Bug-or-not my 8kx is dead

Firmware for the 8kX should be on @Playa 's pimax software repo…

https://community.openmr.ai/t/downloads-collection-of-piplay-pitool-software-and-similar/26122?u=heliosurge

FW 296 & 298 work best. If you have flashed 299 flash 296 first to fix.

You were right. You have to use the DFUupgrade tool to downgrade, then use the DFU in the Pi folder to update the firmware manually. What a hassle. This should be stated clearly for users to know! Thank you!

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Your quite welcome. It is a bit of a hassle though tbh it could be worst if pimax didn’t use a rom for the boot loader on the headset. As you could then have the risk of perm bricking like with some graphics cards and motherboards etc…

A friend of mine used to make custom firmwares for amd cards and advised against firmware flashing on Vega cards as it was fairly easy at that time to brick the card.

But yes they could add the dfu.exe to pitool and should as part of the process backup current firmware before flashing new firmware with option to roll back if needed.

Pitool releases I discovered come with new firmware. So as a precaution after a forced firmware update. I goto pitool folder sub directory “dfudrivers” and move p*.* files to a created backup folder. With no p files in that directory pitool thinks headset is up.to date on firmware.

Once new firmware id confirmed good. Look for a downloadable firmware file for that pimax model and manually update.

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It’s nuts that Pimax continues to force firmware updates upon launch without permission or even warning like this. It surprises the user, and there are any number of legitimate reasons the user may not want it to perform that action or may not want it to do it unexpectedly right this moment when they’re not prepared.

I’m not aware of any other company that does this with their firmware updates. Even if the firmware update is required in order to be compatible with the new software, other companies don’t just start flashing it suddenly without warning. Nobody does that! So I’m curious what Pimax’s reasoning is here? It seems like whatever it is, they must believe it strongly because there have been a lot of complaints about it, and it clearly causes problems, and yet Pimax apparently won’t back down from this policy.

Thanks, Heliosurge, for providing information on how to disable the Pitool software from being able to do it.

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Your quite welcome. It bricked 2 headsets. Both og 8k and 8kX have been fixed.

My 5k+ however after the forced firmware update one screen wouldn’t come on. So tested cable from 8k and vice versa. Received a couple of firmwares to try. May need to pull cable out of hmd. As since received debug firmwares now neither screen turns on and no registering dp being connected. So may need to pull cable out for 5x and replug. File a ticket with firmware log.

The p4k was a challenge at times but this is just crazy. :crazy_face:

I hope the Reality of the new headsets is closer to trouble free at those prices and they fix the ridiculous 1 year warranty to minimally equal the EU standards. With extending warranty by time equal to resolving an RMA issue equal to Ticket start date to receiving a replacement.

But even just a 2 year standard warranty with options to purchase and extra 1 year on top of base.

Hallo togheter, same Problem Here I changed my Hardware,and I noticed directly there was no more blinking LH with orange text Move your heads for Headset … If i turn On the Controlls than the LH appier blue but when I go Into Steam VR room messuring than I see that the Headset is stuck in one base station I did all posibilityes what was on forums spending last 1-2 weeeks(2x new windows only with one empty ssd than only Instal/ update Pitool and Gpu but I did not find any solution and there was some people talking that they let Pimax workers work remotely acceses their Pc and repair it in like few min. But nobody know to explain how to do it like the Pimax people but on of customers sayed something about config.json this it is somehow get corupted and it changenging the codes which are used from Light house_console to establish connction and Trigger start at base stattion and Connect in with headsets inside console LHR-XXX and this is missing when I start LH_console, I didnt find any way to force star and I didnt have found the config.json file, In july I used it and everything was perfect than I put it in big box with soft material and cover it bc of dust and lenses than I took it out and it doesn work, HOW, I buyed DP reciver, Powered USB reciver, now with all this stuff when I plug in last kabel from Headset max 1-2 sec headset is ready, pitcure and tracking flawless if you look around is perfect like allways but if you start moving the away from LH the whole tracked place gets somehow pushed even if you hold the controllers they will always be away 1-2m an, I dont have any Idea what to do now. Sorry for my english realy tired and I speend whole Night and day I was trying tofind solution:/ And I mean if this thing LHR_XXX somehow doesnt work the another part is probably cheap so long pimax i willing to sell or repair, but before 1year my 5k+ got shortcircued from Hand track sensor something that I dont use killed my Headset I dismantel it prove the defect usb they but the varriamnty was over for few monthsm they say they can give me number of Guy who is repairing VRHeadsets. the proble is here in Germany when you go to such spezialised rare people they charge you take for Guten Tag(Hall) 100 And there is no safty that he will menage tor repait that hyou dn know if thewill still hee. I mean there must be rules and they need to make money, but if you have customer but if you have people from Kick start very early , like me my first headset was an Pimax 5k+ kick start
people like us helped them up, of course we got good FOV and Display for our money but like half people have enormus problems more troubleshooting than playing and not one Customer complayed ever. we sayed they are new, give them time but if talk for Real pimax Is good screen but all around was like thin plastic geting cracks from just being on this world and nobody ever sayed something. Than at least from my positon I would say send me this 5k we will trouble shoot what cause problems for future products and Give the costumer 200E( I dismanteld and sell screens and lenses for 120E )so that was still worth for an Factory which uses the same pieces anyway but in my Eyes I would never ever think buy product from somebody else than them after that, your situation same they could take and not loose 1 cent but save you and your time and and… Its not problem we are enthusiast but never the less if I buy some hardware over 1k everything you can imagine will live more than 4 year, and my 5k+ after 2,5 yers and 8kx afte 18 months and than you know not working and warriatny I understand but when I give 2k and something doesnt work bc of some part which is 5 euro and is not suposed to wear of and than you hold 2k headset which is not working bc of 5euro part that is nonse part which, and In my case I didnt even use the Usb once. Support back there was fast and responsive, honestly I didnt make TIcket today I try first to solve isue with Forums, but now I dont have solution

maybe @PimaxQuorra might be able to help.

The usb issue with HT did that occur prior to warranty being over? And the HT itself I presume may have been under warranty. Do you have your Ticket Numbers?

The company in the EU is likely @POVVR.se as they do or did do sine pimax hmd repairs like swapping black housing for blue housing.


If it is easier you can try posting in German. I don"t myself speak german but we have a few bilingual users here and in my xp Yandex does a pretty job translating. There is also iirc DeepL translator that I think you can load a plugin in your browser.

Dictionary and online translation - Yandex

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Thank you for you fast answer, I seen your account on many pages helping people everyday, Respect for that. not all heroes were capes some of them wear Vr Headset :)) The 5k+ I dismantle and sell pieces this was just sad situation becasue I got used to and I didnt realy had need to change it ether it was just hurting me to trow away my first virtual headset which I used around 3000 hours only because of USB port which never had and Usb or Hand tracker inside :confused:(I have pitcure somewhere I can post or send it to you if you want to see it, I was just stunned that even if I dont warrianty in such weird case without any using it the thing created short circuit, I mean if I would work there and had to something to say I would insist to see how the … an unused Usb creates electrical short circuit, it is not that the head strap tored off and they think aa nvmnd wear, I understate that they are overloaded with work but some care for safty of costumers must be. I’m not holding a grudge or anything else, the proof is that I bought Pimax again Even after that I so Now I have 8kx 207 with 120hz firmware on it and everything was/is working fine but after Hardeware Change I cannot get the LHR-XXX to show in lighthouse_console. 8kx I buyed and got pitcure of invoice/Order it was from 22.07.2022 so I hope that I still have(I have Box and Everything what comes with it when you buy it) just the I am like 99% that is Software and that the 8kx is not demaged the posibility to get demaged in box with soft material around it just doesnt makes sense only like EMP or Solar Flare could demaged it, but I am sure that we would hear if such thing happened( I tryed Powere Usb Hub, than DP reciver. Everything unistalled thatn just windows an Updates afterward Geforce Driver and Than Pitool still same only that when I connect using the Hub and Reciver it gets online ready to use like 1 second after plugin it pops up ready everythig work smoth even tracking but if I move the whole room and Controllers go awas but it is displayed like I am directly under the Light house showing only circular and Height movement from the Headet but the controllers shown move freely even posiblo to drawn lines for room setup in Steam Vr, so weird problem and I am the point where the mood is gone to troubleshoot something what doesnt make any sence given all facts, It is unbelivable that both pimax worked Nice without isues or problems and than such unexplein faliur cause the Great headset to be unusable.Some People say there is no connection betwenn Headset and Lighthouses needed only light trowed around is enouh but why I was seeing them the LightH when I had headset in steamvr loading rooms, but now I dont see them, and even if the sensors do track the Infra light some reference is needed because an move in 5 axes without Reference point the room would move with you litle bit/ wanky becuse there is no reference like what is happening to me, but for what do I need Link Box? I have it from the start but I was never able to use via steamvr Bluetooth power menagmend of the stations , it is installed I can connect things to Pc but Steamvr says you have link box but your Bluetooth. All the time I was thinking that this is the crucial object for Referencing

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It appears that there might be an issue with the tracking board. Have you attempted to reset the tracking board after noticing that the LHR Device is missing on the console?

You can download the lighthouse_watchman_update.exe and execute the following two commands, with the results shown below.

Additionally, deleted everything in C:\ProgramData\pimax\runtime\config\lighthouse

The profile will be added once you restart the PimaxPlay service.

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Thanks for the answer.Can the problem be that I have my Steam instaled on D and the Pimax automaticly installs on C?Where can I download lighthouse_watchman_update.exe?

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Yes pimax looks for Steam on C drive. You csn still have your Steam library on Any other drive.

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Update doesnt work when I start the program it shows me options but when I give command nothing happend it just shows that I give command the weird thing is that it doesnt says it is wrong command. When I start Steamvr Watchman_dongle_update.exe and give command it says searching HMDI few times but nothing happens, I think I have found out the Problem, when I put USB 3 in Pc it says [Watchman Dongle], But if I remember right Early on old PC it was [Watchman Dongle 3]?

I have tried new yesterday fresh Windows and Only C drive inside the PC, and this thing with watchman_dongle_update.exe. What do think about this? ‘when I put USB 3 in Pc it says [Watchman Dongle], But if I remember right Early on old PC it was [Watchman Dongle 3]?’