OT: Track IR arriving soon

[Kiwikat]

This friday my Track IR should be here :jump:

Does anyone have any tips or experiences I can learn from? Anything particular I need to pay attention to when setting it up?

I can't wait! :monkies:

[Major_Spittle]

How much are they selling those things for nowdays?

[Bone]

If you're running both FSX/SP1 and FSX/Acceleration as two separate sims, then don't use the latest (4.1.036 Final) driver because it won't work in SP1. Use the 4.1.030 Final B driver, it works in both SP1 and Accel.


I must say, I find it hard to believe a man of your credentials is just now getting Track IR...I mean, jeezus, Track IR is what takes the simming experience to the apex.

[Rezabrya]

I am also thinking about getting this and judging by what Kiwi thinks I will get it. If he likes it then I will most likely get it.

[Kiwikat]

I must say, I find it hard to believe a man of your credentials is just now getting Track IR...I mean, jeezus, Track IR is what takes the simming experience to the apex.

Well for the first time ever I finally have a GOOD computer. I've been thinking about Track IR for a long time, but I just finally ordered it.

Thanks for the driver advice. I'm just running Accel so I should be fine with the final release ones.

As far as the price goes, it is 150 usd for the combo pack which includes the headset clip.

[Bone]

Believe me Raptor, after an hour of using TrackIR you'll be kicking yourself for not getting it a year ago.

[Rezabrya]

Thats what I figured but I just never really got aorund to ordering it I guess. It will be great for many of my planes like the F-16 and the Razorback and a few others.

[flyinjake]

I got mine a couple of weeks ago and I love it. Have not tweaked the settings to my desires but I can see this being a charm.

[Tako_Kichi]

Does anyone have any tips or experiences I can learn from? Anything particular I need to pay attention to when setting it up?

Take the time to set it up correctly when you first get it and get used to looking at the 'Tracking' window in the TIR4 software panel to check for any issues before they become in-game problems.

TIR4 is very susceptible to any light sources (and reflected light sources) that are in it's field of view (FoV) but it's FoV is actually quite narrow so you can get away with some things and not others. If you have any lamps behind you or picture frames with glass fronts they may cause problems.

When you check the 'Tracking' window you should see three green 'blobs' from the reflectors and that is all, if you see ANY red 'blobs' then you have a problem and will need to fix it either by turning off the offending lamp or moving the picture frame. A light source (or reflection of one) in the FoV will cause TIR to lose it's ability to track the reflectors and in game this means view freezes and view jumping instead of smooth tracking.

There is an option within the software to adjust 'Light Filtering' by clicking on the 'Tracking' window 'Settings' button. This will allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the unit but sometimes you just have to turn off the offending light or stop objects reflecting as the filter can only cope with so much extraneous light.

[GT182]

I've been running a Tracker for the past 5 years. Tracker IR2 first and now the IR4 Pro. I look at it this way... do you drive your car and look around using a hatswitch? I think not, so why fly using one.... Go with the Tracker IR4 Pro.

Once you get used to it.... yes you must get used to it... you won't look back. You might even kick yourself for not getting one sooner. ;)

One thing. If you fly IL2 you must turn off the vectoring software. It does not work in IL2. It does work in FS9 and FSX. I believe Natural Point has a list that tells what sims the vectoring software works in.

Note:
The writer of this post is in no way compensated by Natural Point.

[d0mokun]

Just to hijack, does anyone know of a good vendor for TrackIR in the UK?

[spotlope]

One thing. If you fly IL2 you must turn off the vectoring software. It does not work in IL2. It does work in FS9 and FSX. I believe Natural Point has a list that tells what sims the vectoring software works in.

I've got IL2/Pacific Fighters, and all six degrees (vector) work beautifully in it. Maybe the functionality got added in PF. Also works great in A2A's Battle of Britain II.

[GypsyBaron]

This friday my Track IR should be here :jump:

Does anyone have any tips or experiences I can learn from? Anything particular I need to pay attention to when setting it up?

I can't wait! :monkies:

One of the first things you should do is assign a button or switch
on your stick/throttle to the TrackIR "Enable" function.
Also assign another one to the TrackIR "Center" function.

I use the "Enable" toggle constanty when operating switches/knobs/etc
in the VC. Often it's difficult to 'hit' the clickspots if you
do not momentarily disable TrackIR.

I use the "Center" fuction all the time to 'extend' my
field of view. If I want to look farther DOWN than TIR
will allow, I simply look UP a bit and hit "Center". I can then
look down further than before. Look forward and hit "Center"
to restore you 'norma' view. The same technique works
for lateral motion as well. To look further LEFT, first look to
the RIGHT, "Center", have a look, forward and "Center".

It becomes second nature to use those functions in a very
short time.

Paul

[Kiwikat]

Thanks for the advice, Paul. Sounds like this'll really improve the simming experience. :ernae:

[GT182]

Bill, didn't know that about PF. It never did in my original copy of it, but I'll have to check it out in the copy on IL2/1946.

[Bone]

It worked for me in IL2 Sturmovich, Pacific Fighters, and 1946. The newest driver also works for Vista users in CFS3.

[Kiwikat]

Hey guys, I am somewhat concerned about how I am going to install it on my monitor and headset. My headset is made mostly of plastic and isn't shaped too nicely for the clip to clip onto it. I despise the idea of wearing a hat every time I play FS so the regular sensors are likely to collect dust somewhere.

As for my monitor, I have a samsung T220. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001273&Tpk=samsung%20t220 From the side profile shots you can see that the top of it is curved, not flat. Do you think this will cause problems when trying to mount it?

UPS confirmed it will be here friday so I'm getting a bit squirrely waiting for it. :redf:

[stiz]

Just to hijack, does anyone know of a good vendor for TrackIR in the UK?

http://www.rcsimulations.com/index.html

This is where i got mine, the website looks like its been done on the cheap a bit but i've never had any problems with them :wave:

[d0mokun]

Many thanks!

[pernik]

There is a conflict between Trackir and DBS Walk and Follow. I have to disable WAF before I can use the Track IR.
No big deal as TrackIR is far superior in the cockpit.

[hews500d]

This friday my Track IR should be here :jump:

Does anyone have any tips or experiences I can learn from? Anything particular I need to pay attention to when setting it up?

I can't wait! :monkies:

Get a bucket to put next to your computer desk the first few times you use it! :barf:

Seriously though, on my older P4 system I found that the movement was "jerky" compared to my new i7 920 system and I think that was one reason for the nausea. Running it with the default profiles for fsx and Blackshark on my new system gives me no problems.

Once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.

Darrell

[lucas81]

I got my Track ir yestreday. I need to get use to it. Completly different experience, but it is great :)

[GT182]

Kiwikat, use heavy duty velcro. ;) That will work to keep it in place.

[limjack]

Get a bucket to put next to your computer desk the first few times you use it! :barf:



Darrell


LOL, my oldest brother came up to stay last year and I hooked him up with the trackir4 and after about 15 min. he was ready to use the bucket. o-well, more flying time for me!

Jim

[abrussell]

I've been using mine for about a month. It adds a lot to the sim. The hat clip worked fine on my headset. I found that turning off the x and z axis eliminated the queasy feelings without
detracting too much from the experience.
Bruce

[Paul K]

Never had a moments nausea with it, but being a wearer of vari-focal glasses, I had to get a pair of cheap off-the-shelf single vision specs.

The reason is that as you turn your head to alter the view, and move your eyes back toward the screen, you end up looking through a portion of the varifocal lense that is of the wrong focal length for your computer monitor's distance, and so its blurred.

A pair of £8.99 single-visions from one of those rotating stands you find in supermarkets and chemists in the UK worked perfectly.

[LonelyplanetXO]

I got Track IR 4 Pro a few months ago. Absolutely love it; a must have. One thing I dont quite get tho since I use FS9 90% of the time is why in FSX the track view works in spot view and the hat key doesnt. Most annoying. Any way to fix that?

LPXO

[spotlope]

I got Track IR 4 Pro a few months ago. Absolutely love it; a must have. One thing I dont quite get tho since I use FS9 90% of the time is why in FSX the track view works in spot view and the hat key doesnt. Most annoying. Any way to fix that?

LPXO

I found the TIR function in spot view annoying for the first few months myself, but I guess I just got used to it. Oddly, it only works for panning in that mode. On my rig, I can still use the hat switch for tilting. I'm not 100% sure this would work, but it just occurred to me that you might be able to use FSUIPC (payware version) to set up a button that both disabled TIR using a keypress and then switched to spot view. Of course, you'd have to set up another that switched back to VC and sent another keypress to re-enable the TIR. Since the same key is just a toggle in the TrackIR software, you'd have to be careful to start with the correct mode (enabled or disabled) or the button would get out of whack. Still, it's theoretically possible.

[GypsyBaron]

I found the TIR function in spot view annoying for the first few months myself, but I guess I just got used to it. Oddly, it only works for panning in that mode. On my rig, I can still use the hat switch for tilting. I'm not 100% sure this would work, but it just occurred to me that you might be able to use FSUIPC (payware version) to set up a button that both disabled TIR using a keypress and then switched to spot view. Of course, you'd have to set up another that switched back to VC and sent another keypress to re-enable the TIR. Since the same key is just a toggle in the TrackIR software, you'd have to be careful to start with the correct mode (enabled or disabled) or the button would get out of whack. Still, it's theoretically possible.

FSUIPC can't do anything with TrackIR. TrackIR 'sees'
keystrokes ( or buttons/switches ) before they get
to FSUIPC, thus you can't control TIR with FSUIPC.

In spot mode, just put TrackIR into 'pause mode'
( toggle the enable ) and then you can use the hat
switch 'normally'. This is also true in the VC.
Both tilt and pan work with the hat.

I have both the 'Enable' and the 'Center' commands
mapped to buttons on my X-45 setup and use them
both constantly as I move about the VC ( I have multiple
camera definitions set to switch with my #3 hat ).
It's now second nature to use those two functions
to manipulate/see switches and controls that are
hard to see from the normal eyepoint or difficult
to operate due to small click-spots.

I'm rarely out of the VC but occasionally will go to spot
view to double check the aircraft configuration. I just
toggle 'Enable', hit the 'S' key and then use the hat
to walk/fly around the aircraft. Flick my thumb too the
left on my #2 hat and I'm back in the left seat. Hit the
TIR 'enable' button and I'm back to 'normal', all in a
matter of seconds.

I highly recommend experimenting with CameraDefinitions
activated with "HotKeySelect=" statements for each
definition, and the HotKeys assigned to buttons, switches
of a Hat on your stick/throttle setup.

The combination of TrackIR and multiple positions/views
in the VC made possible by the CameraDefinitions make
flying so much easier. The two systems compliment one
another very well.

Paul