CEO Artur claims [34:14/1:20:13] that main customers will be more consumers than enterprises,
but IMO value and cost "over 1.5k and below ($3500) Apple Vision" will better fit businesses.
VR1 runtime supports application-independent masking and CAD mesh upload of e.g instrument panels;
software support to create and upload will be provided for MR models.
Prescription lenses perhaps from VR Lens Lab; already planned by VR Opticians
4436 x 4157 is native rendered resolution for 2880x2880 per eye; 35ppd (same panels as Crystal)
"super clear undistorted (horizontal) 125°+ FoV"; 100° vertical
(eyeglasses with 30" monitor pair at approx 700mm yield approx 100° FoV).
576 local dimming zones per eye; perhaps not needed, because low glare optics.
210 nit 20K:1 local dimming contrast QLED 90 fps upgradeable to 120 & 144fps
90 vs 120fps at delivery: "Still in progress, so could be both ways" - 25 Nov
optic block with two aspheric lenses 4 times sharper than required for panel resolution
... should require less oversampling to look better
lens manufacturing tolerance is 10 microns from ideal shape
(sealed) gap between displays and lenses enables convection cooling
Face interface fixed with magnets on the HMD (same mechanism as HP G2);
CAD files available for people to 3D print their own.
A 6m USB-C combined DisplayPort 1.4 (32 Gbps) + USB3gen2 cable for all models;
a second identical cable (on the other side of the headset) for passthru cameras to PC.
120Hz eye tracking is also their framework implementation,
but will opensource everything about it, including the algorithm
motion compensation is in their framework, and they will expose it for the sim community
How Mixed Reality cockpit mapping will work:
feed car/airplane cockpit CAD to their software,
and then interact with it by hands
(both 170x170° 120Hz Ultraleap Stereo IR 170 hand tracking module and MR cameras on the HMD)
MR cameras are NOT autofocus; limited aperture extends focus range
but impacts low light image quality (noise).
3D video capture from passthru cameras will be a thing; target for software was unclear (to me).
Passthru video processing in the PC, using more CPU resources
than non-MR/XR HMD of e.g. Crystal or other VR-only HMD of comparable resolution and frame rate.
Headset and VR controller tracking by SteamVR Index/Vive "lighthouse" (base station)
... won't get discontinued for a long time.
"There are million's of people and mainly businesses which are dependent on them and HTC will continue manufacturing them.
Apart from consumers,
HTC has A LOT of corporate clients using base stations for aerospace, movie industry etc."
As of 27 Sep 2023, development mostly complete;
most remaining issues are financial; still fiddling with face mask...
Sept update and sign-ups slipped to Oct 5.
VR1 will not bundle depth sensor, compatible OEM working lidar to be designated.
TGO finger-tracking motion 'etee controller' bundle with 20% discount
R&D devices for refining assembly and manufacturing tolerances
31 May
Mass Production
"At the factory today, overlooking start of the mass production and all the processes.
These are first headsets coming out TODAY and will be used as R&D units
since we are setting all assembly and manufacturing tolerances"
"Next week customer units will be hitting a production line."
CEO Artur:
"We are doing long planned ahead changes and structural improvments.
Majority is done, awaiting some final components from factories.
Software has been and is in works obviously.
I am also very happy how our Mixed Reality stands against AVP."
Lens inspection machines fully calibrated and successfully testing latest lenses
2 Feb 2024
main board assemblies for a dozen preproduction VR1 samples
24 Jan
Problematic claims
"there is an ability to play with a software parameters of eye relief"
eye relief is the farthest distance from lens with full field view (visible edges)
"you can regulate focal distance with software to match preferred image position."
Some misinterpret this to mean software could replace corrective lens inserts...
22 Jan
new (coated) VR1 lenses
"Everything is 95% done anyway its just smaller last iterations and polishing we are doing."
17 Jan
VR1 about 94% brighter than Crystal; no January Somnium Connect.
6 Jan
VR1 update and Optics Chat - Stage Channel
Not much progress reported since 19 Dec
Aspheric lenses.. you need to get used to them
Two VR1 R&D cameras:
one camera for warping, shown in video, presumably with structured light patterns
another 60 megapixel camera tests lenses (and panels) for local defects
A video about lens testing will be released.
Eye relief is not adjustable
Software for eye relief and multiple warping solutions...?
Impact of prescription lenses on FoV is unknown.
No challenge to VR1 combination of clarity, resolution and FoV for 2.5 to 3 years.
Counterweight will be "a bit" only
Experimenting with 5 different face mask types,
probably will have several different versions available.
Custom facemask is considered overkill.
Audio solution will be an add-on;
most expected (90%) customers already have their audio solution.
Exact content of base (1899€) version (e.g. box) not finalized.
Pre-cut foam provisions for custom content in polymer case.
Some YouTuber demos included dynamic foveated rendering unannounced.
potential unmasked nose pad option for wider FoV (also less heat buildup)
21 Dec 2023
Artur:
"How is the overlap?"
VR Flight Sim Guy:
"Well, that's the first thing that I was quite curious about
because obviously it's got a wider field of view.
I went to check that straight away,
and I was really surprised actually about the overlap
is far better than a lot of headsets. So that's good news."
also
"VR1 looks better than Crystal but it's harder to run" my paraphrasings from VR1 discord Stage Channel Q&A
Distortions noted by YouTubers are from physical defects specific to uncoated lens in hand built prototype.
Production coated optics will be tested and calibrated by automated instrument not yet in operation.
Thru-lens YouTube videos to date are not representative of views experienced by users.
YouTube prototypes use some 3D printed parts outside production part tolerances.
Chromatic aberrations are not considered an issue.
Production headset will have counterweight and longer top strap to accomodate larger heads.
Tyriel's off scale experience has yet to be duplicated by others.
VR1 has sliders to reduce rasterization from 130x106° to user-specific field of view.
For example, reducing to 122x96° reduces display area by 15%,
but warping has lower ppd away from center, so less performance improvement.
Eye tracking system will calculate and report your IPD.
Any optional feature combination can be ordered; 8 combinations if no CA killer or 16 if CA killer
Optional ($200-300) CA killer factory option to be confirmed mid-Jan 2024;
code and hardware world first 98% solution
Screens and optics are sealed modules; each will be automatically tested, calibrated and documented.
Electronics board, cables, and optical modules may be pu
rchases separately, but not initially.
No light leakage around gasket, which will get a wider lower edge to better spread load.
will not attend 2024 CES; showcase to select folks later
For complete VR1, only base stations and controllers need to be acquired separately.
Vrgineer facility being substantially upgraded to support VR1 assembly and test.
Image blurs as ppd lowers away from center. (35 peak, 26 average)
Calibrated color display default with software adjustment for personal preferences.
3D models will be released and printable models optimized for Prusa.
VR Optician website will offer VR1 prescription lens orders on VR1 order date.
Proprietary apps to e.g. interact with other avatars
Somnium PC
PC 2D and VR clients are both downloaded by the same Download VR Client tab.
First, register to obtain a userid and password that the PC client also uses. Video instructions diverge from reality at 1:10,
where selecting an Avatar fails.
Somnium Space is seemingly prevents users from proceeding without an avatar,
although I have not found that written explicitly anywhere.
A help screen (by F1) suggests hot keys will be wanted for much navigation.
Consequently, this software is likely to be substantially unpleasant.
VR Client
SteamVR client no longer works; install from www.somniumspace.com
"SteamVR will need to run for tracking.
There is almost no way to bypass that when lighthouse tracking is used."
