DIY headtracking and DCS - tips

A few tips regarding Do It Yourself headtracking and DCS

DCS version

This document applies to DCS WORLD 1.2.10 (September 2014).

DIY headtracking ?

Do It Yourself headtracking are TrackIR alternatives using a modified webcam and a software application released by enthusiasts simmers.

One of those 3 applications do not require any extra hardware, but the 2 other requires you to build some infrared reference points ("lights") that you'll stick to your head somehow.
That infrared reference (from 1 to 3 points) is tracked by your modified webcam to detect your head movements and translate them into camera movements/rotations in-game.

I personally started using a self-made clip similar to TrackIR's trackclipPro, using 3 IR leds positionned exactly like trackclippro, but finally got a real TrackClipPro, to eliminate the dead angles at maximum rotations.

A good webcam is required for you to enjoy the headtracking experience ; sustaining 30 fps at 640x480 is a bare minimum, if you want stable positionning/movements once your headtracking software is configured properly (curves + filter settings).

There are 3 major popular applications available coming to my mind right now :

• FaceTrackNoIR
  
• FreeTrack
  
• OpenTrack

Quick comparison

Here is my personal thoughts on FaceTrackNoIR, FreeTrack and OpenTrack :

FaceTrackNoIR

I first started with FacceTrackNoIR, because it can run without the need for the infrared reference points, by "simply" detecting your face and its movements using an unmodified webcam.

It somehow worked, but as expected, could be quite inaccurate sometimes, according to the lighting conditions and/or poses.

Note that FaceTrackIR can also run in a more common way, using IR reference points too.

I suggest you give a try to FaceTrackNoIR if you want to have a quick look at headtracking basis.

Pros:

• Allow newcomers to enter the headtracking universe without hardware modifications (won't give the best results though)
  
• Can be configured to use various point models easily, including common IR-emitting clips.

Cons:

• face recognition can't compete with Infrared-based headtracking ; use this tracking source before choosing whether headtracking is for you or not. Then modify your webcam and build/get your clip to fully enjoy headtracking.

FreeTrack

Pros:

• comes with a great feature that adds smoothing to the Z axis (zoom) while you're zooming, improving stability when you're zooming.

OpenTrack

Pros:

• Best curves editing i've seen ; allows precise adjustments, including differences from one side to the other, with optional non-symetrical curves.

FYI, i'm now using opentrack, because of the awesome stability it gives me right now, plus the simple asymetrical curves editing.
Note that this may vary for you, according to your hardware.
I'm using a Philips SPC 700 NC modified (IR removal lens/filter removed, IR filter added in front of the lens using an old floppy disk) with a real TrackClipPro.


To get the best results for your hardware, you'll probably have to spend quite some time tuning your curves and Accela filter settings [see below]

headtracker.dll

To make DCS work with your DIY headtracker, you'll need to put "headtracker.dll" inside your <DCS_INSTALL_DIR>/bin/ directory (no subdirectory needed).

Here is the link to that library (you'll probably need the 64-bit version) :

released by facetrackNoIR[sourceforge.net]

headtracker.dll - no more DCS crashes

If you also encounter DCS.exe crash everytime you exit a mission, while you're using your DIY headtracker, there's a simple fix to it :

run your headtracker AND dcs as system administrator ; that's it ! no more crashes.
(yeah i know, i usually don't do that, but having to restart dcs every now and then gets boring)

According to your installation, it may mean switching to the non-steam version of DCS, which may also help during DCS updates, when EagleDynamics and Steam mirrors are not yet in sync.
You can have both versions installed at the same time, both the steam version and the standalone version will share your settings/bindings.

No more shaking - accela filter

With out-of-the-box default settings, your headtracking application may lead to quite some shaking ingame, this has to be expected, as one's hardware is different from anyone else.

Fortunately, by combining the use of the software 'curves' editing, and by tuning the software filtering settings, you can have quite a stable but still precise solution in minutes!

As a reference, you can visit opentrack Accela filter informations[github.com] before touching any Accela filter settings.

For your informations, here are my current opentrack Accela Filter Mk4 settings:
(again, this heavily depends on my own camera position, camera and body positionning).



The idea behind my own accela settings, was to widely increase stability without introducing visible delay in response time, hence the modifications applied there when compared to default values.


As i said before, you'll probably have to spend quite some time fine-tuning your settings (both accela filtering and software curves) ; as an example, here are my current opentrack Yaw curves :


You can alter both your curves and Accela filtering while in-game ; just Alt-Tab to opentrack/... while you stand in your cockpit.

[paulw10]

I use SmoothTrack on my iPhone SE (to do the head position sensing) and opentrack on PC (to do the scale mapping and interfacing to DCS). Also works for MSFS2020 and other flight sims. Works really well. The better the iPhone the better the sensing frame rate (uses the front camera). SmoothTrack costs £10 on App Store; also available for Android I understand. Best £10 I've spent in a long time.

[Funny Calculator Man]

alternatively you can use red flat head led's and dont need to remove if filter at all just make sure to make the exposure level zero and adjust the gain in the settings

[webs]

diy ed tracker will work through freetrack only 3df so not ideal i have left right translation mapped to roll with a small deadzone in the mapping a bit of a pain but all parts and long usb cable less tham £30 if you have no cmera and fancy a electronics soldering project. Ihave been surprised by how good this can be once sorted out :-)

[Jarvald]

If you have an android phone you can skip the whole webcam part and download headtracking app on android, attach it onto your headset and voila

[sthalik]

Compare the new Accela in 2.3 prerelease version. It has great user reception compared to mk3 and mk4.

[Gamer 2023]

Do you have any links to the files mentioned?