When Nvidia releases a new top of the line video card (6 months after their last one!) no one expects them to give a discount because your existing card is an Nvidia. It sucks when your big bucks video card is nolonger the top of the line anymore, but that's life owning a PC!
When you buy pure software packages, you will often find reduced price upgrade offers. Software companies can do it because manufacturing copies of a software product is cheap. They pay some small number of cents to press a CD or offer a download and you pay for an upgrade that you'd never have paid full price for.
I can't think of a hardware product that has ever done this. Manufacturing copies of a hardware product is expensive relative to software alone. Ever gotten a reduced price on a joystick or keyboard or mouse because you already own the same brand?
And this idea some people are expounding that Vector is now provided free, is bizarre. TrackIR4 is now the same price as TrackIR3+Vector have been for most of their retail life... so what's "free" about that? It would be more accurate to say that top-of-the-line type buyers nolonger have the lower cost option of getting TrackIR4 alone (without Vector). People who need a lower price point can still purchase TrackIR3.
Anyways, I for one am glad to see that NaturalPoint continues to improve their products and I'm looking seriously at getting a TrackIR4.
Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
I'm going to buy one for sure and will recoup some money back from my old one by selling it on or trading it at Ebay/flight sim forums etc.
The T4 specs sound great and the design is really starting to look very polished indeed.
Does the T4 track better in background light?
What is Natural point aiming for in future models?
The T4 specs sound great and the design is really starting to look very polished indeed.
Does the T4 track better in background light?
What is Natural point aiming for in future models?
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
Soooo, if I already have Vector does that mean I get a discount?
Call me crazy, but it does seem a little crazy to have to pay for Vector all over again.
Doc
[ November 10, 2005, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: DocLotus ]
Call me crazy, but it does seem a little crazy to have to pay for Vector all over again.
Doc
[ November 10, 2005, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: DocLotus ]
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
I guess the biggest difference from TiR3 with vector is wider field of view. Since I don't have a problem with that I'll wait for more feedback from the people who will upgrade before I consider doing so myself.
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
It's a hardware so I don't expect upgrade path...
I remember when I bought TrackIR 2 two months before Vector was released and had to buy new TrackIR 3 to use vector. I'm still using it even if two (of four) illuminating red LED's were not working when the product arrived. To be honest I have to say they offered me a possibility to send faulty unit to them for replacement but this way I would lost possibility of simming (it's not possiblie for me to fly in FS9 without TrackIR + Vector anymore) for about three long weeks (I live far away from US).
I don't think TrackIR 4 is better enough than TrackIR 3 to spend all this money once again, but we should better wait for independent comparision reviews.
I'm a little disappointed seing that reflectors on new clip aren't spherical. For me the biggest drawbacks when using old clip is it's tendency to loosing tracking when your head is at bigger up/down angles (especially when you try to look from your cockpit straight down when keeping your head to the left or right - over the edge of the cockpit). At such angles non-spherical reflectors stops reflecting light to the camera.
But as I said before, whe should wait for some reviews. They at Natural Point spent a year designing this thing - so it definitely will be better. The questions for existing Vector users is - how much better?
I remember when I bought TrackIR 2 two months before Vector was released and had to buy new TrackIR 3 to use vector. I'm still using it even if two (of four) illuminating red LED's were not working when the product arrived. To be honest I have to say they offered me a possibility to send faulty unit to them for replacement but this way I would lost possibility of simming (it's not possiblie for me to fly in FS9 without TrackIR + Vector anymore) for about three long weeks (I live far away from US).
I don't think TrackIR 4 is better enough than TrackIR 3 to spend all this money once again, but we should better wait for independent comparision reviews.
I'm a little disappointed seing that reflectors on new clip aren't spherical. For me the biggest drawbacks when using old clip is it's tendency to loosing tracking when your head is at bigger up/down angles (especially when you try to look from your cockpit straight down when keeping your head to the left or right - over the edge of the cockpit). At such angles non-spherical reflectors stops reflecting light to the camera.
But as I said before, whe should wait for some reviews. They at Natural Point spent a year designing this thing - so it definitely will be better. The questions for existing Vector users is - how much better?
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
Hello:
Good questions all around.
I agree that you should not have to buy Vector all over again. In a way you don't, Vector was an upgrade to the TIR3 to solve a problem, which worked well, then with the 4 we include it because it is the best possible product offering. Hope that makes sense.
We did change the design of the Vector Clip so that it has a more round reflector, the radius is about 1/2 as much. Also, the reflectors sit up straight, so they can be used at much more of an angle.
Good questions all around.
I agree that you should not have to buy Vector all over again. In a way you don't, Vector was an upgrade to the TIR3 to solve a problem, which worked well, then with the 4 we include it because it is the best possible product offering. Hope that makes sense.
We did change the design of the Vector Clip so that it has a more round reflector, the radius is about 1/2 as much. Also, the reflectors sit up straight, so they can be used at much more of an angle.
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
They have offered some small discounts in the past for current owners, but this time around it really peeves me to have to basically pay for Vector all over again after paying $57.61 (US) $49.95 plus shipping.
It seems that as I already own Vector, they could at least deduct the cost of Vector for currently registered owners.
Doc
It seems that as I already own Vector, they could at least deduct the cost of Vector for currently registered owners.
Doc
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
Well, it was almost a year ago us TIR2 users went thru a similar issue. Customers who had just purchased their units were unhappy. Do a search using my name if interested. Of course for us we could not use 6DOF with our units, maybe a little worst then. It was said then that a part used in TIR2 was no longer available and they were forced to make the 3. Well I'm glad I held out and didn't purchase a TIR3. I did buy a TIR1 and a TIR2 so I would consider myself a customer. I read now that NP has been working on version 4 for a year.....Let's see, TIR3 was released in December. Just in time for Xmas. So I assume 4 was in the works as 3 was being introduced? So the time to buy a 4 is now ! Because a year from now there will probably be a version 5. Tis the season for the new version. I would say from the timeline that it may not be smart to purchase a new TIR in the fall.
Folks are using video cards as examples of not offering discounts for previous customers. This is why I don't buy a video card every year and why I won't buy a TIR every year. However I'm a version 2 user so I probably will purchase a 4 , or should I hold out for the 5? Decisions, decisions!
[ November 11, 2005, 01:05 AM: Message edited by: 13sqn*Axe ]
Folks are using video cards as examples of not offering discounts for previous customers. This is why I don't buy a video card every year and why I won't buy a TIR every year. However I'm a version 2 user so I probably will purchase a 4 , or should I hold out for the 5? Decisions, decisions!
[ November 11, 2005, 01:05 AM: Message edited by: 13sqn*Axe ]
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Combathanger
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2003 5:00 am
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
quote:....One of the reasons for the price increase is that Vector is included.....
--Jim
The VECTOR SOFTWARE is still being sold for $30...I paid I think $50, but whatever. I paid for the software, and I will not pay for it again without significant improvements....there are none here, it is the same software for TIR3 and TIR4.
It makes me feel unappreciated as a customer.
It is their decision, it is their right...it is my money and Im keeping it here in my wallet until they provide a $30 discount (the current retial cost of the software) to me as a registered owner of the software.
[ November 11, 2005, 10:07 AM: Message edited by: Combathanger ]
--Jim
The VECTOR SOFTWARE is still being sold for $30...I paid I think $50, but whatever. I paid for the software, and I will not pay for it again without significant improvements....there are none here, it is the same software for TIR3 and TIR4.
It makes me feel unappreciated as a customer.
It is their decision, it is their right...it is my money and Im keeping it here in my wallet until they provide a $30 discount (the current retial cost of the software) to me as a registered owner of the software.
[ November 11, 2005, 10:07 AM: Message edited by: Combathanger ]
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mach_one_man
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:00 am
Re: Much of an improvement over the 3Pro?
I havn't had Track IR before, but have just ordered TIR4. So I am not really in a situation to comment. However I do feel that possibly for all the people at Natural Point, if they did offer a slight reducion for current vector expansion users they could actually sell a lot more and make more money. I suppose however they know how to control there finances and profit margins to maximise profit so I won't really comment too much more. However I am buying this at least knowing that I will have quite a bit of usage before Track IR 5 is released.