VR - Is it really going to be a success? Or, thanks Time for starting a discussion!

TurinTur · 2020-09-25T06:45:46.429Z

This looks a nice golf game

$15. Crossbuy on Oculus store. Coming Soon to Steam.

Ginger_Yellow · 2020-09-25T13:50:16.022Z

Reverb G2 now needs to be plugged into the mains.

press.hp.com

Latest Update on the HP Reverb G2 Virtual Reality Headset

We are excited to see the positive reaction and strong demand for the HP Reverb G2 virtual reality headset, created in collaboration with industry leaders Valve and Microsoft. The HP Reverb G2 is the world’s highest resolution VR headset among major...

KevinC · 2020-09-25T14:12:09.802Z

Okay this is dumb and likely because I haven’t had my coffee yet, but at the bottom of that press release talking about the resolution and hardware specs, it has these two pictures:

At first I thought that was a “older VR headset resolution vs Reverb G2” contrast they demoing because the photo on the left is so pixelated compared to the right, but they’re just two file photos for those employees. For a second I was like “That’s a lot sharper but why wouldn’t they use the same image to… oh”.

Yep, time for coffee. Sorry for the inane post.

Tim_N · 2020-09-25T21:48:46.161Z

Ginger_Yellow:

Reverb G2 now needs to be plugged into the mains.

Anyone know does this mean instead of USB it will plug into the mains? Or that now it will need Mains + HDMI + USB?

Ginger_Yellow · 2020-09-25T22:46:35.152Z

Well they say it will come with a USB A to C adapter so I assume the latter.

Profanicus · 2020-09-25T23:23:37.889Z

In addition to the full size to mini display port adapter, a USB-C® to USB-A adapter will be included in every box.

Our Engineers found an opportunity to lower persistence without lowering brightness and this required higher power draw, so the HP Reverb G2 will require the adapter to be plugged into the wall.

This says that you need to plug the adapter into the wall. If you use USB-C directly, no mains power is needed as it can already draw more power than USB-A.

Tim_N · 2020-09-25T23:25:26.889Z

Ah, good comprehension skills! That makes more sense.

Profanicus · 2020-09-25T23:29:02.580Z

I only wish it supported the USB-C VirtualLink port you get on the modern GPUs. Then it would all just work through the one USB-C connection, no DisplayPort needed.

I guess they need to support ‘legacy’ though… :)

Ginger_Yellow · 2020-09-25T23:30:07.847Z

Nope. From the AMA:

Are there two cables running from the headset now, one with Display Port/USB-C and one with power?

okay. this would be easier if i could paste an image in here. from the headset a cable travels 5 meters to a little box. that box has two 1 meter cables that come out of it (displayport and USB). that little box also has power input, you will use a 45W notebook charger that comes in the box, plug that into the wall and the barrel end into the little box.

Are you re-purposing the ubiquitous standard HP laptop charger?

this is correct. we are using a standard 45W hp laptop charger that terminates in a barrel

Does this mean the backpack is no longer compatible with G2?

It works just fine. :)

If it now requires a direct connection to an outlet, does Reverb G2 no longer have compatibility with HP VR Backpacks?

It will work. I need to confirm but I believe the cable with have MiniDP and two USB ends for data and power.

So the headset won’t work just over USB-C at all?

We will not do power over USB-C at all. You must use the included power adapter. the headset will require 3 things plugged in to work: USB, Displayport, and power

I don’t care if I need to run an extra cable to my computer just for power, but I need to be able to use the G2 with just a PC. How is that going to work?

The G2 cable will connect to DP and USB, and the AC adapter plugs into the slip-box that is on the G2 cable. So if you want to use JUST a PC with no external power, that cannot be done. This is because of the length of the cable. External power was found to be more reliable than a USB connection

Profanicus · 2020-09-25T23:40:20.872Z

Wow, what a shambles.

So their use of the term ‘adapter’ was unrelated to the USB-A adapter they just mentioned in the previous dot point. There is also a ‘power/AC adapter’.

And what’s this?

We don’t power over USB-C at all

that box has two 1 meter cables that come out of it (displayport and USB).

I need to confirm but I believe the cable with have MiniDP and two USB ends for data and power.

The last line is conflicting with the previous? Or is this another piece specific to the backpacks?

The VirtualLink is practically designed for one-cable VR… and they make us use three! :D

Ginger_Yellow · 2020-09-25T23:42:01.681Z

It’s not really conflicting. You cut off “that little box also has power input” (presumably longer than 1m). So one USB for data that goes to the PC and then presumably the power adapter is also USB C

Tim_N · 2020-09-25T23:42:57.303Z

Profanicus:

Wow, what a shambles.

Well, it could be worse, having three independent cables coming out from the headset would have been hilarious. I just hope you’ve got an under the table setup to hide all the cable ugliness.

Profanicus · 2020-09-25T23:45:28.340Z

Ginger_Yellow:

It’s not really conflicting. You cut off “that little box also has power input” (presumably longer than 1m). So one USB for data that goes to the PC and then presumably the power adapter is also USB C

Oh I see yeah, I guess when I read ‘ubiquitous standard HP laptop charger’ I was thinking the old-school round connection, not USB.

Tim_N:

Well, it could be worse

Yeah I’m not quite at ‘preorder cancelled’ stage.

Chorn · 2020-09-26T00:27:08.214Z

Profanicus:

I only wish it supported the USB-C VirtualLink port you get on the modern GPUs. Then it would all just work through the one USB-C connection, no DisplayPort needed.

I guess they need to support ‘legacy’ though… :)

Less so ‘legacy’ as VirtualLink isn’t a thing anymore having been discontinued and not present on the new RTX 30 series cards. Reasons given by NVIDIA was lack of uptake by manufacturers.

Profanicus · 2020-09-26T01:02:26.413Z

Oh I didn’t know that! Too bad, but fair enough I guess. :(
(though they could have given it more of a chance)

TurinTur · 2020-09-26T08:06:19.374Z

https://blog.vive.com/us/2020/09/25/viveport-turns-4-celebrate-with-the-walking-dead-saints-sinners/
Moss and LA Noire included in Viveport Infinity, Walking Dead Saints & Sinners free to redeem for a week for Infinity members.

Mellified · 2020-09-26T09:44:15.575Z

Tim_N:

Well, it could be worse, having three independent cables coming out from the headset would have been hilarious. I just hope you’ve got an under the table setup to hide all the cable ugliness.

This is why I’ve stuck with the Quest despite everything else. The idea of trying to use a VR headset with all that… mess coming off of it is absurd.

The ForteVR headset I worked on in the 90s even had just one cable. It was super thick but I watched enough people try to strangle themselves with it to be very adverse to anything coming off the headset I guess.

Ginger_Yellow · 2020-09-26T11:15:44.250Z

Mellified:

This is why I’ve stuck with the Quest despite everything else. The idea of trying to use a VR headset with all that… mess coming off of it is absurd.

Most of my VR gaming is seated (Superhot and Beat Saber are about the only things I play standing), so it’s just a question of making sure not to spin more than 180 degrees in the chair. I’d prefer cable-free, obviously, but not at the cost of not being able to play sims etc.

Mellified · 2020-09-26T15:03:25.889Z

Ginger_Yellow:

but not at the cost of not being able to play sims

Why can’t you play sims with the Quest?

Ginger_Yellow · 2020-09-26T16:35:05.096Z

Well you can, but not cable free.