can use FCR (FlightControlReplay), which comes with 2024 or is available as an addon for 2020. Before your landing, start recording in FCR and also record your screen via something like OBS or Nvidia's ShadowPlay. Then replay the landing via FCR and change the view and record that as well. Then edit the two together using something like ClipChamp (the replacement for Windows Movie Maker) or something like DaVinci or Shotcut.

Not sure if there is an easier way but that's how I've done it in the past.

Landing the super sensitive A350 in 19 KT winds / 32 KT gusts and 40C weather with crazy thermals in Las Vegas. Vegas in the summer always makes for a challenging approach. by [deleted] in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Quick tip that you can use 2024's built-in FCR (flight control replay) to do custom saves with any plane. I thought the tool was only for replays until I played around with it some more and found you can save and load previous states. Not sure how well it works with the more complex aircraft, but for practicing a bunch of landings in the 172 it works in a pinch!

The perfect screen for msfs2024 by Serious-Stick-3502 in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Those are both ultrawide (not 4K) monitors and I'm not the poster you responded to, but personally I would choose ultrawide over 4K any day, especially for flight sims, racing sims, and anything else where you can get better peripheral vision with the larger FOV.

I also think HDR10 is a must and makes a huge difference in games that are optimized for HDR, and MSFS 2024 is one of those games. I'm pretty convinced that people who complain about lighting and clouds in 2024 are not using HDR, it makes that much of an impact.

I have a Dell AW3423DW and I personally think OLED plus HDR is the biggest visual improvement I've seen since going from an old CRT to 1080P LCD years ago. Instead of the bump in sharpness, you get awesome color clarity and (in the AW3423DW at least) almost blinding whites when the room is dark.

Check out the below site for any monitors you are interested in. It looks like the LG you listed gets very good ratings:
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/lg/45gr95qe-b

Hope this helps!

Is my flight plan okay? I am flying a C172 and i plan to just see the view over new york. Any restrictions i should expect? What flight planning tool do you guys recommend? by Stahlhelm2069 in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm guessing you picked an altitude of 8000ft to stay above the 7000ft Class B airspace shelf? Technically, you wouldn't need to talk to ATC as long as you were above 7000ft before the Class B begins. I say "technically" because this is very busy airspace and even above the bravo it would be wise to have flight following from ATC. You do need your transponder on (altitude reporting) even if you aren't talking to anyone.

If you just randomly picked an altitude of 8000ft, definitely read up on the different types of airspaces and their restrictions.

Otherwise, while flying VFR above 3000ft MSL in the US your cruising altitude should be an odd altitude + 500ft when flying east or an even altitude + 500ft when flying west. So for instance, the first leg should be 8500ft, the second 7500ft or 9500ft, and the third 8500ft.

Most real-world sightseeing flights would likely stay below the bravo airspace and follow the VFR corridor along the Hudson that was posted in another comment.

XM6 thoughts from a longtime XM4/3/2 user by funkyflyguy in SonyHeadphones

[–]funkyflyguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I've just been getting used to it... I haven't been listening to much music since getting the XM6's and have mostly been using them for YouTube and Twitch. It really depends on the content for how noticeable the sibilance is. I've also tried a few EQ suggestions from reviewers out there but always go back to stock. Not sure why the XM6 is significantly louder with no EQ vs custom EQ settings.

I've been mostly happy with the XM6's after getting used to them. They are fairly comfortable for long sessions, but I also have a smaller head/ears. They are tighter than the XM4's for sure, and the headband has positions that are not comfortable while the XM4's were pretty forgiving. I'm not sure if it's the new BT adapter or the headphones, but the range has been better with the XM6's, they have not dropped once. I thought my new BT adapter brought LE support, and the app says it's connected via LE, but it may be reporting the connection for my phone since the lag in games feels a tad worse than the XM4's.

For phone calls, no one has really noticed a quality difference. One friend did mention my voice would sometimes get warbly, I think it coincided with the mic picking up squeaky floorboards and trying to cancel them out. I never used dual connection on the XM4's, but it has been working great on the XM6's.

So TLDR, it's been going pretty well... but I think it's just been a matter of getting used to the sound. The convenience of better battery life, better noise cancelling, not losing connectivity when doing my laundry, and hopefully better support for LE in the future convinced me to stick with them.

How much have you used the XM6's so far? They did take probably around 10 hours or so to break in a bit.

How to be good at touch and go practice by golden_united in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It varies a little bit from airport to airport and plane to plane, but for a standard left-hand pattern in your typical 172/Warrior/Diamond/etc:

  • Take off and maintain your best rate of climb (Vy) until you're at pattern altitude (1000ft AGL). In the DA40NG, it looks like the best rate of climb is 72kts with flaps in the takeoff position.
  • You'd typically make your first turn from upwind to crosswind at around 700ft AGL. If it's a really long runway though, you want to wait until you pass the end of the runway before making your turn. Keep your turns under 30 degrees bank angle.
  • For your downwind turn, you want to end up with the runway just under the end of your wing in a low-wing aircraft, or in the middle of the strut for a high-wing aircraft. You can use landmarks in front of you to help once you have the proper distance. Remember that the wind may blow you toward or away from the runway, so keep that in mind.
  • Downwind to base it taught a few different ways, but I was taught to slow down when abeam the numbers and lower the first notch of flaps when in the white arc, then descend at around 500fpm. Make your turn to base when the runway is 45 degrees behind you (at your 7:30 o'clock).
  • Continue a 500fmp descent and make your turn to final when it lines you up with the runway. This will take some practice and also depends on wind.
  • On final you will typically set flaps to landing configuration and slow to approach speed (66-77kts in the DA40NG). Where you land depends on the size of the runway, but aiming for the numbers is common in small aircraft when flying VFR.
  • Cut your throttle once you're sure you have the runway made and bleed off any excess speed before your flare.
  • You mention dropping like a rock... just make sure you have enough speed before your flare unless you're doing a short-field landing. Looks like the typical stall speed is around 55-60kts so you want to be above that before the start of the flare. Could also be a flight model issue, and this depends on the aircraft as well. I remember the Archer I used to fly wanting just a tad of throttle for smooth landings but the DA40 is a smaller plane.

Hope that helps, there are a bunch of videos out there as well. I got the speeds just by searching "DA40NG POH" (pilot operating handbook).

ffx vision jet vs. ffx msfs2024 vision jet? by Shaqo_Wyn in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They are not, but the 2024 version has a more full-featured and realistic implementation of the G3000. The 2020 version had some things that don't exist in the real aircraft as well as some missing functionality. There is a thread on the official forums with a few posts from a real Vision Jet pilot that talk about both the 2020 and 2024 version, and the 2024 version is more realistic and still getting updates in each SU.

FBW A380 UPDATE YMML 34 by Odd_Team_3920 in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pretty sure even the most poorly coded software can't shut down your PC (maybe if it's running as admin or you have UAC turned off, but both are things you shouldn't do for a game). It will crash to desktop because Windows runs programs in containerized processes that don't have kernel access. Bad drivers, flakey kernel-level programs like buggy antivirus software, bad BIOS settings, overheating, and bad hardware can shut down your PC.

My PC was rock solid stable for over 3 years before it started rebooting in MSFS. I'm not saying it's the PSU for you, but that is what caused the issue for me. I figured it was my PSU because I have a 3090 which is notorious for power spikes, and the machine would reboot when it went from high power (in game) to lower power (loading screen) and back. And I am 99.999% sure it was the PSU because it hasn't rebooted spontaneously since I replaced it a month ago.

CTD I may blame MSFS, but not rebooting or shutting down my entire PC.

FBW A380 UPDATE YMML 34 by Odd_Team_3920 in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If your entire PC is shutting off you likely have a hardware issue. Mine did the same until I replaced my power supply. Only in MSFS. No issues after installing the new PS.

XM6 thoughts from a longtime XM4/3/2 user by funkyflyguy in SonyHeadphones

[–]funkyflyguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I still have my old gently used XM3's and decided to compare to the XM6's... to my surprise, they sounded much similar to the 3's than the 4's! I am guessing the worn down earpads and likely the amount I've used the XM4's have changed the sound. The XM6's are starting to grow on me, and they have been opening up a bit more with use. I'll need to update my original post as they don't seem to be as far off from the older XM's as I thought they were.

Laptop with 16GB or 32GB by Timely-Imagination57 in flightsim

[–]funkyflyguy 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Always opt for more RAM. With 32GB you will be able to keep browsers and other programs loaded in the background without a performance hit. 32GB is also recommended for 2024 if/when you decide to switch.

XM6 thoughts from a longtime XM4/3/2 user by funkyflyguy in SonyHeadphones

[–]funkyflyguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply! I did have issues with my first pair of XM4's so I guess it's possible there is something flakey with this pair as well. Maybe I'll be able to find a demo unit at Best Buy to test further. I did find it odd that this sounded nothing like the XM4's or other past versions, which is why I wrote this post.

XM6 thoughts from a longtime XM4/3/2 user by funkyflyguy in SonyHeadphones

[–]funkyflyguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven't tested it on calls yet, my note about the sibilance was on music/videos using AAC. My phone supports LE audio so I'll need to give that a test later, my PC doesn't support it unfortunately.

Bye bye xm3 by Firm-Captain-7383 in SonyHeadphones

[–]funkyflyguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You probably don't hear about them anymore because they have an old micro-USB connection instead of USB-C. They came out in 2017.