Mondo's Hardware Guide

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Revision as of 13:40, 6 September 2024 by MondoCat (talk | contribs) (→‎Pico)

PC Hardware

  • Tupper sez what is the best PC for VR in the year if our lord 2024!

VR Hardware

I am merely a noob, so VR-Compare will prolly be more updated :3

Controller Mods


Headstraps

Facial Interfaces

  • Literally any made by VRcover are worth buying

Audio Mods

  • Logitech makes earbuds with a custom cord length so they don't dangle on headsets
  • ModMic Wireless; Bluetooth microphone for any VR headset, connects directly to Quest 1/2

Misc Mods

  • Use a big rug if you need help with your playspace and dont want to use the guardian/playspace walls

Oculus/Meta (Old Stuff)

Oculus Go

  • $250 new on Ebay (as of 7/2022)
  • $25-40 used on eBay (as of 8/2024)
  • Works without wires
  • VERY limited on what it can do
  • VERY limited controller
  • Cant play vrchat natively
  • Just don't

Oculus Rift (CV1) (Consumer Version 1)

  • $350 new on Ebay (as of 7/2022)
  • $70-140 used on eBay (as of 8/2024)
  • Needs base stations
  • Connects to computer to run
  • Old technology
  • Decent cheap option for just starting to get into VR if you have a decent pc

Other Oculus Terms

  • Info pulled from r00x & Reddit, so needs verification
  • DK1 - the first Oculus development kit.
  • DKHD - Prototype for DK2
  • DK2 - (codename: Crystal Cove) the second Oculus development kit (added positional/camera tracking)
  • Crescent Bay - Prototype for CV1
  • CV1 - The first consumer version/first "official" widely available PCVR Oculus headset
  • E3_2015 (not released)
  • ES06 (not released)
  • ES09 (not released)
  • ES11 (not released)
  • Rift S - (codename: Laguna) the second tethered PCVR headset from Oculus
  • Rift 2 - Cancelled right before production
  • Q1 - (codename: Project Santa Cruz, ultimately Monterey, IIRC) the first Oculus Quest

Oculus Rift S

  • $550 new on Ebay (as of 7/2022)
  • $150-180 used on eBay (as of 8/2024)
  • Requires Displayport (or Mini Displayport w/ adapter) on PC
  • Doesn't need base stations
  • Needs light to function
  • Connects to computer to run
  • Basically a non-wireless Quest 1
  • Firmware awful and doesn't work half the time
  • Can order prescription lenses

Oculus Quest / Oculus Quest 2

  • $299+ retail
  • Completely wireless, doesn't need a pc
  • Needs light to function
  • Can hook to computer for EXTRA power via Airlink / Steamlink / Virtual Desktop
  • Quest 2's power > Quest 1's power
  • Quest = Black, Quest 2 = White
  • Comes in several sizes of storage
  • Can order prescription lenses
  • Weight distribution is odd
  • See Meta Quest 2 for more info, since the price was hiked and the name was changed!
  • Quest 1 is no longer supported on VrChat

Meta Quest 2

  • $399+ retail
  • This is just a rebranding of the word "Oculus" and is otherwise identical
  • Got a $100 price increase in July 2022 due to "component shortages"
  • Quest 2 Disassembly
  • Can work standalone, wired with pc, or wireless with pc
  • Uses airlink, Steamlink, Virtual Desktop or USB-tethered connection
  • Can sometimes find them very cheap online used ($100-200)
  • IN STANDALONE MODE ONLY: You can use your hands as controllers instead of use the actual controllers! Super neat! This is the only way to get "finger splay" in VRC.
  • A great entry into VR

Meta Quest 3

  • Has 3 black bars on the front
  • Bigger Resolution
  • Better Processor
  • More Ram
  • Less bulky controllers
  • Slightly better experience than Quest 2, but our person who bought both said it's not noticeable enough to be worth it?
  • Meta Quest 3 Price: $499 (128GB) or $649 (512GB)
  • 2064 × 2208 Resolution
  • 120Hz
  • 513g
  • Still works standalone, USB-Cable tethered, airlink, steamlink, or virtual desktop
  • Better resolution than the Quest Pro
  • IN STANDALONE MODE ONLY: You can use your hands as controllers instead of use the actual controllers! Super neat! This is the only way to get "finger splay" in VRC.

Meta Quest Pro

  • Meta Quest Pro Price: $999.99
  • 1800×1920 Resolution
  • 72-90 Hz
  • 722g
  • Inferior to the Quest 3
  • Dont do it, just get a Quest 3, lol


Oculus Bug Fixes

Oculus Quest 2 / Meta Quest 2 Stick Drift Fix

  • WD40 Contact Cleaner "I sprayed a good amount around the base of the joysticks and then gave them a few rotations to make sure it got between the joystick and the controller." -Rekka

Quest 2 Link Cable Fix

Try either one of these!

  • Developer Settings > USB Connection Dialog (Diagnostics?)
  • Oculus App Settings > Beta > Enable PTC > Update

Lag

FBT On Quest 2

Virtual Desktop Vs Airlink Vs USB Cable Vs Steamlink

SteamLink

  • Does not require bulky Oculus software
  • Does not require ethernet connection like it says
  • Works way better and less laggy than VD, Airlink, AND USB cable
  • Is free

Virtual Desktop

  • Virtual Desktop is a WIRELESS ALTERNATIVE to the bulky Oculus software, that is MORE STABLE than a WIRED connection!
  • With wired your PC is spending extra resources to encode/decode over the wire. When you go wireless that processing gets offloaded to the headset itself and frees up your computer. I actually get better performance over wireless. Virtual Desktop also has supersampling/spacewarp built into it as well and is much easier to tweak compared to using the Oculus debug tool for that stuff.
  • PC being used is PREFERABLY hard wired with an ethernet cable
  • Quest 2 is the ONLY device on the 5GHz band
  • Try to be somewhat close to the router due to the shorter range of 5GHz
  • WiFi 6 router is preferred but WiFi5 will work
  • A really good router

Airlink

  • Airlink uses Wi-Fi to wirelessly connect to your headset using Oculus Software.
    • To connect your Quest 2 to PC, have Steam open, as well as the Oculus software. Connect your Quest 2 whilst it's on to a USB 3.0 slot (USB-C is better if you have it but it may struggle on 2.0 or less).
    • Go into your settings menu on the Quest and click the newly appear Oculus Rift/Link button. You will have a white menu (you may wish to turn Steam Home off in your Steam settings, and Oculus Home off in Oculus settings.)
    • Open Steam from this and it will open SteamVR. Open your chosen game via the menu once you have loaded in. IF YOU HAVE LAG (likely): Open your Device Manager. and open the section called Universal Serial Bus Controllers. You will likely have several that say something like Root Hub. Right click on those, and then click Properties > Power Management > and ensure that 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' is turned off. Do this for each Root Hub (the amount will vary depending on the about of usb slots you have).
    • Afterwards, search your pc for Power and Sleep (may vary depending on OS), click additional power settings, and click Change Plan settings for the one you use. You should now see a Power Options panel. Click USB Settings > USB Selective Suspend Setting > and ensure that the setting is disabled. This should solve any lag issues.
  • Line-of-sight with the target router, and an ethernet cable plugged from it into the host PC, is highly recommended

USB Cable

  • USB Cables can be used to connect your Quest to your PC to get the FULL PC experience!
  • Not all cables are created equal. Some may not charge while you play.
  • The official cable is $79, and -not worth it-. Plenty of cheaper cables do the same.
Cables that work at 3GBPS speed
  • Riitop $30 Cable - This cable worked fine, but it did break after a few months
  • B08P8PKTKX - $20 Cable - Does not charge 100% speed in laptop, but okay in wall
  • Kuject - $22-35 cable - Has external power, so tentatively would be full speed? Need confirmation!

Misc Guides

Valve

Valve Index

  • $999 for the kit retail
  • Requires Displayport or Mini Displayport adapter on PC
  • Uses base stations
  • Connects via PC
  • Very powerful
  • Can order prescription lenses
  • Manually adjust eye-width
  • Knuckles controllers track finger proximity and does not require to be held all the time
  • Has glare in eyepieces for some users
  • Teardown Guide

Valve Index 2 Native Hand Tracking

  • Monado's got you covered! (TBD!)


Mobile Lighthouse Control


Extend Cable Length

With a repeater and extention code (and lots of velcro to combine the cables into 1 cable) you too can extend your Index's range!

  • Cable Matters Active 8K DisplayPort Repeater, DisplayPort 1.4 Repeater Amazon
  • USB 3.0 Extention Cable Amazon

Valve Index 2

  • Currently patented
  • Rumored to be wireless, similar to the quest

Vive

PLEASE NOTE: Original vive wands need 1.0 basestations!

Vive

  • $499 retail
  • Uses base stations
  • No built in audio

Vive Pro

  • $1,399 retail
  • Uses base stations
  • Backwards compatible with Vive base stations

Vive Pro Eye

  • $1,599 retail
  • Same as Vive Pro, but with eye tracking

Vive Cosmos

  • $699 retail
  • No base stations needed
  • Uses your computer wirelessly (Like Quest's Airlink)
  • Tracking issues

Vive Cosmos Elite

  • $749 retail
  • Needs an adapter to be wireless
  • Less tracking issues

Vive Pro 2

  • $799
  • Uses base stations
  • Connects to pc
  • Needs Vive Console and Steam VR open to run Steam VR games

Vive Flow

  • Completely wireless, doesn't need a pc

Pico

  • Pico has a LOT of headsets
  • Our buddies Dirtball & Saefer are the only ones who has ever had them that I know.
  • Can support Index Controllers & Vive Trackers w/ Lighthouses
  • Pico 4S Will Use The Same Chip As Quest 3 With More RAM
  • There's a vibrant modding community and ordinary Android tools work out of the box

Pico 2

  • Pico G2 controllers work behind your back without base stations not compatible with anything else and the form factor is garbage though

Pico Neo 3

  • Good for standalone games
  • You can pull the vrchat apk from a pico 4 and stuff it into a pico neo 3 (unsupported) and it works fine
  • Controllers take 2 AAs and can go for weeks!
  • Comparable to a Quest 2
  • Pico Neo 3 Link Does have DP
  • Pico Neo 3 (non-link) does not have DP

Pico 4 Pro

  • Uses a LOT of power / Get a lot of extra batteries!
  • No headphone jack
  • Good for wireless pcvr
  • Pico 4 ultra can run native vrc with fbt
  • Doesn't have DP input

Pico Trackers (ir & imu combo)

  • Pico Trackers
  • Only works with Pico Headsets
  • Does not use a hip tracker, only 2 ankle trackers
  • Seems to somehow still track hips okay though?
  • The Development Kit Trackers drift like crazy & dont work on pico neo 3
  • They "just work" in steamvr using pico connect
  • Does not take lighthouses
  • You can use 3, but only sold in pairs

Other

Use Phone or PSVR as VR Headset

  • iVRy Use your iPhone, Android, GearVR, Oculus Mobile or Sony PSVR headset as a Virtual Reality Headset for your PC. Lets you run SteamVR & Oculus Rift PC VR titles without a dedicated PC VR headset.

Pimax

  • Pixmax actually has a LOT of headsets but tbh I have never known anyone to have one.

HP® Reverb G2

  • A nice alternative to the quest 2. Basically like a Rift S. Lags a LOT less on lower end systems than a Quest 2!
  • Is discontinued

WMR / Windows Mixed Reality

  • This is what HP Reverb G2 is, there are others, but G2 is the biggest name one.

Bigscreen Beyond

(Thanks Theos for the review!)

  • Video - Small lightweight molded to your face headset. $999, without controllers.
  • + Its mega light, which makes it very comfortable in general
  • + Its reduced bulk and no need for counterweight at the back of the head make it very comfortable to lie down in / sleep / rest your head against anything
  • + Feels more immersive due too the superb fit on your face = no light leakage
  • + Tight fit + lightness of the headset makes it barely move on your face when you move your head around a lot when dancing or similar
  • + Nice displays, esp in dark
  • + No more VirtualDesktop since its a steamVR native headset
  • + 2 usb C ports on the headset so u can easily use wired headphones or add other accessories such as DIY eyetracking if you want
  • + Soft headset band makes it comfortable to wear most headphones
  • + you dont need an extra tracker for your headset when using lighthouse based fbt & dont have to deal with openVR spaceCal or similar
  • + Wired so no need to deal with battery and wifi connection to pc
  • + Steams guardian is a lot better then the pico playspace
  • + I dont need to have my room light on max brightness for my tracking to work

  • Theres a slight glare near the bottom of the displays, mainly noticeable in menus and stuff and barely disturbing during gameplay
  • screen gets a bit blurry to the edge of the screen e.g. text at the edge of your FOV is very hard to read
  • gets more sweaty when its hot / u move a lot (a sweaty beyond is more comfortable then a sweaty pico4 tho to somewhat make up for that)
  • (-) sometimes you need to swap your audio in- / output on windows as it doesnt always swap automatically
  • (-) no audio so you have to use other headphones or buy the additional audio strap
  • (-) no wireless option
  • (-) the soft strap can loosen a bit over the duration of longer play sessions ( its very easy to tighten w/o taking the headset off tho)

Full Body Tracking (FBT)

Alternative Tracker Dongles

  • Super N7R Dongle Receiver This is a 7 in 1 Super N7R Tundra Dongle Receiver for Valve Index HTC Vive Tracker, USB dongle wireless receiver for pairing your PC with SteamVR compatible devices. Allows you to use a HP Reverb G2 headset with Valve Index Controllers among other things. It's plug-and-play, just insert into your computer and the necessary drivers will automatically install so you can pair your controllers using the SteamVR app. These dongles are pre-flashed with watchman firmware and function similar to Steam Controller, or HTC Vive Tracker dongles. Valve Index Controllers HTC Vive Tracker HTC Vive Controllers Logitech VR Ink Pilot
    • NOT FOR REVVL 4 PLUS
    • Preliminary tests work really great vs Tundra Labs super wireless dongle, which kept losing tracking often

Tundra Trackers

  • Looses tracking often with the Tundra Labs super wireless dongle ($96/$128) (3/4 devices)
  • The Super N7R Tundra Dongle Receiver @ https://www.ebay.com/itm/126390924954 seems to work better, but is pricy. ($170) (7 devices)

Vive Trackers

2.0 Trackers info

  • Mid sized, work great, need base stations

3.0 Trackers info

  • Smaller sized, work great, need base stations, longer battery life
  • Magnets affect the 3.0 trackers. a magnetic detachable usb tip is too powerful for it

Vive Ultimate

  • Inside out Trackers
  • 5 trackers on 1 dongle
  • Less ugly
  • More expensive ($199 each)

Slime Trackers

  • More advanced
  • Open source
  • $225 for the (5+1) set from CrowdSupply
  • Wait times very long
  • Cases fragile
  • $275 for the DIY Kit - Full-Body Set (7+3) - It does not come with enclosures, straps, batteries, or other accessories.
  • $560 for the 10+6 "Futureproof" set
  • Datdus' 3D Printed Slime Cases for the DIY kit v

HaritoraX Trackers

EEG Headband - BCI Tracking (Control VR Ears with your MIND!)

Virtual Trackers

Standable


Driver4VR

Amythyst / K2VR

Playstation Move

Pinoquest

oWoTrack

  • oWoTrack - Uses spare android phones to FBT.

Xbox 360 Kinect

  • Cannot spin around

Xbox ONE Kinect

Standable

Eye Tracking

DIY Eye Tracking


Typing / Speech Conversion

TTS Wizard (Text To Speech)

Typing Assistants

Misc

Haptics & Misc

BYOH

Find My beer! (Beer Tracking)

Mixed Company Hardware

  • OpenVR Space Calibrator - Mondo has had no luck with this, but others have! Use Index controllers with a quest! And more!

Chrome Addon for Easy Quest Youtube Link Copying

UDCap GLOVE controllers

  • UDCap Glove controllers. Hopefully they come out! $499
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