China VR and Im caught in the middle

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modobo
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China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

Hey folks, I tried to build my own DIY HTC vybe and I ordered 2 amoled screens from China assuming these people know what VR is all about, I ended up with 2 screens that act like a broken 5" screen. After complaining they tried to convince me that there is nothing wrong with using VR like this.

In my opinion I dont think I should be using software to split up something that should already be split or what is wrong with these people.

Please I need your opinion on this, should I send this back? what use is this considering the cost £350, Im not happy at all, do u guys have a solution to this?

Thanks
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cybereality
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by cybereality »

Can you explain more about what the problem is?

I mean, you will have to do something in software, maybe you are going about it the wrong way.
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

I dont want to do anything in software and is the reason why I bought 2 screens, one for each eye. Pls note that this is not android, this plugs into the pc. There is not that many software out there that splits the screen, the only one i know is Tridef and it is very limited in its operation, all other similar software only work in conjunction with an android phone.

I just cant believe that a company will sell two separate screens that can only show half of a picture and not a full picture and then try and convince me that they've done the right thing.
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cybereality
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by cybereality »

Viewing it as one screen is sort of what I would expect, and is the easier method to use if you are writing your own custom software. So I believe they did do the right thing.

Do you know how to program? You can write an app that captures the desktop using the Desktop Duplication API. Then you can make your own "virtual desktop" type app that could display with the format you need for the screens. See this article for example: http://www.floschnell.de/computer-scien ... ows-8.html or the API doc page here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/librar ... s.85).aspx

Sadly this won't work for full-screen games, as you would need to hook into DirectX. Plus you still need other software modifications for stereo 3D, fixing the aspect ratio, etc. so it wouldn't work in games even if the 2 screens were separate.

Otherwise I'd check out Ibex ( http://hwahba.com/ibex/ ), which was a virtual desktop app similar to what I suggested above, and may fit your needs. Doesn't look like it's been updated it 2 years, but it's open-source so you can download and update it yourself (again, if you know how to code).

Hope that helps.
Waescher
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by Waescher »

I would expect that this comes with a custom board that has one single HDMI port (for the input from your PC) and two connectors for the displays. So this board could do the split by itself and Windows could use it as an ordinary screen.
I see this is from topfoison - A brand I made great experiences with when I bought this one. Contact their support, they're extremely willing to help. I think I received more that 20 mails from their support team in sum. And they contacted my via Whatsapp, which was quite strange first but led to quicker responses.
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

Thanks for your response Cybereality but Waescher wins the day. I bought it so that I dont have to get bogged down in programming. I do code but Im not so good in c++ and the codes Im good in like pascal and basic are no longer in vogue. If I could get this item to show properly, I can play any 3d game irrespective of the age without latency or any middle man software.

It comes with a custom board and the company has sent me the code to flash the board so that the screen splits properly but unfortunately, it appears the chip is locked so the flashing software only shows 2 line of code then it will time out.

Im getting fed up and I might just send it back and get a 5.5 single board then run it with software or I#ll give up and wait till the technology improves
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

I have good news, I have successfully changed the firmware and now have individual pictures per screen, will post pics soon :D
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cybereality
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by cybereality »

Oh wow! That's great.
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

This is another China idea, instead of them to stick the T board in the middle, they had to put it on the side right on top of the audio jack rendering the jack useless and making the board far more longer than any HMD can accommodate, it would have been good if there was a flexi cable btw the MIPI and the T board.
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modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

And so here is Klingon honor guard released in 1996 I think working in VR no latency no issues. Even Occulus rift and Htc vibes cant manage that without a ton of middle man software and a powerful machine. Im running a old Intel 2.8Mhz Quad core with Nvidea 240gtx. The screens could do with some decent drivers of there own but right now they clone their logic from the main screen driver.
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Last edited by modobo on Wed Jul 27, 2016 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

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And now for the almost finished product. Until I find a way to transfer the T board, I got to manage it like this. The gyro mouse I bought from China just melted so I got to get another. The head goggle got really bad lens in them so I got to change that, I also bought a Homido but its very small, waste of money that was, so costly. But almost there.
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cybereality
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by cybereality »

Nice one!
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

Thanks.

I got this issue, I wear glasses to see afar, Im short sighted, I never expected vr to appear same way as in real life so it appears I have to wear my glasses in vr but the head gear is too small.. bomber. I really wish there is a way around this, any advise??
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cybereality
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by cybereality »

Yes, that's normal. The lenses make the virtual image look much further way (it's focused at 1.5m on Rift, it could vary in that range).

If you don't want to wear glasses, you can try contact lenses I guess.
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

I must confess Im not really enjoying this, I dont think the tech is up to it yet. Whenever I try looking at something thats near either in a small vr room, the image doubles but when I go out on to the road or somewhere vast, then the image is normal again. I also noticed that in GTA4 when I came out of the safe house in Bohan, there is a preacher there shouting his head off, if I sit in the car and look left at him, he is right opposite but as I turn my head to look straight out of the windscreen, the preacher begins to warp to his left up the pavement so even though he never physically moved, it now appears he is a bit up the road.

I think Im going to need bigger lens with stronger magnification than the lens Homido supplies but I dont even know the strength of the lens I got. The HMD in the pic above has got very weak lens but it grabs the whole pic unlike the Homidio that only sees a small spot and u cant see the map on the left hand side in GTA
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Dilip
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by Dilip »

I hope you read PM (Personal Message at your Inbox)..or may be you don't see them it seems.

That said, You need to find right lenses for your HMD,else it would either be out of focus or double images at various distance across Z pan.

The one which you shown in your Chinese hmd housing are approx 3X or 4X lenses at ~45/55 mm focal distance they tend to produce box frame across the screen hence
it will not be immersive VR but rather looking through window effect or infamous 'Peeping through Toilet Paper Roll' effect

Homido produces rather small focus due to less screen to optic distance and may be ~6/7X magnification power, as you said you cant see mini map on corner in GTA 5 as
Homido has right level of magnification which may be covering ~65/75% of your total rectangle screen's circular portion, thus missing corners.
that's what happens even in GEAR VR http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/revi ... ew-013.jpg
See how small is dumbbell shaped space housing lenses, Now compare it with Galaxy Note's Rectangle Screen and you will notice many portion of total screen in VR are never seen..

So in real VR game there will never be info(HuD) on extreme right corner or left corner, it need to be intelligently accommodated in available circular screen real estate only.
The games you currently trying to play in VR, were never meant to be played in VR, thus they are not designed that way.. that's it.

TRUE VR IS NOT JUST ANOTHER DISPLAY.... ITS ALL TO GATHER DIFFERENT MEDIUM.

So whats other way around .. Try games that accommodate all info in game world only..
Example .. DEAD SPACE 1,2,3 try them with TRIDEF DRIVERS in SBS mode with Homido Lenses .. I assure you will BlowOut of joy... ;)
It will have other aesthetic issues though... In nut shell don't play games in VR which are not made for VR. Instead Try Games which are experimentally built for VR.

Original Rift DK1 was 7X aspheric lenses.

But i think due to your screen size you should avoid them, Instead try these lenses
https://www.amazon.com/MiniBrite-Slide- ... =carson+5x

You will need to build housing .. either by Cardboard/ Thermocole and Duct tape/ 3D print your self if you know the know how.
Your mileage may very but they are best i can suggest...

Again in true VR you will miss corners and Theater mode (What you see with your Current hmd's Chinese lenses) you will miss immersion.
You will need right games that are from ground build for VR which has
1) Right speed of movement
2) Right distance between Avatar and Game Camera
3) Right Object Placement
4) Right Scale
5) Right Depth of Field and True Sky render
6) Right non sickness inducing motion within game..
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

Hi Dilip, Thanks for your response and all the info, true I have not been checking my message box, didnt know I had one till u just hinted me. I didnt know so much tech went into these things, funny how the mind says its gonna work one way and it all makes common sense until its finally done only to end up being something else, anyway thanks again.
modobo
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by modobo »

An update to my htc vybe. I ordered a pair of lens on ebay under 20 quid and these lens are goood, I cant wait to build the complete unit. The lens originally meant for a camera can be unscrewed, the thiner part is enough for normal vr, its glass and wide, great magnification. In case of games like gta where u need to see the full screen cos of the map, I'll need to attach the fish lens. Im afraid the fish lens is a tad too strong, wish i could adjust it but with gta 5, I cant get a full screen anyway.
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Dilip
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Re: China VR and Im caught in the middle

Post by Dilip »

Those are imo risky buy when you are going to club them with fish eye lenses..

Post your findings, i be eager to read :!:
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