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Help and Support Forums => Help and Training => Topic started by: NavyRigger on March 14, 2014, 07:47:42 AM

Title: Track IR 5 help
Post by: NavyRigger on March 14, 2014, 07:47:42 AM
Good morning!

I recently acquired the Track IR 5 system with a part of my tax return and am loving it.  Unfortunately, there was a mix up in the order and I'm waiting for the proclip to arrive so for now I have the track clip duct taped to my head set.  While I really enjoy the utility of the system and what it can do in game, I'm struggling to get it to work in my favor.  Doing things like checking my 6 I have to hit look back in the hat switch and then lean over in the chair to see behind me.  While not normally an issue, after a long day in my feet some days, my back just isn't up to the challenge.  Then there are other thing like look sensativity and it was advised on 200 that I adjust my curves so I don't have to crane my neck to look up.  Right now I set my look mode from default to smooth and it seems to help but it's super sensitive when looking around.  A little too sensitive for my taste to be honest.  If there are any guys out there with the Track IR 5 system that could help me out, I would be eternally greatful!
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Randy1 on March 14, 2014, 08:04:35 AM
You are in a bit of a conundrum.  Start you a new profile so you can wildly experiment.  Set the speed curve to say .5.  Now, go to your curves and make them go up at a very step angle.  On the right side of the trackir screen you can see the 3d heads move around.  Set your curves first by watching those head moves.  Those 3d displays are really helpful.  BTW, I have my speed slider set to .3 but with a stiff neck, .4 would be lowest I would think.

The steep curves and slow speed will slow the sweeping effect but it will take time to get the curves right.

Make sure you do not have "Limit" checked.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: FLS on March 14, 2014, 11:47:07 AM
Here's a link to my TrackIR5 profile. To look back just lean to one side then turn your head. I set speed to 3 and smooth to 50.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/299k0l918i6ogci/AHFLS.xml

Map a handy key to recenter TrackIR.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: xPoisonx on March 14, 2014, 11:53:35 AM
I would recommend trying some profiles from other players and adjusting from there, its what I did. I would send you mine but it won't upload for some reason.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Shrike on March 14, 2014, 12:56:16 PM
"Make sure you turn on Options->Preferences->View Options->TrackIR Object Relative Move in AcesHigh.

That makes looking around headrests a lot easier."  AKAuger posted this in a similar thread in this same forum.  There are other threads similar you should check out for more information.  Auger's suggestion cleared up my "checking 6" problem.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: FLS on March 14, 2014, 01:18:29 PM
"Make sure you turn on Options->Preferences->View Options->TrackIR Object Relative Move in AcesHigh.

That makes looking around headrests a lot easier."  AKAuger posted this in a similar thread in this same forum.  There are other threads similar you should check out for more information.  Auger's suggestion cleared up my "checking 6" problem.
pio

There is a similar option in TrackIR called trueview. I have both of them off but it's a personal preference worth experimenting with.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Randy1 on March 14, 2014, 03:58:54 PM
pio

There is a similar option in TrackIR called trueview. I have both of them off but it's a personal preference worth experimenting with.

Me too.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: The Fugitive on March 14, 2014, 04:26:43 PM
tip for looking back here

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,311822.msg4047939.html#msg4047939

A basic write up I did here

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,329017.0.html

and a bunch of profiles I collected here on the boards. Just unzip them to your "...\NaturalPoint\TrackIR5\Profiles" folder. They will show up as available profiles in TrackIR named by those whos settings they are.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/y2flvoev2gzebxb/Profiles.zip
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: hyzer on March 14, 2014, 04:51:02 PM
Navy, the profile I started out with is waaay different than the one I currently use.  Pick one now and get used to it, find what you do and don't like, then you can begin to make changes.  What I found was as I got more comfortable, I began to increased the aggressiveness of the curves.  Less actual head movement for greater sim head movement.  This transition took some months to happen.  Now I can lean my head slightly to one side and look 6 with very little actual head movement.  One of the most import things as FLS said is to map a convenient button to recenter, I find I have to recenter quite a bit in dynamic dogfights.

Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: WEZEL on March 14, 2014, 06:11:54 PM
Lots of good info in the thread Fugitive posted, biggest tip I can give you is set one axis up at a time.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Naughty on March 18, 2014, 09:57:59 PM
   


        YOU BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE TRACK CLIP !!

              You cannot have the track clip duct taped to your head set. the axis points are all wrong. the profile for the track clip assumes that the 2 front reflectors are out infront of your eyes and the third, just above your fore head. ALL calculations are then made from those locations. with the track clip completely above your head, it cannot accurately model your movements.  Buy a cheap baseball hat or even a tennis or poker visor and attach it properly. you will notice an instant improvement.

         for "checking 6"  you'll want to work with scaling your X axis speed.  I can move my head side to side about 4 inches each way and reflect normal movement, after that I jacked the speed up so the next inch or 2 gives me double the effect.   so turning my head slightly to see behind me and then move 5 inches in same direction allows me to look over my shoulder and the seat in most planes.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Traveler on March 19, 2014, 05:29:13 AM
   


        YOU BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE TRACK CLIP !!

              You cannot have the track clip duct taped to your head set.

I've found that's just not a true statement.  While the clip is designed to be attached to a hat, I've found over the years that I could attach it to a head set.  The only real requirement is that there be a good light source that originates from behind the camera thingy that sits on the monitor.  Light from the Monitor seems to work just fine.    I've also done the reverse with the clip mounted in a fixed position on the monitor and the camera thingy mounted on the head set, it worked. 
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Drano on March 19, 2014, 07:31:47 AM
I've found that's just not a true statement.  While the clip is designed to be attached to a hat, I've found over the years that I could attach it to a head set.  The only real requirement is that there be a good light source that originates from behind the camera thingy that sits on the monitor.  Light from the Monitor seems to work just fine.    I've also done the reverse with the clip mounted in a fixed position on the monitor and the camera thingy mounted on the head set, it worked. 

The kind of light it sees is the IR in TrackIR. IR being infrared light. You can't see it but the camera in the unit can. There are 4 IR LEDs surrounding the camera that project the light onto the reflectors and that's what the camera is looking for. You can vary the intensity of the IR LEDs from the settings in the TIR software. That would be a far better source of light than a monitor or anything else you might come up with. Switch to camera view in the software and you'll be able to see what I mean. Tweak the settings until the reflectors are nice and bright. The problem you may be having is light sources that are in the room behind you. In that camera view you should only be able to see three dots. They'd represent the light coming back from the reflectors. If there are any other dots you're going to either move that light source, block it somehow, or you can possibly tune it out by adjusting the light filter slider in the settings.

I don't see why you couldn't attach the ball cap clip to your headset. As long as it is oriented as it would be on the bill of a ball cap it'd work. I built a better mousetrap for mine and actually put IR LEDs into a ball cap placing them in the same pattern as the ball cap clip reflectors.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Naughty on March 20, 2014, 08:36:40 PM

   


I don't see why you couldn't attach the ball cap clip to your headset. As long as it is oriented as it would be on the bill of a ball cap it'd work. I built a better mousetrap for mine and actually put IR LEDs into a ball cap placing them in the same pattern as the ball cap clip reflectors.


I've found that's just not a true statement.  While the clip is designed to be attached to a hat, I've found over the years that I could attach it to a head set.  The only real requirement is that there be a good light source that originates from behind the camera thingy that sits on the monitor.  Light from the Monitor seems to work just fine.    I've also done the reverse with the clip mounted in a fixed position on the monitor and the camera thingy mounted on the head set, it worked. 

      You'll note in the settings there are 2 "profiles" to choose from, "track clip" and "track clip pro"   there are differences in the the positions of the motion tracker points.  Track IR works by measuring the proximity of these points to the sensor, as well as each other.  using the track clip, from the sensor's point of view...  when you turn your head to the left  the sensor "sees" the 2 lower points moving closer together, while one is getting closer to the sensor, and other is moving further from the sensor. it compares these new positions to where they should be at "center" and calculates the new position of your head.  these positions are mapped out assuming that the reflectors are a predetermined distance in front of the AXIS of movement.   for example..  if my clip is on the bill of a ball cap and I turn my head 5 degrees to the left the 2 front reflectors will travel 4 inches to the left and the top reflector will travel 1 inch. Now with the clip attached to my headset (basically centered on my head's axis) the same head movement will only cause the front reflectors to travel 2 inches while the top stays stationary or may even be pivoting the opposite direction.

       while the Track IR system will still function, but will not be nearly as precise as it should be.  And light source has nothing to do with it. so long as your monitor or sunlight isn't so bright that it's flooding out the sensor's ability to see it's own Infrared light that it is transmiting to the reflectors
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Drano on March 21, 2014, 03:37:07 PM
   

      You'll note in the settings there are 2 "profiles" to choose from, "track clip" and "track clip pro"   there are differences in the the positions of the motion tracker points.  Track IR works by measuring the proximity of these points to the sensor, as well as each other.  using the track clip, from the sensor's point of view...  when you turn your head to the left  the sensor "sees" the 2 lower points moving closer together, while one is getting closer to the sensor, and other is moving further from the sensor. it compares these new positions to where they should be at "center" and calculates the new position of your head.  these positions are mapped out assuming that the reflectors are a predetermined distance in front of the AXIS of movement.   for example..  if my clip is on the bill of a ball cap and I turn my head 5 degrees to the left the 2 front reflectors will travel 4 inches to the left and the top reflector will travel 1 inch. Now with the clip attached to my headset (basically centered on my head's axis) the same head movement will only cause the front reflectors to travel 2 inches while the top stays stationary or may even be pivoting the opposite direction.

       while the Track IR system will still function, but will not be nearly as precise as it should be.  And light source has nothing to do with it. so long as your monitor or sunlight isn't so bright that it's flooding out the sensor's ability to see it's own Infrared light that it is transmiting to the reflectors



They aren't so much "profiles" as they are modes of operation. It's either cap clip (passive) or track clip pro (active). In cap clip mode the TIR camera unit is shining IR light at your face looking for the passive reflection coming back from the clip. It's providing it's own light source, four IR LEDs surround the camera. In track clip pro mode it's looking for the active IR shining at the camera from the LEDs on the clip. When it's in this mode the LEDs on the camera are off. You may get a reflection from the ball cap unit from other light sources in the room such as a desk lamp, which contain some IR I'm sure, but there are some problems with this. For one, the IR light just happening to shine on the reflectors won't be all that bright as it's not full on IR light which is the only thing the camera sees. It doesn't see other wavelengths of visible light which is why it's called TrackIR ;). This light is likely coming from directions other than straight ahead which would be a problem as you move your head causing shadows. That's one of the reasons why they advise you to place the camera even with the top of your head about 2 feet away. You still get shadows with IR light even tho you can't see them. The camera can. That would interrrupt tracking. Lastly, the ball cap clip and the track clip pro have a different pattern which the software is specifically looking for in one mode or the other. Simply cocking the ball cap reflector 90 degrees isn't going to work accurately because the track clip pro lights are in a different pattern. Triangular yes--but different. All of these things will give you problems with accurate tracking trying to use it this way. This is why I built mine the way I did. Basically what I've done is built a ball cap with active IR LEDs in the same pattern as the ball cap clip, use TIR in that mode with a mask on the camera that has about a 5/8" hole in it to cover the LEDs on it. I wear glasses when flying at night and was having problems with the camera's LEDs reflecting off those causing extra "dots" being tracked effectively throwing my view all over the place although only momentarily. Couln't have that. It sounded like the track clip pro was a better idea but just super flimsy so I built a better mousetrap and a lot cheaper too. I'm tricking the software by using active LEDs in the same pattern as it's expecting to see reflected in ball cap clip mode. It's bright, consistent and tracks prefectly.Problem solved.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Naughty on March 21, 2014, 07:20:11 PM


. I'm tricking the software by using active LEDs in the same pattern as it's expecting to see reflected in ball cap clip mode. It's bright, consistent and tracks prefectly.Problem solved.

  this is exactly what im saying. THE PATTERN it'd expecting to see.  and it expects to see that patern in a certain area relative to it's axis.  the best way to see this is to look at your centering map. note the position of the green dots while lookin forward.  now slowly turn your head.  note the top dot stays relatively stationary while the lower 2 move to the left ? that's because of the top reflector's position closer to the axis. now place the track clip on your headset and do the same test. you'll see the 2 lower dots wich are now closer to the axis will not move as much, and the top dot now barely moves at all, or may even move in the opposite direction. because the top reflector is either on the axis, or behind the axis.  wich cause you to have to turn your head further to get the same movement as before and also confuses the receiver into thinking you are making head movements that you are not. the "profile" of the track clip is set up to expect those reflectors to be a pre determined distance in front of the axis.  ive tried to mount mine on my headset, because I hate wearing a cap. I have my profile tuned just perfect, and I notice the jerky, limited movements right away.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Drano on March 22, 2014, 12:30:55 AM
  this is exactly what im saying. THE PATTERN it'd expecting to see.  and it expects to see that patern in a certain area relative to it's axis.  the best way to see this is to look at your centering map. note the position of the green dots while lookin forward.  now slowly turn your head.  note the top dot stays relatively stationary while the lower 2 move to the left ? that's because of the top reflector's position closer to the axis. now place the track clip on your headset and do the same test. you'll see the 2 lower dots wich are now closer to the axis will not move as much, and the top dot now barely moves at all, or may even move in the opposite direction. because the top reflector is either on the axis, or behind the axis.  wich cause you to have to turn your head further to get the same movement as before and also confuses the receiver into thinking you are making head movements that you are not. the "profile" of the track clip is set up to expect those reflectors to be a pre determined distance in front of the axis.  ive tried to mount mine on my headset, because I hate wearing a cap. I have my profile tuned just perfect, and I notice the jerky, limited movements right away.

Just be mindful that the pattern of the ball cap clip is different than that of the track clip pro. That might be what's throwing you off. They're not the same. One mode looks for a pattern moving one way, the other looks for it's pattern moving another way. I thought about simply cocking mine on a 90 but it didn't track right. Also the track clip pro is designed to be on the side of your head and the software is looking for the light to move accordingly. You shouldn't get any jerky movements at all with this thing. That is unless there's something interfering with the IR light the camera is seeing. If it's anything other than strong steady and right in front odd things are gonna happen. That's how I found the problem with the light reflecting back off my glasses. Hell I have to watch at certain times of the day a tiny sliver of sun comes in a window actually thru a dark curtain way across the room behind me and it throws it off. Gotta watch in camera mode to see what the camera is seeing to find these little gremlins.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: McShark on March 28, 2014, 06:57:32 AM
"Make sure you turn on Options->Preferences->View Options->TrackIR Object Relative Move in AcesHigh.

That makes looking around headrests a lot easier."  AKAuger posted this in a similar thread in this same forum.  There are other threads similar you should check out for more information.  Auger's suggestion cleared up my "checking 6" problem.

It does not by default ! Had it turned on and it was a mess. Stay away from relative mode in AH as well.

TrackIr is very personal. I still adjust things little by little after years of using it.

Also visit simhq.com and related sites for advice. Be patient!!!

Can send u my profile by mail if you want. Based on Latrobe's  :salute :cheers: and tweaked to my liking. Good base to start from and works with all axises.

Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Shrike on March 30, 2014, 11:34:35 AM
...Doing things like checking my 6 I have to hit look back in the hat switch and then lean over in the chair to see behind me.  ... If there are any guys out there with the Track IR 5 system that could help me out, I would be eternally greatful!

The previous posts discussed profiles I'm going to address one of NavyRiggers first question.

I discovered something simple but significant after several months of flying with Track IR.  I've been struggling with looking up and aft until I discovered this simple preflight check.

Launch TrackIR and launch AH2.  Make sure both lights on the TrackIR monitor sensor are illuminated while you sit in the tower.  Now, while in a relaxed sitting position and keeping your eye on both TrackIR sensor lights, look up, look right, and look left.  You might even lean left, lean right, and raise your head up too.  If you see one of the TrackIR sensors turn off then your head movement is outside the range of your TrackIR sensors.  Adjust your monitor sensor and head sensor so that your head movement stays within the range of your TrackIR sensor system.
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: Drano on March 30, 2014, 05:37:05 PM
The lights on the camera are there for a reason. One shows you are running a supported game. The other shows that the camera is tracking your head. If one goes off as you move your head it's because you've exceeded the camera's field of view. That or if you have a track clip pro, there's a problem with your LEDs. Go to camera view in the software and move your head to verify the camera is seeing the three dots properly. The fix for the FOV thing is to tweak your profile, making the curves more verticle. This will give more game movement for less actual head movement. You may find this a bit twitchy at first but you'll get used to it. If your LEDs are going out you may have a bad connection to the clip. Power is pretty important!
Title: Re: Track IR 5 help
Post by: McShark on March 31, 2014, 04:15:22 AM
The previous posts discussed profiles I'm going to address one of NavyRiggers first question.

I discovered something simple but significant after several months of flying with Track IR.  I've been struggling with looking up and aft until I discovered this simple preflight check.

Launch TrackIR and launch AH2.  Make sure both lights on the TrackIR monitor sensor are illuminated while you sit in the tower.  Now, while in a relaxed sitting position and keeping your eye on both TrackIR sensor lights, look up, look right, and look left.  You might even lean left, lean right, and raise your head up too.  If you see one of the TrackIR sensors turn off then your head movement is outside the range of your TrackIR sensors.  Adjust your monitor sensor and head sensor so that your head movement stays within the range of your TrackIR sensor system.


One other thing of importance to me is to reset your basic view. I do so when on runway / in hangar in my plane of choice, try to look at a specific point in your cockpit. Then hit reset. In my case I tend to look down on the stick in the cockpit. It "straightens" out your view. When in a knife fight you want to be able to look up or forward up most of the time, you do seldom look "down" at your instruments. This way I have my gunsight straight and level ahead of me.

The LED's for supported game, camera tracking need to be setup in the "camera" tab. Also try and play with your lightning threshold while in camera view. I have some aluminum picture frames somewhere in proximity of the camera, with the wrong light the camera picks these up and causes trouble.

I have my camera on top of a 46" monitor. Short ago I bothered about TrackIr stopping in certain positions. I did carefully "bend"the receptors on the hat clip so that they look a bit upwards, making it the angle between my camera ( which is looking down on me, and the sensors on the hat clip, nearly perpendicular which greatly improved response and range of the TrackIr to me.

Cheers.