Using TrackIR halves game FPS

[Flouncy]

With TrackIR 4 Pro running, the performance hit on my games is massive.

In Black Shark - without TrackIR running I get 50-60fps. With it on, I get 20-25.

In Arma 2 TrackIR costs me about 10-15fps.

I've tried:

New v5 software. Old v4 software.
Different USB ports.
Disabling all background software.
Tracking speed and smoothness settings don't help, nor using precision mode.
USB 2.0 is enabled in BIOS, no port errors in Device Manager.

I'm running Windows 7 eval 7100 on a Gigabyte 680i mobo, ATI 4870x2 video - 9.8 drivers (Arma 2 had the slowdown effect with the last 2-3 driver releases, have only tried Black Shark with the 9.8s), Core 2 @3.3. Saitek X52 the only other USB device.

I'm not using any kind of custom or tweaked profile. All default.

I did look around to see if this was a known issue, couldn't find anything and would be very grateful if anyone knows a cause/solution.

EDIT: Another presumably related problem in Black Shark (which I just got today, so just discovering these issues now) - when I zoom in on the cockpit displays I just can't hold the view steady. My head is rock-still, but the view jumps around so there's just no way I can toggle the switches with my mouse... End up accidentally clicking the wrong button.

Tried precision mode, tried reducing the speed and increasing the smoothness, no help. I CAN hold the cursor dead steady in the v5 UI screen. Can hold it right on a point as long as I want, not a bit of movement. But in the cockpit it's all over the place, jerking around.



Thanks!

[Flouncy]

A bit more info:

Using Trackclip.
3 solid green lights in camera, no light source interference.
Frame rate 120 (the number in brackets jumps up to higher numbers as I move - 120 - 130ish).
Tracking mode: segment.
Tracked objects: 3
Blue LED is on in-game.

[Flouncy]

Moving the sensor closer to me seems to have helped the juddering issue a lot.

But the bigger issue remains, that I'm losing up to half my frames per second in games...

[Flouncy]

Bump.

Anyone?

Ok - a simple question someone surely must know: Is it normal for TrackIR to cause a frame rate drop?

[Seth Steiling]

Hmmm... strange problems, especially considering the information you provided about number of objects tracked, no light interference, green markers in camera view, etc. It doesn't sound like the tracking is being disrupted by an external source.

I'll let our Support Manager take it from here, as I'm not sure what could be causing this. But, to answer your final question, TrackIR should not affect your frame rate at all. If you are using the 5.0 software, you should make sure that it is minimized when you are in-game (which it should automatically do by default). If the 3D preview window is up, it will eat some GPU resources that your game would like to be using, affecting FPS. Otherwise, TrackIR doesn't have any impact when things are operating normally.

[VincentG]

32, or 64 bit OS?

Tried running outside SLI mode?

[Flouncy]

Thanks guys.

* I'm running 64-bit Win 7.
* My video is ATI 4870x2, so it's Crossfire, not SLI. I'm not aware of a way to disable one GPU (both GPUs on the one card on the 4879x2, so it's not a matter of just removing a card). I'll look around and see if there's a way to run just one GPU.
* The v5 software is minimised, yes.

The issue is easily verified by running the games I'm playing (Arma 2 and Black Shark) with and without TrackIR enabled. Using each game's built-in FPS counter it's pretty much halved with Black Shark, and around 1/4 - 1/3 lower with Arma 2.

[Flouncy]

Update - it's not the 2 x GPU Crossfire setup. I disabled one of the GPUs via turning off Catalyst AI - verified only one was active via ATI Tray Tools' OSD.

No change, frames still much lower than they should be.

[VincentG]

You are getting this with both the TrackIR 5, and TrackIR 4 software?

No other application Icons down by the clock?

[Flouncy]

[quote=NaturalPoint - Vincent]You are getting this with both the TrackIR 5, and TrackIR 4 software?

No other application Icons down by the clock? [/quote]

Affirm. Tried v4 and v5 software (latest versions of each). Properly uninstalled each and restarted before installing the other.

I've shut down every background app, inc virus and firewall, just to be thorough. Verified via Task Manager/applications.

So. Running Black Shark, if I do not turn on TrackIR, I average 50fps. With it on, I get 20-25. Have tried all graphics options turned to min. No effect there.

I've been using this unit for a couple of years, and I can't say if the prob occurred in the past, as I *always* use Track IR in supported games. Only accidentally discovered this one when I forgot to turn it on one day and voila - game was much smoother, so did testing and there it was.

EDIT: Could the camera somehow be broken? Is this the sort of thing you see in faulty units?