I think I kind of know what the issue is…it’s overloaded with data!! I have base station 2.0 and my black out occurred when I block either the left or right side of the HMD for a couple seconds. And if I let go quickly, it will detect the headset again. But if i stay longer…it will lose track and won’t track again until I unplug the USB and replug back again. Now this is not the issue with base station tracking because it tracks fine with Index controllers.
Here’s where I think the problem is…when I unplugged the data port from the Elite Shake kit that plug into a USB port on the back of the PC…my HMD tracking is now back to normal and even if I try to cover the left or right side of the HMD, it will not go black. So this tells me that combining with the data USB port from the Elite Shake Kit and the HMD, they’re both using too much data? Elite Shake Kit is needed to read and write data from the rig the PC to get it to shake. So I think that may be the problem. But how can it be? I haven’t started the game yet. I also notice the HMD gets hot in the front. Now, I can play the game and race fine as long as I don’t touch the left and right side of the HMD. But it’s pretty freaking annoying because you need to adjust the damm display to get the sweet spot. I also changed USB port of the HMD from 3.1, 3.2. 3.0…none of it matter. This damm HMD also cause my powerful $4,000 PC to get BSOD for the first time…not just that, the PC freeze and mouse and keyboard not working too.
This has NOTHING to do with the blackouts that we are experiencing. Covering the sides of the HMD causing gray-outs and tracking loss - this is not the same as the 3-4 second blackouts we’re experiencing. If you have any EMI around you or bluetooth very close to the headset, then the pimax headsets become extremely sensitive to the touch.
I do agree that the blackouts may be caused by too much bandwith for the DisplayPort 1.2 cable - not the USB Ports. If the USB power is affected, then the headset would also power off and would lose connection to the game and pitool. In most of our cases listed here - the blackout is just a screen blackout… The music in the game, tracking, etc, are all still connected.
By the way, grab it in the middle. If you touch the sides, you’re covering the sensors that the base stations need to see - and hence that’s your problem. It becomes more sensitive to gray-outs when you have multiple peripherals or a motion rig - ESPECIALLY if its a motion rig due to the EMI you need ot make sure to keep your hands off the sides of the hmd. Only pull on the middle, or the strap up top.
I do run motion rig. Covering sides turn into black and now even if I cover middle, it turns black also. I have no idea what EMI is…all I know is that when I shut down my Elite Kits box which run a data port to the PC usb, then the Pimax 8KX would track fine and no matter how much I cover the HMD, it won’t turn black.
That is your problem. Turn off the motion rig, and it will become less sensitive to the touch as well.
Motion rigs emit EMI - Electro Magnetic Interference. That causes tracking issues.
Nah, I doubt it’s motion rig. It’s the Elite Shake Kit making sound. Even that, I believe it’s something else that causes the headset to not track…either device conflict or bandwidth problem.
Ive had pimax for 3-4 yrs now, and a motion rig for over 2 years. Pt-actuators and the motion rig 100% emits emi that causes tracking issues. Turn off your motion rig and see how sensitive it is. When there’s emi present, the pimax headsets get alot more sensitive
I solved the problem…it’s not the rig. It’s the sound card that transmit the sound to the transducers + buttkicker and HMD at the same time. When I set the HMD to a different sound card…it stop the black out when I cover either side with hand.
Ok no problem. Just a heads up, if you keep both hands on each side and cover the hmd for 3-4 seconds you will get gray-outs no matter what. Just some items create more sensitivity and make the gray-outs happen more frequently
Sure bass shakers causing it’s with motion compensation because it rumbles the tracker you’re using. That’s something that OVRMC has to implement and hasnt figured out how to do yet. Most people put some kind of rubber piece to “dampen” the effect of bass shakers - but still may not be as effective as not having bass shakers at all
I use SRS with their WitMotion sensor and I have 2 buttkickers on the front and back of my simlab rig - with their implementation of the witmotion sensor, i never have issues though.
And if you have a PT-Actuator or SFX-100 rig that you built recently, then you most likely got shielded cables which reduce the amount of EMI emitted so it may not affect the tracking loss. Before i had shielded cables, gray-outs were common when putting my hands on the sides of the hmd.
The algorithms for motion compensation are obviously able to cope with the relatively slow movement of the motion platforms but not the vibrations. I use Kyosho gel which helps but I still can’t turn up the amp too much.
I used the OpenVR solution a while ago but it required controllers to activate it which sometimes took a few goes to get it to work. The Pimax version is much easier to start but has limitations.
Regarding EMI, I’m the co-founder of Symdeck Racing Simulators and we put all the electronics inside the motion platforms which are constructed from 5mm thick aluminium so there’s no chance stray signals will escape. In fact we paid a lot of money to have them tested!
There could be a ground related issue. I would never use never with Electronics issues. Iirc @MikeJeffries discovered his apple watch was messing with the headset with interference.
While your rig may have sufficient shielding you may have other stray emi related to the sim rig but not directly the components in your environment.
PT Actuators does the same thing now. All the electronics are housed under the platform in a metal enclosure that’s grounded, but there’s still stray EMI. It’s just minimized to the lowest amount possible and doesn’t affect the pimax headsets as much as they used to before.
I have spent alot of time trying to get rid of all EMI on my 4 Actuator + Traction Loss Platform from PT-Actuators. I bought it before they started to sell shielded cables. I replaced all the cables and motors so all the power cables are shielded and run to a ground. I even drilled a grounding cable into the aluminum extrusion of the Traction loss platform. I’ve tested with an EMI meter and even though everything’s grounded and shielded, there is always going to be some emi emitted off the AASD15A Servos.
I’m not sure what servos you’re running but MD-Box and AASD servos both have some kind of EMI coming off them.
Also, keep in mind, even though I was tracking down the EMI for a very long time - the absolute MOST important issue is a ground loop that was occurring. Ground loops affect VR more often than EMI does actually. Once I grounded my platform, i never had the gray-outs or loss of tracking when touching the headset.
Correct! I had no clue that time what was happening and i tried everything until i noticed that each time i was on my rig, I had my apple watch on my wrist. With my hands on the steering wheel, the watch was very close to the headset, and in line of the base stations (not directly but they were in the direction of my front base stations).
I had the picture actually jump and float away for 1-2 seconds. It was some crazy glitching happening. Gray-outs as well.
I took it off - and it never happened again.
It is even possible that emi from the headset or another source could be using something as an amp/antenna. My boss for example himself drains batteries quicker than they should.
Guessing in part this might also be related to the grounding loop you mentioned. Though not in his case.
I’m not sure why you are replying to me? I expressly said I’ve had no issues with the rig or any other EMI affecting the headset. I turn up the bass shaker and the motion compensation starts to wander. That’s it.