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FreeTrack Forum > FreeTrack : English Forum > Support : Tracking System > I need Some Help....Im So Lost.....

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rabidscoobie #1 02/07/2009 - 12h36

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Ok i'm a newbie with all this.Well today I decieded to make my 1st 3pt clip on.I wanted to power the led's with USB.Ive made a really light weight mount and would like to keep it that way by not using batteries.So here is what I have done thus far...

Im using Radioshack IR LED's:FV 1.2,FC 100mA   Part #276-0143,Ive read here that others have used these.
22ohm 1/2watt  5% Resistors.Radioshack also.   Part#271-1103
And A USB cable removed from an old mouse,broken button but good cable.

Ive made a mounting setup and wired it all up in series type:

LED1=short lead+ to long lead- of LED2=Short lead+ to long Lead- LED3=Short lead+ to 22ohm resistor=RED Band/Gold Band lead to red wire USB Cable

Long led of LED1 to Black Wire of USB cable.

When I plug in I get nothing at all...no lights...nadda.can anyone tell what I did wrong here?
rabidscoobie #2 02/07/2009 - 13h19

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I think I see what my prob is,I think I got the polarities backwards.Am I right?

Should be Long Lead Is + short Is - and the resistor is suppose to go on the + wire then to the red wire on the USB cable.

I think thats right...   :blink:
rabidscoobie #3 02/07/2009 - 18h27

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Ok if abyone is wating the post...I got them working but I really think they need to brighter.Would I need to just change out the resistor and if so to what rating.They seem really dim.
rabidscoobie #4 02/07/2009 - 21h21

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Ok I still need some help here.I got the leds working with a lower ohm rating resistor but they just are not bright enough to track.

Im using the Microsoft Lifecam vx2000.I have not modded it yet.Is this my trouble?

Again its USB powered with 3 IR leds and 1 15 ohm 1/2 watt 5% resistor wired in series.The Leds just arent bright enough to track and I dunno what to do.

Anyone help?
benmeijer #5 02/07/2009 - 23h48

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the specs of your led:

Radiant Intensity (mw): 7.368
Peak Wavelength (nm): 940
Forward Voltage (V): 1.28
Half View Angle (Degrees): 6.36


the "half viewing angle" of your led is too small: use sandpaper to flatten the leds.
You can decrease the value for the resistor to 11 ohm (or use 2x 22ohm parallel) to power the leds with 100 mA.


and maybe it's an IR filter in your webcam....
Edited by benmeijer on 02/07/2009 at 23h49.
fzfq3m #6 03/07/2009 - 00h09

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your need to be a little more specific... :rolleyes:

Post a picture of your free-track in active mode (or tracking mode, I don´t know how to call it) just to see how is looking...
rabidscoobie #7 03/07/2009 - 00h14

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Thx for the info.

Ok made some progress as to what was happening.
1st the Microsoft Lifecam vx2000 is NOT compatable.There is no way to open it up to remove the filter,its and auto focus only that couldnt be disabled.

I have got the vx3000 now and with just a few mins of fiddling I got it to pick up on the leds alot better.Just had to manual focus and set to black and white...the 2000 couldnt.I will be removing the IR filter later today.

I have sanded the leds down and it does help.Now that I know I can get this to work I will later order some of those other leds that is said to work good.

As for the 2x22 ohm parallel....not sure how to wire that up...Im still somewhat new to the leds. Would I just run a 22 on the neg and another on the Pos?

Not too sure what you mean with the half view angle.The packaging that mine came is says this:
Radiant Powere out 16mW min
FV 1.2
FC 100mA
Viewing angle to 1/2 intensity 45 degrees
Wavelength 940nm

Thx again for the help and anymore help I get.
benmeijer #8 03/07/2009 - 00h30

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rabidscoobie @ 03/07/2009 - 00h14 a dit:


As for the 2x22 ohm parallel....not sure how to wire that up...Im still somewhat new to the leds. Would I just run a 22 on the neg and another on the Pos?


example for parallel resistor:
Posted Image

R = (22*22) / (22+22) = 484/44 = 11


rabidscoobie @ 03/07/2009 - 00h14 a dit:


Viewing angle to 1/2 intensity 45 degrees


I just searched on site Radio Shack ... same part number .... found the specs.. maybe i'm wrong.
rabidscoobie #9 03/07/2009 - 01h10

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Thx for that diagram.
Who knows about the specs.Im just going by the packaging.The shack isnt the best when it comes to this kinda stuff.

I removed the IR filter and it is working nice in the Freetrack Software.Only problem I have now is that when I close freetrack and open it back up my exposure defaults back to 24 instead of the 0 I keep putting it at.Anyone got any ideas how to fix that and I think Ill be good to start really getting this setup.

Thx again.

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