FreeTrack Forum

Im just wondering if anyone got free track to work using the mac book pro built in web cam. I read that it does not have an IR filter but I can't get free track to locate my camera. I am running xp with boot camp. Please Help.

Hey Whiplash,

FreeTrack works okay so far for me on my MacBook Pro (WinXP in Boot Camp), although I've only tested it with a reflective 1-point visual-spectrum setup.  Maybe try running Apple Software Update while you're in Windows to make sure that your Boot Camp drivers are up to date.  And it probably wouldn't hurt to run Windows Update as well in case it can help streamline driver issues with the MacBook's webcam.

For what it's worth, it doesn't show up in FreeTrack as "iSight" or anything that convenient.  Instead it's called something like "USB something something".  There should be two items in the camera select drop-down menu, one is "Demo video" and the other should be the MacBook Pro's camera.

Good luck!
Feel free to PM me if you want to work on our setups together.  I'm just starting to build my 3-point setup tonight.  Perhaps since we're both on Macs it'd be easier to troubleshoot our issues together, since we'd likely have similar challenges.

Just an update...

I've finished building my 3-LED cap and it works beautifully with FreeTrack.  I'm running a 2.5GHz MacBook Pro with WindowsXP under Boot Camp, using the built-in webcam.

The only modification I made to the webcam was taping 2 layers of film negatives over it, and it perfectly filters out visible light allowing just the infrared LEDs to show through.  The hat construction is pretty much the same as what's described on this website, although I've customized it for my own preferences.

Sensitivity is good, tracking is good, and I've confirmed it works well in games.  A nice portable 3D gaming experience

If anyone would like more info about getting it to work under Boot Camp, feel free to PM me.

After using the MacBook Pro and FreeTrack for about a week now, the only comment I have is that there seems to be no way to turn off autoexposure on the built-in webcam, leaving it stuck at 15 frames per second (otherwise with autoexposure off the camera could go up to 30fps).  Perhaps there is a third-party program I haven't found yet that can interface with the camera, because the Apple supplied drivers provide no easy way to change settings like these.

Nonetheless, it works good at 15 fps.

Alternatively, you can use a Wii controller (aka wiimote) as a wireless infrared webcam.  The bluetooth drivers Apple supplies in Boot Camp allow you to connect to the Wii controller, but not interface with the camera in it.  You'll instead need to install the BlueSoleil bluetooth drivers, after which you'll have a wireless IR webcam running at 100fps via your wii controller for FreeTrack, and a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience

EDIT:  Another update, I'm now using a Wii controller as my webcam for FreeTrack, and it works brilliantly on my MacBook Pro