Been seeing a lot of eyestrain and IPD issues in reviews, on reddit and on the forums.
What is Pimax’s official solution towards these issues besides software fixes and new facial foams to address problems for 55-65mm IPD users who can’t use the devices at all?
Is there a plan to release a 5mm smaller lenses in the works? @PimaxUSA @anon74848233 @mozi @Sean.Huang
Both Pimax units has a working IPD adjustment between (around) 60 to 72. Within that range people should not have any problems with the IPD. I think (or assume) its techically not possible to achieve a wider range with the current design of the panels and lenses.
The eye strain problem, for people within the IPD range, is most likely not caused by IPD itself, but probably because their eyes have not yet adapted to the different focal lenght (compared to other headsets) and the wider field of view, which for some people it might take some time to get used to.
Also, some of these problems can be solved by thicker or thinner face pads to create more or less distance to the lenses and panels. We are all different so Im not surprised by the fact that some individuals gets a less satisfying image throughout the whole FOV. But I believe a lot of these individuals should be able to get used to the image during the first few hours.
I remember having constant eye strain using Oculus Go the first half hour or so, and having an IPD of 69.5 maybe its not that surprising. But i got used to it after a longer session playing at my friends house (I do not own the Go).
Problem is on leaflet Pimax states that ip range starts at 55mm and it does not.
I agree with the fact that we need to adapt to headset but too many eye strain reports and IPDs discrepancies leads me to think that it could be due to bad quality control or calibration (rush).
Anyway, i think Pimax should really come out with an official statement regarding the issue and not ignore it.
@anon74848233
I am using my 5K+ for months now, and am playing between 1-3 hours per day. My IPD is 64,0.
Due to eye-strain / convergence issues I really struggled at the beginning, tried a lot of different tilts & angles & positions. I have gotten used to it to some degree, though using an IPD setting at 60 as this gives me the least uncomfort. Having said that, I do still notice that the vision is not really as it should be, that I am feeling cross-eyed a bit and notice the difference in comfort when using a different headset without this issue.
So I would definitely welcome any improvement if Pimax can work out any - I accept it as I consider my 5K+ to be a headset I will likely use for say a year until the next best thing appears, but it is a flaw which makes it slightly difficult for me to whole-heartedly recommend it to my friends.
Totally agree with this sentiment. Lots of fiddling about to get it right. When it does work it’s great but most of the time for me there is a lot of adjusting. Too much so far. The default headstrap plays a big role in this I believe as well. With a better solution I think finding the right position will be easier. As I said before these hmds are very much an early access work in progress product.
Well, I got me a Vive DAS pretty much directly when I got my 5K+ and it does certainly help, because it is quite difficult to fix the Pimax headstrap in a given position, especially if it isn’t the usual position you’d expect. It will not easily remain where it should be.
But even with the DAS; which gives me a fixed position, you really have to be careful to place it correctly, or else the picture will be blurry due to missing the sweetspot. And I have the thicker Vive VRCover padding, and a paper handkerchief or two stuffed between the padding and the upper part of the Pimax in order to tilt it a bit.
No, not exactly consumer friendly, but obviously we are aware that Piamx are working on a DAS and that they never claimed it would be perfect.
My issue is that no matter which headstrap I use, the convergence / eye-strain issue doesn’t go away entirely. But I guess that won’t change for this generation of Pimax headsets, but I’d hope that they improve on it for the 8K-X at least.
And if not, well, there will be headsets from other manufacturers in future too, so it will always end up to be a question of which headsets offers the best features at the least annoying compromises…
If your real IPD is 64 mm and you set (as you wrote above) your Pimax to 60 mm you are forcing a different view geometry on your eyes than the image was rendered with and it will hardly go away. I guess you have the reasons to do it, but just keep in mind that you are deliberately forcing it on yourself by operating the headset outside of its design spec.
You have probably posted somewhere already via countless detailed posts of yours, but without searching through them, what is your suggestion?
I am finding getting “used” to an IPD similar to my real IPD can and does work depending on what is being viewed. Mine is 64mm and I can see a difference in depth perception as the wheel is adjusted. I played Alice VR for around 30 minutes last night and felt comfortable with around 63mm, but this morning I have a slight headache (but this could be attributed to the tightness or fit of the HMD).
The main issue I am having here is after weeks of owning the Pimax 8K and racking up the play hours, I am still struggling to find the right setting/fit. In some cases I feel like I am damaging my eyes as well with a slight cross eye effect after using the headset.
No eye issues with…
DK2
Gear VR
Vive
PSVR
Rift
Odyssey+
Oculus GO
Eye issues with
Pimax 4K
Pimax 8K
I press on though.
First, I would say that I believe that each reaction is individual and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Second, the necessary disclaimer: I am not an ophthalmologist and I can be plain wrong here.
That said however, I would start from the IPD setting which corresponds to the real one, with just small adjustments to either side, to get the geometry right. There will always be small adjustments necessary because the correct settings also imply particular eye depth and this is also individual.
I have already explained in my post that in this (designed) configuration you (and basically everyone else) will most likely suffer some clarity issues (as the both eyes won’t be able to get the razor sharp view of the same spot). If you can make your eyes/brain adapt to that, I would take it over the screwed up geometry, because it disturbs the brain on the higher (deeper) level than just one eye not sharp vision and it cannot be “relieved” by moving the eyes.
If you cannot put up with that compromise than lower the IPD until you find the acceptable trade-off, but then you get the bad of the both worlds: unsharp one eye and screwed up geometry. The only question is what bothers you more (and what can have worse adverse effects long term).
Setting the IPD to get both eye views sharp introduces too much of geometry distortion and I would not recommend it to anyone, unless he is also into a scientific research about how our brain adapts to the skewed world geometry.
Then there is also a question of preferred content as some type may accentuate one aspect over another and it may drive the final decision for which trade-off to accept as well.
Unfortunately the current design is about finding the trade-off of the two evils.
About getting the geometry right, any suggestions as to what software would be a good test? I find at the lowest 59mm on the dial the 3D depth is far less than around my 64mm ipd. At 59mm this actually seems comfortable when viewing say a 2D movie using DeoPlayer for example. However, if I boot up a game, then it’s touch and go whether 59mm feels right. The eyes somehow adjust to whatever is being displayed, but then the after effects manifest themselves after some time has passed. I didn’t sport a headache last night playing Alice VR and other games/movies, but this morning I do.
To get the geometry right basically means to align the view axis (at which the game is rendered) with the eye axis when the eye is looking into the same direction. So the notion itself is not really complex, but I am not sure it can be easily done (e.g by using a game) without a special app which will render the corresponding axes and give other visual cues about the eye to view relative position.
In theory you are absolutely correct. And I tried setttings at and near to 64 for the first days, tilted, repositioned the HMD in various poses on my face trying to resolve the discomfort I was feeling. It was only out of mere desperation that I then just gave it a try to go further away from what should have been the better value for me, and found that it somehow felt better when tuning it down towards 62, 61, 60. Every inch less felt a bit better. And if I could I would just continue to dial it lower - but obviously that’s where my 5K+'s range ended. I am not happy with it because of course I am worried that my actual IPD and the value I am utilizing are not in sync - but comparing my experience with some value around 64, and that of 60, the latter is just substantially less uncomfortable. It is what it is at this stage…
is the eyestrain the same with your new 8k? Nice to know if it’s an general issue for people or due to one headset callibration…
Has anyone of you a world scale problem? For my everything is about 20% bigger than in other headsets.
Strange bro, I been playing around 65-64 IPD for hours with my P8K and no problem at all. I think that your eyes need to get used to it. I used a lot of others HMD before (P4K and others with Phones) and they were worse than the P8K, with such of big sweetspot that the P8K has in its lens, it is difficult to believe that you have that kind of problem. 
I will have to give it a more thorough try to be certain, but my first indication after just swiftly using the 8K was that it wasn’t much different. But of course I had not yet afforded the careful attention to the positioning of the 8K, so I will reserve my verdict until I had more time (probably in a week’s time, I will not be around for the weekend, so no time to check).
@grzvs: oh, I have spent probably 100+ hours with the 5K+ already. After some initial accommodation, which helped me to get from “I don’t want to put it on again !” to “okay, if I focus on other stuff I will eventually forget about it” within a couple of hours, it hasn’t really changed anymore. I can play and everything, but when trying to focus on something I do feel a slight cross-eyed effect and the eyes will feel a bit tired or strained after a longer session.
Nothing horrible, but I didn’t have that issue with the other headsets I own. The sweetspot isn’t the issue in this context - I have the cross-eyed effect even if it is right in the middle of the sweetspot.
Not quite so many Pimax VR hours but sharing a very similar sentiment. I am at the point right now where I really want the 8K to be awesome as it purports to be but unfortunately for me getting there is proving problematic.
I think blaming IPD for all the problems is a mistake.
Is there a way to know what the focal distance is in the Pimax?
@Jean-Mehdi is correct about the leaflet. @Matthew.Xu stated whrn asked that ipd rsnge was 55mm to 75mm
@anon74848233 later vaguely said the same with a vague clarification.
Pimsc supports 55mm to 75mm (self adaption) with mechanical adjustment for 60mm to 73mm.
Self adaption should never have been marketed as it more or less means over time you’ll adapt & get over it.
The key problem for those within mechsnical range seems to be symetrical ipd vs Asymetrical ipd. With a soft ipd offset.
Ie 64 ipd pimax renders at 32mm×32mm. Where asymetry might need 30mm×34mm render.
All headsets use round lenses with 20/20 focal points.
Pimax 4k was designed with a focal point for mild myopia that would allow most with 20/20 self adjust focus with minor to no issue.
Pimax 5k & 8k use custom lenses that seem to be tricky with asymetrical ipd. Hence why we need soft ipd/eye setting.