First glimpse of EDTracker wireless

[h106frp]

Apparently awaiting CE\FCC approval but it does seem to exist 

http://www.edtracker.co.uk/support/news/16-stock-update-and-wireless-news



Looks like a standard rechargeable pack so should be plenty of choice for battery options 

[doubledragoncc]

probably a phone battery. I rewired my iRiver with one and could play music for days lol.

Hope this comes out soon

DD

[HornetMaX]

I've seen it too a few days ago. Promising.
I'll speculate the price will become an issue though: it will probably be above the 60GBP mark, so it will no longer be the "nice cheap thingy".

[Hawk]

I've seen it too a few days ago. Promising.
I'll speculate the price will become an issue though: it will probably be above the 60GBP mark, so it will no longer be the "nice cheap thingy".

Yes, that would bring it into the Track IR5 Pro range...... I'm surprised someone has not released a mod software workaround so that Track IR5 users can use Track IR5 on applications that are not Track IR5 licensed.... Now that would stick it up Natural Points ass for being SO stupid with their licensing parameters. They should allow developers to integrate Track IR5 without any restrictions, that would promote the sales of Track IR5 surely? So I can't imagine what they were thinking on their licensing restrictions. 

Hawk.

[HornetMaX]

Yes, that would bring it into the Track IR5 Pro range......

IR is messy in my opinion. From their own videos, it's far less smoother than an EDTracker.
And the TrackIR5 is 150$, the pro bundle 170$ so ...

I'm surprised someone has not released a mod software workaround so that Track IR5 users can use Track IR5 on applications that are not Track IR5 licensed.... Now that would stick it up Natural Points ass for being SO stupid with their licensing parameters. They should allow developers to integrate Track IR5 without any restrictions, that would promote the sales of Track IR5 surely? So I can't imagine what they were thinking on their licensing restrictions. 

They have more or less locked down the API.
The ones who tried (and of course managed) to bypass that (to have other trackers using the same API as trackIR) got legally menaced and kind of spammed/insulted.
Now, I don't know what's their deal with game devs, if there's money to be paid or not (but it seems that when DCS: Black Shark introduced a new API for generic head trackers, NP forced them to drop it) but I'm sure no game dev would take a risk on that.

Piboso is even mentioned here: http://naturalpointofview.blogspot.fr/p/trackir-anticompetition.html
The reply of the NP guy is ...well ... : https://forums.naturalpoint.com/viewtopic.php?p=47612#p47612

Stupid policy. Won't buy.

[Hawk]

Yes, that would bring it into the Track IR5 Pro range......

IR is messy in my opinion. From their own videos, it's far less smoother than an EDTracker.
And the TrackIR5 is 150$, the pro bundle 170$ so ...

I'm surprised someone has not released a mod software workaround so that Track IR5 users can use Track IR5 on applications that are not Track IR5 licensed.... Now that would stick it up Natural Points ass for being SO stupid with their licensing parameters. They should allow developers to integrate Track IR5 without any restrictions, that would promote the sales of Track IR5 surely? So I can't imagine what they were thinking on their licensing restrictions. 

They have more or less locked down the API.
The ones who tried (and of course managed) to bypass that (to have other trackers using the same API as trackIR) got legally menaced and kind of spammed/insulted.
Now, I don't know what's their deal with game devs, if there's money to be paid or not (but it seems that when DCS: Black Shark introduced a new API for generic head trackers, NP forced them to drop it) but I'm sure no game dev would take a risk on that.

Piboso is even mentioned here: http://naturalpointofview.blogspot.fr/p/trackir-anticompetition.html
The reply of the NP guy is ...well ... : https://forums.naturalpoint.com/viewtopic.php?p=47612#p47612

Stupid policy. Won't buy.

I agree with you Max..... But whoever it was who created a NP bypass should've just released it anonymously to the communities as a mod patch with install instructions instead of letting himself be known as the creator, then there would be no comeback on developers or himself, it would just be out there to be used - Not a lot NP could do about that legally except try and update their software to combat the mod but the mod could be updated to combat NP too, so it would end up were NP would just have to except it.

But yeah.... A very stupid policy indeed on NP's part.

Hawk.
PS: I bought my Track IR pro(with headphone clip) for £60 brand new..... but that was back in 2009 or 2010. I forget how much prices have increased since then. Lol 

[HornetMaX]

That would have been the pirate way instead of the open software way.

[h106frp]

Hopefully Occulus will have to buy natural point and the problem will resolve itself   

[HornetMaX]

Hopefully Occulus will have to buy natural point and the problem will resolve itself   

Maybe that's one of the reasons the rift costs that much

[Hawk]

That would have been the pirate way instead of the open software way.

No Max.... That would've been the intelligent way instead of the dumb way. I mean the guy must've known NP wouldn't sit back and accept it? How stupid can a guy get?

I'm all for piracy when companies are acting against their very own customers who've bought their products if only to teach them a lesson. There's always a way and a means these days, but if the guy is stupid enough to announce who he is then that was such a dumb move on his part! Lol.   

Hopefully Occulus will have to buy natural point and the problem will resolve itself   

Let's hope H! 

Oh! Unless of course they buy it to bury it?! 

Hawk.

[HornetMaX]

That would have been the pirate way instead of the open software way.

No Max.... That would've been the intelligent way instead of the dumb way. I mean the guy must've known NP wouldn't sit back and accept it? How stupid can a guy get?

That was not the point. Their point was also to open up the market, allowing other trackers to use the de-facto standard (NP API).

I'm all for piracy when companies are acting against their very own customers who've bought their products if only to teach them a lesson. There's always a way and a means these days, but if the guy is stupid enough to announce who he is then that was such a dumb move on his part! Lol.   

I wouldn't call them stupid. At worst, they have been too honest in declaring their intent.
Being a pirate is not as easy as you think when you're facing people with enough money.

And anyway, the lesson will be taught by devices like EDTracker and similar, plus software like opentrack.
Of course, it would be better if devs were able to take a stand and just drop NP (like Piboso did).

[Hawk]

That would have been the pirate way instead of the open software way.

No Max.... That would've been the intelligent way instead of the dumb way. I mean the guy must've known NP wouldn't sit back and accept it? How stupid can a guy get?

That was not the point. Their point was also to open up the market, allowing other trackers to use the de-facto standard (NP API).

I'm all for piracy when companies are acting against their very own customers who've bought their products if only to teach them a lesson. There's always a way and a means these days, but if the guy is stupid enough to announce who he is then that was such a dumb move on his part! Lol.   

I wouldn't call them stupid. At worst, they have been to honest in declaring their intent.
Being a pirate is not as easy as you think when you're facing people with enough money.

And anyway, the lesson will be taught by devices like EDTracker and similar, plus software like opentrack.
Of course, it would be better if devs were able to take a stand and just drop NP (like Piboso did).

I see your point of view Max, but when you've forked out a lot of money for a product and then that very company starts to act crazy with their license to developers then developers are obviously going to start avoiding implementing Track IR5 which is as good as NP robbing their customers of their money, in fact it's tantamount to fraud in my book. In those circumstances NP deserve a good kick up the arse whether it's through piracy or other means. Personally I'd like to see them bankrupt or at the very least being bought out by Occulus and the license becoming totally open for use to developers like it should've always been.

As far as it not being a stupid act but an honest one.... Haha! Some people are too honest for their own good in circumstances like that. That's like stealing from a bank and being stupid enough to tell the bank before hand the time and place your going to commit the crime, because let's face it, it was always a crime in law to do what he did in the first place; I'll stick to my initial analysis of this guy - "He was dumb indeed!" Lol

Hawk.

[h106frp]

But NP sticking to their guns and patenting and licensing everything will probably lead to a big payday for them even if it seems unfair. The need to use optical tracking technology in the next wave of VR devices will almost certainly lead to them being bought up to prevent legal wrangles.

[HornetMaX]

because let's face it, it was always a crime in law to do what he did in the first place

That's far from clear, even today.

But NP sticking to their guns and patenting and licensing everything will probably lead to a big payday for them even if it seems unfair. The need to use optical tracking technology in the next wave of VR devices will almost certainly lead to them being bought up to prevent legal wrangles.

I doubt NP has any significant patents on optical tracking. Optical tracking is something that is done in many many domains since a long long time ago.
I see no VR player (Oculus and others) running to NP asking to buy their IP ...

Essentially the only thing that NP has is their own API (and the fact it is supported by "many" games), which could be made irrelevant by any other open API like freetrack or others.
Don't go buy NP stocks yet man

[h106frp]

Damn, another 'get rich quick' scheme down the drain 

I do expect NP to try and pursue recompense though, be interesting to see what a patent (pending) search threw up.