Your First DIY Head Tracker: A Step-by-Step Assembly Guide
There's a special satisfaction that comes from building your own gear. Our DIY Head Tracker Kits provide everything you need to create a high-performance 6DOF head tracker. This guide will walk you through the general steps of assembly.
Ready to start your project? Grab your complete DIY Head Tracker Kit from our shop!
Before You Begin: What You'll Need
Your kit includes the core components: the printed circuit board (PCB), IR LEDs, a resistor, and a USB cable. In addition to the kit, you will need a few basic tools:
- A soldering iron and solder
- Wire cutters/strippers
- A "helping hands" tool (recommended, but not required)
- Protective eyewear
Step 1: Preparing the Board and Components
Lay out your PCB and all components on a clean, well-lit workspace. Identify the position for each of the three IR LEDs and the single resistor. Note that LEDs have a positive (anode) and negative (cathode) leg; the longer leg is the anode. The PCB will be marked to show the correct orientation.
Step 2: Soldering the Components
This is the most critical step. If you're new to soldering, we recommend practicing on a spare circuit board first. Carefully solder the resistor and then each of the three LEDs onto the board, ensuring the polarity is correct for each one. Your solder joints should be shiny and cone-shaped, not dull or balled up.
Step 3: Final Assembly and Testing
Once the components are securely soldered, you can attach the USB cable. Your kit will have designated connection points for this. After assembly, it's time to test! Plug your new head tracker into your PC and fire up your tracking software (like OpenTrack) to configure and test the device.
Congratulations! You've just built a key piece of your sim setup. Now you're ready to experience a new level of immersion in your favourite games.