Configuring Your TrackIT Head Tracker with OpenTrack

OpenTrack is the powerful, free software that unlocks the full potential of your TrackIT clip. This comprehensive guide will walk you through setting up your gaming head tracker, IR head tracker, or PC head tracking system for optimal performance with any TrackIR alternative.

1. Initial Setup for Gaming Head Tracking

First, we need to tell OpenTrack what hardware you're using and how it should communicate with your games. These are the foundational settings for any IR head tracker or gaming motion sensor setup.

• Input: From the dropdown menu, select PointTracker 1.1. This is the correct input for IR LED clips and works with any gaming head tracker or PC head tracking system.
• Output: Select freetrack 2.0 Enhanced. This protocol is compatible with the vast majority of games, including flight simulators and sim racing applications.
• Filter: Choose Accela. This filter provides a good balance of smoothness and responsiveness for optimal gaming head tracker performance.

Once these are set, click the "Start" button. You should see three dots appear in the black video window, and the octopus icon will begin to move as you move your head with any IR head tracker or gaming motion sensor.

2. Camera Settings for IR Head Tracking

Getting a clean image from your camera is the single most important step for smooth tracking with any gaming head tracker. The goal is to make the camera see only the LEDs on your clip, which is essential for TrackIR replacement systems.

• Next to the "Input" dropdown, click the small hammer icon to open the PointTracker settings.
• Under the "Camera" tab, click "Open camera settings".
• In your camera's control panel, disable all "Auto" settings (like Exposure, Gain, and White Balance). Set them to manual.
• Turn the Exposure down until the main video feed is completely black, but the three IR LEDs from your clip are visible as bright, distinct white dots. This ensures the camera is only seeing the tracker and ignoring any other light in the room, crucial for any IR head tracker or 6DOF immersion setup.

3. Model Dimensions for Accurate Tracking

Telling OpenTrack the exact size of your clip ensures the tracking is 1:1 and accurate, preventing any view distortion with any gaming head tracker or PC head tracking system.

• In the PointTracker settings, go to the "Model" tab.
• Select "Clip" as the model type. This works with any USB Head Tracker Clip or IR head tracker setup.
• You will see fields for dimensions (e.g., Length A, B, C). You must measure your physical TrackIT clip with a ruler and enter the dimensions (in millimetres) into the corresponding fields. An accurate model is key to precise tracking with any gaming motion sensor or head tracking for flight simulators.

4. Set Your Center Keybind

This is a crucial step for usability with any gaming head tracker. You need a way to quickly recenter your view in-game without opening any menus, especially important for TrackIR replacement systems.

• In the main OpenTrack window, click the "Options" button.
• Go to the "Shortcuts" tab.
• Find the "Center" function in the list, click the "Bind" button, and press a key on your keyboard or joystick that is easy for you to reach while playing with any gaming head tracker or PC head tracking system.

5. Adjust Your Curves for Optimal Performance

The final step is to adjust the "Mapping" curves for your specific gaming needs. This controls how sensitive the in-game movement is compared to your real-world head movement, essential for any 6DOF immersion setup. Click the "Mapping" button to open the editor. For each axis (like Yaw for looking left/right and Pitch for up/down), you can click and drag the line to create a curve. A steeper curve means more in-game movement for less real-world movement.

This is a personal preference, so experiment with these settings in-game until you find what feels most natural to you. A good starting point is to set it so that looking at the edge of your monitor corresponds to looking 90 degrees in the game. This setup works perfectly for both sim racing head trackers and flight simulator head tracking.