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Comment on DIY YouTuber builds cheap VR headset and makes it open-source

It’s always cool to see such projects, and I was discussing about the topic just yesterday.

… but please, don’t spend $150 on that. This is limited has it has :

no controllers (and gamepads aren’t spatial),
no hand tracking (which would be spatial),
no 6DoF, so you can’t move your head or body around, just turn your head around
a very limited software stack, e.g. no OpenXR (AFAICT),
a cable to be plugged to a computer, i.e. it’s not standalone

so it’s basically a more open but not standalone version of the Oculus Go. For context the Go is from 2018 and back then was $200 while being standalone. Note also that the Go is rootable, cf developers.meta.com/…/unlocking-oculus-go/

There are also other DIY VR HMDs, e.g. github.com/relativty/Relativty from 2020 which similar limitations. In fact this made so much buzz back then the founder managed to ride the hype and make (sadly) a VC funded startup. I say sadly because the initial project was all open VR and openness but once the money was locked-in… well I let you check.

So… again this is VERY cool to build but please do not consider this anything but a way to learn. If you do want to play with VR with a limited budget consider instead an accountless (meaning no Meta involved) second hand Meta 2.

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Evotech@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
But can I watch porn

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- utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  If you go down that path check buttplug.io because the fun does not have to stop with just vision!
  
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  - MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    The kraken comes.
    
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    sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
    Image
    
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  - Grass@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    you know when you don’t click the link but its so well named that you probably already know exactly what it is and what features it has?
    
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    utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Believe me it’s even more than you imagine!
    
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  - Damage@feddit.it ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    This is hilarious
    
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- Honytawk@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  You can do that with a phone in a cardboard box
  
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Sektor@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
Still good enough for driving and flying sims.

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- utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  I think it’s good enough for learning and doing something weird but Meta Quest 1 or 2 cost less (just checked 2nd hand local website and saw a few for 100€) and require 0 hardware work while providing 6DoF (leaning just a tad in your cockpit? Huge difference) and higher refresh rate.
  
  Again, it’s amazing to tinker but unless it’s part of a both technical and ethical adventure then I believe there are better options out there already.
  
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  - Sektor@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Those who want to use vr will buy, sometimes it’s not about destination but about the journey. And this can inspire someone to further improve on design and maybe makes it even more user friendly, cheap and with no strings to shitty corpos.
    
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    utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Sure, that’s literally how I started both comments but I can try to clarify a bit more my point : if you want to “just” use, this isn’t great, but if you enjoy building itself, it might be even better.
    
    FWIW I do both, including professionally, so I definitely get the point of making a headset, or anything really (I even do a bit of woodworking and welding) yourself or building thanks to the previous projects of others. I’m definitely NOT suggesting it shouldn’t be attempted. I’m solely warning people who are solely, or even mostly, interested in a usable object while investing minimum effort in.
    
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LiveLM@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
The lack of controllers is the biggest impediment to these “Homemade VR” projects.
You might as well slap your phone in a Cardboard VR and use ALVR, and you’ll be surprised at how convincing it is, but you’ll quickly find there aren’t many games worth playing with the standard gamepad.

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- tomkatt@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Basic headset would be good for sim racing.
  
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MyNameIsIgglePiggle@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Might as well just chuck a phone in a cardboard box

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- Valmond@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Have tried, works better than expected IMO.
  
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utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
PS: for those who remember back then Relativty it became Unai then unison.co which according to LinkedIn (so take it via a grain of salt) when from 30 employees Image and maybe more importantly hasn’t delivered anything I’m aware of. In itself that’s no big deal, startups do that, but it’s definitely quite far from the initial openness debut.

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Fmstrat@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
The reason this reminds you of Relativity is because that’s what it is with modifications.

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utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Note that despite the lack of OpenXR support by relying on github.com/relativty/Relativty#14-software-setup they might support some SteamVR games. That said, again, it’s 6DoF and outdated so which actual games would be fun, not just playable, is a different question.

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IzzyJ@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
How would I use a meta 2 without an account?

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- utopiah@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  For now you have to use non open-source software PrivateQuest to pair it. I recommend to factory reset it first but anyway instructions are there, can be a bit finicky but does work.
  
  I’ve read that some are trying to port it to GadgetBridge which would be ideal.
  
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- FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  Make a throwaway account……
  
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