TrackIR5 stops tracking

[Pmedic548]

I have been having a recent issues with my TrackIR5  everything will be working correctly, then all of a sudden my view point will be looking down and to the right in the cockpit.  I am unable to recenter the view ( the camera will have both green lights on) and if i bring up the trackir program it shows that's the direction I am looking at.  I ahve to exit DCS and restart the TrackIR program.  Everything software wise is current and I'm using the MT Beta version.

Any suggestions?

Edited August 3, 2023 by Pmedic548
Hit send by accident before completing post.

[Marshallman]

This happens to me when bright light interferes . My rig is alongside the window and curtains need to be drawn.

Other possible problem is a intermittent USB socket fault, which I have also experienced.

Regards

[Pmedic548]

well it happens even at night when the there is no light coming in, and i've checked the usb and swapped ports, with no joy

[Hiob]

I only know this behavior when the IR camera looses track when the reflectors are out of frame. But then the green light will go off and it will immediately come back working when you reenter the frame.

So,no, never experienced what you are describing. Sorry.

[Slippa]

I get it. Also, I have it connected to a switchable usb hub. Trackir will unplug itself and I get the annoying notifications. I flick the off/on to reset it and it usually settles down. Before I got the usb I had the same problem, just I had to get up to mess about unplugging it. Very unstable and doesn’t seem related to any light sources for me. I’ve tried singing it little songs both in ‘slippers on’ configuration as well as without but it hasn’t convinced it to behave yet.

[BuLLeT.ZA]

Aside from light interference, the only issues I have is that either TrackIR or DCS will throw it's toys out of the cot if I unplug other USB devices (headset/mouse) while ingame.

Doesn't sound like the issue you're experiencing, sorry.

[Hiob]

@Slippa @Pmedic548

You might wanna check if you have enabled "Hotplug" in the controls options.

As far as I'm concerned, it is better set to disabled. Otherwise it causes (can cause) some issues. Might be related, might be not.

[Slippa]

Oh cheers Hiob, I’ll check later. 

[Hiob]

2 minutes ago, Slippa said:

Oh cheers Hiob, I’ll check later. 

Good Luck! Please report.

[Uteman]

A good test of your trouble shooting and I will suggest some things that will produce the effects you mention.

 

Firstly you state TIR will work correctly and then will suddenly jump down and to the right.

That indicates without any doubt in my mind (having used TIR for over a decade now) the basics are working fine but these are potential issues:

1. Your trackclip pro (on your head) is moving outside the set range in the software

2. The TIR receiver on your monitor is shifting slightly to the point were you might centre in the software but the receiver is not in the middle of its physical receiver range. Check the receiver for centre (physically it should be aligned with your left ear) and then blutack its feet and little magnet so that it can't shift over time on the monitor. This is critical to horizontal recognition and can be a problem when looking too far to the left and your head blocks one of the IR leds in the Pro.

3. Check you speed speed and smoothness settings are also within your head movement range - this is quite sensitive especially if the TIR receiver is above or below your eye line (track clip pro setting). I helped a friend who had the smoothness set too high and it would lose focus and not reset until he F12 it to recenter.

We discovered that by actually using/ holding his headset and trackclip pro in my hands and rotating it slowly to monitor the range of movement in the software and spotted it flicking off screen to the left. Again adjusting Speed and Smoothness in small increments fixed that issue.

The only Physical problem I have encountered in many years was when power supply from the USB became unreliable and  (even though the 3 IR leds are daisy chained) was causing one of the leds to flick off and cause the on screen response to flick away randomly.

I rewired my clip leds at that time whilst putting it on a battery supply so I could move freely with a wireless headset.

Another thing please check that you do not have a button programmed to F9 ( I know some DCS functions also make use of F9) because as we know that is the pause button for TIR and it will instantly lock the screen at that moment causing all sort of weird thoughts and reactions until it is is figured out and it is un paused. Though that issue is potentially countered by you saying the receiver leds stay green.

There are not too many thing that can go wrong with TIR getting the head setting right is the biggest challenge.

Outside of DCS have you added any software recently?

These are just some of my experiences not saying they are the cause of your issue but each one will cause issues.

Good luck.

 

 

[Slippa]

Turned out I did have the hotplug enabled so disabled it. DCS loaded and I had a few bleeps while the usbs unplugged and messed about, rudder pedals and HOTAS unplugged but they worked. Track IR’s as it was, I think some of what I get is down to the sensor clipping out when it doesn’t like the angle I’m at. Fair enough. Don’t wanna hijack the thread but thanks for the pointers.

il’ll carry on experimenting, been trying to squeeze better performance out of this computer as well as sort trackIR.

Good luck PMedic and cheers all for the hints.

[BitMaster]

Not sure, but if you don't use the Pro Clip but the passive reflectors it could be that something else is better reflecting than your clip ?!

Mine only goes haywire if I smoke while wearing it, LoL, it's like popping flares  

[Hiob]

I have never used something other than the passive clip. Works perfectly fine with no issues. Only problem is when you have a bright spot of sunlight in the field of view. So you need blinds to tell the sun to gtfo.

In the trackIR software is a option to see, what the camera sees. Usually three green dots, either vertical or horizontal when you use a pro-clip. Anything distracting like sunlight would be seen here, too. Same when for some reason a reflector isn’t picked up. It turns red and disappears.

Best way to check for camera position and possible issues.