TrackIR use with X-Plane (Mac) Tutorial

[Kyle.Sanders]

I have compiled this list by much trial and error and with a bit of help from members from the PilotEdge.net community. Please feel free to leave feedback on how you did things and if you see anything that could be done better. I will then edit this original post as needed.

TrackIR is not supported on MacOS. Therefore work-arounds are needed to make it work on a Mac with X-Plane.


Purchase a TrackIR device
https://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/





****SETUP****
Go to this site and download the your OS package. (in my case it was MacOSX Package)
https://github.com/uglyDwarf/linuxtrack/wiki/Downloads

Launch the .dmg file that was downloaded.

(optional but I did it)- copy the contents of the the folder to a folder on your computer. I then placed that folder in my Applications area.

Launch the itr_gui app.

___Device setup tab

You are going to want download the latest firmware if it is not already installed. Just follow the prompts to do that.

Then select the Tracking device as “TrackIR/SmartNav”. Orientation “normal”.

___Model Setup tab

I like the NPTrackClip instead of the Pro. It seems to work better and easier to mount. Choose what you want.

___Misc Tab

Click Install Xplane Plugin… and be sure to choose the application “x-plane.app” (what you double click to start x-plane)

I left all settings as “Default” because they work perfectly for me.



___Calibrating

Go to the other GUI screen and click Start.

You want to move the TrackIR so that your reflectors are as centered as possible. You should see total black and then your reflectors only. If there is something else in the picture, you need to get rid of that light source/reflective surface. I had to hang a thick blanket over a window behind me because the blinds and curtains weren’t enough to keep the sun light out enough for the TrackIR. I could have dialed down the sensitivity but then it was killing my actual reflectors from the image.

Click on the 3D View tab and see how it is going to look in an aircraft.

Going back to the first GUI window to fix your sensitivity settings until they are perfect. Click “Save” on the first GUI window and “Quit”








****Teach X-Plane to speak to TrackIR****

Launch X-Plane

Go to Settings>Joystick& Equipment>Buttons: Adv

Press the joystick button you want to run the TrackIR with the first time you start each sim session. I suggest something that is going to be out of the way and that won’t be accidentally bumped anytime.

Select the joystick button to the right of the “Equipment” tab, open the linuxtrack folder, select itr_run and then “open”

Now click the joystick button you will want to have TrackIR recenter your view. I suggest something easily accessible.

Now do the same thing… Select the button to the right of the “Equipment” tab, open the linuxtrack folder, select itr_recenter and then “open”

I have seen no reason to have the “Pause” operation but if you feel the need, I think you get the idea of how to do that now….

Ensure everything is saved correctly by going back to Settings>Joystick& Equipment>Buttons: Adv, click the buttons we just set up and make sure the correct radio button in the settings is highlighted accordingly.

TrackIR should work now. If not, just recheck your setup and restart x-plane.








****USE DURING SIM OPERATION****

Do NOT start the GUI. It is not needed to use TrackIR during the sim operation.

Make sure the TrackIR is plugged into your computer

Open x-plane. The TrackIR should turn on and have the red lights on.

When ready to use the TrackIR for the first time during this simulation session, activate your “Run” button. The TrackIR will now turn on the green lights and place your sim into 3D cockpit mode and will follow your head tracking device.

To get out of the 3D mode, press W or some other view shortcut. The TrackIR lights should remain green from this point on.

To reinter 3D cockpit/TrackIR mode, just enter 3D cockpit like normal (Shift+9 or other shortcut that you may have set up)

IMPORTANT: After activating TrackIR, do NOT select the “Run” button again. If you do, you may not get it to work again until you restart x-plane, unplug the TrackIR and then replug it back in/restart x-plane.

[mounir.dous]

Hello kyle and thanks a lot for your support and tutorial !
Everything goes well for me till I start xplane and not red light comes on + after xplane started I get an error message saying that Linuxtrack was removed or relocated.
The trackir is detected in the gui and I can move my head around, the plugin installs correctly to the resources/plugin/xlinuxtrack/mac.xpl
But it does not work when firing xplane
Xplane and the xlinuxtrack folders are in the Applications folder...
any idea please ?

THANKS
Moun

[Kyle.Sanders]

Hello kyle and thanks a lot for your support and tutorial !
Everything goes well for me till I start xplane and not red light comes on + after xplane started I get an error message saying that Linuxtrack was removed or relocated.
The trackir is detected in the gui and I can move my head around, the plugin installs correctly to the resources/plugin/xlinuxtrack/mac.xpl
But it does not work when firing xplane
Xplane and the xlinuxtrack folders are in the Applications folder...
any idea please ?

THANKS
Moun

I'm sorry, idk what the issue could be. I also don't use my Mac anymore. I made the switch to Windows