Is TrackIR Better Than VR For Sim Racing? - TrackIR 5 Review 

IR is a good compliment to single monitor users

The point about VR isn't that you can just look around, it's that the image is 3D as in real life - each eye sees a different perspective. This is why, once they've experienced "being in the car" (VR), so many people actually refuse to drive with monitors again.

I just got head tracking with triple 27 inch monitors and I love it. Gives me the chance to move the camera around, spot apexes, look when opponents are alongside, use the rear camera in rf2 etc. Some people seem to hate it, but it's only been a positive for me. I got the £60 Delanclip kit and can very much recommend it - and head tracking in general.

Thanks for the review, Yorkie. TrackIR seems ideal for my triple-screen setup. I have an Oculus Rift S, practically brand new, which isn’t used at all any more for my driving sims due to the reasons you indicated in the video. Not being able to see my steering wheel display and buttons is a game killer for me. I don’t get the immersion if my wheel, displays and buttons are in another dimension. Each to his own.

Thanks, a very useful video. I am currently seriously considering buying a trackIR 5 since my system probably couldn't handle VR ( with current gen sims ) and neither could my stomach. The main reason being that I like to use the correct field of view in racing sims but that means that I can only see the windscreen and nothing either side of me. I have wheel buttons mapped to look left and right but it isn't really ideal. It would be much nicer if I could just look left or right as required to see where the other drivers are. Based on your review I think trackIR could be the solution I have been looking for. You've had yours for a long time and generally they seem to be very reliable so it is not a massive investment to potentially change my sim racing experience massively. Thank you. This video was exactly the sort of consumer advice ( with sim racing emphasis ) I was looking for.

Thank you SO much! I will try this. Great vid, great explainations

I've used TrackIR 4 since 2010 back in the days of Test Drive Unlimited and Race 07. I had no problems using the hat and wireless sensors which gets around the extra cord issue. I don't think Yorkie mentioned that the TrackIR software is typically configured to amplify your real-life head movements before applying them in-game. So you can turn your head a little IRL but be looking 90 degrees to the side in-game. I also have the Oculus Rift CV1 and found that much more immersive, it is amazing the first time you put it on and see how 'large' the opponents' cars are since you feel like you are seated in one yourself. To get used to driving in VR, start off with tracks that have no elevation changes. I don't race as much these days and also have an ultrawide monitor so have been using that with built-in Look to Apex enabled in various games to cover casual needs.

Have one and I love it. I bought a wireless tracker, the UTC II+ Pro and it's top notch

I was very intrigued by Track IR 10+ years ago, mainly for use in flight sims, than driving, but I never got around to trying it.

Thank you for the video! And thanks for the idea! I have had a tracker for a long time, but for some reason it never occurred to me to use it in a car simulator ...

Great videos Yorkie! Stoked to see what you do :) just got into acc myself and it's bloody perfect. Just gotta find some communities for NA

I use the trackir on automobilista 2 in helmet view with a simple screen. It really gives a lot of immersion and feeling, I love it;)

Thank you for an excellent over view of this product. I'm in!!

Excellent sum-up... Great vid! Been using a DIY trackIR for a while now, which brings me to another plus on this contraption. A bloke where I live 3d machines the frame for the IR leds, and I use a ps3 eyetoy cam to pick up the leds. For mere peanuts(50-70€) you're up and running this. There is no reason not to, there simply is not.

Thanks for the info Mate. Have been waiting and wanting to find out in depth what and how it was.

love your vids Yorkie - its funny how some people do prefer track-IR, VR, or triples... or some combination. I'm glad to hear there's a market for all these systems. I myself am strictly VR only. I tried track-IR and my really did a number on my neck - controlling the camera with my neck stiffened it up so so much, it required very specific control, always conscious of what my neck and head were doing, it tensed up the muscles a lot and my neck was unable to deal with it. VR feels way more natural to me - I forget I'm wearing it and I just look wherever I need to.

I bought TrackIR 5 about 5 years ago and tried it for sim racing. I found turning my head where I wanted to look, while keeping my eyes looking straight at the screen very odd, and in addition, if there was a slide that happened while I was not looking straight at the screen, I had a lot of trouble predicting it, so counter acting it was an issue. As a result, I used TrackIR with EuroTruck (looking left and right at an intersection was really handy). I tried VR, and yes, I had to upgrade my GPU to a GTX1080, and yes, Beat Saber caused some destruction around the room initially, and yes I needed to get a chair without wheels for racing otherwise I would get motion sick. However, the immersion was unparalleled in VR to anything else I have experienced. To clarify though, I don't really use either TrackIR or VR these days for racing. I now have a triple screen setup that I find is a good compromise (ultawide would also work). The reasons I don't use VR much are: 1. It's heavy so long races are a no no for my neck 2. it's hot, and I sweat a lot so it fogs up 3. It's too hot to use in summer so I didn't use it as much as I thought I would. So this took a lot of experimenting to figure out what worked for me and what didn't, so ultimately, what is going to work for you is very personal. As VR is very costly (unit purchase + system upgrades), I would recommend borrowing one to try before you buy.

I converted my TrackClip PRO to cordless by wiring up a micro RC heli battery, LiPo if I recall. The battery sits inside the unit and the charging plug is exposed so it can be charged easily. Lasts a very long time and is charged via a fast-charger. Have pics and all of the assembly somewhere... been a long time since I looked at those files.

I went ahead and ordered it York. Thanks again Mate.

Great video Yorkie! I was on the fence between Track IR and Tobii as I didnt want VR and didn't have the room for triple monitors. I ended going with Tobii because of a great deal on Ebay plus Tobii supports eye tracking as well as head. In the end I honestly can't play my racing sims without it for the same reasons you mentioned in your video. For games that only support Track IR, and not Tobii, there is a 3rd party software call TrackNoIR which allows head tracking using the Tobii hardware. I'm hoping more and more games in the future continue to support both Track IR and Tobii as they are fantastic pieces of kits that help to immerse players into driving and flight sims.

Thanks for sharing mate, was waiting for that video 👍

Love my TrackIR5 for American Truck Simulator and ETS2. Made a world of difference. It's funny really, I bought it for Racing sims I rarely play, but it gets a work out in Trucking.

That dive bomb up the inside at the start though... XD

Vr just isnt quite there yet, though it's still fun. In dcs I use track ir for learning and vr for fun. With Track IR I can have a manual out or watching a tutorial video while flying. Sometimes it's just nice to be able to sit down and play without having to where the headset.

Great video. I got my Track IR5 a year ago at a high price at end of Pandemec and starting calibrating it with the LED lights. The clip does not stay on my headphones with out taping it. Unfortunately, I have not used it for awhile and now I am a newbie on DCS. I tried the clip with the Led lights but now they don't light up so I put the clip one on my hat. Much better but after about an hour the camera gets real hot. I am about to get back using it starting on DCS so we'll see if the camera lasts.

Excellent driving dude. I have Oculus and mainly use it for flight sim and driving sim. Have to say though if I do any more than an hour or so on VR I start to get a headache, TrackIR I hasn't got that issue and another point is that you are running at max resolution rather than VR resolution. That's one of the reasons I was checking the review.

Great video Yorkie065! I agree with all your comments. I love it because you can turn your head earlier to see the apex of the corner and not be limited to the FOV setting of your game. I was wondering whether you would consider doing a video on how to fine tune the TrackIR 5 for various games such as ACC, rFactor 2 etc or list your settings in the description below your video. Cheers Walter.

For me that I can't wear a vr headset for a long time (I don't like not being able to see the ambient around and my nice rig + poor graphics) this is the best solution. I tried triple 27 (but the vertical fov was too narrow) , tried several vr headsets but they all had obviously the problems that I said before, than a 34 ultrawide but still narrow vertical fov.. now I'm with a 43 inch 4k TV right after the wheel. Not overkill like a 55 inch , you don't feel like a dwarf in che car and more fov than a 34 ultrawide horizontally and vertically

Great video... This was very thorough and I enjoyed it. I think VR is far superior but it seems like my wife and friends can't handle the motion and get nauseas. For that reason, I think the triple monitor with this would be great. It eliminates the issue of having to keep your eyes forward. I do hate feeling around for the buttons on my wheel and keyboard though, that is a HUGE win for the tracker. LOL

I find mine works just as well with both the hat sensor and the sensor that clips to your headphones. I have a hat set up with it on ready to go. Thanks for the video.

As someone who had a Tir5 so long i had to replace the hat clips reflective tape and now have a rift s , no not even close. Turning to look at apexes in DirtRally 2 is amazing in VR. Bonus its great for DCS world and then you throw in the hours of game play for alyx. Its apples and oranges. Naturalpoint hasn't updated there software in 5 years either. No other games are going to get support. They haven't really tired to get into new titles since the Dk2 came out.

It’s a great tool for motion sickness but I’d say Valve index helps with it as well and it’s way better than the rest. Most people experienced only rift. For the viewer I saw a few brilliant VR videos with some smoothing option and it looked soo good 🔥 Like your setup as well 🌈

thank you for the video, what setting do you need to do within the game?

Interesting piece of kit. I race in VR, but in the summer it gets so hot in my little office that I tend to put it down for a few months and go back to 2D racing. This might be the 'thing' I'm looking for to bridge that gap. Thanks for the information.

Great Video. Thanks

Hi Yorkie, good video and very informative! My added question would be how natural the turning motions of your head feel with TrackIR? By definition your head movements need to be smaller than the perceived change of FoV (meaning: head turns, say 5 degrees, and FoV has to turn 10 degrees at the same time, otherwise you might look outside of your monitor). So, how much of getting used to for someone who has either not used it at all or has used the 1:1 head-tracking in VR?

I'm getting trackir 5 next week for MSFS 2020. I''m excited to try it out with the pro clip as I do a lot of streams when doing flights. I'm excited to see how more immersive it will be.

Does it works also with a three sceens?

I have been a TrackIR user for many years. Once I got my Oculus Rift almost three years ago, I gave it as a gift to a friend of mine and I have never regretted.

I used trackir when i first started iracing, it was really nice for racing closely like in skip barber, pro mazda etc, it was easier to maneuver around cars

Drawback of short cable to track clip pro can be solved by now offered wireless clips too.

I was researching about track IR 5 if it would be good for me or not and your video has just made me decide that I will get one in the next few weeks when i have the cash. My gaming rig is running on an old GTX 960 4GB so its not VR ready and i have a logitech G923 setup that i use for games like ATS and eventually Bus sim 21 when they make it work properly so this would be great addition to it all.

You helped me to make a decision, so thanks a lot for your efforts on this video! Greets from Brazil!

what degree of Fov were you using in ACC with trackir?

Personally I prefer VR because it really throws you in there. I use a CV1 at home but at work we have a Pimax and that is just glorious! I honestly think VR is better except for image clarity and if you have a big wide screen (I only have a 29 inch screen) I can see how the visual crispness of track IR can be something interesting. However, the immersion factor is just not there for me (I have both systems since I used to use track IR for my flight sims).

Could you please do a tutorial on how to configure the Track IR software for various driving/racing sims such as AC and ACC please. I am having a tough time getting my settings right. Nothing I do seems to feel natural. Would love to use your settings as a starting point.

Which monitor could be better for trackir, 32:9 or 21:9?

Great informative video. Am currently looking on ebay now for one as the amazon link is a dead end.

From what your saying I have to ask have you tried playing other games in VR that are not racing based to acclimatise to VR? As I've seen so many only play sim/game they are interested in that happen to be one of the most motion sicknesses inducing activities also many fail to notice things like a lock to the horizon/lock to seat option that will change the smoothness of the ride based on or between the options.

I have track ir for about 8 years i think. I am very satisfied with space/flight/car simulations and i cant play them without it anymore. Other games (dayZ, Arma, etc,....) i use it from time to time....

Ha, i always thought you mentioned something called TrackEye and assumed it was a cam you wear on your head looking back that could identify eyes and track the movement of them. This is a pretty cool piece of kit tho.

So do you just map that input device to the "look left" and "look right" channels in the sim racing programs?

can you use like 3 sensors on a 49 in ultrawide so you're eyeballs don't have to de-socket?

Thanks for the informative review, I think i'll be splashing out on one of those. Will it work with space games like Elite Dangerous? it could be handy in dogfights etc. I find VR makes me too hot after a while and the detail isn't high enough on my oculuc rift, i can't read marker boards etc (although i love the sense of scale), I'd want twice as much detail which i doubt any pc could handle yet making the cost of any future pc prohibitive.

Really like this Yorkie going to get this 👍👍👍

I picked up Track IR last week because it looked awesome in your vids. But I am finding it difficult to get used to. The looking at a stationary monitor while moving my head is messing with me. Bit also I am noticing that I find it more difficult to know when the car is getting out of shape. I really have to rely more on wheel noise and the wheel to know when I'm pushing the car too far. Whereas before I could get a sense of it visually when the view is stationary. Did you have any of those issue?

Very informative! What specs pc and monitor are you using?

Keeping your eyes on the screen but turning ur head is just weird as the monitor stays static, that's alright if you're sitting really close to like a 50" screen, but a regular 24" monitor at a decent distance would just be wrong

It has been in a box since I last flown DCS like 3-4 years ago. Might be a good time to take it out for a walk. But will try he hat clip. Never used it but the IR Clip was kind of annoying

Ive had trackir for 11 years. I use it for flight sims and Arma 3... its hard to play games without it now

Hi Yorkie, I've just bought a TrackIR 5 + ClipPro this week because of this video and tried for the 1st time yesterday. It was... a disaster. I just couldn't drive with it, too incredibly unstable, I just couldn't turn the wheel and my head without losing my orientation completely. I wonder if that's a configuration problem or if it takes a long time to get used to the camera moving. Did you had a great experience right from the start or you had to invest getting used to it and tweaking the configs? Would you mind sharing your configuration (deadzones, axis, etc) ? Thanks!

i use trackir with triples. works really great. can clearly see side mirrors, and look out side windows.

Hey, Matt!! Just got a Track IR based on your recommendation. Can you share the profile you use for ACC?

I always wondered what Track IR was. I will take a look at it. But does it feel similar to PC2's look to apex? Thanks for the review.

what about the price witch one is more afordable..?

Hi, is there a way to make this work with Xbox One?

Haha, so true - the remark for your surroundings. :)

Which SIM is the one at 9.30?

Hi , just got a TrackIR to try since getting eye strain with my older Oculus Rift V1 VR headset for iRacing mainly. I used your profile but man, was not expecting the motion sickness from it... Maybe because it is my first time trying it but never got motion sickness in VR. The screen shifting like that got my reference point out of wack completely. Maybe it is moving too fast, too much with a OneToOne template setting in the software but was not expecting that. Is it getting better with time? Not felt well for 15min at least... Anybody got that at first? Thanks in advance for your feedback.

I use triple screen for sim racing.i have enough screen space for looking at the Apad.will the ir mess up my viewing angle?

My TrackIR has been sitting in a drawer since I tried VR for the first time 3 years ago. I guess I did pull it out for some Arma about a year ago. I’m 100% if it doesn’t fully support VR I won’t support it.

I have Valve Index and TrackIR 5. Last Saturday I've done 2 hour non stop session playing ACC in VR and had no sickness, no problems whatsoever. Even the heat VR produces, I've got used to it. I am also much better driver when I am using VR so ACC is set up for it now. BUT I miss image clarity which I get with my 55 inch 4k TV... With TrackIR 5 I can still enjoy beautiful graphics and in VR graphics is meh.

What is the cost of the IR 5 Verse the VR thanks

I play on my TV that is about 3,5 meters from my chair and my pc is another few meters in another direction. Will this work that far away from each other?

why my track ir 5 do not work in Assetto corsa competizione..someone can explain me??

Why would I want a product in which Im constantly having to look out my peripheral instead of vr where the screen is constantly in my fov

do you still setup default FOV as if you weren't using TrackIR?

So if I want to look left I turn my head left but have to look right with my eyes to see the screen. That seems a little weird.

TrackIR was a massive game changer in 1998...but that was ever such a long time ago.

I have bought a wireless Headset just for Simracing, I love it an I'm even thinking about changing/upgrading it. That LED thing you strapped to your Headset. Does it need any signal or is that just power for the LEDs? Because if it's just power than using an AA-Batterie would feed those for a long time.

Would you be willing to share your iRacong settings?

great vid:)

Recommended vr for xp11 ?

Having both, I prefer VR for flight and driving Sims. I only use TrackIR for games that do not support VR, such as Arma 3. The emersion of VR trumps everything. Regarding the pro track clip verses the baseball clip, I prefer the baseball clip for convenience; the performance just doesn't seem to be compromised compared to the pro clip which is far too delicate and prone to damage.

Hey Yorkie, Thanks so much for your video. I didn't actually know this works with AC and ACC! I immediately went about trying to find where I had put my Track IR which I haven't used in years. I wanted to know if you would be willing to upload your AC and DCS profiles so that I'm able ti use them as a starting point for my own settings. If not then thats also OK! Thanks again!

I need to get this for F1 2021. Playing with a fixed camera in the cockpit view, I have to turn off the halo column

Track Clip Pro is not a sensor, it is just a three point infrared light source. It is powered by 5v USB, but you do not have to connect the USB to your PC as no data is transmitted through the cable. You can connect it to a mains-powered 5v phone charger with a USB socket in it and it will work just as well, so you do not need it to be tethered to your PC. You can simply plug the USB phone charger into the nearest mains electricity socket, or run an extension cable over if there is no socket nearby. I bought a short USB extension lead with an on/off switch in the middle of it from ebay and this allows you to switch the Track Clip Pro on when in use and off when you have finished using it. They cost about £2 only and prolong the life of the LEDs in the Track clip Pro because if you leave it connected to the USB on your PC the LEDs will remain on, even after you have finished using it. However, I mostly use VR these days because I have never suffered from any kind of motion sickness and I have also built myself some custom button box type controllers which I can use unsighted, so not being able to see the keyboard etc. is not really a problem for me.

How does it compare to a triple monitor setup that shows a wide view?

what about Tobii Eye tracker? Anyone experienced with that?

The simple clip works fine and can even be clipped onto headphones instead of a cap peak.

I know everyone who watched this that doesn't have TrackIR, spent their time turning their head while keeping their eyes on the screen. Personally i don't have an issue when driving for long periods in VR so the only real upside in TrackIR for me is the level of detail you can keep.

I think I would look into it when I move to pc rather than vr. Only used VR twice. And for me the problem was that I wear glasses. VR didn’t feel comfy when wearing glasses and due to my eyesight I could see clearly at all when taking them off. Plus like you said in the video I’ve personally invested in other products that I use whilst racing. Plus I’m assuming this gives the range of view as you would have by using triple monitors. I don’t have the space to TrackIR 5 seems like something would suit me

hey Yorkie... do you still use it? not many videos with sim racers using this it seems...

Does the magnet not damage your screen? Delan clip is cheaper.

Is there some similar piece of tech for console players???

I feel stupid for asking ... But I think I'm understanding that your eyes are fixed on the screen and you turn your head. So "looking left" = turning head left, but looking out of the corner of your eye to the screen? It seems like this would in and of itself introduce some kind of motion sickness. Isn't it weird to not be looking "straight"?

Looks nice. Seems more personal than anything. I'd never use one lol. Not as much of a fan of 2D driving lol. Never been interested in racing. Played a crappy vr game on psvr and boom lol. Hooked. The sense of feeling like I'm actually in a car just wow me. Looked crappy but it changed,how I looked at racing games. Only non vr game I play is F1.

Does anyone know of any UK dealers with stock of these at the moment?

You didnt mention which VR headset you have? I feel this is a huge peice of information when comparing it to anything else, as VR headsets go from super cheap and crappy ro very expensive and awsome.

Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou, Yorkie065 - as I was busting to finally see this Review to find out what your thoughts were on TrackIR 5, and it was very interesting info for me personally. But just 2 questions from my end please. (1). Are there any MODERN? SIMS that don't support it, such as maybe a game like Wreckfest or Dirt Rally 2. And the second is more an observation really --- but please don't take it as me saying YOU HAVE A BIT NOSE!!! hahaha. But if you re watch your own video, my immediate thought was that the sensor you have stuck to your headphones, might? be blocked when you turn hard left your end, from either your nose or part of the side of your face - as apposed to the HAT SENSOR which seems like from my viewing end - would have just very slightly more range (or equal range?) when you looked both hard left & right using your head...………………………….. your thoughts please?