Why I'm returning my Rift S - and an odd tracking issue

[Balmung]

It is not outdated in form of the power of the system, it is outdated in form of the Hardware that Dell used on the mainboard. A custom USB Chipset often makes problems, know that well from my old machine. I bought a PCIe USB3.0 card to get around that problem (and still use it in my new system). If you have a free small PCIe slot, that could be an option.

Amazon.com: Inateck PCI-e to USB 3.0 (4 Ports) PCI Express Card and 15-Pin Power Connector, Red (KT4001): Computers & Accessories

Buy Inateck PCI-e to USB 3.0 (4 Ports) PCI Express Card and 15-Pin Power Connector, Red (KT4001): Everything Else - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I have this one, the "KTU3FR-4P", that should be this card (that product number is on the card picture). Oculus recommended it for the Rift, should also work with the Rift S.

 

[Rampant]

It is not outdated in form of the power of the system, it is outdated in form of the Hardware that Dell used on the mainboard. A custom USB Chipset often makes problems, know that well from my old machine. I bought a PCIe USB3.0 card to get around that problem (and still use it in my new system). If you have a free small PCIe slot, that could be an option.

Amazon.com: Inateck PCI-e to USB 3.0 (4 Ports) PCI Express Card and 15-Pin Power Connector, Red (KT4001): Computers & Accessories

Buy Inateck PCI-e to USB 3.0 (4 Ports) PCI Express Card and 15-Pin Power Connector, Red (KT4001): Everything Else - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I have this one, the "KTU3FR-4P", that should be this card (that product number is on the card picture). Oculus recommended it for the Rift, should also work with the Rift S.

That's a good call - particularly with the Rift S being renowned (notorious) for USB "compatibility" issues.

Mine appears to be working solidly now - but it wasn't without its issues to begin with. Probably compounded by my PSU going on the fritz and the Rift S issues might have been the early signs of that.

 

[Dagwit]

Balmung, thanks for the suggestion; but I'm in the second half of my sixties, and my hands are in slow decline, and I'm not sure I'm as up for messing about inside my computer as I was three years ago. I bought a 3" extension for my my joystick (no sniggers, please) last year and I couldn't get the blasted thing plugged in.

Also, it might work and it might not, and in the meantime the clock would be ticking. If I'm going to send the Rift S back - if 'twere done, 'twere best done quickly.

 

[Balmung]

Balmung, thanks for the suggestion; but I'm in the second half of my sixties, and my hands are in slow decline, and I'm not sure I'm as up for messing about inside my computer as I was three years ago. I bought a 3" extension for my my joystick (no sniggers, please) last year and I couldn't get the blasted thing plugged in.

Also, it might work and it might not, and in the meantime the clock would be ticking. If I'm going to send the Rift S back - if 'twere done, 'twere best done quickly.

No One that can help you here? You know from your 1060 that it is no rocket sience to build such a card into your PC, so everyone with a steady hand could build that in for you.

It should work, because this card has it's own driver for Windows.

 

[Dagwit]

Alas, where I live, I'm the guy that helps other people with their computer problems, may God have mercy on their souls.

Blast! Hit post instead of Enter. Did I mention my hands aren't perfect?

Also, there's the curious fact that the USB drivers aren't interfering with the Rift in any way. It's working just fine. It's the Rift is killing the USB drivers. Because it's not one of the usual USB problems that crop up with the Rift, I'm not quite as confident as you are that your solution would work - though were I less pusillanimous and decrepit I would be a lot more inclined to give it a go.

At any rate, your suggestion is now recorded in the thread for the benefit of some fitter, braver person who has a similar issue to try it..

 

[Balmung]

The different to the other people, that you help is: you know the problem, you know how to solve it, you only need a helping hand.

But sure, i can't give you a 100% guarantee that this pcie card will help you. I only have a good feeling about it, that the chance is high it could help your problem.

Computer problems could be pretty difficult and not every time it is the new bought device that makes the problem, even when a other similar device work. USB is there pretty special about issues. Had enough devices over the years that didn't work when I put it back in the wrong USB port, even on my new 1 1/2 year old PC. And many USB2.0 devices didn't work on a USB3.0 port, but USB3.0 should be 100% backward compatible to USB2.0. It is a mess with USB...

 

[Dagwit]

It is a mess with USB...

As I've heard before - though I've been pretty lucky until now. Anyway, the Rift S is now packed up for return to Amazon, and I shall reconsider Plan A, which was to buy a Reverb and a computer to run it. Ideally that would also be from HP, so that any compatibility problems would be entirely theirs; but the old Rift is still working, so I can take time to read up on what's on the market and make something that might in a dim light be mistaken for an informed decision.

 

[Aekero]

never run into issues with usb, but I will say if I try to play in the dark, all bets are off. It basically forgets that it has been calibrated (floor level calibration + play area) every time. Definitely a big annoyance but I bought an led illuminator that should hopefully work.
As far as graphically, I feel like it's such a big upgrade from rift to rift s, maybe I had bad lenses on my rift but the target dot (for navigation) hurt to look at, it was so blurry in the cv1. With the graphics pumped up, flying past a coriolis, it looks so freakin good I catch myself staring at it still. That said, I'm sure the reverb has better resolution, but not worth the number of sacrifices it comes with.

 

[Balmung]

Little update from me: good that you not bought this USB PCIe card. I got my Rift S yesterday and i can't get it to work on that card at all (but it runs on my OnBoard USB). So the from Oculus perfered USB PCIe 3.0 card for Rift is not usable for the Rift S.

 

[Dagwit]

Little update from me: good that you not bought this USB PCIe card. I got my Rift S yesterday and i can't get it to work on that card at all (but it runs on my OnBoard USB). So the from Oculus perfered USB PCIe 3.0 card for Rift is not usable for the Rift S.

Thanks for the update.

I'm now back to using my Rift and I have to say I miss the Rift S now more when it's gone than I appreciated it on the few times I ran it. Nice to be able to read text rather than knowing what it says from past experience.

Still dithering over whether to spend an awful lot of money on a computer that would:

a) run the Reverb;
b) be as well specced as my current machine (most gaming PCs actually have less memory than it has - individual components are undoubtedly better but headline specs for a high-end machine seem not to have moved in the past four years;
c) be an overmatch for the coming generation of consoles - what little I know about that is that I've read that graphically the new consoles will be less powerful than a decent PC today running an RTX 2080;
d) be generally good enough that I don't have to think about opening the case in its planned four-year lifetime.

Would like to buy from HP so the computer and HMD come from one supplier and any compatibility issues are entirely one supplier's problem, but I've seen a review which suggests that their gaming PC, the Omen Obelisk, toasts its CPU, and certainly there are a lot of videos on YouTube about how to fit liquid coolers - exactly the sort of shenanigans I'd like to avoid.

But one of their workstations might fit the (not insubstantial) bill. My wallet says no but my heart says yes.