Good device I've used it for over 10 years. can't live with it. Although I recently got a Tobii I'm not sure it better and may return soon.the best thing about Tobii is you can just sit down and go.
Thanks!!! I was getting bored of my old TrackIr and wanted to try the much more modern looking Tobii. Thanks to this video I have changed my mind and will continue with the Trackir.
@@master_shifu4208 I don't own the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 anymore, so I can't give a second opinion. The head tracking is the major issue, and I don't think it's ever going to reach the level of accuracy and responsiveness of the TrackIR, because it is camera based (with a very low quality camera). The eye tracking is IR based, so it's much more responsive. If only they had an optional head attachment for tracking.
Can you give me some advice: I see with my left eye as if through a huge fog, I have no lens (injury)... maybe about 20% I have residual vision, and in my right eye I have 3 diopters. In this connection, does a helmet make sense about VR ? unfortunately, there is no place to try on VR glasses in Bulgaria...I'm thinking about HP Reverb G2 version 2= 650 € with controllers ? …or something better? ...or should I wait for new products? If it makes sense with my eyes? or is it better to invest in Tobii eyes 5 now on sale = 200€ and with a new monitor ? The computer is a laptop Gaming Lenovo Legion 7 16IYHg6, Intel® Core™ i7-11800 H, 16", WQXGA, RAM 32GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3080 16GB , 500 nit , 2560x1600 and the monitor is Accer KA240HQ ….can you recommend me a good monitor for this laptop?…I mainly fly in DCS and I am 57 years old, but I also fly in real life on my paraglider😀
Thanks for this comparison video. I was wondering if Tobii might be a suitable replacement for Track IR, but honestly even after all these years Track IR is still the best performing head tracker I've seen outside of VR of course!
I was unsure if exhuming my old TrackIR device (sitting in a box, somewhere in a wardrobe for years, but still available if I am going to download the needed software for Windows), rather than buying a Tobii Eye Tracker, provided I wear progressive lenses' glasses every waking moment of my life since I was a kid (like more than fifty years, now). I wanted to use 'some' head/eye tracking system with MSFS 2020. Now I made up my mind… thanks to this very video of yours. Again thank you so much. You helped me a lot. 🙏🏼
Thank you! Great review, many years ago I use to use the first TrackIr. With technology changing so much I have wanted to figure out what tracker would be better for Flight Sim.
Amazingly informative video. I too own an old and rusty TrackIR 5 from about 10 years ago that is simply falling apart. I was looking at replacing it with Tobii, but after this review I am going to get myself another TrackIR 5. I works very well, it's extremely durable and repairable. Thank you very much for the review, sir!!! 👏👏👏
Everything you said was right on. I decided to return the Tobii Eye Tracker for TrackIR; for the reasons of flexibility having to be under the monitor, when looking at things it doesn't seem to stabilize, and some sim games it doesn't work with. It's good but it's not for everyone.
9:45 I have mapped the centering hotkey to a unused button on my hotas. If you have the reflector thingy you can ziptie it to one of those hair thingys (similar to those cat-ear holder) if you dont want to use headphones
Great video. I've been considering IR or Tobii, and this helped me to go with TrackIR given that it's a bit cheaper here in Canada, and seems to integrate slightly better in the games I play, including DCS.
Thank you for this. Using a tobii for the last year in Star Citizen and as much as you can tweak the settings, the delayed response is always noticeable.
after years of wanting a trackir and living in an apartment where my pc isnt near a window ac unit. Coupled with vr being too hot and sweaty in the summer, i finally got one ordered and im excited as all hell for it to come.
I use VR for DCS, but for new aircraft I wanted to try Tobi for watching tutorials. Nice comparison video. Growling Sidewinder did a recent review and didn't see to have the issues in this video so maybe there have been some updates to teh software.
Thanks for making this video so much! Five minutes into the video and am sold on the TRACKIR 5. Seems more friendly for more games as I have both DCS and Arma 3.
Fantastic comparison sir. I’ve been using the free AItrack and OpenTrack for years. I play a few different sims like American Truck sim, MSFS 2020, and DCS and my basic setup works ok, but it has a lot of unwanted movement especially when focusing on instruments in the cockpit. I’m gonna go with TrackIR. Thanks again for your work!
Thank you for doing this comparison. In the MSFS community, I have seen several streamers and You Tubers touting the Tobii Eye Tracker and how much they like it. But I haven't seen a side by side comparison until now. My biggest issue with the Tobii would be having to mount it on the bottom of my monitor which is curved, so that makes it difficult too, as you mentioned. I'm going to stick with my TrackIR based on your excellent review of both. Thanks again.
this video shows me that, the Tobii eye tracker is very similar to an opensource software called AITrack. Your head is the controller, but it's very unstable and drifting
@@darthvader0510 Checkout Growling Sidewinder review on Tobi eye tracker that is very recent and he didn't have any complaints about it. So maybe there have been some updates since this video.
I've been using the Tobii on MSFS2020 for quite a few months now and generally agree with your assessment here. Early on I decided to turn off the eye tracker feature and just use the head tracking. I also toned down the overall sensitivity, as using the higher settings caused too much spurious movement in the cockpit. However, for my needs, I really like the Tobii. It takes some time to figure out the best settings for you. Once you get it set up to your liking, the convenience of it is hard to beat. One caveat, I don't do any combat sims. If I did, I would have likely used Track IR 5 instead...
Awesome review! The Tobii eye tracker is currently on sale and I was wondering if it would be worth upgrading to it but now I see that it would be a downgrade from trackir!
Thank you for making this comparison, I was considering getting a Tobii Eye Tracker 5 as my Track Clip Pro has started to fall apart. The fact that you wouldn't need to put something on your head, with another cable was quite attractive, but seeing now that the head tracking is lacking for the Tobii I really am not feeling it anymore. I'm thinking I will probably try the TrackNP 5 wireless Track Clip Pro which is battery powered to replace my original, eliminating that wire.
That would get rid of the extra cable but I would instead need to wear a cap which isn't necessarily a problem, but I also wear glasses which can sometimes reflect the ir light as well :/ I'm unaware of this is a problem with the Tobii
One thing I like to mention to some people is some games allow both using the superior headtracking for certain functions and then the eyetracking features can work together quite well.
Hi and thanx for a great comparison between Tobii and TrackIr. But was just thinking that it has been a couple of years now, and Tobii have released numerous software updates for the Tobii 5, so would it not be an idea to review once again and see any progress made by these two solutions?
Also been using TrackIR for over 10 years and had Tobii on my list of upgrades. BUT until Tobii can be mounted on TOP of the monitor, I'll be sticking with TIR. My monitor is right behind my wheel so it's a no go for me. Thanks for your review...you saved me some $$
How to "input" the action seen in 6:10 and later where you "turn behind"? But of course you would not turn behind from the screen as you have to watch it...
Great video! I was wondering about the comparison. I have the TrackIR 5 and love it. Started with the DIY version and it just wasn't smooth or granular enough for me. As far as having to wear headphones. No, not necessarily. The reflective target works as well as the active LED tracker. Just clip it to a cheap ballcap or sunvisor. I don't like the fool hat feeling as I like the top of my head exposed to my ceiling fan. no problem. Cut off the top of the hat so you end up with essentially the bill and the headband. Looks stupid, works fine. Again! Thanks for the video. You saved me testing and a return to Amazon. Take care!
Thank you so much for doing this video! I've been increasingly frustrated with my Tobii 5, especially since I got into DCS. It was fine when I didn't know any better but seeing these comparisons is night and day. The mounting for the Tobii is less than ideal as well due to a hot monitor eventually melting the glue. I got my Tobii 5 a couple of years ago and it was great for Elite Dangerous, decent for Star Citizen, then jumping into a game like DCS where you need precision it just falls apart - not to mention the horrendous experience trying to download Tobii Experience from the Microsoft Store, so much so that they recommend using third-party software to get around it. Time to bin the Tobii!
Just purchased a Tobii 5 and returning it. They definitely should have thought of a better mounting solution and the glue, it would have been better to have a clip. I found that if I mounted it to the instrument panels it worked just as good but then have to move it back to the monitor for other games.
I own both the trackir and tobii. If you set up trackir correctly it’s way better. If you want to use Tobii, use facetracknoir. Worked waaay better than through the normal way. Part of the reason is that facetracknoir stops eye tracking which makes for a more pleasant experience since it is way less jittery that way.
@@deathman0111 That's good to know. I was going between eye + head tracking / just head tracking for a while and definitely found just head tracking to be less of a strain. It was still far too jittery for my liking though.
As an update; I bought TrackIR NP about 3 weeks ago and have had a far, far better time with it than Tobii 5. It takes quite a bit of tweaking to get right, however, it is definitely worth it. Get TrackIR if you're reading this and considering either TrackIR or Tobii. It's cheaper and more consistent tracking, so long as you set the right conditions for the camera (no light sources behind you that would confuse the tracking).
I used Tobii 5 for several months with DCS. I soon turned off the eye tracking as I found it distracting every time I would read a message in the top right hand corner. The head tracking is not accurate enough when I look somewhere in the cockpit tobii will slow keep moving slighty down every time which makes it hard to interact with things. After a while I gave up and now back to trackir that is more precise. I wish Tobii somehow can optimise their head tracking. I tried using facetracknoir with the tobii but it suffered the same issue. I must admit I sit around 90-100cm away which is around the max distance - this is because I use a large screen (43" monitor). So for now I setup trackir again for DCS while I use Tobii for other games.
I've got the Tobii 5 running on OpenTrack and I have to say I have the best of both worlds... an excellent piece of hardware for head tracking (gaze is off), and really fine control of output using OpenTrack rather than the Tobii game interface. It's perfectly smooth and very precise with no FPS impact using DCS MT. Bonus is that I don't wear anything for it to work.
I still have an ancient TrackIR 3 with the Vector Expansion (basically upgrading it to TrackIR 5 standards) and to this day, so many years later after I got it used on Ebay at a time when there wasn't even a "DCS" - just "Black Shark", I still don't see a reason why I should upgrade it. It was designed for CRT monitors (crazy to think about that) but with a bit of metal bendling and good tape it also sticked to every LCD I had. Also the Vector Expansion is made of aluminium and is to be used with a basecap - so I can actually use it without headphones which is plus compared to the TrackIR 5.
TrackIR 5 actually does still come with the baseball cap clip with the base model. The headphone mount costs extra to get. I still only use the baseball cap clip as wearing a hat is more comfortable than having something clipped to my headphones with a cord
Your experiment with the Tobii zoomed into the panel is exactly what I get with TrackIR4. Its most likely a problem with resolution. I havent updated to the TrackIr5 since I switched to VR-only years ago. I was looking at Tobii to see if maybe there was an alternative now, guess not :/
Actually yes, the latest drivers (As of November 2023) now have a high polling mode called "Over-clocked head tracking" (in the settings) which increases the accuracy, and stability of the device. They now enable their own version of "TrueView" where when you are looking to the side and move forward it does the right thing. So now I can easily look over to my right or left shoulder in DCS and even behind me and lean to one side and it feels right and the camera is really steady and smooth now. The new setting is called "Relative Head Position" then an additional setting as a sub setting to that is called "Head Position settings follow current camera orientation". I can now while looking over my shoulder click on cockpit controls and it does not wobble all over the place, It's rock solid. Tobii has done a fantastic job of updating their software. Specifically, some of these settings were designed with DCS in mind, according to the release notes. I've been using the Tobii 5 since it was released and it has only gotten better. I also use it for Star Citizen, Elite Dangerous and even "The Division 2".
@@Cytreen I have been a long-time TrackIR user, but I’ve grown tired of the hassle of wearing the lightweight cap. Two years ago, I purchased the Tobii 5 but returned it due to issues with zoom wobble. If what you’re saying about the improvements is true, I will be a happy second-time purchaser. I placed my order yesterday-this is your last chance, Tobii!
You've really highlighted my issues with the Tobii, my eyes just don't sit still enough for Tobii, especially when I am using my glasses. I feel like it just doesn't work as well in that regard since I only use the headtracking and it's just so bad alone, especially as you've repeatedly shown when zoomed in with that nauseating wobble. It's just awful. It makes clicking on buttons and finding switches/setting things up just so much more difficult than they need to be. This is especially now much more difficult with the Tobii software 3.0 seemingly having *less* features for setting up your software than this video which was Tobii 2.8.
Great review. I bought the Tobii 5 a couple of days ago and tried it out. I will learn a lot about adjusting it properly from this video. I also use my Oculus Quest 2 VR and it's night and day of course. But I can't see my controls and keyboard with VR which is why I bought the Tobii. I'm not 100% convinced with my purchase but will try your suggestions to see if it improves my experience.
@@Swatmat im getting into dcs and i need a eyetracker but if tobii has fixed the problem of the it wiggiliing while you look still i think im gonna buy it
I have the eye tracker 5 and I have none of those problems that you speak about. All the problems you talk about are in your settings if you want to fix them
thanks, very clear and convincing. I finally bought a computer I can play MSFS on so I thought I'd go all the way with a tracker. The choice, like a lot of other players, is pretty clear.
It's curious, there are lots of very positive feedback from the Tobii on Star Citizen for example, often even presented as a better alternative than the TracIR even by deactivating eye tracking...
Picked up a Tobii 5 to see if it's a usable alternative to my ancient TIR3 & delanclip - as you say, no, not at the moment. What *does* seem to be an alternative - if you can spare the cpu - is the neuralnet ai tracker in Opentrack, and a cheapo webcam. AI face tracking seems to have come a long way since I last tried it.
Can you set a deadzone for the Tobii Eye Tracker 5? Reddit at least claims that something like this should work much better, but I am not sure if it really helps as I am still wonder which one to buy: "Set central stabilization down to .2 Yaw and pitch to 2.5 I dont experience any latency or precision issues. Make sure you calibrate it in the tobii app too. Central stabilization and the dead zone settings have the most effect on responsiveness. Pitch, yaw, and roll have greatest effect on precision. Adjust these to your liking, leave the rest default. Do turn off auto calibration or centering, whatever that setting is, and just set a keybind for recentering."
Funny to see TrackIR that smooth in videos. My TrackIR looks more like your tobii, tried a lot of setups but wasn't really satisfying. The movement space it gave me was tiny, too. It cut-off very fast and glitched around. So I'm looking for an alternative
That usually means the sensor may not be far away enough, or you have a bright light behind you (like sunlight through a window) that is fooling the sensor.
It's actually surprising how jittery Tobii is. I was going to assume it would be less jittery than my experience with Opentrack and a PS3 camera. But I get similar or better results for only a few bucks. TrackIR however really seems to be a great method if you need to zoom in on MFDs and small details.
Im really looking to switch to a wireless head setup.. like wireless headset and head tracking and I was hoping for a better Tobii review.... ehhh thanks for sharing mate at least I saved myself the pain of buying something worse than my already TrackIR5
Thank you for this upload!! I almost went for the Tobii to release my head from wearing my headset. Tobii will never ever be as preciese as Track IR as trackIR uses direct infrared on a sensor. The only way for Tobii to get as preciese as TrackIR is to dev a headkit....i'll stay with trackir
THIS IS by far the best review ive seen and wish i had seen it before i brought my tobii 5. it horrible for dog fighting and trying to use the helmet display to mark with a targeting pod or bore sight with a fox2 is game and immersion breaking %100 not worth the money
I used the latest version of Tobii 5 the past 6 weeks and have the same complaints and issues as this review. The head tracking is slow, delayed and inaccurate to the point it’s basically useless without also utilizing the eye tracking as the eye tracking is much more accurate. The downfall with the eye tracking is it picks up EVERY small eye movement to the point it’s very difficult to focus and stay focused on a single object without it becoming jittery. When trying to zoom in close to read panels and toggle switches it becomes very jumpy and twitchy due to I’m guessing involuntary rapid eye movements and twitches that naturally occur. I would more often than not miss clicking a switch or toggle with the mouse or inadvertently click the wrong switch due to the jumpiness while trying to focus. Another downfall I found is that it does not work well with eyeglasses. I could only play while wearing contact lenses as the tracker only seemed to pick up parts and pieces of my eye movements while wearing glasses causing the screen to just constantly dart around in a random pattern that was completely uncontrollable. I have since dumped the Tobii for the TrackIR5 permanently. I liked the idea of Tobii not requiring any worn equipment but in my experience TIR5 is just much more accurate and responsive for DCS regardless of having to use the ir clip
I ordered the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 yesterday. Hopefully they will update there software for more reliable head tracking. The main selling point was, that it allows eye and head tracking and that I don't need to clip something to my headphones or wear a baseball hat.
I really hate TrackIR but yeah, this review convinced me to persevere with it and wait patiently for a better replacement, rather than spend $$$ on something unsuitable. Thankyou!
Lol, it’s all about the right settings for each one’s own setup. Don’t matter what you have, if not properly set up it won’t work to it’s full potential. Grass monkey also has a wireless set up. Worth looking at.
if you do the settings properly on the tobii its faster and more accurate then the Track IR and the eye tracking works amazing if you have it set properly and gives you more emersion being all modern US and jets have eye tracking for target selection
cool video. For anyone considering the Tobii5 2 big drawbacks if you have the Samsung G9 32:9 monitor the Tobii will NOT work at all. If like me you have an eyepatch or glass eye the Tobii will NOT work at all. I tried the Tobii5 for about a week and returned it as it did not accommodate for only having one eye.
As pointed out, Tobii tracks your eye movements while TrackIR tracks the three LED' so it's basically less sensitive and better (or smoother). Tobi should be able to compensate for that with a control to desensitize the eye movement, so it should only take an updated software improvement. I am checking this out because my TrackIR camera is failing, it seems to be overheating and gets wonky after a short time, so I'm looking for something less expensive and longer lasting (mine is about 8 years old now), and I have a limited budget to spend on my hobby. $150 seems too extravagant just to get a replacement camera.
@@Tommy-iw4yv That's true, Tbii is an eye tracker and not necessarily what you want, you need a face tracker, so it tracks only your face/head, so you can look around the cockpit with your eyes keeping your head still. Haven't played with the Tobii, so I don't know for sure how much control you have in the set up. I am waiting for the Delan Clip I've ordered, should be here any day now, my TrackIR camera crapped out (it overheats and goes wonky)
Thank you for this video sir. New to DCS but lifelong airplane fanboy...this made my decision so much easier. Have you heard of the tracking system from UK called TrackHat?!
Can you give me some advice: I see with my left eye as if through a huge fog, I have no lens (injury)... maybe about 20% I have residual vision, and in my right eye I have 3 diopters. In this connection, does a helmet make sense about VR ? unfortunately, there is no place to try on VR glasses in Bulgaria...I'm thinking about HP Reverb G2 version 2= 650 € with controllers ? …or something better? ...or should I wait for new products? If it makes sense with my eyes? or is it better to invest in Tobii eyes 5 now on sale = 200€ and with a new monitor ? The computer is a laptop Gaming Lenovo Legion 7 16IYHg6, Intel® Core™ i7-11800 H, 16", WQXGA, RAM 32GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3080 16GB , 500 nit , 2560x1600 and the monitor is Accer KA240HQ ….can you recommend me a good monitor for this laptop?…I mainly fly in DCS and I am 57 years old, but I also fly in real life on my paraglider😀
Hi, many thanks for this video. I was about to purshase tobii due to the fact i tired of trying to set my track IR. More i try, worst it get. Your track ir profile looks awesome and so stable. May i ask you, and see you you can share your track IR setting please. My trak IR is getting dust for months now. And after your video, hope to use it again is getting back to my mind 😅
Nice vid. Thanks for it. I'm right now looking for the Tobii because after over 10 years of owning TrackIR my head piece broke. My other issue with TrackIR is that I often had issues with the cables. So my thought was that Tobii might be interesting. Tobii is interesting...but not useless compared to TrackIR. The crazy head movements are already a problem with TrackIR. I mean you never hold your head still - deadzones are the solution. I assume you tried that with Tobii. My real problem with TrackIR is that "newer" games are not even supporting TrackIR anymore. As example Kingdome Come or Assasins Creed Valhalla have a Tobii feature but no TrackIR support.
There are wireless ProClips out there that you can get. As for the Tobii support in newer games, most of the features are just gimmicks in my opinion. Only the head tracking matters to me, and unfortunately the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 does not do a good job with that.
@@GottHoldNicetomeet I don't have the software anymore, so I can't verify, but I say Tobii Experience in the video, so that must be it. I remember it was quite hard to miss, so could be they just updated the software since, and that view isn't available anymore.
Hey, thank you so much for your comparision 😀. I currently trying to find a good settings profile for DCS, but it's too hard. The z axis just don't work for me. Cannot use tobii to zoom in/zoom out. Tried with notrackIR software, and works, so it seems it is a software issue related to the tobii game hub. If someone has some idea... it would be appreciated.
Just a thought about "robust" hardware. I've been using TrackIR since about 2014 without problem. Still using the same hardware. As the monitor never moves, robustness is a non-issue. The hat clip is not fragile. I just hang the hat from a woodworking clamp on the side of my desk when done and it's safely out of the way for next time. Never had a problem.
Great video, thanks for the information. I might give trackir a try. Not too keep about the build quality issues you mentioned though. I wonder if there's a way to minimize it...
It's the TrackClip Pro that will break first if you're not really careful when handling your headphones. I've accidentally broken mine once when putting my headset away. Had to mend it together, and it still works to this day. If you're worried, get the DelanClip separately. It works with TrackIR. delanengineering.com/shop-for-headtracking/#!/DELANCLiP%E2%84%A2%C2%AE-Starter/p/49740923/category=68198003
Tobii's gaze feature only works on one monitor. Might cause weird behavior when looking outside of the monitor (on the other monitors). There's some information here: help.tobii.com/hc/en-us/articles/209529429-Can-I-use-multiple-screens-
"and because there is a lack of comparisons with the trackir5 I decided to buy i and put it to the test" instant thumb up
Good device I've used it for over 10 years. can't live with it. Although I recently got a Tobii I'm not sure it better and may return soon.the best thing about Tobii is you can just sit down and go.
Thanks!!! I was getting bored of my old TrackIr and wanted to try the much more modern looking Tobii. Thanks to this video I have changed my mind and will continue with the Trackir.
I had the exact same thought, but it's just not suitable for games that need quick and precise movement.
@@SageNTitled I've seen a few posts about using FaceTrackNoIR with it instead of the Toby software just for DCS.
@@SageNTitled has it improved at all? Would u say its worth to use now
@@master_shifu4208 I don't own the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 anymore, so I can't give a second opinion. The head tracking is the major issue, and I don't think it's ever going to reach the level of accuracy and responsiveness of the TrackIR, because it is camera based (with a very low quality camera). The eye tracking is IR based, so it's much more responsive. If only they had an optional head attachment for tracking.
Can you give me some advice: I see with my left eye as if through a huge fog, I have no lens (injury)... maybe about 20% I have residual vision, and in my right eye I have 3 diopters. In this connection, does a helmet make sense about VR ? unfortunately, there is no place to try on VR glasses in Bulgaria...I'm thinking about HP Reverb G2 version 2= 650 € with controllers ? …or something better? ...or should I wait for new products? If it makes sense with my eyes? or is it better to invest in Tobii eyes 5 now on sale = 200€ and with a new monitor ?
The computer is a laptop Gaming Lenovo Legion 7 16IYHg6, Intel® Core™ i7-11800 H, 16", WQXGA, RAM 32GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3080 16GB , 500 nit , 2560x1600 and the monitor is Accer KA240HQ ….can you recommend me a good monitor for this laptop?…I mainly fly in DCS and I am 57 years old, but I also fly in real life on my paraglider😀
Top notch professional review to someone who has wanted track IR for years but could never afford it until now thank you.
Thanks for this comparison video. I was wondering if Tobii might be a suitable replacement for Track IR, but honestly even after all these years Track IR is still the best performing head tracker I've seen outside of VR of course!
I was unsure if exhuming my old TrackIR device (sitting in a box, somewhere in a wardrobe for years, but still available if I am going to download the needed software for Windows), rather than buying a Tobii Eye Tracker, provided I wear progressive lenses' glasses every waking moment of my life since I was a kid (like more than fifty years, now). I wanted to use 'some' head/eye tracking system with MSFS 2020. Now I made up my mind… thanks to this very video of yours.
Again thank you so much. You helped me a lot. 🙏🏼
Thank you! Great review, many years ago I use to use the first TrackIr. With technology changing so much I have wanted to figure out what tracker would be better for Flight Sim.
Amazingly informative video. I too own an old and rusty TrackIR 5 from about 10 years ago that is simply falling apart. I was looking at replacing it with Tobii, but after this review I am going to get myself another TrackIR 5. I works very well, it's extremely durable and repairable. Thank you very much for the review, sir!!! 👏👏👏
Everything you said was right on. I decided to return the Tobii Eye Tracker for TrackIR; for the reasons of flexibility having to be under the monitor, when looking at things it doesn't seem to stabilize, and some sim games it doesn't work with. It's good but it's not for everyone.
That's a very professional review. Informative and to the point. Thank you!
9:45 I have mapped the centering hotkey to a unused button on my hotas. If you have the reflector thingy you can ziptie it to one of those hair thingys (similar to those cat-ear holder) if you dont want to use headphones
Great video. I've been considering IR or Tobii, and this helped me to go with TrackIR given that it's a bit cheaper here in Canada, and seems to integrate slightly better in the games I play, including DCS.
get a vr set
@@Mulberry2000 lots of games dont support vr but support these
Best comparison I have seen so far. Clear and well documented. Thanks
Thank you for this. Using a tobii for the last year in Star Citizen and as much as you can tweak the settings, the delayed response is always noticeable.
after years of wanting a trackir and living in an apartment where my pc isnt near a window ac unit. Coupled with vr being too hot and sweaty in the summer, i finally got one ordered and im excited as all hell for it to come.
I use VR for DCS, but for new aircraft I wanted to try Tobi for watching tutorials. Nice comparison video. Growling Sidewinder did a recent review and didn't see to have the issues in this video so maybe there have been some updates to teh software.
You just answered my question and convinced me that my investment in my trusty TrackIR is still valid. Thank you.
Thanks for making this video so much! Five minutes into the video and am sold on the TRACKIR 5. Seems more friendly for more games as I have both DCS and Arma 3.
Fantastic comparison sir. I’ve been using the free AItrack and OpenTrack for years. I play a few different sims like American Truck sim, MSFS 2020, and DCS and my basic setup works ok, but it has a lot of unwanted movement especially when focusing on instruments in the cockpit. I’m gonna go with TrackIR. Thanks again for your work!
Thank you for doing this comparison. In the MSFS community, I have seen several streamers and You Tubers touting the Tobii Eye Tracker and how much they like it. But I haven't seen a side by side comparison until now. My biggest issue with the Tobii would be having to mount it on the bottom of my monitor which is curved, so that makes it difficult too, as you mentioned. I'm going to stick with my TrackIR based on your excellent review of both. Thanks again.
this video shows me that, the Tobii eye tracker is very similar to an opensource software called AITrack. Your head is the controller, but it's very unstable and drifting
@@darthvader0510 Checkout Growling Sidewinder review on Tobi eye tracker that is very recent and he didn't have any complaints about it. So maybe there have been some updates since this video.
@@fluxmechanicsthe update'd be that he got money for the video
Fantastic comparison! Everything i needed to make my decision.
He messed up his settings though. Not a fair comparison at all.
I've been using the Tobii on MSFS2020 for quite a few months now and generally agree with your assessment here. Early on I decided to turn off the eye tracker feature and just use the head tracking. I also toned down the overall sensitivity, as using the higher settings caused too much spurious movement in the cockpit. However, for my needs, I really like the Tobii. It takes some time to figure out the best settings for you. Once you get it set up to your liking, the convenience of it is hard to beat. One caveat, I don't do any combat sims. If I did, I would have likely used Track IR 5 instead...
Appreciate the thoughtful review. Looks like I’ll stick with Trackir for the near future.
Awesome review! The Tobii eye tracker is currently on sale and I was wondering if it would be worth upgrading to it but now I see that it would be a downgrade from trackir!
Спасибо, Cmdr! Спас меня от покупки Tobii. TRACKIR 5 у меня есть уже) останусь с ним и дальше)
Thank you for making this comparison, I was considering getting a Tobii Eye Tracker 5 as my Track Clip Pro has started to fall apart. The fact that you wouldn't need to put something on your head, with another cable was quite attractive, but seeing now that the head tracking is lacking for the Tobii I really am not feeling it anymore. I'm thinking I will probably try the TrackNP 5 wireless Track Clip Pro which is battery powered to replace my original, eliminating that wire.
why not use the hat with ir reflectors?
That would get rid of the extra cable but I would instead need to wear a cap which isn't necessarily a problem, but I also wear glasses which can sometimes reflect the ir light as well :/
I'm unaware of this is a problem with the Tobii
One thing I like to mention to some people is some games allow both using the superior headtracking for certain functions and then the eyetracking features can work together quite well.
Hi and thanx for a great comparison between Tobii and TrackIr. But was just thinking that it has been a couple of years now, and Tobii have released numerous software updates for the Tobii 5, so would it not be an idea to review once again and see any progress made by these two solutions?
This has cemented my decision. Thank you for the review
been 2 years since you have tested this, have they updated their sofeware to improve their hardware?
No they have not.
@@11sHangarNot true, they are updates,,read latest review above u
Amazing video thank you! It really helped me decide to go with the TrackIR 5
Also been using TrackIR for over 10 years and had Tobii on my list of upgrades. BUT until Tobii can be mounted on TOP of the monitor, I'll be sticking with TIR. My monitor is right behind my wheel so it's a no go for me. Thanks for your review...you saved me some $$
It can be??? I have it in that config
Thanks for this excellent comparison, I was convinced the Tobii would be better than my old TIR5, and was ready to buy it. I will reconcider now 😅.
How to "input" the action seen in 6:10 and later where you "turn behind"? But of course you would not turn behind from the screen as you have to watch it...
The head movements are amplified, so in reality I'm just looking at the edge of the monitor in order to see behind me.
Great video! I was wondering about the comparison. I have the TrackIR 5 and love it. Started with the DIY version and it just wasn't smooth or granular enough for me. As far as having to wear headphones. No, not necessarily. The reflective target works as well as the active LED tracker. Just clip it to a cheap ballcap or sunvisor. I don't like the fool hat feeling as I like the top of my head exposed to my ceiling fan. no problem. Cut off the top of the hat so you end up with essentially the bill and the headband. Looks stupid, works fine. Again! Thanks for the video. You saved me testing and a return to Amazon. Take care!
Thank you so much for doing this video!
I've been increasingly frustrated with my Tobii 5, especially since I got into DCS. It was fine when I didn't know any better but seeing these comparisons is night and day. The mounting for the Tobii is less than ideal as well due to a hot monitor eventually melting the glue.
I got my Tobii 5 a couple of years ago and it was great for Elite Dangerous, decent for Star Citizen, then jumping into a game like DCS where you need precision it just falls apart - not to mention the horrendous experience trying to download Tobii Experience from the Microsoft Store, so much so that they recommend using third-party software to get around it. Time to bin the Tobii!
Just purchased a Tobii 5 and returning it. They definitely should have thought of a better mounting solution and the glue, it would have been better to have a clip. I found that if I mounted it to the instrument panels it worked just as good but then have to move it back to the monitor for other games.
I own both the trackir and tobii. If you set up trackir correctly it’s way better.
If you want to use Tobii, use facetracknoir. Worked waaay better than through the normal way. Part of the reason is that facetracknoir stops eye tracking which makes for a more pleasant experience since it is way less jittery that way.
@@deathman0111 That's good to know. I was going between eye + head tracking / just head tracking for a while and definitely found just head tracking to be less of a strain. It was still far too jittery for my liking though.
As an update; I bought TrackIR NP about 3 weeks ago and have had a far, far better time with it than Tobii 5. It takes quite a bit of tweaking to get right, however, it is definitely worth it.
Get TrackIR if you're reading this and considering either TrackIR or Tobii. It's cheaper and more consistent tracking, so long as you set the right conditions for the camera (no light sources behind you that would confuse the tracking).
Thank you for a comprehensive and honest review 👌👌
I used Tobii 5 for several months with DCS. I soon turned off the eye tracking as I found it distracting every time I would read a message in the top right hand corner. The head tracking is not accurate enough when I look somewhere in the cockpit tobii will slow keep moving slighty down every time which makes it hard to interact with things. After a while I gave up and now back to trackir that is more precise. I wish Tobii somehow can optimise their head tracking. I tried using facetracknoir with the tobii but it suffered the same issue. I must admit I sit around 90-100cm away which is around the max distance - this is because I use a large screen (43" monitor).
So for now I setup trackir again for DCS while I use Tobii for other games.
That makes sense it states 30 inch screen as max, so probably the reason.
Kudos on a great video - from a fellow TrackIR 5 Pro user.
I've got the Tobii 5 running on OpenTrack and I have to say I have the best of both worlds... an excellent piece of hardware for head tracking (gaze is off), and really fine control of output using OpenTrack rather than the Tobii game interface. It's perfectly smooth and very precise with no FPS impact using DCS MT. Bonus is that I don't wear anything for it to work.
Very good comparasion. Thank you.
I still have an ancient TrackIR 3 with the Vector Expansion (basically upgrading it to TrackIR 5 standards) and to this day, so many years later after I got it used on Ebay at a time when there wasn't even a "DCS" - just "Black Shark", I still don't see a reason why I should upgrade it.
It was designed for CRT monitors (crazy to think about that) but with a bit of metal bendling and good tape it also sticked to every LCD I had.
Also the Vector Expansion is made of aluminium and is to be used with a basecap - so I can actually use it without headphones which is plus compared to the TrackIR 5.
TrackIR 5 actually does still come with the baseball cap clip with the base model. The headphone mount costs extra to get. I still only use the baseball cap clip as wearing a hat is more comfortable than having something clipped to my headphones with a cord
my tobii is not mounted on the monitor, you can mount it ese where but it needs some setup.
Sure did help just ordered Track IR5 thank you!
You're welcome.
Your experiment with the Tobii zoomed into the panel is exactly what I get with TrackIR4.
Its most likely a problem with resolution.
I havent updated to the TrackIr5 since I switched to VR-only years ago. I was looking at Tobii to see if maybe there was an alternative now, guess not :/
Has any software/firmware updates fixed or reduced the Tobii Wobble ??
Actually yes, the latest drivers (As of November 2023) now have a high polling mode called "Over-clocked head tracking" (in the settings) which increases the accuracy, and stability of the device. They now enable their own version of "TrueView" where when you are looking to the side and move forward it does the right thing. So now I can easily look over to my right or left shoulder in DCS and even behind me and lean to one side and it feels right and the camera is really steady and smooth now. The new setting is called "Relative Head Position" then an additional setting as a sub setting to that is called "Head Position settings follow current camera orientation". I can now while looking over my shoulder click on cockpit controls and it does not wobble all over the place, It's rock solid. Tobii has done a fantastic job of updating their software. Specifically, some of these settings were designed with DCS in mind, according to the release notes. I've been using the Tobii 5 since it was released and it has only gotten better. I also use it for Star Citizen, Elite Dangerous and even "The Division 2".
Also the new overdrive mode makes the tracking almost identical to the trackIR
@@Cytreen Yes it does. I'm super impressed with the Work Tobii has done with their software.
@@Cytreen I have been a long-time TrackIR user, but I’ve grown tired of the hassle of wearing the lightweight cap. Two years ago, I purchased the Tobii 5 but returned it due to issues with zoom wobble. If what you’re saying about the improvements is true, I will be a happy second-time purchaser. I placed my order yesterday-this is your last chance, Tobii!
The jittering was due to him setting the sensitivity all the way up..
You've really highlighted my issues with the Tobii, my eyes just don't sit still enough for Tobii, especially when I am using my glasses. I feel like it just doesn't work as well in that regard since I only use the headtracking and it's just so bad alone, especially as you've repeatedly shown when zoomed in with that nauseating wobble. It's just awful. It makes clicking on buttons and finding switches/setting things up just so much more difficult than they need to be. This is especially now much more difficult with the Tobii software 3.0 seemingly having *less* features for setting up your software than this video which was Tobii 2.8.
Thank you! Nice video, I was thinking about this Tobii and got the answers :)
I stick with my trackir
Great review. I bought the Tobii 5 a couple of days ago and tried it out. I will learn a lot about adjusting it properly from this video. I also use my Oculus Quest 2 VR and it's night and day of course. But I can't see my controls and keyboard with VR which is why I bought the Tobii. I'm not 100% convinced with my purchase but will try your suggestions to see if it improves my experience.
What are your thoughts now, after one year?
@@tabchanzero8229After one year? I don't regret it. It functions well.
id love an updated version with the latest tobii software, supposedly much better now
Is it useable now?
@@plumm691 very much so.
@@Swatmat Like can it keep still when looking at buttons?
@@Swatmat im getting into dcs and i need a eyetracker but if tobii has fixed the problem of the it wiggiliing while you look still i think im gonna buy it
I have the eye tracker 5 and I have none of those problems that you speak about. All the problems you talk about are in your settings if you want to fix them
great comparison, many thanks for your video
thanks, very clear and convincing. I finally bought a computer I can play MSFS on so I thought I'd go all the way with a tracker. The choice, like a lot of other players, is pretty clear.
It's curious, there are lots of very positive feedback from the Tobii on Star Citizen for example, often even presented as a better alternative than the TracIR even by deactivating eye tracking...
Great video, nice comparison, thank you
Picked up a Tobii 5 to see if it's a usable alternative to my ancient TIR3 & delanclip - as you say, no, not at the moment. What *does* seem to be an alternative - if you can spare the cpu - is the neuralnet ai tracker in Opentrack, and a cheapo webcam. AI face tracking seems to have come a long way since I last tried it.
Can you set a deadzone for the Tobii Eye Tracker 5?
Reddit at least claims that something like this should work much better, but I am not sure if it really helps as I am still wonder which one to buy:
"Set central stabilization down to .2 Yaw and pitch to 2.5 I dont experience any latency or precision issues. Make sure you calibrate it in the tobii app too.
Central stabilization and the dead zone settings have the most effect on responsiveness. Pitch, yaw, and roll have greatest effect on precision. Adjust these to your liking, leave the rest default. Do turn off auto calibration or centering, whatever that setting is, and just set a keybind for recentering."
Funny to see TrackIR that smooth in videos. My TrackIR looks more like your tobii, tried a lot of setups but wasn't really satisfying. The movement space it gave me was tiny, too. It cut-off very fast and glitched around. So I'm looking for an alternative
That usually means the sensor may not be far away enough, or you have a bright light behind you (like sunlight through a window) that is fooling the sensor.
What he is saying about the Tobii is the same problem I'm having with my track ir-5. i can't get trackir-5 to work
3:38 all I needed to hear, staying with TrackIR
It's actually surprising how jittery Tobii is. I was going to assume it would be less jittery than my experience with Opentrack and a PS3 camera. But I get similar or better results for only a few bucks. TrackIR however really seems to be a great method if you need to zoom in on MFDs and small details.
Hope you didn't set the sensitivity all the way up like he did.
Im really looking to switch to a wireless head setup.. like wireless headset and head tracking and I was hoping for a better Tobii review.... ehhh thanks for sharing mate at least I saved myself the pain of buying something worse than my already TrackIR5
Thank you for this upload!! I almost went for the Tobii to release my head from wearing my headset. Tobii will never ever be as preciese as Track IR as trackIR uses direct infrared on a sensor. The only way for Tobii to get as preciese as TrackIR is to dev a headkit....i'll stay with trackir
thanks for this detailed analysis.
Also, could it be you got the TrackIR knockoff called TrackNP?
Because I read everything on that is plastic while the TrackIR has metal parts.
THIS IS by far the best review ive seen and wish i had seen it before i brought my tobii 5. it horrible for dog fighting and trying to use the helmet display to mark with a targeting pod or bore sight with a fox2 is game and immersion breaking %100 not worth the money
Awesome. Thanks for this. Totally helped me make up my mind as I've been wrestling with the decision for a bit now. #salute
if there would be a way to combine both. You still got to zoom with a button. etc.
I used the latest version of Tobii 5 the past 6 weeks and have the same complaints and issues as this review. The head tracking is slow, delayed and inaccurate to the point it’s basically useless without also utilizing the eye tracking as the eye tracking is much more accurate. The downfall with the eye tracking is it picks up EVERY small eye movement to the point it’s very difficult to focus and stay focused on a single object without it becoming jittery. When trying to zoom in close to read panels and toggle switches it becomes very jumpy and twitchy due to I’m guessing involuntary rapid eye movements and twitches that naturally occur. I would more often than not miss clicking a switch or toggle with the mouse or inadvertently click the wrong switch due to the jumpiness while trying to focus. Another downfall I found is that it does not work well with eyeglasses. I could only play while wearing contact lenses as the tracker only seemed to pick up parts and pieces of my eye movements while wearing glasses causing the screen to just constantly dart around in a random pattern that was completely uncontrollable. I have since dumped the Tobii for the TrackIR5 permanently. I liked the idea of Tobii not requiring any worn equipment but in my experience TIR5 is just much more accurate and responsive for DCS regardless of having to use the ir clip
Great comparison, thx for the info. Made me make my choice easier
I ordered the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 yesterday. Hopefully they will update there software for more reliable head tracking. The main selling point was, that it allows eye and head tracking and that I don't need to clip something to my headphones or wear a baseball hat.
Those are indeed really nice features. It totally depends on the games you're playing. Not all games require the same precision as dogfighting in DCS.
This was a great video, Thank you!
I really hate TrackIR but yeah, this review convinced me to persevere with it and wait patiently for a better replacement, rather than spend $$$ on something unsuitable. Thankyou!
Lol, it’s all about the right settings for each one’s own setup. Don’t matter what you have, if not properly set up it won’t work to it’s full potential. Grass monkey also has a wireless set up. Worth looking at.
if you do the settings properly on the tobii its faster and more accurate then the Track IR and the eye tracking works amazing if you have it set properly and gives you more emersion being all modern US and jets have eye tracking for target selection
Do we know if any of the "issues" with the Tobii Eye tracker have been fixed with software updates? Anyone with a Tobii care to comment?
cool video. For anyone considering the Tobii5 2 big drawbacks if you have the Samsung G9 32:9 monitor the Tobii will NOT work at all. If like me you have an eyepatch or glass eye the Tobii will NOT work at all. I tried the Tobii5 for about a week and returned it as it did not accommodate for only having one eye.
I'm confused cause I do have the Samsung G9 32:9 monitor, and Tobii5 works perfectly fine for me.. I use it for MSFS and Star Citizen.
they work just fine with a G9 32:9 monitor that is what i have you use the under screen mount and properly adjust the angle
also i know people that play SC with a tobii that have only one eye and it still works just fine
As pointed out, Tobii tracks your eye movements while TrackIR tracks the three LED' so it's basically less sensitive and better (or smoother). Tobi should be able to compensate for that with a control to desensitize the eye movement, so it should only take an updated software improvement. I am checking this out because my TrackIR camera is failing, it seems to be overheating and gets wonky after a short time, so I'm looking for something less expensive and longer lasting (mine is about 8 years old now), and I have a limited budget to spend on my hobby. $150 seems too extravagant just to get a replacement camera.
Look at delanclip of delanengeneer way better then trackir5 with a modified ps3 camera wich is pretty sturdy
@@Tommy-iw4yv That's true, Tbii is an eye tracker and not necessarily what you want, you need a face tracker, so it tracks only your face/head, so you can look around the cockpit with your eyes keeping your head still. Haven't played with the Tobii, so I don't know for sure how much control you have in the set up. I am waiting for the Delan Clip I've ordered, should be here any day now, my TrackIR camera crapped out (it overheats and goes wonky)
Thank you for this video sir. New to DCS but lifelong airplane fanboy...this made my decision so much easier. Have you heard of the tracking system from UK called TrackHat?!
Can you give me some advice: I see with my left eye as if through a huge fog, I have no lens (injury)... maybe about 20% I have residual vision, and in my right eye I have 3 diopters. In this connection, does a helmet make sense about VR ? unfortunately, there is no place to try on VR glasses in Bulgaria...I'm thinking about HP Reverb G2 version 2= 650 € with controllers ? …or something better? ...or should I wait for new products? If it makes sense with my eyes? or is it better to invest in Tobii eyes 5 now on sale = 200€ and with a new monitor ?
The computer is a laptop Gaming Lenovo Legion 7 16IYHg6, Intel® Core™ i7-11800 H, 16", WQXGA, RAM 32GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3080 16GB , 500 nit , 2560x1600 and the monitor is Accer KA240HQ ….can you recommend me a good monitor for this laptop?…I mainly fly in DCS and I am 57 years old, but I also fly in real life on my paraglider😀
Hi, many thanks for this video. I was about to purshase tobii due to the fact i tired of trying to set my track IR. More i try, worst it get.
Your track ir profile looks awesome and so stable.
May i ask you, and see you you can share your track IR setting please.
My trak IR is getting dust for months now. And after your video, hope to use it again is getting back to my mind 😅
Here are my settings: www.dropbox.com/s/bc2aorg1k97jsu4/TrackIR_profile.xml?dl=0
@@SageNTitled Awesome. Many thanks . I am going to give a try as soon as back in my place 👍👌
Nice vid. Thanks for it.
I'm right now looking for the Tobii because after over 10 years of owning TrackIR my head piece broke.
My other issue with TrackIR is that I often had issues with the cables.
So my thought was that Tobii might be interesting.
Tobii is interesting...but not useless compared to TrackIR. The crazy head movements are already a problem with TrackIR. I mean you never hold your head still - deadzones are the solution. I assume you tried that with Tobii.
My real problem with TrackIR is that "newer" games are not even supporting TrackIR anymore.
As example Kingdome Come or Assasins Creed Valhalla have a Tobii feature but no TrackIR support.
There are wireless ProClips out there that you can get. As for the Tobii support in newer games, most of the features are just gimmicks in my opinion. Only the head tracking matters to me, and unfortunately the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 does not do a good job with that.
Very nice and informative review, thumbs up 👍
HEY! Trocadero och prinsesstårta! 😍
Perfect review 👍👍👍
Honestly, I'd take the not needing additional gear on my head despite being less accurate any day. It working with Windows Hello is also a nice plus.
TrackIR seems pretty sexy for simulations. i need this :D
I want to use both, Could I for example use Track IR for my head and tobii 5 for gimbaled weapons in Star Citizen?
I don't see why not, but I haven't tried it myself, so I can't guarantee it'll work smoothly.
This is a great vid :D
How do you get in this debug view in 4:28 ?
I think it showed up when starting the Tobii Experience software.
@@SageNTitled Where and in which application in Tobii experience or in tobii game hub?
@@GottHoldNicetomeet I don't have the software anymore, so I can't verify, but I say Tobii Experience in the video, so that must be it. I remember it was quite hard to miss, so could be they just updated the software since, and that view isn't available anymore.
@@SageNTitled Ngl but that sounds kinda douchy of tobii, so one cannot see tracking inaccuracies anymore :/
Thanks man..saved me a nice amount of cash. Keeping my Trackir
Hey, thank you so much for your comparision 😀. I currently trying to find a good settings profile for DCS, but it's too hard. The z axis just don't work for me. Cannot use tobii to zoom in/zoom out. Tried with notrackIR software, and works, so it seems it is a software issue related to the tobii game hub. If someone has some idea... it would be appreciated.
z axis works for me but i did also bind it to the zoom function how ever it does promote the sreen shaking and so on
Wow, thanks! I was going to buy the super expensive tobii, but after seeing this i will look elsewhere.
Just a thought about "robust" hardware. I've been using TrackIR since about 2014 without problem. Still using the same hardware. As the monitor never moves, robustness is a non-issue. The hat clip is not fragile. I just hang the hat from a woodworking clamp on the side of my desk when done and it's safely out of the way for next time. Never had a problem.
I've had my fair share of repairs done to my ProClip, but yeah, it still stands to this day.
Great video, thanks for the information. I might give trackir a try. Not too keep about the build quality issues you mentioned though. I wonder if there's a way to minimize it...
It's the TrackClip Pro that will break first if you're not really careful when handling your headphones. I've accidentally broken mine once when putting my headset away. Had to mend it together, and it still works to this day.
If you're worried, get the DelanClip separately. It works with TrackIR. delanengineering.com/shop-for-headtracking/#!/DELANCLiP%E2%84%A2%C2%AE-Starter/p/49740923/category=68198003
@@SageNTitled Wait, so the trackclip pro needs to be powered? Or is that just the delanclip?
@@TalkingHands308 Both are powered, but DelanClip has a wireless version as well.
@@SageNTitled Ah, I didn't know that, thanks for the info!
Thank you! Do you have a preferred brand of TrackIR or will just any do?
I game on 3 27" monitors and wonder about either one since I just heard about Tobii tonight too.
Tobii's gaze feature only works on one monitor. Might cause weird behavior when looking outside of the monitor (on the other monitors).
There's some information here: help.tobii.com/hc/en-us/articles/209529429-Can-I-use-multiple-screens-
Great video! Thank you
thank you will stick to my trackir till i get VR setup
De verdad, muchas gracias por el video.
Really, tanks for the video.
You're welcome.
AIMxy seems to be taking a lot of traction amongst simmers.
Maybe you can do a comparison.