My CRJ cockpits are very dark in daylight even with all interior lights on. When I look at videos the cockpits seem way brighter and much easier to see. I do not have this issue with other aircraft - so I am not willing to change my NVIDIA or Windows graphics settings.
And a related but broader topic, this aircraft has very small PFD, MFD etc so they are very hard to read unless you either zoom in very close with a save view or whatever, or pop them out which is way too labor intensive since you have to resize each time (yes I no about the mod - don’t need another piece of complex software to learn and use). The fonts are difficult to read. So combine this with the dark cockpit and this aircraft is not fun to fly. I do have less than perfect eyesight, so that could be part of it. But I have few problems with other AC. Thinking of abandoning this aircraft, but willing to give it a bit more time trying out different aspects if I can get some ideas for improvement.
I can relate to what you’re saying. About the dark cockpits, it’s not just the CRJ, I had this problem with a lot of aircraft. What helped me, was to use NVIDIA filters (GeForce Experience) that brighten up the shadows a bit. And I enabled HDR (I do have a HDR capable monitor).
The CRJ display font is really tiny. I set up custom views for every display and I am using a mouse with 12 side buttons. Each of the side button switches to one of my custom views. That helps me a lot moving around the cockpit and getting to every display and panel easilly. I actually quite like the CRJ this way.
Out of my memory, my custom views are: default pilot view, close up PFDs, close up MFD, overhead, MCDU close up, pedestal, fuel panel, EFB. I also have a view that shows the MFD buttons for electrical, hydraulics, doors… together with the MFD, so I can switch between the different pages. That view was a lot of back and forth to find just the right angle and zoom. All my custom views are set up from the perspective of the pilot (and not just simply top down).
Ah the good old CRJ, my first great airliner long before PMDG even announced that they intend to create something for MSFS and long before the Fenix was released!
But I never noticed the cockpit being too dark…
HDR enabled? For what I know CRJ cockpits are very dark in real life as well…
I have created similar custom views for each aircraft and they are helpful. However I do like to be able to sit and look outside, and maintain some degree of situational awareness by scanning some of the instruments while doing so. I don’t want to live in the zoomed in views much of the time, which I have to do with this ac. My monitor does not support HDR.
This cockpit is darker than any other and is darker than what I see on YouTube. Anyway, I have installed the ■■■ Embraer 175 as my regional jet. It’s a work in progress but good enough at this point especially with the large glass instruments and bright and light cockpit. Doesn’t have VNAV yet but not a big deal. I guess I should try the CRJ-1000 etc and see if they are brighter.
The CRJ 1000 has the exact same cockpit as the 500/700. It’s just the exterior model that is different appart from the handling.
Yes - they all have the same dark cockpits. As I said when I look at YT videos of these the cockpits are considerably brighter. Maybe it’s something unique to my monitor for this particular aircraft. But as I said, unwilling to change system wide settings for one aircraft.
OK - I found a solution, and it actually helps with all my aircraft. I have an NVIDIA RTX 3080Ti, and I used the NVIDIA Control panel to boost gamma. It’s not enough to make scenery look weird, but the CRJ and other cockpits now are plenty bright! Yay.