Track IR.

[Blackdog_kt]

Poll is missing an option, "do-it-yourself/open source head tracking systems", so i'll have to elaborate a bit by text

I had a trackIR4 with trackclip pro (the led clip that you attach to your headphones) and what i have to say is: excellent usability and a top notch product that unfortunately is marred by flimsy construction, especially if you consider its cost.

My trackclip pro broke a mere two months after purchase and i've been holding it together with duct tape ever since. Then, in about two years of use my trackIR4 camera also gave up the ghost and it's a hood ornament on my monitor's bezel as we speak

Mind you, i'm the kind of guy that keeps the type of PC peripherals we don't need to constantly upgrade in a healthy condition for a lot of years, for example my sidewinder precision pro 2 stick is more than 10 years old, same for my Yamaha set of 2.1 desktop speakers, so i was a bit less than impressed with trackIR's overall lack of longevity.

It still gets excellent marks for ease of use and precision, i just can't easily recommend it for the current asking price when it's prone to malfunctioning so soon. Maybe the 5 series is better than the 4 series in this regard, so i'll give it the benefit of doubt overall: if it's your first time with head tracking and you have some spare cash lying around then go for it, as long as you're prepared to face potential troubles with the camera unit.

And of course, the reason i keep harping on about it is very simple: it's so easy, natural, enjoyable and immersive to use that if it breaks you'll be royally p*ssed off for not being able to use it

I'm currently using my battered trackclip pro with a microsoft lifecam and freetrack software but i'm not completely satisfied. I find FT's response a bit slower and precision a bit lacking, which since the webcam captures at 30FPS and converts the output to 120FPS it's bound to happen, but my biggest gripe is the clunky interface which makes it a pain to adjust a profile curve compared to trackIR's software.

I was thinking of picking up a playstation PS3eye which sports 120 FPS capture rate and wider field of view to even things out, but after feedback from another user here it seems that freetrack and customized ps3eye drivers don't go well with win7 x64.

My latest up and coming solution is a little project proposed to me by a friend.
A micro-controller, a bit of code in C/C++ and an electronic board with a solid state accelerometer and a solid state gyroscope = full 6DOF control at precision equal to or greater than trackIR on a custom interface, for less than $80 or so.

Think of a small USB powered clip that attaches to your headphones and contains all you need to calculate a position in 3D space, then feeding that to your PC for in-game use.
The obvious drawback is that you need to have this attached to your head somehow and the cable is more or less mandatory (unless someone comes up with a bluetooth/wireless setup), so people who use a reflector setup with camera-based head trackers won't like it that much.

The obvious advantages however are that you don't need to bother with cameras at all. Field of view, how far away you're sitting from the screen playing havoc with your profile's sensitivity, refresh rates in connection with precision, ambient light messing up your tracking, all that will be a thing of the past.



Finally,

Originally Posted by NedLynch

It doesn't make you a better pilot, but it reduces workload just for trying to look around and frees up your view switch to map other controls to it.

this 100 times over. That doesn't mean it's not worth it, the main gains in terms of head tracking come from it's intuitive nature and the increase of immersion it provides.

From my rambling above it's obvious that there are a multitude of solutions currently available, both custom/DIY and commercial, so it should be easy for everyone to try it with as little or as much expense as they like. And once you try it, well, it's not easy going back to hat switch view control

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

And once you try it, well, it's not easy going back to hat switch view control

I'd say it's impossible.

TrackIR 4 here, had it for about two and a half years, I think.

I was using version 5 software for a time, but something stopped this working so had to go back to the version 4 software, which isn't as user friendly as 5 IMO.

Unfortunately broke my pro-clip, so if I'm using headphones I also need to wear a cap. This cooks both my head and ears in the summer, but I couldn't be without it now.

Which reminds me, a small blob of epoxy glue might fix the pro-clip, so I'm off to repair it.

[Wolf_Rider]

Had my TIR4 since they were first released... no problems with the camera whatsoever. The led clip is a different story however, but the reflector system work just fine, though a bit of epoxy never hurt anyone (considering some make their own clips anyway).

just tighten up the Pan curve a bit and away ya go

[NedLynch]

Hey Blackdog, is there any chance you might keep us updated on that little project of your's ? My Track IR is about a year and a half old and I sure hope it's not going to kick the bucket too soon.
If there were a viable diy option other than freetrack that would be pretty interesting.

[Blackdog_kt]

Well, it will probably be a while until we get a working prototype (and by "we" i mean a buddy of mine who's going to do most of the work on it, because i have a grasp of the theoretic principles but i lack the necessary technical knowledge to do it myself ), but if something comes up i'll keep you all posted

[NedLynch]

Great, you see, I am one of those people who lack in both departements, theory and technical knowledge

[Vengeanze]

Originally Posted by NedLynch

Great, you see, I am one of those people who lack in both departements, theory and technical knowledge

Probably compensating by being damn handsome and married rich just like me.