Hp Reverb Gen 2 should I return my Gen 1

beastlyfern

B
I just purchased a couple weeks ago my first vr headset, the reverb gen 1. So far I have liked it a lot but as I have a small ipd 58.5 I am not sure if the fairly small sweet spot (super clear text) is due to the fixed ipd of 63 and my small i8pd or just the lenses. I know people have mentioned it is small but mine is probably about 1/3 of the lens.

The gen 2 looks very promising (many improvements) and with a manual ipd slider but it only goes to 60. I think that having a manual ipd set to 60 or 1.5 mm off my correct ipd would be better than a software ipd setting of 59 that is still 0.5 mm off and only with software.

The catch is I am still within my 30 day return period so I think that I may just send it back and hope I can get in on the preorder as soon as it comes to Canada.
It will mean being with our vr for a while but could be worth waiting for an improved set.

Thoughts?
 

aXeL

A
Definitely return it. If you don't like the G2 you can always return that and get the G1 again :)

For me it will be about the panel. If they go above 2160x2160 per eye then I will upgrade from my G1 but I'm pretty sure it's wishful thinking. Of course, if they do go above that resolution and, now they're partnering with Valve, providing they keep the price safely in regular WMR territory then every other headset is basically dead. Who's going to pay £1000 for a Valve Index when they can have a much higher resolution Valve HP G2 for half that.
 
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beastlyfern

B
Apparently the resolution and refresh will be the same but the panels will be new as well as the lenses. Also will have four camera tracking with new controllers, 90 degree flip up, a single wire cable and also will have the index off the ear headphones. Supposably same price as gen 1, they reveal the specs today and have a US pre order for this fall. Hopefully it comes as a pre order to Canada soon.
 

CMDR Dizzy

C
Only hands on review I could find currently and it is of a prototype G2

www.roadtovr.com

Exclusive Hands-on: HP's New Reverb G2 is the King of Clarity

Today HP revealed its next-gen WMR headset, Reverb G2. While the original Reverb beat out the competition in resolution, some aspects of its display held it back from really capitalizing on all those pixels. Reverb G2 brings with it brand new displays and lenses which offer outstanding clarity...
www.roadtovr.com www.roadtovr.com
 

Kyokushin

Kyokushin
Honestly - imo old controllers are better - you may map more buttons on touchpad. I am definately keeping my G1v2.
 

Yaga-Shura

Y
If the comfort is better than the original, I'm definitely getting one. The nose cut out was too narrow and low for me (no I don't have a big nose :LOL: ).
The visuals were superb, and they claim the new one is even better? Awesome.
Controllers are irrelevant for me as I'd use it exclusively for Elite.
Index off ear speakers seem nice.
 

aXeL

A
Can we do away with the 'speakers' and switch to regular headphones? I keep a fan pointed at me to prevent moisture on the lenses and the last thing I need is fan noise competing with the speakers. Personally I just can't see how 'speakers' next to the ears are a good idea. If it was, market demand dictates that regular headphones would've done this years ago(?)
 

beastlyfern

B
I also am dubious of the off ear speakers or the quality of any vr headset speakers at all. I will take probably them off and stick with my HIFIMan HE5se. For seated games like elite the extra cable is not too much of and issue and the sound is much much better.
 

Stanis

Stanis
Pay attention to performance. If the resolution of the gen 2 is better, maybe it requires a more powerful rig.
It could be a good argument to keep the gen 1 anyway.
 

VR StarLightPL

VR StarLightPL
aXeL said:
Personally I just can't see how 'speakers' next to the ears are a good idea.
Click to expand...
beastlyfern said:
I also am dubious of the off ear speakers or the quality of any vr headset speakers at all.
Click to expand...

laughs in Index

These speakers are a godsend. First of all, they're not normal speakers but BMR Speakers which can change the shape of the membrane. Second of all, having a sound source off ear fools your brain a lot better than having a closed enclosure like headphones. I often mistake some VR sounds (think footsteps or some background noise) for real world noises. Thirdly, they are loud enough to drown out outside sounds to a satisfactory degree. Last but not least, the difference in comfort is immense. Maybe that fan will no longer be needed given the additional cooling surface reclaimed by not having headphones.

I'd never want to go back to headphones on my Index. And I keep the volume at about 20-40% in SteamVR, depending on the game (40% is for rythm games, 20% for DCS so the engine roar won't make me deaf).

So I do realise this is too late, but I hope OP did send his RG1 back and preordered the new one. The difference in comfort should be huge. I suppose also the rigid cable is done away with, and the lenses are supposedly changed for the better.
 

VR StarLightPL

VR StarLightPL
PS: as for comparison, I had Vive with "Deluxe" audio strap, tried Oculus CV1 and Quest, Pimax 5k+, Samung Odyssey+, Lenovo Explorer and of course headphones, some senheisers at a friend's place and my own entry level Superlux HD 681 Evo and HyperX Cloud Flight S (wireless). For VR, off-ear speakers are better in terms of immersion. YMMV if you have kids or noisy environment though.
 

aXeL

A
I have to say, personally, I'm not buying it. My Reverb allows me to use the headphones as off-ear speakers and while they're not BMR which I get that the audiophiles will appreciate massively, even with the volume right up, the background noise of the room, ticking clock, birds outside, traffic and on top of this the bloody mic passing audio from the 'speakers' to voice attack - it all really annoys me.

I don't know how sensitive other people's hearing is, I can tell the difference between mono and stereo but all the multi-driver, 3D sound stuff, to me is just nonsense. Not to impune the people who love it though, it's just that I've never noticed any real difference other than, sometimes sound is a bit clearer. But if my ears aren't covered, all the background noise and random voice attack behaviour just ruins it for me. I'm glad that others are enjoying it but there's another group of us who're annoyed that HP were dumb enough to make that the standard rather than an after market option.
 
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VR StarLightPL

VR StarLightPL
aXeL said:
My Reverb allows me to use the headphones as off-ear speakers

I'm glad that others are enjoying it but there's another group of us who're annoyed that HP were dumb enough to make that the standard rather than an after market option.
Click to expand...
I never had a case of Valve Index audio picked up by mic. I think it's filtered on hardware level. Otherwise our squad conversations in Onward would become a reverb mess (pardon the pun) :D I suppose your guerilla off-ear solution does not do such filtering, thus the confused voice attack glitches :D

As the old saying goes, don't knock it until you have tried it. I think these are a strong selling point, and everyone who tried them on my Index says the experience is better than headphones. Also in my opinion you don't need audiophile quality in VR, unless you're watching an orchestral concert in your HMD. I can discern 3d sound pretty good in both normal headphones and 5.1 speakers (d'uh), but the VR experience with off-ear speakers is something else, it's just next level of immersion in my opinion. Same goes for finger tracking in HL: Alyx which was immediately noticed by my wife, a casual VR player. They don't do much, they just add to immersion. For contrast, I played onward with vive wands recently (I wanted to use my gun stock), and the straight flat open hands like you are choo-choo dancing just threw me off once I got already used to see my fingers represented in VR.
 

sgurr

S
[VR] StarLightPL said:
I never had a case of Valve Index audio picked up by mic. I think it's filtered on hardware level. Otherwise our squad conversations in Onward would become a reverb mess (pardon the pun) :D I suppose your guerilla off-ear solution does not do such filtering, thus the confused voice attack glitches :D

As the old saying goes, don't knock it until you have tried it. I think these are a strong selling point, and everyone who tried them on my Index says the experience is better than headphones. Also in my opinion you don't need audiophile quality in VR, unless you're watching an orchestral concert in your HMD. I can discern 3d sound pretty good in both normal headphones and 5.1 speakers (d'uh), but the VR experience with off-ear speakers is something else, it's just next level of immersion in my opinion. Same goes for finger tracking in HL: Alyx which was immediately noticed by my wife, a casual VR player. They don't do much, they just add to immersion. For contrast, I played onward with vive wands recently (I wanted to use my gun stock), and the straight flat open hands like you are choo-choo dancing just threw me off once I got already used to see my fingers represented in VR.
Click to expand...
I'd really like to try the off ear speakers now.
 
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