With all these conflicting views on various products I bet he's more confused than before he asked 🤣

1 hour ago, Jazz said:

With all these conflicting views on various products I bet he's more confused than before he asked 🤣

Everytime someone asks about Track IR, there are always a dozen or more posts claiming that something else is much better. 

I do like my Grass Monkey King puck.  It just works.  Couldn't image flying without it.

Only negative is forgetting you have it on and the door bell rings.  Maybe it's a good thing.  When I opened the door, that roof salesman didn't stay around too long! LOL!

 

One thing not yet mentioned above is that if you wear eye glasses, using the TIR reflective clip can be problematic since the your glasses can also reflect IR to the TIR sensor, causing random violent and bizarre view shifts.  The TIR Pro clip solves that problem, though it introduces yet another skinny wire to be tangle up with other wires.  I was once looking into the battery powered clips, but went to VR before making that upgrade.  BTW, once you dial in TIR use you're hooked on it for life...and same goes for VR too.

 

Edited January 22, 20233 yr by TheFamilyMan

3 hours ago, TheFamilyMan said:

One thing not yet mentioned above is that if you wear eye glasses, using the TIR reflective clip can be problematic since the your glasses can also reflect IR to the TIR sensor, causing random violent and bizarre view shifts.

I wear glasses and have used that TIR hat clip for many years -- never had a problem. Maybe my glasses have an anti-reflection coating, can't remember now.

Al

Edited January 23, 20233 yr by ark

I've been using TrackIR 5 since just after FSX was released and I've never had an issue with the infra red camera itself, in-fact, I'm still using the exact same one I purchased 16 years ago, it's sitting on top of my 70" 4K TV I use to game with. I've tried flying without it several times and I struggle greatly with things like turning on final and formation flying with friends online. Without it I don't get the sense of movement and I can't "look into a turn", ie: looking in the direction I'm making a turn into. I don't get the same "sense of space" as I do when I'm using TrackIR, I literally feel like I've lost a part of my brain, it's very hard to explain... I use it for racing and truck simulators as well like Assetto Corsa Competione, I Racing, American Truck Simulator and others. I also use it in a military simulation called ArmA 3 and it literally makes the difference between life and death. The optional Track Clip Pro is it's weak point, however there are other great alternatives out there available on the net. I've gone through two Track Clip Pro's because they are made quite flimsy and delicate. The one I'm using now I simply locked into position by using an epoxy based adhesive called Marine Goop on the connecting joints, it's no longer a delicate pain in the butt, in-fact it's pretty solid now, rather like a bouncy piece of rubber with all the Marine Goop on it.

4 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

Everytime someone asks about Track IR, there are always a dozen or more posts claiming that something else is much better. 

I never said Grass Monkey would be better, just cheaper. 🙂

5 hours ago, ark said:

I wear glasses and have used that TIR hat clip for many years -- never had a problem

Me too. The 'camera' view is a good debugging tool. It shows exactly what the camera is tracking, so you can easily see if there are stray IR sources interfering.

one other thing I noticed with tobii was that you shouldn't scratch your nose or rub your eyes - causes it no end of discombubulation - but like others I hate having things stuck on my head when gaming having tried both track IR & Grassmonkey(which I modified with a powered LED thingo from a disability supplier in the UK - worked like a charm)

4 hours ago, Rattso said:

one other thing I noticed with tobii was that you shouldn't scratch your nose or rub your eyes - causes it no end of discombubulation - but like others I hate having things stuck on my head when gaming having tried both track IR & Grassmonkey(which I modified with a powered LED thingo from a disability supplier in the UK - worked like a charm)

Oh dear, that leaves a good old fashioned nose picking session at 38,000ft out of the question then.

Edited January 23, 20233 yr by Jazz

15 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

Everytime someone asks about Track IR, there are always a dozen or more posts claiming that something else is much better. 

From OP's post:

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

Edited January 23, 20233 yr by SuperKaro2014

And another thing to muddy the waters still further - with Tobii mounted along the bottom edge of the monitor, sometimes the HOTAS stick gets in the way ( if you have it right in front of you on your desk ) and disrupts the signal, so to speak. It's not a problem for me personally, because I have the stick slightly to one side. As for a yoke, I can't say as I don't own one, but under normal circumstances I don't think there would be a problem, because it isn't vertical like a stick. Might get in the way if you go full left or right, however. If the monitor isn't height adjustable, you could always sit the monitor base on top of a thick book. Harry's 'Spare' for example - might as well put it to some useful purpose, eh ?

I've had a TrackIR5 for years and love it. I purchased the wireless TrackHat clip plus quite a number of years ago and the combination has worked flawlessly (with no wires going  to my headset). When I'm not in VR, I'm using this setup. I did experiment with a Tobii Eyetracker but was unhappy with it compared to the TrackIR for pretty much all of the reasons others have already mentioned earlier in the thread.

However, since I'm always in search of the new hotness, I've been keeping my eye out for reviews of a new offering from TrackHat: the Sensor V2.

https://www.trackhat.org/sensorv2

Looks to be a similar concept to the Tobii in that it won't require a reflective or IR clip to be worn on your head. But it's just expensive enough that I want to see some real-world reviews of it before I take the leap myself.

I've used TrackIR now (5) for years and have good luck with it. Only real issues, I have, is with other light sources getting picked up by the camera, which also affected the other versions. I have been keeping an eye on a new item on the market which looks promising. Track Hat Sensor V2 which no longer needs hats or other things stuck to your head 🤣 

Other than a rather long waiting period, per people who have ordered, it may be the next best investment for the future. I personally will wait until the newness gets over with before jumping in and testing. I don't care to wait that long to receive a product and the TIR5 is fine until that day comes. Keep an eye out for this one, may be a keeper one day. 🤠👍

Just ordered my Tobii 5 from Amazon for $260.  The 5 version is supposed to be much better than 4.

Cant wait to give it a go in the HJET.

sp

 

Edited January 23, 20233 yr by Sky_Pilot071