The new Tobii eyetracker 4C is awesome

Cataclysm72 · Dec 5, 2016

Just this afternoon i received my tobii eyetracker. It is the new and updated 4C version.

I have tried different trackers before, with IR tracker, EDTracker and other diy solutions even. But as they all work by tracking your head or face things feel real odd to me.

Now the 4C is different that it uses Infrared to follow your eyes and detect what you are actually looking at. It works very well for me.

i have a few 'limitation' with my face and as such i do not like wearing heatsets, glasses or anything else on my head for and extended period. The Tobii device comes as a thin strip that you mount below your monitor. Just hook it up to USB 2.0 and after installing the driver you are ready to go. No hats, clips or reflectors.

Check out their info here, they are better at explaining features than me.

https://tobiigaming.com/games/elite-dangerous/

i believe there is a link to an ObsidianAnt review of the previous 'Eye' edition

ps. I have no affiliation with the product, i merely want to express that i am pleased with my new toy.

SaliVader · Dec 5, 2016

Does it work well with combat (fast moves)?

Cataclysm72 · Dec 5, 2016

I haven't had much time playing, but the tracker is very responsive and takes very little cpu performance (unlike the previous version) so i guess it would do fine.

Synesis · Dec 5, 2016

I saw Obsidian's vid, it seems to work really good.
But what about the side screens? Can it track the larger angles when you look at them?

Rafe Zetter · Dec 5, 2016

Be aware the price has been lowered by 10 E since that vid was made and the Discount Code from Obsidian Ant's review no longer works. The next Gen has both eyetracking AND headtracking for even more scope. Think I'll wait for that.

SnowyNI · Dec 5, 2016

Sounds like someone got a freebie!

BaronDeKalb · Dec 5, 2016

Isn't there a new model coming with head tracking?

Also was wondering if the joystick if its in front of the keyboard about the middle of the monitor interferes with the operation?

SaliVader · Dec 6, 2016

Rafe Zetter said:
Be aware the price has been lowered by 10 E since that vid was made and the Discount Code from Obsidian Ant's review no longer works. The next Gen has both eyetracking AND headtracking for even more scope. Think I'll wait for that.

Still a bit on the expensive side for me, at 159€. At least it makes sense this one is that expensive, unlike the TrackIR

Tzukai · Dec 6, 2016

Thanks for this, OP. I'll be replacing my TrackIR with this when I have the dough. I never could get that thing working the way I wanted and I hate wearing stuff on my head.

Cataclysm72 · Dec 6, 2016

Synesis said:
I saw Obsidian's vid, it seems to work really good.
But what about the side screens? Can it track the larger angles when you look at them?

I am using triple 1080p screens, and although the app wars me that it doesn't fully support the strange resolution it works for about 80% of the width. Which is good for me.

Rafe Zetter said:
Be aware the price has been lowered by 10 E since that vid was made and the Discount Code from Obsidian Ant's review no longer works. The next Gen has both eyetracking AND headtracking for even more scope. Think I'll wait for that.

Eeehm, the 4C that i bought *is* the new version. It got released on dec2, i am part of the first batch (betas not counting) i doubt even obsidianAnt found himself quick enough to make a video review.

SnowyNI said:
Sounds like someone got a freebie!

Not me, that's for sure. What do you mean?

BaronDeKalb said:
Isn't there a new model coming with head tracking?
As above, the 4C is the new version.
Also was wondering if the joystick if its in front of the keyboard about the middle of the monitor interferes with the operation?

As long as you can see the track, the tracker can see you. So unless you have your eyes at joysticklevel i think you'll do fine.

CMDR CPT. Boris · Dec 6, 2016

i'm using my old dk2 from time to time but i mostly use trackir. The problem i have is it must be kinda of close (less than 1 meter)

What distance do you use your Tobii eyetracker ? can it work between 1 and 2 meters ? max distance ?

i don't play on a desktop, so i have to improvise when using trackir (i use a stick on the top of my screen to have it closer)

Thanks

Cataclysm72 · Dec 6, 2016

I'm playing in a diy gamechair (see signature) and i have to lean forward to touch the panels, i am 1m87 with long arms so i suppose i'm somewhere of a meter away. Tobii says max range is 1.5m.

CMDR CPT. Boris · Dec 6, 2016

Cataclysm72 said:
I'm playing in a diy gamechair (see signature) and i have to lean forward to touch the panels, i am 1m87 with long arms so i suppose i'm somewhere of a meter away. Tobii says max range is 1.5m.

thanks, i should try to find one to make my own test

hookandsling · Dec 6, 2016

I do like the look of this because I can't justify the spend on VR right now.

I have a question though..
Why would the new version need head-tracking? Isn't the point that this doesn't require you to move your head?

Von Shadow · Dec 6, 2016

I received mine yesterday and it arrived distorted (significant distinct curve to the unit) made it not really want to sit on the magnet ... had to use blutak to make it stick along with some double-sided gyro tape

Am currently dealing with Tobii with it but definitely took the shine off new arrival.

Works well in-game though.... will take a little while to get used to the fact that moving eyes moves the camera.... ended up looking down a lot but the eye/head combo works well... eyes move the camera within the confines of how your eyes would look and then moving head shifts the camera significantly more.... clever stuff

zarrazee · Dec 6, 2016

Thanks for the heads up OP!

I've read that once you've attached it to your monitor, both the mount and the monitor are ruined when you remove it. Have you got any comments on this please?

Courosant1 · Dec 6, 2016

hookandsling said:
I do like the look of this because I can't justify the spend on VR right now.

I have a question though..
Why would the new version need head-tracking? Isn't the point that this doesn't require you to move your head?

Actually...

I have used trackIR first and found it unconfortable, then I changed to Tobii eyeX a year ago.
And would you know: It was nice, but I instinctively moved my head at the same time as I followed a target. The combination of eye and head tracking is an improvement as it also puts less strain on your eyes - looking at your side panels in your ship only by using your eyes gets especially tiresome at some point. I ended up using my headlock button combos to change to to the side panels instead.

So: Yes, it is a very welcomed addition to the eyetracking

Codger · Dec 6, 2016

Is it affected by thick (or even thin) eyeglasses?

Kaltern · Dec 6, 2016

Apologies for being incredibly thick, but try as I might, even after watching various Youtube vids and reading about it... I cannot actually understand what this thing actually DOES!

I'm very technically able, and have owned various 'new' tech, but I can't entirely fathom the eyeX.

I get it allows you to look at a part of the screen and it will track this. What I am unclear, is what benefit this has in Elite? For example, does your ship fly in the direction you are looking - if I focused on a ship, for example, would the ship fly towards it? I've seen vids of an enemy ship flying outside the usual FOV, and the viewpoint changes to follow it, much like headtracking. Is this how it works? Or is it just if you look towards the edge of the screen you'll fly in that direction?

Sorry for the questions; if it works how I want it to, it would be incalculably useful for me.

Von Shadow · Dec 6, 2016

zarrazee said:
Thanks for the heads up OP!

I've read that once you've attached it to your monitor, both the mount and the monitor are ruined when you remove it. Have you got any comments on this please?

Not sure why the monitor would be ruined.... the magnet yes.... its a thin (1 - 1.5mm) metallic strip around 10cm long.... its got a double-sided sticky backing which goes on the monitor..... to remove you would have to carefully slide a knife/spudger along the back but the magnet bar would be bent/ruined by this (you get 2 in the box)

As long as you didn't scratch your monitor casing (ie. removed very carefully) there should be no reason to 'ruin' a monitor