Track IR Pro

[JonARNZ]

Well wasn't quite sure where to put this, I know Robin did a post on the same topic but couldn't find that, so since I am using it in FSX, this is the place by default. (Mr Moderator man, feel free to relocate as you see fit, oh wait, I am a moderator..anyway)

I got Track IR Pro today, having seen Robins post and watched the video I thought Hmmm, that looks cool. Brought it home, did some other stuff not really having huge expectations on what it would be like. Got it installed, updated and everything was running perfectly straight from the box, yay!

All the lights were blinking and flashing on this little 'thing' sitting on my monitor, for some reason I thought it would be bigger, but it aint, only 4.5cms's wide and the same tall. I could feel the infrared beams piercing my skull and cooking my brain through the cap you wear.

Heres the Track IR itself..



And the cap with the sensor points the infrared beams bounce back from..



And heres my set-up so you can get a sense of how small it is.



Loaded FSX and a light on the Track IR goes blue, I believe that means FSX and it are talking. Loaded the default Cessna and WOW

Talk about as real as it gets. I couldn't believe how fast it was, and how you can turn full 360, lean over things, like the seats and look inthe back of the Cessna, lean forward to look closely at the panel etc. My expectations were exceeded with this thing, it lived up to everything Robin had said and more, and I havnt even flown yet. So, next flight I shall tell you how it went, and also post a short video on Youtube to give you an idea of how this looks in FSX.

All I can say is if you get the chance to buy one, grab it while you can.

[Ian Warren]

Hey Jon , can u move thru the internals of a PMDG737 for example or restricted to pilots seat ? I no TRACK-IR its not happy with ActiveCam in FS9 .. but in X ? no A/Cam yet , ... thought this might be possible with new hardware

[ZK-Brock]

So what exactly does TrackIR do? DOes it like sense where your head is facing and move the VC camera to suit?

[towerguy]

welcome to the track club - been using one of these for over a year now and wouldn't fly without it - can also be used in lots of other sims as well - works really well in battle of britain2 - nothing like being able to keep eyes on the bandit , glance inside and back outside without even touching a button. I still have to download and install the fsx update but will be doing it soon.

my son also loves it in motor racing games like supercars etc.

[Craig]

I've had mine for bout a month, mostly use it for multiplayer. LOVE IT

[scon]

I got that to, got it for Xmas

Took a bit to get working ( I think i didn't install right at first ) but now it goes great, really cool

[Alex]

Ah, what next? Graphics Card? Matrox Triple head to go? Or the Track IR? Too many choices, all soo good. I think I had better wait a while, just splashed out $500 on a couple more gigs of ram...

Alex

[Jimmy]

wow sounds awsome. I imigaine there would be proablems too thow. Like running it with a low spec system that can hardly handle fs how plesent would it be trying to pan around in a vc? especialy with stuters.. Whats it like useing it when ya trying to switch switchs or wind up somethign like the airspeed hold.. youd needa hold ya head rather still.

btw I have considerd buying one of those flightsim.com hats, but I think I may look odd in public... lol

[JonARNZ]

Good questions Jimmy, not sure how it would run on a system that struggles already, probably lousy I would say.

I found it takes some time to get use to it, yes you have to hold your head still turning dials etc, but its no worse than normal, the beauty is you can get close to make it easier. I found it best on approach, normally visual approaches you cant see the runway and rely on whatever u use to turn and be lined up, with this I could keep my eye on the airport and fly to line up, totally different experience.

[scon]

It doesn't seem to make my system any slower in FS, but yes you have to remember that it is on your head, take one look at your approach chart and your looking and your rudder pedals the next

[JonARNZ]

I imagine Track IR, pedals and yoke would make it about as real as you could possibly get.

I wondered how people found performance and what impact TIR had on it.

[Zöltuger]

I always thought TrackIR only measured the look left/right function, I had no idea you could zoom in.
But this is what I don't get- If I want to look right, I turn my head right, but then I won't be looking at the monitor anymore. How does that work?

[scon]

Well I have the CH pedals Track IR and the Saitek X52 and it feels quite realistic now and I have noticed no change in performance since having the Track IR installed.

Also you just havn to keep your head movements small, a small turn in the reall world is much bigger in FS using Track IR.

[SUBS17]

I always thought TrackIR only measured the look left/right function, I had no idea you could zoom in.
But this is what I don't get- If I want to look right, I turn my head right, but then I won't be looking at the monitor anymore. How does that work?

The trakir used to be just 2 axis originally (look left/right/up/down) but with vector upgrade you could zoom in or out. Now with trakir 4 pro you have 6dof (left/right/up/down/zoom in/zoom out/head up/head down/lean left/lean right/ head sideways left/ sideways right) So in some of the new sims you can now have buttons behind the joystick as in real life locations and the pilot has to move his head to flick the switch with the mouse. You can also look out and lean to get a closer look at ground objects etc. In a dogfight you can better keep a visual on opponents and your instruments at the same time its very good to use and most ACE pilots are very good using it. You can also now get a new trakir device that clips to your headset instead of the hat.

[toprob]

But this is what I don't get- If I want to look right, I turn my head right, but then I won't be looking at the monitor anymore. How does that work?

Here's the illustration from my review, showing the actual head rotation (left) and how it translates to the sim (right).


Here's the full review.

[Zöltuger]

Now with trakir 4 pro you have 6dof (left/right/up/down/zoom in/zoom out/head up/head down/lean left/lean right/ head sideways left/ sideways right)

very impressive B)

[Geoffhop]

I can recommend the trackclippro which fits on your headset. This a available from vrconcepts.co.nz. I use a programme called "shoot" to talk to ATC so this all works together very well. One of the problems is that you cannot adjust the initial head position as you can in FS9. You can overcome this by raising up in youir chair clicking the centre button and then settling back in your seat. You can then see all the instruments without cricking your neck.

[JonARNZ]

Thanks for the tip, and welcome to the forums.

[Cbris]

Someone was wondering about looking down at the flipcharts and ending up looking at the rudder.

F9

Press that key and Trackir locks out the head movement detection while you look around your desktop. F9 again and you're back.

Cockpit viewpoint and/or cabin walkaround doesn't need active camera or the like. FS has had its own build in cabin walk function for years - use shift, control or both with the backspace and enter keys and you can move your viewpoint artound the cabin. Rotation using the coolie hat on your joystick. There's more viewpoint movement tools and it's a case of RTFM.

Look in the FS9 or X setup options and control assignments (keyboard and joystick). You can even point the viewpoint commands at your joystick if you wish.

[Ian Warren]

Thanx Cbris , I'll have a play around with that as i install further , I think Active Cam was the easy and cheap to install when released ,no muckin around with the many hundreds of MSFS switchs , maybe lazziness , I have a looksie , and may put TrackerIR on needed list

Cheers Matey