Natalie's Wiki

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
====== Overview ======
This page won't actually tell you which VR hardware to buy. Instead, it will give an overview of the different types, the pros and cons of each, and compatibility notes to keep in mind.


**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

**DISREGARD ALL OF THIS INFO, the situation has changed in the years since it was written. Happy to discuss options with you if you are interested, just hit me up wherever**

====== Tracking methods ======
===== Lighthouse =====
==== Overview ====
This type of tracking uses one or more lighthouses to find the positions of tracked objects (headset, controllers, etc) in 3D space. Each lighthouse scans the area in front of it with an infrared laser. Sensors in the tracked objects are able to sense timing information and through some fancy math, can calculate an absolute 3D position.
==== 1.0 vs 2.0 ====
Two models of lighthouse exist. 1.0 lighthouse systems can have a maximum of two lighthouses. 2.0 can have more and is generally more robust. All tracked objects that support LH2.0 can also work on 1.0 lighthouses, but **LH1.0 tracked objects will not work with 2.0 lighthouses**.
==== Pros ====
  * Accurate and repeatable sub-millimeter precision tracking. IMO the best accuracy available.
  * Minimal drift, if setup is done correctly.
  * Essentially an open system. Manufacturer-agnostic.
==== Cons ====
  * Tracked objects must have a clear line of sight to at least one lighthouse. Obstructions in the room, clothing, even long hair can block the line of sight. Problems mostly avoidable with good lighthouse positioning.
  * Poor portability.
  * Lighthouses have moving parts and are relatively fragile. Failures are not unheard of.

===== SLAM =====
SLAM, or simultaneous localization and mapping, generally refers to hardware that tracks itself using a combination of IR cameras and IMUs (think motion sensors). Most commonly (on Quest2, etc) this is seen as a hybrid system where the headset tracks itself based on your surroundings, and then the controllers are tracked relative to the headset's position using the same cameras.
==== Pros ====
  * Easy setup. On Quest2 you calibrate the floor height and draw a boundary and you're done. Easy to set up in another play space.
  * Pretty good quality tracking.
  * Occlusion is less of an issue (for the headset).
  * Low cost.
==== Cons ====
  * Typically a closed system. For example, you can't easily use non-Meta controllers with a Quest 2.
  * Doesn't work in a dark room.
  * Occlusion is a big problem with controller tracking (since it's all relative to the headset). It's very common on Quest2 when standing and holding controllers at your sides for them to lose tracking.
==== Notes ====
The Quest Pro controllers have cameras in them and are not susceptible to the occlusion problems described in Cons. They're expensive though!

====== Full Body Tracking systems ======
FBT is generally pretty flexible in terms of compatibility (assuming you're doing PCVR). It does complicate setup and calibration a bit, but generally you can mix and match tracking types, different manufacturers, etc without any problems.
===== Lighthouse-based =====
Lighthouse-based FBT generally has all the pros and cons of lighthouse tracking in general. For a basic FBT setup you will need three trackers, in addition to the headset and controllers. More trackers can be added for a more accurate pose (less algorithmic guessing of bone positions) but generally three is plenty.
It's possible to use lighthouse-based tracking with a SLAM headset like the Quest, you just have to buy the lighthouses.
===== IMU-based =====
There are several IMU-based FBT options available - off the top of my head, SlimeVR and HaritoraX are the big ones. An inherent downside of these is that being IMU-based, they can never calculate an *absolute* position, it is all relative. The calibration process will establish the reference to something with an absolute position (headset). Since position is relative and IMUs are not perfect, drift is an inherent downside. You can estimate 5-60 minutes between needing minor recalibrations, depending on IMU quality, your environment, and activity. Tracking quality is generally a bit "floaty" looking.

The major upside of IMU-based tracking is significantly reduced cost compared to lighthouse-based tracking, even if you already have lighthouses. IMU trackers are also smaller and generally have better battery life than lighthouse trackers. Since it's pure IMU there are also no occlusion issues ever. Same deal as lighthouse where you can add additional trackers to improve the tracking quality.

====== WIP ======
====== WIP ======
====== WIP ======
====== WIP ======
====== WIP ======
====== WIP ======
====== WIP ======


====== My VR path ======
  * **August 2021:** Got a first-gen HTC VIVE full kit. It was a store return, might have been used once...
  * **Late August 2021:** Got a VIVE Deluxe Audio Strap, because the default vive strap just didn't work with my head shape. Huge improvement.
  * **September 2021:** Added 3x VIVE 3.0 trackers for FBT.
  * **Sometime in late 2021:** Upgraded GPU from a GTX 970 to an RX6700XT.
  * **November 2021:** One of two lighthouses "died". Only a weak laser, but it causes SteamVR to ignore it so it may as well be dead.
  * **Later November 2021:** Did firmware config hacks on the bad lighthouse to prevent it from being seen as bad. Laser still weak, but back in business, kinda.
  * **May 2022:** Replaced headset with a Pimax 5K Super
  * **June 2022:** Replaced the bad lighthouse after having some weird tracking issues. FWIW partner has been using the bad one without any problems, so it was probably unrelated.
  * **July 2022:** Replaced vive wands with index controllers.
  * **June 2023:** Replaced Ryzen 5 2600 with Ryzen 7 5800X3D
  * **December 2024:** Replaced RX6700XT with RX7900XTX
A bit of a ship of theseus.