So I’ve grown extremely tired of the fact that you can’t adjust the lenses in the Pimax for your IPD. My real IPD is 68 and the Pimax IPD, the distance between the center of the lenses, is about 62. With software IPD at about 57 I get the best results but it feels extremely tiring on the eyes and I feel always very uncomfortable after a gaming session. Of course because you’re looking cross-eyed (that’s why the software IPD needs to be lower than 62, since you’re looking inwards if your real IPD is higher). So I decided let’s try some mod.
So I figured, since I need to increase the IPD with 6, I need to move both lenses 3 mm outside. You can not change the distance between the lenses and the panel since then the image won’t be sharp anymore. So the only way to do this is either cut some plastic of the lens holders OR cut some plastic of the part where the lens holders touch the HMD. I decided to do the last.
The lens holders are connected with 3 little ‘feet’ that each contain a screw each. What I did, is I cut off 2 of these feet, kept the 3rd so I could still use one screw and after cutting the plastic on the mentioned places everything ‘leveled’ like it was before.
This worked ! I’ve set sofware IPD now to 69 which yielded the best result and everything is so much better in focus and it feels so much more relaxed, the IPD is correct now.
However before anyone attempts, there are a few challenges that I’ve yet also still need to resolve:
there’s a plastic holder that normally goes last over the lenses. It doesnt fit anymore, I still need to cut it. I currently just assembled it without the holder, it works fine BUT the holder is the part with the front strap connector so you will want to use it
since I used only 1 screw instead of 3 per lens holder, it’s pretty unstable and the lenseholder + lens can easily move towards you due gravity. Even if it moves a few mm, the display becomes unsharp. So I need a better way to attach it, I might try glue.
It’s also a challenge to move the lenses outwards by the exact same distance. If this is incorrect, the image won’t look good.
As you might have guessed, moving the lenses outside diminishes the FoV a bit, because you’re now looking over the edges of the panel. So you see vertical black parts. This is a disadvantage but it’s only minor compared to the advantage of having finally correct hardware iPD.
Anyway I’m really happy so far, everything looks so much better and feels so much better, but I still need to overcome the last few challenges to really make it a success.
I am having the same ipd problem as you. My ipd is 69.5mm and i also have the ipd at 57mm. Feels not perfect but i can do more than one hour sessions (i do racing).
I bought a used 4k and immediately realised i must have bought a unit with wrong lenses. At first i had the ipd at minimum 50mm and it still felt unconfortable. After receiving a correct pair of lenses - thank you pimax! - i was very disappointed by the intense motion blur. Then i removed the shutter glasses and was very pleased in using the pimax 4k with vorpx. Playing Fallout4 and Borderlands in 3d VR is amazing!
Unfortunately the blurring makes me use my rift for racing again. The visual quality when you do not move your head is so much better in the 4k, but once you move your head, everything is blurred. I use a d-box motion system, too, which vibrates following the engine rpm, so blur everywhere all the time…
I ordered the 8k and 8kx and hope that the blur is a thing from the past…
It would be nice to read the used 4k ipd setting vs real ipd of other pimax users.
I asked pimax support about the best ipd setting for my ipd but i‘ve got no answer…
Damn impressive fix/mod you made there, but I think I will stay away from that sort of thing. I have a serious graveyard of hardware, where I have tried to tinker/fix/clean things. In fact, I’m pretty sure graphics cards have taken a hit out on me, via the dark web!
Hehe yeah it’s always a risk. I decided to do a mod on my Note 4 some time ago to improve GPS signal but my Note 4 didn’t surive. Missing in action But I waited more than a year before I tried it, so I could upgrade anyway
Nice! Now i have only one question. People kinda complain that they see black “curtains” on the sides. I see them too. One of the way how to deal with it is to put extra padding, get the vr set a bit away from the face but it increases binocular effect. Now that you have actually modified the physical distance of th3 lenses from each other - do you still “feel / see” those side black curtains or are they completely gone?
The black curtains become bigger with this mod: you move the lenses to the sides so the sides are now looking next to the panel. But it’s a small price to pay for finally having correct image.
Just wondering do you have “+” lenses or “-“ lenses? I am near sighted and i need “- 3.5” lenses but all the cheap glasses i saw in pharmacies were “+” ones.
Dont know you if “-“ lenses would correct the image in vr.
Okay Sj have an for your mod. By chance did you keep the feet you cut off?
If so take the peice with head strap that doesn’t fit. Cut the inside to allow your lenses to move the 3mm out that you need. Expose the 1 screw left on each side to act as your pivot point (this will also need to allow lenses to be able to be removed when fully assembled.
Assemble headset after finding your sweet spot glue 1 foot on each lense. Check focus if good mark where each foot sits on shroud. Drill small holes where marked & use screws to fasten the new feet to shroud cover & voila. Your ipd mod now is fasten in place with 1 original lense mount & your new mount point into the shroud. °:nose:°:+1:
@Heliosurge , @Sjef Hi guys, I’m afraid I have the same problem. Down to 50mm and still feeling as looking at the tip of my nose. Had P4K just 2 weeks or so (few days to get the bloody thing to work with vega 64…) so before I start dissecting things - did you by any chance come up with a little less brutal / more elegant way to resettle the lenses ? @Heliosurge I did not quite get your last post, perhaps will understand more as I disassemble this Chinese marvel. A simple drawing like for 5yr old would help a lot…
for your mod. By chance did you keep the feet you cut off?
°:nose:°:+1:
