Third Arm

[Ziptie]

17 hours ago, Lace said:

 

Hey Ziptie, may I ask why as a VR user you need a trackpad?  I have just mapped LMB/RMB to my HOTAS and look directly at whatever control with which I want to interract using the VR cursor.  Not touched a mouse since I moved to VR.  Much quicker as there is now no longer any need to let go of the stick or throttle.

 

Sure, no worries.  Primary reason for still using a mouse is that I sit in a Recaro race seat, in a racing simulator, with HOTAS in fixed (solid mount position).  This means that when I am starting the F-16C, for example, some of the furthest aft switches on the left console panel can be somewhat tricky to access.

1.  With the scale of the cockpit while using VR, for me personally, accessing certain switches/rotary knobs/etc is exceptionally difficult (during start up procedures for example).  Aside from that, when flying the A10C - I don't have any extra buttons to assign the left/right mouse buttons and/or the roller wheel binds to, as I use the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS.

2.  Personally, I do not see a benefit to having the mouse axis' removed - as it limits how quickly I can adjust certain things inside the cockpit. 

 

3.  Further more, from memory, the last time I disabled the mouse - the "pointer crosshair" was constantly displayed in my headset (I could be remembering this incorrectly, or possibly has changed this behavior since - but it's been well in excess of 1.5 years since I've done that).

 

4.  The whole point of having the trackpad mounted to my leg - is to make quick work of "using the mouse" and with my setup, I always "center" the mouse cursor, so that when I need to simply left/right click an object in the cockpit, the mouse cursor is directly in the middle of my LOS (even though it may have disappeared due to 'timing out').

 

 

Hope that answers your questions, as to why I use a mouse as a VR user.  Keep in mind that I also use the original Oculus Rift CV1 - which I don't believe has the widest field of view for VR headsets, but I could also be wrong about that.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

[markturner1960]

On 12/16/2020 at 2:08 AM, Ziptie said:

 

No worries.

I use this:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BY9MGFT/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B08BY9MGFT&pd_rd_w=onIVx&pf_rd_p=7d37a48b-2b1a-4373-8c1a-bdcc5da66be9&pd_rd_wg=CBJwL&pf_rd_r=JJAPBDHSX3G2B5JFFYTW&pd_rd_r=b8eb41c5-75aa-4dc6-aa7b-11094973b396&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUzE0MVVKUlFJMTRQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTkzMjE3MVNYSDRHQjEyUEYxTyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzYwODc4MkRTR1ozRDBPM0o2ViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

However, there are other cheaper options out there - this for example:

https://www.amazon.com/Perixx-PERIPAD-501-Professional-Wired-Touchpad/dp/B001CX85I8/ref=pd_day0_1?pd_rd_w=xaeVJ&pf_rd_p=dd3b8aec-685a-456e-adb6-ba7e15960b39&pf_rd_r=JJAPBDHSX3G2B5JFFYTW&pd_rd_r=b8eb41c5-75aa-4dc6-aa7b-11094973b396&pd_rd_wg=CBJwL&pd_rd_i=B001CX85I8&psc=1
 

I think there is another one out there called Adesso (or something close to that) but it looked cheap compared to the Jelly.

I wasn't a fan of the size of the trackpad at first, thought it was a bit cumbersome - but I think it was just "new to me" and wasn't used to it.  Now, I'm not sure how I can even have gone as long as I did without it.

I'm considering getting this one, as it's wireless:

https://www.brydge.com/products/w-touch?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2uH-BRCCARIsAEeef3lt8WoctCnxhnBcJBcddr5qa_OAel-3zvVYloYTNksQFm-LG7U6KKoaAkDMEALw_wcB

 

I used some 'hot glue' and affixed a velcro strap to the back of the touch pad.  Then when I am not using if for flying - it still works for normal PC use (if desired).  I will recommend that you make sure to measure how much velcro you will need to wrap around your leg - I made the mistake the first time and didn't have enough.  It wasn't the most fun thing to get that glue off the back of the pad.  Also wasn't the worst thing in the world.  Hope that helps, or that I even answered your question to begin with.  If not, let me know what else you want to know and happy to help.


Cheers,

 

Ziptie

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by markturner1960
Answered above

[Lace]

59 minutes ago, Ziptie said:

 

Sure, no worries.  Primary reason for still using a mouse is that I sit in a Recaro race seat, in a racing simulator, with HOTAS in fixed (solid mount position).  This means that when I am starting the F-16C, for example, some of the furthest aft switches on the left console panel can be somewhat tricky to access.

1.  With the scale of the cockpit while using VR, for me personally, accessing certain switches/rotary knobs/etc is exceptionally difficult (during start up procedures for example).  Aside from that, when flying the A10C - I don't have any extra buttons to assign the left/right mouse buttons and/or the roller wheel binds to, as I use the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS.

2.  Personally, I do not see a benefit to having the mouse axis' removed - as it limits how quickly I can adjust certain things inside the cockpit. 

 

3.  Further more, from memory, the last time I disabled the mouse - the "pointer crosshair" was constantly displayed in my headset (I could be remembering this incorrectly, or possibly has changed this behavior since - but it's been well in excess of 1.5 years since I've done that).

 

4.  The whole point of having the trackpad mounted to my leg - is to make quick work of "using the mouse" and with my setup, I always "center" the mouse cursor, so that when I need to simply left/right click an object in the cockpit, the mouse cursor is directly in the middle of my LOS (even though it may have disappeared due to 'timing out').

 

 

Hope that answers your questions, as to why I use a mouse as a VR user.  Keep in mind that I also use the original Oculus Rift CV1 - which I don't believe has the widest field of view for VR headsets, but I could also be wrong about that.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

 

Thanks, that's interesting as I also use a Race seat with fixed TM HOTAS and have never found it an issue.  I agree with the reaching around for some of the rearmost controls for startup, but at least at that stage feet are not required on the pedals (maybe try some yoga if flexibility is a problem).  Personally I map Throttle button 15 as a modifier which doubles the number of potential inputs from the stick and throttle.  That way I have the trim hat on the stick as LMB/RMB and Scroll up/down, then trim functions as 15+up/down/left/right.  Similarly I map the NVG toggle/gain/flashlights to the 15+DMS, The kneeboard to 15+CMS and the views/VR Centre/ESC to 15+TMS, plus other quick actions like emergency jettison/eject etc.  

 

You are correct about the cursor being there.  It does time-out if your head is still long enough, but this is rarely the case.  I guess my brain just automatically filters it out.

[Deano87]

I fly in VR and I use PointCTRL which makes everything a breeze as its a mouse cursor tied to the end of each index finger. If I want to click and MFD button I just reach up and hit it. And it’s always on my hand so I don’t have to find anything. Honestly can’t imagine flying VR without it.

 

 

 

[Ziptie]

4 hours ago, Deano87 said:

I fly in VR and I use PointCTRL which makes everything a breeze as its a mouse cursor tied to the end of each index finger. If I want to click and MFD button I just reach up and hit it. And it’s always on my hand so I don’t have to find anything. Honestly can’t imagine flying VR without it.

 

 

 

 

These have been on my radar for quite some time now.  After upgrading my GPU, these will most likely be my next purchase.  Heard good things about them from many members on this forum, as well as pilots who use them in the real life training.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

12 hours ago, Lace said:

 

Thanks, that's interesting as I also use a Race seat with fixed TM HOTAS and have never found it an issue.  I agree with the reaching around for some of the rearmost controls for startup, but at least at that stage feet are not required on the pedals (maybe try some yoga if flexibility is a problem).  Personally I map Throttle button 15 as a modifier which doubles the number of potential inputs from the stick and throttle.  That way I have the trim hat on the stick as LMB/RMB and Scroll up/down, then trim functions as 15+up/down/left/right.  Similarly I map the NVG toggle/gain/flashlights to the 15+DMS, The kneeboard to 15+CMS and the views/VR Centre/ESC to 15+TMS, plus other quick actions like emergency jettison/eject etc.  

 

You are correct about the cursor being there.  It does time-out if your head is still long enough, but this is rarely the case.  I guess my brain just automatically filters it out.

 

I think that button is what I have my VR spy zoom bound to (red pinky button on throttle).  Flexibility is good to go, just not my cup of tea but I can appreciate your position on the topic.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie