Tactile Feedback System 3

I thought some of you might find this interesting. The product originally produced as the TFS2, after a series of initial setbacks in development may soon be for sale with a new hardware controller and software in its latest incarnation as the TFS3 the Tactile Feedback System 3.

The product is an alternative to bass shaker rumble seats that takes data from various sims (both driving and flight) in a unique and much more detailed manner than sound driven devices. I do not fully understand the way it works but i believe strongly in the concept so I will post these links here for your consideration. The first link is to the products main site (it is not for sale at this time but there is some excellent info on concept and design there) and the second link is to a very recent post with video links showing the new software working with rFactor. These videos demonstrate how the force feedback zones in the seat coincide with the real time effects in the simulation. There will be support for MS Flight sim added shortly after the new TFS3 enters beta testing phase (projected in the next few weeks).

http://www.ivibe.com/

http://www.ivibe.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4626&postcount=139

I have asked the developer to add native support for both Flaming Cliffs 2 and the entire DCS series on a number of occasions. From what I have read the new open source software should make this much more likely to happen as it requires even less intervention from the game developers to get the game and device “talking to each other”.

I do believe that this could be the next huge "Track IR" style success if the project can get fully off the ground.

Check it out......

Out

FYI PoleCat, unfortunately I get a server connection time-out on both links.

So this is the same thing as a buttkicker. Which 2 people in my sqd have and they like it. http://www.thebuttkicker.com/

Price at amazon

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=buttkicker&tag=googhydr-20&index=electronics&hvadid=5156318771&ref=pd_sl_95u93vnq4v_e

So this is the same thing as a buttkicker. Which 2 people in my sqd have and they like it. http://www.thebuttkicker.com/

 

Price at amazon

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=buttkicker&tag=googhydr-20&index=electronics&hvadid=5156318771&ref=pd_sl_95u93vnq4v_e

Not even close to a buttkicker sorry. If fully relaized think of the buttkicker as an abacus and the Ivibe as a super computer and you will be getting closer to reality. A Buttkicker is nothing compared to this. BK is a glorified subwoofer driver, a speaker. It takes no realtime data from the sim it just responds to sound. Hit the links in the first post when you can and read it.

Out

I can now access the links above PoleCat, but clicking on the order link brings up a "Untrusted Connection" with the following details:

"www.ivibe.com uses an invalid security certificate.

The certificate is only valid for the following names:

esc163.midphase.com , www.esc163.midphase.com"

I was trying to see what the cost is, do you own one PoleCat?

Not even close to a buttkicker sorry. If fully relaized think of the buttkicker as an abacus and the Ivibe as a super computer and you will be getting closer to reality. A Buttkicker is nothing compared to this. BK is a glorified subwoofer driver, a speaker. It takes no realtime data from the sim it just responds to sound. Hit the links in the first post when you can and read it.

 

Out

Will take a look when I get my computer, hate this laptop, thanks for the info.

I can now access the links above PoleCat, but clicking on the order link brings up a "Untrusted Connection" with the following details:

 

"www.ivibe.com uses an invalid security certificate.

 

The certificate is only valid for the following names:

esc163.midphase.com , www.esc163.midphase.com"

 

I was trying to see what the cost is, do you own one PoleCat?

Yes mate. I own a TFS2. I purchased this a few years ago when it was available. I think the cost was around 249 but I am not positive as I can't quite remember for sure. This is a previous version. I am waiting for the newer TFS3 which will be provided to all TFS2 owners free of charge. The Order page is down because the TFS3 is not for sale yet. Other sections of the website including the forums are open if you would like to find out more.

And in case you were wondering I can and do use the IVIBE TFS2 under Windows 7 x64 in games like FC2 and the DCS series. Using the "universal Intellivibe module" I have created specific vibrational effects for the separate zones in the seat triggered by keystrokes to emulate everything from Gear up and down to firing the gun in the A10. As you move the throttle/s forward the engine vibration slowly increases to whatever amount you like. You totally control how it feels as well, the texture of the force feedback is completely controlled by you and the intensity is linked to the throttle position. Gear up after takeoff is a long smooth vibration with a noticeable clunk at the end as the gear tucks neatly inside the fuselage. All triggered by the G key. When you fire the gun in the A-10 your butt shakes and you tailor the vibration to what you think it should feel like (or have a real A10 pilot dial it in if you have one handy).

Ok here's the best part.

So now you are airborne you have engine vibrations linked to throttle, your (gear/flaps/guns/airbrakes) are programmed to keys but it doesn't stop there. There is positional feedback given through vibration zones in the seat to put vibration where you would feel Gs while flying or driving. So as you pull back on the stick the throttle controlled vibration will move from under your legs up to your back smoothly. As you roll the AC the vibration moves from under one side of your body to the opposite.

How does it do this?

From the website:

"Contained within the TFSU are 6 powerful electromechanical actuators, arranged in 3 pairs: one pair in the back section, one pair in the left leg section, and one pair in the right leg section. All three zones can function independently or in unison. By having three independent zones, games that support intellivibe can render things such as vector based gforce, acceleration and braking cues, direction-based incoming flak, and just about any other thing you can think of."

This thing is truly amazing! :music_whistling:

Out

The Order page is down because the TFS3 is not for sale yet. Other sections of the website including the forums are open if you would like to find out more.

 

Yes mate. I own a TFS2. I purchased this a few years ago when it was available. I think the cost was around 249 but I am not positive as I can't quite remember for sure. This is a previous version. I am watiing for the newer TFS3 which will be provided to all TFS2 owners free of charge.

 

Out

Thanks for the info, I will definitely keep an eye on this.

Now features support in DCS Black Shark 1.01c. and Black Shark 2.

Looks like it will also be added to the other DCS titles eventually.

Out

__________________

I now also have the seat working in A10C using the Black Shark files. Please check out the screenshot of the controllable parameters available for a finished airplane module. While not quite finished the DCS iVibe modules are coming along nicely IMHO. :D:D

As you can see there are many many completely customizable parameters.

The TFS3 is linked to real time force feedback data in the simulation and not sound like the buttkicker (although you can use sound input in the same way as a shaker seat as well this is the least powerful aspect of the device). It features a controller (USB)and a seat cushion with 6 high quality force feedback actuators in seperate zones left knee, right knee, left hip, right hip, upper back and lower back which provide positional based FFB effects and G simulation. These are very powerful and easily capable of shaking the hell out of you , your chair, the room and maybe on max the house too. All the vibrations are completely customizable as well. This thing is simply AWESOME!

Big thanks to ED/DCS for supporting this device. Very forward thinking!

Out

Mhmm... I still like the Buttkicker for it's simple approach, could work under Mac, Linux and with any game (no special support needed), but surely with less impressive results.

Anyone having experience with both systems? Running both at the same time?

PoleCat maybe?

TIA!

I currently use buttkicker, and enjoy it within FC2/BS2.

A few questions about TFS3, Polecat:

Q1: Does it require exports to be on, for it to operate properly/utilize full potential?

Q2: Have you tried using it in FC2?

Q3: Did you already receive the TFS3 unit? How long did it take them to ship it out to you?

Thanks!

I currently use buttkicker, and enjoy it within FC2/BS2.

 

A few questions about TFS3, Polecat:

 

Q1: Does it require exports to be on, for it to operate properly/utilize full potential?

 

Q2: Have you tried using it in FC2?

 

Q3: Did you already receive the TFS3 unit? How long did it take them to ship it out to you?

 

Thanks!

1: It does require that you add Intellivibe = true to the config\export\Config.lua file.

2: I have used the older TFS2 with FC2 but the newer TFS3 I have not. I am not sure that the TFS3 will support FC2 but perhaps FC3.

3: More than two years after purchasing the TFS2 the TFS3 was shipped to me free of charge. In fact every upgrade I have ever recieved from this company to this product has been free.

Out

Mhmm... I still like the Buttkicker for it's simpel approach, could work under Mac, Linux and with any game, though with less impressive result.

 

Anyone having experience with both systems? PoleCat maybe?

 

TIA!

The TFS2 can also work under any OS and with any game if used in the older less robust sound driven mode. So at a minimum you can use the product just like the buttkicker but to much better effect. Again these are multiple heavy duty force feedback actuators not a single subwoofer driver. You can drive it with sound just like the buttkicker and the result while less impressive should be as good as and most likely, much better than a kicker.

My advice would be to read about it at their forums and you can see the substantial differences.

Out

Thanks for the details :)

+1 if I had not to spend some more rep around the forum ;)

PoleCat,

You're quite the salesman :) as I had never heard of this device before but am now seriously considering buying it. Would you be able to give me rough dimensions of the seat cushion? I'm trying to figure out how nicely it would fit on top of my Playseat.

Tried to place an order for one today PoleCat! :thumbup:

Unfortunately was unable to do so as their order page gave me this: The gateway no longer supports the requested method of integration..

Will keep trying I guess...

EDIT: Tried to register on the forum... never received the activation email.

Tried to send an email to their info@ivibe.com inbox and got a delivery error message. Looks really bad...

Wow I have never heard of it before :) Seems like it would be perfect for racing sims (i use iRacing) when you dont have space for a full blown motion rig.

Are they still on business?

This is not good, not good at all.

I blew last years toy budget and now this...and the year has just started!:D

Oh yes, I do want one!

i saw no DCS titles in the "Titles" section, only old stuff not even a flight sim.

Now really...is there an updated list of titles.

Its already times consuming enought to learn to fly, build a pit....

Now they expect people to configure everything for each sim themselves?

I hope i m wrong on that last one.

The titles listed reflect the TFS2 not the TFS3. I suggest that those of you who are interested to lurk and read the forums there. Waiting for the official DCS titles now. All we have are early beta profiles which do not yet cover all paramaters.

Once a title is relased it is ready to go. You can tweak it to taste but you do not have to. Remember the TFS3 is new and still in early development. AFAIK they are for sale. As for contact I use PM on the forums and email.

Out

I can only say this about iVibe and the TFSU - bad news. I registered on their forum 1 year ago. I am still awaiting to be allowed to post on there. My emails to the webmaster and forum owner have so far been ignored.

Like many of you here I was dazzled by the promise of game immersion the device offered. So much so that I convinced other sim-fans to order the unit with me when it became availbe to order. Finally the day came (after months of "its any day soon" promises on the website. I tried ordering with Amex, Visa and Mastercard. Each time I was told there were insufficient funds on my cards (completely false). I then found out I should have used Firefox instead of IE. Same problem again. I dont know about you, but I start to get uneasy, especially when after reporting my problems my emails were once again ignored. I then managed to find and email of one of the people who does post regularly and his advice was dont touch ivibe and get a buttkicker instead, and they also added that I should have woken up to the situation by reading the forum.

I guess its easy offering free service and upgrade on an apparently non-existant product. Call me weird but I wonder about a company that isnt even concerned about a potential customer informing them that they have just lost multple sales of their product. I really wish I could rave about how great they are, but ALL the evidence I have seen points to absolute shoddy customer service and apparently no actual product.

Buttkicker for me and no looking back.

I can only say this about iVibe and the TFSU - bad news. I registered on their forum 1 year ago. I am still awaiting to be allowed to post on there. My emails to the webmaster and forum owner have so far been ignored.

 

Like many of you here I was dazzled by the promise of game immersion the device offered. So much so that I convinced other sim-fans to order the unit with me when it became availbe to order. Finally the day came (after months of "its any day soon" promises on the website. I tried ordering with Amex, Visa and Mastercard. Each time I was told there were insufficient funds on my cards (completely false). I then found out I should have used Firefox instead of IE. Same problem again. I dont know about you, but I start to get uneasy, especially when after reporting my problems my emails were once again ignored. I then managed to find and email of one of the people who does post regularly and his advice was dont touch ivibe and get a buttkicker instead, and they also added that I should have woken up to the situation by reading the forum.

 

I guess its easy offering free service and upgrade on an apparently non-existant product. Call me weird but I wonder about a company that isnt even concerned about a potential customer informing them that they have just lost multple sales of their product. I really wish I could rave about how great they are, but ALL the evidence I have seen points to absolute shoddy customer service and apparently no actual product.

 

Buttkicker for me and no looking back.

Yes well that is one man’s experience.

I happen to be left using something a hell of a lot better than the buttkicker. It's called the TFS3. It's real, an actual product and I am using it. The TFS3 is just barely out of beta and has not gone on sale officially but they can be purchased once you contact Craig. (Yes it actually can be done).

I am not here to defend the time it has taken for this product to evolve from the TFS2 to the TFS3 or the time it can take to get a response from the two people trying to make a success of it. I will admit it can be a little frustrating. I am only telling you that the product itself is really cool and about a million times better than a buttkicker.

With a little persistence I and many others were able to get TFS2's some years ago and Craig, true to his word sent me the TFS3 absolutely free. I have no complaints. You gave up to soon, that’s your problem. My CC worked just fine as did many others.

I am sure that once there is an official launch for the TFS3 it will catch on just fine. Perhaps you should check back then. I am here to tell you it is worth it if you are sitting on a buttkicker.

The TFS3 is real and I recieved the upgrade absolutely free of charge.

Out

Repost from the ivibe forums dated today....

"The TFS3 Control Panel version 1.7 is now RELEASED!!! You can get it right now from the downloads page.

The new titles supported are DCS titles (via Lua for the time being). Much better native intellivibe support will be coming soon by our working directly with DCS, but for now this is how it plays out:

"Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2" has the best intellivibe behavior because this is the title where we can get the most sim info via Lua. For the best test of intellivibe, in Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2, select the F15C and load the mission "F-15C ramp start", and in the TFS3 Control Panel v1.7, load the TFS File "LockOn_FC2_default_F-15C.tfs". When you get in the cockpit, press CTRL-C to close your canopy. Press CTRL-Home and ALT-Home to ramp up your engine. Once your engines are ramped up, taxi and take off as normal. Fire your main gun (ammo must not be set to unlimited or we won't know the cannon is firing -- this is a Lua limitation to be resolved when the native intellivibe support comes through). If you have any questions, please ask and I'll answer ASAP!

Black shark 1

Black Shark 2

A-10 Warthog

Flaming Cliffs 3

The four above titles give us a very limited data set but we did what we could. Once the native support comes through we will rectify all shortcomings! Again if you have any questions just ask and I'll reply ASAP.

To activate Lua support for intellivibe, you will find the *.lua files in the directory "C:\Program Files\TFS3 Control Panel\Plugins\DCS" or "C:\Program Files\TFS3 Control Panel\Plugins\Eagle Dynamics". You need to copy the lua file into your DCS sim folder \Config\Export folder.

When you run the sim and the simulation part goes live, that is when the TFS3 Control Panel will pick up the streaming data from the sim.

To activate native intellivibe support instead of Lua, edit the "config.lua" file and change the line that reads:

EnableExportScript = true

to read:

EnableExportScript = false

Change the line that reads:

intelliVIBE = false

to read:

intelliVIBE = true

For now the Lua support gives us better telemetry but we are working with DCS to give us a better native intellivibe data set so intellivibe can do many more things. Hopefully this will be completed sooner rather than later. We will of course keep you posted!

ARCA Sim Racing is a racing sim based on rFactor. It uses a plugin that comes with the new installation of the TFS3 control Panel. It works the same as rFactor, that is to say, you just drop the plugin into the plugins directory, and you're set. You can find the plugin in the TFS3 Control Panel plugins folder, or you can get it from the downloads page.

If you need any assistance please post here on the forum and we'll reply ASAP!

As always more information will come shortly!!!"

I also have this and have found the service from craig excellent, I ordered online without problems and the box arrived in uk in less than a week.

the product is well made and comfortable, easy to setup you just plonk the cushion on your seat plug a thick lead into it then into the small control box, power lead to the transformer this has a us type plug but its a normal figure 8 plug at the other end so either swap leads as i did or cut the end off and put a uk plug on.

plug in the usb lead and it has a through port adapter for the sound so you unplug the sound lead from your comp plug in the adapter then plug both leads into it.

my only downer on it is the lack of any paperwork, no manual or quick setup guide so the only way to do it was reading the forum ivibes and here.

so overall a good product but could do with some paperwork.

one thing i have not overcome yet is getting it to work with helios another great product from another craig..if anyone works this out send me a pm please..

Forget what i said my fault didn't enable it DOH. it works fine with helios.