TrackHat - Headtracking - Modified PS3 Eye

[Mr Latte]

See Here
Curious if anyone has tried this, especially those with 32:9 monitor or triples.
Is it better than Track IR?

Seems to be similar to what this guy was working on but developed further.

 

[Paul Bennett]

I had the TrackHat base ball cap for a while, sent it back didn't really work for me. But I was only using it on a single screen, I think TrackIR have a better setup.

 

[pattikins]

See Here
Curious if anyone has tried this, especially those with 32:9 monitor or triples.
Is it better than Track IR?

Seems to be similar to what this guy was working on but developed further.

I used it with a triple monitor setup (1920|2560|1920) and I really liked it. I found the tracking to be very subtle, and immersive - especially when I was looking for the apex of a corner...

On the negative side, the cable snags easily & when I tried to run it with my rift installed my PC would blue screen.

I don't know if my Trackhat unit still works, but if you live in the UK you're welcome to it.

 

[Mr Latte]

Thanks for the info, I would be interested to give this a go but not in a rush,
I live in UK just over the water in Brexitville (Northern Ireland)

Contact me via PM but feel I would need to give or do something regards your kind gesture.

 

[pattikins]

Contact me via PM but feel I would need to give or do something regards your kind gesture.

I'm not entirely sure how to PM! Unless you mean Theresa May, but I'm not entirely sure she will be able to deliver it

I don't want anything for the Trackhat tracker/camera. It doesn't have much resale value. If you PM me your address I'll send it on.

 

[Jeremy Ford]

I'm quite interested in these TrackIR alternatives, I'm in the process of buying the parts for a DIY build. It's going to cost under £15 to build.

 

[maelstrom]

I'm quite interested in these TrackIR alternatives, I'm in the process of buying the parts for a DIY build. It's going to cost under £15 to build.

I did the same. I built my own version of the TrackHat and also made a headset clip. I used them with a PS3 Eye camera which only cost £3 at CEX in the UK. I have both opentrack and FaceTrackNoIR (both still actively being developed) but use opentrack most of the time because it seems to respond quicker but would recommend trying both. Some people still use FreeTrack but I'd avoid it as it's less configurable and hasn't been updated for several years. That said, FreeTrack does still have the best instructions for making your own LED clip: http://forum.free-track.net/index.php?showtopic=413 and http://forum.free-track.net/index.php?showtopic=1856. Having directly compared my setup to TrackIR, I can honestly say that my version is just as good.

For anyone who doesn't have the necessary soldering skills, opentrack has an option to use an Aruco tracker which is just a small card square which you attach to your hat or headset. It works surprisingly well in a well-lit room.

 

[Jeremy Ford]

I did the same. I built my own version of the Trackhat and used a PS3 Eye camera (only £3 at CEX in the UK). I've used it with both OpenTrack and FaceTrackNoIR (both still actively being developed). I use OpenTrack most of the time because it seems to respond quicker but would recommend trying both. Some people still use FreeTrack but I'd avoid it as it's less configurable and hasn't been updated for several years. That said, FreeTrack does still have the best instructions for making your own LED clip: http://forum.free-track.net/index.php?showtopic=413 and http://forum.free-track.net/index.php?showtopic=1856.

Thanks for the tips, these are very useful.

 

[maelstrom]

Thanks for the tips, these are very useful.

I've just added an extra bit about using an Aruco tracker which you may also find useful.

 

[maelstrom]

Just looked on CEX and the PS3 Eye camera now costs only 50p!

 

[Jeremy Ford]

Just looked on CEX and the PS3 Eye camera now costs only 50p!

Wow, I paid £5.50 on eBay and I thought I got a bargain.

 

[Jeremy Ford]

I've just added an extra bit about using an Aruco tracker which you may also find useful.

That's very, very interesting. Thank you again, I wasn't aware of this paper tracking option. I reviewed FacetrackNOIR recently on my YT channel. Sadly I didn't have the PlayStation 3 Eye camera at the time for the review. But I've been testing face tracking again with the PlayStation camera today to make a follow-up video.

As the PlayStation camera is intended for the TrackIR DIY project, I'll be removing the IR filter so it will be butchered soon. But I'll give the Aruco tracker a go beforehand that. Cheers maelstrom.

 

[callumjtc]

Would there be a way to mount the head mounted bits to a headset/headphones? I usually use those anyway for voice comms and I want to jump onboard and do a DIY solution.

 

[Jeremy Ford]

Would there be a way to mount the head mounted bits to a headset/headphones? I usually use those anyway for voice comms and I want to jump onboard and do a DIY solution.

Assuming it doesn't interfere with the headphone speaker, I'm thinking small neodymium magnets might work well, so you can pop it on and off quickly. Or velcro straps would keep it in place on a headset.

 

[callumjtc]

Assuming it doesn't interfere with the headphone speaker, I'm thinking small neodymium magnets might work well, so you can pop it on and off quickly. Or velcro straps would keep it in place on a headset.

I have velcro, might be an idea

 

[Jeremy Ford]

I realise this is slightly off topic, but I thought it's in the same ballpark and maybe of interest. I've just uploaded my video testing the PlayStation EYE camera with FaceTrackIR. Cheers.

 

[maelstrom]

I've just uploaded my video testing the PlayStation EYE camera with FaceTrackIR.

I found that all the lag problems in FaceTrackNoIr were solved by using an IR LED clip (easy to make) and the PointTracker tracking plugin. Better still, use Opentrack (completely free) which seems to respond quicker than FaceTrackNoIr (which always seemed to have more damping built in). As I mentioned in an earlier post, if you don't want to use an IR clip Opentrack also lets you use an Aruco tracker which you just print out on card.