Head tracking with just an App! SmoothTrack Review in MSFS/DCS/X Plane11

Is it possible to have a smooth head tracking experience without any expensive additional hardware? Today we review the SmoothTrack App for Android and iOS!
App Link:
apps.apple.com...
play.google.co...
I am a real world Airbus pilot with thousands of hours flying the real aircraft and thought it would be fun to have a look at the new detailed simulation of the longest baby 'bus by Toliss as well as the new MSFS a320 NEO. Hopefully you find this useful and it brings another perspective to your simulation. Any thoughts or comments are welcome!
This video is intended for home entertainment only and does not reflect or represent any real world aircraft or airline procedures. It is for home flight simulator enthusiasts only and has no real world application. All views expressed are my own.
Simwings community support project:
www.simwingssu...
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Intro Music by Fly24: • Distance Too Far.

[@epaga]

WOW what a great video, thanks so much! Happy to answer any questions if there are any!

[@sebjulien3]

Hello, Is there a version of the app for PC using a PC webcam? Thank you for your time have a nice day.

[@epaga]

@@sebjulien3 Something similar to this would be AITrack which uses a webcam. The downsides of webcams are two-fold: one, webcams are often not as high res as smartphone cams. And two, the tracking takes performance that your sim will often need instead. :-)

[@sebjulien3]

​@@epaga I will buy your app. I tried setting other apps using IR headset, it is overly complicated. There is only one downside of yours for me: my Wifi is always turned OFF. I don't wanna get into a debate but because I have Lyme disease I don't have Myelin and collegen to protect my brain. So every kind of ''wave'' gives me a pretty intense migraine under 10 minutes. So it would be amazing for me to just be able to plug my cellphone on my PC usb port.Thank you for the reply I really appreciate. Have a beautiful day.

[@epaga]

@@sebjulien3 If you have Android it should already work with USB, I can send you instructions. For iOS, I nearly have that ready as a feature

[@ortundgaming967]

Thanks for the software John! I'll probably download in a few weeks because I'm poor but definitely up for using this!

[@ortundgaming967]

I've been wanting a head tracker but I never knew there were apps available on my phone. I'd say $10 is a steal considering the price of TrackIR which may not be viable for simmers who can't sim as much as they'd like but definitely looking into this now. Thanks for the review!

[@320SimPilot]

You are welcome! Glad its useful!

[@patrickforte4370]

Hi, happy you are alive after your ejection , 12G is not nothing!! very nice video as usual , just THANK YOU!

[@320SimPilot]

Yes I cannot imagine it is a pleasant experience! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it.

[@jdub4221]

Just purchased it! Thanks as always for the great videos. Love your channel!

[@320SimPilot]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@dr.darian]

Looks great. Also 1 more thing to crash while streaming.

[@320SimPilot]

Yes I won't be using it during streams I think!

[@epaga]

@@320SimPilot one idea for streams would be use the „toggle“ keybind in OpenTrack. That would let you hold a button to either temporarily turn off the tracking or temporarily activate it. Helpful for holding still for pressing a button in the cockpit.

[@320SimPilot]

@@epaga yes this could be a good idea!

[@CameTo]

@@320SimPilot it's a must, and you'll find it essential to. For example when you're programming the FMC, and referring to a second monitor/tablet/paper you don't want your head zooming side to side in the cockpit. You just press a button (eg scroll lock) and it "pauses" your head tracking, in whatever position you were when you paused. After your done press scroll lock again, and it "unpauses" tracking again.

[@richavery66]

This looks like a good app but since I have a webcam on my computer and like to keep my phone free (I've programmed it using Tasker to calculate TOD etc. and, of course, someone might phone me while I'm simming), I think FaceTrackNoIR has the edge for me. If I hadn't had the webcam, this would've been a great alternative. It would be interesting to know how this compares to FaceTrackNoIR, however, in case it would give me something I'm missing in not using it.

[@tibor1234]

Hi, nice video like always. Is it possible to use only SmoothTrack or i need Opentrack ?

[@320SimPilot]

Hi, thanks for watching! You will need both but Open Track is freeware. Setup is explained on the website: smoothtrack.app

[@funofflying15]

I really wanted to get this app, but it won't work with the OS on my 3 year old Android phone, grrrr :-(

[@andrewbennett2582]

Hi! I know this is an old video, but I thought I’d try anyway! I’ve used this combo of software many times in the past and always ended up ditching it, I could just never get it set up to be smooth, so I’m wondering if you might be able to please share the profile you created and maybe I could give that a whirl? Would be awesome if you could, but no worries if not!

[@AviatorPanels]

would you be happy to share your configuration file for this?

[@axelgrobe1186]

For anyone having a webcam connected to their computer already, there is an even easier way to get facial recognition as input for opentrack's head tracking. AITrack is still in alpha but works fine already. It's available here for download: github.com/AIRLegend/aitrack

[@CameTo]

Have used this myself, as well as face track. Can confirm they both work, although I don't like to play with bright lights in my face, and my webcam tracking sometimes "drifts" a bit as a result. I could upgrade webcam, but for something I don't use that often, £60 was already a lot, and while I haven't tried this phone option yet, phone cameras have come so far the last few years, I think it I'll give it a shot once I've managed to buy a new graphics card. Still all sold out, and don't wanna buy an old one.

[@cornucopiahouse4204]

If your scenery for NYC an addon?

[@nickde6339]

Obviously not. That is what the game/simulator looks like vanilla.

[@cornucopiahouse4204]

@@nickde6339 kzbin.info/www/bejne/naKXhnZ_gJibrNE

[@320SimPilot]

No this is all default scenery!

[@nickde6339]

@@cornucopiahouse4204 Make sure your connection is good enough to load the buildings properly, if it is, Id check the games settings

[@charliethedog7066]

My TrackIR has not been working too well recently and I've been thinking about buying a new one (it is about 10 years old). Then I saw your SmoothTrack video! I had to give it a go, WOW! Brilliant! Worth every penny of £9.99. A little bit fiddly to set up, but well worth the effort. I just perch my iphone just below my screen and it works like a dream. Even my wife who is a bit sceptical about flight sim stuff, when I got her to sit down in front of the screen and look around, she suddenly realised that she was in an A320 cockpit, with no wires, hat etc . Game Changer!!

[@fkthewhat]

I KNEW it! I KNEW YOU WERE A PINK OCTOPUS!

[@320SimPilot]

The cat is out of the bag!

[@aps-pictures9335]

You can set a button to turn headtrack on and off, prevents those streaming issues, etc you describe!

[@Chikyel]

I just boght it. Bye to the TrackIR fragile gadgets. I'm still doing my settings, but happy so far. Thank you for the recommendation.

[@320SimPilot]

Enjoy Jordi! Glad it was useful, thanks for watching!

[@GunMaster6542]

I've been using it for a few months and imho it's by far the best choice of head tracking for msfs.

[@ajnaguy]

I just found a use for the 'kickstand' on my phone case. :) I'd like to add that setup is REALLY easy thanks to the step-by-step in-app instructions. Gonna need to play with settings, but this really works well. I'm flying the new Alaska bush trip in MSFS, and this is going to enhance the enjoyment so much!

[@Ichinin]

Looks like a good product, got TrackIR myself and while i find wearing a hat a big immersion breaking, this would be better. VR on the other hand feels like putting a helmet on and that is just totally Ok for DCS.

[@er_perraco3255]

Can you guys actually use it for a long session with any jetliner, I gave it a go but for airliners, plugging info in the FMC is a bit of a pain.. you really have to keep your neck completely frozen

[@rakon8496]

It is not intended to be used the whole time in the sim, at least i couldn't use it that way. You have to bind a key to switch HT on/off and then use headtracking if you want to show something in the scenery e.g. It really adds to immersion in streams if you adjust it more naturally with slower movements... THX

[@320SimPilot]

Great tip, thanks for watching!

[@fornicators]

Just got my HT today and my understanding is that I can’t use the HT and joystick simultaneously in msfs2020? Cos if I chose trackir in the menu I can’t use the joystick when flying, is there something I missing. P.s been googling this ALOT Cheers

[@marcdraco2189]

There's a cheaper one (6.99) that also works with OpenTrack too... would you do a review of that one? Pretty pleeeeze.

[@cmac6769]

Do you have a profile or settings you could share?

[@soloturk2063]

Yeah, I'm also looking for the profile that he used in DCS, cuz that looked so smooth, u could'nt find any differences compared to TrackIR ..

[@LaggerYT1337]

I like that you're playing DCS. :)

[@320SimPilot]

Still more practice required! Thanks for watching.

[@Dg-zj6jo]

thats unreal brilliant app the clouds look great what setting do you have please... goose or maverick ha below 10 thousand feet hard deck dont count remember ... see you on the live stream tomorrow sir

[@KGSOsimpilot]

This may sound stupid... But wouldn't it be uncomfortable to look at the overhead panel, your head would look up but you would still have to look straight to see the monitor... Wouldn't certain POVs be uncomfortable..?

[@320SimPilot]

Hi Caleb, great question. Using the sensitivity curves you can make it so that just by titling your head a bit up the camera move much more, this way it becomes quite intuitive! Although what you say is certainly true to some extent, it just takes a bit of adjusting. Thanks for watching!

[@pierreaveline7867]

Hi, how to save parameters (x,y,z,…) of SmoothTrack ? Everytime I close and reopen the app, I have to redo all the setting, thanks a lot

[@BelgianFriesGaming]

I'm soo sad that I can't download it on my android... It says my android is up-to-date but when I go to the app store it says "your device is not compatible with this version" :(((

[@320SimPilot]

That is a shame, I think it requires 'AR services' on android, I'm not entirely sure what that means! Thanks for watching as always BelgianFries!

[@baf_mcnab3065]

Great review and looks a fantastic add on. It's not VR but for a tenner it is the next best thing and in some ways might be better than VR since you can still see your keyboard and peripherals.

[@theaeronautical9203]

If anyone needs assistance with installing opentrack on Linux - I’d be happy to help. The developers did not provide Linux binaries, so you will need to build and compile opentrack yourself. Instructions are provided, but the whole process can be overwhelming for newbies or anyone not too familiar with Linux.

[@yannisl8259]

Just bought the toliss a321. Currently watching your vids to learn

[@320SimPilot]

Excellent, enjoy and I hope the videos help! Thanks for watching and commenting Yannis.

[@nanonana5677]

I bought ist Yesterday and it's just amazing.....

[@davidnamaila6850]

i ve set up smoothtrack for msfs but it doesnt see me turn my head (yaw) for some reason i can only look up and down (pitch) in the game. any fix for this?

[@quintenzappe3412]

Quick tip by the way, close the mirrors in DCS for better frame rates

[@320SimPilot]

Thanks for the tip! I do like the mirrors but will remember that if my PC starts struggling. Thanks for watching!

[@jjsemperfi]

I can’t get it configured to save my life. It’s horribly sensitive and any small movements I make the elephant does backflips haha.

[@320SimPilot]

Make sure you have the Filter set to 'Accela'. I had trouble when it was not.

[@theleakybilgerats]

This looks fantastic

[@L_Emir_de_Passy]

How far does the phone need to be from one’s face?

[@SheridanM551]

Can anyone improve the airliners avionics in fs2020 no more inop but I’m sure Microsoft will do it at some point keep calm and squawk 7500

[@gamersspace9556]

Download the A32NX addon

[@nickde6339]

Can I use any android phone? does the camera or anything related to the phone have to meet certain requirements to work properly?

[@JC-xz4ec]

As long as you can install Google AR Services, the instructions state that it can run on any Android device regardless of version.

[@very96]

This is sickkkk

[@KSB_Shutter]

how were you able to look fully behind you ? i can only look on 90° angles on the sides wich annoys me quite a lot. If anyone could help me that would save my day

[@aurelien38]

i guess custom mapping in opentrack ? you can map up to 180 deg output check it out. one day saved :D

[@erwinkouwenhoven6391]

dunno if i mised it or you forgot to show it in the vid: for Xplane 11 ; in Settings - Graphics - tik the box at the left bottom 'Enable Track IR& Track HAt view in 3D cockpit' ;)

[@320SimPilot]

Great point, I mention it only but this is a good description of how to enable it! Thanks for watching Erwin!

[@CameTo]

It's on by default when you plug in a suitable device

[@dunojon3263]

Hi , I have this on my android , I manage to make it work on a steam dcs then I reinstall both Steam DCS and DCS World and after that I cant make it work anymore . I set it like in help section , all good , working in Opentracker but when I start the games cant make it work , any ideas , please ?

[@johnmaguire2185]

I can move the octopus, but nothing changes in FSX-SE using the aerosoft A320. Anyone know if some additional set required in FSX-SE?

[@madsib5187]

Awesome, review! I wanted to find out more about trackIR and stumbled upon your video! I will buy this app, it appears to be awesome 😍😍😍

[@wawanwelt8972]

Waww. And how do you set the deadzone? I dont want to unscrew my head just to look to my rear

[@320SimPilot]

You can adjust the sensitivity in the software, this is how I can turn my head a small amount in the middle in a soft zone, but if I move outside of that it turns a lot faster so I can see behind.

[@wawanwelt8972]

@@320SimPilot i see. Maybe i need to purchase the pro version to have that feature right

[@louisdebuisson5965]

It would be fantastic if you could share your profile for dcs world ‘cause i have a hard time making mine.

[@Fe7Ace]

I'm long time TrackIR user and would miss headtracking dearly if I stopped using it, it's very immersive. Many games don't use it, but flight sim, space sim, driving games, it is made for this. I make frequent use of the 'pause tracking' especially in flying the Airbus, to help pressing buttons in the cockpit, I recommend binding that command to something very accessible for any head tracking (I guess SmoothTrack would have this feature too). I also use "reset tracking" just as much, otherwise you feel like you have to be rigid to remain at the middle, can't lean back in your chair without camera going crazy, etc. Reset button fixes that. MSFS on DirectX 11 is just so bound up on performance, that high refresh rates are hard to achieve. Very interested in a DirectX 12 version coming later, because you want high refresh rates for head tracking to feel butter smooth. When you are under 60fps the whole time and tanking down below 30fps sometimes then you can start getting motion sick and headaches from this technology.

[@einfussganger]

Wow - excellent review. Is all of the zooming just your head moving closer or is there another way to zoom?

[@td8269]

Hi there ... thx for the video ... where i can find the link to download and install the track software on my PC?

[@ellonysman]

Any setting change in mfs2020 foe enabling it?

[@TheJase75]

SmoothTrack feeds tracking data to OpenTrack, which converts it into a TrackIR-compatible data and feeds it to MFSF2020. A TrackIR option should appear in MSFS2020 automatically and just work.

[@jdshemp]

Can you pause it with a key stroke?

[@320SimPilot]

Absolutely!

[@JunaidAli-ws1li]

How's the latency? Does it feel laggy while moving hour head around?

[@AvioMan]

Awesome!!!!

[@320SimPilot]

Thanks Avio!

[@JamesGoodwin1994]

Wanting to use this for dcs as I find it really hard to manually move the camera around while flying a fighter jet! Was relieved to see that you recommend it as I trust your opinion

[@opex1359]

I tried xplane but it's not working

[@blacknass1943]

is it working witf a Desktop Cam?

[@FinalLight-NL]

I love it but the delay is very annoying

[@Gert-DK]

Well done Maverick ;-)

[@ZachSmit]

Awesome review, thank you. Would it be possible to share your OpenTrack Profile .ini's? Just can't seem to get the sweet spot on the profile settings. o7

[@LKS98]

Wow this is cool😲 thank a lot for the info

[@avrahamramati6883]

Are able to still see the screen while tilting your head in all directions?

[@Fe7Ace]

Yes, the principle with all these head tracking things is that the real world motion is amplified in the software to achieve that - i.e. turning your head ~10° equals looking behind you in the software (adjustable by the curves). Now try turning your head 10° and you will notice that your eyes have a range of motion that naturally compensate for you when you still intend to look at the screen. The disconnect between eyes and head is key here. You may then wonder, is working within just 20° of head motion enough for accurate control all around? Pretty much yeah, we have fine motor control of the neck muscles it's quite exact, but does show it's limits with stuff like trying to click on little buttons in the cockpit while struggling to hold your head perfectly still (those buttons can be annoying to click even without any camera movement). Can also cause some aching after using for a while since your neck is not relaxing as much.

[@christopherfuller2401]

where do you put the phone?

[@epaga]

He talks about that in the video - best is to prop it up right under your monitor!

[@GunMaster6542]

I've been using it in front of my monitor, works really well. You can buy some sort of stand for your phone online or, like me, just place it between 2 objects that will hold your phone in place.

[@quintenzappe3412]

How well does this work in a dark room?

[@SectionNyne]

I was able to mostly use it in a in a dark room as long as I was flying during the day so my monitor was providing enough light. When I was flying at night, I found that it was a bit too jumpy and if the lighting got too low, such as looking at a dark part of the aircraft, it would lose tracking completely so I ended up turning on a bunch more room lights. I am black though, so keep that in mind. Depending on your skin colour, your mileage may vary. Overall, I have to say that this app has been fantastic and I have no regrets about purchasing it at all!

[@The1PatSmith]

Thanks kindly. Shame it is not available for Android (boo-hoo), it certainly looks pretty good, but seems to be dog-tied to Apple. Cheers, and stay well all.

[@320SimPilot]

Hi Patrick, it is available for android as well, link in the description. However it does require 'AR services' capability on your android phone, I am not sure what that means! Thanks for watching!

[@embecmom5863]

lol 9.99 app developed by one guy works fantastically well.. pity the £100 msfs2020 bought by mios of people is a broken mess with every update.

[@stu3tristan9x9]

Did not work me VERY disappointing.

[@epaga]

Hey man! Did you reach out by email? Would love to see of I can get it working for you.