Looks okay. The proprietary router and $299 price is kind of offputting. It's also probably a bit cumbersome to have _even more weight_ to your head.
Realistically should've been attachable to a user's upper arm, back, or waist. The Vive headset is already pretty heavy as-is for sessions longer than an hour or so.
I don't have a Vive so I don't know for sure, but would the fact that some of the extra hardware ends up on the back of the head and the rest on the top balance out the Vive? It looks front heavy so maybe changing how weight is spread around would offset some of what your head and neck will have to carry.
Not sure, it might help balance it, but I know that many friends and family members prefer contacts to glasses because even thin-frame glasses end up feeling like they get in the way, and those don't have an implicit weight issue.
I imagine it's kind of the same deal here. If someone finds reading glasses uncomfortable, then I don't think adding weight behind the person's head really helps alleviate that.
I think if the interest is in a truly untethered and free experience, as long as you have the bulk associated with the displays and lenses in front of the face, it'll still feel like it's in the way or isn't natural. But obviously even VR in the form-factor of reading glasses is a long-long-long ways off.
In the short term, I think finding ways to offset the weight from the head would help getting towards that goal.
Actually, the "glasses issue"* is why they use the big three-strap assemblage. The upper strap is key to keeping the headset's weight from pressing down on the nose and lower face. It still isn't optimal, but...
*I can't really judge this issue fairly, as I've been wearing fairly powerful glasses for most of my life. I feel weird WITHOUT them.
When properly worn, the front weight is not that bad. You don't want it so tight that it imprints itself on your forehead. The Vive now ships out with a new updated head strap that is much more comfortable. It makes me think of the hard hat with a tightening knob on the rear. Very comfy.
The commercial version that is being sold and delivered does not have the battery and power portion on the back of the headset. It is mailed out with a mesh type of bag and nylon strap that goes around your waste.
That is true. The module of the TP CAST that transmits the signal to your head works better if it is right above you. Hooking it up like it says in the directions isn't always best. I often block the line of sight by merely looking up.
The TP Cast portion that sits on your head only weighs 3 oz. I have worn the Vive set up like this for over an hour and did not even notice it up there.
If I'm reading their FAQ correctly, the dongles only do HDMI from PC-Vive; the router is the way they kludged traffic going from the VIVE back to the PC. I'm not sure why they couldn't either have the Vive dongle connect to your existing wifi, or setup an adhoc wifi link between their pair of dongles.
I think the tl;dr is that it uses WirelessHD technology to communicate what would've been the HDMI signal over a wireless signal.
The video signal goes from PC -> Their Proprietary Router -> air (wireless signal) -> proprietary receiver attachment on ViVe -> wired to the ViVe headset.
No, the video is transmitted from the TPCast Transmitter, which uses wireless HD. If you look in the diagram you can see it is separate from the TPCast Router. It also mentions to leave the USB unplugged from the TPCast Transmitter. I would imagine that the TPCast Receiver connects with the TPCast Router to transfer the USB data to the PC over ethernet.
Oh hey I was in the market for this a few years ago. I ended up going with an active (non compliant, headache inducing) HDMI extender over 2x cat 5 ethernet.
The router requirement does seem odd. Maybe they're assuming that the customer has no Wifi, but then all they really need to keep things simple is a USB WiFi adapter connected to the PC (or even better, integrated into the LinkBox) that is preconfigured to communicate with the headset module.
My guess is that using their router instead of your existing wifi lets them be heavy handed with QoS favoring VR traffic over everything else. Replacing your network instead of running a separate connection reduces the total number of networks competing for spectrum by one.
What worries me is that if that's why they're doing it then it'll struggle in apartment buildings or other denser urban areas where too many wifi networks are fighting over spectrum it's going to glitch out when it spends too long in backoff mode. IMO, if I'm right about why they did it, it's a case where they should've used 60Ghz radios both ways even if they're more expensive than commodity 5Ghz parts. $300 is already a very premium accessory; and if its glitchy a lot of people are going to get a permanent negative impression of your company.
" It claims that the wireless adapter has an input latency of 2 ms, which is lower than “<7ms latency” featured by HTC’s wireless accessory for Vive created with Intel."
It's also a lot lower than the 5ms the SiBeam WHD modules alone claim as their average latency, WITHOUT taking into account the additional lossy compression/decompression stages used to drop the bandwidth needed enough to use the 2015-era WHD modules.
I've yet to see anyone actually perform a quantitative test of the TPCast system to confirm it's true latency.
I'm sure it's going to have unnoticeable lag. My projector's got 60GHZ wireless 1080p also and the lag is just not there, I think Epson said it adds 1-2ms!
All I know is that it works. I got this unit in 4 days ago and I have played it for hours. At first, when I just had its transmitter hanging loose off the wall, it was a little glitchy. I later "aimed" it at my play space and since then, no issues. I can't tell a difference between playing with the TPCast and playing wired....except the wire is out of my way. It is much more liberating not getting tangled up in the cord. I did buy an extra battery though. It only works for about 4 hours on a charge. I have kids.
So the Vive is 599, and this "adapter" is 299. that's almost 900.. and you already need a powerful PC to to do the VR, and then you will need the actual VR content, which is still few.
It is pricey. With Microsoft going out there with its "Mixed Reality" headsets (They just want to change the name from Virtual Reality -- stupid thing to do) at under $500 with controllers and no cameras or transmitters needed, its a tough call. Once they get full STEAM support, they may be the better buy. You will still need a good computer, no matter what type of VR system you get. I bought the Vive so I'm set. I love the 225 sq ft of play area.
> Anker PowerCore 20100 mAh (100.5 Wh) accumulator that provides up to five hours of battery life to the head mounted display. (interesting aside: at that capacity, it cannot be taken on-board aircraft.)
The battery capacity is for the internal voltage of 3.7V not 5V output, so it only have a capacity of 74.4WH, thus compliant.
I want to see some actual user reactions to it before I jump on board. Doesn't it seem like a good size battery pack, placed directly on the head, is going to make the thing hot AND heavy? Not in the good way.
You don't place the anker on your head, it goes in your pocket. The Chinese version battery was much smaller and people put it on their head, the USA version that lasts 5 hours is likely going to go in your back pocket.
My TPCast shipped from NewEgg yesterday (11/14). It did say it was slated to ship 11/20. Interesting that it's going to come so fast? It shows out of stock on NewEgg now (ETA 11/20).
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JoeyJoJo123 - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
Looks okay. The proprietary router and $299 price is kind of offputting. It's also probably a bit cumbersome to have _even more weight_ to your head.Realistically should've been attachable to a user's upper arm, back, or waist. The Vive headset is already pretty heavy as-is for sessions longer than an hour or so.
PeachNCream - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
I don't have a Vive so I don't know for sure, but would the fact that some of the extra hardware ends up on the back of the head and the rest on the top balance out the Vive? It looks front heavy so maybe changing how weight is spread around would offset some of what your head and neck will have to carry.JoeyJoJo123 - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
Not sure, it might help balance it, but I know that many friends and family members prefer contacts to glasses because even thin-frame glasses end up feeling like they get in the way, and those don't have an implicit weight issue.I imagine it's kind of the same deal here. If someone finds reading glasses uncomfortable, then I don't think adding weight behind the person's head really helps alleviate that.
I think if the interest is in a truly untethered and free experience, as long as you have the bulk associated with the displays and lenses in front of the face, it'll still feel like it's in the way or isn't natural. But obviously even VR in the form-factor of reading glasses is a long-long-long ways off.
In the short term, I think finding ways to offset the weight from the head would help getting towards that goal.
Lord of the Bored - Tuesday, November 14, 2017 - link
Actually, the "glasses issue"* is why they use the big three-strap assemblage. The upper strap is key to keeping the headset's weight from pressing down on the nose and lower face. It still isn't optimal, but...*I can't really judge this issue fairly, as I've been wearing fairly powerful glasses for most of my life. I feel weird WITHOUT them.
Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
When properly worn, the front weight is not that bad. You don't want it so tight that it imprints itself on your forehead. The Vive now ships out with a new updated head strap that is much more comfortable. It makes me think of the hard hat with a tightening knob on the rear. Very comfy.Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
The commercial version that is being sold and delivered does not have the battery and power portion on the back of the headset. It is mailed out with a mesh type of bag and nylon strap that goes around your waste.piroroadkill - Tuesday, November 14, 2017 - link
Occlusion problems. It needs to have direct line of sight as often as possible.Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
That is true. The module of the TP CAST that transmits the signal to your head works better if it is right above you. Hooking it up like it says in the directions isn't always best. I often block the line of sight by merely looking up.Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
The TP Cast portion that sits on your head only weighs 3 oz. I have worn the Vive set up like this for over an hour and did not even notice it up there.Danvelopment - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
Someone has been typing HMD and HDMI too long.Can someone explain the router? I don't understand why that exists or is required. Transmitter > receiver. What does the router do?
DanNeely - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
If I'm reading their FAQ correctly, the dongles only do HDMI from PC-Vive; the router is the way they kludged traffic going from the VIVE back to the PC. I'm not sure why they couldn't either have the Vive dongle connect to your existing wifi, or setup an adhoc wifi link between their pair of dongles.https://www.tpcastvr.com/faq
JoeyJoJo123 - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
I think the tl;dr is that it uses WirelessHD technology to communicate what would've been the HDMI signal over a wireless signal.The video signal goes from PC -> Their Proprietary Router -> air (wireless signal) -> proprietary receiver attachment on ViVe -> wired to the ViVe headset.
extide - Tuesday, November 14, 2017 - link
No, the video is transmitted from the TPCast Transmitter, which uses wireless HD. If you look in the diagram you can see it is separate from the TPCast Router. It also mentions to leave the USB unplugged from the TPCast Transmitter. I would imagine that the TPCast Receiver connects with the TPCast Router to transfer the USB data to the PC over ethernet.PC -> HDMI -> Vive Box -> TPCast Transmitter -> wireless -> TPCast Receiver (for video)
TPCast Receiver <-> TPCast Router <-> Ethernet <-> PC (for USB and other control signals)
willis936 - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
Oh hey I was in the market for this a few years ago. I ended up going with an active (non compliant, headache inducing) HDMI extender over 2x cat 5 ethernet.Charlie22911 - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
Almost ordered one, but this router nonsense is a dealbreaker.mrvco - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
The router requirement does seem odd. Maybe they're assuming that the customer has no Wifi, but then all they really need to keep things simple is a USB WiFi adapter connected to the PC (or even better, integrated into the LinkBox) that is preconfigured to communicate with the headset module.DanNeely - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
My guess is that using their router instead of your existing wifi lets them be heavy handed with QoS favoring VR traffic over everything else. Replacing your network instead of running a separate connection reduces the total number of networks competing for spectrum by one.What worries me is that if that's why they're doing it then it'll struggle in apartment buildings or other denser urban areas where too many wifi networks are fighting over spectrum it's going to glitch out when it spends too long in backoff mode. IMO, if I'm right about why they did it, it's a case where they should've used 60Ghz radios both ways even if they're more expensive than commodity 5Ghz parts. $300 is already a very premium accessory; and if its glitchy a lot of people are going to get a permanent negative impression of your company.
edzieba - Monday, November 13, 2017 - link
" It claims that the wireless adapter has an input latency of 2 ms, which is lower than “<7ms latency” featured by HTC’s wireless accessory for Vive created with Intel."It's also a lot lower than the 5ms the SiBeam WHD modules alone claim as their average latency, WITHOUT taking into account the additional lossy compression/decompression stages used to drop the bandwidth needed enough to use the 2015-era WHD modules.
I've yet to see anyone actually perform a quantitative test of the TPCast system to confirm it's true latency.
007ELmO - Wednesday, November 15, 2017 - link
I'm sure it's going to have unnoticeable lag. My projector's got 60GHZ wireless 1080p also and the lag is just not there, I think Epson said it adds 1-2ms!Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
There is no lag. If there was, I would get a headache.Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
All I know is that it works. I got this unit in 4 days ago and I have played it for hours. At first, when I just had its transmitter hanging loose off the wall, it was a little glitchy. I later "aimed" it at my play space and since then, no issues. I can't tell a difference between playing with the TPCast and playing wired....except the wire is out of my way. It is much more liberating not getting tangled up in the cord. I did buy an extra battery though. It only works for about 4 hours on a charge. I have kids.Xajel - Tuesday, November 14, 2017 - link
So the Vive is 599, and this "adapter" is 299. that's almost 900.. and you already need a powerful PC to to do the VR, and then you will need the actual VR content, which is still few.Damn, gaming stuff are expensive !!
Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
It is pricey. With Microsoft going out there with its "Mixed Reality" headsets (They just want to change the name from Virtual Reality -- stupid thing to do) at under $500 with controllers and no cameras or transmitters needed, its a tough call. Once they get full STEAM support, they may be the better buy. You will still need a good computer, no matter what type of VR system you get. I bought the Vive so I'm set. I love the 225 sq ft of play area.pojk3n - Tuesday, November 14, 2017 - link
> Anker PowerCore 20100 mAh (100.5 Wh) accumulator that provides up to five hours of battery life to the head mounted display. (interesting aside: at that capacity, it cannot be taken on-board aircraft.)The battery capacity is for the internal voltage of 3.7V not 5V output, so it only have a capacity of 74.4WH, thus compliant.
SGTPan - Wednesday, November 15, 2017 - link
I want to see some actual user reactions to it before I jump on board. Doesn't it seem like a good size battery pack, placed directly on the head, is going to make the thing hot AND heavy? Not in the good way.007ELmO - Wednesday, November 15, 2017 - link
You don't place the anker on your head, it goes in your pocket. The Chinese version battery was much smaller and people put it on their head, the USA version that lasts 5 hours is likely going to go in your back pocket.Handi101 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - link
My earlier posts....it comes with a mesh bag and waste strap to hold it to your hip. I made a 3D printed belt clip to get rid of the bag and strap.007ELmO - Wednesday, November 15, 2017 - link
My TPCast shipped from NewEgg yesterday (11/14). It did say it was slated to ship 11/20. Interesting that it's going to come so fast? It shows out of stock on NewEgg now (ETA 11/20).