Kinect v2 for Windows. $200. Possible TrackIR Killer?

[Juris]

Just putting an open question out there. Kinect for Windows V2 is launching on July 15th for $200. Due to the price point its getting carpet bombed on Youtube but could it be great for us simmers.

TrackIR costs $150 odd & extra bits. You have to wear headgear which can be fragile & I personally hate wearing anything on my head apart from my usual tinfoil hat. Its got a 1080p camera, Infra red sensor, noise canceling which if it works could be awesome for in race chat, the possibility of body tracking which when Oculus launches could solve the problem of us not seeing our hands on the wheel, shifter and groping around for the right button on the button box etc. I'm thinking its got potential.

Its primarily aimed at devs but I reckon if racing devs get in on it it could be a really cool addition to the simmers arsenal especially for those with single screens.

Whats your thoughts?

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Well, I have an XB1, and the Kinect setup, it was mounted on the top of my large TV which I use for gaming, it was useless in that position, detects my face and that is about it, it did not detect head movements for use in Forza 5 at all on any setting, so unless they worked some amazing updates it is in no position to replace my TrackIR 5.0 yet.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Not unless Simbin do animated pit stops and we can use kinect to replicate changing a wheel, Would be a cool feature for team racing events.
Just so the other drivers dont get bored whilst waiting to drive

or podium celebrations for the guys, id love to jump around infront of the monitor if i won, (oops i do that already)

Ah (bid sigh) maybe in a few years we might have these features.

 

[Juris]

Well, I have an XB1, and the Kinect setup, it was mounted on the top of my large TV which I use for gaming, it was useless in that position, detects my face and that is about it, it did not detect head movements for use in Forza 5 at all on any setting, so unless they worked some amazing updates it is in no position to replace my TrackIR 5.0 yet.

My thinking is the PC has the capability for much greater processing than the XBone one where the Kinect was taking as much as 10% of its CPU. It doesn't have that to spare on motion sensing unless its on some dance dance BS. Forza needs all the power it can get imho so I suspect Kinect integration was forced on Turn10 to justify the Kinects presence but was just an afterthought.

I think MS simply failed to produce hardware were they could permit the Kinect the CPU power it requires to show itself off. Early dev work looks promising and devs won't be forced to use the appalling (by all reports) xbox programming framework. Also looking at videos on Youtube its being used in so many other non-gaming areas such as medical I think that work will filter out. Just my 2c.

Not unless Simbin do animated pit stops and we can use kinect to replicate changing a wheel, Would be a cool feature for team racing events.
Just so the other drivers dont get bored whilst waiting to drive

or podium celebrations for the guys, id love to jump around infront of the monitor if i won, (oops i do that already)

Ah (bid sigh) maybe in a few years we might have these features.

Quite apart from the head tracking etc I'd love to be able to wave or complain in a race with my own hands rather than a button press. Imagine getting banned for flipping the bird to the other drivers. Maybe you could get out of the car if someone wrecks you and have a little one on one confrontation with the wrecker. Not that I'd ever do such a thing obviously. (Starts car, puts on race glove over knuckle duster.)

 

[Rupe Wilson]

I agree racing sim have a great change to give us such a more interactive driving experience. especially in a single player career mode.
live the life of a racing driver, (were did we hear that before)
A device like this could be used for so much more.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

To be completely fair FM5 is the only game I have, so the only game I have tried the system with so far...

 

[Alex Townsend]

Old post I know, but everyone always says we should search for posts rather than start new ones so...

I have an XB1 and not really using it, at all...
They are being sold ridiculously cheap now so no point selling it either.

It did come with Kinect 2.0 though. And I've since found out that they have an adapter on the market for the newer XB1 S Console and PC

Questions are;

Would this work well with the PC for our current sims for head and/or eye tracking ala TrackIR?
If so, is there any additional software available to set this up?
Main question I guess is, does anyone know if anyone in the sim racing community has managed to get this set up working yet and had good results?