Ed Tracker and Track IR - Memoirs of a Test Pilot

[ATAG_Highseas]

So anyway... I recently spotted a used TrackIR 5 on eBay with the pro clip IR led thingamy included for a very tempting price.
Glugg gluggg... “Click”

Now as many of you will know I have been using ED Tracker since this time last year and very happy I have been with it too.

I thought it might be useful to write up some of my observations which I hope will be useful to new players as well as to existing ones.

I’m writing this up as of the first attempt at using it so my opinion is likely to change as this article continues.

Also my observations are strictly limited to TrackIR and ED Tracker, I have no experience of other head tracking devices.

So without further ado... here are my thoughts:

Initial Setup


First up... I tried a few profiles I found on the forum ... Lewis... Karaya... KushViper.

None of those are for me... personally I really hate dead zones... I like the tracker to follow my head rather than act like a magnet to the front of the plane...

Linear response for me... It’s how I have always had the Ed Tracker set up... natural like !

So... initial stab at setting up my own profile, I went with Speed 1 Smoothing 20. With smoothing I was looking for maximum response with the ability to keep still when required. I can do this down to about 10 without any problem... but figured I’d give myself a bit of margin. 25 was too much. 20 seems ok.. might kick it down a bit later.

First Use

My initial thoughts.... Hmmmm

Bit alien to start off with. With the X and Y head movement (ie moving the head left and right or up and down while looking straight (something ED tracker does not do) ) I now have to keep the reticule light in the centre of the glass bit by moving my head back to were it was before I shifted in my seat / picked up the coffee, nudged my cat of the rudder pedals etc...

Just following a few planes in the safety-net of Leadfarm had me jockeying my head about trying to reline the crosshairs in the glass. I used the 'reset view' hotkey a lot to start with.... didn’t notice it quite as much by the end of the evening though so maybe I got used to it, also I fiddled a bit with the X Y and Z settings to get them a little more 1:1 rather than exaggerated...

It’s initially a little strange having this additional control after flying for so long without it.

It’s not like you have to retrain anything though (as was the case when I moved from twist stick to rudder pedals).

To start with I found it a lot easier to check 6 with the ED tracker... but probably because the lean out (in my ED tracker profile) is set such that it's automatic (the only way possible) so I’m only doing one thing, “turn head” rather than “turn and move head” ... that said now I can move the views left and right of the tail without turning the view round the other way. I doubt there is any advantage there its just an observation.

Checking six with Ed Tracker is simpler and I think just as effective. (NOTE: this does require Opentrack 2.2 Stable to be set up correctly or Ed Tracker wont "lean out" around the tail... see Lew's welcome post for details on how to do that, or check out my uploaded profile in the downloads section)

Checking six with Track IR did start to feel pretty normal within a couple of hours.

Basically... Either works

Oh.... the shake when zoomed in is way less than with ED Tracker. (though I did get that very good in my 2.2 stable Opentrack profile (see the downloads section). Track IR seems very good right out of the box on that front.

And keeping visuals on contacts is much easier without having to manoeuvre the plane as much... (which I guess must be a bit of an energy bleeder)... I can lean out and look down the sides of the engine... which helps, and I get a reasonable view over the sides so don’t need to roll the plane as much when looking below... I’m not sure there is masses in this... but it did seem a bit better.

Where the benefit of being able to move your head about in X Y and Z as well as pitch roll and yaw was immediately obvious was in the hurricane. All of a sudden I can shift my head and keep eyes on contacts that become obscured by the canopy “cage”. This isn't really a big issue in the Spitfire. But in the hurricane (which is my plane of choice it seems) it’s a huge improvement. I flew last night with the canopy shut for the first time without the feeling of being a little bit blind.

Value for money?

Well... yeah.... trickey one this. I don't know what your bank balance is or how frugal or spendthrift you are...

Mine is second hand as was £110 delivered with the pro clip as well as the hat thingy... so cheaper than new by a comfortable margin... but is still over £100 which is plenty of money-coins.

As of right now (a few test flights in... and no combat yet) if I was advising a new player with no kit... I would definitely say get ED Tracker. On cost it totally trumps Track IR

Don't get me wrong... Track IR is great, I can see me falling in love with it !

but it has also highlights just how damn good Ed Tracker is for the money.

At less than a third of the cost it's definitely better value.


Caveat: Pilot Officer Dix made his own version of Track IR on a budget so that approach might well be an avenue worth investigating


Having said the above I do think I’m unlikely to be switching back to ED Tracker (unless something goes badly wrong.... )

So to sum up at the end of my initial evening:

ED Tracker is way better value, Track IR is ‘more accomplished’ but the price tag is nuts.
I’m currently using Track IR and I’m liking it despite it's initial unfamiliarity.

Tune in next week when I will be asking: "So you said all that last week... but what about now ?"

Until then... keep em peeled !

'Seas

[Prophet]

Good review and pretty much sums up exactly what my thoughts of upgrading to trackIR were; Handy to have the 6dof but possibly not worth the dorra if you've already got edtracker.

When i first used edtracker i even disabled the roll axis so id always be looking straight through the reflector sight.

[PhoenixCNE]

Very good highseas I like the comparison from someone who has both. For TrackIR I personally use a slightly modified version of lolsav's profile with speed set to .3 and smoothing to 50 as I also had no luck with vipers profile (only other one I tried) but once the TrackIR is set up correctly you feel at a loss without it lol .... I've lost count of how many times I've turned my head in other games trying to do the same.

** the cost is definitely the detrimental factor for TrackIR I was lucky and requested/received it as a xmas gift one year

[finch]

well, I can say my experience: started with a ps3 eye (without removing the IR filter) and freetrack some years ago... worked fine, then I left the sim world for a while, again some months ago I decided to come back to the flights and bought an arduino with an IMU and built a edtracker to use with opentrack. Used it for some months but I wasn't really happy with it... as you said the zoom is a bit shaking and not really precise (tried every setting on opentrack to fix it). A week ago I decided to come back and try my old ps3 eyecam, removed the IR filter and tested it. Well, I can say that the 6DOF is really useful, and is something I missed with edtracker, then again the zoom is very stable, no strange jumps as I had with edtracker... I believe you will really love the TrackIR5 as I love my setup now. I wanted to buy a trackir5 but I really don't know if the difference from what I'm using now is worth the money. Just for compare what I have now (opentrack+ps3 eye) and the old freetrack of some years ago it's like night and day... very smooth and precise

[ATAG_Highseas]

Interim Update

I knew that daylight can be an issue. And my table shaped simpit is right up against a window... its on my right hand side.... facing north... in the afternoon the sun is effectively behind me.

And wow !... that messes with Track IR in ways I hadn't really anticipated. Its next to useless at this time of year from about erm... all day long !!

now... pulling the curtain a bit does help... but yeah... its a real concern.

Problem I have is that I can't very well move this setup to another part of the house...

The cure this afternoon was to just plug the ED tracker back in (its still on the headphones along with the Track IR clip.)

Bingo... flying... zero problems at all... this little gizmo is superb !

but... now I cant see down the side of the engine... and I'm back to flying with the lid open on the Hurri.... and it suddenly feels a bit... restrictive...

It's quite interesting how quickly you can get use to Track IR, especially now I review what I said only yesterday... rather glad I wrote that up as it goes !

Oh also.. few more tweaks to the profile since yesterday and it's really starting to feel much more natural in it's response.

I didn't like anyone else's profile at all. Fussy maybe... seeking perfection... always.


So...

I am definitely keeping the ED Tracker.... its truly a brilliant little bit of kit....

but I think outside of daylight hours I'm certainly going to be using the Track IR

and that tells me that both are excellent, and neither is perfect.

Today's opinion?

If ED tracker had 6 degrees of freedom it would kick Track IR into the long grass.

As it stands... I appear to need both.

Great. Now I sound needy.


Next instalment next week !

EDIT

regards "need both"

this is not supposed to suggest that anyone (but my needy self) needs both. !!

I happen to have both... and apparently happen to be still using both !

that is to do with the location of my PC and the location of the sun... nothing more

basically they both have different strengths and weaknesses. both are excellent.

[Stormrider]

If ED tracker had 6 degrees of freedom it would kick Track IR into the long grass.

It can have if you combine it with axis you don't use of your joystick.
I use Facetracknoir which is supporting the use of two joysticks.One of it is ofcourse my ed-tracker and the other my Saitek x52-pro.Because I have rudderpeddals I don't need the twist for rudder and use it to make that left/right movement.Moving up/down and zoom is done by two axis on the throttle.



https://youtu.be/s6MOddPUOOU

[ATAG_Highseas]

It can have if you combine it with axis you don't use of your joystick.
I use Facetracknoir which is supporting the use of two joysticks.One of it is ofcourse my ed-tracker and the other my Saitek x52-pro.

https://youtu.be/s6MOddPUOOU

Now that is quite something !!

I used to have one of those setups... and can see how that would work really well !!

now on a TM Warthog setup

Thanks for adding that !

[Stormrider]

The developer is still trying things out in his software.It is possible that if you download it now it could be a little different then my version.I tested it for him with a few different features.
http://www.facetracknoir.nl/
With Ftnoir you have to increase the picth and yaw scaling to 6 instead of 1 with opentrack.If you don't know it can be very difficult to get it working properly.
One of the guys of Ed-tracker also was asking why it is like that.In the end it doesn't matter that much but it can ad some confusion.
https://sourceforge.net/p/facetrackn...read/8fed95b3/

[ATAG_Highseas]

Update 3 of 4 !

So... did a couple of Rag Tag bomber runs last night using the Track IR


Visisbility is pretty crappy in the Blenheim but I was able to keep eyes on the formation except when in the lead position. After a while I forgot I was using Track IR rather than ED Tracker.

For flying formation it certainly offers a better view than Ed Tracker, what with being able to move the pilots head position about fully within the cockpit. Target location on the ground was easy and keeping the ground target in view while simultaneously keeping the formation in view was easy, You just move your head like real person can... Look !!... ground target !... (lean)... Look !!... Rag Tag formation !.... no need to flip the plane all about to get eye on each and inevitably drift off course at the same time.

Will get some fighter dogfight action in and report back with a proper summing up on Review 4 of 4.

Till then

Keep 'em peeled (and don't have nightmares)

'Seas

[ATAG_Highseas]

OK. I don't actually need any more time on this !

Final Summing Up

Track IR is (under most circumstances) better than ED tracker, but is it £100+ better?

Let’s conduct an impartial interview:



Impartial Reporter:

So... ATAG_Highseas, it’s an honour to finally meet you, and may I say you look even more handsome in real life than I had imagined, and then some (blush)

‘Seas:

Thanks. I get that a lot.

Impartial Reporter:

So. You own ED tracker and now Track IR. Which one will you use in the future and why?

‘Seas:

Track IR wherever possible. Unless lighting conditions make that impossible. It’s the additional head movement within the cockpit. I fly the hurricane and not being able to look around the cage at contacts is something I would really struggle to get used to again now.

Impartial Reporter:

And is it worth the additional £100 for that?

‘Seas:

I really don’t know. I do know I’m not sending it back though and I'm very happy with what it adds.

Impartial Reporter:

I hear it’s possible to make an equivalent to Track IR for very little money indeed. Is this something you would recommend?

‘Seas:

I would certainly recommend investigating this if you are looking for 6 DOF on the cheap (or actually in any case). Track IR for what it actually is, an IR camera is stupid money. That said there is also the software which works nicely.... but yeah. It’s pricey for sure.

As to how well homemade versions perform against Track IR I cannot comment. I would be very interested in a review comparing Track IR with a homemade equivalent though.

Impartial Reporter:

So does this mean you are now done with your ED Tracker

'Seas:

I don’t think it does no. It still fills a gap during those occasions when the sun is low and shining right in the window. It’s still on my headset for that very reason.

Impartial Reporter:

And is that something you anticipate happening frequently?

'Seas:

No idea, but I’m definitely keeping the ED tracker. It’s still an impressive bit of kit, and for the money... it’s definitely still a contender. I used it for a full year without complaint. Realistically though on a budget it’s got to be ED tracker or a homemade IR setup.

Impartial Reporter:

OK... I’m going to push you now, if your life depended on your next flight, which would you take?

'Seas:

Track IR

Impartial Reporter:

So erm. Can I have your autograph

'Seas:

Seriously? This interview is weird enough as it is. Get out of my head dammit!

[ATAG_Pattle]

Mr 'Seas.

Thank you for you in depth expose of Yourself.

Hard hitting, honest, unbiased and utterly unhinged...

I just want to publicly thank your wife for her outstanding humanistic charity and committment to England, Europe and given Im located on the opposite side of it, the rest of the worl. Charity to us being the ability to keep you indoors, mostly, and out of harmful way of general population.

Unfortunately she cannot (very obviously) moderate your multiple personalitie's innate ability to express themselves in a multitude of ways, fortunately for our amusement - depending on ones twisted version of clever/funny.

[DerDa]

'... those occasions when the sun is low and shining right in the window.'

There is this new high-tech thingy ... I think they call it 'curtains' or 'window blinds'.
But maybe you should wait some time, in case they get cheaper. Oh wait, there is a low cost alternative called 'cardboard' ...

[ATAG_Highseas]

Sounds like witchcraft to me.

BURN HIM!

[Caster]

Hi from Triest, Italy and thanks for this review!

there's a thing that you can/might do (if you haven't done) for a Tir OpTK parrarel slalom test.
Why don't you use the IrClip with Opentrack SW?
You must setup the right IrClip size and head position (of course)
so you can have an "Head to Head" duel.

THANKS SO MUCH AT ALL !
and....

GOOD Luck !

Caster

[farley]

Mr 'Seas.

Thank you for you in depth expose of Yourself.

Hard hitting, honest, unbiased and utterly unhinged...

I just want to publicly thank your wife for her outstanding humanistic charity and committment to England, Europe and given Im located on the opposite side of it, the rest of the worl. Charity to us being the ability to keep you indoors, mostly, and out of harmful way of general population.

Unfortunately she cannot (very obviously) moderate your multiple personalitie's innate ability to express themselves in a multitude of ways, fortunately for our amusement - depending on ones twisted version of clever/funny.

I think it a good thing that you two live half a world away. If you were together in the same country..... I shudder to think of it..... would be interesting....

[ATAG_Highseas]

Regards the cheap options:

http://www.delanengineering.com/shop/

I'd really love to see a comparison of this setup (£35) to the Track IR and to the ED Tracker


If anyone ever does one... let us all know !

[finch]

Regards the cheap options:

http://www.delanengineering.com/shop/

I'd really love to see a comparison of this setup (£35) to the Track IR and to the ED Tracker


If anyone ever does one... let us all know !

Highseas, can I ask you something? can you check your trackir software cpu usage when is tracking? opentrack with the ps3 eye is about 1,5% / 1,8% on my i7 4790k thanks

[ATAG_Highseas]

Sure !

Will do this this evening.

I will do the same for ED Tracker while I'm at it.

[ATAG_Highseas]

TrackIR looks like 14-20% which seems a little high. !?

Ed tracker (with Opentrack running as well) is using between 0 and 1%

now that's quite something !

[finch]

TrackIR looks like 14-20% which seems a little high. !?

Ed tracker (with Opentrack running as well) is using between 0 and 1%

now that's quite something !

wow, seems high to me.... yes, opentrack with the edtracker was very low cpu, now I'm using the ps3 eyecam at 640x480 and it's a little higher but working very well, i'm not going back to the 3DOF of edtracker

[ATAG_Highseas]

wow, seems high to me.... yes, opentrack with the edtracker was very low cpu, now I'm using the ps3 eyecam at 640x480 and it's a little higher but working very well, i'm not going back to the 3DOF of edtracker

ha !..

yeah... I think its safe to say I'm a Track IR (or at least 6 DOF) convert. I have ED Tracker still on my headset, and it will stay there too for when the sun is shiny and my house mates (erm.. I mean my wife and kids) want to have some light in the place !!

As I said in my review.. it's a brilliant bit of kit.

Unless my feelings on it are the early onset of nostalgia.

[ATAG_Highseas]

wow, seems high to me.... yes, opentrack with the edtracker was very low cpu, now I'm using the ps3 eyecam at 640x480 and it's a little higher but working very well, i'm not going back to the 3DOF of edtracker

yeah...

Bonditaria recons that that is crazy high too. He said minimise it !!

and lo !!!

0-2%

[finch]

yeah...

Bonditaria recons that that is crazy high too. He said minimise it !!

and lo !!!

0-2%

good you have solved it!

[palker]

Bought this last week and been testing it with 1946 and i have to say i do not know how i could go live without it, well actually i know how it is called F6 button but that only worked on the external views enabled servers and there none for CloD and the 1946 ones i used to fly on are dead.
Anyway thanks for making me aware of existence of this thing.

[DOWNEAST]

ha !..

yeah... I think its safe to say I'm a Track IR (or at least 6 DOF) convert. I have ED Tracker still on my headset, and it will stay there too for when the sun is shiny and my house mates (erm.. I mean my wife and kids) want to have some light in the place !!

As I said in my review.. it's a brilliant bit of kit.

Unless my feelings on it are the early onset of nostalgia.

- - - - - - - - - -

Highseas - I have a newdbee question relative to opentrack 2.2 (stable) with ED Tracker Pro. I have all my controls mapped and EDtracker pro/Opentrack working due to the mapping information I have pulled from your calibration comments and from Timbow in the EDtracker Review. My question is if there is some possible means to activate and deactivate opentrack2.2 while in CLOD in WIN 10 without having to back out of an exit an active mission?

Would appreciate your advise.

[BOO]

you can set a hotkey to start/stop (toggle) it as well as re-entering it if needed. Its under "Keys"

Just make sure the bindings do not conflict

[DOWNEAST]

you can set a hotkey to start/stop (toggle) it as well as re-entering it if needed. Its under "Keys"

Just make sure the bindings do not conflict

Thanks Booster, but not quite clear to me where to find start/stop toggle or key in the CLOD "Controls" configuration. I don't see in General, Aircraft or Camera. Can you point out to me? I must be overlooking something or misunderstanding you. I can see in EDtracker Pro where you can set a hotkey for it but nothing in Opentrack 2.2 or in CLOD Controls itself. It is Opentrack head tracking itself that I would like to turn on and off while in fight.

[Stormrider]

Thanks Booster, but not quite clear to me where to find start/stop toggle or key in the CLOD "Controls" configuration. I don't see in General, Aircraft or Camera. Can you point out to me? I must be overlooking something or misunderstanding you. I can see in EDtracker Pro where you can set a hotkey for it but nothing in Opentrack 2.2 or in CLOD Controls itself. It is Opentrack head tracking itself that I would like to turn on and off while in fight.

did you also tried the option tab in opentrack??There you can configure a lot of things.In version 2.3.1.5 there is even more you can configure.opentrack options.jpg

[ATAG_Highseas]

- - - - - - - - - -

Highseas - I have a newdbee question relative to opentrack 2.2 (stable) with ED Tracker Pro. I have all my controls mapped and EDtracker pro/Opentrack working due to the mapping information I have pulled from your calibration comments and from Timbow in the EDtracker Review. My question is if there is some possible means to activate and deactivate opentrack2.2 while in CLOD in WIN 10 without having to back out of an exit an active mission?

Would appreciate your advise.

Only just saw this.

Yes as boo says. You can bind a button to switch it on and off.

Some guys switch it off for take off and landings. Seems a bit odd to me but like anything..... whatever works!

[BOO]

Thanks Booster, but not quite clear to me where to find start/stop toggle or key in the CLOD "Controls" configuration. I don't see in General, Aircraft or Camera. Can you point out to me? I must be overlooking something or misunderstanding you. I can see in EDtracker Pro where you can set a hotkey for it but nothing in Opentrack 2.2 or in CLOD Controls itself. It is Opentrack head tracking itself that I would like to turn on and off while in fight.

its the opentrack software not the game keys.