Getting Started with OpenTrack: A Guide for Your New Gaming Head Tracker

Published on August 4, 2025 by the TrackIT Team

So you've unboxed your new **gaming head tracker**, and you're ready to dive into a new level of immersion. The key to unlocking its power is a fantastic piece of free software: OpenTrack. Think of it as the brain behind the hardware. This guide will cover the essential first steps to get you up and running.

Why Use an OpenTrack Head Tracker Setup?

OpenTrack is the community-standard software for a reason. It's free, highly customizable, and compatible with almost any **USB infrared head tracker**. This powerful combination creates the ultimate **TrackIR alternative**, giving you full control without the premium cost.

Initial Setup: A Simple 3-Step Process

When you first open OpenTrack, the settings can seem intimidating. But for a basic setup, you only need to focus on three things:

1. Input: This is your device. For most clip-based trackers, select "PointTracker 1.1". This tells OpenTrack to look for the points of light from your tracker.
2. Output: This is how OpenTrack talks to your games. The most common and widely supported option is "freetrack 2.0 Enhanced". This protocol is recognised by nearly all sims that support head tracking.
3. Filter: This smooths out the raw data from the tracker. A great starting filter is "Accela". It provides a good balance of responsiveness and stability.

Once you've set these three, you can press "Start". You should see a virtual head (and maybe an octopus!) moving as you move your head.

The Most Important Hotkey: Center

Before you jump into a game, you must set a "Center" hotkey. Go into the "Options" and then the "Shortcuts" tab. Find the "Center" function and assign an easy-to-reach key or button that you won't press by accident. This button will be your best friend, allowing you to instantly re-calibrate your view's center point at any time.

Perfect for Flight Simulators and Sim Racing

Whether you need precise **head tracking for flight simulators** or the fast, reactive view required for **head tracking for sim racing**, OpenTrack's mapping curves are where the magic happens. Here you can adjust how much your in-game view moves in response to your real-world head movements. A small tweak can be the difference between a jerky view and a buttery-smooth, 1:1 feel.

With this basic setup complete, your **budget head tracker** is now a powerful **TrackIR replacement**, ready for any game you throw at it!