OpenVR with Windows Mixed Reality Headset?

Hi there,

the sources of information about TouchDesigner and OpenVR are quite rare, at least for a newbie who may not know the right keywords for a successful search results ;-).

Reading the thread “OpenVR Chop not working for controllers with HP Reverb headset”, it seems to be possible to use a Windows Mixed Reality Headset, as the HP Reverb (G1 / V1?) is one of those.

But OpenVR and Windows Mixed reality are different plattforms / API, so there must be reason why this works - is this because of the “bridge app” named "Windows Mixed reality for SteamVR, or is the reason the native support of SteamVR by this specific headset?

If the latter is the case, the HP Reverb G2 could be headset that works via OpenVR in TouchDesigner (as it mentions SteamVR compability on the product website)?

Has anyone experience with this headset (or another comparable) and the configuration that has to be done (in the SteamVR Client I guess), to get it work inside of TouchDesigner.

In the mentiond post above the bindings for the controllers were the problem - which makes me think, that if there is another “bridge” in between (Windows Mixed reality for SteamVR) this won’t work … bindings over a software bridge sounds more like a cause for latency and trouble than a solution ;-).

And in general from TouchDesigner perspective, is OpenVR = SteamVR, which means that all thinks mentioned in the docs/wiki for the OpenVR has to be found in the SteamVR Client?

I ask this, because I think about buying myself an affordable VR headset to explore the visual & audio potential of VR and I would like to go the TouchDesigner way (and not the game engie route) and also I am not interessted in games and alike … just visual & audio arts … any suggestions for a headset that makes sense in this manner and has a “nice price” :wink: are very much appreciated .

Thanks in advance …

Cheers
Cyya

Edit : moved it from the Beginners to Hardware category.

You can use Oculus Quest 2 with a “link cable” as an affordable way to connect a VR set to TouchDesigner. Since you aren’t loading games on it to run in stand-alone mode, you can go for the cheaper 128GB version.

Thanks @ben for your suggestion. Using the Oculus Quest 2, I still can (and have to :wink: use the Oculus Rift Top - its still the same protocol?

But just to clarify the technical / protocol alternative - can I use these “Windows Mixed Headset” with the OpenVR Top in TouchDesigner, if they support Steam VR ?

First reason : some user may have complaints using the Oculus Rift as they have to create a facebook account for using it - don’t know if this is still a requirment to setup the Oculus devices (independent from TouchDesigner).

Second reason : I am quite fascinated by the Microsoft Holo-Lense - a really expensive headset, for sure, but to just augment the reallity with content from TouchDesigner could be an awesome “thing”, especially when combined with audio / music (your VST support is great !).

To have this as an opportunity, using the same techniques discovered and developd with a more low budget device would be somehitng great.

This augmented approach has a lot of potential, as its immersive but not so intrusive - its an opportunity to see & experience “things that are” (the reality as it is) in a different (augmented) view, especially when one adds sounds to it as well.

This offers an approch to let the user virtually interact with objects by the means of sound - virtually touching real objects with sounds and let an interaction happen … this could be a lot of joy.

Again, thanks for help & cheers
Cyya

We don’t have any plans for Hololens support at this time. Any headset that supports OpenVR should work, and I know some users have used Samsung and other Mixed Reality headsets with good results. We don’t test will all headsets so some features of a particular headset may not be supported, and we don’t have a list of verified Mixed Reality HMD as we have focused our efforts of Valve Index and HTC Vive.