-
There seems to be an uptick in Political comments in recent months. Those of us who are long time members of the site know that Political and Religious content has been banned for years. Nothing has changed. Please leave all political and religious comments out of the forums.
If you recently joined the forums you were not presented with this restriction in the terms of service. This was due to a conversion error when we went from vBulletin to Xenforo. We have updated our terms of service to reflect these corrections.
Please note any post refering to a politician will be considered political even if it is intended to be humor. Our experience is these topics have a way of dividing the forums and causing deep resentment among members. It is a poison to the community. We appreciate compliance with the rules.
The Staff of SOH
TrackIR 4 or 5
- Thread starter brettt777
- Start date
I have both and far prefer TIR 5 as it seems much smoother and more accurate in operation. That said I was very happy with TIR 4 and used it for a few years before I got my TIR 5. In fact I probably put a couple of thousand hours of use on it before it started acting up on me with an intermittent problem I suspect is down to an aging/failing LED emitter/detector as it tends to go 'blind in one eye' in as much as left/right and fore/aft actions are perfect but up/down can get very 'jittery' after it's been in use for an hour or so.
You either need the hat clip or pay extra for the device that clips to a headset. I have always used the hat clip but on a golf style visor rather than on a baseball cap (much cooler to wear indoors).
I don't know where you are thinking of buying from but I bought both of my units brand new on Ebay from reputable Ebay 'stores' for a fraction of the cost you see advertised at most online outlets.
Naismith
Charter Member
I agree totally with Tako. This vid is older than what is now available but shows a different tack for the reflector which is not so silly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxIb9jb9ZI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxIb9jb9ZI
With TrackIR4, you are limited to the reflective hat clip..which works best in a dimly lit room...any strong side or rear light and the system does not work so well. With TrackIR5, you have the option of using the device that clips onto your head set and that has built in LED lights....this device give you a much more reliable, accurate and smoother head tracking experience.
I have TrackIR5 (thanks to an SOH member who sent it to me for Christmas last year...talk about HO HO HO!). I use the hat clip thingie. When I want to use my TrackIR system, I have to make sure the blind and curtain on the window to my right are closed and I have to shut off the office light...otherwise the system does not work. And since my wife has her computer set up in the office and likes to have the light on and likes to look out the window at the birds and chipmunks....well, you see the problem....wife on her system means no IR for me. One day I will just have to sell enough blood to buy the thing with the built in lights.
OBIO
I have TrackIR5 (thanks to an SOH member who sent it to me for Christmas last year...talk about HO HO HO!). I use the hat clip thingie. When I want to use my TrackIR system, I have to make sure the blind and curtain on the window to my right are closed and I have to shut off the office light...otherwise the system does not work. And since my wife has her computer set up in the office and likes to have the light on and likes to look out the window at the birds and chipmunks....well, you see the problem....wife on her system means no IR for me. One day I will just have to sell enough blood to buy the thing with the built in lights.
OBIO
If you play with the settings Tim you may be able to dial out a lot of your issues. Correct location of the TIR unit is also important. I don't have to have a dim room to use mine and only occasionally have a reflection issue when the sun shines directly onto a glass section in a door behind me. In that case closing the blinds in the next room for 10 minutes until the sun moves cures the problem.
If the TIR module is mounted on the top edge of your monitor and your monitor is too low, so that the TIR unit is pointing upwards at a ceiling light, try raising the monitor either on a monitor stand or a box and adjust the TIR unit so that it points downwards at your face (just a couple of degrees is enough usually). You will then be able to have the ceiling light on with no issues.
In my case my monitor is raised so that my eye-line when sitting normally is about 3-4" below the top of the monitor. I have a ceiling light located just off my right shoulder and slightly behind me and the TIR unit never sees it.
If the TIR module is mounted on the top edge of your monitor and your monitor is too low, so that the TIR unit is pointing upwards at a ceiling light, try raising the monitor either on a monitor stand or a box and adjust the TIR unit so that it points downwards at your face (just a couple of degrees is enough usually). You will then be able to have the ceiling light on with no issues.
In my case my monitor is raised so that my eye-line when sitting normally is about 3-4" below the top of the monitor. I have a ceiling light located just off my right shoulder and slightly behind me and the TIR unit never sees it.
GT182
Charter Member
Thread Bump
I'm still using my Tracker 4 but with the IR5 software. Works great. Using the hat clip too with no problems, and couldn't see spending the money for the headset clip to use with the IR5 software..
If you have the refletive pads you can stup a plain ol hat to use with your Tracker 4 or 5. I've even added them to my Natual Point hat I bought a few years ago with my IR2. LOL
I'm still using my Tracker 4 but with the IR5 software. Works great. Using the hat clip too with no problems, and couldn't see spending the money for the headset clip to use with the IR5 software..
If you have the refletive pads you can stup a plain ol hat to use with your Tracker 4 or 5. I've even added them to my Natual Point hat I bought a few years ago with my IR2. LOL