TrackIR - Two thumbs way up!

[aerdt 0]

I have to say that I didn't expect much from TrackIR - maybe some jerky head movement, hours of calibration or a stiff neck from turning my head, but TrackIR has brought my flight sim experience to a complete different level!The product worked right out of the box, is extremly easy to calibrate and works like a charm. I feel like I am actually sitting in the plane and the situational awareness is just unbeatable. It was always a nuisance to fish for the mouse or joystick to turn you head, look for traffic, find a switch, etc, and TrackIR eliminates all of those issues. I don't want to leave the VC ever again.I got the standard version with 80fps and it works excellent on my machine. I can't wait to get my Vector Expansion now!Uh, that did sound like a bad commercial, no? But, no, I am not affiliated with eDimensional ;-)

[windycloud 30]

yeah I believe you'll cheer for the vector expansion when you get it. I watched a video of LDS 767 with TrackIR. It does make the sim a whole different animal. :) But that guy's computer costs like $4,000. I don't know about yours but I guess it's good too.Well...back to my 2D panel flying, which I am still happy with.

[TonyB 1]

Yup Track IR with Vector is incredible. I can't fly with out it.Tony=http://www.flightsim-bevs.com]

[aerdt 0]

Actually, mine is just a very mid-sized machine - AthlonXP 3200+ with 1GB Ram and a Geforce 6600GT. I usually get around 30fps in 2D and about 20fps in the VC with TrackIR with most sliders *almost* maxed. It works like a charm for me and the scenery detail is still stunning.

[michal 44]

>Yup Track IR with Vector is incredible. What is this "vector" stuff? Where can I read more about it ?Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/images/asv_beta_member.jpg

[TonyB 1]

Michal,The Vector expansion is from the the Natural Point folks, the same ones that do the Track IR. Here's a link: http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/02-pro...-Expansion.htmlIt is basically a extra piece of hardware that you attach to your Track IR ball-cap that has three targets for the sensor to track, as well as the software to enable it.This allows you to zoom in and out as well as move side-to-side, just by moving your head. The standard Track IR just spins your view point around a point. With the Vector, you can lean forward or back and it moves you closer or farther from your instrument panel. It's great to glance over and lean in a bit to check out the GPS, for instance.In open cockpit taildraggers, you can actuall lean to the side like you were leaning over the side of the cockpit, allowing you to look past the nose of your plane. It is all very natural to do after you play with it for a bit. Tony=http://www.flightsim-bevs.com]

[Bob Scott 7,716]

>>Yup Track IR with Vector is incredible. >>What is this "vector" stuff? Where can I read more about it ?You put a special clip with an array of 3 reflectors on a baseball hat, and the TrackIR camera will track your head with six degrees of freedom...in other words left-right, up-down, fwd-back, and rotation in pitch and yaw axes. Move your head in, it's like leaning into the panel. Move it to the left, and it's like sliding over towards the left. Wanna look back over your shoulder to judge when to turn base? No problem. It's very slick, especially in an add-on with a solid 3D cockpit like the RealAir Spitfire or the LDS767. It's especially slick for heli flying.There's plenty about the Vector expansion on the TrackIR site...don't know the URL off the top of my head, but a google search should turn it up.CheersBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

[mole_man 0]

Michael, you can read about the vector expansion athttp://www.edimensional.com/index.php?cPath=24&ref=73Basically, the 'standard' trackIR 3 lets you look left right up down. Vector lets you move side to side, raise and lower your head height, and zoom in just by moving your head a bit closer to the monitor. This is an EXCELLENT feature as time and again I just move my head a bit closer to a gauge on a VC, and there it is, filling the screen and more readable than the 2d panel version in some cases.The power of track IR 3 can not be underestimated. I still use 2d's for engine starts, but after that it's VC all the way. It is so absorbing that I have less interest now in external models. The VC becomes everything.Great payware VC's for track IRDF 727 - also an excellent example of use of vector expansion. You can't see the HSI behind the yoke, but with vector expansion you raise your head slightly and there it is!DF Baron 58PMDG 737 (probably the 747 too, but I don't have it yet)Anything by CarenadoLike the first poster, I'm nothing to do with e-dimension. It's just one of those rare situations where you are so pleased with a product you want everyone to know.Finally, yes you have to wear the baseball hat for the vector expansion to work, but no you don't feel like an idiot, at least I don't.Graeme

[Avcomware 1]

Hi.A couple of questions for the educated:1-Does the combo work with any Video card, NVIDIA and ATI?2-Does it work with a projector?3-How much for both?4-Is any model better then others and why? Thanks, TV

[stefanos5913 0]

Hello I'm glad you liked the product. I am thinking to buy one of those but one thing that stops me is that i am not completely sure if it is healthy to use it for a long time. I thing that infrared radiation mustn't be pointed in someones eyes and that thing that emits infrared radiation is sitting against you probably affecting your eyes. Well, I may be completely wrong so if someone of you knows for sure could you please enlighten me.Thank you very much.

[Guest Shalomar]

Donny AKA ShalomarFly 2 ROCKS!!!I'm just curios...suppose you are on dowmwind looking to see if it's time to turn base. Aren't you looking away from your monitor? You don't get a stiff neck, so you must be free to move some. How do they reconcile that with simulating the full normal movement of a human head while keeping a single monitor in your feild of view?Best Regrards, Donny:-wave

[aerdt 0]

For more information, go to http://www.edimensional.com - they have all the info and very nice demos.As for the head movement: A slight 6 degree movement to the side causes a 90 degree movement in your VC (simplified). So, you don't have to get a stiff neck and roll your eyes to watch the monitor. You just look a tiny bit to the side. It really works and does not feel unnatural as all.

[Guest IanP]

Nope. I bought mine last weekend and apart from a few glitches when the sun got behind me (something to watch out for... the sun is infra-red... ;-) ) I've just been having great fun with it.The only problem I've had is that it hasn't worked in Colin McRae Rally 04, which it is supposed to. IL2/Pacific Fighters it works perfectly in "just" Track IR mode (vector expansion not supported), FS it works perfectly, Battle of Britain 2 it works perfectly until the sim crashes as usual. It's fun peering through the sites to take pot shots at bad guys though... :-hahI'd definately recommend it. Not cheap, but a good piece of equipment.Cheers,Ian P.

[Bob Scott 7,716]

> I thing that infrared radiation mustn't be pointed in>someones eyes and that thing that emits infrared radiation is>sitting against you probably affecting your eyes.> Well, I may be completely wrong so if someone of you knows>for sure could you please enlighten me.The IR emitter is a set of 4 IR light-emitting diodes much like those used for IR remote controls. You get FAR more IR exposure from sunlight.CheersBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

[TonyB 1]

It doesn't care what you use for a display or display card. The sensor does need to have a clear line of site to the reflectors on your hat. I have mine sitting on top of my monitor. It has clips to clip to the top of a LCD if you like. Not sure where you would put it when there is nothing to set it on when using a projector, but I'm sure you can come up with something.It is interfacing with the application program directly (like FS9) so the only compatibility you have to worry about is with the program you want to run it with.Tony=http://www.flightsim-bevs.com]