Track Clip Pro or Hat Clip?

[DoubleD]

I have a TrackIR4 with a hat clip. What are the benefits of the Track Clip Pro vs a hat clip. I use my Track IR for online combat flight sims. Any info would be great.

Thanks

[MadMONK]

Same here. Are there any advantages to the Clip Pro over the Hat Clip other than aesthetic? Are there disadvantages?

[VincentG]

The TrackClip Pro allows you to turn the LEDs off on the camera itself.

Some customers prefer the tracking of the Clip Pro, compared to the standard TrackClip (vector clip)

[agibbs]

Other than turning off the lights, is it any more accurate, or work better in some way?

[Seth Steiling]

The difference between the two is somewhat subjective, but there are some reasons to believe that the TrackClip PRO offers slightly increased tracking accuracy (which is what many of its advocates from within the TrackIR community believe):

- As you turn your head with the standard TrackClip, the visible size of the reflecting area changes (less is visible depending on how your head is rotated). This requires more math to determine whether markers were changing size due actual movement or due to less visible area. The TrackClip PRO's bulbs present a more consistent size for tracking, which leads to more precision (which can be important if you're applying a lot of amplification).

- The TrackClip PRO projects 3 infrared lights directly at the TrackIR (rather than passively reflecting IR light from the device). As Vincent noted, this allows you to turn off the camera LEDs, which can help prevent interference from additional IR light being reflected back into the camera from other objects in the camera's FOV.

- Hat brims can obstruct your field of view, while headsets should not.

- By clipping onto a headset, the TrackClip PRO can be a bit more secure in how it's mounted to your head.

- Many simmers/gamers already wear a headset and prefer not to wear a hat as well. The TrackClip PRO allows them to work with the accessories they are already using.

Hope this helps!

[GeorgeBoles]

Hi Folks,

I might be doing something wrong but I don't think so. If I am not doing anything wrong, then my opinion is that the TrackClip is a far superior device to the TrackClip Pro.

I am using my TrackIR 4 for combat flight sims, and am using the TrackIR 5 software (although the TrackIR 4 software works the same with regards to this description.) I have both the Track Clip Pro and the Track Clip (Vanilla, Hat Clip, Standard, Non-Pro).

When I use the TrackClip Pro, everything is nicely centred and there are 3 LED's showing in a (nearly) vertical line in the centre of the "camera" screen. There are no unwanted reflections or extra red dots showing up. (One red dot comes up in use - see below.)

However, whenever I look up a long way (pitch), I find that the bottom two LED's superimpose upon each other (as simple geometry would show that they should), and the software stops tracking. This can only be prevented by NOT looking up a long way, or by spending a LONG time ensuring that I have maximized the distance between the bottom two LED's. To do this, I have to set my headset perfectly on my head and then ensure that it does not move. Between games I also have to ensure that the TrackClip Pro does not twist on my headset - which it does when I take the headset off at the end of a gaming session. If I do all of this in the software before I start a game, then the TrackClip Pro works satisfactorily during a game. But I still feel that I can't move my headset around on my head, or I could cause the bottom two LED's to get too close to one another and interfere again. (When they interfere, the two LED spots become one small red spot on the "camera" view.)

On the other hand, when using TrackClip (Vanilla, standard, on the hat, Non-Pro), the geometry of the three reflectors means that it is nearly impossible to turn my head too far or to look up so far so that the reflections interfere with one another. Therefore, I just plonk my cap on my head, do not even have to look at the TrackIR software, fire up my SE5a and fly! It is just SO MUCH EASIER. And I can have a scratch under my hat and wriggle it around knowing that there is so much room for error between the reflectors, that a simple F12 will re-centre everything and I can fly to my heart's content.

Vincent, if I am doing anything wrong, please let me know. If not, then to others, my suggestion would be to not worry about the TrackClip Pro and just use the TrackClip (Hat, Standard, Vanilla, Non-Pro). My TrackClip Pro is back in the box it came in.

Otherwise a great product. (Although, an individual "multiplier" button for each of the curves - as well as the "raise/lower" buttons which are supplied with the software - would make setting up the curves easier.)

Hope this helps.

Regards,
George.

[Seth Steiling]

Hi George,

Definitely sounds like something is askew to me. I actually get around 20-30% more range on the pitch axis with the TrackClip PRO (because its IR emitters can be seen by the camera at more extreme angles than can the reflectors on the standard TrackClip). The behavior you're describing does not sound consistent with what you should expect out of the product. It's tricky to nail down what could be going on with just a written account--a couple of screenshots could be helpful though. One showing your head comfortably centered, one showing it looking up, and one down might elaborate what's going on so we can take a crack at optimizing things for you.

Of course, whichever clip you or others choose to use is perfectly fine from our standpoint. But, it would be good to ensure everything is working as intended for you.

[ryanbatc]

Seth - I'm having the exact issue that George is having. I'm using your Seth - Flight profile in FSX. I can hardly look up much more than 35 degrees at which point the software stops working. This is really a problem because if flying fighter jets and in a turn you want to look up to look into your turn. I end up disabling TIR and using the hat switch on my joystick....

I posted recently on avsim, but here's two images - first one in a standard view, track clip pro level, and the 2nd one, as far up as I can look before software stops working.

[Seth Steiling]

Hi Ryan,

Can you post a screenshot showing your head comfortably centered and looking forward in the TrackIR software with the Camera View open on the right side of the software?

[ryanbatc]

Thanks for responding. It's odd, because when in the TIR console it appears that I am able to go up to 90 degrees pitch, but in the game I can't go much higher than 40 degrees. Would that be an issue with the profile?

Here's a level camera pic, and then me looking up.... this is using the Track Clip Pro, I set it up as per the manual on my headset

p.s. not sure why the pics are being shrunk...