Phoenix uses a highly optimised engine to try and provide great quality graphics and realistic physics on a wide range of computer systems. Currently we recommend the following as a minimum specification for running Phoenix:

- Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- 1.0 Ghz Pentium 3/4 or AMD Athlon/64 compatible processor
- 256MB system memory (RAM)
- 750MB free, uncompressed hard-disk space*
- ATI Radeon 9600/NVidia Geforce Ti4200 with at least 128MB memory
- Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or higher*
- CD-ROM/DVD-ROM Drive for installation
- 1 free USB 1.1/2.0 port
- 100% DirectX 9 compatible sound card (optional)

* Please Note: Updates and new content downloaded from the internet may require more free disk space.
* Microsoft DirectX is a free download from the Microsoft website.

If you are unsure if your current system is compatible with our software, please feel free to ask us at support@phoenix-sim.com.

Yes, Phoenix has been tested and found to be working on the following Operating Systems:

- Microsoft Windows 2000
- Microsoft Windows XP/Media-centre edition
- Microsoft Windows Vista - All editions

Phoenix has also been tested on Intel-Macintosh computers running Bootcamp software and Windows XP.

Please note that Phoenix does not run on standard (non-Intel) Macintosh computers, or the Apple OSX operating system.

Phoenix features both Internet/LAN multiplayer modes, as well as full split-screen mode for up to 4 pilots*

For more information regarding multiplayer modes, please refer to our features section, or the multiplayer support section below.

* Please note that all pilots must have their own Phoenix USB interface for splitscreen mode.

Phoenix ships with its own included plug-and-play USB interface device which enables you to connect almost all popular transmitters to the USB port of your computer*

We recommend using the transmitter you would use at the field with Phoenix, as the more familiar you become with its various controls and modes, the easier you can use this experience when you fly your real model.

*Some transmitter types may require an extra adaptor.

Our USB interface device is compatible with a huge range of transmitters and training boxes. Please note that Phoenix will only accept input through the included USB device, and does not accept control through USB controllers.

The current supported transmitter list is as follows:

All JR MC/MX (no adaptor required)
Spektrum DX6/DX7 (no adaptor required)
All Futaba (Futaba round or square adaptor required)
All Hitec (Hitec adaptor required)
All Multiplex (Multiplex adaptor required)
All Sanwa RD-series *NOT RDS series* (Sanwa adaptor required)
E-sky (Mini-DIN adaptor required)
Co-Pilot (Mini-DIN adaptor required)
Blade CX-2 (no adaptor required)
Art-tech 100B (no adaptor required)
Art-tech 100C (Art-tech 100C adaptor required)

Please note that the following transmitters are not supported:

Futaba FX-18 with 2.5mm stereo training port
All USB controller devices/joysticks
All Walkera (not currently supported)
Sanwa RDS series (not currently supported)

More information can be found on our online purchasing site, accessable through the Purchase section

Phoenix uses a very accurate and realistic custom-made physics engine capable of simulating most types of aircraft, including scale and 3D fixed-wing airplanes, helicopters, auto-gyros and even tilt-rotor models. Our models are developed by established fliers and experts in order to give you a realistic feel straight from the box, without the need for tweaking or alterations.

Please see our models section for more information on the aircraft supplied with Phoenix.

We would very much like to develop a pure-macintosh-based version of Phoenix, but unfortunately due its core DirectX-based nature, this is extremely difficult to develop and support.

Please note that Phoenix does function perfectly on Intel-based macintosh systems running Bootcamp and Windows XP.

Phoenix is built on a highly optimised graphics and physics engine, enabling it to run on a large range of different computer specifications.

If you are experiencing less than satisfactory performance on your system, you may be running Phoenix on a computer which is below our recommended minimum specification. The graphics hardware in this case can be especially important, as this is responsible for how quickly your computer can draw the visual aspects of your simulator. Please see What are the minimum system requirements for PhoenixRC? for more information on what is the minimum recommended setup.

Phoenix also allows you to fine-tune your system performance through the system : system settings menu. This menu allows you to alter various options which can have a large impact on how well Phoenix performs. Antialising for example will have a significant impact on program speed when enabled, especially on older hardware. You should also consider changing the Shadow Quality from high to low if you are still experiencing low frame rates. You can also gain a speed increase by running Phoenix in full-screen mode.

Other items to consider are whether you are running one or more programs at the same time as Phoenix, and checking your systems for programs such as ad-ware, spy-ware and even viruses is highly recommended if you are seeing lower frame-rates when you think you should not be.

If you are running Phoenix on a notebook/laptop computer, you should also find out if you are using any kind of CPU throttling software. This keeps the CPU running at a lower speed in order to conserve power, but can also slow software which uses the extra CPU power down.

We maintain a policy of free program updates, which come in the form of free downloads from our website. These updates can be fixes to program problems, expansions to existing features or the additions of completely new features entirely.

When an update becomes available it will be announced on the news page. You can then navigate to the downloads page, where the update will be displayed. Some updates are applications which require downloading to a temporary folder and running. You should then follow the on-screen instructions to correctly update the program.

We are also constantly developing new aircraft models, most of which are test-flown by established experts for the most accurate, realistic feel. When these are released they will be announced on the news page, and available on the downloads page. All new aircraft use our PhoenixUpdate format, and are installed in the usual manner.

If there is a particular model or paint-scheme which you feel should be present in Phoenix, you can request it by sending an email to aircraft@phoenix-sim.com.

If you own (or have access to) the model you are requesting, you can vastly speed up the time it takes for it to appear by taking the photography we need yourself. All photos should be taken using the highest resolution you can, in good light and in proper focus. If possible you should not use a flash.

We have recently published a more in-depth tutorial on the photographs required in our technical section.

Please note that we have a large list of models at present, and so cannot guarantee when your model will be produced - models come on most popular/most requested basis first, so reuqesting your model may make it appear sooner.

Phoenix uses complete spherical 360x180-degree panoramic photographs for its flying sites. To take this kind of image you will require access to a panoramic mount for your tripod, as well as a very high-resolution camera.

We have recently published a more in-depth tutorial on the images needed for a panoramic scenery in our technical section.

The internet/LAN multiplayer capability allows you to fly with pilots around the world over the internet.

Multiplayer is organised into "sessions". You can create your own session and wait for other pilots to join, or alternatively find a session created by another user to join. You can also assign a password to your session to restrict access to your friends.

Included is free access to the PhoenixNet online searching capability, which lets you find sessions around the world without needing to know the details of the session you are joining beforehand. This feature is fully integrated into the multiplayer menu system, and online sessions will appear in their own category alongside Local Area Network (LAN) sessions.

When flying online with one or more companion pilots, the amount of work your computer must do both graphically and processor-wise increases with every extra player in the session, and with every aircraft on the screen at the same time.

Users with slower computers may find that they need to reduce their display options in the system: system settings menu to keep frame-rates at an acceptable level, or even limit the number of users able to join the session.

Even if your computer is able to run Phoenix in standard mode smoothly and at high detail settings, you may still find yourself needing to upgrade your computer/graphics hardware in order to obtain smooth feedback at the same quality settings.

Phoenix uses a complicated system including a dedicated "master" server in order to make connecting as easy as possible, even if both the session creator and joiner are behind routers and/or firewalls.

Despite these extra measures, some routers and firewalls will not allow this process to happen. This is partly due to the protection this gives your computer against malicious attacks from the internet.

Firewalls
If you are unable to create or join a session, your router may not be passing the information correctly to your computer through your firewall. Usually a firewall will alert you that the program is attempting to bypass your firewall, and will give you the option of letting it do so. If not, then you may need to temporarily disable your firewall(s) while you use Phoenix online.

Routers
The other main reason that online play may fail is due to the way your router works. Routers allow several people to connect to the internet using the same connection, and can provide added security, but can also make communication with another router difficult. If this happens, you will need to "open" or "forward" the ports that Phoenix uses to your particular computer behind your router.

There is a great deal of information on the internet about this process, as well as step-by-step guides for most makes and models of router. The basic process involves finding out what the "local" address of the computer you wish to run Phoenix on is.

Finding your local IP address
One method for this is to click the start menu then Run and type cmd into the box, then click ok.

This will open a text console window. In this window, type "ipconfig -all". From the text that will appear, find the line reading IP Address. The four numbers in the form XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX are your local IP address that your router uses to connect you to the internet.

Once you have this information, you will need to access your router. This is usually accomplished by using Internet Explorer and typing 192.168.0.1 into the address bar. Note: You will usually need your username and password to access this. If you do not have this information please contact the person who installed the hardware.

From the router menu, you will need to locate the section on "port forwarding", "port opening" or "application sharing". Again, the easiest method is to search the internet for a dedicated tutorial on your particular router model, as they can use slightly different terminology.

Phoenix Ports
Phoenix uses UDP ports 9000 - 9005 to communicate online. You will need to open or forward this range of ports to your local IP address. After this has been accomplished, you may need to reset/reboot your router to make the changes take effect. You mnay also need to reboot your computer.