Head Tracking with Cliffs of Dover

[Royraiden]

EDIT****If you want info about the questions I asked dont read this thread because it is full of useless off-topic posts mostly by two sad fellas.

Having already ordered a HOTAS+Rudder pedals for this sim(thanks to all the kind members for sharing your thoughts and experience on my other thread),now its time for me to consider upgrading my head tracking setup.I've been using Freetrack for the past year with almost no complaints regarding the software.On the other hand, due to my poor craftsmanship, my 3 point clip started failing on me,something I was expecting because that thing was held on by layers and layers of duct tape(yes it was a pretty cheap build).So I've read several times that I could use the Natural Point Track Clip Pro with Freetrack, and went to their website to order one.I can get it shipped for $60.00.If I would have know these from the start I would have saved the money I spent on the webcam+ tools and parts and go all out for a TrackIR solution.My main concern is,how can I be sure that Freetrack is going to be supported when the game comes out?If I could choose I would stay with freetrack because its a great piece of software,and the fact that it is free.Though there are a few advantages to owning Track Ir.The most important for me is the reflective Clip.Having the 3 point clip with Freetrack means that I need to have my headphones on in addition to another cable hanging around my face.I guess I could build a reflective clip for Freetrack but I honestly dont want to fiddle more with parts.



Freetrack
Pros:
-FREE software
-Easy to set up and use once you got the setup built correctly
-Easy to replace(if the camera fails)

Cons:
-Support(not all games supporting track ir support freetrack, correct me)
-Bothersome to make clip(at least to me)
-Requires a dark room to work properly most of the time

TrackIR
Pros:
-No need to build
-More complex software(im assuming)
-Comes with reflective clip(does not need a dark room to work properly)
-Better support on games

Cons:
-Expensive!

I guess there are more cons but since I dont own a TIR setup I dont know which ones.

If I decided to go for the TrackIR I would try to get the TIR4 but it isnt available on amazon and theres just a few on ebay.Where is the cheapest place I could get one?Feel free to correct my mistakes, if there's any.Give me some advice/suggestions/experience.And most importantly,is Freetrack going to be supported at release?Im fairly new to the forum so maybe this was discussed earlier.

[Qpassa]

Would be good to know the position of OM. Have they blocked access to needed information as Eagle Dynamics did with DCS:Black Shark(because Natural Point payed it)?

[Royraiden]

Well, Ilya has been shown using TrackIR in 2 videos.In one of them he was actually talking about it.

Instead of making a setup that tracks three infrared lights, just mount a few to shine towards you (high output LED's if possible) and just make your own reflective clip instead. That way you don't have to have a bunch of wires hanging from your head, and the LED setup could run off of a power source other than batteries. (think replacing one of those USB LED lamps with an IR one).

[Matt255]

-Support(not all games supporting track ir support freetrack, correct me)

Could be, never found one that doesn't support Freetrack though (Black Shark needs a fix though).

-Bothersome to make clip(at least to me)

You can buy the TrackClipPro (yes, pretty expensive, but still less expensive then TrackIR). This might be a problem if you don't wear a headphone/headset.

-Requires a dark room to work properly most of the time

Not if you use IR LED's (or bought the TrackClipPro).

I'm using Freetrack with a VX3000 webcam and the TrackclipPro and it works perfectly, no reason for me to get TrackIR.


If CloD won't support Freetrack, i'll be very disappointed.

[Royraiden]

Thanks for your replies.Indeed a lot of people will be dissapointed if there's no Freetrack support.That is why I havent bought anything yet.

[Wolf_Rider]

does FT still hack from TIR software?

[Wolf_Rider]

Originally Posted by Royraiden

Thanks for your replies.Indeed a lot of people will be dissapointed if there's no Freetrack support.That is why I havent bought anything yet.

bummer


@Triple...

TIR is self enabling in game, just have the software running before starting the sim (update the software first by using the Check for game Updates switch). In the, in sim, Control page (for assigning butttons to functions), there is an entry to toggle TrackIR on or off.

[Royraiden]

Originally Posted by Matt255

Could be, never found one that doesn't support Freetrack though (Black Shark needs a fix though).


You can buy the TrackClipPro (yes, pretty expensive, but still less expensive then TrackIR). This might be a problem if you don't wear a headphone/headset.


Not if you use IR LED's (or bought the TrackClipPro).

I'm using Freetrack with a VX3000 webcam and the TrackclipPro and it works perfectly, no reason for me to get TrackIR.


If CloD won't support Freetrack, i'll be very disappointed.

No Im not using IR led's though I thought they were when I bought them.How's the build quality?I read somewhere that it broke fairly easy.

[Matt255]

It seems very fragile indeed. I have it for 15 months or so and it's still in good shape, it won't fall apart by looking at it, but it's definately not sturdy, especially not for the price, if it would cost 10 € or so, it would be a fair price imo.