I've recently been considering buying a Track IR, but i don't fancy paying lots of money when I could use a much cheaper alternative...
I've had Freetrack on my P.C. for a while and I was wondering if I could use a Wii remote (as an alternative to the Track IR thing that sits on your monitor), a hat trackclip from the Track IR naturalpoint website and freetrack. I'm pretty sure it would work but I just wanted to know whether the hat trackclip uses infra-red, which would then be picked up by the Wii remote in Freetrack.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Posts: 4.857
Threads: 96
Joined: Jan 2009
The Wii sensor specs are not publicly available, Johnny Lee has quoted the API output which is interpolated data. TrackIR is 120fps @ 358X290, runs off USB power, is expensive, very responsive and runs hot. The Wii on the other hand runs on 2xAA batteries (for 30 hours while using sensor), is cheap, laggy and runs much cooler, also PixArt, the makers of the sensor, only seem to make 30fps sensors. Taking all this into consideration I would be very surprised if the Wii sensor is any more than 30fps @ 320x240; no better than a cheap webcam.
Pros:
Negligable cpu usage.
No IR filter removal required.
Sensor may be better than a 30fps webcam.
Readily available.
Cons:
More expensive than a cheap webcam.
Needs bluetooth dongle.
Batteries.
Attaching it to a monitor may be difficult.
Posts: 4.857
Threads: 96
Joined: Jan 2009
The part over you TV has 2 infrared leds, you can put 2 of them on a cap, just measure the distance between them.
Posts: 4.857
Threads: 96
Joined: Jan 2009
8FS_Bulau Wrote:burlaff Wrote:...but I just wanted to know whether the hat trackclip uses infra-red, which would then be picked up by the Wii remote in Freetrack...
The TIR hatclip is simply a reflector. The part that sits on the monitor is both transmitter and detector.
As Cnopi said, you will need to get some infrared LEDs to put on your cap. Does the Wii remote detect IR?
Yes it does.
Posts: 4.857
Threads: 96
Joined: Jan 2009
Lejo Wrote:Why not trying a headtracking device which doesn't need a headset and LED lights?
It is called FaceTrackNoIR.
It really works, you only have to d/l their freeware. I experimented with it and got it working in IL2. 
You can d/l here:
http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/home/default.htm
Info here:
http://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,7689.0.html
How? It crashed with my FSX and does not work with my Il-2, just look downright.
Posts: 4.857
Threads: 96
Joined: Jan 2009
Only protocols other than freetrack I have are FTNoir and FlightGear
Hi,
I discovered FaceTrackNoIR only two weeks ago, tested it and posted a review here in the "utilities" section", but I haven't figured out how to solve an annoying bug yet. Maybe you can give me a hint.
No problem getting it to work with IL2 (you're right though, it only works with "Fake TrackIR" protocol). Visual trembling is not that dramatic. But here's the pain in the [bottom]: sometimes (too much often IMO) visual suddenly screws up and gets stuck at an impossible angle (i.e. looking under the seat), and centering key no longer works.
In this cases the "virtual mask" in the FaceTrackNoIR window shows that my face is still being correctly tracked, but somehow communication with the game is messed up. Nothing happens if I reset the tracking with "stop" and "start" buttons. I need to minimize the game, close the window and re-run FaceTrack to regain visual control.
Ok, it's not that complicated, but this takes at least 15-20 secs, and if you fly online this means 15-20 secs of blind flying... often when you were in the middle of a battle! And even if you manage to survive and regain control, it will happen again in about 15 minutes! :x
Is this a TrackIR/Freetrack problem too? Is there a way to fix it? Thank you.
