My 3point IR LEDs model for FreeTrack for less than $20

[dpluigi]

For those of use who found TrackIR too expensive, with a cheap webcam and 1 or 3 InfraRed Leds and can made your own head tracking for flight simulators or other applications using FreeTrack.

Here is a link to my post on the English forum of Free-Track:
http://www.free-track.net/forum/index.p ... age=2#6772

You might need to create and account and log-in tp see the pictures as is the case with Condor forums.

Note that the release of FreeTrack 2.2 is coming up soon and it will provided a faster and stable tracking even when Led points are momentarily off the camera frame/field of view. Version 2.2 will allow also the use of a Wii remote instead of a webcam which requires very little CPU usage and extrapolated FPS of the tracking of up 100fps or more and really good built visible light filter.

The added advantage of using a Wii remote instead of a webcam (with weak IR filter or removed IR filter) is that point coordinates do not need to be calculated by FreeTrack since they are calculated by the Wii gpu internally.

This point model including a basic webcam comes down to be very cheap to make under $20. I bought a webcam pack with two webcams for $25 called "EZ Video Chatkit", their EZ CAM IV webcam model. The good news was that the InfraRed filter was weak enough that it did not need to be removed and I used exposed color film (two layers) as visible light filter and I was ready to rock and roll in Condor.

I have been using FreeTrack for few months and it a very good alternative to commercial products. I am hooked and you'll be too.

Enjoy,

Donat-Pierre
CN 269

[Alpha Whisky]

Cool, looks good, what is it made of? And how do you attach it to the headset?

[desktopsimmer]

I've 'Hot-glued- mine to a cheap headset. Here are some shots:

http://forum.condorsoaring.com/files/tr ... 01_537.jpg
http://forum.condorsoaring.com/files/001_800_103.jpg
http://forum.condorsoaring.com/files/003_800_205.jpg

The Freetrack Thread is here:
http://forum.condorsoaring.com/viewtopi ... sc&start=0

[Freebird]

So its not just us Track IR users that wear strange head gear

[dpluigi]

Hi Alpha Whisky,

I hope all is well in Scotland and you started the new year well. I am not sure if I replied to you (PM) already, so I apologize for the slow reply.

The material as was described in the link to Free-track.net forum, is a Black Foam Board of 3/16" (5mm). It is very light and very easy to work with (i.e. to cut, glue, feed through wiring).

Although I used my for many months as is and it still did not break apart. I would recommend not only to glue the LED but also to coat the finished foam board mount all around with a coating of epoxy of Araldite glue, viscous enough to make a 1mm layer.
It will remain very light but would last a lifetime by preventing the foam board to compress where held often or brushing/compressed against the headset, which depends how you mount it.
I am planning to do this for my second set when I get a chance but it is not a priority since mine work well.

Also I totally recommend using a Nintendo Wii remote instead of a webcam for the tracking. For $35.99 on amazon.com it is worth it. Much better and smoother tracking than with a webcam and almost no tweaking needed (i.e. no need to change auto-exposure, ...).

Cheers!
Donat

Cool, looks good, what is it made of? And how do you attach it to the headset?

[kaiyara]

I appreciate all the posts in this forum... thanks everyone... Have a good day.

[BeastFromTheEast]

I have used Freetrack in the past: I don't know if it still supports a Track IR output which is required to interface it with the game.

Within its limits Freetrack works quite well but it starts to struggle when you approach those limits. I found an IMU to be a better solution, but considerably more development is required if you go down this route.

Ian

[Andrzej Czop]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzt0rdtVBDM

[Finaaeva]

Yes i had one soft reset automatic and some user from French forum who use last version have soft reset too.
I will know about the V2 if its the same or not for the other maybe today or tomorrow.