FreeTrackNoIR

[lanmancz]

Hey, I'm really interrested in trying FreeTrackNoIR but I'm not sure how to make it work. I downloaded FaceTrackNoIR version 1.6 but I can't make it work in DCS BS2. The FaceTrackNoIR seems to run fine, I got 25-30 FPS and it seems to track the movements of my head really nicely but when I run DCS it doesn't do anything. I also downloaded the Eagle Dynamics API interface DLL's (64bit) and used the DCS preset that is included there (freetrack game profile). When I run Gui I see the "headtracker" column there in control options but in game it doesn't move the camera at all. It's like the DCS doesn't really get any input from the FreeTrack software. In the readme.txt there is just : Start FaceTrackNoIR; Load the 'DCS A-10C.ini' file (this will happen automatically next time); Press 'START': you will see your face in the video-widget. If your face 'was found' a yellow outline appears; Minimize FaceTrackNoIR; Start the game and have fun! And it doesn't work. Am I missing something ? Any ideas ?

[BIGNEWY]

Is your 'DCS A-10C.ini' file in the bin folder in your dcs a-10 ?

[lanmancz]

Is your 'DCS A-10C.ini' file in the bin folder in your dcs a-10 ?

 

Nope. And im trying this with BS2 (but I shouldn't matter these days since the engine is the same since the last patch). But I don't think thats the problem since the ini file only contains settings for the FreeTrack software (curves, shortcuts, etc). I copied the HeadTracker.dll into my bin folder. Now I see the "Headtracker" column in my controls options.

[BIGNEWY]

and have you used this

 

http://naturalpointofview.blogspot.com/p/trackirfixer.html

 

 

I used facetracknoir for a while, I now use freetrack :)

[lanmancz]

Yeah I got it downloaded but that doesn't help. It's searching endlessly for "running TrackIR games". Anyway - how does that FreeTrack work ? Cause FreeTrackNoIR seems to use the same protocol (freetrack), right ? So how did you configure DCS to be able to recognize input from freetrack ? Cause my freetracknoir is still running in the background but DCS just doesn't pickup the input. The camera doesn't move. I must be missing something.

 

edit : When you were using freetracknoir did you use freetrack protocol or faketrackir protocol ?

[BIGNEWY]

did you place the trackir fixer into the /bin and then run it ?

 

I will be honest I can not remember the protocol I used

[lanmancz]

did you place the trackir fixer into the /bin and then run it ?

 

Nope. The old version worked like that - it was writing some stuff into the DLLs in the bin folder (and it doesnt work with the new DCS version). The new fixer version works differently (see the screenshot). It's just searching for trackir games endlessly. I think it doesn't recognize the new dcs version is running. But I think it shouldn't be neccessary to have this. This is only used to decrypt encoded TrackIR traffic or something like that right ? But since I'm using freetrack (not faketrackir) protocol I shouldn't need this, right ?

Edited January 24, 2012 by lanmancz

[BIGNEWY]

sorry I could not be more help

 

have you tried this thread ?

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=56837&highlight=facetracknoir

[lanmancz]

Yeah but I didn't get any response there so tried to post the question here.

 

Well thanks for your help anyway. I will play with this some more and hopefuly find a way to make it work.

I'm not sure if I got the correct combination of FaceTrackNoIR and HeadTracker.DLL. I use these :

 

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/information_links/download.htm

 

- Eagle Dynamics API interface DLL (64 bit)

- FaceTrackNoIR v160

Edited January 24, 2012 by lanmancz

[Aries]

Do not play... read the frikkin thread... it's all there and you'll learn something...

[lanmancz]

Do not play... read the frikkin thread... it's all there and you'll learn something...

 

I did but it's all about older versions which doesn't work now. Lots of posts about the ppjoy setup etc which doesn't really help me. Or am I missing something ?

Edited January 24, 2012 by lanmancz

[la3kka]

You have to put the folder in the compressed file into the BS2 bin folder, not just the dll file.

[lanmancz]

You have to put the folder in the compressed file into the BS2 bin folder, not just the dll file.

That doesn't make much sense. There are only 2 other files besides the DLL - readme.txt and the INI file with recommended settings for the FaceTrackNoIR application. Both have no use in the bin folder.

 

Anyway I just tried an axis tune in the GUI just to test if I get some data in the GUI and I get movement there, it looks fine. So why I don't get any movement in the sim ?

Edited January 24, 2012 by lanmancz

[colin]

I'm glad this has been raised again I installed all this stuff with new webcam six months ago in BS1 never could get it to work

Colin

[ShuRugal]

Well, i'm glad i saw this thread, because i didn't know a program to do this existed without some expensive hardware to go with it.

 

Now, how do i get Black Shark to work with it? I have tried to "read the frikkin thread" as an above poster suggested, but the "frikkin thread" is "frikkin useless" since it is talking about older versions of the software, both FaceTrackNoIR and TrackerFixer (and according to the TrackerFixer documentation, it don't do squat on BlackShark when running on an x64 system anyway)

 

I have extracted the DLL and INI to the /bin folder as the readme instructs, and i have also extracted them to /bin/tracker as another above poster suggests (did this first, actually).

 

After putting the files in /bin instead of /bin/tracker, i noticed a new input device in the game setup menus for Free Track. Great, awesome, now how do i get the game to take the input from FaceTrackNoIR and use it, without digging through a 48-page two-year-out-of-date thread?

[Aries]

Place headtracker files from post #28 in "\Eagle Dynamics\DCS A-10C\bin\headtracker":

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=75917&page=3

 

Set up faceapi, facetrack 1.6 (customize curves and set keyboard shortcuts for starting, stopping and centering) and choose Freetrack protocol.

 

Forget Trackirfixer on this one...

 

Game will not show anything new in controls, but it will work...

[lanmancz]

Oh you're right. I didn't realize I had to make a folder called "headtracker" in the bin folder. I just put the DLL in there and it showed up in the control options so I thought that was it. Now when I created the "headtracker" folder with the DLL in there it really works. I knew I was stuck on something stupid like this. Thanks for the tip.

Edited January 25, 2012 by lanmancz

[Aries]

Yeah... the frikkin thread... :music_whistling:

[ShuRugal]

Place headtracker files from post #28 in "\Eagle Dynamics\DCS A-10C\bin\headtracker":

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=75917&page=3

 

Set up faceapi, facetrack 1.6 (customize curves and set keyboard shortcuts for starting, stopping and centering) and choose Freetrack protocol.

 

Forget Trackirfixer on this one...

 

Game will not show anything new in controls, but it will work...

 

 

no dice. Could the fact that i acquired the game through Steam be causing problems?

[lanmancz]

no dice. Could the fact that i acquired the game through Steam be causing problems?

 

I think this works only in BS2 / A10C ... I think there is a different method to make it work in BS1. Check here :

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=56837

[ShuRugal]

Yeah, the download link for PPJoy is dead. Found one floating around the net, but i get a message "drivers could not be installed" when i try to use it.

[lanmancz]

While this thread is still alive I'd like to ask what webcam would you recommend to buy for this. I have this Genius eFace 1325R webcam (http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/ct?xItem=16760&ctNode=161) but the trouble with this one (and the webcam on my laptop as well) is that unless there is a bright light shining directly at me the fps drops rapidly to 5-8 fps. Is it worth buying more expensive webcam (are they better in low light?) or is it the same with all webcams? What webcams do you use?

 

edit : now when I think of it - this webcam I have has these 4 infra diodes that can be used with FreeTrack with reflex strips on my cap, right ? It should be a bit more reliable than FaceTrack I guess. I mean FaceTrack works nice, what a great piece of free software, but sometimes it loses my face and the view gets stuck looking at the cockpit floor. Plus there is the problem with the light, I like to play in the dark :-) So my another question is - will this webcam work with FreeTrack ?

Edited January 26, 2012 by lanmancz

[BIGNEWY]

Freetrack is by far superior to facetracknoir the tracking is smoother and there is no delay in the tracking.

 

I have had best results using a ps3 eye camera 120 or 75 fps depending on what resolution you use. http://www.hitechreview.com/uploads/2010/06/PlayStation-Eye.jpg

 

By placing a camera negative on the camera at the front you are able to get good tracking even in daylight without having to muck around with removing IR filters.

http://forums.eagle.ru/album.php?albumid=607&pictureid=4123

Edited January 26, 2012 by BIGNEWY

[lanmancz]

And are you using reflective strips or IR diodes ? I think that diodes are better but if these strips work fine that it's good enough for me. Plus putting 3 strips on my cap sounds a lot easier to make. But I'm not sure if those 4 IR leds on the webcam will be enough. But big IR lamps are almost as expensive as track IR. What do you think ? Will it work ?

Edited January 26, 2012 by lanmancz

[BIGNEWY]

I use IR diodes, very simple to put together

 

http://forum.free-track.net/index.php?showtopic=1856&page=2#12649