I was looking into getting TrackIR but I first wanted to hear some feedback from owners/users of it before I made a decision to buy it or not.
Thanks,
-FineV
Thanks,
-FineV
Hardware & Technical Looking in getting TrackIR
- Thread starter FineVisionz
- Start date
It's a no-brainer. Get TrackIR, you will not regret it.
However do take note not to strain your neck the first few hours... you'll suddenly find that you actually make unconscious head movements during gaming. You would never have known if you did not get a head tracker. You'll be surprised at how much your head moves during gaming. Then you'll be so conscious about keeping your head still so that the screen doesn't jump about. So, the advice is this - tweak the graphs (curves) on your X, Y, Z, and whatever axis you want in TrackIR. Give yourself some deadzones so you don't need to strain your neck keeping your head perfectly still.
ps: Also note that I own a Tobii 4C eye tracker as well, and my recommendation is still to go with TrackIR
If you think getting TrackIR makes your screen jump about too much (initially), it'll be worse getting a Tobii.. cuz not only do you move your head, your eyes would be looking everywhere... screen jumps about more. I have written a quick comparison between the 2 if you're interested - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...i-4C-eye-tracker-vs-TrackIR-a-personal-review
However do take note not to strain your neck the first few hours... you'll suddenly find that you actually make unconscious head movements during gaming. You would never have known if you did not get a head tracker. You'll be surprised at how much your head moves during gaming. Then you'll be so conscious about keeping your head still so that the screen doesn't jump about. So, the advice is this - tweak the graphs (curves) on your X, Y, Z, and whatever axis you want in TrackIR. Give yourself some deadzones so you don't need to strain your neck keeping your head perfectly still.
ps: Also note that I own a Tobii 4C eye tracker as well, and my recommendation is still to go with TrackIR
If you think getting TrackIR makes your screen jump about too much (initially), it'll be worse getting a Tobii.. cuz not only do you move your head, your eyes would be looking everywhere... screen jumps about more. I have written a quick comparison between the 2 if you're interested - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...i-4C-eye-tracker-vs-TrackIR-a-personal-review
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First: Check whether you want to pay the TrackIR price or are fine with the ED Tracker (the newer ones with magnetometer!). Both mean additional cables to your headset (or wearing a silly cap in case of TrackIR), both work perfectly fine in ED (I have both), both have tradeoffs. ED Tracker is considerably cheaper, and works at any distance of the display, due to not requiring a camera. TrackIR is more plug & play (more plug as you'll be dealing with more cables, too) , requires less less centering effort than the EDTracker due to the camera, but is considerably more expensive.
That said, get one of those! If you're not into shutting yourself off from the outside world and reducing image quality by means of a VR headset, both TrackIR and EDTracker provide the main benefit of VR on your monitor: free headlock by means of your own head movements. You can play cockpit games without it, but after getting used to headtracking (10min -1h, normall), you'll not want to play without anymore. It's that liberating.
That said, get one of those! If you're not into shutting yourself off from the outside world and reducing image quality by means of a VR headset, both TrackIR and EDTracker provide the main benefit of VR on your monitor: free headlock by means of your own head movements. You can play cockpit games without it, but after getting used to headtracking (10min -1h, normall), you'll not want to play without anymore. It's that liberating.
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Or you can attach (tape, zip tie, or anything else that works) the reflector to the top of your headphone band
Or you can attach (tape, zip tie, or anything else that works) the reflector to the top of your headphone band
By which time, you're better off using the IR lights, because they work considerably more reliably from my experience and also go on your headset.
Unless you absolutely insist on a wireless headset, but I'd rather have wires than having the TrackIR reflector experience again...In that case, waiting for the wireless EDTracker sounds like a far better option.
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By which time, you're better off using the IR lights, because they work considerably more reliably from my experience and also go on your headset.
In that case, waiting for the wireless EDTracker sounds like a far better option.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who has had a good experience with using the reflector rather than LEDs
Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who has had a good experience with using the reflector rather than LEDs
No, I have never had a problem with reflectors too. And in my case, I only needed ONE, not 3 (or 5?) like TrackIR 5 does. My TrackIR is the older TrackIR 3 model, needs only 1 dot. I can stick that dot anywhere, and back in the day it was common to stick that single dot on the bridge of your spectacles.
Also you don't need to get the dots from Naturalpoint too. Any standard bicycle reflective sticker works too. Just cut according to size and shape as you like and stick it wherever is most convenient.
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I just tried FaceTrackNoIR. I wasn't a huge fan of it. Movements were delayed, not accurate/consistent, and there was a bit of drift. FaceTrackNoIR is basically the same concept when it comes to real life head movements translated into in game head movements. Really making me think again about getting TrackIR.
At the risk of sounding (more) like a TrackIR cheerleader, those are limitations of a specific head tracking implementation rather than head tracking itself.
Although to be fair, I do run TrackIR's camera in standard rather than precision processing mode (which confusingly enough is a separate setting from the "main" standard/precision toggle) because I can detect input lag in precision.
Adding to this: EDTracker works completely fine, too. I'm sure that both, TrackIR and EDTracker have some input lag (they rely on input processing, so they have to by definition), but while using either, it never (I have to emphasize this), bothered me. Nor did I ever have the impression that either was inaccurate - quite the contrary, they're both damn accurate. Using either became absolutely second nature to the point that I expectd the ingame view to change with head movement during sessions I didn't use them, which really speaks to how responsive and precise both are - otherwise it'd be a constant annoyance while using them.
Don't judge TrackIR (or the EDTracker) based on FaceTrackNoIR. Get either depending on budget and preference and never look back, unless you're in the game, where it'll become completely natural and intuitive.
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I've had TrackIR 5 for nearly 2yrs ... it's absolutely fantastic and I couldn't imagine playing without it now.
I use the version where you have a little frame with three reflector panels that you clip onto a baseball cap (my "space hat" as my wife calls it).
A lot of people struggle with the idea that you're turning your head while still looking at the screen in front of you but honestly it's a non issue. Somehow the brain just copes with that and it feels incredibly natural.
This doesn't really do it justice but you can see me looking around a fair bit in the following video ..
[video=youtube_share;ouaCqM2kE7E]https://youtu.be/ouaCqM2kE7E[/video]
If you've got the money burning a hole in your pocket then quit worrying and just get it, you won't regret it I promise you!
I use the version where you have a little frame with three reflector panels that you clip onto a baseball cap (my "space hat" as my wife calls it).
A lot of people struggle with the idea that you're turning your head while still looking at the screen in front of you but honestly it's a non issue. Somehow the brain just copes with that and it feels incredibly natural.
This doesn't really do it justice but you can see me looking around a fair bit in the following video ..
[video=youtube_share;ouaCqM2kE7E]https://youtu.be/ouaCqM2kE7E[/video]
If you've got the money burning a hole in your pocket then quit worrying and just get it, you won't regret it I promise you!
Turning your head while looking at a screen works, because we're not using a 1:1 ratio. I am at about 5:1 or more once the opentrack curves are taken into account. I am also not working on a linear rate, the further I turn my head the further the camera turns in relation. But it all works very naturally.
FaceTrackNoIR works on a different principle - it uses a webcam and it has algorithms to track your eyes, nose and mouth. Unless you get a webcam capable of 120hz or faster, you're gonna get delayed inputs. I don't know the exact speed of the TrackIR camera, but it's instantaneous to me. Even the Tobii 4C (yes that eye-tracker) has input lag like FaceTrackNoIR does on a normal webcam (ie 30 fps kind). The best way to describe it is "drunk". Like you turn your head, then a split second later you realised you've just turned your head. This usually causes me to miss the left and right panels. I'd turn my head and the panels don't come up, so I'd turn more, then I'd overshoot the panels, then I'd look back a bit etc etc. Feels clunky to me. Both FaceTrackNoIR and Tobii uses "acceleration" to move the screen, so you kinda see the screen slowly speed up. That's why the input lag is so obvious.
TrackIR on the other hand (to me at least) is instantaneous. Once you turn to look wherever, it's there. Yes the screen does move but it's way faster. Think of it as if you're playing an FPS and you move your mouse left/right.. the screen responds to the amount of movement you make on the mouse. It's that fast. I bet you'd be irritated if you moved your mouse, then the screen slowly turns to catch up to where your mouse is
Plus, Both Tobii and FaceTrackNoIR waver... some people call it "The Wobbles"... ie the screen would jitter and shake even if your head isn't. Sometimes this causes loss of tracking. Doesn't happen with TrackIR.
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