Free Alternative to TrackIR

[Maddmatt 1]

Since I am not willing to spend the money on TrackIR, I did a search on Google for an alternative. Since I don't have ArmA I can't test if it works.

The program called Freelook can emulate mouse movement with a camera and when used with another program called NewView can emulate TrackIR.

Link to Freelook site: Freelook

Freelook forum: Here

Topic on NewView in Freelook forums: Here

Topic on using it in ArmA: Here

This is what I came up with on Google so can anyone with ArmA and a webcam try this and see if this works? If it does that will be great.

[kronzky 5]

Does it work like this?

Interesting concept though - I might look into it...

[simulacra 0]

It worked "ok" in lomac, but nothing compared to a real TIR.

[KaseKasimir 0]

I'm looking forward to the first test in ArmA. Just tried Freelock, but don't know how to use it in ArmA.

[m@ster 0]

Does it work like this?

[ig]http://nurburgring.org.uk/trip_reports/video4/v4_webcam-head.jpg[/img]

Interesting concept though - I might look into it...

[Maddmatt 1]

I'm looking forward to the first test in ArmA. Just tried Freelock, but don't know how to use it in ArmA.

Well from what I read you need NewView as well to emulate TrackIR, since Freelook on it's own simply emulates mouse movement.

[GAU-8 0]

spend the money on track-IR... it may hurt your wallet, but its a one time fee. well worth the the price. no REAL competitor.

track-IR = a full real oven

other head tracking = "easy bake oven " toy

[Maddmatt 1]

spend the money on track-IR... it may hurt your wallet, but its a one time fee. well worth the the price. no REAL competitor.

track-IR = a full real oven

other head tracking = "easy bake oven " toy

Well when you're still in high school it isn't really worth that much, R1600 (1600 South African Rand). Compare that to about R300 for a webcam. Well made software for a webcam could be just as accurate. How is the TrackIR more advanced than that?

Edit: And ArmA is probably the only game I would use it for.

[Placebo 28]

M@ster remove image tags when quoting please

[GAU-8 0]

for track-IR

# Wider 46° Field of View

# Hyper Fast 120 FPS (-plus)

Sample Rate

# Smaller Sleeker Design

# Resolution Doubling Technology (this is where avg. webcams lack ..not nearly as pinpoint accurate)

# Vector Technology (6 degrees of freedom)

# additional mouse emulation mode (which IS different than normal operation)

# sensitivity settings for both the reflective unit, and the software to make it fully customizable to siut your needs.

(direct from naturalpoints page..)

against the older units (which are still better than most webcams)

http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir....on.html

if its HARD TIMES to get the money....maybe you shouldnt, but if you CAN...save up, and spend it on the track IR. once you do get used to it.... you'll eventually say "its cool..but doesnt do much for the price"...then go BACK and try out what you are doing on the cheap.

after the headache, after the strain, after all the program issues to fumble with of getting everything set-up right, after you see where it lacks, after you realise "this isnt anything like track-IR, and its simple/powerful features..which justifies the price now "...

the track-IR will be back on top of your head, and monitor.

what makes the price seem golden, is its simplicity, efficiency, end-user configurability, power, and of course reliablity...

again, if you just CANT afford one, go with your best option. but if you can afford one even if you have to save a few months...DO IT, and GET IT...you REALLY wont regret it.

THERE IS A REASON THOUSANDS OF THOUSANDS of flight simmers, and AA'ers use this product...it WORKS, and works VERY WELL.

[Maddmatt 1]

Well, I can afford it - but it's alot of money for me. A webcam is a fraction of the price of TrackIR, I want to find out if someone else can get a webcam to work and find out how well it works.

I may just spend the money on TrackIR, but I'm having a hard time justifying the cost. I don't play race sims or flight sims much. Besides ArmA, what good is it? I guess it can also be a nice substitute for a mouse when on the desktop or browsing the net .

[Universel 0]

I m trying to get it work but I dont understand what exactly I am supposed to do with NewView and FreeLook.

I run Confing.exe, register the DLL but then??

[Maddmatt 1]

I m trying to get it work but I dont understand what exactly I am supposed to do with NewView and FreeLook.

I run Confing.exe, register the DLL but then??

I don't know, try the "Helmet Settings" tab in the Config.exe, set "Get data from" to "External Interface". The forums for NewView are in Russian so you probably wont get much help there. If you do get it working please post instructions here.

[Universel 0]

I can read Russian, tell me the forums

But I mean what are the "Joustick" and "Buttons" tabs for ?

[Maddmatt 1]

I can read Russian, tell me the forums

Looks like you need to register on those forums before you can follow those links. Once you have registered look in the topic on the FreeLook forums here.

There are several interesting links there, scroll further down there for more.

Edit: If you can't get it to work with Freelook, try a trial version of Cam2Pan, you can get it here. Problem is that it isn't free.

[Universel 0]

Damn, I tried everything but I cant get it to work.

Btw is there something to do ArmA side to enable TrackIR?

A button to push, or a file to edit?

If I got it well, NV emulates TrackIR commands from mouse movements, so you can test it without a webcam, just disable anything related to mouse look in ArmA so that TrackIR-look and mouse-look dont mess up.

[Maddmatt 1]

Damn, I tried everything but I cant get it to work.

Btw is there something to do ArmA side to enable TrackIR?

A button to push, or a file to edit?

Well you need to set it up in the control options, although I guess you already tried that.

Give Cam2Pan a try, looks like someone else has got that working:

[Universel 0]

What do you mean by set up in controls?

Actually I did nothing in Arma, I just noticed that some actions were already assigned to some TrackIR commands.

And do you have a text link with that photo ? Where did you get it?

[Maddmatt 1]

What do you mean by set up in controls?

Actually I did nothing in Arma, I just noticed that some actions were already assigned to some TrackIR commands.

And do you have a text link with that photo ? Where did you get it?

It's a youtube video, it just showed up when I was searching on google for more info on this. In the Config.exe is there some way to test if it is picking up your head movement? Once you have that working see if you can assign you head movement to controls in place of the TrackIR (in game), or as other controls if you can't replace the TrackIR commands.

[Universel 0]

In config.exe if you select "get data from" "Mouse", your mouse will generate TrackIR commands.

The fact is that so far there is no reaction in ArmA.

[Maddmatt 1]

In config.exe if you select "get data from" "Mouse", your mouse will generate TrackIR commands.

The fact is that so far there is no reaction in ArmA.

Well the Youtube video I linked to shows it working, so there must be a way. Did you use "Get data from" "External source" and then try Cam2Pan instead of Freelook? Doesn't ArmA pick it up as a button/axis that you can define as a control? Or as TrackIR?

Is there anyone else on this forum that can help or who has gotten this to work?

[Universel 0]

I tried with cam2pan and it works.

[Universel 0]

Ok, forget the FreeLook method, although the software seems better than cam2pan.

The problem with FreeLook is that it only moves mouse AND the mouse movement is then interpreted as TrackIR by NewView. So even if I ever manage to get it work under ArmA, the mouse movement will interfere because you also use mouse to aim.

Cam2pan communicates directly with NewView, so head movement is directly translated to TrackIR, and your mouse is free to use in Arma.

[Lolsav 0]

I also did try Cam2pan and got it working as i used to do in Il2. If there is anyone interested in see how i provide a link with a video, screenshots and latest NewView program.

Cheers.

Download link

[dslyecxi 23]

This topic came up on another forum I frequent... I'm going to copy+paste my reply from there for those who are wondering how a TrackIR is different from this hacked-together "head tracker".

------

Here are a few things to keep in mind about the webcam idea:

1. It's not a TrackIR. Obviously. This means that you won't have the software to tweak the acceleration/sensitivity/deadzone/etc. Games will not natively support it, either, and you'll never get 6DOF movement from it.

2. It's only pitch/yaw. You won't be able to lean with it, or zoom in/out. This becomes even more important in games that have full 6DOF (like Aces High 2 or Black Shark or MSFSX), where you would be able to move around a virtual cockpit in full 6DOF.

3. It's going to be pretty slow response compared to a TrackIR. A webcam not designed for the purpose will not be able to match the 120fps that a TrackIR gets, along with the software and hardware features which prevent the TrackIR from tracking incorrect things.

4. This is a BIG ONE. Because it's only 2DOF, every head movement you make will be translated into either pitch or yaw movements. This is NOT how a TrackIR4 works - it can distinguish all 6DOF, so that a sideways head movement does not get incorrectly translated into a yawing movement. This is a really, really big issue in my eyes - it's the reason why I never used my old TrackIR2 that much (it was 2DOF) but cannot get enough of my 6DOF TrackIR4. To be clear, this means you are going to either have to constantly re-center it, or you're going to have to sit very, very still - to an uncomfortable extreme - to keep your view from going everywhere.

In short, if you try this out and think "Bleh, head tracking isn't any fun!", just remember that you're using a hacked-together thing that really does not approach the functionality of a true TrackIR4.