TrackIR

[SuperKaro2014 277]

Sorry for the repeat posts ealier 🙄

Just remembered that Dreams of Wings did a review of Grass Monkey some time ago.

Maybe it will be helpful for you @cianpars.

Let us know what you decide!

It’s on Youtube: 

 

 

[garydpoole 183]

18 hours ago, cianpars said:

Having tried VR and decided not to go down that route, I am cosidering Track IR but am wondering which way to go with trackIR 4, TrackIR5, Track clip pro, etc.  Could I ask for your thoughts and considerations with regard to these.

I have decided against Tobil on the basis of cost and that I have a fairly large screen and need to move my eyes a lot just to see all areas of the screen.

I was also wondering whether to purchase new or whether there might be any issues buying pre owned.

Any comments, views, opinions and experiences relating to these and any alternatives will be gratefully received.

Thanks

You may have already looked at this, if not then for the price of a £8 app and a piece of shareware software, it certainly works. Personally, I didn't get on with it, but to be fair, I did try it a day or so before Christmas when time was tight, so barely got to grips with all of the adjustments available. Keep meaning to revisit, but not had the time yet. 

[Jazz 1,046]

13 minutes ago, Paul K said:

In my experience, no. When you pause Tobii, you return to the default view, straight ahead.

That is the reason I cannot buy Tobii and why I will be replacing Track IR 5 with Track IR 5. If it doesn't have that feature it is useless to me. If it did, I would buy one and try it.

A little over a year ago Asobo released an update that broke this feature of TrackIR and as a result I didn't fly until they fixed it. It's the difference between natural, easy and neck strain free simming and the opposite.

It's a ridiculous omission from head tracking gear as far as I'm concerned.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Jazz

[Paul K 1,348]

14 minutes ago, Jazz said:

It's a ridiculous omission from head tracking gear as far as I'm concerned.

Fair enough, each to their own. Actually, it never occurred to me that it might be a problem. As I say, this is based on my own experience so far of using Tobii in MSFS. Somebody might now come along and say "Yes you can freeze the direction of view when you pause...it's this or that camera selection option thingy. ". We shall see. 😉

[eslader 1,786]

16 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

No headset for Track IR, just a Visor. 

You don't need a headset for Delanclip either. Before I changed over to all VR, my Delanclip was on an elastic band that went around my head just like a visor... Only without the visor part.

 

[laserit 93]

I can't fly without my TIR

I bought a Tobii a 2 years back hoping it would work as good as my TIR, I was disappointed. One thing that makes my TIR more enjoyable than it already was is a wireless, rechargeable Track Clip Pro that I found on Amazon.

I hope the Tobii has improved since I last used it, I long for a head tracking solution that requires no head gear that works as good as a TIR

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

20 hours ago, ryanbatc said:

TIR5 with TCP.  I've been using this combo happily for about 10 years. 

I also now use VR.  I almost always wear a headset with mic so it's simple to affix the TCP to it.  The TCP is really flimsy though - I've had to reinforce mine a few times over the years.  And using TCP adds more wires which can be a little annoying but they don't bother me much.

I have 3 cords,  TIR5,  TCP, and ModMic.    I wrapped some 1/4 inch split wire loom around them.  Now I don't even notice them anymore.

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

19 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

No headset for Track IR, just a Visor. 

TIR used to come with reflective dot stickers.   I used to just stick one on my forehead,  worked perfectly fine.  😁

[Air1 136]

19 hours ago, Amon1973 said:

I have TrackIR 5, and yes it definitely adds extra emersion, however over the Christmas period I purchased Tobii Eye tracker 5, and it's another step up from TrackIR. I now have no use for TrackIR. There's no wires or anything like that, and I might just give to my son. I'd personally recommend just to get the Tobii eye tracker 5 instead. 

I agree. I had TrackIR many years but have been using it less and less because it I hate wearing the head gear. I went to Tobii and just love it. Just feels so natural in every attitude like I remember from my PPL days. I won't be ever going back.   

[FBW737 512]

I've been using TrackIR4 and then 5 for years. I've used both the track click pro and the regular reflective clip.

I also used a Samsung Odyssey+ for sometime. For now my preference is TrackIR5 with the regular reflective trackclip over VR.

the TrackIR Camera is mounted behind me on a tripod with a baseball cap style visor so my head doesn't get hot. It takes a while to configure it properly

to your liking. The software is not that intuitive but in the end its awesome. If you are using a large screen its definitely better to mount the camera behind you.

You don't have to be in a dark room but ambient light can be a problem.

 

[FBW737 512]

18 minutes ago, Waldo Pepper said:

TIR used to come with reflective dot stickers.   I used to just stick one on my forehead,  worked perfectly fine.  😁

well, I don't think you just stuck one on your forehead. Three in a triangle pattern? now that might work! 😁

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

The thing about trackir is that you have to spend a few minutes dialing in the sensitivity curve for each axis.  The main reason is because everyone places the sensor in a different location,  and there are many different size screens (some have multi-screens).

What I do is turn my head until my nose is pointing directly at the border of the screen,  and then turn my head back until I'm looking an inch or two inside the screen's border.

With my head in that position,  I then click on the profiles tab,  and look for the setting marked "Curve" which has two arrows next to it which shift the entire response curve up or down.   I adjust the yaw axis curve upward from default until my head position in the TIR software registers 180degrees of yaw rotation in the TIR software.

Then it's just a matter of dialing in the center range of the curve for precision so you can focus on single objects easily,  but still have the 180 degree range.    Repeat this for pitch and yaw axis.    I adjust the pitch axis so it registers 90 degrees of rotation up and down.

Once you've done that TIR feels completely natural to the point that I don't notice it,  and what I see in the sim feels realistic.

The only other big factor can be stray light behind you,  like from a window or a strong reflection.

One last step I do is to adjust the X axis so I can shift my head left or right enough to stick my entire head out of an open cockpit or window,  so I can look directly below / behind,    without my increasing X so much that I end up sticking my head through closed canopies or closed windows unintentionally.

I don't mess the roll axis,  or Z axis,  but you can tweak the Z axis curve if you need to look at gauges closely and don't feel like it's responsive enough or too responsive.

Two points of order,    you can map a key or button to pause TIR.   You can map a key or button to enable/disable TIR precision mode.   Both of these let you focus on anything,   but I don't feel any need for them because I take the time to setup proper curve sensitivity.   I find that just a smidge of deadzone can help too,  but if you adjust the curve properly I don't feel the need for them.

Once the sensitivity curves are dialed in,  you can look under the dashboard and see the wires and stuff,   look behind your seat, stick your head out of the window,  focus on instruments,  etc,  without moving your head around unnaturally.

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by Waldo Pepper

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

19 minutes ago, FBW737 said:

well, I don't think you just stuck one on your forehead. Three in a triangle pattern? now that might work! 😁

One dot works perfectly.  You do have to enable the IR light emitter option in the TIR options.   With TCP you don't need the IR emitter turned on,   so I turn it off.     This is done with the "IR Brightness" slider in camera options.

[buzzbee 53]

21 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

Have to wear a headset?  Thanks, but no thanks. 

 

You can also use the hat clip. 

 

[MarkDH 234]

2 hours ago, Waldo Pepper said:

One dot works perfectly

And yet,