Is VR dead?

[Deleted member 197115]

And middle too.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Another one

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Wondering what kind of LCD screen they use, all reviewers in unison praise colors and black levels.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

LOL! Not if you've got an Index

I know you like your Index just like the rest of us like our headsets.
But is was more a reflection on the lack of real development as since Oculus DK1 we have only seen inside-out tracking as a new feature the rest is just minor improvements in comfort and resolution.
We need to see some real innovations not least in software.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I know you like your Index just like the rest of us like our headsets.
But is was more a reflection on the lack of real development as since Oculus DK1 we have only seen inside-out tracking as a new feature the rest is just minor improvements in comfort and resolution.
We need to see some real innovations not least in software.

I think the huge issue is that there are dependencies. For example if a headset required a 2080Ti w/ i9-9900K that would mean the potential audience is quite limited. Or if a headset really required more power than that than there is a complete road block.

Oculus and HTC initially pitched the Rift and Vive as requiring a GTX 970. I can definitely say that there were large benefits driving the Rift with a 1080Ti. With the Index I'm enjoying it with a 2080Ti, BUT even it could use a lot more power than that in some simulation games especially those like DCS World. I could EASILY use twice maybe triple the power of my 2080Ti in DCS.

Initially HTC said there was a 30% savings and now they are saying up to 50% with foveated rendering, but it's still in the R&D phases. 50% is good. My jump from a 1080Ti to a 2080Ti is supposed to be a bit over a 30% improvement. And there is a cost with eye tracking as well. Eventually it will become cheap and everyone will use it.

My point is that VR and all the technologies that it needs to advance are all advancing, but it won't be overnight. We need to think long term about this. It will get better, but there is no cure all for this yet.

So not dead, just not instant gratification.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Impressions from user on reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/dbskbm/just_got_the_vive_cosmos_my_issues_so_far_ama/
Battery life is not 2 hours, accordingly to the poster 3/4 in controllers after 4 hours play.
Some negatives as well, ergonomics mostly, but that's inevitable with different face types.

 

[Miguel Batista]

I think the huge issue is that there are dependencies. For example if a headset required a 2080Ti w/ i9-9900K that would mean the potential audience is quite limited. Or if a headset really required more power than that than there is a complete road block.

Oculus and HTC initially pitched the Rift and Vive as requiring a GTX 970. I can definitely say that there were large benefits driving the Rift with a 1080Ti. With the Index I'm enjoying it with a 2080Ti, BUT even it could use a lot more power than that in some simulation games especially those like DCS World. I could EASILY use twice maybe triple the power of my 2080Ti in DCS.

Initially HTC said there was a 30% savings and now they are saying up to 50% with foveated rendering, but it's still in the R&D phases. 50% is good. My jump from a 1080Ti to a 2080Ti is supposed to be a bit over a 30% improvement. And there is a cost with eye tracking as well. Eventually it will become cheap and everyone will use it.

My point is that VR and all the technologies that it needs to advance are all advancing, but it won't be overnight. We need to think long term about this. It will get better, but there is no cure all for this yet.

So not dead, just not instant gratification.

well, yes. What you say is true. I mean, with neweer generation headsets you can already achineve a great level of clarity but it still isn't as smooth and amazing an image as a 1080p monitor so of course, if your comparison is a gorgeous UHD Ultra wide display, the image is going to come out lacking and will do so for the foreseeable future. So it is not a technology without its downsides. However, even in my Rift CV1, I think the tradeoff is definitely worth it! Especially with some SS added to it and some sharpening filter. If only Nvidia filters worked in the headset...

 

[BrightCandle]

I think progress has been quite a bit slower than we expected. The generation 2 set of devices has ultimately ended up bringing the price into the good range yet and we have none of the headline features in regards to foveated rendering with eye tracking, the pixel density to remove SDE and be fantastic, the optics genuinely being great and the unteathered gameplay. Progress has been made and the higher resolutions of the updated devices are worth having for a VR player but it definitely isn't the combination of upgrades we were all hoping for when we bought those first Rifts and Vives.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Looks like somebody got Cosmos already. Not much new info though.

And part 2 is out.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

And,
drumroll....


It sucks
https://uploadvr.com/htc-vive-cosmos-review/

 

[RCHeliguy]

That just confirms what I expected from HTC. If they don't have a lot of large commercial work to keep them afloat I don't expect them to survive long term.

I did see a quick 3.5 minute video on my YouTube feed about the Oculus Halfdome 2 and 3 and it does look like FB is continuing their R&D effort with good effect. They dropped the weight substantially and then eliminated noise with a final version that doesn't have any moving parts and just has 6 displays at different focal ranges that they claim they can get 64 focal lengths from. Based on what they showed, I don't think the original half dome would have been worth putting into production.

By the time they go to production they will have dropped weight, improved performance and most critically dropped production cost dramatically.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Guess I am stuck with Odyssey+ for a now as nothing else looks like a meaningful upgrade.
Hope Samsung finally announce his long promised new HMD.
Afraid at this point manufacturers just not sure which platform to use, WMR went underground as it seems or too busy with HoloLens2 and military contracts, Facebook does not want anyone else in their sandbox, may be Steam, but it's more like a digital store bulldozed out of the market by Epic that can just vanish overnight with most AAA titles already either switching to own platforms or Epic store.

Wondering if Cosmos works with Steam natively or still requires Origin client in background.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Let's just call this what it really is, a conspiracy against you!

 

[Deleted member 197115]

This is a good one, but pretty much same conclusion.

 

[RCHeliguy]

FYI, from my iRacing Discord feed.

"I got the vive cosmos today. Pretty dissapointed compared to the rift s. Sweet spot is much smaller than rift. The controller tracking is a f*cking joke."

 

[SaXXXon]

So right now.. any reason to swap my Dell Visor for something else? I was thinking about the Reverb (good price through work). Odyssey + is crazy expensive in Norway.

 

[RCHeliguy]

So right now.. any reason to swap my Dell Visor for something else? I was thinking about the Reverb (good price through work). Odyssey + is crazy expensive in Norway.

Most people are not crazy about the Reverb. Currently the best VR experience is the Valve Index. It's the full package, comfortable, very high quality construction, extremely easy to put on and take off, nice long cable, excellent audio, sharp display with frame rates up to 144 fps if you can push that. It has a larger field of view of any other headset but the Pimax, the best tracking compared to any other system by at least an order of magnitude in accuracy and also quite a bit in latency. The best hand controllers on the market. It will take a strong CPU and GPU to drive it well and I don't know if it is available where you are or what it would cost you.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

So right now.. any reason to swap my Dell Visor for something else? I was thinking about the Reverb (good price through work). Odyssey + is crazy expensive in Norway.

Do not think any headset currently justify an upgrade from a basic WMR. But that is my opinion!
I would upgrade to Samsung O+ but think currently it is better to wait and see what comes out next.

Reverb got good feedback for race and special flight simswhere the much higher display resolution really makes a difference.
But has some quality issues which might be solved with the updated model they ship out now.

Those on this site that has Pimax seams to be happy with them not least the very large FOV .
But also suffer from quality issues in both HW and SW.

The new Vive Comos got issues with tracking in none optimized lighted rooms. So better wait to see if updates fixes that.
Does have the best colors in any of the LCD headsets but would wait on real user review as those youtube reviewers are more concerned about being first than being correct!

Have tried the Rift S a couple of times and consider it a downgrade from my Lenovo WMR.
Colors are better on the Rift S compared to our headsets but in general lower res and only 80 hz displays which I think might be an issue in longer race sim sessions. I only use VR for race and flight sims so have no controller tracking issues at all. As I do hardly ever use them.

The Index got general good reviews. But for sitting VR use it doesn't make sense to install costly light houses For the price it only adds higher display frequencies.

Lets hope we soon see true generation 2 headsets?

 

[RCHeliguy]

The Index does not ONLY add higher frequencies. It's in a completely different class for quality of materials and comfort. It has great full bass and the highest quality audio available. It does increase FOV over all but the Pimax.

You don't need to upgrade the face gasket. It's absolutely comfy as is. It very easily handles glasses and a wide IPD range. The way it hinges onto place perfectly is effortless.

The Reverb also has a short cable that many had issues dealing with. Meanwhile the Index has the longest cord going. The Reverb also feels low rent compared with the Index as do most other headsets.

All the details are done right. Yes the full room scale is amazing and it is like cheating in shooting games but that does not take away from everything else that they nailed and have best in class performance.

Trying not reducing the Index to one number just because you hate base stations.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

The Index does not ONLY add higher frequencies. It's in a completely different class for quality of materials and comfort.

No it is not it is still a 1.5 gen headset.

It has great full bass and the highest quality audio available

So does my headset and it will follow me to the next Vr headset.

You don't need to upgrade the face gasket.

I would hope not for the price.

It very easily handles glasses and a wide IPD range. The way it hinges onto place perfectly is effortless.

Adjustable IPD is a must if you need it but for 85% of us is a useless feature
And most id not all headset by now hinges so that does not make is an enthusiast headset it is just the price that does that.
I knew you would jump on this as I was not lavishing endless praises on the Index.
But I general I read user reviews on Reddit and while people are happy enough with the Index it isn't anything special. And the only reason you think so is because you only compare it to your old CV1 Rift.
Just like most Rift S users think they got a top end VR headset while it is a overpriced low grade headset.
I have not used or even seen a Index and I am sure it ifs a fine headset but apart from you nobody thinks it is something special and the only real plus it got is room scale tracking which is pretty useless for most users on this site.