How do I set up Beam Eye Tracker in MSFS 2020?

To set up Beam Eye Tracker in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, calibrate Beam with your webcam, enable its TrackIR-compatible head-tracking output, and start Beam before the simulator. If your Beam build does not provide direct output, route it through OpenTrack. In MSFS, enable head tracking, centre the view, then tune curves and smoothing.

Does Beam Eye Tracker work with MSFS 2020?

Beam works with MSFS 2020 on Windows by presenting its head-position data through a TrackIR-compatible interface. MSFS reads that interface natively, so you do not need SimConnect, FSUIPC or controller-axis bindings.

The TrackIR interface controls the cockpit camera using head rotation and, when supported by the selected Beam output, positional movement. Beam's gaze tracking is different: MSFS 2020 does not natively select switches or pan the camera simply because you look at them. For the wider distinction between gaze and head pose, see our MSFS head- and eye-tracking configuration notes.

Beam Eye Tracker MSFS 2020 setup

Use one tracking chain from the camera to MSFS; running direct output and OpenTrack together causes doubled or unstable movement.

1. Position the camera. Mount the webcam centrally, preferably near eye level, and keep your face evenly lit. Make sure another application is not holding exclusive access to the camera.
2. Configure Beam. Select the correct camera, sit in your normal flying position and complete the setup or calibration offered by your Beam edition. Confirm that Beam's head-pose preview follows yaw, pitch and leaning without frequent tracking loss.
3. Choose one output method. Enable Beam's direct TrackIR-compatible game output if your installed edition offers it. Otherwise, open OpenTrack and select the Beam input; some releases retain the older Eyeware Beam name. Select FreeTrack 2.0 Enhanced, or the explicitly TrackIR-compatible option supplied by that OpenTrack build, as the output.
4. Test before opening MSFS. Start tracking and verify that the output preview moves correctly. Turning your head right should produce rightward yaw; leaning forward should produce forward movement. Correct an inverted axis here rather than compensating inside the simulator.
5. Use the correct launch order. Start Beam first, start the OpenTrack output if required, and only then launch Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. If MSFS was already running before the tracking output appeared, close and restart it.
6. Enable tracking in MSFS. Load a cockpit and check that TrackIR or head tracking is enabled in the in-flight Camera panel. Depending on the MSFS build, the related setting may also appear under the general Camera options. MSFS should detect the compatible stream automatically.
7. Assign centre and pause controls. Bind these in Beam or OpenTrack and choose keys that do not conflict with cockpit or camera commands. Centre while sitting naturally and looking at the middle of the screen.

The tracking centre command and MSFS's cockpit-view reset are not the same. Resetting the cockpit camera does not redefine Beam's neutral head position, so centre the tracker first and reset the simulator view only if the eyepoint itself has moved.

Should I use Beam output directly or OpenTrack?

Use Beam's direct output when it is available and exposes the adjustments you need; use OpenTrack when Beam is supplied as an input or when you need better axis curves, dead zones and filtering.

The simulator does not care which route generated the pose; it only needs one valid TrackIR-compatible stream. Our explanation of TrackIR-compatible output, centring and launch order covers the same interface Beam is emulating.

How should I tune Beam for cockpit use?

Start with restrained yaw and pitch gain, low translation sensitivity and only enough smoothing to remove visible jitter.

• Yaw and pitch: Use a gentle centre region so small eye and head movements do not disturb instrument scanning, with more gain towards the ends of the curve for side windows and overhead panels.
• X, Y and Z translation: Keep these lower than rotation at first. Increase them only until leaning towards an instrument or looking around a pillar feels natural.
• Roll: Reduce or disable roll if the horizon tilts during ordinary head turns.
• Smoothing: Apply filtering in Beam or OpenTrack, not both. Excessive smoothing produces a delayed, floating camera.
• Dead zone: Use a small central dead zone if the view will not remain still, but avoid making it so large that movement begins with a sudden jump.

Tune one axis at a time in a parked aircraft. Re-centre after changing your chair position, camera angle or seating posture.

Why isn't Beam detected by MSFS 2020?

A working Beam preview with no movement in MSFS usually means the failure is between Beam's output and the simulator, not the webcam.

• Beam does not track your face: Check Windows camera permission, the selected camera, lighting and whether conferencing or recording software is using the device.
• Beam works but OpenTrack does not move: Confirm that the Beam input is selected and available. If the input is missing, the Beam integration and OpenTrack installation are not matched; do not substitute another webcam tracker unless you intend to bypass Beam.
• OpenTrack moves but MSFS does not: Check the output selection, press the tracking start control, enable TrackIR/head tracking in MSFS and restart the simulator with the output already running.
• The view moves twice or oscillates: Disable either Beam's direct game output or the OpenTrack route. Also close physical TrackIR software and any other program sending camera pose.
• Movement is reversed: Invert only the affected axis in the active tracking application. Changing several mappings at once makes diagnosis harder.
• The view jumps or drifts: Improve facial lighting, reduce backlighting, stabilise the camera and recalibrate from your normal seated position.

Camera utilities can create a second control path even when Beam itself is configured correctly. If ChasePlane is installed, use our method for preventing ChasePlane and a tracker from controlling the camera simultaneously.

Can Beam Eye Tracker be used with MSFS 2020 on Xbox?

Beam-to-MSFS tracking is a Windows PC setup. Xbox cannot run the Beam or OpenTrack desktop applications or receive their TrackIR-compatible stream; this applies even if Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 itself is installed on the console.