Tracking Tools in a virtual machine

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carpetfluff
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:21 am

Tracking Tools in a virtual machine

Post by carpetfluff »

Is it possible to use Tracking Tools in a virtual machine? I've installed it in a Windows 7 virtual machine using VMware Fusion, and it recognises the OptiTrack Hardware Key correctly, allowing me to license the software, but I then get the following error:

"Flex 13 cameras must be connected through an OptiHub v2 for use in the Tracking Tools."

The Flex 13 camera is connected through an OptiHub, and I know it works with a native installation of Windows 7, just not with the virtual machine. In Control Panel I correctly see an OptiTrack device, which is the Flex 13 camera, and an OptiHub Controller device, so I'm not sure why this isn't working. Any ideas?
jolsonsalem
Posts: 323
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 9:18 am

Re: Tracking Tools in a virtual machine

Post by jolsonsalem »

If you configure your VM to forward all the USB devices (hardware key, OptiHub, all cameras connected to the OptiHub) it may work, but this is an unsupported and untested usage and configuration. What are you using for your virtual host?
Last edited by jolsonsalem on Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:05 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: Edited to indicate that use in a VM will be unpredictable and is not supported
carpetfluff
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:21 am

Re: Tracking Tools in a virtual machine

Post by carpetfluff »

Yeah, it's strange. VMware seems to be correctly forwarding all the USB devices, as the devices that show up under Device Manager in the virtual machine are identical to those on a native install.

I'm using Mac OSX 10.8.2 as my virtual host.
Birch
Posts: 1139
Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2003 5:00 am
Location: Corvallis, Oregon

Re: Tracking Tools in a virtual machine

Post by Birch »

The use of NaturalPoint and OptiTrack software within a virtual machine is not officially supported. It is likely that virtualization of the USB device I/O will lead to degraded and unpredictable performance, especially with regard to frame delivery timing when used with multi-camera sync groups.

To ensure optimal performance we strongly recommend that the software is not run in a virtualized environment.
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