This thing gets so hot!

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JuMo
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:28 am
Location: Berlin, Germany

This thing gets so hot!

Post by JuMo »

Well I read somewhere on the site that with the TrackIR 5, Naturalpoint tried to improve heat dissipation compared to the V4 hardware (which I didn't own). Well I must say that the heat my new Track IR 5 generates truly worries me. Within an hour of use, it gets really, really, really, really hot. I mean, if the case gets so hot, how hot must the camera chip be? Are you people sure the chip can withstand this for a prolonged time? Ever heard about component life expectancy being inversely proportional to component temperature?

I am really tempted to remove the flashy clear plastic back (perhaps a few ventilation holes would have been a good idea, don't you think) and just stick a heat sink on the camera chip (yeah I know that would void the warranty).

So ... what's Naturalpoint's statement on operating temperature for the TrackIR 5 ?

Oliver
squash
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 12:33 am

Re: This thing gets so hot!

Post by squash »

fair question, but then have you heard anyone saying their hardware overheated and failed?
VincentG
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Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:00 am
Location: Corvallis, Oregon

Re: This thing gets so hot!

Post by VincentG »

Are you using the TrackClip, or TrackClip Pro?
Jim
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Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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Re: This thing gets so hot!

Post by Jim »

Hello:

The TIR 5 should work well up to 70 degrees C, that is 158 degrees F. The chips are rated to 80 degrees C.

The TIR 5 can get warm, it is dissipating heat from processing, like a processor, but don't worry, it is expected.
JuMo
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:28 am
Location: Berlin, Germany

Re: This thing gets so hot!

Post by JuMo »

Hi,

thank you very much for your replies.

@Vincent:

I am using the Trackclip, so the IR LEDs are on, yes. I guess this is probably causing more heat?

@Jim

Thank you for the statement on the chip rating, certainly its not getting _that_ hot, so my worries are more or less gone. That's still quite warm, isn't it. Are the LEDS and all other components rated equally high?

I am still a bit surprised though that a device that (if I understand you correctly) can reach <=70 degrees in normal use doesn't have some sort of heat dissipation away from the case - any other appliance of that size getting so warm would certainly let me think it's broken. And I do remember having read somewhere on your site or in the forum that you tried to redesign vom 4 to 5 with better thermal design in mind (which makes me think there may have been issues with that).

Now, 4 IR LEDS and a furnace-hot chip ;-) in a tiny sealed case .. well .. I realize this is not a qualified statement and I apologize in advance, but I don't readily see the improved thermal design here. I still think that ventilation holes at the bottom and top of the device near the back would allow some air to pass through, and a chip cooler would help as well. I am just a user though, not an engineer.

I would like to add that I am really very happy with the TrackIR 5 in use.

Oliver
Barred
Posts: 881
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 5:00 am
Location: Scotland

Re: This thing gets so hot!

Post by Barred »

Jumo,
My old TrackIR v4 was way hotter than the v5 and I never had any heat issues with it. When my v4 arrived like you I was worried about the heat and expected it to die at any moment. I got my v4 when they first came out and it was still working just fine when I 'retired ' it for my v5.

I really am smitten with my TIR5.
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