Discount

[henkieee6]

I have been playing DCS: Black Shark for over a week now. And I love it.

Now I really want to buy track ir to make the game even better.

I saw that a discount brochure was included in the box. It sayed that it was a discount for a "limited time". Now comes the problem. At this time I don't have enough money to buy it (I'm 15 and I don't have a job so money is a bit of a problem) So I really wan't to know till when this discount is... I can understan that the people of track ir don't want to say this because they want everyone to buy it as quick as possible.

But does anyone know if this discount will last for another week. A month. A couple of months ??? Does anyone know anything about the timespan of this discount ?

 

 

Greetings

 

Henk

[JimMack]

I have been playing DCS: Black Shark for over a week now. And I love it.

Now I really want to buy track ir to make the game even better.

I saw that a discount brochure was included in the box. It sayed that it was a discount for a "limited time". Now comes the problem. At this time I don't have enough money to buy it (I'm 15 and I don't have a job so money is a bit of a problem) So I really wan't to know till when this discount is... I can understan that the people of track ir don't want to say this because they want everyone to buy it as quick as possible.

But does anyone know if this discount will last for another week. A month. A couple of months ??? Does anyone know anything about the timespan of this discount ?

 

 

Greetings

 

Henk

 

Suggest you contact Natural Point for more information and advice.

[deadsmell]

I wouldnt worry too much about it. I dont think that the discount is really that substantial in the first place, so even if you dont get to take advantage of the discount, your only talking about a difference of like 10 bucks I think.

 

It's not like its half off or anything spectacular like that.

 

Not that consumers dont appreciate any kind of discount at all, im just saying that I think its only like a ten dollar difference or so.

 

So Im sure that when the time comes that you do have the 120.00 - 130.00 bucks saved up for your trackir, wether or not you can use the discount wont be a factor in preventing you from making your purchase.

 

I could be wrong about the actual discount amount, if anyone knows what it is, please post it.

[Sharkster64]

If you don't have the money, I would suggest a completely different alternative. Get Cachya which works just as well as Track IR, if not better, (tested this already). This program is only $14.99 and uses a webcam. You can find it at www.Cachya.com It works the same way as Track IR and has the same 6DOF that Track IR uses. If you have a webcam already, all you do is buy the program for $14.99 and print out, (or draw) a head sign that you attach to a hat. You can find the printout on the website. The program works awesome and tracks your head movements very smoothly. You WON'T be disappointed. I tested Track IR already and I can honestly say that Track IR does not work any better than Cachya. DON'T waste your money on Track IR when there are cheaper and just as good alternatives out there. There is a free trial version of Cachya on the website so you can try it out. It only uses 1 axis though. I suggest buying cachya though so you can make use of the full 6DOF.

 

*Just a note. This program works the best when you have a light above your monitor so that it illuminates your sign much better. You also want a fairly dark room with no windows behind you during the day. Then it takes about an hour to 2 hours to tweak the program so it works perfect.

[Safari Ken]

I'm pretty sure it was 10%, or $13, off the regular price. I guess that would cover shipping, at least partially. But I say don't sweat it too much; I paid the full $130, and it's worth every cent! I think TIR used to be $200, and I'll go out on a limb and say it's worth every cent of that too!

 

So don't rob a liquor store or anything, just be patient and save up, and feel good that you're saving for one of the coolest computer accessories ever made. :smilewink:

[henkieee6]

If you don't have the money, I would suggest a completely different alternative. Get Cachya which works just as well as Track IR, if not better, (tested this already). This program is only $14.99 and uses a webcam. You can find it at www.Cachya.com It works the same way as Track IR and has the same 6DOF that Track IR uses. If you have a webcam already, all you do is buy the program for $14.99 and print out, (or draw) a head sign that you attach to a hat. You can find the printout on the website. The program works awesome and tracks your head movements very smoothly. You WON'T be disappointed. I tested Track IR already and I can honestly say that Track IR does not work any better than Cachya. DON'T waste your money on Track IR when there are cheaper and just as good alternatives out there. There is a free trial version of Cachya on the website so you can try it out. It only uses 1 axis though. I suggest buying cachya though so you can make use of the full 6DOF.

 

*Just a note. This program works the best when you have a light above your monitor so that it illuminates your sign much better. You also want a fairly dark room with no windows behind you during the day. Then it takes about an hour to 2 hours to tweak the program so it works perfect.

 

Tnx man. I'll try it!!! Much better than free track for example (since you need to know some stuff about leds and stuff for that) Am I right when I say that this doesn't require any additional electronic stoff other than your webcam ?

 

Yeah I'll try it for shure then. If it works as well as track ir!!! :joystick:

 

Tnx for the tip:thumbup:

[Sharkster64]

You are right. Nothing extra needed. Just a webcam and a printout of a geometrical shape attached to a hat, which the software tracks. That is it.

 

**This part is very important though. I've fiddled around with this as much as I could to get the best accuracy. This program works the best when you have a light above your monitor so that it illuminates your sign much better.**

 

You also want a fairly dark room with no windows behind you during the day. Then it takes about an hour to 2 hours to tweak the program so it works perfect.

 

Let me know how it works for you. :smilewink:

[Sharkster64]

This is a short clip of the Cachya head tracking software being used with DCS Black Shark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=926QPcytF-o. As you can see from the video, the Cachya head tracking runs very smooth and is on par with Track IR. It is 6DOF which I try to demonstrate during a portion of the video.

 

I used a program called Fraps to do the video, but it only allows 30 second clips with the unregistered version. I merged all the 30 second clips together to create this video. As you can see from the video, there is the occasional jump forward every 30 seconds. This is from me having to start the video recording again and not from the cachya software itself.

 

Just so everyone knows, I am in no way affiliated with Cachya or its programmers and make no profit from the sales of this software. I am just very enthusiastic about the program because it is very affordable and I did not have the money to buy Track IR. I just think Natural Point charges way too much for their head tracking equipment when there are cheaper and equivalent alternatives out there.

[sobek]

This is a short clip of the Cachya head tracking software being used with DCS Black Shark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=926QPcytF-o. As you can see from the video, the Cachya head tracking runs very smooth and is on par with Track IR. It is 6DOF which I try to demonstrate during a portion of the video.

 

 

Well i wouldn't say it is on par with TrackIR as that is simply not true. TrackIR has specialised hardware that runs at higher FPS than most conventional webcams and it imposes less CPU overhead than Cachya and FreeTrack. That said, you can still get some satisfactory results (can't say for cachya, i have FreeTrack though). Don't get me wrong, i don't want to talk bad about Cachya and FreeTrack, but saying they are on par with TrackIR is not correct.

[redeagleGER]

@Sharkster

If u use the Catchya programm could u compare it to this here. Its free so im curious

http://www.camspace.com/

 

Thx!:)

[Mr_Blastman]

Hah. For the 150 bucks, Track IR was worth every cent. They did all the work for me, they put together an awesome product, they update it every month or two with new profiles, the software is amazing with different profiles for every game along with curves etc, and it just works great.

 

I saw no point in trying an alternative. I am sure the alternatives are good, but I do not think they are better. The hard working folks at Naturalpoint earned my money.

[dutchpilot]

I was wondering how active development of Catchya is, I noted the last message in their forum was about a year old!

[Sharkster64]

Hah. For the 150 bucks, Track IR was worth every cent. They did all the work for me, they put together an awesome product, they update it every month or two with new profiles, the software is amazing with different profiles for every game along with curves etc, and it just works great.

 

I saw no point in trying an alternative. I am sure the alternatives are good, but I do not think they are better. The hard working folks at Naturalpoint earned my money.

Why is it, that when I was at a buddys house trying his Track IR that it started going haywire on me. I had to reset the view to center like 8 times in about 20 minutes of flying. I almost crashed three times because the view all of a sudden jumped down and to the right, looking at my back panel. I never even moved my head. I wouldn't call that better than Cachya. I have NEVER had that problem with Cachya. I think you are just brainwashed into thinking that Track IR is better because you paid $150 bucks for it and didn't do any research first. After trying Track IR and using Cachya, I will NEVER buy Track IR. I was so disapointed in the way Track IR worked. That is why I am posting this information on Cachya because people need to know that there are cheaper and ON PAR if not Better, alternatives to Track IR.

[Sharkster64]

@Sharkster

If u use the Catchya programm could u compare it to this here. Its free so im curious

http://www.camspace.com/

 

Thx!:)

 

Thats pretty cool as well. I'm going to have to try that for first person shooters. Does that have 6DOF as well? I didn't see any six degrees of freedom being used.

[PoleCat]

Why is it, that when I was at a buddys house trying his Track IR that it started going haywire on me. I had to reset the view to center like 8 times in about 20 minutes of flying. I almost crashed three times because the view all of a sudden jumped down and to the right, looking at my back panel. I never even moved my head. I wouldn't call that better than Cachya. I have NEVER had that problem with Cachya. I think you are just brainwashed into thinking that Track IR is better because you paid $150 bucks for it and didn't do any research first. After trying Track IR and using Cachya, I will NEVER buy Track IR. I was so disapointed in the way Track IR worked. That is why I am posting this information on Cachya because people need to know that there are cheaper and ON PAR if not Better, alternatives to Track IR.

 

 

Wrong again. If you were having trouble with TIR at your buddys house you didn't know what the heck you were doing most likely. Literally almost everyone I know in the flight sim community has one and swears by it. I have 3 on 3 seperate machines and they all work flawlessly. None of the other solutions are as good or trouble free as TIR AFAIK. They are only one thing as compared to it....cheaper. In resolution, functionality, concept, hardware and software. After all they are just ripping off NP's concept to begin with.

 

Intoning that we (the people who have purchased TIR) "are just brainwashed into thinking that Track IR is better because we paid $150 bucks for it and didn't do any research first." is about as legit as saying everyone who opts for the alternative you did is just a cheap sob. It just isn't so. We did our research and TIR is the original and BEST solution like it or not. Webcam solutions are not as accurate or robust at all in my experience.

 

I didn't skimp on my HOTAS, My PC or any of the gear I use to fly with and I rate TIR as second only to a good HOTAS, as do many others who use it. That is testimony enough.

We are rewarded with an excellent concept, design, and hardware and software that is supported by virtually all of our sims as well as a trouble free experience as a result of our decision to purchase TIR.

 

Just because you prefer one of the free "chicken wire and chewing gum" alternatives as it does not cause you to have to invest as others have in thier hobby is not a good enough reason to spew gargbage about who has researched and who has not.

 

Your clutching at straws on the subject of a device you obviously know little or nothing about.

 

Out

Edited April 25, 2009 by PoleCat

[Sharkster64]

Wrong again. If you were having trouble with TIR at your buddys house you didn't know what the heck you were doing most likely. Literally almost everyone I know in the flight sim community has one and swears by it. I have 3 on 3 seperate machines and they all work flawlessly. None of the other solutions are as good or trouble free as TIR AFAIK. They are only one thing as compared to it....cheaper. In resolution, functionality, concept, hardware and software. After all they are just ripping off NP's concept to begin with.

 

Intoning that we (the people who have purchased TIR) "are just brainwashed into thinking that Track IR is better because we paid $150 bucks for it and didn't do any research first." is about as legit as saying everyone who opts for the alternative you did is just a cheap sob. It just isn't so. We did our research and TIR is the original and BEST solution like it or not. Webcam solutions are not as accurate or robust at all in my experience.

 

I didn't skimp on my HOTAS, My PC or any of the gear I use to fly with and I rate TIR as second only to a good HOTAS, as do many others who use it.

We are rewarded with an excellent concept, design, and hardware and software that is supported by virtually all of our sims as well as a trouble free experience as a result of our decision to purchase TIR.

 

Just because you prefer chicken wire and chewing gum as it does not cause you to have to invest as others have in thier hobby is not a good enough reason to spew gargbage about who has researched and who has not.

 

Your clutching at straws on the subject of a device you obviously know little or nothing about.

 

Sorry but it needed to be said.

 

Out

I'm not even going to answer that because you are a Dev, and my answer will be wrong no matter what.

[Sharkster64]

I just want to know one thing. How do you explain my buddies Track IR looking where I did not want it to look? Your explanation is that I don't know how to move my head. I've known how to move my head since I came outta my mommas womb. Track IR works the same way as cachya and I already had cachya for two months before trying his out. And yes, I did know how to use it. Once I started using it, it was working the same as cachya. Then all of a sudden, the view would jump to the right and down facing the back wall. With NO head movement. Then I would recenter it, and it would work alright for about another minute. Then it would do the same thing again. This happened 8 times. I almost crashed 3 times because this happened when I was flying NOE. How do you explain this phenomenon? And I don't want to hear that I didn't know what I was doing.

[Sharkster64]

I certainly agree with you that head tracking software should come second to a good HOTAS. I use a full CH Products setup for my HOTAS. (CH F-16 Combat stick, CH Pro Throttle, and Rudder pedals) I certainly didn't skimp out there, and as far as I'm concerned, I didn't skimp out on the head tracking software as well. In my experience using Track IR, I feel that I got the better product with Cachya. Trust me, I was expecting Track IR to be far superior to Cachya as well being that it cost $150. But that wasn't the case. Unless you can prove me wrong, which I highly doubt, I will be sticking with Cachya.

[JG14_Smil]

probably lighting from a window confusing the TIR.

[GGTharos]

Reflections of light from a window off the wall behind you (coulds covering and uncovering the sun, branches swaying in front of the window), lights being turned on and off, etc etc. You will get this with ANY head-tracking product. If you don't control the environment that is what will happen. In addition to this, he may also have mounted the TIR too close or too far.

 

PoleCat is not a developer. He uses the TIR, and so do I, and so do a lot of other people. It works flawlessly.

 

I just want to know one thing. How do you explain my buddies Track IR looking where I did not want it to look? Your explanation is that I don't know how to move my head. I've known how to move my head since I came outta my mommas womb. Track IR works the same way as cachya and I already had cachya for two months before trying his out. And yes, I did know how to use it. Once I started using it, it was working the same as cachya. Then all of a sudden, the view would jump to the right and down facing the back wall. With NO head movement. Then I would recenter it, and it would work alright for about another minute. Then it would do the same thing again. This happened 8 times. I almost crashed 3 times because this happened when I was flying NOE. How do you explain this phenomenon? And I don't want to hear that I didn't know what I was doing.

[Sharkster64]

probably lighting from a window confusing the TIR.

It was a dark room, much darker than the room that I use Cachya in. There was no light source other than a small lamp and the monitor. We tried turning the lamp off as well but that did not stop it from happening. We also tried turning the light on in the room. No effect. There was no windows.

[Nate--IRL--]

It was a dark room, much darker than the room that I use Cachya in. There was no light source other than a small lamp and the monitor. We tried turning the lamp off as well but that did not stop it from happening. We also tried turning the light on in the room. No effect. There was no windows.

 

Did you adjust the sensitivity of the TIR? The IR can relfect off your face too......

 

Nate

[Mr_Blastman]

Your buddy more than likely had a heatsource in the FOV of the Track IR - such as a glimmer of sunlight or a lamp. That will throw it off.

 

No - you can't complain about this, because Track IR uses... Infra Red. It is what lets us use it in the dark. Track IR is worth every penny, feel free to use your free solution. The rest of us would rather not monkey around with it and just plug it in, enjoy all the features and play.

 

*edit*

 

Your Buddy's Track IR wasn't set up right. A properly set up unit (which takes only minutes to do), will work perfectly.

[Sharkster64]

Did you adjust the sensitivity of the TIR? The IR can relfect off your face too......

 

Nate

We didn't adjust any of the sensitivities. We only fiddled with the lighting. I assumed that he had already fiddled with the sensitivity of it because he had already had it for a while.

[Sharkster64]

Your buddy more than likely had a heatsource in the FOV of the Track IR - such as a glimmer of sunlight or a lamp. That will throw it off.

 

No - you can't complain about this, because Track IR uses... Infra Red. It is what lets us use it in the dark. Track IR is worth every penny, feel free to use your free solution. The rest of us would rather not monkey around with it and just plug it in, enjoy all the features and play.

 

*edit*

 

Your Buddy's Track IR wasn't set up right. A properly set up unit (which takes only minutes to do), will work perfectly.

We tried it with absolutely no light source and it was still doing it. The only light source was emmanating from the monitor. It must have been his settings or a defective unit. At any rate I am happy with Cachya and I see no reason to downgrade.