Setting up the new Reverb G2

[Puma44]

As I’m going through the setup via WMR, with the headset powered, the mouse pointer is pretty much frozen making it difficult to progress through the setup menu.  When the headset is powered off, the mouse pointer returns to normal.  I’m sure there’s a simple fix to this but, I can’t figure it out, so far.

A second problem is the left controller isn’t paired (may have inadvertently unpaired it myself) and it’s not pairing so far.  The mouse issue above is contributing to that frustration.

I’m a previous oculus rift user and already impressed with the better visual acuity.  But, the setup on this rig is a bit challenging so far. I’ll be interested in any newb lessons learned you old head G2 players might offer up. 

Thanks in advance!

[Easyscor]

You can "Use Desktop" or whatever it's called by pressing Ctrl+y at any time. This will usually free up the mouse. Failure means you've left something waiting for input or dismissal in VR. For instance, using the Windows menu button, which brings up the MS interface and leaving the flashlight see through porthole (grainy RW pass through view) running, will prevent the mouse from working on the normal desktop. Actually, the banner at the top of your screen will refuse to disengage. Whatever it is that was left running will need to be shut down.

The rest of the time, you'll need the G2 controllers unless in AH where you can use your regular HOTAS etc. etc. etc.

For the G2 controller: Make sure the batteries are fresh. The G2 controllers go through them fast. I invested in rechargeable li AAs.
Your controllers should automatically re-pare whenever you turn them on while the G2 can see them. Hold them out in front of you while you turn them on. Recycle the procedure if necessary. Also, if your controller is off to the side, it may be working but you'll never see it because no mater where you look, it moves out of your fov.
It must look silly to hold the controllers out in front at arms length to turn them on but I live alone. 

For launching a game, there are 3 or 4 ways. From the Steam "Home page" list, the "Steam Home" environment, or one of the WMR Home environments but the one I use most, even from the "Steam Home" is the Window's menu button on the controllers.
Press the controllers menu button and up pops the WMR interface (such as it is). Off to the the right side of this dialog window is the menu icon launching your whole games and apps list.
While the Windows dialog is up, check out your the Settings and Desktop icons. I have no use for the rest but you'll want to explore when you have time.

Hope this helps.

[SNO]

Not sure where you are in the process of setup, but for starting AH I start steam then start the headset then hit the steam VR button in the top right of the steam pane once the steam  VR starts I start AH and say yes. All of that was done with the headset off of my head,  now put headset on and the mouse pointer will move with your head movements clicking with the regular mouse.  I don’t use the hand controllers at all.

[Drano]

Actually to toggle focus from headset to windows it's win+y. That got me when I was setting up too. Nothing works! WT...

It's actually displayed on a banner on your monitor. Which you dont see in the headset!

As for the controllers I'd read to NOT get 1.2v rechargeables as they may not work right, make sure you get 1.5v or use alkaline batts. FWIW I bought two sets of 4 as they said the really burn thru batteries. I haven't made one change yet since I've had the headset in July so there's that. I'm hardly using them actually as I'm not playing Beat Saber or anything like that. Only use them to interact with WMR.

I had a hard time pairing mine too. I had to do a manual pairing to get them working. IIRC the left one gave me the most trouble.



Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Drano]

Oh and for AH you need to install Steam for WMR.. Its different. Once you have that installed, start AH. At the prompt select, think it says openvr headset, it'll start Steam for WMR automatically and you're off.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Puma44]

Thanks for the ideas gents.

Easy - going through the initial setup upon reaching the controllers, the right side showed connected with a green check mark.  The left side showed unconnected with a caution and “!” next to it.  There was a reconnect/refresh button but, since the mouse was frozen, I couldn’t select it.  Same issue with trying to select “NEXT” in the set up button. The arrow buttons on the keyboard produced no movement.  Pressing the ENTER button the keyboard only activated the highlighted BACK button in the setup menu.  (Frustration level ratchets up at this point). I could only get control of the mouse by disconnecting headset power but, then the menu page disappeared.  I’ll try your suggestions in a bit.  If unsuccessful, I’m going to uninstall the G2 software and start over.  More than likely, I’ve committed an “I don’t know what I don’t know error” along the way.  By the way both controllers turn on and I’ve held both out in front of me.  Only the right side displays the laser line to point with.

SNO - I’ve got STEAM and STEAM VR plus AH III & War in the Pacific downloaded.  I was able to tap the Steam VR button and get AH to load but, it didn’t go to full screen in VR.  Is was displayed in a floating desktop window.  (Another ratcheting of the frustration level).  So, being later in the evening, it was time to step away from the new toy.

After coffee fully engages and breakfast is ingested, I’ll try your suggestions and report back.  Since I’ve been using the Oculus Rift for about five years, I suspect there may be some unintentional expectation bias involved.  I remember the initial Rift setup being a relatively simple plug and play event in comparison.

Thanks again gents!

[Puma44]

Oh and for AH you need to install Steam for WMR.. Its different. Once you have that installed, start AH. At the prompt select, think it says openvr headset, it'll start Steam for WMR automatically and you're off.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Just saw your post, Drano.  Thanks!  I’ll add your input to my list.

Good point about Steam for WMR.  I’ll check that also.

Another general question.  Is there a way to access Oculus Games that I’ve collected over time, via the Steam VR software?

Also, when downloaded AH III via Steam, it downloads the DX 11 version correct?

[Eagler]

The vive pro start up is much easier than the quest I used for a short time

Just have to click dx11 to get it going with the vive and check yes for vr

Best of luck working out the bugs Puma

Eagler

[Puma44]

The vive pro start up is much easier than the quest I used for a short time

Just have to click dx11 to get it going with the vive and check yes for vr

Best of luck working out the bugs Puma

Eagler

Thanks Eagler!  Similar to the Rift, click DX11, put the headset on, and go (without using the hand controllers).  From what the other gents have said, it sounds relatively simple.  Just have to figure out the new flow. 

[Easyscor]

Thanks Drano. Yep, I flubbed the Ctrl+Win thing.

As for playing Oculus games in the G2, it's hit and miss with Revive. Lucky Tails among others works. Robo Recall did but no longer. At least on my mch. Google to find the YouTube coverage and the GitHub download.

I went looking for the G2 controller setup app and can't for the life of me find it. I guess I've customized too much. As I remember, and guys, help us out here, the setup for the controllers came as the initial part of the boundary program.

Yes, you need Steam VR installed. And WMR. Microsoft is said to be abandoning further G2 support in favor of letting Steam take over while MS concentrates on it's family of XR projects.

Opps, just realized you have the setup program running. I think you'll need either the mouse or the working controller to click the next button but try the tab key. Otherwise the Win+y option might work here.

[Puma44]

Well, there’s another two hours of time I’ll never get back.  I’m starting to understand why there are so many of these G2s for resale in the original retail packaging in “like new” condition. 

Now, the right controller has unpaired itself somehow. 

I tried the win + y several times.  It only makes the mouse pointer appear (sometimes) and when it does appear, it’s frozen on the screen.  Several “win + y” attempts do nothing.  So, I put the two paper weights aside for now and launch AH from stream.  The VR box is selected, AH is selected, and starts playing.  I put the headset on, have music through the speakers and pitch black in front of me.  Double checked the G2 attachment in the graphics card, tried again, same result.  When I shut down steam and put the headset back on, it’s back to the Home VR environment, which so far hasn’t offered any moves forward.  Just this view:




Researching the controller pairing issue directs to the windows setup but, without them paired, there’s no way to move through the setup.

Trying to start via steam, I’ve tried all three of the options here, and get the same black result:



So, I’m very stumped, confused, and frustrated.  Headset on.  No controllers to navigate.  Headset off, win + y pressed, and a frozen non functional mouse pointer with no way to navigate.  But, being eternally stubborn, there’s no quitting.  Just need the real and workable directions.

Easy, the WMR does include the controller setup/pairing but, I can’t seem to get there from here.  Can the WMR be uninstalled and then reinstalled to start from a clean slate?  That seems to be the only option remaining.

[Drano]

Are you using plain old Steam? Or are you using Steam for WMR as I suggested? As I said--it's different. Different in that it's FOR WMR headsets like the G2. It's not a Steam headset so regular Steam won't work. When I want to play AH this is what I do:

Start WMR and make sure the headset is running. I have mine set to start WMR as soon as the headset starts. I keep the power off until I'm gonna play. Hit the power button, headset starts, I hear a couple of kadings--windows sees it. WMR starts. Ready to go. I click AH DX11, it asks if I want to use my openvr headset, I click yes. AT this point Steam for WMR starts automatically and minimizes itself. AH starts normally and I see it in the headset. Only thing odd for me is it asks me to center every time I start by hitting the space bar but I can live with that. That's pretty much it.

I can't really help you with the conttollers. I had a problem initially getting them to take and yeah it was the left one that gave me a problem too but it eventually came up. The problem people are having with the G2, at least the first gen units was with the cable. It would just die out of nowhere and was more or less incompatible with AMD systems. They improved it with a 2nd gen, the V2 which is what's sold new now. It has a different two-piece face plate that allows more space if you're wearing glasses. They fixed the AMD problem. It has a slightly different cable that has a power switch on it. What sucks about that is that I've been trying to buy a spare since I bought mine in July and it's been out of stock for months. These dang propietary cables! Likely THAT'S why they're out there. Nothing actually wrong with the headset itself other than you can't get the cable to run it with. I'd bought a spare for my RiftS just in case and they stopped making it in short order. I haven't needed it yet but might be abusing that one more in it's second life.

Try to remember these headsets are different flavors. Valve/Steam is one, Oculus is another, WMR another, the Pimax and Aeros another. They all have their own softwares to run them. The G2 is a WMR headset so you HAVE to use the right software to get it to run certain games. AH will run with Steam but since this is a WMR headset--and not a STEAM headset--you HAVE to use Steam for WMR. Get it here:  https://store.steampowered.com/app/719950/Windows_Mixed_Reality_for_SteamVR/. That way your WMR headset can run your Steam games---like AH. That's just how it works. You can't get the G2 to run on Oculus either. It's a different animal.

Now when I want to play IL-2 or MSFS I'm running Opencomposite which is a different animal again and that allows you to bypass Steam running Steam games and avoid the overhead. I just have to have the headset running and start the game. It allows a few other tweaks that are really cool. Unfortunately it isn't compatible with every game out there. For the life of me I can't get it to work with AH. I get as far as the loading screen on the monitor but nothing in the headset. So running Steam for WMR for AH.

[Puma44]

Drano - Thanks for the additional info.  Until following the link you provided, I thought the correct VR version was loaded.  I uninstalled that and installed the correct “Steam for WMR” version from your link.  I also uninstalled WMR and installed a fresh copy, in an effort to reset up the G2 controllers.  So far all efforts following you guys’ suggestions and what I’ve found online are not producing results.  Hopefully, the fresh install will allow for repairing the controllers.  I too, don’t want to depend on them for AH play. 

When putting the headset on, this VR message displays with the headset powered. 



After installing Steam for WMR, I tried your sequence of getting into AH.  Still having the issue of when putting the headset on, it displaying the “home”, which I can’t manipulate without controllers and continue with a frozen mouse pointer using “win + y”.  There must be a simple step I’m not realizing.

When you select DX II, are you selecting it from the Steam library, or your desktop?

Thanks again for your insight from “been there, done that”.  I’ll let you know how the fresh set up goes. 

[Eagler]

I have an icon for the dx11 version of ah on the desktop

Clicking that starts ah asking if I want to start my vr

I say yes and steam opens as ah opens

Putting the headset on has a delay of a couple of seconds and then the login to ah pops up

I remember that the wmr was funky and another reason the g2 was returned...one ear speaker popped in and out and though the sweet spot was clearer it was much smaller than the sweet spot in the modified vive pro I was using..and still am

Good luck with your setup Pumpa

Eagler

[Puma44]

I have an icon for the dx11 version of ah on the desktop

Clicking that starts ah asking if I want to start my vr

I say yes and steam opens as ah opens

Putting the headset on has a delay of a couple of seconds and then the login to ah pops up

I remember that the wmr was funky and another reason the g2 was returned...one ear speaker popped in and out and though the sweet spot was clearer it was much smaller than the sweet spot in the modified vive pro I was using..and still am

Good luck with your setup Pumpa

Eagler

Thanks Eagler!  After getting the correct VR Steam version loaded, I also selected the desktop DX II desktop icon, it asked the same question (as the Oculus does), selected yes, and put the headset on to have it display the “home” once again, while hearing the AH initial sign on stuff through the ear pieces.  Very unnecessarily frustrating.