DIY Headtracker...

[Pans]

Spent a couple hours tweaking the settings this evening...Mappings...Not sure how to save a profile in TrackHat yet...but I got this gismo working very nicely...As I say very impressed with it in terms of build quality and how effective it is...

Without doubt I can get this working as well as TrackIR...

What I have is pretty much the TrackHat Clip Kit and Camera which TrackHat sell for £32

https://www.trackhat.org/product-pag...0-YaArWF8P8HAQ

I bought the PS3 eye from ebay cheap and bought the 'Superclip' (above)

Again my only gripe is there isn't a default 'combat flight sim' profile...You have to spend the hours it takes to get it working properly...

When I have sussed out how to save a profile I will upload mine...but I want it to be perfect and so I am still tweaking...

Lewis, I use it with FaceTrackNoIR and the Point Tracker plugin. It's really quite easy to set up - you set the camera resolution, FPS, point extraction threshold and pixel sizes. Enter the "model" details for the superclip (clip type, 20/40/74/70), the same as the ones on the PDF instructions on the disk and you can autocalibrate the "model position" numbers. Then you just set the curves for how responsive you want it to be and away you go!

Edit: Here you go, this might help! http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...ad.php?t=24857

It might be worth seeing how this .ini file compares to the opentrack profiles because FTNoIR is basically a frontend for opentrack (or at least the older version that I use is), but IMO is much more user-friendly.

[ATAG_kiwiflieger]

Figured I may as well put my newer setup on here...

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the KF-HT Mk.II. (somewhat improved and generally cleaned up from Mk.I and with new headset)



It is what it looks like - 3 sanded down IR LEDs soldered to a thick wire base, hot glued and bulldog-clipped to my headset.

The electrickery part is powered by an old USB 5V phone charger I picked up in a second hand store for $3, with the USB plug cut off the end and twisted-pair computer cabling soldered on instead. You may notice this is also hot glued and electrical-taped down to the speaker to avoid cable stress. The +5V line continues onto a 10-ohm resistor, which limits the current for the LEDs to about 20mA each. The wire frame was used as part of the electrical circuit to cut down on clutter.



This is the camera used for the LED detection - an old Genius webcam which ceased to be useful for normal webcam stuff some time ago. Custom-made wire frame and electrical tape to secure it to the monitor, slightly off set from centre as to see the clip directly headon and avoid LEDs disappearing behind head. There is a small home-made IR filter attached to the lens with tape, a little square of old film negative which is quite effective at blocking out visible light and letting IR in.

On the software end of things Opentrack is used with the PointTracker 1.1 interace and Accela filter.

Total cost of the setup was $5 for a bag of 10 IR LEDs (3 that I need + spares) and the aforementioned $3 for the power supply, everything else I had lying around. It always is nice when you can make something yourself which is just as good as the professional thing and waaaay cheaper as well.

[ATAG_Lewis]

I have posted my walk through post of Trackhat onto this thread too...Just incase folks missed it on the other thread...

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I have spent many hours tweaking the settings and learning stuff about Trackhat and the PS3 Eye over the last few days...I got it to work nicely but still want to tweak some more just out of perfection...but I can go through here what I did to get it to this point...At the moment it is working very well and I am confident it works competitively in the server...Importantly it is just as good a headtracker as TrackIR...and 1/5 of the price...

I know folks will know more than I do on this but if I get this down at this point to show you how far I have got then at least folks will be able to put me straight...This is a basic first try setup tutorial...I'll tweak it as folks give me info...so here it is...

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1) First start your PS3 eye software...'CL-Eye Test'...This will setup the cameras exposure so that it will work when you run the Trackhat software...Once you have tweaked it in here you will need to close this software down and you won't need it again to use your headtracker with CLOD...When ever you use your headtracker with CLOD you will only need to start the 'TrackHat Opentrack'...software...

2) Click on 'options' and then 'Video capture filter'...

Camera Settings
3) Move your 'Gain' and 'Exposure' until you get something like the screenshot below...You need to not be able to see anything other than the 3 leds...I have included my settings here too but they will probably be different to yours as my camera has 2 pieces of 35mm exposed negative in..one behind the other to double up the filter...If you buy the whole 'TrackHat Clip Headtracking Kit' from Trackhat which is all you will need then you won't need to do this...The Ps3 eye that they provide already has this mod...

TrackHat Clip Headtracking Kit - £32

https://www.trackhat.org/shop-cfk4?g...DYMaAq0w8P8HAQ



4) Close the 'CL-Eye Test' software (you will not need to run this software once it has been setup) and start the 'TrackHat opentrack' software.

5) Click 'Start' and the red light on your PS3 eye should light up...You should see your camera working in the window now... You need to position your camera in line with your Headtracker...This will be offset as the camera needs to have the 3 lights central in the window for full movement...So move your camera...



6) I will go through each page of the 'Options' first...

Shortcuts
'Bind' a key for 'Center' where you can press it quickly...I constantly am pressing mine as I tend to move around in my chair and it gets off-centre regularly...



Camera
The only thing I did here is move the 'Threshold' slider..Fully left or right makes the red numbers disappear in the window and you want all of them registering a number...I started from the left with the slider and moved it up until the numbers appeared and then moved it slightly further...



Model
Refers to if you have the actual hat or which side you have your clip...'Clip' refers to right-handed...
'Model position calibration' - My 'Toggle calibration' was greyed out...But I had a weird issue with my setup that I corrected with adding '1mm' to the 'z'....when I initially started my TrackHat-opentrack software I had the red cross in the window about 15mm away from my 3 green crosses...and ingame it was very screwy...I managed to correct it my adding that 1mm and the cross went to the centre led in the window (Trackhat pic above)...if you have issues with the red cross not being over the middle green cross add numerical values in the 'Model position calibration' until your red cross is directly over the middle cross...



Output
I initially had the 2 boxes unchecked but that messes with your rear view when checking your 6...So make sure both boxes are checked...All the 6 DOF 'Output remap' should be as is below...



Filter
Only one here I actually know about is the 'Smoothing'...The higher this is the more it slows your movement ingame down and the lower it is the more jerky it feels ingame...There feels like a delay if you have it too far to the right...I did tweak the others but I wasn't sure what it did so I left them as is...



Game detection
I tried to make a profile in here...this is something I need to work out for uploading profiles to folks...



7) Click 'OK'

8) Mapping
Click on the 'mapping

With all the mappings for each degree of freedom you need to have your game running...You can start a single player quick mission and pause the game...Its best to move the canopy back in the Spit or Hurri to see how the 'check 6' view works here...All your curves maybe different to mine because of screen size and distance to camera...I have a 27'' monitor and my Head Clip is 22'' from the camera...

Yaw
Head movement twist left and right...
The red dot here needs to be close to the top of the 180 mark when you are fully turned to max ...Obviously you need to be able to still see your screen...My first node on the '0' line is there to make a deadzone...It is at 2 or 3 before the ramp starts...It means that the program does nothing until I go past a certain point and then it kicks in...This helps with gunnery...Small movements when you are looking straight down your gunsight could influence the reticule...You don't want that when you are firing so include a 'deadzpne' here...



Pitch
Head movement up and down
I made these 2 maps independent...Check 'Asymmetric mapping below' if you want this...It means that looking down is more aggressive...This wasn't for looking at my dash but for looking back down behind the wing root...You also want to make the upward view fairly aggressive too...In the Spit at maximum you can see the canopy grip behind your head...If you don't have this aggressive then you will be straining the back of your neck to look upward...I found out the hard way...Again small deadzones here...



Roll
Head movement twist left and right when looking directly ahead
This mapping is straight forward as it doesn't need to be pseudo...It should remain exactly the same as in reality...




X axis
Head movement left and right looking straight ahead...
You do this movement by actually moving your torso not your neck...ingame this movement makes you look down the side of the fuselage...You can see the exhaust stubs when looking forward and you can check you 6 by looking down the side of your fuselage backwards when coupled with Yaw...Deadzone again here...



Y axis
Head movement up and down as if sitting p straight or slouching in the chair
This is not an important axis...It helps only when looking around canopy frames...Large deadzone



Z axis
Head movement towards and away from the camera...
this axis is good for leaning to the gunsight...I tend to sit forward and 'center' my tracker and then sit back...What this does is it puts you at rest sitting furthest away from the windscreen giving you a wider angle to view the surroundings...Not everyone does this but I feel its very good for Situation awareness...



9) Click 'OK' at the bottom of your 'Mapping' box and do not turn off the 'Trackhat opentrack' software...It needs to run while your game is running...

==================================

As I say...a work in progress...Let me know if any of this is any help at all...

...Lew...

[ATAG_Lewis]

Objective - To get Trackhat to perform as close to TrackIR as possible

So I just spent 3 hours tweaking TrackHat to give me the identical movements that TrackIR does...I setup the wifes face mirror behind the monitor and a ruler on a clamp under my head so I could measure accurately...I then went through each individual degree of freedom ingame and measured how much my head moves with TrackIR to the nearest centimetre and then tweaked TrackHat mapping to replicate it...I got them pretty spot on I think...Individually I mean...And then I turned them all on together and went for a fly...Man, so many issues with checking 6 and different movements ingame I didn't want...It was way out of whack...Out of pure frustration I tried the 'default' profile and bingo...It worked better than the profile I had spent 3 hours honing...

I just can't figure it out...seems the more you work on it the more issues arise...Its almost not a science...Its like it all needs to gel together and tweaking individual motions only leads to problems...sigh!...Need to take a break from that for a few weeks...and then I'll probably start by gently tweaking the default again...Round and round we go!

[Tumbler]

I have posted my walk through post of Trackhat onto this thread too...Just incase folks missed it on the other thread...
[...]

As I say...a work in progress...Let me know if any of this is any help at all...

...Lew...

Thanks so much for this "guide"! I receive my trackhat set today, and your mapping profiles gave me a jump start! As my tracker is not pointing straight forward (cheap headset, curved surfaces) I made the yaw a bit more aggressive so I get a check six before the cam looses sight on one of the leds. In general I made the curves a bit more aggressive, making it easier to keep my eyes on the screen. And the center button is essential, I even sacrificed my push2talk button for it

[ATAG_Lewis]

I needed to find the time to re-address Trackhat...Today I did with some success...So I started with default and only slightly tweaked...I only tweaked the roll and set it to same as head movement which is what TrackIR is...and I set the X axis (side to side) and put the smallest deeadzone in I could

[Kwings714]

Just to re-emphasis to this post per Lewis. I was completely missed the PS3 Eye setting for months until last week. It dawn on me that I can disable the Auto Gain/Exposure and White Balance. Hopefully, I no longer have to wait for the Sun to clear my 9 O'clock.

[ATAG_Laser]

Lewis, thanks for your help and advice concerning this head tracking set up.

As you know, I now have the modified ps3 eye, and the clip that you recommended in this thread from ebay

I have managed to set everything up, and sort of got it working, but it isn't behaving anywhere near how it should in game.

The image is very jerky, and the view jumps around with only the slightest movement of my head.

This is how I have my camera mounted
IMG_6267.JPG

This is in line horizontally with my my clip, but the lens is at about shoulder height as I play, so I have to angle the camera slightly upwards to pick up the LED's on my head clip.

The only alternative would be to mount it on top of my monitor, but then it would be too high and would have to be angled downwards.

Any thoughts on this???

I was wondering if you could possibly email me your profile to try Lew, (still cannot access mediafire, thanks to Vodafone)

You were asking about how you can save your file, and this is how to do it

Open your Documents folder

Open the Track hat Opentrack folder

Your file will be there. Just copy and paste it somewhere, rename it from "default" if you wish, and it's good to attach to emails, save to mediafire or whatever.

It's only a small file, so should email ok.

Cheers,

Lase

[Kwings714]

For PS3/DIY 3LED with OpenTrack 2.3.9.. Version.

1. First, I think you should mount the webcam on the top of the monitor. I used an old 2x4" by 8" to 10" height wooden block.
2. Did you cover the PS3 with old computer floppy drive media or exposed developed film 35mm?
3. Calibration, Search on Youtube for Opentrack calibration tutorial. Take a rough measurement of your 3LED setup/dimension and
enter the info prior to calibration.

"The image is very jerky, and the view jumps around with only the slightest movement of my head."
4. The only thing I could think off for causing Jerky image and Jumping view is that you have more than three Extracted Points. And maybe just two points when turning.
Make sure the middle LED didn't get blocked out.

Check your Camera/Status info.

4.1 You shouldn't have issue if your Webcam/Options/Video Capture Filter setup correctly.
(I have a 42" Plasma TV and two 65Watts LED Daylight Brightness on my six without any issue tracking.)

5. Check your filter. I always Accela default filter and its work very well for me. See the attached image.

6. See DIY Tracker+Opentrack issue (https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.c...ad.php?t=27619)

Attached images and files as a mean of reference.

7. Reduce camera setting from 640x480x60Hz to 320x240x45Hz or even 30Hz MIN. if your CPU can't handle 640x480x60Hz

[ATAG_Laser]

For PS3/DIY 3LED with OpenTrack 2.3.9.. Version.

1. First, I think you should mount the webcam on the top of the monitor. I used an old 2x4" by 8" to 10" height wooden block.
2. Did you cover the PS3 with old computer floppy drive media or exposed developed film 35mm?
3. Calibration, Search on Youtube for Opentrack calibration tutorial. Take a rough measurement of your 3LED setup/dimension and
enter the info prior to calibration.

"The image is very jerky, and the view jumps around with only the slightest movement of my head."
4. The only thing I could think off for causing Jerky image and Jumping view is that you have more three Extracted Points.
Check you Camera/Status info.

4.1 You shouldn't have issue if your Webcam/Options/Video Capture Filter setup correctly.
(I have a 42" Plasma TV and two 65Watts LED Daylight Brightness on my six without any issue tracking.)

5. Check your filter. I always Accela default filter and its work very well for me. See the attached image.

6. See DIY Tracker+Opentrack issue (https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.c...ad.php?t=27619)

Attached images and files as a mean of reference.

Ok, thanks. I will remount the ps3 eye on top of my monitor and set it up again.

I got the camera from Lewis, who has done the necessary mods to it, and he has tested my camera in game before he sent it to me, so that isn't the issue here.

I set it all up using Lewis's step by step guide earlier in this thread, and will recheck the settings against the settings you have given me.

I am still not very good with making my own opentrack profiles, so that is why it would be better to use someone else's ready made profile that works.

Up until now I have been using Ed Tracker with opentrack 2.2, with a profile I got from Highseas, for Ed Tracker, but I am guessing that profile wouldn't be any good to use with this set up seeing as Ed Tracker only has 3 DOF.

[ATAG_Lewis]

Make sure that you haven't got the EdTracker software running at the same time...that will cause conflicts I bet...Also as Kwings said...you need to set the camera on top of the monitor with Blutak or similar...make sure it is solid on there...Also aim it at your headtracker...and twist the camera lens to the red...If you grab the actual lens surround and click it from side to side you will alter the lens in there...Have a play with that...It makes a difference as it makes a the red is zoom and the blue is normal...I have mine set on zoom (red)...With the zoom used then it is more precise but the window for movement is smaller...

There's a clip (which I got too) for the PS3 Eye...£2 from eBay



I don't know of anyone who has this set up with the camera on the desktop...

The headtracker needs to be aligned also like this with the longer strut at the bottom...



If it is not level with the camera then point the camera downward toward it and point the headtracker upward slightly...Do this with the software running to check how the camera sees your headtracker in the window...You need to make sure that the camera always sees the headtracker as 3 points where ever you move your head...It is best to simply raise your seat so that its on the same level and you are looking downward slightly at the monitor...

and probably mapping issues too...Email sent with those settings I have (previous post)

Start the TrackHat software and make sure that as you look around the 3 dots do not go into 2...That means that the camera has merged 2 of the dots...That's a no-no...

Remember that once ingame you need to move around with your head within the vicinity of that area...If you move outside of that bubble or twist too far then thecamera will not see the LEDs and it will not perform properly...Its not like EdTracker...You may need to be more strict with your head movements while playing...because unlike EdTracker the camera always has to see those LEDs...That's the same with TrackIR

Using any headtracker means you need to learn how to move your head...Often it is small movements until you know exactly how the software works...You have to learn that and as I say it is different to EdTracker so you'll be learning a new way of moving...

[Kwings714]

Just a tip, try trouble shooting the axis or learning the curves one axis at a time. Focus on Yaw first. And then move to Pitch.
Ignore Roll for now (I can't stand Roll, so I disable/flatten the curve) and X,Y and Z.

[ATAG_Laser]

Profile received thanks Lew, which I have just installed in my Trackhat / opentrack software

I have also just ordered a ps3 eye holder, but in the meantime I will try the Blutak trick, or something similar and mount the camera as suggested on top of my monitor.

I have also checked, and yes, the lens on the camera is at the red / zoomed position.

I can also confirm that none of my Ed Tracker software has been running while I have been trying to get this set up running.

I will try again in the next few days when I am less busy and see if I can get the set up running as it should.

Kwings, thanks for the tip.

I did try adding the points in the positions to match Lew's profile that he posted earlier in this thread, but I couldn't get the curve to follow these points.

Like I said, I haven't tried to do this before. I will practice with the default profile when I get a bit of time to experiment a bit with it.

Regards,

Laser

[ATAG_Laser]

Remounted my ps3 eye on top of my monitor last night, fixed the clip a little more securely to my headset with cable ties and loaded Lewis's opentrack profile to the trackhat software.

Fired up the game, and everything is working just fine

First impressions are very good. It was nice to be able to lean out and zoom in with the 6DoF, but I did find myself having to constantly re centre the view to get the gunsight central which I didn't have to do using Ed Tracker.

Other than that I found that the two devices performed about the same in terms of general looking around when flying

I still like Ed Tracker, and would certainly recommend it to anyone, but from now on I will be using this DIY head tracker.

Thanks once again Lew for taking the time to investigate this, post this thread, and for helping me get up and running with it

[Stormrider]

[QUOTE=ATAG_Laser;305145
First impressions are very good. It was nice to be able to lean out and zoom in with the 6DoF, but I did find myself having to constantly re centre the view to get the gunsight central which I didn't have to do using Ed Tracker.

[/QUOTE]

you can fix that by creating some deadzone in the curves.How big you need to make it is a personal thing.You have to do this for all 6 axis.This will make you view "land" easily in the center to look through the gunsight.
opentrack curves.jpg

[ATAG_Highseas]

It was nice to be able to lean out and zoom in with the 6DoF, but I did find myself having to constantly re centre the view to get the gunsight central which I didn't have to do using Ed Tracker.

Other than that I found that the two devices performed about the same in terms of general looking around when flying

I still like Ed Tracker, and would certainly recommend it to anyone, but from now on I will be using this DIY head tracker.

I had exactly that when i switched over.

It took a while to get used to as with Ed Tracker yuor head is always lined up mid recticle... because you cant move it anywhere else !

Its like Lew said, i was amazed hom much i was bobbing my head about before without realising !

You flown a hurricane yet with a closed canopy ?

[ATAG_Laser]

you can fix that by creating some deadzone in the curves.How big you need to make it is a personal thing.You have to do this for all 6 axis.This will make you view "land" easily in the center to look through the gunsight.
opentrack curves.jpg

Thanks stormrider

As I said before I haven't tried to create my own opentrack profile before, but when I have a bit of time I will experiment a little with the default profile and see what I can do.

Thank you for the tips

[ATAG_Lewis]

Lase...when you are tweaking stuff...Only tweak one thing at a time...and write down what the setting was before or record it via screenshot...then fly it...You need to be able to knock it back to the original setting if the tweak wasn't better...Its a mistake I tend to do..I get carried away with tweaking and then when it all goes to pot I don't have the original to go back to...It'll cost you hours if you don't record your original setting...

Another way to do it...Go into the Trackhat folder and duplicate the profile you want to tweak...Then go into Trackhat and choose the duplicate for tweaking...That way you always have the original to go back to...Good tip!

It may seem obvious to some but the times I haven't done it and wished I had....

It can be a tricky thing to hit the sweet spot...I have spent many hours tweaking in the past only to come back to an original profile that worked well...

[ATAG_Laser]

I had exactly that when i switched over.

It took a while to get used to as with Ed Tracker yuor head is always lined up mid recticle... because you cant move it anywhere else !

Its like Lew said, i was amazed hom much i was bobbing my head about before without realising !

You flown a hurricane yet with a closed canopy ?

Yeah, it's surprising how far off centre the view goes isn't it?

I have doubled up the zoom button on my joystick to recentre the view, so every time I zoom in to identify a contact the view automatically centres itself.

I was flying a Hurricane last night actually.

Much easier to see the compass I have to say, not that I actually use it much these days.

Other than that, not much difference with the canopy closed, but with the canopy open it's much easier to check 6, and to lean out to see what's in front when taxiing (this goes for the spit as well)

The opentrack work around for checking 6 with Ed Tracker works well, as you would know, but I still think it's somewhat restricted compared with what I could get with the 6DoF.

I said that I would be using the ps3 eye set up for head tracking from now on, but I will probably use both.

Will probably need to rely on the Ed Tracker when it's summer time and the sun is shining through the window

[ATAG_Laser]

Lase...when you are tweaking stuff...Only tweak one thing at a time...and write down what the setting was before or record it via screenshot...then fly it...You need to be able to knock it back to the original setting if the tweak wasn't better...Its a mistake I tend to do..I get carried away with tweaking and then when it all goes to pot I don't have the original to go back to...It'll cost you hours if you don't record your original setting...

Another way to do it...Go into the Trackhat folder and duplicate the profile you want to tweak...Then go into Trackhat and choose the duplicate for tweaking...That way you always have the original to go back to...Good tip!

It may seem obvious to some but the times I haven't done it and wished I had....

It can be a tricky thing to hit the sweet spot...I have spent many hours tweaking in the past only to come back to an original profile that worked well...

I will copy and paste your profile somewhere else Lew, so if I mess it up I still have your original profile as it was

[ATAG_Highseas]

Yeah, it's surprising how far off centre the view goes isn't it?

I have doubled up the zoom button on my joystick to recentre the view, so every time I zoom in to identify a contact the view automatically centres itself.

I was flying a Hurricane last night actually.

Much easier to see the compass I have to say, not that I actually use it much these days.

Other than that, not much difference with the canopy closed, but with the canopy open it's much easier to check 6, and to lean out to see what's in front when taxiing (this goes for the spit as well)

The opentrack work around for checking 6 with Ed Tracker works well, as you would know, but I still think it's somewhat restricted compared with what I could get with the 6DoF.

I said that I would be using the ps3 eye set up for head tracking from now on, but I will probably use both.

Will probably need to rely on the Ed Tracker when it's summer time and the sun is shining through the window

I still recentre with a push button ocasionally... but mostly I move my head to centre !! its a lot more effective !

it's another thing to get used to but well worth it.

keep at it !

Its flippin marvelous this isnt it ?!

Flying planes and what not !

[ATAG_Lewis]

I use trackir and use the centre key almost every minute or so...I'm just a motional guy!

But seriously...I do hit it a lot...It shouldn't be an isuue to hit it...Hit it every time you think you aren't straight in your cockpit...

[ATAG_Highseas]

.I'm just a motional guy!...

Where as I'm totally immotional.

That's why i didnt say anything or make eye contact at Duxford.


It is surprising how much yiur head moves. Especially in full on manoeuvres.

I have lost count of the amount of times i have turned the recticule on and off... Where did it go?

Bobbing about trying to find it!

[Kwings714]

I created two separate profiles. One for the Bf109 and one for the Spitfire. In the Spitfire profile, I increased the Dead Zone and Minimized the distance travel for both the X and Y transitional axis.
Its require a little bit more bodyworks, but I consider it as an on chair exercise and heat dissipation movement (j/k). I mostly used the 30°, 70°, 90° the Zoom magnification key to view distance contact.
I think this is the reason why I seldom fly the RAF Aeroplanes.

[ATAG_Lewis]

DIY headtracker clip...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-Head-...UAAOSwdrlbAuRB