VR headset to replace G2 reverb

Dragsham · Mar 6, 2024

I'm debating replacing my beloved G2 with a HTC vive pro 2 headset.
Many questions :
Is this an upgrade over the G2 in terms of graphically, is there any screen door?
I thought of the Q3 but it seems to me a sideways on par upg rather than "better".
Does the vive pro 2 work tethered?**
Is it easy to setup?
Finally and hopefully, does it fire up in elite VR without WMR?
Any help appreciated thanks

* the set I'm debating buying comes complete with 2 handsets and 2 base stations.

** I ask this cos I don't want battery life issues or less graphical output like the untethered Q3.

CMDR X · Mar 7, 2024

If you are going down the Vive road for Elite, I would suggest finding a VivePro1.
It has Amoled displays whereas the VP2 has LCDs. So if you want the blackety-
black of outer space and not puke grey, the VP1 is the way to go.

I own two of them (one has the GearVR lens mod). They are tethered, easy to set
up, screen door is there but very minimal and I never heard of WMR, so I'm hoping
you won't need it. Yes, the VP2 has higher resolution but to me the VP1 blacks are
worth the sacrifice and is less demanding on modest PC's.

You will need 2 base stations but those two can run as many HMDs you can fit in the room.
Controllers are optional but I don't recommend them for anything except SteamVR Home.

HTC Vive Pro 2 vs. Vive Pro

Vive has updated its Pro VR headset with a new generation that comes with more comfort features and better specs. Here's how it compare to the original model.

www.digitaltrends.com

Edit to add:
Not familiar with other brands but both VP1 and 2 require your GPU to have a Display Port.
HDMI is not supported, so just keep that in mind however you decide.

BigBANGerZ · Mar 7, 2024

Dragsham said:
I'm debating replacing my beloved G2 with a HTC vive pro 2 headset.
Many questions :
Is this an upgrade over the G2 in terms of graphically, is there any screen door?

I would say so but more from the perspective of room scale tracking and controllers with larger FoV and better colours

Dragsham said:
I thought of the Q3 but it seems to me a sideways on par upg rather than "better".
Does the vive pro 2 work tethered?**

It has to be tethered or you buy the Wigig module but that doesn't cover the full range of resolutions

Dragsham said:
Is it easy to setup?
Finally and hopefully, does it fire up in elite VR without WMR?

yes and yes

Dragsham said:
Any help appreciated thanks

* the set I'm debating buying comes complete with 2 handsets and 2 base stations.

you want the Index knuckles not the Vive wands

Dragsham said:
** I ask this cos I don't want battery life issues or less graphical output like the untethered Q3.

where are you based?

Dragsham · Mar 7, 2024

Are there better headsets than the vive pro 1 and 2?
Excluding the apple and varjo hehe.

BigBANGerZ · Mar 7, 2024

I'll send you a DM we can chat offline

Dragsham · Mar 7, 2024

Assuming micro crap go ahead and remove WMR, will there be a workaround up soon after or just before? I mean that's alot of "bricks" namely the G2 and other headsets that rely on it. seems like such a scam!
And why hasn't HP replied with a possible fix?

Rock Hunter · Mar 7, 2024

Dragsham said:
Assuming micro crap go ahead and remove WMR, will there be a workaround up soon after or just before? I mean that's alot of "bricks" namely the G2 and other headsets that rely on it. seems like such a scam!
And why hasn't HP replied with a possible fix?

I’ve been fairly sanguine about MS giving up on WMR but that’s mostly because I thought they were stopping support for WMR and abandoning it - which, whilst poor and annoying, would keep me with the G2 until it’s eventual death.

Have I got this completely wrong and they’re actually removing the WMR portal leaving us unable to use it at all?! If so, I need to get my act together.

CMDR M Kozak · Mar 7, 2024

Rock Hunter said:
I’ve been fairly sanguine about MS giving up on WMR but that’s mostly because I thought they were stopping support for WMR and abandoning it - which, whilst poor and annoying, would keep me with the G2 until it’s eventual death.

Have I got this completely wrong and they’re actually removing the WMR portal leaving us unable to use it at all?! If so, I need to get my act together.

After 1 November 2026, you'll no longer be able to download the software required to use Windows MR headsets, nor the SteamVR driver, so if you have the late 2024 Windows 11 update or newer you won't be able to set up the headset

What Will Happen To Your Windows Mixed Reality Headset? (uploadvr.com)

CMDR M Kozak · Mar 7, 2024

Dragsham said:
Assuming micro crap go ahead and remove WMR, will there be a workaround up soon after or just before? I mean that's alot of "bricks" namely the G2 and other headsets that rely on it. seems like such a scam!
And why hasn't HP replied with a possible fix?

HP discontinued the Reverb line and left the VR market last year. They dont care.

Rock Hunter · Mar 7, 2024

CMDR M Kozak said:
After 1 November 2026, you'll no longer be able to download the software required to use Windows MR headsets, nor the SteamVR driver, so if you have the late 2024 Windows 11 update or newer you won't be able to set up the headset

What Will Happen To Your Windows Mixed Reality Headset? (uploadvr.com)

I was just about to post this, posted in the RoadtoVR forums but taken from the article you linked. I’m glad I stuck with Windows 10 when I built a new PC. Of course that’s a short term view and I’ll need to address the matter but at least there’s time to put some cash aside

UploadVR article.

As of Nov. 1, 2026 for consumers and Nov. 1, 2027 for commercial customers, Windows Mixed Reality will no longer be available for download via the Mixed Reality Portal app, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, and Steam VR beta, and we will discontinue support.
[…]
Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam until users upgrade to a version of Windows that does not include Windows Mixed Reality.

rootsrat · Mar 7, 2024

The Acer AH101, Acer OJO 500, Asus HC102, Dell Visor, HP VR1000, HP Reverb, HP Reverb G2, Lenovo Explorer, Samsung Odyssey, and Samsung Odyssey+ VR headsets - all these users... Surely they will have to come up with a solution?

Someone will have to. Absolutely disgraceful if all of these users will be left with non-functioning devices :O

Dragsham · Mar 7, 2024

I see a 3 horse race.
Microsoft
Apple
Meta
For global vr dominator award

The Lawful · Mar 7, 2024

TBH, in niche markets like VR, I would always go for the market leader and buy a Quest 3. I have a Quest 2 only and it's really good. That means not so much the hardware, but also the software side of things. Oculus | Meta is plug & play, and dominate the market enough so that they will be the last ones standing. Plus, having a standalone headset has its advantages too, even if you're just into Elite (for example, you can play Beat Saber or Gun Club VR without the cable too). TBH, classic PCVR is about dead, as are tethered devices. Then, while the cable has advantages and running on battery sucks (but you can attach a cable to the thing and play forever), video codecs and compression are the new meta. It's good enough though to provide incredible experiences. Going back to the Rift? No way. YMMV.

NB. The last cable headset I know of is the Pimax 3, but the Chinese spies are out of competition, plus I hate TikTok

O7,

Dragsham · Mar 7, 2024

The g2 reverb introduced in 2020/21 is better than the quest 3.
Your being suckered into an age old marketing ploy namely tertiary upgs annually and we blindly follow on buying them. Enuff quest hmds to build a small extension soon.
No ill go for quality over compatability.
I'm not on fb tiktok or instagram

The Lawful · Mar 7, 2024

Ok, then nothing more to say on the topic. Just tried to be helpful. Good luck with your efforts.

O7,

Dragsham · Mar 7, 2024

The Lawful said:
Ok, then nothing more to say on the topic. Just tried to be helpful. Good luck with your efforts.

O7,

No slant on you sir.
Look at phones. We're all suckered there so..me2.
Did say in Op that Q3 wasn't for me is all.

jojon · Mar 7, 2024

Given the amount of WMR devices out there, one could easily imagine that somebody able would take the initiative to write either a SteamVR-native driver (or set of drivers, if that is what it takes) for them, or even better, an OpenXR one, if the OpenXR hardware abstraction layer is past the planning stage (I dunno).
...but... We'll see, I guess... :7

rootsrat · Mar 8, 2024

jojon said:
Given the amount of WMR devices out there, one could easily imagine that somebody able would take the initiative to write either a SteamVR-native driver (or set of drivers, if that is what it takes) for them, or even better, an OpenXR one, if the OpenXR hardware abstraction layer is past the planning stage (I dunno).
...but... We'll see, I guess... :7

Yeah. It wouldn't feel right to sell my G2 tbh, knowing that I'm setting a trap for someone, so I guess I'll wait and see...

Dragsham · Mar 8, 2024

rootsrat said:
Yeah. It wouldn't feel right to sell my G2 tbh, knowing that I'm setting a trap for someone, so I guess I'll wait and see...

Have you seen ebay? G2s by the dozen. Seems others are less scrupulous.

Rat Catcher · Mar 9, 2024

Meta / Oculus have an Intel / Nvidia bias when it comes to PCVR.
Thier software continually tells me that my PC doesn't meet the minimum specs to run their software, and that my VR experience may be terrible. (It has been doing this for at least a year, possibly 2)
So a 7800x3D and 7900XTX is not powerful enough to run their headset? Yeah, right...