Notes from an Oculus Rift installation and other comments

[SOLAS]

A few weeks ago i also got a rift-set and have to say that this is the next level of gaming and will finally change the market in this direction. Flying on a computer is so much more fun and immersive than with multiple monitor setup or anything possible with 2d.

Download the OculusTrayTool: https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/5okoju/oculus_tray_tool/?st=jaxy0co0&sh=cc0453be

This little programm is very helpfull and you can change parameters like the pixeldensity for any vr-application. I use pixeldensity 2.0 for aces high and you may test what`s the best setting for your hardware.

Also it depends on the programm how much it will change the results. Yesterday i bought this little but very nice "sim" UltraWings: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/1341671792523028/


For this programm you can use pixeldenisty of 2.5 for much better sharpness than in the default setting. Just try the OculusTrayTool and report your results.

P.S. For the best possible VR-Performance i rebuilt my main-computer with a i7 8700k and gtx 1080ti. Its worth the investment if it`s possible for you.

Actually i have this list of games and will recommend them to you all with vr-hardware:

- LoneEcho
- TableTennis VR
- RoboRecall
- SuperHot VR
- FSX VR via FlyInside
- IL2 Battle of Moscow VR
- Warthunder VR
- DCS VR
- Onward (FPS)
- UltraWings
- TheLab
- IronWolf (Submarine Sim)
- DeadEffect 2 VR
- VTOL VR
- MountWingsuit
- RaceTheSun VR
- Universe Sandbox VR
- Sparc (very nice e-sport game)

[Kanth]

good info SOLAS and nice list of games too. I've seen good reviews for many of them, thanks! 

[Puma44]

Hi all!  I’m getting ready to enter the VR environment.  A lot of great tips and info provided so far.  Sounds like the set up is more difficult than necessary but, doable.

Based on what I’ve read here, I am planning to plug the Rift into a 3.0 powered four port USB hub that will be plugged into one of my computer’s 3.0 USB ports.

My computer meets or exceeds the min requirements of the Oculus Rift.

A couple of questions:

1.  How are the sensors physically placed/attached?

2.  How long are the cables of the Rift?

3.  What else do I not know that I don’t know? 

[Easyscor]

The newly released Oculus (beta) Rift 2.0 aka Dash software solves the issue I had with resetting the player boundary. It has separated the sensor setup from the boundary setup.

The headset cable must be 9 or 10 feet?

The sensors plug into USB ports. There are pictures of them on YouTube as well as the Oculus site. I think Kanth said she wall mounted her's with a kit.
That's not an option for me as I can't stand having my work area facing up against a wall.

I went to Home Depot and bought a couple sets of 1/2" furniture clamp hardware (no one there had a clue what I was talking about hehe) along with the 1/2" steel plumbing pipe at 36" each. I clamped them to the edges of the table I use for a desk with the pipe sticking ~30 inches above the table. Then I attached the sensors with a couple of 99 cent 6" steel spring clamps. I couldn't make the sensors work with much less then 6' between them. My setup is totally adjustable and portable but I need to paint them some day if I don't find a more elegant solution in the meantime.

[Puma44]

Thanks Easy!  My compute desk is a corner unit looking out adjoining windows.  So, a wall mount might be feasible.  I check out YouTube.

[Kanth]

I just got my third sensor and a monoprice 16foot usb 2.0 extension cable so i have one sensor way across the room and two up on the walls. I'll be getting two more extension cables and place sensors up in all 3 corners of the room i'm in, up near the ceiling.

 I attach them with oculus sensor wall mounting hardware you can google that and pick from several different types. Mine are sitting in a holder that is then doublesided-heavy-duty-sticky-taped to the walls and ceiling.

The limiting factor at this point is the rift cable. I'll have to see if i can extend that as well. It says it's 2.5m or 8 feet.

Still.... i can stand in the middle of my computer room and do the roomscale setup and it's just so fun. I giggled all the way through it. 

I believe the distance away the sensor can be from the rift is 14 feet., that's not the cable length that's the direct eye sight length between sensor and headset.

My other two extension cables will probably be usb 3.0.

speakers and mic are build into the headset 

I'll have to video the roomscale setup and post it, it's really neat.

[Puma44]

Wow, Kanth!  Sounds like you’ve got it dialed in.  I was watching a YouTube this afternoon where a guy put one camera out front and the other behind to get 360 degree movement.  I don’t know enough yet to know if that’ll work with AH.

Can’t wait to see video of your set up.

Thanks!

[Kanth]

here's what I"m talking about with roomscale:

https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-roomscale-extra-equipment/

I'm ordering the rest of the extensions now and once I get them all in place I'll record the setup.

[Randy1]

I just mounted the sensor(camera) on top of the monitor using a thing that hangs  in a shower or or door to hold things.  That and a couple of cable ties and you got it.  You can get one for a couple of bucks.  I found a black one so it blends in.

[FLS]

Puma I have 2 sensors, one on each side of the monitor. They aren't fuzzy about placement. When I just had one sensor I found that it doesn't need to be centered and you can still turn 360 and one sensor will track you. The advantage to two or more is that one sensor can be blocked when you move around but that is less likely in a cockpit sim compared to waving your Touch controllers around in a room scale game. If you just fly and drive in VR you only need a simple setup. 

[Puma44]

Puma I have 2 sensors, one on each side of the monitor. They aren't fuzzy about placement. When I just had one sensor I found that it doesn't need to be centered and you can still turn 360 and one sensor will track you. The advantage to two or more is that one sensor can be blocked when you move around but that is less likely in a cockpit sim compared to waving your Touch controllers around in a room scale game. If you just fly and drive in VR you only need a simple setup. 

Thanks for the info.  Since I’ll use it for AH sitting in a cockpit or gv mode, the two included sensors will provide a 360 view.  Correct?  Someone in a previous write up mentioned having to use the HAT switches to see behind the 3/9 line.  I’m not sure what that constraint was about considering your description, FLS.

Thanks all for helping me get educated about the VR environment.

[FLS]

Your peripheral vision is limited, you can turn your head to look behind you but it's easier and faster to use a hat switch or button on the stick. 

[Kanth]

Just to be clear, I have my third sensor strictly to play around with rooms scale. You can fly with probably one sensor but two is better.

[Puma44]

Your peripheral vision is limited, you can turn your head to look behind you but it's easier and faster to use a hat switch or button on the stick. 

Did you previously use Track IR?  If so, how does the peripheral vision and turn to look behind compare without use of a hat switch or button?

[Puma44]

Just to be clear, I have my third sensor strictly to play around with rooms scale. You can fly with probably one sensor but two is better.

Thanks Kanth.  That helps clarify.  At this point, I don’t plan on a need for room scale. So, the two sensor setup seems optimum for my use.