Hi,

I would like to finally have head tracking capabilities in DCS Black Shark, and since TrackIR is way out of my budget, I'm left with 2 other options: FaceTrackNoIR and FreeTrack.
They both seem to be working decently, but I can't decide which webcam to purchase. There are some recommendation about the Microsoft VX 3000, and the Logitech E2500/E3500 in the FreeTrack hardware compatibility forum post. However, I have come to understand that FPS is very important, and the PS3 Eye is reported to run at 75FPS, compared to 25-30FPS with the VX 3000 and the aforementioned Logitech webcams.

Can the PS3 Eye be used with FaceTrackNoIR, in case I won't be able to build an IR cap?
Which camera should I buy, and what "path" should I go - the IR path, or the Non-IR path?

PS. I've also read good stuff about the WiiMote, but that's too expensive for me as well.

I am sorry to say this, but I really recommend TrackIR. The money and effort spent on making other head-tracking software is just not worth it. I know because I've tried FreeTrack before, and it was working, but was wonky and stuttered every now and again.

I understand that TrackIR is superior, but are the other weapons completely useless?
I just can't afford TrackIR, and controlling the view with the stick's hat switch is far from comfortable. I'd rather have a less-than-stellar FreeTrack/FaceTrackNoIR setup than none at all.

Everything I've read, PS3 Camera is the way to go, including facetracknoir.

Bought a PS3 Camera from Amazon to use with facetracknoir, cheapest I could find in UK.
Hopefully will report on usability tomorrow
Cheers,
Keith

TrackIR is superior. Other stuff is passable, but like I said, for the effort you put in, it's just bound to disappoint you. Or let me put it this way -- from someone who's tried FreeTrack and THEN TrackIR, I can say that all the money, time, and effort put into FreeTrack was not worth it at all. Performance-wise, FT couldn't hold a candle to TrackIR.

To be honest, if I were gaming especially on a flight sim, I'd rather use arrow keys or a hat switch as it is more stable/predictable. FreeTrack just isn't that stable.

If you've got a buddy who's SUCCESSFULLY done a non-TrackIR way of head tracking, then this might be worth a go since he knows what he's doing. If you are going to do it yourself, I would seriously, seriously suggest getting a TrackIR instead. Why? Count the cost of getting a high-def webcam/PS3 Camera/WiiMote plus LEDs plus whatever else is needed to make this item. Compare that total with TrackIR. So, TrackIR might cost double --- but then TrackIR is plug-and-play and gives very smooth response. When you spend your money on a non-TrackIR solution, you will be spending time assembling everything, then try it out, then something will go wrong so you're left thinking what you did wrong, then you post in the related forum, then someone will suggest something, then you try it out, then it'll work for 3 days, then it'll wonk out again in the middle of your most important race/flight/battle (and it'll be online too!), then you have to fix it again........

Just my $0.02

If shipping of TrackIR 4 would have not been so costly, I would've bought it. The camera itself is $100, but shipping on eBay costs 45 (excluding taxes and such), and shipping by NaturalPoint costs around $70.

Building Freetrack will cost me 155NIS ($42) for the PS3 Eye and a few more dollars for the LEDs or whatever.

Unfortunately, there are no vendors of TrackIR in my country, so it is much more costly to buy it in here.

Kinect will probably make all these head trackers moot soon.

Where are you located, yonyz? I can understand about the shipping problem though. Maybe Amazon has it in stock in your country?

I live in Israel, to which Amazon ships nothing but books and DVDs.
I can use USOneStop to ship from Amazon to New Jersey to Israel (USOneStop is located in New Jersey), but I would have to pay about $45 for USOneStop.
Anyway, I have ordered a PS3 Eye camera. It should arrive in 7 days more or less, and when it does, I will first the FaceTrackNoIR, and then FreeTrack, if I find FTNIR to be less than decent.

Got the PS3 camera working with FaceTrackNoIR and first reports are favourable.
The camera comes in the sort of clear kevlar packaging that requires sharp knives, blood and the risk of dismemberment to open (WHY?), but with the blood licked away, the camera plugged in, the third-party drivers installed (Sony don't support PCs...), the PC rebooted ... it works!

With the FaceTrackNoIR drivers installed, time to try FS2004 - start with something simple I thought...
Hah!
In fact all the files needed are there, but the docs REALLY need a step-by-step guide.

For FS2004 you have to copy the FSUIPC.DLL file from "ClientFiles/FS2002 and FS2004" in the FTN install to Modules in your FS2004 install.
Then run FTN, follow the manual instructions AND use File->Open to select the FS2004.ini file.
This will set the response curves appropriately to give a good starting point.
The absolute defauls are very difficult to work with (guess how I know...).

Then run FS2004 ... and it just works!
And I can now use the hat for trim.
Very favourable results with a light plane in a relaxed civ sim...combat time tonight...

Cheers,
Keith

PS Yonyz - where in Israel? I spent a year on Kibbutz Hatzor...a long time ago!

Glad to see it's working for you, Keithb77.
Hopefully I will get favorable results as well, with DCS Black Shark.

I live in Holon, which is near Tel-Aviv.

Tried BS, but couldn't get the sim to run at all
(I have the russion version, my key seems to have evaporated, all the error messages are in russian, will have to look into a new copy perhaps)
I've started a separate topic for more detail on FTN
Cheers,
Keith

I use Freetrack in my simpit and Track IR (5.0) on my desktop. Both work excellent. I used a very cheap Logitech IM web-cam purchased from Walmart for 19.99 but I did built a three LED headset. I have since built half a dozen more for other people (buddies that I fly with) and all of them worked very well for me. 25-30 fps is very smooth in freetrack, if at all possible; get a used or very cheap webcam locally and try for yourself before purchasing an expensive (relatively) PS3 cam. You might find that you are very happy with it.

There is a learning curve to using freetrack, mostly in setting up the curves, etc in the software. Building a headset/cap is not difficult at all if you have a little skill in tinkering and there are many videos on the web (youtube) that take you through the process step by step. I usually use a USB plug to power mine but I did build one set for a buddy using a rechargeable R/C battery pack that is velcro'd to the back of the hat that also works very well (R/C receiver packs are 4.8v anywhere from 800ma and up and are easy to charge while not in use).

In benchmarks, TrackIR is better, but in my opinion I cannot tell the difference while gaming.

I bought a baseball cap at HomeDepot that has three LED lights built into it. I may try that if I can get it away from wife wife who likes to use it to knit sometimes.