I’ve been beating around the bush for some time and I would really like a wide FOV headset, also Artisan looks like a great headset to have alongside my Index and Quest for developing my XR Rehab software, and starting up an online VR rehabilitation video channel.
However, after writing to Pimax about dev support and getting no reply, I started to wonder about what their service is like, and so far on forums I have seen that Pimax:
a) is not honoring Kickstarter promises
b) doesn’t answer promptly to emails
c) doesn’t always send the products you ordered with all accessories
d) doesn’t always send the products in good time
e) doesn’t always send the right products
f) may have difficulty being compatible with games or Index hardware
g) doesn’t replace defective products in a timely manner
So, with all that said, I’m seriously starting to wonder if I should just stick with Index and Quest and not risk investing money on a company that seems to be distinguishing itself as highly unreliable. It’s a pity because the wide FOV would be great for patients’ spatial awareness training, but I’m not sure I want to risk it.
Well as you think to start up a project, I would start from the point where you are and what your experience is (Index and Quest). If your product will come to alpha stadium, then you can check up which minimum requirements is needed. This would be in some month or so and competitors of PiMax would have placed new products.
In my opinion even the 8KX will have its time and in an another time it will be over. Or you will get the same but cheaper.
The game is already in early development but clearly it’s important to know how much FOV the patients will have in peripheral vision for reaching movements. Now I am developing for Quest (which is most difficult) but I aim to then make the product available on SteamVR (where I can make it look a little better). I believe you may be right about waiting for competitors releasing new products with large FOV. I had thought about StarVR but it’s a little expensive and I would like it to be compatible with other Steam games too, but maybe it isn’t.
Truth a 5k+ or Artisan would likely work well for Developing for wide FoV. However they need to update their SDKs for Unreal and Unity as it is over a year since released.
Pimax being able to run on Steam and Oculus. It might be good to use the Oculus Sdk in the meantime as the techniques used for FFR there can also be used for wide FoV from what I read.
which were here found.
Most of the hardware have a FOV by 110° and most of them would stay in the market for some years. If your software requires a wide FOV many users, who are interessted can’t use your software, which lead to bad critics by dissapointed users.
And about the competitors, I think about next generation HP headset, which is anounced here. Maybe that will be also in the 1000Dollar range, as the former one (I think?).
Clearly, Pimax has some significant issues. Imo, the main ones are communication and inability to deliver on accessories. However, I really like my 8K and have sufficient trust to order an 8KX. I expect delays, mostly because Pimax is overly optimistic.
I think the Artisan is a good, lower price, wide FOV headset (even though it’s not as wide as the 5K and 8K models). I expect that it will be a popular Pimax headset, because it’s a good value.
