[Reviewed]All outstanding problems and their solutions for Pitool, Pimax 5k and Pimax 8k

@Matthew.Xu @anon74848233 @deletedpimaxrep1 @Sean.Huang @Doman.Chen @Alan.sun

For Pimax’s assistance, here are a list of problems and their proposed solutions compiled from reading different threads across the forums for assistance in improving the quality of the overall experience and quality of future backer and future consumer models.

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Problem:
Dull colours on the Pimax 5k+ and 8k.

Solution:
Colour, contrast, saturation, brightness control, adjustable by pressing a combination of buttons on the headset, and in pitool.

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Problem:
Janky configuration each time opening a game adjusting settings. (No Plug’N"Play functionality.)

Solution:
Saving pitool game config settings (FOV, Parallel projection, Brainwarp etc), as in a profile manager for settings for each game in pitool.

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Problem:
Not clear enough image on the 8k.

Solution:
Sharpening filter akin to the setting in vorpx to improve sharpness on the 8k, or change input signal to 1080p on the 8k to upscale to 4k in the right ratio, as 1440p does not upscale to 4k in a 1:1 ratio.
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Problem:
Edge peripheral distiortion too high/Large FOV unuseable.

Solution #1:
Better distortion correction profile to make large fov mode useable,and make objects stretch less in peripheral edges of the screens on each eye.

Solution #2:
Sweet spot in the headset rendered to move along with the focal point of the eye (*Maybe achievable using nvidia multi-view rendering or other turing software architechture seen in their whitepapers https://devblogs.nvidia.com/turing-variable-rate-shading-vrworks/ ](https://devblogs.nvidia.com/turing-variable-rate-shading-vrworks/))

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Problem:
Distortion in general/bad HMD seating/hard to find sweet spot.

Solution #1:
Change IPD amount to correct IPD, Increasing face cushion length to 15mm-20mm decreases distortion - At least two types of face cushion foam (a smaller and a larger, 13mm and 15mm) and deluxe audio strap included with future consumer models.

Solution #2:
A face cushion with a tilt, or thicker foam at the top part of the HMD compared to the bottom,
to reduce distortion as one user modded in this thread https://community.openmr.ai/t/i-get-rid-of-all-issues-with-only-one-simple-mod/12978, or a tilt in the DAS at the top vertical placement of the HMD face cushion foam.
Fix 2: Glue two face cushions together to increase distance and reduce distortion

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Problem:
SDE on the 5k+ and 8k

Solution:
An optional Anti-SDE screen layer protector, such as the Tech21 iphone screen protector for future 5k+ and 8k consumer models to further reduce SDE, similar to what is offered by Samsung Oddesey+, offering backers the opportunity to send in backer HMDs to be modified and fitted with Anti-SDE technology the same as future consumer models may have.

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Problem:
Black dots on the 5k+ making SDE appear worse than normal.

Solution:
Possible firmware update solution, or requesting the 5k+ screen manufacturer to fabricate screens custom made to remove the digitizer layer if it be the source of the black dots.

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Problem:
Cross eyed/eye-strain caused by incorrect IPD measurement from software on screen compared to the actual measurement of IPD of the user, and a discrepancy/latency of software IPD measurement when readjusting the IPD, so that the measurement software indicates to you is a different measurement than what it may have been before if its on the same point you had it before.

(e.g. software reading IPD of 66mm may in fact be 76mm physical IPD at one time, or 72mm physical IPD if readjusted to 66mm software IPD, as the pitool software does not translate the correct measurement when IPD setting on the HMD is adjusted.)

Solution:
Measure IPD on your own, cut a straw to length and place between lenses and adjust IPD until lense centres sit in alignment with the straw.
Open up a game with a starry night sky and stare at a star, adjusting IPD measurement slightly whilst pulling the HMD away from the face until both images of the star you’re focusing on in each screen converge.
Read this thread for detailed fixes for eye strain and how to measure IPD correctly

Pimax, fix pitool’s software IPD measurement algorithm so it gives a correct reading when adjusted and so that it translates the correct software IPD measurement to physical IPD measurement.

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Problem:
Unergonomic controller design.

Solution:
Offer a controller design without the tracking ring which wraps around the wrists, to avoid them colliding with each other when hands are close together, an improved prototype design with a tracking ring similar to valve knuckles tracking ring.

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Problem:
Crackling audio coming from headphones
/headphone jack.

Solution:
Try using a different USB port which delivers adequate power, such as at the back of the motherboard or on a powered USB hub.
Failing that, your HMD’s headphones input jack is likely faulty and may require RMA for replacement.

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Problem:
Bad performance on mid grade GPUs below the GTX 1080ti.

Solution:
45HZ/60HZ Brainwarp to 90hz/120hz.

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Problem:
HMD plastic housing cracking after delivery, or at delivery, causing light bleed.

Solution:
Sticky tape temporary solution otherwise RMA for replacement.
Assume its caused either by internal force, pressure from its shape or inadequate quality plastic.
(i) Better delivery packaging; and,
(ii) Either alter assembly or HMD plastic housing moulds slightly to allow more space between fittings to reduce the amount of pressure/tension,
(ii) improve the quality of the plastic housing,
(iii) use a silicone/rubber gasket in between the joints to prevent stress forming cracks in future models,
And offering backers the opportunity to send HMDs back to receive upgraded plastic/rubber gaskets if they receive a fault or if they want it, if Pimax decides to use them instead of upgrading plastic.

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Problem:
Latency issue with tracking HMD on the 8k / 8k “wobble”.

Solution:
If anyone has a suggestion, suggest it in this thread, the issue is provided in this post for Pimax’s reference.

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Problem:
Stuck pixel/white pixel/dead pixels

Solution:
Better packaging (thick bubble wrap in between the boxes), better QA before shipment,
RMA for replacement if this fix doesnt work
http://www.jscreenfix.com/fix.html

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Problem:
Screen flickering / light bleed from backlight/ dots appearing on screen/ differing screen brightnesses/ lcd tear

Solution:
Better quality packaging and cables (thick bubble wrap in between both boxes), better QA before shipment.
RMA for replacement display cable first, then replacement HMD if problem persists.

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User Related Problems
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Problem:
Double vision, game not rendering properly or objects popping in and out of periphery.

Solution:
Turn Parallel projection on for the game in question. (Impacts performance.)

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Problem:
“The world” moving with you when moving head in both 5k+ and 8k.

Solution:
Incorrect firmware: Contact Pimax support for firmware update.https://community.openmr.ai/t/anyone-having-moving-world-or-finnicky-tracking-issues-using-basestations-please-read-here-for-info/12557/11

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Problem:
HMD not being picked up by Pitool, or tracking issues with controllers/lighthouses.

Solution #1:
Try a different USB port which can provide adequate power, or delete all associated Pitool folders in C: and /appdata/ and reinstall the latest stable version of Pitool.

Solution #2:
Contact support to flash firmware.

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Problem:
Headset/basestations/controllers disconnecting/not tracked

Solution:
https://community.openmr.ai/t/how-to-solve-disconnect-or-not-tracked-of-headset-base-station-controller-randomly-image-follow-head-although-not-use-base-station-pitool-91/11776

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Problem:
Vertical line distortion when you move your head.

Solution:
Use PiTool .91. This is an issue caused by PiTool .95.

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Problem:
HMD doesnt turn on at all.

Solution #1:
Reinstall Pitool software and delete all associated Pitool folders, use a fully powered USB 3.0 port at the back of your computer.

Solution #2:
Contact Pimax support for a Firmware flash.

Solution #3:
Bad power supply or display cable, RMA for replacement power supply and display cable

Solution #4:
Faulty HMD, RMA for replacement HMD.

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This poll seems to indicate the dead/stuck pixel issue only affects the 5k+ and is not an issue which affects the majority of owners.
https://community.openmr.ai/t/detailed-poll-for-owners-dead-pixels-8k-5k-black-dots-5k/11960

I made a more detailed poll for the community with respect to the experience backers have had with quality, more input from backers would be useful.
https://community.openmr.ai/t/poll-multiple-choice-polls-to-survey-backers-experience-of-quality/13320

Pimax confimed in another thread where a backer compared two HMDS they received, that parts for plastic housing used in construction may be different, but that hardware is the same, in response to the backer raising the fact the HMD straps on two models he received were different.

@Matthew.Xu, as plastic housing may be different and an anti-sde layer isnt hardware, I suggested that the plastic housing be improved / moulds be changed to allow for more space / rubber gasket be added in between the plastic housing to reduce crack causing tension, and an anti-sde solution be added to design of future backer and consumer release models.
to remove SDE entirely as advertised in the KS campaign, whilst giving backers who want it the opportunity to send the HMD back in to upgrade plastic housing and add anti-sde solution if they want it.

Alternatively, if Pimax decides to sell a HMD with an anti-sde solution to consumers as a different model, backers should still be given the opportunity to receive an upgrade by sending their HMD in for upgrade if they want it.

New proposed naming conventions for new models with anti-sde layer technology:
8K Pro - 5K+ Pro - 8KX Pro (Models with anti-sde layer)
5K BE Pro - 8K BE Pro (Business models with anti-sde layer)
or
8K - 5K+ - 8K+ (TBR) (Standard models - Renaming unreleased 8KX to 8K+)
5K BE - 8K BE - (Business models)

8K X - 5K+ X - 8K+ X (Models with anti-sde layer, X is added)
5K BE X - 8K BE X (Business models with anti-sde layer)

If there’s anything else I’ve missed, post it in the comments and I’ll add it to the list, I didn’t include any ghosting issues as they are reported to be solved on the 8k and the 5k BE and they don’t occur on the 5k+.

25 Likes

Give this man a pin. @Matthew.Xu can we have a comment from pimax that these issues and proposed solutions have been noted by pimax and that they will be worked on in the future?

3 Likes

I believe the new firmware get rid of the black dots according to @bubbleball. He needs to test other 5k to be sure

6 Likes

We will take his proposal seriously. Thanks.

13 Likes

Thanks for your time and consideration @Matthew.Xu

1 Like

@Matthew.Xu in regards to HMD facial tilt and distortion, here’s one users recent post, this should be taken into account when engineering the DAS and future thicker facial cushion foam inserts

2 Likes

Looks like Pimax’s claims of 200 diagonal usable fov and no SDE will finally be possible with these suggestions.

I’m looking forward to the plug and play functionality with saved pitool profiles and the added colour/constrast/saturation/brightness configs to make the displays even better.

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I don’t think that’s a good idea. That would make the resultant image too blurry.

Please add the rendering issue in Onward

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That issue must be solved by Onward as the popping thing is normal to do with optimisations. But obviously they, not pimax have some math wrong thus we see popin.

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No, it’s not the pop in issue that’s the problem, it’s that Pimax renders the colors incorrectly, it’s a pimax driver problem that only occurs in Onward.

3 Likes

@Mantidtings

Tks for your feedback.

We will review these items and get back here.

4 Likes

Black dot is bettet in some headset, I think it is up to dislay in each headset, not sure they try to add film to the display to blur it or not.

More thicker face pad make center distortion for me (15 mm)

High frequency sound have a lot noise : Switch a usb port or use an usb hub (is power
supply problems).

Any chance you could also add the vrchat bug. I posted it here but didn’t get much response:

With the Pimax and when testing some Unity worlds in VRchat (free vrgame) I notice that a lot of random objects here and will have incorrect stereo and the left and right eye on those items is mismatched. (This is with parallel projection on or off btw)

For example looking at a pumpkin in a world right now. It looks fine on the rift and vive. But the 3D looks inverted on the pumpkin in the pimax, or a world called peccant canyon some of the trees look wrong and 3d is backwards. I tried parallel projection on and off here also to test and rebooting and nothing helps.

It seems something with the software rendering is causing this in VRchat in random worlds, maybe the authors used something in their worlds that pimax didnt account for, not sure but wanted to let you know.

Edit: please try the world called peccant canyon in vrchat (world search menu) to test this with the trees and let me know if you see it too. Then if you have an OG vive try that and it’s fine. Vrchat is free.

1 Like

Me, I was just hoping for some way to get render resolutions to correspond as a factor of the native resolution of the HMD panels be it the 5K or 8K HMD.

Would help a lot on the lower end PC’s without huge artifacting on the image. I understand one has to account for lens distortion but that should be included in the res being pushed to the pannels not added on top of the res. At the moment for me it seems a little unclear as to what I am sending down the line via PiTool and SteamVR to my 8K

0.5 on Pitool and 60% works well for low res
0.75 and 60% works well on low medium resolution
etc. It would seem on SteamVR 60% or 100% is the way to go for clean image with the corresponding Pitool levels.

Also, Wide FOV distortion for me seems less when I press the HMD into my face. Vertical placement is key though to clarity and lack of sepia artifacts around white objects. Adjust top head strap accordingly.

Maybe with foam cushioning, a couple options for people to try as like with IPD, our face structures are not the same. I’d also like a little less foam on the lower part near the nose but that is only so I can keyboard peak when playing sims :grinning:

Update, using a sweat headband, I have noticed an improvement but I am finding I could do with thinner padding on the side and lower areas of the HMD. This would give best clarity through the 170 degree FOV offered.

Accurate IPD also helps.

1 Like