TrackIR 5 w/TrackClip Pro suddenly choppy with FSX...

[winstonbaby]

I've had my setup for about 2 years now and has been working beautifully since new. Recently, I've noticed choppy/stutter when in virtual cockpit views. I've not made any changes to my setup, system or software recently.
The choppiness happens mainly when turning my head to view the cockput from side to side. It happens with default aircraft and complex addon aircraft, with default scenery and addon scenery and with the system sliders turned way down or when at ultra high levels. It is also choppy while flying at high altitudes or when flying low to the ground.
I've updated drivers, software, etc. for both TrackIR and for my video card(Nvidia GTX570). I also run EZDOK as well. The choppiness happens with EZDOK disabled too.
As far as i can tell, everything is setup just the same as before when TrackIR operated smoothly. I had the occasional stutter stemming from complex scenery coupled with complex aircraft, but always noticed an improvement in smoothness when i flew to less complex areas or situations. The simulator itself does not stutter or exhibit choppyness by itself, only when movement is introduced from using TrackIR.

I must say that I also use TrackIR with Rise of Flight and have not had the same symptoms occur while in game mode.
This leads me to believe I have a conflict going on with TrackIR and FSX somewhere...

I run a Quad Core Intel Processor overclocked to 4.8 ghz, 8 gigs of RAM, all on a seperate HDD.

Anything I should check system wise that would al of a sudden cause this to happen? And yes, it is very noticable Laggy, Choppy and Stutter(y)!
Don

[Seth Steiling]

Hi Don,

When you look at the 3D viewport in the TrackIR software, do you see the same stuttering, or is it only seen in FSX? Does the 2D camera view show any interference (red dots/lines/blobs)?

If it seems tied to your location in-game, it's possible that it's due to a bottleneck in your machine from a bunch of textures and models being loaded suddenly. This bunched up loading of game assets can be triggered by relatively quickly changing your in-game view--which is obviously core to what TrackIR does.

There is a way to edit the FSX config file to tell your PC to pool up game assets in memory and hold onto more of them, so you don't see stuttering when they pass in and out of view quickly or frequently. Playing with this config setting might yield some improvements to your GPU rendering--assuming that this is the cause, and not the actual TrackIR data. Unfortunately, I don't know how to make this edit off the top of my head, but other FSX users on Avsim or SimHQ might know how.

[winstonbaby]

Thanks for responding Seth, and there is no stuttering or lagging in the 3D view within the TrackIR Software. And, no signs of interference from other reflective or other light sources. I do tend to agree with you about this being some sort of a settings problem....but still does not explain why this just started happening about a week ago and why it was not an issue until then. I've made no changes is my setup or added anything else that would have increased the load on GPU or the CPU....? I was just wondering if this was something that had occurred in the pas,t and therefore, had an easy fix.
Don

[winstonbaby]

Seems that, as Seth noted, I had a bottle neck happening with the setup of FSX on my rig. Somehow, I had multiple add ons enabled at the same time when it was recommended that some were to be disabled and not run at the same time...i.e. Orbx, GEX, UTX, etc. After following the recommendations of the software developers and turning off conflicting programs, thus reducing the bottle neck, I'm back to smooth views using TrackIR, even with pretty well maxed out settings.

Thanks Seth!

Don

[Seth Steiling]

Great news, Don. Enjoy your return to smooth sailing... err... flying.