I know that this information is already out there, but I am collating it anew for the new players who need to know how cheap TIR can be. It is amazingly worth it and enhances the feeling of flight tenfold. Even if you already have an LED set up built, scroll down for the Camera/Filter setup I use, which is cheap and works in full daylight.
6DOF head tracking is one of the true joys of a sim like ROF. I recently scored a used 46'' 1080p TV for $80USD and I decided to upgrade my spotty TrackIR system to go along with it (side note: the 46'' TV is a massive improvement for spotting planes from far away). I had been using an IR-converted Microsoft Lifecam but I never found a material to cover the lens with that worked in all conditions. For a few more dollars, you can have a system that works perfectly in full daylight, blinds open, white walls. Building this requires really no tools or expertise but scissors, liquid electrical tape, a hat and the TIR parts. Follow the instructions on Free-track.net and here and you will have working TrackIR in less than an hour (some of you in 15 minutes). Below I've given some example ebay links for the parts.
First, download FreeTrack from www.Free-track.net. Note: Always load Freetrack before ROF or it wont recognize it. Under the Output tab I choose "TrackIR Interface" and in Rise of Flight your camera should be default set to Pan View. Otherwise I think that ROF just...uses Freetrack. Somebody correct me if I am missing a step with moving a file but I don't think so.
Standard Hat Build:
1) Go here and learn about making the IR hat: http://www.free-trac...?showtopic=1856
-If you wont be soldering, I highly recommend "Wire Glue" or in the USA "Liquid Electrical Tape" over tape; it's a better connection. Be sure to twist exposed wired tightly around the LED lead a few times.
-SFH485P 1.5v 880nm LEDs are easy and cheap.
From China: http://www.ebay.com/...FH485p&_sacat=0
-22ohm resistors will give you brighter bulbs (best viewing angle, slightly less battery life): http://www.ebay.com/itm/250867360251
-Battery Case (can be found cheaper): http://www.ebay.com/itm/130625020017
-I scavenged PSU wire from an old computer case. Light gauge speaker wire would also work.
NOTE: It is completely acceptable to skimp on the resistors and go with 1 AA battery in a single holder and a parallel circuit for the LEDs. Voltage drop is 1.5V across the board and while online electrical goons will tell you "you are damaging your LEDs" or something, they will not catch fire (lol) and they are 10 for $1. So. Make your own mind on that one. My hat is 1 AA/resistorless: battery probably doesn't last as long and LEDs dim quicker. This doesn't matter with the IR Pass filter/PS3eye much at all. LEDs still work, heh.
CAMERA and FILTER:
Here is the truly important part. My thanks to =CFC=FatherTed for recommending the PS3Eye webcam months ago, of which I finally took advantage.
PS3Eye: These things are cheap on ebay. $3-10 shipped. I'll let you do your own search. The trick is that since these are made to use with an IR wand, their IR filters are REALLY weak.
-Download and install CodeLaboratories PS3Eye Windows Drivers: https://codelaboratories.com/downloads
-Download and install patch for FreeTrack that allows it to use CLDrivers http://forum.free-tr...?showtopic=2416
-Says its for Win7 but works with Win8.
Now, for ME, Freetrack crashes when I try to start the Eye unless I do two more things:
-Under CAM group, click Frame Rate tab and set FPS to 60 and multiplier to 1 (auto unmarked)
-Under CAM group, click Stream button and select 640x480 @ 60FPS
EVERY time I load Freetrack I have to click Stream and Ok the 640x480@60fps in order to start the Eye. Adds 5 seconds to the activation process. Your mileage may vary with trying to get 120FPS outta the Eye.
FILTER: Stop messing around with overexposed films and floppy disks and buy an IR Pass filter. BUY AN IR PASS FILTER. You'll need one at most 850nm to let the SFH485p's 860nm to pass. See the attached picture below for my highly engineered camera/filter rig.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/381324614246
These things are so good, the sun looks like a pale red spot on black. They block all visible light, and then the PS3Eye auto-exposure attempts to compensate, but since the IR LEDs pass the filter, those seem to be what it uses to auto expose. And the result is constant dot perfection.
-In Freetrack, under CAM group, click Camera button and slide Gain all the way to 0. I set exposure to 50%. Back in the CAM Group I set Threshold to the lowest it can go without picking up daylight in a bright room (it is possible for the camera to see background IR radiation with enough gain). Haven't touched it since, works in all conditions. I used to have to black out my room when using films to cover the lens of a cam with the IR filter removed, and adjust threshold accordingly.
So...that's all! For under $30 shipped you too can have a brilliant TrackIR system that I wager works nearly as well as the $100 version. Second attachment shows the Freetrack interface in a bright room with the lights on.