TrackIR questions & Re-introduction.

[Loriath]

Tanks for these replies guys! But as I've seen I must have a baseball cap to play with the TrackIR? I won't feel comfortable at all with that. Is there any other way or attachements that comes with it?

And I looked at EDtracker's website and I don't really understand how it works, it looks like squares like CPUs? How does that work?

With TrackIR I think you can attach it to headphones. There is also a USB powered LED system sold separately that you attach as well. Requires a usb cable to power it, but does not have to be attached to the PC. You can run it to a battery pack (which you would have to make or buy)

The ED Tracker basically has the Gyros like on your smartphone or tablet. It can tell when you tilt you head up and down, and turn left or right. That is translated to a joystick like setting on the PC. (Call it Joystick 2). In game you can map keys to move your head and look around the cockpit, and you can also assign axis to it. So Tilt you head up and you look up in game. Look left, look left in game.
It requires it to be attached as well to your head in some fashion, and is powered by USB and also uses the cable to send the signals back to the pc. Most people use a headset with it, and run the USB cable down the Headset cable. Some have used Hairbands if they dont use a headset.

You can buy the parts and build the EDTracker yourself, or buy one complete.

No matter which you chose, your are going to have something on your head. I play 99.9% of the time with a headset on so I can swear at my computer and have it respond so it is no big deal.

[de Carabas]

And I looked at EDtracker's website and I don't really understand how it works, it looks like squares like CPUs? How does that work?

The components of the EDTracker are a printed circuit board (that hold the other pieces together and connect them correctly), the Arduino board (main controls and logic), the MPU (gyroscope, magneto thingy that detects movement) and a switch. Or at least that's how I logically think about them

If you order a pre-built one from the EDTracker team it will look something like the top picture here which looks a lot friendlier. It's then just like any device you plug into your usb socket on the PC and control with software.

[Flip]

Vympel I know you can also clip the attachments onto headphones as well as onto a hat.

Yes, that's what I do. My passive clip is attached at the top of my headphones with velcro.

[TorTorden]

I have yet to try the ed tracker, but did try a ps3eye cam for face track no ir.

I am rather not impressed, most since that solution was really jittery and more fundamentally.
No matter how you twist or turn it. The entire setup of head look means you have to turn your head away from the screen but your screen doesn't move with you (obviously)

That alone is something I find immersion breaking.

In my opinion I'd rather put the money toward a HOTAS and you could get a pretty good one for the price of a TrackIR kit like the saitek x52 or even the 55 and I honestly prefer using one my 8 way HAT switches.

In fact I would enjoy recommend dedicated rudder pedals before spending money on TrackIR.

Any hoo that's my two cents.

[Casey Casem]

I use the TrackIR 5 pro (with LED clip) and haven't looked back. Works plug and play BUT be sure to click the upper left icon on the TrackIR app to update for games. Otherwise ED won't recognize TrackIR

[Cmdr Kharma]

I have yet to try the ed tracker, but did try a ps3eye cam for face track no ir.

Believe me there is no comparison between the two.......

I built my own for £10......It was OK but had a few issues.......

Bit the bullet and forked out for TrackIr.....

World of difference......

TrackIR software for tweaking and getting it just right is excellent.....Same as the detection for head movement is is.....

[Flip]

No matter how you twist or turn it. The entire setup of head look means you have to turn your head away from the screen but your screen doesn't move with you (obviously)

I only tried the TrackIR, so I don't know about the others. But you don't have to turn your head away from the screen. Your moves are amplified so turning your head only by 30 or 45° can make it look like you turned it by 90° in game, and you can easily do it without taking your eyes from the screen. Just try to slowly shake your head no while you keep reading this and you'll see that it works very well. It's absolutely not immersion breaking (in fact, it is very immersion breaking for me to play games that don't support TrackIR, because they make me feel like I'm disabled).

[Loriath]

*sigh* 265CHF puts that dream out of reach for quite a while yet. The PC needs to be upgraded before I can get that sort of toy in my christmas stocking.

[Cmdr Kharma]

Flip.......

Face track no IR is crap......Really crap.....

It bears no resemblance to actual head tracking whatsoever........I was really disappointed with it......I had never heard of head tracking before and decided to try this.....

Then tried Free track which is a bit better...I built my own headset and it was quite good....compared to face track.....

Can't beat TrackIr though......Even if it does cost.....

[TorTorden]

Flip.......

Face track no IR is crap......Really crap.....

It bears no resemblance to actual head tracking whatsoever........I was really disappointed with it......I had never heard of head tracking before and decided to try this.....

Then tried Free track which is a bit better...I built my own headset and it was quite good....compared to face track.....

Can't beat TrackIr though......Even if it does cost.....

Yeah that's pretty much where put blame as well. But TrackIR is a bit too pricy since it alone costs half as much as a dk2 rift.

and yes I know it doesn't take a 1:1 movement to look around and it's probably just preference and what you are used too.

But no regard how large the magnification is on the movement is as I have tried it,I move my head so my eyes fall out of the optical sweet spot of my glasses.
So in the end I just prefer using my hat switch.

But for those 10 minutes head tracking works it's mind blowingly awesome.