PC VR headset

[da na]

I'd like to purchase a used VR headset for under $100, it seems most of them nowadays are standalone. I'd much rather have a headset I can connect to my computer (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI). I've never done VR before so this world is entirely new to me. What do I actually need - Just the headset and controllers (and cables of course) or do I need to purchase any other accessories? 

I've been looking at the Rift S since those are quite inexpensive. Any other suggestions?
Thanks!

[whispous]

Second hand Rift S is a great buy if you find one for $100 - you'll just need them to comfirm it's working, and comes with a left and right touch controller.

 

It will use a Displayport socket on the GPU.

 

What's your PC spec and what games do you want to play on it?

[da na]

12 minutes ago, whispous said:

Second hand Rift S is a great buy if you find one for $100 - you'll just need them to comfirm it's working, and comes with a left and right touch controller.

 

It will use a Displayport socket on the GPU.

 

What's your PC spec and what games do you want to play on it?

I'll use it on my 9800 GX2 if I can. Not sure if SLI works over VR, don't think anyone has been crazy enough to try it. If I have to, I'd use my RTX A4500.

Not too interested in games, I'd just like to play around with it. Goal is to use it like a regular PC monitor, if even possible.

[whispous]

25 minutes ago, da na said:

I'll use it on my 9800 GX2 if I can. Not sure if SLI works over VR, don't think anyone has been crazy enough to try it. If I have to, I'd use my RTX A4500.

Not too interested in games, I'd just like to play around with it. Goal is to use it like a regular PC monitor, if even possible.

That's a 15+ year old GPU. There's no way it's going to work in a million years. SLI doesn't work as it's not supported by any of the software that you'd play in VR.

[da na]

6 minutes ago, whispous said:

That's a 15+ year old GPU. There's no way it's going to work in a million years. SLI doesn't work as it's not supported by any of the software that you'd play in VR.

Do I have a fundamental misunderstanding of how PC VR works? I thought I could just use the headset like any monitor. Does it really only work with supported graphics cards and games?

[whispous]

20 minutes ago, da na said:

Do I have a fundamental misunderstanding of how PC VR works? I thought I could just use the headset like any monitor. Does it really only work with supported graphics cards and games?

Given the last driver for that GPU was in 2015, i would expect serious issues from the first moment.

[da na]

4 minutes ago, whispous said:

Given the last driver for that GPU was in 2015, i would expect serious issues from the first moment.

All my 8000-9000 series (and their corresponding Quadros) run all the software I need them to, so if a VR headset is the same as attaching another display I don't see why it wouldn't work.

I do have much newer graphics cards I could use if absolutely necessary (GTX 950, Radeon Pro Duo Navi, RTX A4500) but I'd much prefer to use ye olde 9800 GX2. Possibly the Quadro FX4800 would be better, I believe its last driver is a bit newer? But packs the same hardware as the 9800 GTX.

[whispous]

It is and it isn't "just a display". It's (usually) two different images at higher than 1080p (sometimes 4k) at 65-120+ FPS, plus a modern USB3 port. It loads a whole computer-rendered environment to virtually place desktop screens in - and then only existing screens, not extra ones.

[jaslion]

1 hour ago, da na said:

PC VR works? I thought I could just use the headset like any monitor. Does it really only work with supported graphics cards and games?

Yes.

 

The virtual desktop is emulated in a 3d space. The rift needs dx 11 to function as do any other headset. Also usb 3.0 and a capable cpu.

 

To us a virtual desktop feature you'll need an extra piece of software and you have to have a modern enough os for it

 

https://www.vrdesktop.net/

 

Is one works on windows 10, your headset needs dx11 to function, you also need a in spec hdmi or dp port for enough bandwith as vr even just viewing a movie at low refresh rate is EXTREMELY motion sickening. So you need capable hardware and a decent cpu so tracking doesnt fuck up badly.

 

 

[da na]

17 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Yes.

 

The virtual desktop is emulated in a 3d space. The rift needs dx 11 to function as do any other headset. Also usb 3.0 and a capable cpu.

 

To us a virtual desktop feature you'll need an extra piece of software and you have to have a modern enough os for it

 

https://www.vrdesktop.net/

 

Is one works on windows 10, your headset needs dx11 to function, you also need a in spec hdmi or dp port for enough bandwith as vr even just viewing a movie at low refresh rate is EXTREMELY motion sickening. So you need capable hardware and a decent cpu so tracking doesnt fuck up badly.

 

 

Alright so maybe not the 9800 GX2 then, but my Xeon CPU should be able to handle it as long as it isn't dependent entirely on single core performance. Thanks for the software links, will check those out.

[jaslion]

2 minutes ago, da na said:

Alright so maybe not the 9800 GX2 then, but my Xeon CPU should be able to handle it as long as it isn't dependent entirely on single core performance. Thanks for the software links, will check those out.

What are the specs of this pc?

 

It is VERY reliant on single core

 

If this is a core 2 era system then well thats just a flat no unfortunatly

[da na]

10 minutes ago, jaslion said:

What are the specs of this pc?

 

It is VERY reliant on single core

Aw damn. I don't do gaming so my computers aren't really up for the task...

 

Was planning to use a Core 2 Quad Q9650 with 4GB DDR2-1066 and 2x Quadro FX 4800 SLI or 9800GX2. Wanted to experience some 2000s tech demos in VR. Seeming like that won't work though.

 

Best CPU I have is: Dual Xeon E5-2697v4 (36c72t) with 8x8GB DDR4-2133 ECC. Currently have an RTX A4500 paired with that.

I also have a Xeon E5-2690 v1 8-core which performs a little better in single core. Currently a 950 SSC is in there.

And some X-series Xeons that I'm sure are worse.

I also have some 8 core Ryzen CPU, maybe a 3700x? Maybe that might perform better but that system is unbelievably unreliable. I'm sure plugging in a VR headset would forever render it completely useless. (Board is from ewaste, ethernet doesn't work, neither does XMP, RGB is stuck on, etc... and drivers for the Radeon Pro Duo don't help its case.)

[jaslion]

11 minutes ago, da na said:

Was planning to use a Core 2 Quad Q9650 with 4GB DDR2-1066 and 2x Quadro FX 4800 SLI or 9800GX2. Wanted to experience some 2000s tech demos in VR. Seeming like that won't work though.

Yeah thats juat not gonna work at all unfortunatly.

 

12 minutes ago, da na said:

Best CPU I have is: Dual Xeon E5-2697v4 (36c72t) with 8x8GB DDR4-2133 ECC. Currently have an RTX A4500 paired with that.

That'll do nicely

 

12 minutes ago, da na said:

I also have a Xeon E5-2690 v1 8-core which performs a little better in single core. Currently a 950 SSC is in there.

Ehh borderline but should be ok enough?

 

12 minutes ago, da na said:

I also have some 8 core Ryzen CPU, maybe a 3700x? Maybe that might perform better but that system is unbelievably unreliable.

That will be great but whats the issue? What board are you using? Probably just a decent cheap b550 board and you are off to the races really. This would be the best option by far.

 

 

 

 

[da na]

6 minutes ago, jaslion said:

That will be great but whats the issue? What board are you using? Probably just a decent cheap b550 board and you are off to the races really. This would be the best option by far.

Pulled it from ewaste and the motherboard doesn't quite work right. Ethernet doesn't work, XMP instantly crashes the system, RGB is stuck on etc. The Radeon Pro Duo Navi card I paired it with is definitely not helping reliability either, but the main issue is definitely the board's exposure to leaking AIO fluid and shattered glass from the side panel. 

 

I'm sure it could be a decent system if it was working correctly, but if I'm already buying a headset just to mess around with I am not very inclined to also purchase a new motherboard for a CPU I do not use.

[Kilrah]

2 hours ago, da na said:

Do I have a fundamental misunderstanding of how PC VR works? I thought I could just use the headset like any monitor.

VR headsets from the past decade are a flat display behind lenses that heavily distort the image, because that's cheap to manufacture. The GPU needs to essentially compute the opposite of the lens distortion to get things looking right. Then compared to a normal game it has to do that plus render the game twice, once for each eye. And also ideally render both of those images at a higher framerate than would be considered sufficient on a monitor so you don't feel queasy.

So yeah, count at least 4x the performance you'd expect to need for a monitor at a given resolution.