VR Headset

HP Releasing Upgraded Reverb G2 With Better Tracking

October 22, 2021 From uploadvr

HP is set to release a new version of its Reverb G2 PC VR headset, taking on community feedback and making improvements to the headset’s tracking, design and compatibility.

The Reverb G2 launched almost a year ago, with a display that beat the Quest 2 and Valve Index, along with two additional cameras compared to the original Reverb and improved lenses and audio, produced in partnership with Valve. In our review, we noted that the headset itself had an incredible display, but was let down by less-than-ideal controllers and fairly consistent tracking issues.

A year on, HP is looking to address some of those concerns with an updated G2 model that makes a few hardware and software changes that it hopes should bring the headset back into the limelight. In the press release, HP admitted that “when it comes to controller tracking, good isn’t good enough” and therefore have “refined” its tracking capabilities with an upgrade that increases tracking volume “by 30% compared to our original headset and resolving blind spots above and below the waist.” This change will also apply to the Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition.

There’s no more specific details on exactly how this change has come about — given it’s a new model being released and there’s been an increase in vertical tracking capabilities, it seems like a physical hardware adjustment to the tracking camera, but the release doesn’t confirm that specifically.

One confirmed physical change to the new headset model is an “all-new facemask design that enables users to adjust their eye relief distance to ensure they can better dial into their visual ‘sweet spot’.” It also now includes a spacer that can be removed, which wasn’t previously an option on the original model — with the spacer in, eye relief distance is 15mm (the same as the fixed amount on the original G2), with it out, that comes down to 9mm.

In terms of compatibility, HP says it worked with AMD and “developed a solution that has resolved connection issues that some users experienced” with a redesign version of the 6m connection cable. This will be included with all new G2 models, but is also available to purchase independently for existing G2 owners.

In terms of software, HP outlined changes that Microsoft has made to the Windows Mixed Reality platform, with the new settings and features in Windows 11, such as a new virtual home environment that is less resource-intensive and better for performance. Three’s also a setting that lets you bypass the Windows Mixed Reality home environment on startup and launch straight into SteamVR, which goes a long way to fixing our frustrations with the headset’s attachment to the stagnant WMR platform from last year.

You can read the full release with further details on the new G2 changes here. HP says that new G2 purchases should include all of the upgrades listed above.

HP Launches Updated Reverb G2 in U.S. with a Host of Commonly Requested Improvements

October 21, 2021 From roadtovr

HP announced today that it’s launching an updated version of its Reverb G2 headset in the US that brings improvements to controller tracking, eye-relief, and AMD compatibility. Alongside the headset’s improvements, changes to the Mixed Reality Portal software in Windows 11 aim to streamline the experience for SteamVR users and improve performance.

When HP launched Reverb G2 late last year, it was a major upgrade to its predecessor. In our review we loved the headset’s improved image clarity, ergonomics, and audio, but weren’t so keen on the controller tracking coverage (which was improved but still not quite up to par), nor the lack of an eye-relief adjustment (which limited the headset’s field-of-view).

Now HP says it has updated Reverb G2 to directly address those concerns; unfortunately the new version is only available in the US for the time being (we reached out to ask if there are plans to expand availability).

Controller Tracking

For controller tracking, the company says it has adjusted the Reverb G2’s cameras to improve vertical coverage by 30%, specifically “resolving blind spots above and below the waist.” We don’t have many details on exactly what changed with the cameras (angle, field-of-view, etc), though the company did confirm that it was a hardware change rather than merely software.

Eye-relief & Field-of-view

As for eye-relief, the updated Reverb G2 will include a new facepad with a removable spacer. With the spacer attached, the eye-relief is set to 15mm (same as the original Reverb G2), but when removed the eye-relief is reduced to 9mm, which will help more users achieve their maximum field-of-view.

When I measured the field-of-view of the original Reverb G2, I found that the default eye-relief left a fair bit of field-of-view on the table for my particular face shape. I also measured the field-of-view with the facepad removed entirely to see how much I was missing; in the table below you can see that I could significantly increase the vertical and horizontal field-of-view if only I could get my eyes closer to the lenses.

Reverb G2 Field-of-View – Personal Measurements
(no glasses, measured with TestHMD 1.2)

	Horizontal FOV	Vertical FOV
Standard Eye-relief (15mm)	82°	78°
Absolute Minimum Eye-relief (facepad removed)	98°	88°

The difference between the 15mm default eye-relief and the new 9mm setting won’t be as pronounced as the above test with no facepad at all, but it will surely help.

AMD Compatibility

At launch original Reverb G2 had some spotty compatibility issues with AMD hardware. HP says the updated Reverb G2 includes a new cable for “increased compatibility with AMD systems, resolving connection issues.” There’s not a lot of detail at this time about exactly what has changed or which previously problematic AMD hardware has been addressed, but we’re in touch with HP with the hope of learning more.

The new cable will ship with the updated Reverb G2 and HP says it will also be available for purchase to be used with the original Reverb G2 for customers who had issues with AMD hardware (if you bought your G2 recently you might even be able to get one under warranty).

Windows 11 Improvements to Mixed Reality Portal

For users who are primarily using Reverb G2 (or other Windows VR headsets) as a SteamVR headset, the Mixed Reality Portal software can feel like a bulky burden standing between the headset and the SteamVR library.

Microsoft has shipped a range of improvements to Mixed Reality Portal with Windows 11 which aim to streamline the software, especially for SteamVR users.

For one, users can now essentially bypass the Mixed Reality Portal home environment and jump straight into Steam VR.

If you do want to use the Mixed Reality Portal home environment, there’s now a new space called Infinite Expanse which Microsoft says is designed to use less system resources in order to maximize performance when running other VR applications.

The updated Mixed Reality Portal software in Windows 11 also give users more control over when the software launches itself. Previously it liked to launch whenever the headset was connected or power-cycled. A new option allows you to change this behavior so that it only launches once the headset’s proximity sensor is triggered.

Updated Reverb G2 Availability

HP says the new version of the headset will be sent out for any new purchases of the headset in the US, apparently starting today. The headset is conveniently discounted by $50 from the usual $600 MSRP. So far the company hasn’t said if it plans to sell the updated G2 outside of the US.

We’ve also reached out to HP to ask how users can tell the original G2 apart from the updated G2 so that they can be sure which version of the headset they’re getting. We’re awaiting more details on that front.

Varjo Announces Aero, a High-end Headset Pared Down for Small(er) Businesses & Wealthy Enthusiasts

October 21, 2021 From roadtovr

Varjo, maker of high-end enterprise XR headsets, today announced Aero, a pared down version of the company’s latest headset that offers industry-leading fidelity and advanced features for a cheaper (but still hefty) price that makes the company’s offering more attractive to medium-sized businesses and wealthy VR enthusiasts.

For the last few years Varjo has been making some of the most advanced VR headsets on the planet, but with prices ranging from $3,200–$5,500 (plus an $800–$1,500 annual fee) it’s no wonder that Varjo counts Fortune 500 companies among its clients.

With the announcement of Varjo Aero, the company aims to launch a more affordable headset that’s more attractive for smaller businesses and the upper echelon of VR enthusiasts. It’s still far from cheap though; Varjo Aero is priced at $2,000 (with no annual fee), but this excludes SteamVR Tracking base stations and controllers.

Varjo Aero is essentially the same as the company’s latest XR-3 headset, except without the ‘bionic display’ (which provides retina resolution at the center of the FOV), nor any of its advanced passthrough AR capabilities.

Even without the bionic display, Varjo Aero still offers a stunning 35 PPD with aspheric lenses that give it the best clarity and largest sweet-spot that you’ll find on any VR headset (except for, well, Varjo’s more expensive headsets).

Varjo says that orders for Aero begin today and the first shipments are expected by the end of 2021.

Check out the full specs below:

Varjo Aero Specs
Resolution	2,880 x 2,720 (7.8MP) per-eye, mini-LED LCD (2x)
Refresh Rate	90Hz
Lenses	Aspheric
Field-of-view (claimed)	134° diagonal, 115° horizontal (at 12mm eye-relief)
Optical Adjustments	IPD (automatic motor driven)
IPD Adjustment Range	57–73mm
Connectors	USB-C → breakout box (USB-A 3.0, DisplayPort 1.4)
Cable Length	5m
Tracking	SteamVR Tracking 1.0 or 2.0 (external beacons)
On-board cameras	2x eye-tracking
Input	None included (supports SteamVR controllers)
Audio	3.5mm aux port
Microphone	None (supports external mic through aux port)
Pass-through view	No
Weight	487g + 230g headstrap with counterweight

Varjo Teases ‘Varjo For All’ Message Ahead Of New Reveal

October 19, 2021 From uploadvr

Ahead of an announcement this Thursday, high-end headset maker Varjo is teasing the message ‘Varjo For All’.

That phrase was hidden in a teaser video the company posted on its Twitter account this week. Reddit user r448191 spotted the message (thanks to Max Larsson for the tip) amongst a stream of jumbled letters, and we’ve since found it too. It’s at the 00:06:01 mark if you want to see for yourself.

Traditionally, Varjo has made high-spec headsets that push the boundaries of resolution and mixed reality integration but are high cost come with mandatory, expensive subscription software for the B2B market. Is it possible that this tease indicates Varjo is releasing a new device that isn’t just sold to businesses? Last week the company confirmed it would be announcing a “highly anticipated product” at the reveal event.

It would definitely be interesting to see Varjo enter the consumer market to potentially compete with the likes of the HTC Vive Pro 2 and HP Reverb G2, though how much could the company realistically price its own consumer device at? What would have to change from its VR-3 and XR-3 products, and what kind of PC would a consumer have to have to run the kit?

We’ll have to wait until Thursday to find out. The Varjo reveal event is taking place at 12pm ET/9am PT and we’ll be here to report on whatever the company has to announce. For now let us know what you’re hoping to see from Varjo’s announcement later this week!

Voices of Inspiration Is A New Oculus Quest Experience From Lucas Rizzotto, SpaceX And St. Jude Hospital

October 18, 2021 From uploadvr

A new VR experience features patients at St. Jude Hospital offering up words of encouragement to the crew of the Inspiration4 SpaceX mission.

Voices of Inspiration launches today on Oculus Quest via App Lab and was created by Z3VR and Lucas Rizzotto. If you’ve experienced Rizzotto’s past VR work, namely Where Thoughts Go, then this will likely look quite familiar to you. Check it out in the trailer below.

The experience sees players ascend to the stars to explore a seires of themed environments. As you explore, you’ll encounter questions posed by the astronauts of Inspiration4, the first all-civilian space flight crew. They ask for words of advice and encouragement from St. Jude patients that are in various stages of battling cancer. Touching orbs lets you hear what the patients had to say, which is the element you’ll likely recognize from Where Thoughts Go. Artwork for the patients can also be found inside the experience.

It’s another great example of the positive impact VR can make that we’ve seen this week. Earlier today we also reported that Help for Haiti was also turning to the platform for its latest fundraising event.

Are you going to check out Voices of Inspiration? Let us know in the comments below!

Facebook To Hire 10,000 Across The EU In Metaverse Push

October 18, 2021 From uploadvr

Facebook today announced plans to hire 10,000 people across the European Union over the next five years to work on its take on the metaverse.

The social networking giant announced as much in a new blog post authored by Nick Clegg, VP Global Affairs, and Javier Olivan, VP Central Products. New details about exactly what Facebook’s interpretation of the metaverse will be were not revealed, but the company said it would work with governments to “find the right people and the right markets” for the recruitment drive.

Facebook’s Metaverse Team Expanding

The metaverse is a broad term used to describe a virtual online environment where people could meet up as digital reflections of themselves and interact with others.

Currently, Facebook has several such experiences on its Oculus Quest platform. In August it launched Horizon Workrooms, allowing VR and non-VR users to meet in virtual offices to collaborate. Work also continues of the recently rebranded Horizon Worlds, which lets users make their own VR experiences with others.

In July, Facebook announced it was setting up a “Metaverse product group”. We speculated on what exactly that means right here. Around the same time, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook would be a “metaverse company” in the next five years.

“No one company will own and operate the metaverse,” today’s blog post reads. “Like the internet, its key feature will be its openness and interoperability. Bringing this to life will take collaboration and cooperation across companies, developers, creators and policymakers.”

Next week sees Facebook host its annual Connect developer conference for VR and AR technologies. We’ll be bringing you all the latest on the company’s announcements at the show.

Facebook Connect 2021 Schedule: Zuckerberg Keynote, Carmack Unscripted & More

October 17, 2021 From uploadvr

The full line-up and schedule for this year’s Facebook Connect is now available, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote speech and John Carmack’s unscripted talk.

This year, it looks like events and sessions will “unlock” across the Connect schedule– some sessions unlock at specific times, while others simply become available “after the keynote.”

The keynote speech itself unlocks at 10am Pacific on October 28, which will see Mark Zuckerberg and “other Facebook executives” deliver the annual keynote address and “share the vision for the metaverse — a place of new immersive experiences and the next evolution of social technology, built by people like you.” There’s also a Facebook event and Oculus Venues event for the keynote, both of which reveal the keynote title to be “Infinite Horizons” — a nod to the Horizon branding that’s now being used as the moniker for the different branches of Facebook’s social VR platform.

The next biggest event is Consulting CTO John Carmack’s notoriously-unscripted annual speech and Q&A session, which unlocks at 2pm Pacific on October 28, a few hours after the keynote. Last year, Carmack spoke for more than an hour, packing a huge swath of topics into a dense, unscripted talk about the keynote announcements and Facebook’s wider VR strategy.

Here’s a few, but not nearly all, of the other Connect events:

– Developer State of the Union with Chris Pruett, Tom Langan, Allison Lee, and Mari Kyle, available from 11:45pm Pacific, October 28.

– Best Practices and Tips for App Lab Success with Chris Lang, available after the keynote

– Introduction to Mixed Reality with Britta Hummel and more, available after the keynote

– Do You Really Know App Lab? Tales Of Success From Devs with Rita Turkowski, Daniel Sproll (Realities.io), Julien Pecenicic (Smash Drums), Tommy Maloteaux (Deisim), available after the keynote

– Building for the Future: Social and World AR Experiences with Matthew Roberts and more, available after the keynote

– Bringing Diversity To Your App with Daniel Kamerling, available after the keynote

– Build Mixed Reality Experiences with Wei Lyu and more, available after the keynote

– Building Diverse Communities in Horizon Worlds with Lisa Kotecki and more, available after the keynote

Facebook Connect begins on October 28 — you can view the full schedule of talks and register for the event here.

HTC ‘Looking Into’ Iphone And Laptop Support For Vive Flow

October 15, 2021 From uploadvr

HTC is “looking into” iPhone and laptop support for its upcoming VR headset, the Vive Flow, but they won’t be included at launch.

Currently, you need to connect an Android smartphone to the Flow via a native app. This allows you not only to control experiences by using your handset as a motion controller similar to those for the Gear VR or Oculus Go but also to use Miracast to bring your phone’s screen and features into VR. From there you can watch media apps like YouTube and Netflix.

HTC Vive Flow iPhone Support Under Investigation

But HTC explained to UploadVR that iPhone doesn’t support Miracast, and thus a crucial feature of the device would be missing. Finding a way around this issue would be tough.

That said, even without Miracast and simply using the iPhone as a controller, you could still access the library of native apps HTC is preparing for the Vive Flow. That includes meditative experiences like Nature Treks VR and some simpler gaming content too. Hopefully we might see at least that basic functionality come to the iPhone in the future.

The company also told us it was also exploring potential connections to a PC or laptop though, again, it isn’t a focus for launch.

We tried Vive Flow for ourselves this week and came away optimistic. The device weighs just 189g and is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Pre-orders launched yesterday and the kit is set to start shipping in early November.

Are you an iPhone user hoping to pick up the HTC Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below!

HTC Vive Flow Announced: Compact $499 6DOF VR Headset

October 14, 2021 From uploadvr

After two weeks of teases, the HTC Vive Flow has been officially announced.

As was previously speculated, Vive Flow is based on HTC’s super-slim concept for a VR headset, Project Proton. The device resembles a pair of glasses with very thick lenses and weighs just 189g. The frames feature two hinges, one to help shift the device to fit a range of head sizes and the other so they can be folded up like a normal pair of glasses. It’s technically not a standalone headset, as the kit must be tethered to an external power source like a battery pack for long-term use. The device has a small onboard battery but HTC stresses this is only intended to power it so you have time to plug it back in to another source. Two cameras on the front provide 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) positional tracking.

HTC Vive Flow Announced

HTC envisions Vive Flow as less of a gaming device and more a headset for media consumption and experiential content. To that end, you connect the device to an Android smartphone to use as a 3DOF controller and also mirror content to view inside VR. There are also native apps, and the company highlighted meditative experiences like TRIPP and Nature Treks VR. HTC also plans to bring hand-tracking support to the device in the future, though this won’t be available at launch. iPhones aren’t supported.

Specs-wise, Flow features 1.6K per-eye resolution, a 100-degree field of view and a 75Hz refresh rate. HTC declined to reveal exactly what processor the device was using, although you definitely shouldn’t expect the same performance as the Oculus Quest 2. The lenses employ diopter dials so you can twist them to find the best visual clarity. The frames feature a built-in audio solution and dual microphones, plus there’s active cooling at the front of the device.

Pre-orders for the Vive Flow go live today on the official site and the device costs $499/€549. Units will start shipping in early November and those that pre-order will also get the protective carry case HTC has been teasing thrown in for free along with seven pieces of content, though exactly what those are hasn’t been revealed.

What do you make of the HTC Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below.

Mark Zuckerberg Teases ‘Retina Resolution’ Prototype VR Headset From Facebook

October 13, 2021 From uploadvr

It seems like Facebook executives are teasing prototype VR headset designs today. The latest is from CEO Mark Zuckerberg with a “retina resolution” device.

Zuckerberg posted an image of himself trying the headset on his Facebook page with the message: “I spent the day with the Facebook Reality Labs research team in Redmond to demo our next-generation virtual reality, augmented reality and artifical [sic] intelligence tech. This one is an early retina resolution prototype. The future is going to be awesome.”

While the picture itself doesn’t reveal have any notable features, a retina resolution refers to the point at which a higher resolution would look no different to a person with 20/20 vision. In other words, Zuckerberg is suggesting that the display used in the headset presents a virtual world just as clearly as how we perceive the real world. Current consumer VR headsets are much more detailed than they were five years ago, but even those with the highest resolution displays distort your view to at least some degree.

The generally accepted threshold for retinal resolution is 60 pixels per degree. No consumer VR headset yet comes close to this. Finland-based Varjo’s multi-thousand-dollar business-focused headsets surpass it, but only in a small area in the center of your view.

This is the second prototype Facebook’s shown today. The first was from the current head of virtual reality, Andrew Bosworth, who tweeted an image of a super-slim VR headset that doesn’t look too different from recent leaks for the HTC Vive Flow. Varjo is also teasing a reveal next week. Are today’s Facebook teases a response to incoming competitors?