In Game View Panning Taken To A Next Level

James Burgess of RacingSimCentral was able to review the TrackIR 4 Pro, a device that enables drivers to pan views while playing simulation racing games with the movement of your head. First off, here is a brief explanation of how it works. The TrackIR is made up of two units, the infrared tracking camera (only 1.75 inches wide and capable of viewing a 45º range) and a reflector chip (stuck to the to brim of your cap or head piece). Basically the camera detects light reflected of the chip when your head moves, and maps it out of a map (6 Degrees of Freedom map…meaning X, Y and Z axes). A majority of games, however might only be capable of 4DOFs or X and Y axis movements alone. The TrackIR will still work successfully on it, but only within those axis ranges. The tracking camera would be best places on top your CRT or TFT monitor.

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This unit is really helpful to the avid race sim fan because they can pan views with the just the movement of your head rather than with keys or joysticks. Most of us are fine with the left and right views and think the panning may disorient us while driving, but Burgess says that once you try this unit out, you will never go back. Let’s try to be open minded here. If you had the TrackIR, racing would be so much more realistic and fun. You could take a look into your side mirrors, watch an opponent along side you and much more without having to think about pressing a control key. Also you can get that exact view you want rather than trying to move your car to a spot where the limited left and right views could see.

The unit is very small, as I said before, so it won’t crowd your space. Also, there is the option of getting the TrackClip ‘add-on-device’ which is an infrared transmitting device instead of a light reflector (you would want to get this if you play in the dark alot). The system is all connected to your PC via a USB 2.0 cable and software set up is easy. As for game compatibility, once the game supports “Pan View”, it should be able to work with it.

The software for the device is easy to configure and use. It also allows for various settings (such as magnification of movement) that will enable the user to adjust how real head movements translate to in-game movements. The profiling settings allow for different setups to be stored for various types of game – you can decide how many DOF to enable for each profile, the sensitivity of your movements, sensitivity curves, deadzones and a bunch of other useful features. - James Burgess

There will always be some concerns with it. Some games may be slow in responding to pan movements and some games don’t allow for full freedom movements as your head might be able to do, so it may seem a bit strange when using sometimes. Also, getting accustomed to the constant movement would disorient you a bit and set off your record lap times, but once you get accustomed, it will return to normal, and may even be better. I assume that once you get past the minor limitations, it will turn out to be quite an enjoyable experience.

As for pricing, the TrackIR Pro 4 by itself goes for US $180 bucks and the TrackClip is an extra $US 40. Getting this for occasional gaming may not make much financial sense, but if you live and breathe racing sims, this is something to add to your collection of gadgets.

My overall opinion about this is very positive. The plus side to this product is that it is not limited to racing. Any other sim game (flying, boating, sports, etc.) that supports the Pan capabilities can use it. Maybe if I get enough cash, I could buy one myself. To get more info about the TrackIR Pro 4, check out the NaturalPoint website.

Via RacingSimCentral.