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All that I want is Google Earth on VR. I’ve been waiting for years but I don’t know which headset to buy. Sadly, Meta is a no-no for me

dandrew5 3y ago
Same. I bought a Vive a few weeks ago but it is currently in the mail being returned. The technology as it is today is just not quite there yet, in my opinion. The biggest letdown was the lack of peripheral vision. To see something clearly, I'd have to move my whole head to face it head-on directly. Doing some research, I discovered that is just the way it works right now. It will be interesting to see if the VP has an answer to this problem.
- chaostheory 3y ago
  Vive is the worst option because they insist on using bad fresnel lenses instead of fish eye lenses. As you’ve pointed out, fresnel lenses tend to be terrible and HTC’s are the worst in that class. The Big Screen Beyond is really the only affordable choice for PCVR that isn’t out of date and isn’t Meta.
copirate 3y ago
There is one[0] that works on all PCVR headsets and it's great, but unfortunately it's been abandoned by Google. [0] https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/
- Erratic6576 3y ago
  Last update in February 2018. Can’t blame them; they must be short of cash
chaostheory 3y ago
Meta is still the best all round value. If you refuse to go with it, then the next best option is the big screen beyond. Total cost would likely run $1500 with controllers, assuming you have a VR capable PC
- Erratic6576 3y ago
  It took me hours and a lookup to understand what you meant. the big screen beyond Is a device. It seems fantastic. Like, great. Way better than Apple Vision Pro
mrguyorama 3y ago
Don't buy a VR headset just to experience Google Earth for twenty minutes. It's a terrible, old as crap VR app, the fidelity of global scenery is terrible and will never be good enough to be any more than a novelty, and it is by far the worst app for motion sickness, which is insane because it's worse than doing loops in flying games!
- ghaff 3y ago
  Google Earth was cool back in the day especially hooked up to a Logitech 6 DoF controller. But it hasn't been materially updated in years AFAIK. I'm not even sure which of my Macs it's installed on at this point. And the controller drivers don't work any longer.
- Erratic6576 3y ago
  Well, I’ve been wishing this for so long… more than 6 years now. And the app has not been updated ever since. It’s sad because I’d like to use it to discover geography

dandrew5 3y ago

Same. I bought a Vive a few weeks ago but it is currently in the mail being returned. The technology as it is today is just not quite there yet, in my opinion. The biggest letdown was the lack of peripheral vision. To see something clearly, I'd have to move my whole head to face it head-on directly. Doing some research, I discovered that is just the way it works right now. It will be interesting to see if the VP has an answer to this problem.

chaostheory 3y ago
Vive is the worst option because they insist on using bad fresnel lenses instead of fish eye lenses. As you’ve pointed out, fresnel lenses tend to be terrible and HTC’s are the worst in that class. The Big Screen Beyond is really the only affordable choice for PCVR that isn’t out of date and isn’t Meta.

copirate 3y ago

There is one[0] that works on all PCVR headsets and it's great, but unfortunately it's been abandoned by Google. [0] https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/

Erratic6576 3y ago
Last update in February 2018. Can’t blame them; they must be short of cash

chaostheory 3y ago

Meta is still the best all round value. If you refuse to go with it, then the next best option is the big screen beyond. Total cost would likely run $1500 with controllers, assuming you have a VR capable PC

Erratic6576 3y ago
It took me hours and a lookup to understand what you meant. the big screen beyond Is a device. It seems fantastic. Like, great. Way better than Apple Vision Pro

mrguyorama 3y ago

Don't buy a VR headset just to experience Google Earth for twenty minutes. It's a terrible, old as crap VR app, the fidelity of global scenery is terrible and will never be good enough to be any more than a novelty, and it is by far the worst app for motion sickness, which is insane because it's worse than doing loops in flying games!

ghaff 3y ago
Google Earth was cool back in the day especially hooked up to a Logitech 6 DoF controller. But it hasn't been materially updated in years AFAIK. I'm not even sure which of my Macs it's installed on at this point. And the controller drivers don't work any longer.
Erratic6576 3y ago
Well, I’ve been wishing this for so long… more than 6 years now. And the app has not been updated ever since. It’s sad because I’d like to use it to discover geography