What I expect on the first hour - back to basics

snagar · July 18, 2018, 1:21pm

Hi all,

First I’ll just state that English is not my native language.

After reading the numerous topics in the 8K forum, I would like to raise my thoughts and concern regarding using any HMD.
My main reason to open this thread is that I believe that some of us are so exited about the coming HMD that I think we forget what is the most important part of using a good hardware.

Let me explain further:
When I connect a Yoke or a mouse, the hardware is recognized in few seconds and I am able to use it.
When I buy a new GPU, I plug it to the motherboard, and in less than 5min it is good to go.
In most cases I do not need to think about the hardware I use, it is just there and I can take it for granted.

This is in my opinion what is a good hardware support.

Now I know that everyone wants the HMD to be tested against this title or that title, I respect that, but I think that for us to enjoy the HMD, it needs to be taken for granted, just like any hardware that we have on our desktop (or near it), and we use it without second thought.

My expectations, to be honest, is to feel the same with the Pimax HMD.
I expect that the hardware and software will allow me (and the rest of the users) to plug the HMD, do the routine calibration and from there, fire up which ever title/content I want and just use it.

To me that is back to basics. If the basic routine is solid, the rest of the experience will just get better as software support will ripe.

Last, @deletedpimaxrep1 from the current PiPlay documentations and some youtube examples of the 4K HMD, it seems that Pimax did not fully realized that its products are being bought by customers outside their local region, which means: good support for international languages in their software - there should be no more buttons labeled with Chinese characters, the same for explanation screens. This will be a step up in user experience. IMHO the first steps of any user with the HMD is probably the most important in his/her feel comfortable with it. I know this, since I do not have an HMD and do not have the experience other users might have, so to me the first hour with the hardware is the most important.

I was wondering if these experiences are being tackled during Beta testings
@SweViver any other beta testers ?

Cheers

George · July 18, 2018, 1:35pm

Plug&Play for VR devices will take some time though. It is a new peripheral that is not standardized yet. Also OSs must accept the firmware involved.

In this phase of Virtual Reality there is not yet a standard for that, although the industry is looking for that too. They just now found eachother on Virtuallink: http://community.openmr.ai/t/virtuallink-a-new-open-industry-standard/7052/10
So in the future they will find new ways to make it easier. Just not yet.

tomohm · July 18, 2018, 1:39pm

You might be expecting too much…

Kopa · July 18, 2018, 1:43pm

You should never expect 1st generation hardware to just be plug and play.
This headset is for enthusiasts, and it will most likely be finicky to start with.

If you want something that you can take for granted like a mouse or keyboard, then you should wait a few years for the 2nd or 3rd gen hardware.

I work in the car industry, you never buy a car from the 1st year run. You always wait for the 2nd+ year models.

Lebois · July 18, 2018, 1:44pm

I don’t expect hmd to be plug and play before years. Even wmr headsets were hard top install…

Jwagner · July 18, 2018, 1:44pm

unless it’s a toyota… never had an issue - just saying

Kopa · July 18, 2018, 1:45pm

Unless you live in Japan you will never see a 1st gen Toyota.

D3Pixel · July 18, 2018, 2:22pm

I like this topic.

If I want to play on my Rift I have to power down my PC, unplug a second GPU, plug in a 4 port USB card, attach all the cables, Re-calibrate the room because the 3 x rift sensors have probably moved since I last used them. Then when I finally get to launching Oculus Home, it needs a patch. Then I get to play.

Time to switch from work mode to game mode takes about 30 to 40 minutes for me.

This is why consoles are appealing to many.

So, back on topic. Things are moving in this direction. This new GPU connector called VirtualLink should reduce the effort I need to go through by at least 50%. Wireless is starting to appear so even the VirtualLink could be obsolete, inside out tracking is getting better so sensors may become obsolete etc. So eventually all the woes that this topic talks about will be ironed out over the iterations of each new product.

Fabrizio · July 18, 2018, 2:42pm

@snagar
@Heliosurge
@SweViver
@deletedpimaxrep1

Snagar do you think that an “Installation guide” from the beginning for example connecting cables, how to wear “Pimax 8K” etc could improve the user experience ?

Heliosurge and Sweviver I am thinking to something like the installation guide of Nvidia 3D Glasses but a video could be more easy to make

Hmmm I do not have any Vr Headset like snagar, I have made a big jump on Pimax 8K

Heliosurge · July 18, 2018, 2:52pm

Plug & play as others say takes time. This often requires using developed standards for devices to be recognized.

Ie HID (Human Interface Device)

This now common standard is used for mice, keyboards, game controllers & more.

This basic plug & play support is baked into the OS’ kernel.

Htc Vive for example added to the Linux kernel not long ago to be recognised as a special dusplay device.

@Enopho is a Windows desktop engineer & reccommends turning off Windows 10 from managing drivers for you as it iften breaks drivers.

Heliosurge · July 18, 2018, 2:55pm

How Tos /guides/faqs youtube videos are all out there to help you do just about anything.

Though I reccommend avoiding Dr Nick “So you want to try brain surgery?” Videos.

Kopa · July 18, 2018, 2:58pm

Wait people think those are how to guides?!?!?

Jwagner · July 18, 2018, 3:04pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-AF_kiAvkE

snagar · July 18, 2018, 3:30pm

Hey again,

OK, so maybe plug and play is years away, maybe today it is more plug and pray , but Pimax do need to understand that for best experience they should make lots of effort to make the initial setup, as @D3Pixel said, as smooth as possible and not a ~30min of setup and calibrating.

If I have an enthusiastic HMD it won’t be enough if I will need 60min to make it work. Look at motherboard manufactures, it won’t matter if their motherboard will have gazillion of features, if their bios is buggy it will kill selling.
Same with the 8K, it does not matter if we have 8k resolution (over all), if we will need a looong time to prepare and make it work - frustration should not be part of any enthusiastic hardware, or at least added to it.

At least this is my hope from any hardware company, and Pimax should not be any different, I understand people saying that it will take some years to reach that level of simplicity, but, in my humble opinion, this should be demanded or at least made known to Pimax that it is as important as having a top of the line HMD. Maybe if we will have very good documentation that explain step by step how to setup our PC, good youtube videos of “how to” and troubleshooting will ease and maybe even shorten the time to setup the HMD.

I wonder, how much time does it really take to setup an HMD for seated/standing or room scale experience ?

Cheers

snagar · July 18, 2018, 3:32pm

That is a good one… I wish it was that easy.

Heliosurge · July 18, 2018, 3:47pm

In theory when is all said & done it should be no worst than HTC vive for setup time.

noro · July 18, 2018, 3:48pm

You should not expect to work out of the box. Yes, it’s the case with many established brands, not so with Pimax especially considering it’s gonna be a not comparable device at least at the time it gets out.
A good piece of hardware is more about its’ probable in time software capabilities not about the capability on release date. Don’t wanna crush your dreams bit it is what it is. Hell , even when when it got my z170 Mainboard it took asus some time to make hot swap work. Now it works and it is a nice piece of hardware.

burstingtops · July 18, 2018, 3:57pm

I don’t like how so many people are defending the 8K not working smoothly out of the box. I guess we’ve reached peak fan-boy, haven’t even received our units yet and people are ok with buggy setup. Sorry but I have higher expectations, that’s what this dev period is for.

noro · July 18, 2018, 4:05pm

I’m not defending anything, just stating the way things are. And this has nothing to do whether I like it or not, cuz I don’t! Even most of the games that I’ve bought in the recent past were not satisfactory on release. This sucks big time!
Do not confuse defending stuff with “unfortunate” realistic expectations.

burstingtops · July 18, 2018, 4:18pm

I realistically expect them to be able to provide a smooth setup on windows 10. I realistically expect there to be no chinese menus. I realistically expect the setup to be no more complicated than Vive or occulus. I realistically expect them to have this software ready by shipping since we’re already 6 months overdue because of waiting for hardware.