Trakir 4 & 5 stops tracking (track lights go red)

[OldBadger]

Hi Support,

I have had a TrakIR 4 with proclip for a few years now. Recently upgraded to the TraKIR5 software and have been having a mild problem (maybe since then maybe but it is possibly just coincidence).

The device works perfectly however during a flight (FSX) it sometimes appears to lose the ability to track (red dots not shown on device) and when you pause FSX and look at the TrakIR control panel the tracking dots are then shown as red.

Without exiting FSX if I just wave my hand in from of the Trackclip pro the device then just picks up traking as if nothing had gone wrong.

Also seems to be more common when light is fading.

I have subsequently replaced my TrakIR4 with a TrakIR5 unit (wanted the better unit anyway) but it still does the same so this is not a TRAKIR hardware issue.

I suppose it could be the trakclip pro though!

Any pointers on what makes the track dots go red, I think it means that the previously tracked light sources are now invalid, but what I am looking for is; what setting to alter within the control panel to rectify this.

PS the other lights on the TRAKIR unit are still functioning hen this occurs.

Thanks in advance

OldBadger

[OldBadger]

Edit to post above to correct error in desription of fault:

when this happens the red dots on the device (TrakIR5) are still visible but the left hand indicator light is not.

This seems to happen mainly when I have 'paused' the unit for a while.

OldBadger

[Seth Steiling]

You said you are using the "proclip." By this do you mean the TrackClip PRO? If so, there shouldn't be any of the four red dots on the camera itself. These are IR light sources, which are unnecessary with the TrackClip PRO, because it emits its own IR light. If they are on, it means you are probably running the software with the wrong Tracking Target selected. In the Basic Settings section, make sure that you have the TrackClip PRO selected, if it is the type of clip that you have. This is very important, because the math behind each clip type is different, and selecting the wrong target will seriously inhibit your tracking.

[Seth Steiling]

I should add that it would be very helpful for you to take a screenshot of the TrackIR software when this issue pops up. Specifically, in the window on the right, make sure that it is in Camera View (right click on screen, select Camera View). If you can post that screenshot in this thread, it could help narrow down what's happening.

[OldBadger]

Thanks for the quick response,

I will do my best to get a screen shot to you (not easy as movement may enable the traking again when this happens) but in the meantime to answer your first question; yes TrackClip PRO was what I meant and yes it was set up with TrackClipPro selected on the control panel and the 4 indicator lights were showing red.

For information when this happens the camera view has, in the past, shown three clear traking dots (all coloured red) with no other light sources shown. When I wave my hand in front of the TrackClipPro the dots then go to green and tracking resumes.

I have however just clicked on the TrackClip icon (Which was grey) to make it active (orange) and then back to TrackClipPro option and as you say the lights go out.

More importantly - they have now stayed out!

I now wish I had taken a screen dump before I did this because I am sure you now won't believe me but seriously these lights have been visible to me for a long time now, including throughout the change over from a TrakIR4 to 5 (this weekend) and the TrackClipPro option has been selected all the time.

Apart from that the traking itself has been perfect and based on the fact that the camera is situated to my left (three screen TH2G setup) I would have thought that tracking would have been slightly erratic if the software had really been operating in TrackClip mode.

Weird is all I can say, but after 30 years of being involved in IT I can't say I am too surprised

Seriously really appreciate your response and hopefully clicking on and off this setting may cure the problem but if not I will update this thread (with screen dump)if I encounter further problems.

Thanks again OldBadger

[Seth Steiling]

Yeah, that is bizarre. Send over a screen shot when you have a chance, if this reoccurs, and we'll check it out.

[OldBadger]

Sorry to be a bit dense here but how do I attach a file?

I have looked at the FAQ, which says I can do it through a file manager option - but I can't see it!

I have managed to capture a screen shot and it is in a .RTF file created within WordPad. I don't have many other options on this machine as it is only for FSX really.

OldBadger

[Seth Steiling]

I don't think you're going to be able to upload an .rtf, but you should be able to create a .jpg in Paint. You can then create an account with a site like photobucket for free, which will let you host images that you can then link to in a forum post.

[OldBadger]

I have captured an image and posted on photbucket as suggested.

Link removed picture did not have enough quality to see issue (will do another one later)and repost.

For further information; you will see the traking dots are red and they stay red until I wave my hand in from of the TrakClip PRO or really move my head back and forward / side to side etc quite a significant amount. Thereafter the traking resumes perfectly.

This seems to happen when the light is low in the room, usually night time with only minimal ligting in the background (maily from behind the camera).

OldBadger

[Seth Steiling]

This is definitely something we want to explore, but that screenshot will go a long ways in guiding our troubleshooting.