Ultra sensitive tracking for the Pimax 5K+

Hi guys,

Had big issues with the tracking few days ago when my Pimax didn’t get any tracking from both lighthouses. Did everything I can, It didn’t grab tracking. Got Doman from Pimax Techs on Teamviewer, and he upgraded my tracking firmware, now it works like a charm. Well, not always… Let me explain.

Actually, my tracking works very well if nothing puts in front of the HMD. But sometimes, it’s very sensitive. If I put just one finger on the HMD ( in front of a sensor ), it automatically looses tracking and display goes dark until I put the HMD in front of a lighthouse to get it tracked again. Well, it’s pretty embarrassing when I need to recenter the HMD on my face or readjust the strap…While ingame, it kills everything for at least 10 seconds. Looks like every sensor of the HMD needs to be tracked, otherwise all the HMD looses tracking.

Anybody experienced this issue and found a workaround/solution?

Pimax is tracked by two HTC Lighthouses that are like 2,20m from ground, 30/40° tilted down, dark environment, no reflective surfaces ( except the screen ) nor windows nor sun light etc… I only play simulations on seated position. Really hope I’ll find a solution to that, it get’s me a bit mad when I loose the display at +200 Km/h :joy::joy:

Thanks for the help guys.

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I have exactly the same issue. When I reach up to adjust the headset the tracking is lost and screen greys out until I remove my hand and the sensor is unblocked. But it’s only on the side where my lighthouse is located; the right side can be grabbed with no affect. Been doing this since delivery but I’ve learned to ignore it as another Pimax hardware quirk.

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Interesting, that may be a result of the tracking situation but I’ve been able to reach to adjust the headset without losing tracking very often (mostly grabbing the center, mind you).

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Well, for me its pretty weird, as I can’t even scratch my head without loosing tracking lol. Almost anywhere I grab the HMD, it looses tracking… Even on center :upside_down_face:

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Anyone try gloves? :smirk:

Somewhat serious on the glove idea.

But not good. No LHes yet should have before Xmas.

@SweViver @yanfeng @mixedrealityTV @VoodooDE do you experience this?

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sounds like you have more than one LH?

edit: I see you mentioned having two

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Yep, two LH here. Front right and rear left angles.

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yes which should give you good 360 tracking, just don’t touch your headset ha. Harder than you think when we reflexively reach up to adjust to reacquire the sweetspot periodicaly. On a side note I am surprised how good the tracking is even with one LH, as long as you don’t occlude it :joy::rofl:

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Are you sure it’s blocking sensors and not an electrical conductivity issue?

If I touch mine anywhere except a stripe down the centre, with even the lightest touch of the tip of the smallest finger then it blacks out and loses tracking. Yet I can hold my hand over a sensor without touching and it keeps tracking.

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@jTeller haha I wish it would be that simple, but I’m sitting on a motion rig, if you get what I mean…

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Talking seriously, I’m from those guys that have a ridiculously low IPD, and I can’t manage to get both eyes sharp at the same time so… I need to readjust almost everytime :frowning_face:

@Flinnt Thought so, but if I put my finger on some areas that don’t have sensors, it basicaly holds tracking… yea, weird I know…

EDIT: Also, I’m only touching plastic zones, so I would not understand if it’s all about electricity :thinking:. BUT… Sometimes physics cannot explain what we experience :rofl:

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There’s a stripe down the middle that seems to be isolated. It won’t drop out touching there. Everywhere else will. The sensors can’t be everywhere.

See if you can get the same phenomenon without touching, just blocking.

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That’s a good idea, I didn’t thought on blocking without touching…!

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Indeed with knowing the housing is thin. The ribbons might be receiving interference from hands. Why gloves might be a good check.

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@Heliosurge Definitely giving it a try !

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Popsicle sticks maybe to block without hands near by. Or pingpong paddle.

For me, when I had the LH initially on the right side (45 degree at 3 feet distance) when I grabbed only on the right side in line with that sensor it would grey out until I let go. Now, I have the same sensor on the left side (45 degrees at 9 foot distance) and when I grab the left side in line with the sensor it greys out. Touching the front OR the right side has NO effect at all.

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Can you block it without touching it? I can’t with my hand.

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As far as I recall it only blocks when I actually touch the HMD…will double check later tonight. So with mine, when I do eventually have more LH’s from Pimax in another 6 months :rofl: I will have to remember to grab the HMD from the front only to avoid occlusion.

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This doesnt sound right. I can cover my Pimax headsets basically with my both palms and still the “sides” of the headset will keep tracking it, at least for a while. Its definitely not sensitive as you describe it. Sounds like not all sensors are used on your headset. When I used to bring my Pimaxes to work, I always used 1 base station and could basically do 360 degrees head tracking with just 1 base station, being around 160-180 degrees behind me. 99% no tracking issues.

Maybe you better create a support ticket and get this sorted, as Im sure this is now how its supposed to be.

I wonder though, are you using the sync cable between base stations? I figured out long ago (already back in HTC Vive days) that using the sync cable and putting base stations in b+A mode gave me a much more reliable tracking. Really a night and day difference. And I have no reflective areas or mirrors in my VR room. Maybe this is not 100% related to your issue, but its at least worth a try.

That also brings me to another thing you could try. Switch USB cable and check if it helps. Or turn off all power management on USB. It seems some mobos have underpowered USB ports (like mine ASUS Z390 F Gaming that barely works with a HP Reverb. Only 1 port out of 8 works with Reverb). This could theoretically affect the tracking in general on Pimax.

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I can cover my whole headset and not lose tracking but the second I plug my woojer vest in if my hand goes anywhere near my face everything goes grey and takes a few seconds to come back.

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