TrackIR Simply Refuses to Work!

[JYW 2,989]

2 hours ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

Make sure your USB keys are not set to sleep mode. Happens whenever there is a windows update for me.

 

1 hour ago, DaveCT2003 said:

I'm not able to get it to run without using a USB 2.0 port.

Acknowledging and following both of these points, was the end of TrackIR issues for me.  It works 100% of the time and flawlessly now.

Go to Device Manager and right click on every USB device, go into properties, then "Power Management" for both.   If the Let Windows save power by turning off this device is checked, you will have problems.     It's a silly feature that MS keep reactivating after updates, so they can claim to be pursuing a green agenda.

For the USB ports, even the very latest version of the Naturalpoint TrackIR software is almost 10 years old.   It does not handle USB3.0 well at all.   So check that you have your TrackIR device plugged into black USB sockets on your PC, and not blue.

Lastly, on new installs of MSFS I've had to do over the last 4 years, I've found it always takes two launches of MSFS to get it to work properly with TrackIR, from it's side.    So, plug in TrackIR device and launch the driver, then launch MSFS, close it immediately, and relaunch.  

Initially (in 2020) there was a separate controller tab for TrackIR in MSFS's Controller settings.   This is not used now.   So don't think that TIR working properly depends on you seeing it alongside your yoke, pedals, etc in the control assignments.

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

6 hours ago, JYW said:

Go to Device Manager and right click on every USB device, go into properties, then "Power Management" for both.   If the Let Windows save power by turning off this device is checked, you will have problems.     It's a silly feature that MS keep reactivating after updates, so they can claim to be pursuing a green agenda.

Yeah man, that's an old fix... I've got a post about having identified that here on AVSIM from many years ago.  Others have written about it since then. Unfortunately that wasn't the problem with mine, it's that my 2.0 ports no longer exist and 3.0 + are not fully backwards compatible. Anyway, now that I've dropped into the VR world I'm even more hooked than I was when TrackIR first came out and I was flying Janes F-15 and F/A-18 (man, back in the day if you had a TrackIR you won every engagement in multiplayer).  Come to think of it, I have a PCI USB 2.0 card in my old system which is doing duty over at my folks busines.  If I never need a TrackIR I'll go pull them and I should be back in business.

The Quest 3 (released I think 2 months ago) has a mixed reality mode in addition to straight VR, but flight sims don't work with that just yet. When they do, they hardware controllers will become a thing of the past.... so not only m my TrackIR will be obsolete, but my HOTAS, Honeycomb ALpha and Bravo, everything but rudder pedals until they come out with VR socks.

 

[Bobsk8 12,825]

I only have one  3.0 USB on the front top of my PC, guess where my Track IR has been plugged into for over 2 years....... drum roll........ The USB 3.0....😏

[Ron Lefebvre 120]

You seem to have the perfect computer Bob, aren't you lucky.

Alas, I also have mine plugged into 3.0. I doubt that has anything to do with it.

Between windows and all our add-ons, its almost impossible to pinpoint any errors with this sim.

I re-checked my USB and once again they reverted to sleep mode. I hate windows.

So far so good for me.

Ron

 

[Darcy 63]

I have to start and restart TrackIr many times (sometimes up to 40) before it is recognized (4 red lights come on).  I have contacted them and done what they suggested but still have to start many times.  Eventually it will recognize and all works fine after that but very annoying to do everyday when starting up my computer.  

Darcy

[vadriver 248]

no problems with TrackIR for mine, always works, as does AS 😎

[Lange_666 167]

Mine (TrackIR 4 still) is sitting in a USB 3.0. The only problem i have is what Darcy has but with the difference that i have to restart the TrackIR software only once when it happens (on my previous computer it was hooked up to a 2.0 port and i had the same problem there, TrackIR not activating after starting the software, just restarting it once did activate it on that machine also).

[Rocky_53 1,591]

Hey fellas, sorry for the late reply, I've had my head in other things. Thanks for all the suggestions and replies. I will try everything that has been suggested and report back soon. Hopefully, with some good news. Cheers. 

[Bobsk8 12,825]

11 hours ago, Ron Lefebvre said:

You seem to have the perfect computer Bob, aren't you lucky.

Alas, I also have mine plugged into 3.0. I doubt that has anything to do with it.

Between windows and all our add-ons, its almost impossible to pinpoint any errors with this sim.

I re-checked my USB and once again they reverted to sleep mode. I hate windows.

So far so good for me.

Ron

 

I just don't load my PC up with word not allowed. 😉

[pete_auau 1,163]

On 2/6/2024 at 8:24 PM, Rocky_53 said:

I am at a complete loss with TrackIR, I have tried everything I know to get this SOAB () to work, but without success! Reinstalled program, installed latest update, starting before (as always recommended) and after and during MSFS, checking TrackIR is on in MSFS, running as admin in addition to MSFS as admin, running without admin same as MSFS... but it simply stops working, often before I get into a flight. Nadda, nothing, lights go out and that's it. It used to work some time ago. Unsure when I started to get the problem, but it hasn't worked properly for the best part of six months I guess. Sometimes I'm lucky, but that's probably only about 20% of the time. Veyry odd and extremely frustrating. If anyone can offer some advice, it would be very much appreciated. 

dont  know  if this  post is  related  to your  issues

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/track-ir-stops-working/472119/331

[Rocky_53 1,591]

1 hour ago, pete_auau said:

dont  know  if this  post is  related  to your  issues

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/track-ir-stops-working/472119/331

Thanks for this link Peter. I'll check things out, but at the moment I've tried most peoples' suggestions in this thread and still haven't got anywhere. More testing today. Cheers.

[pete_auau 1,163]

17 minutes ago, Rocky_53 said:

Thanks for this link Peter. I'll check things out, but at the moment I've tried most peoples' suggestions in this thread and still haven't got anywhere. More testing today. Cheers.

dont  know  but  lately  i  have  noticed my  trackir   didnt  reset  to  centre  when pressing  my  button,  found  out  msfs   change  my  profile  to  the  default   so had  to  change  it  to  msfs

[tup61 1,611]

29 minutes ago, pete_auau said:

dont  know  but  lately  i  have  noticed my  trackir   didnt  reset  to  centre  when pressing  my  button,  found  out  msfs   change  my  profile  to  the  default   so had  to  change  it  to  msfs

I set the center button using the TrackIR software... How is it possible that MSFS changes this...? Or do you perhaps mean the MSFS Headtracking toggle?

[pete_auau 1,163]

7 minutes ago, tup61 said:

I set the center button using the TrackIR software... How is it possible that MSFS changes this...? Or do you perhaps mean the MSFS Headtracking toggle?

well  since  i use  track ir    for  dcs  and I don't  have  any  issues   with it  so i  assume  its  msfs,  yes  iam  talking  about  the  track ir  software  gui

Edited February 8 by pete_auau

[pete_auau 1,163]

8 hours ago, pete_auau said:

well  since  i use  track ir    for  dcs  and I don't  have  any  issues   with it  so i  assume  its  msfs,  yes  iam  talking  about  the  track ir  software  gui

Just to add to my post, i started trackir set my profile, started msfs as soon as msfs  started  my profile changed to the default profile. (this all started after the last update)

Edited February 8 by pete_auau