T-45 HUD does not work wel with Track IR

[Tregarth]

I am using a Track IR with Pro Clip to fly the T-45.  But I find that although the cockpit viewpoint moves with my head the HUD display stays fixed on the screen and is frequently obscured by the rest of the cockpit so it is not readable or simply disappears.

I have tried to use the same set up with the HUD in the F-18 and the HUD display stays perfectly centred on the HUD glass so itis always readable.

I think the T-45 and F-18 HUD's are related, can someone please tell me what I have to change in the T-45 HUD to make it perform in the same way as the F-18's?

Thank you,

Tregarth

[Razgriz]

I believe that is HUD collimation.  I know that's how the real jets work.

Here's a video that shows this nicely

[Orion]

Duncan is correct; what you describe are the effects of HUD collimation.

With a collimated HUD, the HUD elements will appear to stay on one spot in the distance, rather than directly on the HUD glass in front of you.  This is beneficial because things like your velocity vector will accurately show you what direction you're going.

[Sludge]

Tree...

Here's a perfect video that illustrates collimation on a real-world Hornet HUD.

Go to 6:12 and watch as the camera point moves and the HUD starts to cut out as it goes past the physical borders of the HUD glass and brackets. The collimation also gives the visual illusion of "projection" out to optical infinity; as you can see, it appears that the HUD information is "floating" out in the airspace instead of on the HUD glass. This is done so the pilot can keep their focus out in the airspace and not have to re-focus back in the cockpit for necessary information.

And if you want to see the best FSX collimated/conformal HUD, IMO... look no further than the Aerosoft F-16 HUD designed by Scott Printz. Load this up at max resolution and watch the HUD do the same stuff that you saw in the above real world Hornet HUD video.

Orion...

This is beneficial because things like your velocity vector will accurately show you what direction you're going.

I think you're mistaking conformal with collimation. Conformal means where the HUD symbology is correct in relation to the outside world (ie, pitch ladder, horizon line, v/vector correspond correctly to real world). Collimation is the process of projecting the information out to optical infinity.

Later
Sludge

[Tregarth]

Thank you all for your replies, but is there any way I can alter the T-45 HUD so it behaves in the same way as the F-18 HUD so that the data is always visible as it is in the F-18?

Thank you,

Tregarth

[Orion]

Orion...

This is beneficial because things like your velocity vector will accurately show you what direction you're going.

I think you're mistaking conformal with collimation. Conformal means where the HUD symbology is correct in relation to the outside world (ie, pitch ladder, horizon line, v/vector correspond correctly to real world). Collimation is the process of projecting the information out to optical infinity.

By being collimated, shouldn't it also be conformal?  Or can you have something collimated, but not conformal?

[Tregarth]

I have been having a think and decided I would try to copy the Sludge F-18 HUD into the T-45 since the F-18 HUD works.

Consequently I copied the Sludge file FA18_HUD file into the T45 Panel folder and named it T45C_HUD. 
Then in the Panel.cfg file I also changed the line
gauge00=T45C_HUD\T45C_HUD_VC!T45C_HUD_VC, 390, 324, 243, 475 to
gauge00=T45C_HUD\FA18_VC_HUD_R!FA18_HUD_VC_R, 390, 324, 243, 475   which didn't work

I also tried changing the name of the HUD folder back to FA18_HUD and
gauge00=FA18_HUD\FA18_VC_HUD_R!FA18_HUD_VC_R, 390, 324, 243, 475

but that didn't work either.

Can someone please suggest what I should try to make the FA_18 HUD work in the T-45?

Thank you,

Tregarth