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There is some promise, but I'd push back on the implication that this is viable as a mainstream option. Right now through either Oculus (Wireless) Link, or som
by potatolicious 5y ago
There is some promise, but I'd push back on the implication that this is viable as a mainstream option.
Right now through either Oculus (Wireless) Link, or something like Virtual Desktop, you can totally stream content from a PC to the headset, but that comes with a big list of asterisks (easily observable if you look at any support channel for both products):
- Most people's WiFi sucks, the room they're in has poor signal, or their router is mostly shite. The experience is awful for them.
- Most people's PCs are not connected to their network by ethernet, which seems like a crucial part of getting a good experience.
- Even under ideal conditions configured by an enthusiast who groks the tech, frame drops are relatively common.
- Streaming is generally not possible at full-resolution due to bandwidth limitations. A wireless-first approach presents an additional barrier to one of VR's biggest stumbling blocks - as screen resolutions increase streaming cannot keep up.
So getting the setup to work well right now requires a pretty knowledgeable user. Even assuming we can improve on this, I will wager that "95% effective, visible degradation a few seconds at a time at random intervals" is enough of a problem to be a hard stop on mainstream adoption.
This is the hole VR is in generally - the tech is "good enough" for enthusiasts, but punishing to the mainstream.
- jjcm 5y agoI'd agree with all of these caveats. I'll also say that I suspect part of the reason why my experience is good is my PC is hardwired, and my headset is ~2 meters away from my wifi router. I'll also add to what you mention about the initial setup - it's an absolute pain in the ass... every single time. Takes me about 10min to do the setup dance each time I set up air link. In general though I see all these as being fixable. A dedicated transmitter and improvements in the UX of this can address all of these.
- potatolicious 5y agoMe too. I have a WiFi 6 router sitting on my desk with direct LOS to the headset and my machine is hardwired to ethernet and I have a really high quality network setup at home. The experience with Oculus Link is pretty good - but I'm an outlier in my setup! And yes, none of this is completely un-conquerable, but I'd argue unfixable without significant new hardware and standards. This is not a "just have to improve the software" problem.
- rawland 5y agoWhat router do you use?