shortbutslow 0 Posted March 9, 2009 Anyone up and running Free-track on BHAH/Vista? I started this project, got stuck then got sidetracked. Hope someone has had better luck. Thanks! Clay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themightysrc 5 Posted March 10, 2009 Hi, Care to expand on what Freetrack is, old bean? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortbutslow 0 Posted March 10, 2009 Sure - it's a free version of TrackIR, which is head tracking software allowing you to look around by moving your head instead of using the keyboard or a hat switch. Go to www.free-track.net or type either one into Google or YouTube for more info. Cheers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Todt Von Oben 0 Posted March 10, 2009 Sure - it's a free version of TrackIR, which is head tracking software allowing you to look around by moving your head instead of using the keyboard or a hat switch. Go to www.free-track.net or type either one into Google or YouTube for more info. Cheers! I only had time to glance at the site...heading for the rain room and going to work in an hour...but it looks like you've got to have an infra red PC camera and some hardware to wear on your head. For my own purposes as this point, I think I'll buy the TrackIR. But i will go back and read more on the Free-track site tonight when I get home. Thanks for the heads up. (No pun intended. Okay, maybe a little one.) Prost! TvO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
77Scout 3 Posted March 10, 2009 People ask about FreeTrack all the time, but I don't recall ever seeing anyone say they were up and running with it. I never tried myself so can't say what the difficulties might be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+SkippyBing 8 Posted March 10, 2009 It works with a standard webcam, set up is a bit tricky if you insist on not reading the instructions but if you can solder three LEDs in parallel then it's certainly cheaper than getting track IR. It took me a couple of hours to get up and running, but that included installing the webcam properly and figuring out how to configure that. It works fine and was certainly cheaper than buying track IR and finding I didn't like it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+malibu43 142 Posted March 10, 2009 It works with a standard webcam, set up is a bit tricky if you insist on not reading the instructions but if you can solder three LEDs in parallel then it's certainly cheaper than getting track IR.It took me a couple of hours to get up and running, but that included installing the webcam properly and figuring out how to configure that. It works fine and was certainly cheaper than buying track IR and finding I didn't like it! Same story for me. A few hours of work and it was up and running. Much better than spending ~$150 or whatever the cost of TrackIR is (at least in my opinion). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rickitycrate 10 Posted March 11, 2009 I'm working on my 3 point cap. I am very close now. I will report if and when... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FenrisWlf 6 Posted March 11, 2009 Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that free track is only 2 DOF and TIR supports 6 DOF. OFF supports 5 DOF basically everything but Roll. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rickitycrate 10 Posted March 11, 2009 with single light point freetrack is 2 DOF, with 3 light points it is 6 DOF Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gous 0 Posted March 11, 2009 **-Attention-Freetrack seems to work with OFF** I have ordrered my LEDs from an online shop and I am expecting them to arrive within this or the next week. However, I wanted to see if freetrack works with OFF BHH before bulding the cap and it seems that it DOES. I bought an MS lifecam vx-1000 from my local PC shop and modded it. I removed the IR filter and glued a piece of magnetic black thingie (from a floppy disk) in front of the external lens. I installed the camera normally. I started freetrack. Of course, the webcam is modded and cant see any visible light. But it is modded that way so that it will see only infrared (and maybe red) radiation. A source of infrared light in your house is a TV remote control. When you press the button of your TV remote control, the controller produces infrared light (fast flashing) through the LED on the front which is received by the TV. When you press different buttons, the IR light flashes with different frequency. Each frequency is connected with a particular action in your TVs memory. (I got a little off topic) Now that we have found an IR emmiter, we can test it and see if freetrack receives it. I put my TV controller in front of the webcam and pressed a button. I saw what I expected to see. A black background and a blue light flashing very fast. On the left of the freetrack window, I could see the head model moving. These were enough for me to test if it works with OFF. Of course, with a TV remote control, it WONT track well, because the light emitted is not continual (it is flashing). When you will make your cap/clip, it will produce continual, bright, good quality infrared light. But if I kept pressing the button and was moving the controller, freetrack was detecting "head motion" so it was enough for my preliminary test! I started TiR attack 1.6 alongside Freetrack and then ran CFS3 stock. I got into the Spitfire and pressed the buttons on the controller to emit light...and...freetrack detected everything and the view was moving normally. The problem was of course that it was not moving very good, because the light emitted was flashy. But the big test of course, was to see if it worked with OFF. I have read posts saying that it doesnt, so I ran a QC in OFF BHH frantically. I got inside the Pup, pressed the button and....miracolo. The view was moving! [\Borat voice on]Great success![borat voice off] Freetrack is showing VERY good signs at the moment. Next week, or this weekend, I will have my 3 point clip ready. Then I will have headtracking with like only 25$. However, if some of you wanna try it, wait for me to build the cap. I will report back as soon as I have it ready. The bottom line is of course, that we are 90% victorious. As there are some poeple here saying that they didnt manage to get OFF and Freetrack working in the first place. Since the TV test was all right though, I dont see any reason why it wont work with the normal set up! We shall see... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forester 0 Posted March 11, 2009 FreeTrack working great with OFF here! I recently constructed a USB-powered 3-point clip, using it with MS VX-1000 webcam. The IR filter of the webcam was replaced by a piece of film negative. With Freetrack v. 2.2.0.267 (the version with TrackIR support) there's no need to run TIR Attack any more, just select "TrackIR interface" as output option. You also need 'TirViews.dll' to get TrackIR interface working. Install TrackIR software to get the file, once you have the .dll copied over to the FreeTrack program folder you can uninstall TrackIR. Achieving smooth tracking requires some fine-tuning of the sensitivity and smoothing settings and the response curves but once you get them right it's well worth the time spent. The 5DOF motion really opens a whole new world compared to the crappy default views of CFS3. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gous 0 Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) Thank you forester! Things are looking good indeed! EDIT: Where exactly did you find v2.2.0.267 of Freetrack? Because in the website of freetrack there is a newer one. Edited March 11, 2009 by Gous Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forester 0 Posted March 11, 2009 EDIT: Where exactly did you find v2.2.0.267 of Freetrack? Because in the website of freetrack there is a newer one. I grabbed it from the FT website, maybe in November... seems that they have removed that version though. But the newer one is probably as good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rickitycrate 10 Posted March 11, 2009 Thanks for the report Gous! You have taken things one step further than I have and I am greatly encouraged. I will report my results soon and include pics of my hat. One thing about the hat is, I think you can make you hat and then measure the distances between the lights to input to the program. Rather than conforming to a preset formula. This was a hangup for me for awhile. My camera picks up three I/R light points and no background light. I removed the I/R filter and have placed a penny sized piece of 3.5" floppy disk over the lens. Program responds to the light source with the head image moving. It is now just a matter of soldering my connections. So very close. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meyer2 0 Posted March 11, 2009 which track Ir software did you get the TirViews.dll from, and where do you find it once you have installed trackIr ? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+SkippyBing 8 Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) I don't think you actually need to remove the IR filter, certainly when I flashed my remote at my webcam (VX-3000, it was on offer) it showed up bright and clear. The instructions are a bit vague on that front as one section of the site says you need to and then in one of the pdfs it says it may not be necessary. On the software front, I have a feeling later versions of Freetrack may lack trackIR support for copyright reasons. Edited March 11, 2009 by SkippyBing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rickitycrate 10 Posted March 11, 2009 Well as far as cameras go I've seen with and without I/R filter working for people. Also have seen I/R LED's an non-I/R LED's working for some. I think it depends how you setup according to the ambient light or lights in the room that you are set up in with your rig. In my setup I can play in the daytime or at night with lights on in the room. There are many ways of doing this as per the freetrack website and youtube. I don't think that the software has copywrite issues as freetrack was told to remove some statement or other and did so. Compatibilty should not be a problem. I am not an expert and do not actually have it running OFF as of yet. Search the web if you are interested is my best suggestion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hertzie 0 Posted March 11, 2009 Hello fellow OFF-simmers, maybe I might not ask this, but as I am an absolute 0 with electronics, but would love to have that free-track tool on a cap to fly in OFF-BHaH (and others sims): is there anybody willing to make a working one for me please ?? Of course I pay for all the costs and shipping to Holland. And please don't tell me that it's easy to do it myself: I won't, for I'm absolutely sure it won't work. But I can't afford Track IR, that's why I ask this, so I hope you don't mind me doing it this way. Good flights to everyone, hertzie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forester 0 Posted March 11, 2009 @meyer2: The TrackIR software version I took the .dll from was 4.1.035 but I guess pretty much any version on Naturalpoint downloads page will be OK. The .dll can be found in the TrackIR installation folder (say, Program Files\Naturalpoint\TrackIR\ or whatever the installation folder is, don't remember the exact path). @hertzie: You could ask for help at Freetrack forum, there might be some guys who can help you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rickitycrate 10 Posted March 11, 2009 hertzie, I would wait just a little bit longer and see if some of us that are doing this have success with running OFF/freetrack. I think someone on the freetrack site does make 3 point caps that he sell for $40 US. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gous 0 Posted March 12, 2009 Dont!!! The guy has dissapeared and a couple of chaps have lost their money. So dont buy the caps from him. You can ask at the freetrack site they will help you out... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hertzie 0 Posted March 12, 2009 Thank you guys!! I will put an "advertisement" in the free track forum. I'll let you know what comes out. Regards, hertzie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gous 0 Posted March 19, 2009 --Attention-- Whoever needs help with software tweaking (or software troubleshooting) to get OFF to work with freetrack, contact me by PM. Freetrack works great with OFF. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
