TrackIR Pro

[mcbellette 145]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has TrackIR Pro and uses it with their PMDG aircraft? I am seriously considering purchasing it and want to know if it is worth the money. Does it have any impact on FPS at all? Is it difficult to use and/or set up? Any other information would be highly appreciated.Regards,

[mburkhard 23]

Matt,I use it all the time and would NEVER give it back. It is worth every cent even if you fly IFR and airliners only. For me the sense of "being there" with TrackIR is enormous even if it's just a desktop simulator.There's no FPS hit at all.For maximum accuracy you should get TrackClip Pro too. That way you may use a headset and you may forget about that cap. But even without that accuracy is excellent.Setup is not really difficult however as with all new software it does need some reading. Setup time also depends on whether you're happy with the default profiles included or whether you wish to customise. I'm happy with the default "flight" profile with some smoothness tweaking. That's all I do.The downside?If you've got TrackIR the next thing you want is TripleHead2Go to enjoy that experience on an even wider screen! That's what happened to me :-)Markus

[mcbellette 145]

Sounds good, Markus. As for TH2G, I'm afraid I'm not a rich PMDG developer like you and unfortunately cannot afford 3 computer screens, lol.

[Vauban 0]

Matt, I like TrackIR a lot, but I don't use it as much as I should. What I can't seem to get the hang of is mouse clicks in the virtual cockpit...With TrackIR, the interface is always moving slightly as your head moves, so unless you zoom in really close (just lean forward - it's great!) you can easily miss the control. Say you want to use the mouse wheel to increase the altitude setting by several thousand feet, you have to keep really still to keep your mouse hovering over the control. There are ways around this, though. You can use a key combination to freeze the VC movement while you're adjusting a setting and then you can release it again when you're done. I find that a little inconvenient but I guess I could get used to it. Or you could hit the key combo to bring up that part of the cockpit (the MCP, say) in 2D and make your adjustments there, but that takes away a little of the realism. I'd love to hear how Markus handles this.I have TrackClip Pro, too, and definitely recommend it, unless you're happy to wear the cap throughout the flight. It's a really smart cap, but I don't like to be forced to wear it. A small problem with the clip is that it's made of flimsy plastic. I was terrified I would break something while mounting it on my headset, but once it was there I haven't moved it and it's fine. You also have to be careful not to rotate the sensor bar on the clip more than about 180 degrees while you're setting it up - there's no stop, so if you keep turning, the internal wiring could tighten up and maybe break. Really minor problems - you just need to know about them.The downside Markus mentioned - TripleHead2Go - is probably the most serious problem. But Christmas is coming, or the one after that ;-)CheersGeoff

[Guest SkullxBones]

Almost everyone that buys a TrakIR loves it, but don't be surprised if it seems a bit strange at first. It takes about a week or so to get used to the head movement. After that, you won't want to fly without it. The higher the FPS the better TrackIR feels. If your system struggles with the high demands of the 747 in FSX, it's not as enjoyable, but still better than not.Jeff P.

[Guest SkullxBones]

I set a pause button on my yoke so I can quickly pause and release. I also set the dynamic head movement in the FSX.cfg to '0' to help with the knob/switch adjustment. Jeff P.

[TheDanger 182]

I assign the pause function to the mouse 3 button, that way just click click and click and its fine!Graham

[mburkhard 23]

Geoff,I'm handling the view freeze/unfreeze the same way someone else mentioned: Assign the function to a mouse button.My mouse has two extra buttons right where my thumb is. I use them for freeze/unfreeze and view reset and I can reach them very conveniently even during the most demanding flight manoeuvres.Without those thumb buttons TrackIR might indeed be somewhat messy... So a good multi-button Logitech mouse should be on anyone's TrackIR-shopping list.Markus

[bluemoon 0]

Matt I have a TrackIr, However a friend of mine just advised me of the following, search for "FreeTrack", you may be pleasently surprised.Happy Flying Carl Renshaw EGHD

[FLEX1978 373]

Have to agree with everyone else, the best purchase I made for FS, it adds a whole depth to the sim and you will never fly in 2D again but it feels very weird for the first week or so, and makes some people light headed. But the more you use it the more you like it. Never heard a bad post about it, the guy who made it is a genius :)Rob

[Vauban 0]

Thanks Markus,as Graham suggested I've now assigned the freeze function to MB3 and can't wait to try it out.Geoff