Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

MeJoe
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Virginia

Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by MeJoe »

Since the availability of a vector clip is vital to the good operation of over $180 worth of TrackIR Pro/Vector Expansion I thought it a good idea to have a spare clip on hand but at $9 a pop (plus shipping) it seems an even better idea to be able to make your own clip.

Anyone out there have a good Do-It-Yourself design?

Anyone know if the spacing of the three reflectors is critical?

Any ideas appreciated
Jim
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Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by Jim »

Hello:

If you have the Vector license then you are free to make your own clips. I would recommend using 3M reflective material, same as we sell on our site. The position of the reflectors is key, it must be the same as the clip. You are free to make different sized reflectors, the centers just must be in the same place. I would like to see what people come up with, send us your ideas at support@naturalpoint.com maybe we will take it into production!
PhilC
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:00 am

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by PhilC »

I think a simple hat with the reflective material placed approprietly would be better than the clip. I may give it a shot.
pepper
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:00 am

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by pepper »

Sounds interesting, i may give it a try to!
TBS_Billy885
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:00 am

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by TBS_Billy885 »

quote:Originally posted by NaturalPoint - Jim:
Hello:

If you have the Vector license then you are free to make your own clips. I would recommend using 3M reflective material, same as we sell on our site. The position of the reflectors is key, it must be the same as the clip. You are free to make different sized reflectors, the centers just must be in the same place. I would like to see what people come up with, send us your ideas at support@naturalpoint.com maybe we will take it into production!Jim, would you be so kind to tell us what the spacing is between the 3 reflectors center points. I know that mine have been bent and have flown across the room a few time.

I have been thinking of doing just that trying my own setup. As the hat is too hot in the summer.
MeJoe
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Virginia

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by MeJoe »

How about a visor instead of the hat?

As to the reflector spacing, I could be wrong but I do not see where the spacing of the reflectors is all that critical.

Take a look at the vector clip as the TIR sees it. Hold it closer to your eyes and the reflectors seem further apart. Move the clip further away from your eyes and the reflectors seem to move closer to each other.

In use the TIR camera sees the same thing. The thing is that, when you initially center the view with F12 the camera takes *whatever spacing* it sees the second you hit the button as the "center".

There are limits, of course. The camera must be able to see all three reflectors at all times whatever head twisting we do; but as long as whatever mount we make meets this requirement I dont think the TIR really cares what the spacing is.

Another thing to consider is that the physical spacing of the reflectors and the "center of rotation" effect the rate at which the reflectors move in relation to each other for any given amount of head movement.

As an illustration of this take the existing vector clip and mentaly shorten the bar holding the rear reflector so that it is spaced only about an inch back from the front pair. Wearing such an arrangement, how far would you have to turn your head to make the camera see the rear reflector as moving from the center to a position "stacked" on top of the left front reflector? Anyone remember "The Exorcist"?

Now take the Vector Clip and make that bar holding the rear reflector about two feet long. How far do you have to turn you head NOW? Maybe 3-4 degrees?

This charactaristic opens the possibility of using reflector spacing as a means of adjusting sensitivity. Maybe some kind of adjustable spacing mount can be devised?

All the above is just what "seems to me" with none of it as yet put to any test. Im too busy clearing the skies over Europe (or getting cleared) with the Vector Clip that came with the TIR.
mopheta
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Spain

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by mopheta »

I think it would be a good idea in this topic to think about a solution to use the another vector design to be able to use without any hat or anything covering the hair. I feel not confortable the use of the hat (for me).

If this is possible to use the 3 clips at any situation, wiht the only rule that the 3 must be tracked at any time...

I�m thinking about a solution, but only if the rear dot is put donw, not upper the two others.
The system is a "U" thin and light plastic located in the front of the head, with a little cross in the center to give more stability, and the rear dot located in the center of this cross. Two thin and short wires like antennas aiming aproximated 45� upwards, and opening itself towards the side (like little bull horns).

A thin cable for the antennas is strongh enought, and would not cover a big rear dot, so there would be possible to put the rear dot in the down without affecting the tracking.

With this driver you can do the experiment of the 3rd dot down if you put your TrackIR hardware tured 180�, but the left movement will be tracked like right, and the up will be down.
mopheta
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Spain

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by mopheta »

Mmmmmm...... I�m thinking about to do this, but need a driver with tracking axes inverted (I suppose this is very easy to add to the driver, and could be usefull in other ways).

Usually a use only one dot tracking because I feel not confortable the hat. This "antennas system" would can be a solution for me.
pepper
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:00 am

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by pepper »

That would mean you would need some sort of emulation program, otherwise all the games need to be redone.

The antenna probably woulndt work, it would have the stabilty that the vector has now. Because the dots would be flying/sweeping in the air. Probably causing some sort of standard smoothing.

But i cant be sure of that because i havent tested it.
mopheta
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 5:00 am
Location: Spain

Re: Home Made Vector Clips: Ideas?

Post by mopheta »

The antennas would be only some centimeters (just the same than vector distance dots), and there are wires thin and strong enought to solve this sweeping movements that you say pepper.

I think that all games would work perfect like now, if you have an option in the TrackIR driver to do the same like is done in the "tracking settings/camera rotation", but doing the modification only to make a non mirrored movement:

If you move your real head to the left, the "In-game" head move to his left (your right), and your real head up = "in-game" head down. The same with all the other axes, excepting Z.

Seem to be easy to modify the driver to enable this "rear down" vector dot, with the same function that we use now.
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