Will VR destroy the display revolution?

[Mondozei]

After nothing much for many years, we've seen an explosion in display innovation, from 4K, to Freesync/G-Sync to much larger (and affordable) displays, widescreens, curved etc etc.

Yet, with most VR headsets launching in late 2015/early 2016, is it really justified to spend 600-800 dollars on a display that ought to last at least 5 years? Maybe the first generation of VR won't be huge but basically all the major game engines now support VR. A lot of really big game development AAA companies are doing VR-only games already and it is just increasing.

So even if 2016 won't still be a breakthrough year for VR, 2017/2018 almost surely will. And anyway, even if the first generation of VR or two isn't hugely polished, the technology is so revolutionary as to render any iterative update to conventional displays pretty insignificant.

The only way I can see justifying spending massive cash on a new display today is if you think VR will either flop(unlikely) or at least come to fruition quite slowly, let's say not until 2020. But that is also unlikely given the massive investment we've seen from all the major companies. VR is here already and it is the future and spending 800+ dollars on a really good display could be a catastrophic buying decision just 2-3 years down the line.

 

[xthetenth]

Or if you want something good now, and don't think that VR will totally supplant your monitor use.

I used to get sick from CRTs and get badly carsick when I'm not in the front seat. It'll probably take a while to get a VR setup that works well for me. I also do a lot of things where a good display makes a huge difference and setting up a decent VR workflow would be very difficult.

 

[bystander36]

VR will only be useful in some games. Monitors will be used the rest of the time.

 

[gorobei]

a nice monitor for 2d programs and web browsing will still be viable and necessary in 5 years. watching movies as a shared vr experience may take over some of the media or social networking functions of displays going forward.

the main problem with vr hardware is the oled panels will only get better each year, making the first iterations semi dated. the other problem is that the tracking hardware is looking like it may hit a crossroad. the valve lighthouse system of IR lasers and sensors on the headset and controllers looks like it has more growth potential than oculus' cameras. the touch VR controller with the capacitive finger tracking looks like it has a better chance of capturing the hands on aspect of vr people are longing for.

with valve and oculus splitting the early market, the 1st gen VR may be a dvr r+ r- wait for it to settle out situation.

 

[HeXen]

I would like to use a VR as a regular monitor for every game. It would free me up so to speak so I'm not stuck sitting in front of the TV. If I want to huddle in a corner of the basement somewhere where no one can bother me then that would be a great option.

 

[Man I Suck]

If I want to huddle in a corner of the basement somewhere where no one can bother me then that would be a great option.

LOL

 

[HexiumVII]

You generally dont want to use VR glass for more than half an hour at a time without resting your eyes. Plus you'll prob get pretty sweaty!

 

[HeXen]

You generally dont want to use VR glass for more than half an hour at a time without resting your eyes. Plus you'll prob get pretty sweaty!

A good display, high refresh rate...etc probably wouldn't be as tiring on the eyes but my idea for a good VR would be more like a welders helmet where the visor can be pulled down...it wouldn't block out all the light but I think it would be more comfortable.

what do you think? Something almost like this, where the entire front mask can be pulled down over your face or lifted back up without removing the entire helmet. To me this would also help with people that wear glasses since nothing physically would directly touch your face. Welders wear these for hours so it can't be that uncomfortable.

Plus you could make cool looking visors on the outside such as a skull or whatever.

 

[shady28]

VR will only be useful in some games. Monitors will be used the rest of the time.

You've got Oculus Rift on the brain.

Microsoft and Google have a different vision of what VR will be :

 

[bystander36]

You've got Oculus Rift on the brain.

Microsoft and Google have a different vision of what VR will be :

Maybe in a couple decades. I don't think people are ready to wear a helmet or even something like Google glass all the time. At least not yet. It's going to take a while before that is accepted.

Besides, we are talking about VR. That is not virtual reality. That is augmented reality.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

VR will be a supplementary technology for the foreseeable future. When all of the tech can fit inside a relatively normal pair of glasses we might start to see a paradigm shift, generally speaking though people are happy to switch between multiple technologies depending on their preferences at the time, there's no single tech that satisfies all requirements really well.

 

[exar333]

VR will be a supplementary technology for the foreseeable future. When all of the tech can fit inside a relatively normal pair of glasses we might start to see a paradigm shift, generally speaking though people are happy to switch between multiple technologies depending on their preferences at the time, there's no single tech that satisfies all requirements really well.

I don't see VR replacing a great display setup. I could see it replacing some surround/eyefinity setups possibly, if the person just wanted those for gaming (and not for work as well...).

 

[HeXen]

You've got Oculus Rift on the brain.

Microsoft and Google have a different vision of what VR will be :

https://lh3.go[/QUOTE]

I think their vision sucks. I want to be immersed in a different world, not see my own world with popup ads. I have hard enough time trying to be rid of them on my browser and apps.

So that cute little weather app they are showing, they failed to render the little scrolling Ad box below it that will be there if it ever releases.

 

[bystander36]

I think their vision sucks. I want to be immersed in a different world, not see my own world with popup ads. I have hard enough time trying to be rid of them on my browser and apps.

So that cute little weather app they are showing, they failed to render the little scrolling Ad box below it that will be there if it ever releases.

These are different products. This one is AR (augmented reality), the Oculus Rift is VR (virtual reality). They won't compete with each other and are for different purposes. AR is more poised to compete with the smart phone than a PC.

 

[HeXen]

I know what it is and what augmented reality is. I never said they would compete, I was commenting on Shady 28. My point stands, this is MS and Google we are talking about.

 

[shady28]

I know what it is and what augmented reality is. I never said they would compete, I was commenting on Shady 28. My point stands, this is MS and Google we are talking about.

Possibly you're right, but if all you see here is a smartphone I think you just missed the boat.

Smartphones were the result of convergence. Cell phone, GPS, PDA, and camera rolled into one.

What I see with hololens is your smartphone, TV, gaming console, and desktop PC/laptop all rolled into one. Probably more, like home automation.

These technologies are in their fledgling years. No one knows where the tech is going to go, but if I had to wager which would have more success - the dark cave of a Rift headset or the open air setup of Hololens/Google Glass - I would bet on the latter 2.

 

[bystander36]

^ They aren't really competing though. The Hololens is a general computing on the go display, that is not supposed to take you out of the world. The VR devices are there to take you to a new world. One is a holodeck, the other is a tricorder.

 

[z1ggy]

VR will only be useful in some games. Monitors will be used the rest of the time.

This is what I was going to say. What if I want to watch non video game content, but don't stream to my TV? I'd still need a monitor.

 

[Gunbuster]

AR hell yes, VR no way. you can have your virtual blindfold...