General VR discussion thread

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Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
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348
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Apparently, I need to get an adapter like HDMI to DVI and use that to plug in the monitor or the Odyssey, and it might work... Assuming the card can handle the monitor and odyssey plugged in at the same time.
 

sze5003

Lifer
Aug 18, 2012
14,177
622
126
Yea sorry man that you are having to go through that. You definitely need an adapter or a card with two HDMI or more ports. Mine has 2 HDMI, and 2 display port ports.

With an adapter and only one port I wonder how performance would be for you. VR can be intense and you have to use your dedicated card's bandwidth for it.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
OK, looking more, it looks like the card DOES have two HDMI ports. I plugged the headset in, and the app progressed. But now it's stuck on the controllers, wanting bluetooth, so I ordered one coming tomorrow. I guess then I'll find out it doesn't work with USB 3.0 and I have to get a 2.0 cable.

Thanks sze.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
Noticed it sent my game sound to the VR. Have to figure out how to switch between that and the headphones, hopefully don't have to go in device manager each time to switch. Maybe it'll be in the VR app.
 

sze5003

Lifer
Aug 18, 2012
14,177
622
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Noticed it sent my game sound to the VR. Have to figure out how to switch between that and the headphones, hopefully don't have to go in device manager each time to switch. Maybe it'll be in the VR app.
You can select the audio output by clicking the speaker icon in the windows taskbar and selecting the headset or your PC speakers.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
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While it's not working, I've tried it on. Doesn't seem to fit great, it very easily presses on my nose and limits breathing. I can sort of get it 'just right' maybe and it's not too bad. It fell off my pc about 2 feet, but nothing looks damaged...
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
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Progress: got bluetooth, now the setup program completed. It wants to know if I want a boundary setup requiring 5x7 minimum space, or standing/seated. I want standing/seated, I have no room to move, but it says some games might not work without a boundary. Which should I pick?
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
You can select the audio output by clicking the speaker icon in the windows taskbar and selecting the headset or your PC speakers.

There's an option in Steam to automatically swap to an audio device upon closing SteamVR. (If I recall, there's one for output and input devices.)

EDIT:

Progress: got bluetooth, now the setup program completed. It wants to know if I want a boundary setup requiring 5x7 minimum space, or standing/seated. I want standing/seated, I have no room to move, but it says some games might not work without a boundary. Which should I pick?

Pick what fits your space. On a game's Steam listing, it will state what modes (seating/standing and/or free-roam) are available. Games often even state a recommended play area as some games require far more than others.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
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Well, I finally got it started, and it's pretty nice. The resolution seems lower than I'd like - a lot of text is blurry - but the biggest things is the UI seems non-intuitive. It put me in a room with a couple free apps I could click, and I clicked 'theblu' which is about the ocean, and it started it, but it just has a few choices that don't do anything.

All it will do now is have a popup window saying 'app slate was closed because this app does not use app slate', and there's no way to exit the app. There was little tutorial, just a bit of 'aim and click this, try voice'.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
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Now I can't yet figure out how to use steam with the VR. The Steam app says 'start your headset' when it's running; trying other things gets an 'error 20640' or similar.

When I run 'Skyrim VR' in steam, it gets the same black Window, the VR shows the same default room, the Steam 'please start your headset' window is there.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
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I looked through the step by step setup again and it says to run the Windows Mixed Reality program that checks for system compatibility, and it says I have no bluetooth, though I do, the controllers work fine, device manager says bluetooth is ok.

So I called MS support - 'you have to call Samsung', I explained why that makes no sense, he sent me to someone else, who said I need level 2, and then that level 2 can't fix it and only level 3 can try, and they're first available on Wednesday...
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
28,274
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Ordered a Odyssesy Plus, for $230 shipped it seems like a lot of value. Top user comments on Youtube repeatedly make it clear, you do not need bluetooth. A firmware update has evidently improved tracking as well. It is a gift for someone else, and will be mostly used for streaming and games that are not too physically involved. Which seems to be its weakest point, aside from fit. Where the light bleed and comfort seem to be less than great. I will look at aftermarket solutions for that. Maybe different pads or something help? Will be searching that here shortly. Some pointed out SS at 140 percent or higher fixed the blurry issue too.

I'll report back if there is any issue with setup. Craig is hopefully an outlier, and it will be as easy to setup as the youtube reviews demonstrate.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
Just 'getting it working' isn't bad. It sounds like you have a different use than Steam gaming - that seems to be the obstacle now, so you might be fine.

On bluetooth, it looks like they added it to the unit at some point, so I probably saw older information and added the dongle needlessly. Just removed it and the controllers still are fine. Not sure what 'SS at 140 percent' refers to.
 
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sze5003

Lifer
Aug 18, 2012
14,177
622
126
Just 'getting it working' isn't bad. It sounds like you have a different use than Steam gaming - that seems to be the obstacle now, so you might be fine.

On bluetooth, it looks like they added it to the unit at some point, so I probably saw older information and added the dongle needlessly. Just removed it and the controllers still are fine. Not sure what 'SS at 140 percent' refers to.
Yea I remember mentioning about the blutooth of the Odyssey +. See if you can return the dongle now.

Steam SS is steam super sampling under the steam vr video settings options. I think by default it sets it to what it thinks it should be based on your PC overall spec strength. Sometimes 100% steam super sampling does not match the native resolution of your headset so you can up the value until it gets close to the native Samsung Odyssey + resolution. This can be set for each app when you launch it in VR or apply to all settings.

I use a military flight sim program which requires I use it with windows mixed reality for steam vr app. Which you can download from within steam. If you opt in for the beta version of this app in steam, I believe the beta version sets the super sampling for you correctly to match the native resolution of your headset.

In my case with the HP reverb without this beta version it was also set to 100% which is not close to the native res of the reverb. So I opted in to the beta and now it uses the correct resolution. This way also any app you launch within steam is also using the correct resolution.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
It's hardly worth returning the $6.49 dongle, and my mistake. Just be nice to get Steam working and better determine how to use the UI.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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@DAPUNISHER I was also looking at the Odyss.
It also has a OLED screen, people basically said its a poorman's Vive Pro.

But here are the reasons i didn't get it.
Its WMD only support.
So games which don't have WMD support and only Rift/Vive support won't work without patches.
I was hearing it has horrible controllers. They honestly rank near last worse then philips.

But at 230 dollars.... i would of probably ended up getting it, and used it as a 3d VR player more so like what i do with my Rift S now.
Body Lag is tons worse then Latency Lag if you get my drift, so playing VR to me honestly isn't that much fun as its cut out to be.
 
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clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,255
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Now I can't yet figure out how to use steam with the VR. The Steam app says 'start your headset' when it's running; trying other things gets an 'error 20640' or similar.

When I run 'Skyrim VR' in steam, it gets the same black Window, the VR shows the same default room, the Steam 'please start your headset' window is there.
What I do (I have the HTC Vive; didn't read back to see what you're dealing with) is:

1.) Launch Steam.
2.) Plug in my Base Stations to the wall outlet, get my controllers and headset out, turn on the controllers (long press the System button I believe), plug in the headset's three cables to the little rectangular box that's also connected to my computer.
3.) Now the VR button in the upper right in Steam should be visible. Click that to launch Steam VR.
4.) Now I think you can put on the headset and you get the VR interface into your games (you're in some log cabin I think), you can select the one you want with your controller and hit the trigger to launch it.

I believe that's the order I was just going through. I was trying to play Boneworks for the first time and kept having issues with my Base Stations that I never had before. They just would not be recognized by my system. Turned out that both were on the 'b' setting and I switched one to 'c' (so they were 'b' and 'c') and that seemed to fix it. I'm not using any cables or Bluetooth or anything extraneous for the Base Stations, they're just plugged into the wall socket.
 

Pheran

Diamond Member
Apr 26, 2001
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I just played through Vader Immortal Ep1 on my Rift. It's not a sophisticated game, but wow, if you ever wanted to actually be *in* a Star Wars movie, this is the way to do it! I just hope there's a bit more gameplay in the following episodes. Also, although being able to wield a lightsaber is awesome, I wouldn't have minded if they'd mixed in a bit of blaster combat.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
So, Microsoft gathered info and said they can schedule a call from level 3 support, the only ones who can do WMR, any time, but it had to be after 72 hours. Just their weird rule. So I scheduled it for 11:00 today, they sent an e-mail confirming I'd get a call between 11:00 - 12:00 today.

I planned my day to be here for the call. No one called. They finally called at 2:00 as I was about to leave, so I cancelled that plan.

I told the person I'd expected a call from 11:00 - 12:00. No apology - just he was busy with other things and he's calling now.

He asks 'what's the problem' basically. Starting over. So I explained the simple issue to him. He doesn't seem to get it so I explain it again. He tried to repeat what I said, not far off, I clarify.

He fixates on the PC not having bluetooth. I explain probably three times it doesn't need it, the headset has it. Finally I explain the whole history how I got the dongle and it wasn't needed and then he finally accepts it. He puts me on hold.

After some minutes, he comes back and basically just confirms the issue again. Puts me on hold for minutes again.

Comes back and asks what kind of system I have. I explain it meets the requirements, mention a couple components, he says that meets the requirements. Then says he wants to call back in a few hours after talking to his manager.

I say, ok, if you need to, and ask when more specifically. He 'checks his schedule' and says in 90 minutes (it's 2:30 at this point). OK.

He never called back (it's 9:45 PM).
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Honestly, I'm not sure if it has gotten a lot better, but SteamVR used to be incredibly temperamental. It seemed that if I left it for a while, and came back to demo it to someone after some time had passed, there would almost always be an error. The last time that happened, I believe I reinstalled SteamVR, but I haven't seen errors in a while.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
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I just played through Vader Immortal Ep1 on my Rift. It's not a sophisticated game, but wow, if you ever wanted to actually be *in* a Star Wars movie, this is the way to do it! I just hope there's a bit more gameplay in the following episodes. Also, although being able to wield a lightsaber is awesome, I wouldn't have minded if they'd mixed in a bit of blaster combat.
I didn't know it was included when we bought the Quest, no one at best buy mentioned it. Nice surprise when I saw I only needed to install all 3 chapters to start playing. Definitely scratches the star wars itch. While the graphics are not very good, particularly character models, the mechanics are entertaining. I have spent more time in combat training than the game to this point. As you go up in levels, they throw more at you which becomes challenging and fun. By level 15, I was full on LARPing.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
After not calling yesterday, they called today. The person wanted me to re-install Steam, I said no. He wanted me to install the latest optional feature patch to Windows, which he said would take about an hour and a half, I said no. Then finally he put me on hold a while and found a Windows Mixed Reality installation/setup program to run, and that solved it.

It's nice to get to use it. The bad side is, it's blurry; I don't know how much is my eyesight, and how much is the device. But words are hard to read. Some controls are unintuitive also; pressed a button, and a Windows menu popped up in the game, hard to get rid of at first. But, we'll see how it goes. I'm glad there isn't screendoor.
 

sze5003

Lifer
Aug 18, 2012
14,177
622
126
After not calling yesterday, they called today. The person wanted me to re-install Steam, I said no. He wanted me to install the latest optional feature patch to Windows, which he said would take about an hour and a half, I said no. Then finally he put me on hold a while and found a Windows Mixed Reality installation/setup program to run, and that solved it.

It's nice to get to use it. The bad side is, it's blurry; I don't know how much is my eyesight, and how much is the device. But words are hard to read. Some controls are unintuitive also; pressed a button, and a Windows menu popped up in the game, hard to get rid of at first. But, we'll see how it goes. I'm glad there isn't screendoor.
Do you normally wear glasses or contacts? If so maybe that's why it could be blurry. I always have to wear my contacts when using VR or everything is not clear as it should be. I know there was a Windows update to windows mixed reality lately that should have fixed some of the blurriness.