ED Tracker

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vince23
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by vince23 »

How long does sending to Belgium normally take? I've always wanted something like TrackIR but the price was just too high. Seems like this will be better :)

brumster
Airman
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by brumster »

Belgium is pretty quick - we aim to ship within 2 working days, and then airmail to Belgium from the UK is *typically* just a few days. I have to say "typically" because the postal service is not a *guaranteed* delivery time, so we can't 100% promise it, but it rarely takes more than 5 working days to get there. Shop T&C's are on our website.

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Nick - A2A
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by Nick - A2A »

Mine was delivered yesterday! :) I'm a long term flight simmer but decidedly 'softcore' when it comes to adding actual hardware and I've never used TrackIR or similar devices. Anyway, I thought it was time to see what all the fuss was about so I duly plonked down 50 quid for the pre-assembled version. (Essential, given my lack of prowess with a soldering iron!)

The setting-up process was pretty easy. Given that I use EZdok, the OpenTrack interface seemed to be the only logical path to avoid conflicts and I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I could get it working in the sim with all my pre-existing EZdok settings. (EZdok also has the advantage that head tracking can be turned on or off in the various defined views so that, for example, a close-up of the radio stack can be selected with a button press with any head-jiggling removed.)

I did try the basic 'EDTracker only' interface as well, and though this removes an additional layer of complexity, I feel that the more advanced filtering algorithms in OpenTrack make things a bit smoother. However, it's very early days and I haven't fiddled with these much yet: currently testing the 'EWMA' filter.

Not sure yet how I'll mount the thing. It's so small and light that for testing all I've done is tuck it inside a beanie above my right ear and it stays put nicely. This probably isn't practical in the long term, but I've never bothered with a headset in FS so perhaps I should invest in a decent one. That's unless I want to look like Benny from Crossroads when simming! :mrgreen: (Yeah - I know that reference will be lost on most here.)

As regards the whole head tracking experience? Well, I've nothing to compare it to, but the response seems to be fluid and instantaneous, and with those filters at work, the jiggling which I found a bit off-putting initially appears to be very manageable. I still find myself reaching for the hat switch now-and-again but old habits die hard I guess.

Initially I just used it in the yaw and pitch axes, but adding in the roll axis gives another level of immersion completely absent until now. I find I actually tend to erect my head slightly in steep turns*, whereas without head tracking, one's view is always completely 'level' with the panel. I also used OpenTrack to add a bit of translation so that when I look to the left, my eyepoint moves out to the left slightly, just as it does in real life due to the fact that our eyes are on the front of our head and our neck is at the back. (Same with looking up and down, but not so much.)

Anyway, so far, so good! :D
Nick

*Actually, this prompts a question which I've posed here.

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Nick - A2A
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by Nick - A2A »

...Actually, a little question for Ed if he's still following this topic. :)

Would it be possible to add a separate slider for "Roll Scaling" in the user settings GUI at some point? At the moment, this doesn't seem to be included so presumably this value is inherited from the yaw and/or roll scaling. I think I'd want the roll scaling to be pretty close to 1 actually, as I don't see any need to exaggerate this movement (in flight sims anyway).

For now I've adjusted the mapping in OpenTrack to reduce the amount of head roll.

Thanks,
Nick

brumster
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by brumster »

The Z scaling is, as you quite rightly suspect, scaled the same as the Y setting. I'll mention it to Rob, it's certainly something we can look to add in a future revision I think. Like you say, most people tend to leave it at 1.0 anyway when using Opentrack, but I don't have an issue with adding the feature at some point just in case it's useful to someone.

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Mazo
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Location: Florida

Re: ED Tracker

Post by Mazo »

Now that I have gone through several iterations of settings, this is what I have settled on (at least for now as I do tend to tweak) :D
Not using OpenTrack at this time. Running 30FPS locked in P3DV3.4.

EdTracker software settings:
Yaw scale = 2.0
Pitch scale = 5.0
Smoothing = 90
Response mode = Exponential
Not using the roll axis as I did try and my eyeballs just could not keep up with all the motion! :oops:
I find that with 30FPS, I do need to use the smoothing settings even with Exponential Response mode.

I am very pleased with EdTracker with these settings on my system.
[*]2021 Jetline Systems GTX, [email protected], EVGA RTX 3080ti 12GB, 64GB Memory 3200MHz, Win11 64 Pro, P3DV5.3, FS2020


In memory of my fallen Brothers in Arms in Viet Nam - may they Rest in Peace.

BrettT
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by BrettT »

I'm curious for those trying the ED tracker who have used TIR in the past. How do they compare. I have really enjoyed my TIR but one complaint I have had is that I typically run into a a zone (especially when looking down....ie to move the fuel handles in the comanche) when I lose the track due to line of sight to the sensor. It would seem like this ED tracker would not be as limited in this regards

alan CXA651
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by alan CXA651 »

Hi Brett.
I have track IR5 and some times have same problem , but with me i know the cause , the track IR5 miniture monitor , that sits on top of my main monitor is too close to me , if it was moved further away it would solve that .
But at this time , due to the size of main monitor , and the space i have for my flightsim set up ,this is limiting me , when i get round to a redesign of my setup , this is one of the things that i will alter.
regards alan. 8)
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BrettT
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by BrettT »

Alan,

That is exactly what I am talking about (I have mine on a 40" Monitor that is roughly 3ft away). I hadn't thought about moving it further away and perhaps on a stand with with a slight downward looking angle...worth experimenting with

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Oliver Branaschky
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Joined: 12 Jun 2014, 12:49

Re: ED Tracker

Post by Oliver Branaschky »

Guys, please forgive my ignorance, but where do I find this OpenTrack thingy? Searching through Google, all I can seem to come up with is some jibberish about some open source project?

Mine arrived yesterday, and I'm still trying to remove that jiggly movement...

Would appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thanks a lot.

Oliver


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Mazo
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by Mazo »

Oliver,
Here is the link for Opentrack: https://github.com/opentrack/opentrack/ ... e-20141112

As noted in my post above, I am not using Opentrack at this time and the settings I show work quite well.

EdTracker software settings:
Yaw scale = 2.0
Pitch scale = 5.0
Smoothing = 90
Response mode = Exponential

I also set null at 4 in the controls setup in P3DV3.4. That helps with the jiggles when you are looking forward.

All systems are different and you will need to experiment to get the best settings for you.

I am quite pleased with flying using the EDTracker!
Last edited by Mazo on 04 Nov 2016, 07:55, edited 1 time in total.
[*]2021 Jetline Systems GTX, [email protected], EVGA RTX 3080ti 12GB, 64GB Memory 3200MHz, Win11 64 Pro, P3DV5.3, FS2020


In memory of my fallen Brothers in Arms in Viet Nam - may they Rest in Peace.

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Oliver Branaschky
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Posts: 248
Joined: 12 Jun 2014, 12:49

Re: ED Tracker

Post by Oliver Branaschky »

Thanks Mazo,

I will try your suggestions. I also use EZdok, so as Nick mentions, I might have to use OpenTrack in order to avoid conflicts.

So long,
Oliver


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rictus
Senior Airman
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Joined: 04 Aug 2014, 04:26

Re: ED Tracker

Post by rictus »

Quite interested in getting one of these to cut out the whole IR camera issue - my DIY head tracker works great... then it suddenly doesn't and won't let me move left/right as much as before...

Could someone confirm if it works with FacetrackNoIR? my IR tracker does... Could keep all my curve profiles!

brumster
Airman
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by brumster »

I believe it does - I really must try it some time...!

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/Tr ... ystick.htm

I was always very impressed with the quality of FaceTrackNoIR until it stopped being developed, but it would be interesting to see how it's come on now.

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rictus
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Re: ED Tracker

Post by rictus »

@Brumster

FacetrackNoir now has the IR functions of freetrack (I think? Or Opentrack?) built in, so if you build/buy a cheap IR tracker, it's a good setup. It's not free now, but the cost is something silly like $2.99!!

Not being an amazing electronics sort of chap, my tracker does work, but the wiring's a bit dodge... I also find it's not so good if I turn one way or t'other too far. The webcam mod to IR was easy though!

Hence why I'm now interested in ED Tracker. Would be nice to eliminate the whole camera thing. I figure since gyro based tracking works for VR headsets, why not my headset! Since I don't care much for 6DoF, I'm very interested to hear how current users find it?

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