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[Despera]

I'm not exaggerating when I say I've been basically using the Vive non-stop since I got it. It's hard to pull myself away to eat or post online or bath or... anything really. I haven't been so engrossed in something in a long long time.

How well does the Virtuix Omni work in conjunction with the Vive?

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

Got shipping notification!!! Finally!!!

Nice one, OB been ignoring my plight, maybe one day! Enjoy

 

[Mikeside]

Nice one, OB been ignoring my plight, maybe one day! Enjoy

Fuck OB, get in touch with Jules. She's the business

 

[Krejlooc]

How well does the Virtuix Omni work in conjunction with the Vive?

One problem thus far is that none of the games use control stick or keyboard for movement, so many are incompatible with the omni. You can stand in the dish and teleport and just use the omni to spin around, but you could also do that without the omni, so that's kind of pointless.

They are updating a version of their included game to use Vive controllers, and I'm looking forward to that. But right now, room scale and the omni are basically incompatible. Now, the controllers obviously work, and they're cool, but as a method of traversal there's not a lot you can use the omni and vive at the same time with.

I said in my review, I see the omni mainly as a tool for getting older, non-vr games to work in VR. Like, if you want to play Call of Duty in VR, go with the omni because roomscale is useless for that. But you can't play something like budget cuts or hover junkers with the omni.

 

[Bunta]

I ordered last night with PayPal but they still haven't actually taken the money from my bank account. I also get an error when putting my order number and password (not in email, I made an account) in the order lookup. On my profile page it says order submitted.

 

[T.O.P]

I guess next week it is for me

 

[TheCrow]

I guess next week it is for me

 

[gunawi]

Got my shipping notification. Ordered within minutes of preorder start. I'm in Norway and seems like my VIVE shipped from Czech Republic. Cant wait to get my hand on it....

 

[BeEatNU]

I guess next week it is for me

We right here bros

 

[spekkeh]

I guess next week it is for me

Let's start a Vive hope abuse support group

 

[flashburn2012]

It's hard to believe they aren't even past the 10 minute mark when they still have to get through over a month of pre-orders. This is brutal. Why didn't I preorder the day it went on sale?!

 

[Metal B]

Has HTC and Valve talked about, when they are releasing separate working sensors for the public? Tracking feet and hips would make room-scale almost perfect. It would allow for more interactive options, simulating movement and creating better 3D-Avatars.

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

Fuck OB, get in touch with Jules. She's the business

What's her details then? Twitter name?

 

[Dodecagon]

Fuuuuucccccckkkkkkkkk being a May preorder, during the week it's cool, but one of these weekends I'm going to crack and pay some scumbag scalper way too much money.

 

[Mikeside]

What's her details then? Twitter name?

@juleshtc

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

@juleshtc

Cheers mate

 

[Krejlooc]

Has HTC and Valve talked about, when they are releasing separate working sensors for the public? Tracking feet and hips would make room-scale almost perfect. It would allow for more interactive options, simulating movement and creating better 3D-Avatars.

No word, but I got a STEM coming this month

Gonna play around with a demo that tracks hips, hands, feet, chest, and head all separately.

 

[Zeknurn]

IT'S HERE!

I almost fell down the stairs.

The DHL guy joked around about my "million-heavy" delivery, since apparently the declared value of the package is 24500€. He told me he had to show it off to his co-workers in the morning. I hope that didn't delay it.

Anyway, I'm OFF.

I like to imagine that they took your Vive for a joyride around the country before handing it off.

I got mine an hour ago and it took it 19 hours to get from Prague to Sweden which is pretty good. I'm not even mad at HTC anymore.

 

[Helznicht]

I did, I didn't have a power outlet nearby on the other side of the room so I bought this extension cable: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FTFYH0U/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Dunno why they didn't make that cord longer, 8.5 feet is indeed limiting

The Lighthouse just plugs into a wall socket right? Why not just use a $2 extension cord?

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

@juleshtc

She's on the case! We shall see.

 

[Durante]

Vive setup WTF:
there are actually 2 separate power adapters, one for each controller, rather than simply having one with 2 usb ports,

 

[SomTervo]

Vive setup WTF:
there are actually 2 separate power adapters, one for each controller, rather than simply having one with 2 usb ports,

I remember that being a cheeky oversight in the box content details

Cheeky

PS you can live up to that tagsake and fix the PC Quantum Break port, right

 

[Bboy AJ]

It's hard to believe they aren't even past the 10 minute mark when they still have to get through over a month of pre-orders. This is brutal. Why didn't I preorder the day it went on sale?!

It doesn't matter. I did and I don't have mine.

 

[mrklaw]

She's on the case! We shall see.

Don't hold your breath. She told me my order seemed OK and would definitely be here in April.. That's after it failed authorisation on 1st April 00:05 so they were obviously going to process it then. I was promised I wouldn't lose my place in the queue - oops.

 

[Zalusithix]

Vive setup WTF:
there are actually 2 separate power adapters, one for each controller, rather than simply having one with 2 usb ports,

I'm more disappointed they didn't go with a dock implementation using either contact pads or inductive charging. Having to plug in two separate controllers after each session is suboptimal. The micro USB ports should still be there, but not for the primary means of charging. A couple more bucks in parts and they'd have a far more user friendly solution.

 

[Bunta]

I've never wanted someone to take $870 from me so badly. Just take my money so I know my order is going to stick. :|

 

[Krejlooc]

PS you can live up to that tagsake and fix the PC Quantum Break port, right

UWP

 

[| Praxis |]

Fuuuuucccccckkkkkkkkk being a May preorder, during the week it's cool, but one of these weekends I'm going to crack and pay some scumbag scalper way too much money.

I have a May preorder as well, but the way things are going I don't have much faith in it arriving that month sadly.

 

[Krejlooc]

I'm more disappointed they didn't go with a dock implementation using either contact pads or inductive charging. Having to plug in two separate controllers after each session is suboptimal. The micro USB ports should still be there, but not for the primary means of charging. A couple more bucks in parts and they'd have a far more user friendly solution.

You could probably 3D print controller holder and Route some USB wires do it with ease

 

[Metal B]

No word, but I got a STEM coming this month
Gonna play around with a demo that tracks hips, hands, feet, chest, and head all separately.

In my opinion the best idea would be to release a set of four or five universal sensors. Those sensors should be exchangeable and used for different task. Some programs can ask you, to attache them to your body to track feet, hips or other parts. But they could also be attached to static objects. For example a chair could be tracked by the software and used for interaction. Imagine an flight simulator, which uses a chair as the actual chair in the cockpit. So the player can get up, change something in the ship and move back to the chair. Or an table, so that the game can project a board game on the table. You could even use other normal objects (keyboards, trash bins, etc.) or special controllers (plastic guitar, treadmills, etc). The possibility for sending inputs through the sensor would allow for even more cool options.

The sensors make sure, that any position changes are registered. Since the objects them self are static, you only need one position and register the object as a whole, to make everything work.

This can also be very helpful for future releases for a more mainstream device. If people can register their big, hard to move objects (like tables or couches), the games can consider them and have workarounds ready, so that people can use more active space.
I have a couch in my living room, which of course isn't very high. So technically a game could use the space above the couch for hand movement beyond the walking space. Or even use the object in the game for physical feedback (even so this could be dangerous, if you aren't clear, when something is physical there and when not).

Their are a lot of possibilities with universal sensors.

I have a May preorder as well, but the way things are going I don't have much faith in it arriving that month sadly.

They still say "Beginning of May" on the order page, so i hope mine will really arrive at the start of the month, because i'm on vacation in all of June.

 

[Yoritomo]

Audioshield is amazing

Holst's Mars bringer of war was just awesome.

I felt like I was defending the goddamned planet from an onslaught. I got tingles and just couldn't stop smiling as the giant intense push of music near the end brought a monstrous onslaught of orbs threatening to crush me. Un-believable.

 

[Crispy75]

Each sensor needs to talk to the computer, remember. That's a lot of USB cables, or lots of battery-powered wireless sensors.

 

[Krejlooc]

In my opinion the best idea would be to release a set of four or five universal sensors. Those sensors should be exchangeable and used for different task. Some programs can ask you, to attache them to your body to track feet, hips or other parts. But they could also be attached to static objects. For example a chair could be tracked by the software and used for interaction. Imagine an flight simulator, which uses a chair as the actual chair in the cockpit. So the player can get up, change something in the ship and move back to the chair. Or an table, so that the game can project a board game on the table. You could even use other normal objects (keyboards, trash bins, etc.) or special controllers (plastic guitar, treadmills, etc). The possibility for sending inputs through the sensor would allow for even more cool options.

The sensors make sure, that any position changes are registered. Since the objects them self are static, you only need one position and register the object as a whole, to make everything work.

This can also be very helpful for future releases for a more mainstream device. If people can register their big, hard to move objects (like tables or couches), the games can consider them and have workarounds ready, so that people can use more active space.
I have a couch in my living room, which of course isn't very high. So technically a game could use the space above the couch for hand movement beyond the walking space. Or even use the object in the game for physical feedback (even so this could be dangerous, if you aren't clear, when something is physical there and when not).

Their are a lot of possibilities with universal sensors.

Thats sort of how the STEMs work. You can get a controller with an embedded sensor (well, two controllers) or up to 5 independent sensors that can be placed on other objects. It tracks using magnetic induction, so no line of sight is necessary.

The thing is DOA however because it's like $500 for a 5-tracker system. Only ray of hope is that SteamVR is supposed to be interoperable between multiple positional tracking systems. I'm waiting with abated breath to see if they can work like Vive controllers. If they can, then these things can still be sort of useful.

Either way, mine will be here by the end of the month, so I'll have more gizmos to play with.

Each sensor needs to talk to the computer, remember. That's a lot of USB cables, or lots of battery-powered wireless sensors.

STEMs talk to a single base station which is connected by 1 USB cable.

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

Don't hold your breath. She told me my order seemed OK and would definitely be here in April.. That's after it failed authorisation on 1st April 00:05 so they were obviously going to process it then. I was promised I wouldn't lose my place in the queue - oops.

Lol pretty much what you've said, she's ignored the fact that I currently have no means of payment automatically because of the fuck up! Bloody hell.

 

[Zalusithix]

You could probably 3D print controller holder and Route some USB wires do it with ease

I could, and I might end up doing so. I'm just weary of docks that rely on USB connections as they tend to be finicky on getting the connectors to mate properly, and are capable of breaking something if the docked object is not removed carefully. Perhaps I'll see if I can fashion a contact pad extension to the bottom of the controller. Then the dock will only need charging prongs. Drop in, pull out.

 

[piratepwnsninja]

I've determined that Illinois is a Vive black hole.

 

[| Praxis |]

I'm a bit disappointed it doesn't come with any kind of protective case or bag for the HMD, I'm worried about it getting dusty. I hope a third party makes accessories for it in the future. Covers for the foam would be great as well, for hygiene purposes.

 

[Krejlooc]

I could, and I might end up doing so. I'm just weary of docks that rely on USB connections as they tend to be finicky on getting the connectors to mate properly, and are capable of breaking something if the docked object is not removed carefully. Perhaps I'll see if I can fashion a contact pad extension to the bottom of the controller. Then the dock will only need charging prongs. Drop in, pull out.

This is actually a really cool idea. We should get some people together and see if we can put together an easy kit people can print off of shapeways or something.

I'm a bit disappointed it doesn't come with any kind of protective case or bag for the HMD, I'm worried about it getting dusty. I hope a third party makes accessories for it in the future. Covers for the foam would be great as well, for hygiene purposes.

Yeah, storing the headset is wonky. People laughed when I bought a glass bust for my DK1. Oculus DK1 and DK2 and CV1 coming with nice(ish) cases made using the bust not necessary. Once my Vive arrived, the bust came out of the closet.

I fucking love the box it came in, though. That thing is goddamn massive and makes me feel like I bought a whole video game system.

 

[Metal B]

Thats sort of how the STEMs work. You can get a controller with an embedded sensor (well, two controllers) or up to 5 independent sensors that can be placed on other objects. It tracks using magnetic induction, so no line of sight is necessary.

The thing is DOA however because it's like $500 for a 5-tracker system. Only ray of hope is that SteamVR is supposed to be interoperable between multiple positional tracking systems. I'm waiting with abated breath to see if they can work like Vive controllers. If they can, then these things can still be sort of useful.

Either way, mine will be here by the end of the month, so I'll have more gizmos to play with.

STEMs talk to a single base station which is connected by 1 USB cable.

Yes, something like the STEM is what i imagined, but the price is really to high. Let's hope, the commercial start of VR creates a strong need, so that those devices can become cheaper soon.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Watch out everyone it seems that everyone one is having issues somewhere. After the mess of yesterday at FedEx. It looks like it is out for delivery today.

I called FedEX last night and I was like um... no package? They said "We had a delay because of weather but it will be delivered tomorrow by 8pm." I replied that it was suppose to be here by today by 8pm as this was the second day since they got the package on Tuesday and there is no other notification that it wasn't coming today (this was at 9pm). I advised them that it was just sitting at Memphis for the past 36 hours so that really wasn't a good enough answer as both flights from Memphis the day before and yesterday had come in. I think they were a bit surprised that I tracked the flights, so I wasn't taking the generic weather problem. I said you need to have it here by noon tomorrow which I knew they have by noon deliveries, because I am not sitting here all day as I have appointments later in the day and can't just sit around. I had to escalate twice because the first two were just giving me that it would be available for pick up sometime within the next five business days but probably tomorrow??

Finally after speaking with the "manager" on duty they said that they would get it on a earlier delivery for the day. Sorry for the rant, but it just baffles me that if they miss their target delivery and they didn't even care to try to get it to me earlier the next day without forcing the issue. Having managed a call center before I found the whole experience absurd, must be nice having a monopoly.

 

[flashburn2012]

Fuuuuucccccckkkkkkkkk being a May preorder, during the week it's cool, but one of these weekends I'm going to crack and pay some scumbag scalper way too much money.

If they start to drop to around $1100 in the next week or two, I know I'll break. But if it doesn't happen for a weeks, well, my Vive will be here soon by then.

 

[Mikeside]

I'd love to hear some impressions on the included earbuds and any info on the phone app and how that experience is

 

[Krejlooc]

I'd love to hear some impressions on the included earbuds and any info on the phone app and how that experience is

I find the ear buds annoying, they feel wonky in my ears.

Really, you're gonna want to get a pair of wireless headphones for this.

I haven't tried the phone app, actually. I have it on my phone, but haven't tried linking it with the headset.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

If they start to drop to around $1100 in the next week or two, I know I'll break. But if it doesn't happen for weeks, well, my Vive will be here soon by then.

If they are at $1100 would it be worth it to even sell? I mean between ebay and paypal dont they take like 20% off the top or are my percentages wrong here? I mean after taxes and shipping most people are already paying $900ish from HTC.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

I find the ear buds annoying, they feel wonky in my ears.

Really, you're gonna want to get a pair of wireless headphones for this.

I haven't tried the phone app, actually. I have it on my phone, but haven't tried linking it with the headset.

Do you normally use earbuds though?

 

[flashburn2012]

If they are at $1100 would it be worth it to even sell? I mean between ebay and paypal dont they take like 20% off the top or are my percentages wrong here? I mean after taxes and shipping most people are already paying $900ish from HTC.

Good! Then hopefully there won't be any reason for me to buy from a scalper.

 

[Sleeping Lesson]

So I activated the bluetooth setting so my base stations would shut down automatically, but that has caused a host of other annoying issues like only one lighthouse turning on. Based on a Reddit post I saw (and can't seem to locate now), a lot of people had a similar experience and were able to fix their tracking issues by turning bluetooth off again.

 

[Allnamestakenlol]

Is $30 for The Gallery really worth it? Not sure if I should wait for a sale...

I thought at first it was $30 for all the episodes, but it's just one.

Oof, didn't realize that. I may wait for a sale as well.

 

[Krejlooc]

Do you normally use earbuds though?

Yes, I actually love the generic samsung earbuds that come with every samsung phone. I've been buying samsung phones for years and I have a stock pile of them. I really like those ear buds, and use them all the time when I listen to music on my phone (which is basically any time I leave the house).

The reason I find the Vive's ear buds annoying is because they are angled to be "ergonomic" but I almost feel like my ear isn't shaped the way they are bent. It bends part of my ear down when I wear them, and that hurts over time. The ear buds aren't straight shots like my samsung ear buds, they're curved.

I have a skullcandy wireless headphone, but it actually fell off the table the other day and both ear phones snapped off. That skullcandy headphones build quality was shit, and even though I've rigged it back up with hot glue and wire, I'm going to go buy a new pair in the next few weeks. Meaning I'm actually looking for feedback on good wireless headphones.

The reason you want wireless headphones over wired is because it makes putting on the headset much easier. The headphones plug into a cable in the back, so if you have wired headphones you either have to plug them in before you put on the headset, which means you have to hold them in your hand while you put on the headset, or try to plug them in blind in the back while already wearing the headset. And when you take everything off, it's hard to set down the headphones on a table or whatever while they are tethered to your headset.

A pair of wireless headphones makes everything just so much easier. Just place them on a coffee table or something and put on the headset at your leisure, then use the camera to find the headphones on the table and slip them on. I guess your mileage with earbuds might vary, but I really can't recommend a good pair of wireless headphones enough.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

So I managed to clear enough space to make a 10'x17' square, but this would put the base stations almost 20 feet apart. I've seen videos of developers tracking flawlessly in spaces significantly larger than the recommended maximum (like that Hover Junkers video in the big warehouse room), but I've also heard of glitches getting above 16 feet or so. Is this something that the link cable could help eliminate?

Curious about this too as I think my ideal mounting setup would be over 16'. Anyone else have a lot of trouble around the 20' range?