The upcoming Fall Creators Update will be Microsoft’s launch into XR with headsets from a variety of vendors. You can now add Samsung to that list with their Odyssey VR headset and motion controllers, which is important for two reasons. First, Samsung has a lot experience in VR technology as they lead the charge (with their partner, Oculus) in the mobile space.
Second, and speaking of Oculus, the Samsung Odyssey actually has a higher resolution than both it and the HTC Vive (2880×1600 total for Samsung vs 2160 x 1200 total for the other two). This doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s actually 77% more pixels, which might be significant for text and other fine details. The refresh rate is still 90 Hz, and the field of view is around 110 degrees, which is the same as the HTC Vive. Of course the screen technology, itself, is AMOLED, being that it’s from Samsung and deeper blacks are more important in an enclosed cavity than brightness. In fact, you probably want to reduce brightness in a VR headset so you don’t strain the eyes.
According to Peter Bright of Ars Technica, Microsoft is supporting SteamVR titles, which gives the platform a nice catalog to launch with. The Samsung Odyssey VR headset launched November 6th for $499 USD.
“The Samsung Odyssey VR
“The Samsung Odyssey VR headset launched November 6th for $499 USD”
So time travel IS possible after all…
Whoever thought to put the
Whoever thought to put the "s" and the "d" keys right next to each other… … …
I’ll wait until I see some
I’ll wait until I see some reviews. But it’s good to see what ought to be a second generation VR device on the market. We need to see what tracking it uses too.
Of course, there is the acid test in it’s primary application: pron. LOL
“We need to see what tracking
“We need to see what tracking it uses too.”
Same as all the other Windows MR HMDs: Microsoft’s hololens-derived inside-out tracking, but using two basic cmaeras rather than the array of depth-sensing cameras Hololens used. The same cameras also serve as the tracking cameras for the handheld controllers (i.e. it only tracks the controllers when you can see them, similar to the Leap Motion)
The tracking was ‘good enough’ for Hololen’s very narrow FoV (which encouraged small head movements to avoid whipping your viewing window away from the object you’re looking at), but for the Windows MR HMDs its deficiencies are extremely apparent. Latency is high, jitter is high.
If you want to take a HMD on a train/plane and use it as a virtual desktop environment, it’s acceptable. If you want to use it for a high movement application as you might with a Rift or Vive, it’s not suitable.
Yeah, occlusion is a problem
Yeah, occlusion is a problem with the Microsoft motion controllers or so I hear. Break line of sight and the inside-out tracking is obstructed. They have traded ease of setup for poor controller tracking.
I cannot wait to these things
I cannot wait to these things to drop to $99.
One industry-watcher
One industry-watcher suggested that consumers tempted to invest in Microsoft and its partners’ VR tech should wait a while before making a purchase.
http://www.virtualrealitytimes.com/category/hardware/