[P-38L]

Hello

In other webpage I saw a webcam that used as a TrackIR device, It is possible to create a MOD to do that using a normal webcam?

Thank you

[RAF_Magpie]

Hello

I other webpage I saw a webcam used as a TrackIR device, It is possible to create a MOD to do that using a normal webcam?

Thank you

Freetrack does that... The concept is not new though. It works with the game just like TrackIR...

http://www.free-track.net/english/

[zaelu]

Yes free track rocks. Is an absolute joy to use and fun to build.

This is my latest system:

http://forum.free-track.net//index.php?showtopic=515

[Neil Lowe]

Freetrack ROCKS.....

Cheers, Neil

[Tigershark]

Yes free track rocks. Is an absolute joy to use and fun to build.

This is my latest system:

http://forum.free-track.net//index.php?showtopic=515

Zaelu, do you know if a one point tracking assembly is possible., and if it works well?..? I just want old school trackir, I dont care about the depth and such... its just for iL2...


TS

[Neil Lowe]

do you know if a one point tracking assembly is possible., and if it works well?..? I just want old school trackir, I dont care about the depth and such... its just for iL2

Yep, sure is.

2.4v LED (or 1.5v + resistor)
Wire
Hat
2x 1.5v battery
Webcam

Works like a charm, very accurate tracking in this mode.

Trick is getting a supported webcam that can deliver 30FPS or greater. I'm using a digital stills camera in webcam mode and getting 60FPS and tracks as smooth as silk.

Freetrack website (forums) has a list of cameras that work/do not work, and lots of helpful info. The guys are very friendly too if you have any questions

Cheers, Neil

[RAF_Magpie]

Freetrack is surprisingly flexible with what sort of set ups you can do, including the 'side' setup, like the trackIR's Headset mount.

Zaelu... I'm having some difficulty with my set up, I think my Leds are too bright, and might be saturating the lens... have you got any tips? I've tried fiddling around with the 'gain' bar, but to no avail It keeps 'dropping' the lights I've tried multiple set ups, the single LED, 3 and 4 LED set ups. The LED's are flat ended, so no need to file down... I was wondering about getting little rubber caps for it, to perhaps drop the brightness of the LED's...


^^ before I started construction.

I'm going to pass my set up on to my brother, as my TrackIR is due to arrive sometime over the next week or so.

[RAF_Leigh]

how about some resistors magpie mabey i dont no

[Guest]

Freelook is much easier to set up than Freetrack and only requires one LED. The site claims it would even work using a dark cap with a white square on it and no LED's at all.

The bad news:
- 2 DoF only.
- Not very precise.

I used it for a while then went back to my x52's 'mini-mouse'

Easy fix for too bright LED's : A piece of negative photo film on the webcam (I didn't need that for Freelook but it _must_ work).

[zaelu]

RAF_Magpie, do you use InfraRed LEDs?

I use 3 IR LEDs that have these values:

Forward Voltage 1.2v
Forward Current 20mA

Power source is a battery of 9V

With a serial assembly I need a 270 Ohms 5% resistor.

Now for the over bright part... I have turned off all the auto settings and tunned down to minimum all the sliders in my webcam controls using AMCAP (freetrack 2.1 still loses the settings sometimes). Also I had removed the IR filter from the camera and iserted a visible light filter made from a small bit of overexposed and precessed colour film. In the end you play with the threshold slider in Freetrack main window. You go to the left when battery is getting depleted.

I am using a Logiteck Quick Cam Connect webcam. What webcam do you use?

[RAF_Magpie]

Freelook is much easier to set up than Freetrack and only requires one LED. The site claims it would even work using a dark cap with a white square on it and no LED's at all.

The bad news:
- 2 DoF only.
- Not very precise.

I used it for a while then went back to my x52's 'mini-mouse'

Easy fix for too bright LED's : A piece of negative photo film on the webcam (I didn't need that for Freelook but it _must_ work).

Freelook half as good, and is a lot 'weaker' then Freetrack.Yes it only requires 1 led, but Freetrack also only requires 1 LED, you use more to give you 6DOF. Spend the extra 10 minutes fiddling with FreeTrack. Freetrack operates with the game the same as TrackIR, so you dont need it to be assigned to the Mouse Movements for it to function correctly, which I had to do with Freelook to get it working. And even then - it dropped the signal every 15 seconds.

Logitech QuickCam Connect also. Just using normal LED's at the moment. Was considering switching to IR.

[zaelu]

This are my settings for my camera but, I'm using IR leds:









I have 27-29 FPS constantly. The pictures where shot when I was using Freetrack 2.0 .

[Tigershark]

Having anti-flicker off can help FPS??? reducing gain to 0 helps also...??


I tried this freetrack, maybe a month ago, and it hovered at 28-30fps... however, in game it work very horribly... I think it was because I only used 1 LED, and its visuale thresold would disaper after a little turn of the head...

maybe it was the LED I was using... didnt expose enough when angled??


TS

[zaelu]

Mine works very very good. I think the fact that I drank +170$ instead of spending on a "locked-up, cow-milking" technology like TIR makes me feel... well... good .

Check the forums on freetrack page... many people help there... you have guides etc and you can make one for yourself which actualy works great.

I just prepared a A4Tech PK336MB webcam the otherday for Freetrack use for a squad mate removing the IR filter and adding a visual filter inside... costs? 14$... including the beer... And I live in a country where everything is more expensive than in USA .

DIY rules... :lol:

P.S. I have 3 normal light bulbs of 60W on the cieling and one 15W economic right over my shoulder and they are not picked by my Freetrack not even when all are ON. Beat that with TIR...

[RAF_Magpie]

Zaelu, how difficult was it to remove your IR filter, on the QuickCam...? Can the camera still operate normally? And how simple is it to re-install the filter?