Wow!! What an awesome Sim... with the right HOTAS!!

[Dav IRL]

Track Ir is amazing but it took me ages to get it working exactly as I imagined. When you eventually get it working nice and smooth you will never fly without it and it immerses you like crazy. I use it to spot targets on the ground from the pit and being able to look around the cockpit quickly means you can program more useful features to your hotas. I used to have the landing gear on my hotas but I can save that and quickly glance and click after take off for example. You see you need to give it some time and test out different settings in the profiler before your comfortable with the peripheral. It took me ages to "get it" but now it's amazing.

[MatzWarhog]

Track Ir is amazing but it took me ages to get it working exactly as I imagined. When you eventually get it working nice and smooth you will never fly without it and it immerses you like crazy. I use it to spot targets on the ground from the pit and being able to look around the cockpit quickly means you can program more useful features to your hotas. I used to have the landing gear on my hotas but I can save that and quickly glance and click after take off for example. You see you need to give it some time and test out different settings in the profiler before your comfortable with the peripheral. It took me ages to "get it" but now it's amazing.

 

I've been sold on getting one for years, and never have, in spite of the fact I usually own every peripheral known to man! Time for that to change. I think if I start adapting to Track IR at the same time I'm getting comfortable with the A-10C, they'll blend together even more smoothly, and help level the skill curve of the sim by not having to concentrate on a POV HAT while learning to fly and attack. Thanks for the input!

 

Matz

[Cookie]

CWHWM

Now, I know what a SWMBO is, but this?

[Major SNAFU]

Now, I know what a SWMBO is, but this?

 

ChairWoman of House Ways and Means ;)

[Rubberduck]

I started out years ago with Falcon 4 Allied Force, but systems, controllers, etc, made that a short lived effort. I basically stumbled upon A-10C Warthog, and I'm absolutely impressed!! I had a cyborg X, and that wouldn't cut it. So, I found a G940 HOTAS system... (once bitten, twice shy) won't go there again. So I finally decided to do it up with a Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog! Absolutely incredible sim when coupled with the HOTAS! I'm looking forward to digging in deep into A10C Warthog, and aspire to be flying with all you Top Guns soon! :thumbup:

 

Any and all advice is welcomed, and I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions too! Looks like a great crowd here! Just wanted to say "Hi", and see y'all in the sky!!

 

Matz (Learning Newbie)

 

Would agree bud, just got my Warthog, and love it:thumbup:

[MatzWarhog]

Would agree bud, just got my Warthog, and love it:thumbup:

 

And it just gets better everyday, the more I learn! Pretty steep learning curve though. But that's good in a way... then you know people fighting to learn/master this beast are serious. The others will just say "forget that" and shelve it.

[MatzWarhog]

Yep... figured I'd just breeze through these "Training" missions and get up to speed real quick! :megalol: Shows just how delusional I can be! Haha!!! This is by no means a cakewalk, it may have a "Wedding Cake" on it, but it ain't any breeze or cakewalk, that's for sure!! Definitely brain and memory aerobics if there ever were any! Man, this thing is tough... but absolutely the GOODS!!

 

Matz

[MatzWarhog]

Done!... Just ordered TrackIR 5 with the TrackClip PRO!! :gun_rifle:

[Schnarre Aggro]

good boy good boy .... simlife is about to get SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better 4 u !

trust me ... i once trained to get an engineer :joystick:

[MatzWarhog]

;1607892']good boy good boy .... simlife is about to get SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better 4 u !

trust me ... i once trained to get an engineer :joystick:

 

Yes!! Eagerly awaiting it's arrival! Tracking says Tuesday arrival, but may be here Monday! Can't wait to get that piece of gear in the setup and flying!! I went ahead and got the Track IR 5 and Pro Clip bundle, but I've read and watched mixed reviews. So what do you Pro Clip users really think?? I trust actual users more than reviews. :thumbup:

 

Once I get it going in DCS, gonna reload ROF and enjoy it there as well!! Eventually in FSX, but DCS A-10C and ROF are by far the best of the best in there respective eras. WooHoo!!! :joystick:

[badger66]

I think the clip is more accurate .

 

And ..... have you got a surprise coming when that baby arrives ..... Im sure you will wonder how in hell you ever did without it .

[MatzWarhog]

I think the clip is more accurate .

 

And ..... have you got a surprise coming when that baby arrives ..... Im sure you will wonder how in hell you ever did without it .

 

That's what I've been hearing from everyone! Can't figure for the life of me why I waited so long for such a cheap, highly touted peripheral. But you do think the standard clip is better than the Pro clip?

[danny875]

I have had the pro clip for a couple of years now and I love it, it just clips onto my headphones and I have zip tied the two cables together so I don't get tangled up.

The only thing to watch out for is either quickly grabbing your headphones while they are on ( I nearly always seem to knock the clip) and putting the clip/ headphone down face up!!

It's only plastic and seems really fragile to touch. Having said all that, mine still works great.

As others have said it will take some time to get used to and your neck won't know what's going on! Plenty of profiles out there to help you out but it's fairly intuitive to set up, just takes some time to get it how YOU want it.

I literally can't fly without it, it feels so natural. Also, you can use it for F1 2012! Makes looking for cars alongside easy and you can look to apex really well.

Enjoy!

 

Dan.

Edited November 17, 2012 by danny875
Addition

[danny875]

Quick edit. RoF with TIR will blow your mind. It's absolutely needed in a close up dogfight, you have to have eyes on or you've had it.....

[Cookie]

I use the Pro Clip as well and couldn´t be happier. Just like Danny I tend to throw my headset around and accidentally drop it to the floor quite often, so far the Pro Clip took all the abuse like a... umm.. pro. Excuse the cheap pun.

 

Anyway, again just like Danny I too secured the cables with some cable ties. Where the Clip connects to the headset there is a little notch or recess in the unit, and once I found the perfect position for the clip I put some cable tie around it and pulled it really tight. That way the clip doesn´t move around anymore (which it didn´t really do beforehand either, but I just like to be double sure with these things - hey, I´m German, I need to overengineer things or I can´t get to sleep at night... :D) and more importantly, it doesn´t open up when I knock my headset around.

 

Additionally I used some more cable ties to attach the cable of the pro clip to the cable of the headset, making it essentially one cable instead of two. Makes handling the thing a bit easier, that´s all. I use one cable tie per foot of cable, that´s plenty to make them stay toghether.

Btw, for the cables I used the velcro type zip ties so I wouldn´t have the hard plastic of the normal cable ties scratching my neck. Makes it a bit more comfortable to wear and also gives you greater flexibility because you can take them off and on again at your leisure.

 

Just so you will be able to better visualize what I´m babbling about, I attached some pics so you can see what I mean. Taken with the cell phone, so not the best quality, but you get the idea.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Cookie

[MatzWarhog]

I have had the pro clip for a couple of years now and I love it, it just clips onto my headphones and I have zip tied the two cables together so I don't get tangled up.

The only thing to watch out for is either quickly grabbing your headphones while they are on ( I nearly always seem to knock the clip) and putting the clip/ headphone down face up!!

It's only plastic and seems really fragile to touch. Having said all that, mine still works great.

As others have said it will take some time to get used to and your neck won't know what's going on! Plenty of profiles out there to help you out but it's fairly intuitive to set up, just takes some time to get it how YOU want it.

I literally can't fly without it, it feels so natural. Also, you can use it for F1 2012! Makes looking for cars alongside easy and you can look to apex really well.

Enjoy!

 

Dan.

 

I'm gonna see how it fits, but I usually secure everything with commercial velcro. F1 2012 is the other Sim I'm anxious to try it in!!

 

 

Quick edit. RoF with TIR will blow your mind. It's absolutely needed in a close up dogfight, you have to have eyes on or you've had it.....

 

I know... up close in an "S" is near impossible to follow... ROF gets it too!!! Woohoo!!! :pilotfly:

[Megagoth1702]

! I went ahead and got the Track IR 5 and Pro Clip bundle, but I've read and watched mixed reviews. So what do you Pro Clip users really think?? I trust actual users more than reviews.

 

Jesus, all these people jerking off to their hardware, lol.

 

 

Alright man. Let me give you MY 100% honest review.

 

 

The track clip pro's biggest advantage is - you dont need an annoying cap. Also it is actively emitting IR light so the camera of TIR has an easier job catching the light. In some scenarios with a lamp or maybe a reflection of the sun behind you the normal reflector clip can fail. This happens very rarely but it can happen.

 

The biggest problem of the ProClip though is - that piece of shit breaks soooooooo fast. As some people already have said - make sure you never touch it/grab it too hastly, too fast. The plastic is very thin and there are a few design issues related to material fatigue. I talked to the Tir team and they said they are working on some better solutions but right now we are stuck with this overpriced POfS. Make sure you never drop it! Always touch it carefully - and it will last.

 

Mine broke already and all I did was lift it off a bit too fast. Maybe I broke it when I took it off the night before and put it on the table a bit roughly, I will never know. Thank god I was able to glue the parts together.

 

Broken Joint

 

The camera itself is free of these issues, probably because all it does is sit there. :P

 

 

 

Is having TrackIR better than having none? Absolutely. You should take your time and customize a profile until you really like it and then you will find yourself moving your head even without TIR on sometimes. It just becomes a part of the whole experience that I will never miss. But when my trackIR starts failing completely (camera and clip) I will get FreeTrack and either let someone build or buy a clipPro. That would still be cheaper than going for TrackIR official products.

 

Is TrackIR worth the money? Only the camera part. And then again I would not pay as much as they charge on their website. The TrackclipPro, being worth 40€, is not worth the money at all bro... Look at the materials. 3€ max. That makes me rage man. If it was like 20€, okay. But 40? Jesus.

 

If you have friends that are good with tinkering with electronics, give them 20€ and let them make something similiar for you and you will still have enough money to grab 20 beers afterwards (in germany, prices are awesome).

 

But right now man - have fun with TIR, all in all it is an awesome piece of hardware and a headtracker (free or TIR) is a must for simmers.

 

It takes some getting used to, keep tuning your profile until you like it and then - happy flying! You probably will not want to go back.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Megagoth1702

[MatzWarhog]

Alright man. Let me give you MY 100% honest review.

 

Hey! Thanks for the candid, up front review! Basically, treat it with "Kid Gloves", don't bounce it off the desk, or throw it when I crash, and it'll work great." That's what I wanted to hear. I'll just mount a hook on the side of my PC tower, and carefully hang it up after I take it off. Now, back to more flight time! LOL, Thanks!!

 

Matz

[Cookie]

EDIT: Hrmpf... screw it. Deleted my posting. Just not worth the trouble.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Cookie

[MatzWarhog]

I use the Pro Clip as well and couldn´t be happier. Just like Danny I tend to throw my headset around and accidentally drop it to the floor quite often, so far the Pro Clip took all the abuse like a... umm.. pro. Excuse the cheap pun.

 

Anyway, again just like Danny I too secured the cables with some cable ties. Where the Clip connects to the headset there is a little notch or recess in the unit, and once I found the perfect position for the clip I put some cable tie around it and pulled it really tight. That way the clip doesn´t move around anymore (which it didn´t really do beforehand either, but I just like to be double sure with these things - hey, I´m German, I need to overengineer things or I can´t get to sleep at night... :D) and more importantly, it doesn´t open up when I knock my headset around.

 

Additionally I used some more cable ties to attach the cable of the pro clip to the cable of the headset, making it essentially one cable instead of two. Makes handling the thing a bit easier, that´s all. I use one cable tie per foot of cable, that´s plenty to make them stay toghether.

Btw, for the cables I used the velcro type zip ties so I wouldn´t have the hard plastic of the normal cable ties scratching my neck. Makes it a bit more comfortable to wear and also gives you greater flexibility because you can take them off and on again at your leisure.

 

Just so you will be able to better visualize what I´m babbling about, I attached some pics so you can see what I mean. Taken with the cell phone, so not the best quality, but you get the idea.

 

Hey Cookie... the pics helped a bunch! The zip ties look like a perfect solution to keep the clip on and in place! As for the cables, I planned on either twist ties, or often on cales, I put a dab of hot glue on them to (on other things) keep them together. It doesn't damage the cables, and if you want the apart, ya just peel the small bits of hot glue off! Is that a Cougar in the background? If so, you like it??? Looks cool, and a major time saver! BTW, can I ask which headset that is... I hate the one I have now.

 

Matz

[MatzWarhog]

EDIT: Hrmpf... screw it. Deleted my posting. Just not worth the trouble.

 

What up Cookie? I didn't even see your comment, so if I missed it, my apologies... Please don't delete it on account of my error. It's very informative.

 

Matz

[Cookie]

or often on cales, I put a dab of hot glue on them to (on other things) keep them together. It doesn't damage the cables, and if you want the apart, ya just peel the small bits of hot glue off!

Cool idea, never thought of it!

 

Is that a Cougar in the background? If so, you like it???

Yeah, it´s a Cougar MFD. I like them a lot, they make life in the A-10 much easier. Together with the Warthog HOTAS and TrackIR it enables me to fly and fight without touching the keyboard even once. Just like the HOTAS it comes preconfigured, so you just plug it in and are good to go. Very nice, and reasonably priced as well.

 

BTW, can I ask which headset that is... I hate the one I have now.

It´s a Plantronics DSP 500 USB. Not sure it´s still available though, this one is around 8 years old. VERY happy with Plantronics, I buy all my headsets from them (I have three more besides this one, different models though) and never had to replace one because it stopped working or because of some other issues. And let me tell you, I abuse my headsets like you wouldn´t believe. The one in the pics actually survived a fall from 15 meters (around 50 ft) and just kept on trucking as if nothing happened! Couldn´t believe it! They also fit very nicely (well, my head anyway, obviously YMMV) and are dirt cheap for what they offer.

 

What up Cookie? I didn't even see your comment, so if I missed it, my apologies... Please don't delete it on account of my error. It's very informative.

Naw, don´t worry, it had nothing to do with you at all.

[Sierra99]

then... that´s the magic moment when your adrenaline level starts going back to normal again, you sit back, release the controls which you have held on to so tight with clenched hands all the time, and when you think "whoa... holy shit!"

 

Only to start her up again and get right back into it.

 

There are a few missions out there using audio recorded in Iraq of a couple of A-10s doing exactly what they were designed to do... supporting troops in contact... The effect is increadible.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=89051

 

Cheers!

 

Gadgets

[MatzWarhog]

Wholly Wow Batman!!! Got my Track IR system today, set it up, and :surprise: ... that thing is unbelievable!! After about the first 15-20 mins of :puke: motion sickness (which you do experience to some degree)... it will suck you straight into the screen as your brain starts to adapt to it!! Now this is getting absolutely COOL!!!!

 

I needed a new set of rudder pedals before my Track IR arrived, so off I went to my favorite electronics wonderland!! And lo and behold... right next to them, they had several sets of TM Cougars!! Well... their price was great, so I couldn't pass a set of those up after the hour long drive to get the pedals. I won't mind waiting an extra month to get the camera lens some of those $$'s were earmarked for, but I feel it was totally worth it!! Now I'm gonna have to spend some spare time reconfiguring my desk tomorrow in between flight time!! :laugh:

 

So, you guys were right about the Track IR... clearly one of the best peripherals I've spent money on in ages!! It will go a long way to smoothing out that learning curve!! So thanks to all that encouraged me to get one, and if you don't have Track IR yet, I'll be one of the first in line telling you to GO FOR IT!!! WooHoo!!!!

 

Matz

[MatzWarhog]

There are a few missions out there using audio recorded in Iraq of a couple of A-10s doing exactly what they were designed to do... supporting troops in contact... The effect is increadible.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=89051

 

Cheers!

 

Gadgets

 

Thanks for the pointer Sierra99!! Looks like an outstanding mission! As soon as I'm up to speed, I'll definitely be giving it a try!! :thumbup:

 

Matz