The Natural Point TrackIR3 Vector Expansion adds what Natural Point calls 6DOF, or Six Degrees of Freedom to games that support it.  6DOF is, in essence, full 3D head movement within the game, tracking not only where you’re looking, but also where your virtual head is within the cockpit.  For a detailed review of TrackIR3, look here.

This is achieved through a combination of new features within the version 4 software (activated by a code when the Vector Expansion is purchased), and a new reflector system designed to clip to the bill of a baseball-style cap.  It supports only the TrackIR3 series, but both standard and pro.

Currently, the most significant drawback is support within games.  At the time of this writing, only Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3 and Aces High II support 6DOF.  Natural Point recently announced that the FIA GT race-sim GTR™ by SimBin will include Vector support.  Hopefully, more software will be developed that can use it, as modifying existing software requires extensive changes, according to Natural Point.

Minimum System Requirements:
Windows 2000, or Windows XP
Pentium 800
Five (5) megabytes of free hard disk space
128 megabytes of RAM
USB connection
Microsoft DirectX 8.0 or higher.

Use: I ran the software component, and the same lights activate to show it’s mode (enhanced or mouse) and that it’s tracking.   There are no special Vector Expansion lights, so there’s no way to tell if the unit and/or game is using the 6DOF mode until it is checked within software (using the TrackIR3 software’s virtual heads, or trying it during actual game play).

I then started up Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, and began a flight in a Piper Archer at Gillespie airport – a flight I’ve performed in real life several times.  Centering the TrackIR is a must, and can be achieved in the same way as a TrackIR3 without the 6DOF features.

Sitting on the end runway 27R after the flight loads, I switch to virtual-cockpit mode (as is required to use the TrackIR3 features) and my head motions are immediately apparent within the cockpit.  Many may find the constant motion distracting at first, but most experienced simmers will likely adapt quickly.  Like the TrackIR, turning your head side to side or up and down pans the view in an exaggerated way, but tilt or slide your head to one side or raise your head, and the view shifts laterally as well.  Lean forward, and the dash gets bigger.  Lean back, and the dash gets smaller and more of it becomes visible.  It’s actually quite immersive.  The motion is slightly exaggerated, but not to the same degree as the panning.

I release the parking brake and go full-throttle for take off, and the motion has become quite natural feeling.  I lean to the left slightly and am able to see more of the runway along the left edge of the plane, just as I do on actual flights.  At 65 knots IAS, I pull back and the nose lifts, and the plane takes off.

Establishing an 80-knot climb, the mountains ahead are blocked from view by the cowling, making it more difficult to ensure a straight climb, aligned with the runway.  As I would in the actual craft, I simply stretch my neck and sit up straighter, and I can now see over the cowling and maintain my alignment.  I turn my head to look behind me and encounter the first, well, oddity.

Sitting on the left side of the cockpit and looking backwards, the side windows are on the right side of the screen.  In reality, you’d lean closer to the windows to see further behind, and with the windows on the right side of the screen you would instinctively lean to the right.  However, the Vector software doesn’t adjust for your point of view, so you must actually lean left, and the screen moves laterally in the opposite direction.   It’s a little disorienting, but not a showstopper by any means.  It may become more relevant in combat scenarios, though. This issue should be easily fixed at either the driver level or application developer level.

Planning on doing some touch-and-go’s, I maneuver to stay in a left closed pattern and level off at 1,200 feet.  In the real aircraft, throttling back to 2300 RPM usually achieves the proper pattern cruise speed, so I pull back on the throttle and check the tach.  It’s conveniently placed right behind the yolk, and is blocked from view.  Even with the standard TrackIR3, I’d be stuck, but with the Vector expansion I simply lean forward and look over and around the yolk, as I would in reality, and can clearly see the gauge.

I fly the downwind leg and look over my shoulder to see when I should throttle back and start my descent.  As with the non-Vector TrackIR3, I simply turn my head and look out to the left.  At the right spot, I drop the throttle to 1700RPM and lower the first notch of flaps.  Having turned to base, I look out to the left to see the runway, only to have it obscured by the plane's A-pillar.  Again, I'm simply able to move my head back and to the left and look around it to see the runway.  Leaning forward some, I find that I can look through the A-pillar, which is a bit strange but again, not a showstopper and is purely the result of the simulation not being written with a moving point of view in the cockpit in mind.  I approach the airfield, land, and do it all over again.

NON-6DOF simulations:
In simulations that just have TrackIR enhanced support the vector expansion gives much more stability in view. Shifting left in your chair is no longer registered as rotating your head left, similarly shifting up and down in your chair no longer registers as pivoting your head up and down. A small enhancement but a worthy one nonetheless.

Conclusion:
The Vector Expansion adds a great deal to using the TrackIR3 in simulations in my opinion, and I find I have to adjust back to games that "only" support the TrackIR panning modes.  So many times I've been in a combat simulator and found that the aircraft I'm chasing is blocked from view by the canopy frame, and it turns while out of my view which delays my reaction.   Having a combat sim that supports 6DOF would alleviate that problem, and add to the immersion of the cockpit.  Hopefully there will be more released in the near future.

Is the Vector Expansion worth the $50.00? - considering that it's not the kind of thing that should become obsolete due to it's nature it's a fairly safe purchase. Even though 6DOF support within simulations is currently thin it is another obvious and necessary step in simulation that will undoubtedly be supported by developers, much like TrackIR enhanced mode support is now.