Help! Trackir not smooth, but everything else is

  • I just purchased Aerofly, and I must say it is spectacular. However, I am having a real issue with Trackir - The panning with Trackir in Aerofly is not smooth at all, very "notchy". However, panning with either the mouse or the hat switch is as smooth as can be (smoother than any other sim I have) and the FPS is consistent and high. If I either turn Trackir off or just hold my head still and turn the aircraft, the view is also buttery smooth. Is there a trick to setting up Trackir to get smooth view panning?

    I know it is not sim rendering performance, because as I said I can pan around by any other means and the panning is incredibly smooth, and if I am not looking around the scenery rendering is also ridiculously smooth. It is just the Trackir that is not smooth. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Trackir software, I have tried different USB ports for the Trackir, I have tried setting Trackir affinity to just physical cores or a single core, I have tried every Nvidia graphics setting I can think of (even though it is clearly not a graphics or vsync issue), nothing is fixing it. Is there a control setting I am missing to get Trackir to work right?

    Trackir is absolutely butter-smooth in X-plane, but it is completely different in Aerofly. I would like to use Trackir in Aerofly as I am used to it so much in all my other flight sims, but the panning is so bad it is basically unusable. What am I missing?

    I have an i7-6700k overclocked to 4.5 and a Titan Xp, so I should have plenty of horsepower. But as I said, it is clearly not an FPS or video rendering issue, it is some sort of control issue or control input conflict. I can't figure it out.

    Any help in setting this up would be great as I can tell this is a great sim! I don't want to have to go VR yet just to enjoy it.

    Thanks!

  • We will test TrackIR next week and check if there is any issue at all.

    On your side, please use 'default' settings as much as possible for NVIDIA graphics settings, TrackIR settings and so on. We generally do not recommend to tweak anything there to make Aerofly run better, it should run fine by default.

    As for TrackIR, let us look into it, but ensure on your side that TrackIR runs smooth with the configuration software.

  • Thanks for the response - yes I have everything set to default in Nvidia settings. I do have a Gsync monitor running at 144 Hz, but as I said it does not appear to be a graphics rendering issue as I can pan extremely smoothly with the hat switch or mouse, and when I maneuver the aircraft itself the scenery rendering is very smooth and high fps with no stutters at all.

    The Trackir is working well in the configuration software - when I reinstalled my Trackir software, I deleted all of my profiles and went back to default, so everything is standard. Also, as I said in X-plane 11 Trackir is working perfectly with extremely smooth panning under default settings. So it feels like there is a controller setting associated with Aerofly, but I can't figure out what it might be.


    I am assuming others are using Trackir in Aerofly without any issues? I have not seen any forum posts with my specific problem.

    I do appreciate your help!

  • I am assuming others are using Trackir in Aerofly without any issues? I have not seen any forum posts with my specific problem.

    No issues here. Using the TrackClip pro and the Smooth preset. Only changed the re-center and pause assignement, just like Sylvian.

    Did you use the Game update option of TrackIR? Maybe your TrackIR software doesn't 'know' yet Aerofly FS 2 is available somehow...? (Although in that case it shouldn't work at all... but you might give it a try.)

  • No issues here. Using the TrackClip pro and the Smooth preset. Only changed the re-center and pause assignement, just like Sylvian.

    Did you use the Game update option of TrackIR? Maybe your TrackIR software doesn't 'know' yet Aerofly FS 2 is available somehow...? (Although in that case it shouldn't work at all... but you might give it a try.)

    Hi:

    Yes, I did the game update, and Aerofly appears in the list correctly. I can make changes to the settings and see them change in-game. The "ghosting" or stuttering is there anytime I pan my head no matter what smoothness settings I use. I have applied a few different default profiles to different axes - smooth, one:one, deadzone, etc - they all have the expected effect but the "notchiness" is still there. Even using precision mode - you get a lag in movement, but the movement is still not smooth.

    I see this complained about quite a bit for TrackIR on some other sims, just have not seen anyone comment on it for Aerofly. I have updated my USB drivers etc. It is weird, because the issue is only there when panning my head with the TrackIR - all other motion in the sim (aircraft, objects, scenery) is smooth as silk. That's what suggests a controller issue to me. Driving me crazy.

  • Hi:

    Yes, I did the game update, and Aerofly appears in the list correctly. I can make changes to the settings and see them change in-game. The "ghosting" or stuttering is there anytime I pan my head no matter what smoothness settings I use. I have applied a few different default profiles to different axes - smooth, one:one, deadzone, etc - they all have the expected effect but the "notchiness" is still there. Even using precision mode - you get a lag in movement, but the movement is still not smooth.

    I see this complained about quite a bit for TrackIR on some other sims, just have not seen anyone comment on it for Aerofly. I have updated my USB drivers etc. It is weird, because the issue is only there when panning my head with the TrackIR - all other motion in the sim (aircraft, objects, scenery) is smooth as silk. That's what suggests a controller issue to me. Driving me crazy.

    I believe I've got the same symptom. At first I thought it was an issue with Vsync. Wild controller pans are smooth as silk, TrackIR seems to be like a 7 - 10hz sample and update. Notchy when swiveling my head.
    Asus Strix 1080Ti oc'd to 2+ghz, 3770k at 4.8ghz, 32gig . Butter on my ultra wide monitor as well as my Rift with all quality sliders pinned. Non of the 'notchiness'.

    -- Rich

  • I believe I've got the same symptom. At first I thought it was an issue with Vsync. Wild controller pans are smooth as silk, TrackIR seems to be like a 7 - 10hz sample and update. Notchy when swiveling my head.
    Asus Strix 1080Ti oc'd to 2+ghz, 3770k at 4.8ghz, 32gig . Butter on my ultra wide monitor as well as my Rift with all quality sliders pinned. Non of the 'notchiness'.

    -- Rich

    Yup, that's exactly what I am seeing. Almost as if the TrackIR is being sampled too slow. If I keep my head still, everything is perfectly smooth. In the TrackIR config program, I don't see any "notchiness" at all in terms of what the TrackIR sensor itself is seeing - just in-game.

    I've tried every setting I can think of and I'm stumped.

  • We will test TrackIR next week and check if there is any issue at all.

    On your side, please use 'default' settings as much as possible for NVIDIA graphics settings, TrackIR settings and so on. We generally do not recommend to tweak anything there to make Aerofly run better, it should run fine by default.

    As for TrackIR, let us look into it, but ensure on your side that TrackIR runs smooth with the configuration software.

    I can report I have attained some improvement by turning off Gsync on my monitor, capping Aerofly at 120 fps, and setting my monitor to fixed refresh at 120 Hz to match. It is at least now flyable. However, the "notchiness" is still there - it is defintely not as smooth as what I see with X-plane and DCS, for example. I am basically running default settings for both Nvidia and TrackIR other than what I have mentioned.

    I do appreciate you guys looking into this! As a new user, the overall fluidity really is exceptional - it is just that the less-than-smooth panning is disorienting when trying to fly aerobatics, VFR approaches etc.

  • (...)The panning with Trackir in Aerofly is not smooth at all, very "notchy". (...)

    Hi,

    I have a similar issue when "panning my head" with the TrackIR in Aerofly FS2 as soon as I set VSYNCH ON. Unlike yours my monitor is limited to 60Hz and such a setting causes a very notchy TrackIR following.

    I tried various settings, but the only one providing so far a smooth TrackIR experience whatever my head movements is "Unlimited framerates".

    The drawback may be some image tearing when panning fast, but after flying with whichever setting, I found out in my case that a slight image tearing was definitely less immersion-killing than TrackIR notchiness... Not everyone will necessarily come to the same complusion, though...

    Cheers

    Antoine

    Config : i7 6900K - 20MB currently set at 3.20GHz, Cooling Noctua NH-U14S, Motherboard ASUS Rampage V Extreme U3.1, RAM HyperX Savage Black Edition 16GB DDR4 3000 MHz, Graphic Card Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB, Power supply Corsair RM Series 850W, Windows 10 64 bit.

  • We just tested TrackIR and can't find any issues at all, neither with VSYNC on or off.

    Can you describe in more detail what you observe? Also, ensure you do your tests in a region with less detail and turn off clues for testing purposes.

    It is consistent with some of the other responders have described - when you turn your head very quickly, there are no issues, the view snaps with no delay or stutter. When you turn your head slowly, there is a definite (though consistent) step-wise motion of the image, almost as if the TrackIR is being sampled at a very slow rate. "Notchy" is a good description - the image moves in discrete steps (like "click-click-click") that is seeming to skip frames. This occurs even in Precision mode.

    Note that there is NO jerkiness at all if you keep your head still and just turn the aircraft - the image you see is incredibly smooth and lifelike. It is only panning with TrackIR that shows the issue. Panning with mouse or hat switch is also smooth as can be.

    I have tried this in both highly complex regions and in less detailed, with all different aircraft. I can't tell if it is better of worse in less complex areas, but it is always there (for example, no difference between downtown Manhattan with the NE USA scenery, Sion in Switzerland with the Switzerland scenery, or Provo Utah with the Utah scenery). It seems like setting the sensitivity of TrackIR to Maximum in the appropriate controller settings in Aerofly improves this a tiny bit, but I am not sure if that is just my eyes fooling me.

    I am running a 144 Hz GSync monitor, but I have tested at refresh rates down to 60 Hz and still see the same issue (actually much worse at lower refresh rates). I have also tested with GSync on and off, with various combinations of Vsync on and off, with Vsync on, off or frame capped in-game. The least severe seems to be GSync on, 120 Hz refresh and sim capped at 120fps - but it is still very noticeable.

    LIke Trespassers noted, I too can eliminate the notchiness by turning off all Vsync everywhere and running unlimited frames, but then I get horrible screen tearing.

    I have tried the TrackIR in every single USB port I have, I have uninstalled and reinstalled the TrackIR software, I have rolled back to earlier versions of the TrackIR software - all have the same issues. My Nvidia drivers (I have a Titan Xp) are up-to-date. But it doesn't seem like it is a video driver issue, otherwise why would rendering be so smooth other than just the TrackIR panning? Also, TrackIR is perfectly smooth in X-Plane 11 at the same settings.

  • We can confirm, that if we slowly move the head, we indeed see a non smooth movement in Aerofly. But we already see this in the TrackIR control software as well! We can improve this a little by increasing the Motion Control 'Smooth' factor. Can you experiment with this a little and report back?

    So at this point its not clear what we can do to improve this. Can you report to us what FPS you get in X-Plane

    Also in Aerofly, the effect is strongest when you 'zoom in' a lot, it even amplifies the effect.

  • We can confirm, that if we slowly move the head, we indeed see a non smooth movement in Aerofly. But we already see this in the TrackIR control software as well! We can improve this a little by increasing the Motion Control 'Smooth' factor. Can you experiment with this a little and report back?

    So at this point its not clear what we can do to improve this. Can you report to us what FPS you get in X-Plane

    Also in Aerofly, the effect is strongest when you 'zoom in' a lot, it even amplifies the effect.

    I will do some testing tonight. I will look a little closer at what the TrackIR software shows - to my recollection the control software was showing smoother movement, but I will double-check. Are you using the default TrackIR profile or something tailored to Aerofly?

  • I will do some testing tonight. I will look a little closer at what the TrackIR software shows - to my recollection the control software was showing smoother movement, but I will double-check. Are you using the default TrackIR profile or something tailored to Aerofly?

    Did some testing... There is maybe some coarseness visible to me in the TrackIR software tool (very hard to tell), but not anywhere near as evident as what I see in the sim. I can confirm that the Motion Control Smoothness slider in TrackIR does smooth things out noticeably, but there is still a pronounced "judder" in the panning image even when I have the Smoothness slider set to Max (full right in the TrackIR tool).

    I also tried some different TrackIR profile curves but I cannot get rid of the coarse panning with any of them - certainly can't get it to be as smooth as what I see in X-Plane or DCS with the same settings, or panning with the mouse.

  • I think I may have found where some of the issue was...

    In searching around for potential solutions, I came across these links:

    TrackIR software uninstall/reinstall process

    TrackIR stutters

    In doing a registry search, I found that my system had 8 different entries under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CONTROLSETxxx - ENUM - USB - Vid_xxxxxx set of keys associated with my TrackIR device. I am not completely sure how Windows 10 handles USB port assignments in the registry, but that was quite a bit more than any of my other devices. After uninstalling the TrackIR software and disconnecting my device, I carefully cleaned those entries from my registry along with the obsolete registry entries recommended by the TrackIR support people.

    Lo and behold, this time after reinstalling the TrackIR software, the performance was butter-smooth - stutters almost 100% gone. Absolutely night-and-day difference, even with the default profiles and smoothness at the default setting.

    I think in my case, each time that the TrackIR had been disconnected and moved to a different USB port, the software may have left these duplicate keys in the registry. Either that was the issue, or the TrackIR software simply isn't very good at cleaning up after itself. Either way, following this process seemed to completely fix the problem for me. I have my TrackIR now on a 4-port USB pci-e card with separate controllers for each port, and I am not moving it now that it is working!

    I would only caution anyone to make sure you know what you are doing before messing with the registry, as you can really mess things up if you delete the wrong thing.

    Edited once, last by PurdueKev (February 25, 2018 at 3:50 PM).