DIY Head Tracker For A Tenner
- Thread starter Dead Fred
- Start date
Tried it in game last night lashed up to one of my youngest daughter's hair bands.
It's remarkable how natural it feels! (EDTracker, not girls hairwear).
Unfortunately the "long" USB cable I was saving for the job isn't as long as I thought it was and tugs on the box, making it shift unexpectedly.
Plus, attaching it to a 5-year-old's pink glittery hair band with two small pieces of tied elastic really isn't the secure mount it needs
I don't currently use (or own) nice secure headphones - what are people's preferred mounting methods?
One other thing - I was getting weird spikes on one side of the magnetometer calibration. Tried everything to resolve it. Then it dawned on me - and I took my magnetic-clasp leather bracelet off! The magnetometer is measuring the relatively weak magnetic field from the Earth - beware of things like your wristwatch and other metallic/magnetic adornments whilst calibrating!
It's remarkable how natural it feels! (EDTracker, not girls hairwear).
Unfortunately the "long" USB cable I was saving for the job isn't as long as I thought it was and tugs on the box, making it shift unexpectedly.
Plus, attaching it to a 5-year-old's pink glittery hair band with two small pieces of tied elastic really isn't the secure mount it needs
I don't currently use (or own) nice secure headphones - what are people's preferred mounting methods?
One other thing - I was getting weird spikes on one side of the magnetometer calibration. Tried everything to resolve it. Then it dawned on me - and I took my magnetic-clasp leather bracelet off! The magnetometer is measuring the relatively weak magnetic field from the Earth - beware of things like your wristwatch and other metallic/magnetic adornments whilst calibrating!
I use a headset + velcro tape since I wear a headset anyway, there are cheap-but-pretty-good gaming headsets around, others use baseball caps or visors, some wear a headband which enhances the more feminine aspects of their personality (or makes them feel like Rambo). But do get velcro tape.
Another mounting tip is to use a short USB cable as a strain reliever. One drawback of the mainboard is that the USB socket can be a bit fragile over time, so installing a fixed cable protects the USB slot from mechanical strain and you can just plug your longer cable into the fixed one without worrying about it yanking the socket around.
Another mounting tip is to use a short USB cable as a strain reliever. One drawback of the mainboard is that the USB socket can be a bit fragile over time, so installing a fixed cable protects the USB slot from mechanical strain and you can just plug your longer cable into the fixed one without worrying about it yanking the socket around.
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I've been using a wide hairband to which I attached my wireless tracker with a glue gun. After a while I noticed I get headaches after using the tracker. I started panicking - the radiation from the wireless tracker is messing with my brain! I'll get brain cancer!! I'm dying!!! Then I noticed the hairband I use is pretty tight and presses on my skull a lot. A googled a little and learned prolonged use of tight hairbands can cause headaches. I facepalmed and relaxed.Plus, attaching it to a 5-year-old's pink glittery hair band with two small pieces of tied elastic really isn't the secure mount it needs
So, yesterday I went with the Mrs to the mall, and in one of those plastic jewellery shops specialized for teenage girls found a perfect loose hairband. And it's not even pink or red - it's dark brown/black. Good thing I was with the wife, or else I'm sure the girl working in the shop would have called security because "a creepy middle aged man was trying out pink hairbands in the back of the shop". Not that the I didn't look creepy with the mrs, only slightly less so...
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Hi Again.
I believe I've found the problem with my device - overheating. I've emailed Dor regarding this.
From a cold start (when I get home from work. it also did this yesterday) I plug it in, Flash to 9150 and wait 15 seconds, works fine, responds to movement but the temperature keeps going up for approx 3-4 mins.
When it gets to 26.95 it freezes and will not respond to any movement and will not do so again. Even after rebooting, re-starting. I have to wait for it to cool down before I can get it to work again...for 3-4 mins.
I do not have it encased in anything, nor attached to anything. It's as I received it in the post.
Those few minutes that it does work, it works great, responds perfectly.
I believe I've found the problem with my device - overheating. I've emailed Dor regarding this.
From a cold start (when I get home from work. it also did this yesterday) I plug it in, Flash to 9150 and wait 15 seconds, works fine, responds to movement but the temperature keeps going up for approx 3-4 mins.
When it gets to 26.95 it freezes and will not respond to any movement and will not do so again. Even after rebooting, re-starting. I have to wait for it to cool down before I can get it to work again...for 3-4 mins.
I do not have it encased in anything, nor attached to anything. It's as I received it in the post.
Those few minutes that it does work, it works great, responds perfectly.
Cool (or not, as the case may be!). Just so no-one panics, 27degC is not hot by any stretch, and I find the devices normally stabilise at 31 to 32degC. So while I accept it sounds like yours is faulty, I didn't want others panicking thinking 31degC was about to explode ;-)
Sounds like potentially a faulty MPU IC, maybe. Shame, from your previous post of it working with other cables I thought we'd nailed it !!
Sounds like potentially a faulty MPU IC, maybe. Shame, from your previous post of it working with other cables I thought we'd nailed it
!!Cool (or not, as the case may be!). Just so no-one panics, 27degC is not hot by any stretch, and I find the devices normally stabilise at 31 to 32degC. So while I accept it sounds like yours is faulty, I didn't want others panicking thinking 31degC was about to explode ;-)
Sounds like potentially a faulty MPU IC, maybe. Shame, from your previous post of it working with other cables I thought we'd nailed it
Update: Connected tonight and this time it went up to 33.59 deg, and hovered around that point. Seemed to be working ok. Followed the calibration procedure in the video and rotated the device all around until it got to 500 points. Clicked on Save and it locked up again.
Unplugged the device and turned computer off an on. loaded up, connected, scanned for ports and there it was again for a few seconds and stopped responding..
I'm still wondering if it's my cables, who knows, but will wait until the new one arrives and go from there.
Thanks for all the advice so far. Much appreciated.
Ok so I have the new magno thingy EDtracker, set it up with the GUI works fantastic....
cant get it to work in Dangerous.
I am using a Saitek pro 52 hotas, the control panel in Elite does not recognise the movement of the tracker when I try to bind it the pitch or yaw axis.
not sure why tbh.
I even tried setting it up using opentrack but it does not respond in there even after going through the video setup stuff half a dozen times.
I have removed and reinstalled the software and gone through the setup process many times over, it works great on the GUI but I still cant get Elite to respond in the control setup.
I even edited the keybind file and manually inserted EDTrackerEDTracker2 x and y axes as the pitch and yaw bindings in the file but it does not show in the control setup or respond in game.
Any ideas/help appreciated
cant get it to work in Dangerous.
I am using a Saitek pro 52 hotas, the control panel in Elite does not recognise the movement of the tracker when I try to bind it the pitch or yaw axis.
not sure why tbh.
I even tried setting it up using opentrack but it does not respond in there even after going through the video setup stuff half a dozen times.
I have removed and reinstalled the software and gone through the setup process many times over, it works great on the GUI but I still cant get Elite to respond in the control setup.
I even edited the keybind file and manually inserted EDTrackerEDTracker2 x and y axes as the pitch and yaw bindings in the file but it does not show in the control setup or respond in game.
Any ideas/help appreciated
Does it show up as a joystick in USB Game Controllers?
If so, open the properties, is the crosshair moving around as you move the unit?
brumster: I saw (or heard) you say something about leaving them plugged in to a USB port that stays powered on.
What does one need to do on power-up if yours don't stay on?
Full reset/mag/geo calibration? Stationary on a flat surface whilst it boots? Nothing special as it's already calibrated in nvram?
Presumably if I was using linear mode there is no need to re-center using the GUI as the re-center function in game should handle it, but using exponential you need to leave EDTracker GUI running with a keybind? When it's minimised, is it still reading all the data itself or is that all turned off to save resources and just operates the re-center function?
Ta
What does one need to do on power-up if yours don't stay on?
Full reset/mag/geo calibration? Stationary on a flat surface whilst it boots? Nothing special as it's already calibrated in nvram?
Presumably if I was using linear mode there is no need to re-center using the GUI as the re-center function in game should handle it, but using exponential you need to leave EDTracker GUI running with a keybind? When it's minimised, is it still reading all the data itself or is that all turned off to save resources and just operates the re-center function?
Ta
Has anyone used Sugru to attach a head tracker to headphones? I've currently got my Hammon enclosure cable tied to the plastic band of my headphones, but I can feel the cable tie on my scalp, and it's slightly irritating.
I've just ordered some Sugru (www.sugru.com). never worked with this before, but I've ordered it to repair some Apple phone charger cables. It's just occurred to me that it should be ideal to attach the Hammond enclosure to the top of the headband.
b.t.w., my 9150MPU is working flawlessly, so many thanks to all involved in developing and improving the product!
I've just ordered some Sugru (www.sugru.com). never worked with this before, but I've ordered it to repair some Apple phone charger cables. It's just occurred to me that it should be ideal to attach the Hammond enclosure to the top of the headband.
b.t.w., my 9150MPU is working flawlessly, so many thanks to all involved in developing and improving the product!
it shows up in the game controllers but the crosshair is not moving.
I have also a Logitech G13 game pad, but I disabled and unplugged that in case there was interference.
I have also received an email reply from the website, followed instructions in there re the usb controller. It does not move the crosshairs, perhaps windows is not recognising it.
I will uninstall and setup again from scratch and let you know what happens, thanks for the reply.
Just have the tracker flat and still when it gets powered up, and leave it so for about 15 to 20 seconds while it finishes the auto-gyro calibration (LED stops flashing fast and goes to slow flash cycle). This is for 9150's only.
If for some reason you can't have it flat and still when powered up, just run the auto-gyro bias step from the GUI later, when you can get the device flat and still.
You don't need to do the mag, no. It's just the gyro - so the middle of your options. Rob was pushed for space, that's all, so I don't believe he can store the gyro stuff across power-downs.
Yes, depends on game I guess, but yeah linear shouldn't really mind if you re-center outside of EDTracker as the axes are all scaled linearly. As you correctly point out, recentering out of EDTracker (ie. in opentrack, or in game) with exponential axes would cause some squiffy results, which is why we always say if you're using Opentrack set scaling to 1:1 on all axes and use linear mode.
Sounds like you've got it right
I can't find the info but I think it was in this thread:
Somebody here posted the link to a UK based shop or company where you can order a set of plastic samples that will filter IR light. I want to order this package to use the IR filter with my PS3 cam but sadly I can't find the posting any more. Any one knows that company or shop?
Somebody here posted the link to a UK based shop or company where you can order a set of plastic samples that will filter IR light. I want to order this package to use the IR filter with my PS3 cam but sadly I can't find the posting any more.
Any one knows that company or shop?
Don't know if there is a problem with the 9150 v4 sketch, but I updated from the much earlier 9150 2 sketch following the instruction on your vid brumster, everything seemed fine but then noticed the yaw was trying to return to centre I turn my head 10-15 degrees to the left, the yaw point would move as expected but then start twitching back towards centre before going seriously ape! by which I mean bouncing all over the place left and right to extremes.
I tried recalibrating a few times but didn't seem to be getting anywhere so ended up going back to v2 sketch for 9150, did I do something wrong during the calibration?
I tried recalibrating a few times but didn't seem to be getting anywhere so ended up going back to v2 sketch for 9150, did I do something wrong during the calibration?
EDtracker doesn't like my headset?
Hi All I've just built and configured my 9150 EDtracker and its great! However I have a problem when attaching it to my new HyperX cloud II headset.
When configuring the EDtracker not attached to the headphones the magnetometer setup works fine, nice green and red globes, but when brought close to and mounted on top of the headset it goes crazy and doesn't track correctly.
If I reset the preferences and recalibrate the magnetometer setting it no longer has a red globe. when pitching my head (looking up/down) I get pitch AND yaw (head looks up+right/down+left) and when yawing (looking left and right) the head initially looks in the correct direction then slowly moves back to centre.
The EDtracker works fine with the 6050 firmware (no magnetometer)
I'm assuming this has something to do with the headset speaker magnets interfering with the magnetometer, is there any way I can prevent this, or perhaps block it in software or with shielding?
Has anyone experienced this or similar? Any recommendations?
Hi All
I've just built and configured my 9150 EDtracker and its great! However I have a problem when attaching it to my new HyperX cloud II headset.When configuring the EDtracker not attached to the headphones the magnetometer setup works fine, nice green and red globes, but when brought close to and mounted on top of the headset it goes crazy and doesn't track correctly.
If I reset the preferences and recalibrate the magnetometer setting it no longer has a red globe. when pitching my head (looking up/down) I get pitch AND yaw (head looks up+right/down+left) and when yawing (looking left and right) the head initially looks in the correct direction then slowly moves back to centre.
The EDtracker works fine with the 6050 firmware (no magnetometer)
I'm assuming this has something to do with the headset speaker magnets interfering with the magnetometer, is there any way I can prevent this, or perhaps block it in software or with shielding?
Has anyone experienced this or similar? Any recommendations?
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There is a bug that causes the mag re-correction to wrap incorrectly; its ready for release but just needs some GUI updates in order to accomodate it. Should be in the next few days, maybe even tonight depending on how Rob is getting on with it. Best suggestion would be to just make do with the v2 version for now, there should be an update on the website very soon
It certainly does sound like that, yes
short of lead lining the ear cups there's probably not much practical you can do about it that headset must have some pretty massive drivers in it!!! That's the first I've heard of where it interferes even with the EDTracker up on top... if you put the GUI in to mag calibration page and then move the EDTracker close/away from the headset, without twisting it, you should easily see when the readings start to go bananas. This should give you an idea of how strong the magnetic field is from your headset. You could try fiddling with the sensitivity but if it's being swamped by a magnetic field that moves with your head, then I'm not sure how effective it will be....Thanks brumster
It certainly does sound like that, yes
Thanks for the reply Brumster. I had thought that might be the problem, thats a shame. I haven't had the headphones long either which is annoying.
I don't suppose the way I have made the EDtracker would cause this? rather than using a protoboard i've just used short lengths of wires. I assume if it had anything to do with the wires it wouldn't work at all?
Ill look into getting a new pair of headphones, does anyone have any recommendations on a good pair that works well with the 9150 edtracker?
EDIT: has anyone tried the Sennheiser PC 363D with 9150 EDtracker?
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