Virtual Reality - What Headset do you Use?

[targetrasp]

I caught a killer sale before Christmas and got an Omen with a HP Mixed Reality Headset. While the Vive and the Rift have more game options and a little better tracking, this thing makes a great entry level set. Its easy to connect, it works well with steam, and doesn't require a ton of usb connections. 1 hdmi and 1 usb connection and you're good to go. There's also no need to put sensors all over the play area, like with the other guys.

I am currently sending this back to HP to have fixed, my kid used it so much he wore out the connector coming from the headset. It's nice that it unplugs for storage but it seems like since the headset is essentially tethered by this cord it would have been more prudent to have it built into the headset with tons of stress relief. Instead, there's a short cord coming from the headset with a female end. The male end that plugs here is pretty secure but from just 5 months of use you can see a fair amount of wear. Finally, and the reason I'm having it sent back, the female end is a little bigger, causing movement and a disconnect from the computer. In my case, the wear was so great the movement actually bent two of the pins on the inside of the female connector. I had a heckuva time explaining this to the HP guy on the phone, but finally convinced him it wasn't the cord from the computer that was the problem.

We'll see if they fix it, or try to screw me on warranty (there's a 1 year warranty on the headset, that doesn't cover "abuse"). Hopefully, all will go well. if not, I'll have an excuse to go VIVE, although since this is used in the living room i'd hate to add a bunch of sensors all over the place.

[mastermario]

What do you use it for and do you like it? I've been considering getting one but I'm really thinking it may be better to wait a couple of years when the game development catches up with the technology and they work out the kinks with the hardware.

[targetrasp]

for me it's a novelty, for my kid he plays rec room a lot. I've got a lot of other games for it but he really enjoys rec room. I've not found anything that really does it for me, but to be honest i'm having more fun right now collecting and buying for my kids. HP did send me a new headset so I'm pretty satisfied with how they handled the warranty claim.

Technology wise I think they should focus on weight and making wireless sets. The headsets aren't heavy but they're not exactly like wearing glasses either... If you wait you won't miss out on anything

[trkorecky]

I picked up a Vive a long time ago and don't use it nearly as much as I should -- my youngest puppy still doesn't seem to understand the concept and makes play difficult.

I think overall it's a lot of fun and there are some solid games, but I hope with the second generation we'll get some much needed upgrades. Wider FOV, larger resolution (rendering resolution can stay the same, just less of the screen door effect), wireless, lighter headsets, and most importantly a killer app. We have some things that are great fun, but there's still no system seller out there.

[targetrasp]

the stuff that's out there feels like a leap backwards.

shooting stuff - i had tons more fun with the light zapper in the 80s and the super scope six / menacer in the 90's. Nevermind timecrisis, house of the dead, etc during playstation / dreamcast era.

motion controls - WII did it better... if it hadn't been for the white hot burnout snuffed by the shovelware and the mass exodus to apple products this motion control thing could have stuck, and been dang fun without the special ed helmet.

outside of wavebird frisbees and wii mote through the rear projection screen i've never had a worse experience with a controller gimmick (I'm so lieing, the power glove and interactor were unplayable garbage, 12 punches threw three, i almost lost to glass joe). I'm tired of falling over my coffee table and feel like extended play will net a new generation of Quasimodos.

Get this crap in a pair of wireless goggles the size and feel of a set of sunglasses or eyeglasses. THEN trade out those dinky looking motion controllers for set of data gloves (power glove was crap but i love the idea, and bluetooth is better than IR) and make the screen overlay actual vision so wtih a turn of a dial or some gesture you can fade in and out of reality and youve got a household perripheral that'll be capable of so much more than rec room and space pirate trainer.