I am using my Pimax 5K PLUS HMD with two base stations that came with the HTC Vive that I bought in 2016. Two years ago I had to replace one of them; now both appear broken.
If I need to replace them, what would be the best option in terms of durability? The HTC Vive 1.0 base stations’ tracking was perfectly fine with me, I don’t need better performance. But given the price tag, I don’t really look forward to replacing them every couple of years.
So what would be my best option? Valve? HTC’s 2.0 base stations? Any other that I don’t know of?
Theres only HTC 1.0 and Valve 2.0s, the Valve 2.0s will last a lot longer, because they were designed to do that, they only have a single motor, not two and that one motor is a lot higher quality.
Also make sure to just leave them running, DONT turn them off after you are done playing. The stopping and starting of the motors puts heavy wear on the motor.
Little addition: Used is a mixed bag, theres still some Revision 1 Base Station 2.0s around, those are a little worse than the Revision 2 Base Station 2.0s you see in my picture.
Basically: Says Valve on the back, front glas is only a plate = good, Says SteamVR on the back, glas continues a little on the side = only if cheaper
I have been using a pair of V1 bases for a couple of years. They where used when I bought them for what would have been $80 bucks each. I spend more on beer.
The motors generate heat when running. Heat= friction=wear. They also vibrate when running. I see no reason to assume or expect more failures from turning them on per session than leaving the motors running constantly for years. On the contrary.
I have been turning my V1s on pretty much every day (in line switches) for a couple of years and they were used items when purchased them.
Sure chances of failure could be reasonably considered more likely with more moving parts but it should also be considered more likely when parts are moving more of the time or all of the time.
I am certainly open to any data comparing failure rates of the 2 generations you might be privy to, if such an analysis has even been done this early in V2s life.
As with automotive engines mechanical wear as it builds up inertia when you switch it on is considerable. Stopping and starting a car engine incurs as much mechanical wear as about a full hour of steady operation.
To say you should never switch it off to reduce wear? Uhhh, unless you provide scientific data I am not inclined to believe it.
Haha me too! Bought them used when I realized Pimax were jabronies. And have inline switches and alexa smart plugs on em when i’m too lazy to reach up for the switch.
I thought HTC did their own version of SteamVR 2.0 base stations, but apparently not.
