NaturalPoint TrackIR (mini-review)

I picked up a TrackIR3 Pro w/Vector Expansion. I checked it out with Live For Speed (since it has native support). During the 1st lap I was thinking about how much money I wasted. By the second lap I realized that they were on to something really cool and it was just a matter of getting used to it. I still have a way to go to get comfortable with it, but the learning curve is not steep. I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees (just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. I found that I was looking into the turns and planning for them earlier than the built in LFS steering look does. Coming out of the corners I needed to remember to straighten my head out to look ahead (I was used to the program altering the view for me). I knew I was getting into it when I tried another sim that doesn't support TrackIR and I turned my head to look into the turn, nothing happened and it felt odd :). I think this is another good step into more immersion into racing sims. Sure it is a trade off, but until something better and cheaper comes along (3d VR goggles anyone?), this is a step in the right direction. One thing to note is that the device doesn't like bright sunlight. I had a bit of bright sun shining through window blinds and the thing wouldn't track. I put a towel over the blinds (just enough to diffuse the sunlight, not block it out) and that took care of the problem. Russell

Russell wrote:

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> I picked up a TrackIR3 Pro w/Vector Expansion. I checked it out with > Live For Speed (since it has native support). During the 1st lap I was > thinking about how much money I wasted. By the second lap I realized > that they were on to something really cool and it was just a matter of > getting used to it. I still have a way to go to get comfortable with > it, but the learning curve is not steep. > > I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the > left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees > (just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look > into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically > your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I > changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 > degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes > it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head > turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the > speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The > NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. > > I found that I was looking into the turns and planning for them earlier > than the built in LFS steering look does. Coming out of the corners I > needed to remember to straighten my head out to look ahead (I was used > to the program altering the view for me). > > I knew I was getting into it when I tried another sim that doesn't > support TrackIR and I turned my head to look into the turn, nothing > happened and it felt odd :). > > I think this is another good step into more immersion into racing sims. > Sure it is a trade off, but until something better and cheaper comes > along (3d VR goggles anyone?), this is a step in the right direction. > > One thing to note is that the device doesn't like bright sunlight. I > had a bit of bright sun shining through window blinds and the thing > wouldn't track. I put a towel over the blinds (just enough to diffuse > the sunlight, not block it out) and that took care of the problem. > > Russell

I hadnt tried LFS but I have tried both GTR and NSR. NSR fully supports Vector while the demo of GTR doesnt. NSR seems a better all around TIR experience even though I prefer GTR as a game. Could be the profile I use is more suited to NSR though. Not enough time.. While the TIR/VE work very nicely in racing sims it really shines in flight sims. The true freedom of head movement can really only be experienced as words cant adequately describe it ;) The one game that really needs the full vector/6dof support is the IL2 series and it doesnt, grrrrr. It does work great even without vector support even though it would be nice to look around the monstrous pillars in the sim. The P-51 while under-simulated in PF is still a beauty to look around in with that bubble canopy and TIR. Mitch -- Remove "nospam." to reply. SuSE 9.2 Pro KDE 3.3.2a

Mitch_A wrote:

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> Russell wrote: > > >>I picked up a TrackIR3 Pro w/Vector Expansion. I checked it out with >>Live For Speed (since it has native support). During the 1st lap I was >>thinking about how much money I wasted. By the second lap I realized >>that they were on to something really cool and it was just a matter of >>getting used to it. I still have a way to go to get comfortable with >>it, but the learning curve is not steep. >> >>I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the >>left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees >>(just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look >>into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically >>your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I >>changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 >>degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes >>it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head >>turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the >>speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The >>NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. >> >>I found that I was looking into the turns and planning for them earlier >>than the built in LFS steering look does. Coming out of the corners I >>needed to remember to straighten my head out to look ahead (I was used >>to the program altering the view for me). >> >>I knew I was getting into it when I tried another sim that doesn't >>support TrackIR and I turned my head to look into the turn, nothing >>happened and it felt odd :). >> >>I think this is another good step into more immersion into racing sims. >> Sure it is a trade off, but until something better and cheaper comes >>along (3d VR goggles anyone?), this is a step in the right direction. >> >>One thing to note is that the device doesn't like bright sunlight. I >>had a bit of bright sun shining through window blinds and the thing >>wouldn't track. I put a towel over the blinds (just enough to diffuse >>the sunlight, not block it out) and that took care of the problem. >> >>Russell > > > I hadnt tried LFS but I have tried both GTR and NSR. NSR fully supports > Vector while the demo of GTR doesnt. NSR seems a better all around TIR > experience even though I prefer GTR as a game. Could be the profile I use > is more suited to NSR though. Not enough time.. > > While the TIR/VE work very nicely in racing sims it really shines in flight > sims. The true freedom of head movement can really only be experienced as > words cant adequately describe it ;) > > The one game that really needs the full vector/6dof support is the IL2 > series and it doesnt, grrrrr. It does work great even without vector > support even though it would be nice to look around the monstrous pillars > in the sim. The P-51 while under-simulated in PF is still a beauty to look > around in with that bubble canopy and TIR. > > Mitch

Thanks for those informative reviews. I think that I may go for one myself. FYI, Mitch, the 1.3 patch for GTR (just out today) contains support for Vector (according to the German readme file). Have either of you guys tried TIR with GPL using the GPLShift utility? GPLShift supposedly allows GPL to support TrackIR. Bert

BRH <BRH> wrote:

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> > FYI, Mitch, the 1.3 patch for GTR (just out today) contains support for > Vector (according to the German readme file). > > Have either of you guys tried TIR with GPL using the GPLShift utility? > GPLShift supposedly allows GPL to support TrackIR. > > Bert

Excellent news Bert! As far as GPL goes I havent tried myself but I do believe youre on the right track with GPLShift. Mitch -- Remove "nospam." to reply. SuSE 9.2 Pro KDE 3.3.2a

>"Mitch_A" <[email hidden]> wrote > While the TIR/VE work very nicely in racing sims it really shines in > flight > sims. The true freedom of head movement can really only be experienced as > words cant adequately describe it ;) Yeah well somehow for racing simulations, there isn't much need for Y-axis movements of the head. Is there any way to block the axis with something like TrackIR during racing sims? It would give a much more precise idea imho. We've gone ages from the bad look-ahead features of C:PR -- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez Corporation - helping America into the New World...

in Beitrag SyuXd.21909$[email hidden] schrieb ymenard unter [email hidden] am 09.03.2005 5:02 Uhr:

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>> "Mitch_A" <[email hidden]> wrote >> While the TIR/VE work very nicely in racing sims it really shines in >> flight >> sims. The true freedom of head movement can really only be experienced as >> words cant adequately describe it ;) > > > > Yeah well somehow for racing simulations, there isn't much need for Y-axis > movements of the head. Is there any way to block the axis with something > like TrackIR during racing sims? It would give a much more precise idea > imho. We've gone ages from the bad look-ahead features of C:PR

You can block every axis you want in the trackIR profiler software. Rolf ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! >100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

In article <[email hidden]>, Russell says... > I picked up a TrackIR3 Pro w/Vector Expansion. I checked it out with > Live For Speed (since it has native support). During the 1st lap I was > thinking about how much money I wasted. By the second lap I realized > that they were on to something really cool and it was just a matter of > getting used to it. I still have a way to go to get comfortable with > it, but the learning curve is not steep. If you use flight sims, you'll really feel like you got your money's worth. Cheers, Rod.

Russell says... If you use flight sims, you'll really feel like you got your money's worth. Cheers, Rod.

http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/games/gpl.html JSJ "Mitch_A" <[email hidden]> skrev i en meddelelse news:mdtXd.13324$[email hidden]...

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> BRH <BRH> wrote: > > > > > > FYI, Mitch, the 1.3 patch for GTR (just out today) contains support for > > Vector (according to the German readme file). > > > > Have either of you guys tried TIR with GPL using the GPLShift utility? > > GPLShift supposedly allows GPL to support TrackIR. > > > > Bert > > Excellent news Bert! > > As far as GPL goes I havent tried myself but I do believe youre on the

right > track with GPLShift. > > Mitch > -- > Remove "nospam." to reply. > SuSE 9.2 Pro KDE 3.3.2a

BRH wrote:

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> Mitch_A wrote: > >> Russell wrote: >> >> >>> I picked up a TrackIR3 Pro w/Vector Expansion. I checked it out with >>> Live For Speed (since it has native support). During the 1st lap I was >>> thinking about how much money I wasted. By the second lap I realized >>> that they were on to something really cool and it was just a matter of >>> getting used to it. I still have a way to go to get comfortable with >>> it, but the learning curve is not steep. >>> >>> I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the >>> left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees >>> (just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look >>> into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically >>> your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I >>> changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 >>> degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes >>> it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head >>> turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the >>> speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The >>> NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. >>> >>> I found that I was looking into the turns and planning for them earlier >>> than the built in LFS steering look does. Coming out of the corners I >>> needed to remember to straighten my head out to look ahead (I was used >>> to the program altering the view for me). >>> >>> I knew I was getting into it when I tried another sim that doesn't >>> support TrackIR and I turned my head to look into the turn, nothing >>> happened and it felt odd :). >>> >>> I think this is another good step into more immersion into racing sims. >>> Sure it is a trade off, but until something better and cheaper comes >>> along (3d VR goggles anyone?), this is a step in the right direction. >>> >>> One thing to note is that the device doesn't like bright sunlight. I >>> had a bit of bright sun shining through window blinds and the thing >>> wouldn't track. I put a towel over the blinds (just enough to diffuse >>> the sunlight, not block it out) and that took care of the problem. >>> >>> Russell >> >> >> >> I hadnt tried LFS but I have tried both GTR and NSR. NSR fully supports >> Vector while the demo of GTR doesnt. NSR seems a better all around TIR >> experience even though I prefer GTR as a game. Could be the profile I >> use >> is more suited to NSR though. Not enough time.. >> >> While the TIR/VE work very nicely in racing sims it really shines in >> flight >> sims. The true freedom of head movement can really only be >> experienced as >> words cant adequately describe it ;) >> The one game that really needs the full vector/6dof support is the IL2 >> series and it doesnt, grrrrr. It does work great even without vector >> support even though it would be nice to look around the monstrous pillars >> in the sim. The P-51 while under-simulated in PF is still a beauty to >> look >> around in with that bubble canopy and TIR. >> >> Mitch > > Thanks for those informative reviews. I think that I may go for one > myself. > > FYI, Mitch, the 1.3 patch for GTR (just out today) contains support for > Vector (according to the German readme file). > > Have either of you guys tried TIR with GPL using the GPLShift utility? > GPLShift supposedly allows GPL to support TrackIR. > > Bert >

I haven't tried it with GPL, but for those interested, I did with NASCAR 20003. Since it doesn't have native support you have to load a virtual joystick http://www.geocities.com/deonvdw/Docs/PPJoyMain.htm and then another program that ties the virtual joystick to the tracker http://www.dikant.de./index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 It worked well even thought you could just look left and right. I know you don't need to look up and down but I starting to get used to a bit of natural up down movement from driving LFS. The strange part is calibrating the virtual joystick (your head). I know how far to move a joystick for calibration but how far do you move head? There's not stops :). I tried the EA NASCAR Racing Sim, but couldn't get it to work. Anyone know what I need to do to activate the TrackIR in that sim? Russell

ymenard wrote:

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>>"Mitch_A" <[email hidden]> wrote >>While the TIR/VE work very nicely in racing sims it really shines in >>flight >>sims. The true freedom of head movement can really only be experienced as >>words cant adequately describe it ;) > > > > > Yeah well somehow for racing simulations, there isn't much need for Y-axis > movements of the head. Is there any way to block the axis with something > like TrackIR during racing sims? It would give a much more precise idea > imho. We've gone ages from the bad look-ahead features of C:PR > > > > > >

C:PR = Crap Precision Racing?

>"Whoo" <[email hidden]> wrote > C:PR = Crap Precision Racing? Yes, yes indeed. It had a look-ahead feature that is pretty crude by today's standards. ... and that Microsoft guy posting here trying to put out the flame threads. -- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez Corporation - helping America into the New World...

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> >I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the >left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees >(just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look >into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically >your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I >changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 >degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes >it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head >turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the >speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The >NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility.

Sounds GREAT Russell! But how did you do that? For Instance, right now I have the Racing profile up and have selected the Yaw. What do I do know? Thanks! -pw remove astericks (*) from e-mail address (use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net) ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

pw wrote:

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>>I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the >>left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees >>(just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look >>into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically >>your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I >>changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 >>degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes >>it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head >>turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the >>speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The >>NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. > > > Sounds GREAT Russell! > > But how did you do that? For Instance, right now I have the Racing > profile up and have selected the Yaw. What do I do know? > > Thanks! > > > -pw > remove astericks (*) from e-mail address > (use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net) > > ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- > http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Here is how I did it. Set your values to what you like. 1. Start TrackIR 2. Click on Profiles tab 3. click on new button, give it a name (this way you don't change one of the pre-set ones in case things go wrong :) . 4. click on the motion tab 5. click "edit yaw" 6. click on the "Shift entire curve" down button until you flatten the curve and it completely goes to zero 7. Now click on the "Shift entire curve" up button until it comes up to 8 (or whatever you want). Now you have a flat response. 8. Set "Copy curve to axis" to "All" and press copy (this sets every axis this way) 9. Check what you have set up in the View/Heads tab. The setting I described allows me to comfortably look to the left side of my monitor and be looking out the left side of the car at a bit less than 90 degrees (the in-game head is about 90 degrees.) 10. I choose this as my main profile by clicking on the box for this profile under "Exclusive-load". Hope this help. Experiment. Russell

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>pw wrote: >>>I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the >>>left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees >>>(just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look >>>into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically >>>your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I >>>changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 >>>degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes >>>it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head >>>turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the >>>speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The >>>NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. >> >> >> Sounds GREAT Russell! >> >> But how did you do that? For Instance, right now I have the Racing >> profile up and have selected the Yaw. What do I do know? >> >> Thanks! >> >> >> -pw >> remove astericks (*) from e-mail address >> (use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net) >> >> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- >> http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups >> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- > >Here is how I did it. Set your values to what you like. >1. Start TrackIR >2. Click on Profiles tab >3. click on new button, give it a name (this way you don't change one of >the pre-set ones in case things go wrong :) . >4. click on the motion tab >5. click "edit yaw" >6. click on the "Shift entire curve" down button until you flatten the >curve and it completely goes to zero >7. Now click on the "Shift entire curve" up button until it comes up to >8 (or whatever you want). Now you have a flat response. >8. Set "Copy curve to axis" to "All" and press copy (this sets every >axis this way) >9. Check what you have set up in the View/Heads tab. The setting I >described allows me to comfortably look to the left side of my monitor >and be looking out the left side of the car at a bit less than 90 >degrees (the in-game head is about 90 degrees.) >10. I choose this as my main profile by clicking on the box for this >profile under "Exclusive-load". > >Hope this help. Experiment. >Russell

Great stuff Russell!!!! Thank you so much. I will study the manual/help-file again but I don't remember seeing anything like that mentioned! -paul -pw remove astericks (*) from e-mail address (use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net) ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

pw wrote:

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>>pw wrote: >> >>>>I tweaked their default profile and that helped. Let's say from the >>>>left to the right side of your monitor you move your head 45 degrees >>>>(just picking a simple number). With the default setup you can look >>>>into the back seat as you look to the sides of the monitor. Basically >>>>your 45 degree movement is converted to 360 degrees. That's a lot! I >>>>changed that range to only allow me to look full left and full right (45 >>>>degrees of real movement equals 180 degrees of sim movement.) It makes >>>>it more intuitive and less jumpy. I also made the curve of the head >>>>turn linear (rather than increasing the further you look). That way the >>>>speed of your head turn is matched directly on the screen. The >>>>NaturalPoint software has a lot of flexibility. >>> >>> >>>Sounds GREAT Russell! >>> >>>But how did you do that? For Instance, right now I have the Racing >>>profile up and have selected the Yaw. What do I do know? >>> >>>Thanks! >>> >>> >>>-pw >>>remove astericks (*) from e-mail address >>>(use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net) >>> >>>----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- >>>http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups >>>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- >> >>Here is how I did it. Set your values to what you like. >>1. Start TrackIR >>2. Click on Profiles tab >>3. click on new button, give it a name (this way you don't change one of >>the pre-set ones in case things go wrong :) . >>4. click on the motion tab >>5. click "edit yaw" >>6. click on the "Shift entire curve" down button until you flatten the >>curve and it completely goes to zero >>7. Now click on the "Shift entire curve" up button until it comes up to >>8 (or whatever you want). Now you have a flat response. >>8. Set "Copy curve to axis" to "All" and press copy (this sets every >>axis this way) >>9. Check what you have set up in the View/Heads tab. The setting I >>described allows me to comfortably look to the left side of my monitor >>and be looking out the left side of the car at a bit less than 90 >>degrees (the in-game head is about 90 degrees.) >>10. I choose this as my main profile by clicking on the box for this >>profile under "Exclusive-load". >> >>Hope this help. Experiment. >>Russell > > > Great stuff Russell!!!! Thank you so much. I will study the > manual/help-file again but I don't remember seeing anything like that > mentioned! > > -paul > > > -pw > remove astericks (*) from e-mail address > (use paulwilliamson at spamcop dot net) > > ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- > http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Paul, I don't know if it is the manual or not. I haven't gotten that far to read it :) Russell