FreeTrack Forum

Hi.  I'm using an old pair of ski goggles with yellow tint for IR filter.  I just hang the goggles over the cam when I want to use freetrak and take them off when I want to use the cam regular style.

My Setup:
-My cam is logitech C500 (no modification needed)

-Ski goggles for IR filter

-Single point USB port for power source.  Pushes 5.5 volts which is common.  But I confirmed this with digital ohm meter to make sure.  You can also check your motherboard documentation.

-One Radio Shack IRLED #276-0143 (IR light can not be seen with naked eye!)

-One 47ohm 1/2 watt 5% tolerance #271-1105

-One Fox Sports Baseball cap

-Duct Tape to hold it together.

It works great.  No need to change batteries, but usb can only handle one LED.  Getting 30 fps at 640x480 and RGB24.

After much tweaking, I have best success with the following settings in the freetrack software:
Zoom = 180%
Face Tracking = off
Brightness = 10000
Contrast = 1253 (default)
Saturation = 1214 (default)
Sharpness = 0
White Balance=0
Back Ligh Compt=0
Auto Gain Control=unchecked (off)
Exposure=40[s]
Gain=10000
Image mirror horiz. and vert. unchecked (off)
Anti Flicker = Off
Right Light = unchecked (off)

Actual web cam fps = 30
Multiplier = 4
Min point diam. = 3
Max point diam. = 32

These don't seem to matter much:
Focual Length = 3 mm
Sensor Width= 3 mm

If I lose tracking, it means something has changed in the way light is in my room.  With these settings, I always have a 60 watt lamp on in front of my monitor when I play IL-2.  The cam is on top of the monitor.  Maybe the lamp was moved a little, or the sun coming into my window is a little brighter or darker.  Anyway, if this happens I adjust the threshold setting until the point where the light is seen and only one white cross is showing up.  As a last resort, I adjust the exposure, but only to the point where fps does not go to less than 30 fps.  Actually, I think that's where you want the exposure. To the point just before the fps starts to drop.  Now that I know what is going on, it usually always track no problem.

Curves are a matter of taste.  I use the following after much testing.

Axis:
Yaw mapped to Yaw, sensitivity 2.0, smoothing 100
Pitch mapped to Pitch, sensitivity 2.0, smoothing 100
X mapped to Yaw, sensitivity 2.0, smoothing 100
All other axis are mapped to "none"


Adjustments:
Zoom Smoothing Multiplier = 1
Dynamic Smoothing Reduction = 1
Average = 3%

View Relative Translation:
All boxes unchecked

No backward Z movement is checked.
Maintain paused data is unchecked.
FreetrakIR is unchecked
TrakIR is checked.

If you have a dual cpu, run freetrak on one cpu and IL-2 on the other.  I recommend a freeware program called cpu-control.  You will also need to map the "centering" key to your joystick or whatever you use to play.

Soldering tip:  Tape the wires down on a block of wood before you solder to hold them in place.

Conclusion:  I am very happy with Freetrak.  I only use it for IL-2.  It does take some practice if you have never used head tracking.  I did it out of curiosity because I always have flown with a mouse in my left hand and joystick in the right.


New Freetrakers - get free mod pack UP 2.0n for IL-2 and join up at Warbirds of Prey.  We need new players!  I recommend Zeke/Wildcat server to start.   If you have questions about my freetrak setup, please post in that forum under technical cuz I usually read that.  Also, if you don't want to pay for expensive full hotas, get Glovepie, another freeware program, and see my thread on Glovepie Tips in that forum here.  You can build yourself a cheap but effective full hotas with pc gampads, joystick, some pvc pipe/t-fittings, velcro and of course, Freetrak!

Edit:  I forgot to mention, I did file the LED.
Edit:  Link to Warbirds of Prey Thread.
Edit:  Add soldering tip.