Home Blog Page 22

HTC Vive Link Box Review

0

What is the purpose of the HTC Vive link box? The name is pretty self-explanatory – it is a box which links the Vive to your PC. Simple, right? There is, however, more to the HTC Vive link box than you may initially think, so let’s break it down!

HTC Vive Link Box review

HTC Vive Link box – a power adapter essentially – helps you conveniently connect the Vive to your PC, as shown in the image above. Its main purpose is providing power to your headset, and it transfers the signal your graphics card puts out to the other end. Vive link box is also sort of a physical “bridge” between the Vive HMD and your GPU connectors, as the two are connected through it. This way, it acts as a safety feature – if you tripped over the cable you could easily rip out the computer slots of your GPU.

Link Box to PC

So the side of HTC Vive Link Box without orange ports connects to your PC / power outlet. First, ensure HDMI cable is plugged into your graphics card. After this, using the included USB cable connect the Link Box power adapter to the USB port. Have in mind that HTC Vive supports only USB 2.0 or higher. Finally, connect the link box to the power outlet using the power cord.

HTC Vive Link Box DisplayPort

You may have noticed that there is an available DisplayPort slot. If you prefer, you can connect the Link Box to your PC using DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable rather than via HDMI. The necessary cable to do this isn’t included and must be bought separately.

Link Box to Headset

Finally, it’s time to connect the HMD to the Link Box using the HTC Vive 3-in-1 cable – HDMI, USB and power. Orange goes to orange, so there’s no confusion here.

Bluetooth

The Vive Link Box power adapter contains a Bluetooth radio which can control the base stations, turning them on and off. You can also connect it to your cell phone. The HMD itself doesn’t have a Bluetooth, so it doesn’t communicate with the base stations, except fact that the Vive sensors track the light pulses coming from the stations in order to track and determine its position in 3D. The Bluetooth inside the Link Box controls the base stations, meaning there’s no need for a dongle.

HTC Vive Link Box extension cord

The one great thing about the Link Box which cannot be overlooked is that it allows you to significantly extend the cables. Unless you are planning to go wireless on the Vivethis will help a lot when it comes to organizing your VR playroom. Let’s take a look at which extension cords you should consider buying. At this time, you can lengthen USB/HDMI cables and the Link Box power cord.

How to Watch Porn on PSVR?

0

Virtual technology truly is a marvel to behold, the implementations of which are still being tapped, with new ways and possibilities being discovered on a regular basis. But, no one can deny that one of the greatest developments in that field is being made thanks to the porn industry. By some estimates, about 30% of the time spent in VR is used by consuming pornography, so if you own a PSVR, why not utilize it to bring you into the newly built land of virtual pleasures? Let us dive right in into the technicalities.

Although Sony has a love-hate relationship with the adult entertainment industry, with the release of the new 2.50 version update, they have implemented a full VR internet browser. So with that in mind, all the VR porn on the internet sits in the palm of your hand.

How to obtain the porn?

Like we said before, with the 2.50 update, PlayStation VR has been given access to a full internet browser, and with it all the porn you can consume, together with all the apps that can deliver the precise experience you’re looking for.

Basically, you have two options:
-Either you visit the desired website that streams VR porn (we recommend BadoinkVR, SexLikeReal and VRPorn.com)
-Or, you download the media files, store them on a USB drive and play them

1. Watch VR porn on PSVR using SexLikeReal

While there is a multitude of websites that produce VR content, we won’t be covering all of them, but instead, we shall focus on the most prominent, and one with great free video samples: SexLikeReal.
SLR is fully compatible with all VR headsets, such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and of course PSVR.

While the process of watching porn is pretty straightforward when using Oculus and Vive, with PSVR it’s a tiny bit more complicated. By following our instructions you will get it running in no time.

It is no wonder that the world biggest porn site has decided to dive into the world of VR porn. By some estimates, the entire VR industry will be worth close to 40 billion by 2020, of which no small part will go to the adult industry.

So, let’s dive right into the necessary steps to enter into the world of adult entertainment using PSVR:

  • Head on to the Free Videos category on SexLikeReal.com using a computer
  • Sign Up and Download the videos that have peaked your interest
  • Move the files onto a USB stick
  • Plug it into the PlayStation 4
  • The Media Player app needs to be updated to the version 2.50 of course
  • Open the file on the USB stick using the Media Player app
  • Turn on your trusty PSVR headset
  • Hold the options button on the Dualshock 4 controller
  • Select VR mode from the menu and enjoy the show!

2. Watch VR porn on PSVR using LittlStar app

As we have covered quite extensively on how to watch VR videos on a USB stick, the magical application responsible for it, LittlStar, can also be used to watch some other forms of videos. Ahem, ahem, if you have not already found out by yourself.
None the less, here we will bring you a total overview of the process and a step by step guide to watch your favorite form of adult entertainment.

1. First things first, buddy boy. Head to the PlayStation Store and navigate to the app section. Than download LittleStar VR Cinema. This application is an absolute necessity for watching a wide variety of videos. Not to mention that it’s the first and currently the only app that lets you watch 3D VR videos on PSVR.
2. Insert a PS4 compatible USB drive into your PC.
3. The USB stick must be formatted as exFAT or FAT32
4. Now create a folder on the top level of your directory called „LittlStar“
5. Dive into the depths of the Internet in pursuit of 3D VR movies you wish to consume.
6. Create a folder on your Flash USB drive called “LittlStar.” Since PlayStation VR supports side-by-side and top-bottom videos, type into the search engines something along those lines like „SBS porn videos“ or such. There is no doubt you will find a plethora of readily available videos.
7. Download the videos an put them into the LittlStar folder on your USB drive
8. And now, for the crucial part. You have to rename the files correctly for the LittlStar app to be able to recognize and play them. Depending upon the type of video, if it’s either 180 or 360 videos, or side-by-side or top-bottom, you have to include that into the filename.

A few examples:
– For a 180 side-by-side .mp4 video rename it: *filename*_SBS_180.mp4
– If it’s a 360 to-bottom .mp4 video: *filename*_TB_360.mp4
So, make sure to include the type of the video format in the name of the file, like the two examples above.


9. Then remove the USB drive from your PC and put it into the USB port on your PS4
10. Turn on your PSVR, adjust it as you see fit and open up the LittlStar VR Cinema app.
11. Navigate to the Library and scroll through the list of downloaded videos.
12. Choose the one you like and press play!

So there it is, a comprehensible and easy-to-follow guide on how to watch VR porn on your PlayStation VR headset. While still in its early days, the VR porn has gained quite a momentum in terms of both quality and quantity.

So, in the near future, there will probably be more and more studios producing adult content with an even greater level of immersion. The future is bright, for VR porn.

How to Protect Your TV During Intense VR Sessions?

0

VR is really quite the contact sport, and there are plenty of instances where people hit their furniture, or their large screen TVs, or even computer monitor screens by mistake.

These stories are so common that it might be wise to take a few precautions to make sure you don’t take your expensive television to pieces in the course of an intense VR session.

An expensive television is a loss, of course, but if you happen to punch a wall by mistake it could even lead to serious injuries. Another thing that could happen is that you strike another person, or a pet in VR.

However, there is no need to give up on VR, because with a few simple safety rules in place, you can be sure to protect your television, or the people around you during intense VR sessions.

Set boundaries

This is really by far the best tip. You know that most virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive allow you to set a safe zone.

This ensures that you don’t bump into furniture or hurt yourself striking a wall. The reason these things still happens is that people then to try to push that safe zone outwards as much as possible.

This is a big mistake.

They’ll set the edges of the safe zone so that it almost touches their furniture or their television, and then they wonder why they tend to break things by going beyond those boundaries. Here’s a small tutorial on roomscaling for the Oculus Rift.

Set a safety buffer zone

The key to avoiding breaking things beyond the limits of your safe zone is to reduce the edges of the safe zone by about two feet.

By pulling the edges of the safe zone inwards about two feet, you create a two feet buffer space that will ensure that even if you step or move past the boundaries of the safe zone, you will still not end up breaking anything or hurting yourself, or anyone else.

Make sure that family members don’t enter your VR space. Remember that it not just your TV and your furniture that is at risk here, but any family member that enters your VR space.

Build yourself a Shield

If you’re really worried that you might break through your TV by mistake during one of your more energetic VR sessions, buy a plexiglass sheet that is about a quarter of an inch in thickness, and the size of your TV.

Now stick strips of velcro to the TV and the plexiglass sheet, so that you can attach or remove the plexiglass sheet from your TV whenever you wish. This is cheaper than TV armor, but it doesn’t look too elegant, and of course you need some basic DIY skills to put this together.

Then there’s TV Armour

If you’d prefer a more elegant solution, you can just buy ‘TV armour’. This works very well, and is reasonably priced. TV armour also gives you better visual clarity. Check out the latest deals on TV armor on Amazon…

Check out the TV protection on Amazon

Put out a VR alert

The best thing you can do is to alert people around the house when you are about to engage in a VR session. Alternatively, you can simply shut and lock the door before you start up your latest VR game. Make sure that everyone knows that you cannot see or hear them in VR.

Drink and VR don’t go together

Don’t go into VR drunk. It might seem like drinking just before a VR session might be a good idea. After all, it might lead to a more ‘way-out’ experience.

In reality, though, there is a great deal of balance required for VR, and your senses don’t work as well as they do in everyday life.

If you drink before a VR session, there is a good chance you could stumble and put your hand (or head!) through the screen of your expensive television.

A seated VR session is safer

If you play your VR games seated, you’ll find that there is a lot of safety in this. Yes, a good many games feel much more intuitive and are more fun when you play them standing, but this is also more dangerous to yourself, to the people around you, and to your furniture, televisions and computers.

If you can show discipline and maintain the limits you set in VR, then engaging in VR while standing is perfectly safe. But if you feel that you lack the discipline to maintain your position and not exceed the boundaries that you set in VR, then sitting in a chair while engaging in a VR session is probably the safest thing that you could do, as there is no danger of you striking an object or a wall, or stumbling over some furniture.

There are even some very interesting VR Chairs available that can make a seated VR experience astoundingly immersive.

Mind your controllers

While the controllers for headsets like the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive generally have a safety strap that keeps the controller attached to your wrist even in the midst of an intense VR session, there are still stories of people swinging their arms wildly and letting go of a controller – which then flies across the room and breaks the television, or even hurts someone.

06 How to Protect your TV During Intense VR sessions 1

To prevent this, make sure that you hold your controllers tightly. Just because you are throwing a rock in VR, doesn’t mean that you need to enhance the realism of the experience by actually flinging your controller across the room and straight through your expensive television.

Remember that a VR world can be rather convincing

It can become difficult to remember that the controller you hold in your hand can actually fly across your living room in reality if you let go of it. Immersion in virtual reality shouldn’t extend far enough into the real world that you actually start breaking things that you’d rather not.

Just remember to ensure that the safety straps are well fastened around your wrist, and you have nothing to worry about. These are very simple tips, but following then can ensure that you don’t break expensive accessories around your house, or hurt someone, or even yourself.

The Best VR Backpacks

0

A VR backpack is an excellent solution when it comes to being rid of the mass of cables that are associated with the average VR headset. Let’s take a look at the best VR backpack PCs out there that are compatible with the Rift and Vive.

We’ll be considering different factors, such as ease of use, weight, ergonomics and much more. Let’s see how each VR backpack compares with the others.

HP Omen X VR backpack

The HP Omen X VR weighs less than 5 kg and measures 31cm x 23cm x 5cm. This HP VR backpack is very compact, and the onboard battery lasts between one hour to one and a half hours. It is possible to hot-swap the battery, so you need to ensure that you have a stock of charged batteries on hand before an intense session. This VR backpack is compatible with both the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift.

Specifications

For specifications, this HP VR backpack boasts an Intel Core i7 6700 HQ quad-core processor that clocks at between 2.6 to 3.5 GHz. The Graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. It has 32 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD.

Features and Impressions

For one thing, the design is excellent and quite stylish, with customizable lighting. The casing is solid, and is likely to last you through many energetic VR sessions. As you’ve just seen, the specifications are perfectly capable of running VR.

Since the VR backpack PC docks upright, it allows you to access a great many provided ports that will allow you to turn it into a powerful workstation at will. A highly reliable mechanical keyboard and excellent mouse are provided with it. As a VR backpack, the HP Omen X VR puts out exceptional performances.

The Omen X has very few negative aspects to it, but one of them could be that the HP VR backpack is a little difficult to set up before a VR session. The price is more or less on par with other backpack PCs on the market.

Click here for the best HP Omen X VR backpack prices


MSI VR One

When MSI first came out with their original VR backpack PC, it received a rather lukewarm reception because the ergonomics left much to be desired. But this changed with the VR One.

The first positive factor is weight

While the original MSI VR backpack PC weighed 5 kg, the VR One dropped that to just 3.6 kg. This is really a step in the right direction, because the lighter weight far outclasses other VR backpack PCs on the market.

Specifications

The specifications of this MSI VR backpack are optimal for a VR experience, and the PC boasts an Intel Core i7 with a GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card, both of which are pretty standard in VR backpack PCs today.

This VR backpack PC offers an hour and a half of active life on a charged battery, which, again, is more or less standard and on par with other backpack PCs.

Features and Impressions

The VR One is optimized for the HTC Vive, but it’s also compatible with the Oculus Rift.

Some advantages of the MSI VR backpack are the reduced weight, the ergonomic design, and the brilliant styling that makes this VR backpack look rather like a futuristic jetpack.

Another considerable advantage of this VR backpack is the excellent ventilation that pulls heat from the PC and releases it behind the user, so that the user doesn’t feel any appreciable increase of heat on his or her back. The cooling fans are very silent and will not interfere with your experience.

Another advantage of the MSI VR One is that the graphics card is upgradable, which will allow your PC to remain compatible with VR games that come out in the future.

This MSI VR backpack is more or less ideal for a room scale VR experience, and the price is more or less on par with other PCs on the market. There are virtually no negatives to it, except that you will, of course, need to have an extra monitor.

Click here for the best MSI VR One prices


HP Z VR backpack

The HP Z VR backpack is an HP VR backpack PC that is aimed at professionals, rather than at the average gamer. It is impressive in terms of looks and specifications.

Its impeccable quality is a demonstration of HP’s expertise. While it is extremely powerful, and is a fully operational workstation, this HP VR backpack is nevertheless portable enough to be used in extensive VR sessions.

Specifications

This HP VR backpack is a powerful machine, incorporating an Intel Core i7 7820 HQ processor, and an NVIDIA Quadro P5200 graphics card with 16 GB of dedicated RAM. The PC itself has 32 GB of RAM. When it was tried out in intensive conditions, the VR backpack could be used for an hour without faltering. An additional battery pack is provided, which can be swapped hot. This prevents you from having to interrupt your work.

Features and Impressions

This VR backpack is a fully functional professional level workstation, and it has very well conceptualized accessories.

The disadvantage is that at 4.5 kg it may be a little too heavy for long work or VR sessions.

Considering that this backpack PC is geared towards work, it will also require that you buy an extra set of batteries and a charging station, so that you can keep the PC going with a steady stream of hot swapped batteries.

Click here for the best HP Z VR backpack prices


Zotac VR Go

This rather spartan Zotac VR backpack is a powerful gaming machine, and will allow you to play most VR games at the requisite 90 frames per second that allows you to avoid the nausea associated with VR.

While the Zotac VR Go backpack PC is relatively heavy compared to other makes on the market, it is rather comfortable to wear, and the weight is very well distributed.

The design also allows heat to dissipate perfectly, so that the PC doesn’t feel hot on one’s back. The Zotac VR Go’s hot swappable batteries will allow you around two hours of gaming in virtual reality.

The system runs whisper smooth, and the connections and setup are effortless. If you’re looking for a VR backpack PC for gaming, the VR Go is a reasonable choice.

Other Impressions

One disadvantage of the VR Go is that the 250 GB of storage space is hardly suitable for modern games. The case is also rather light, being made of simple plastic. Since the system uses the original Vive cables, and since these are rather long, these cables tend to hang behind you as you use this Zotac VR backpack. The price is also significantly higher than other VR PCs on the market. The weight is the real issue with this backpack, since it weighs in at 4.2 kg, and this can be quite heavy if you’re playing some enthusiastic and energetic VR game.

Click here for the best Zotac VR Go prices


Those are some of the top backpack PCs on the market

Each has different specifications, and while some have the advantage of a lower price, others are more professional workstations that could carry a heavier load.

Still others have been designed with light weight in mind, which makes them far easier to use than the heavier backpack PCs.

Weigh the specifications of each model to choose the one that you like best.

What’s The Best HTC Vive Tripod Out There?

0

A good HTC Vive tripod can help you to optimize the tracking of your Vive. This is how it works. It is the lighthouses that allow your HTC Vive to detect the position and the movements of a user in real time. To take the best advantage of the room scale system, it is necessary to place the two base stations at two opposing corners of the game space. To do this, HTC provides two wall mountings, but many users do not want to drill holes in the walls of their room. This can also be a concern if you’re living in a rented home.

Fortunately, the lighthouses are compatible with any tripod or other fixture that has the standard 1/4 inch screw that is commonly used in the field of photography.

This means that a large variety of tripods are actually compatible with the HTC Vive’s lighthouses, and can be used to support the lighthouses, instead of the standard wall mounts. Best of all, these tripods are easily available. You could go to a photographic equipment store to buy a tripod with the right size of screw. Microphone tripods are also often compatible with the Vive’s lighthouses.

There are some excellent tripods that you can use with the HTC Vive lighthouses below, but if you’re interested in looking at different tripods at your local photography store, remember that the tripods must have a compatible screw, extend to head height, and be strong and stable enough to support the lighthouses without being accidentally knocked over.

An HTC Vive Tripod has definite advantages

Tripods have the advantage of being very easy to install or to shift into another room. They are also easily folded away for storage. However, before you decide on using an HTC Vive tripod for your lighthouses, you should understand that the tripod will take up floor space, which reduces the amount of available space in-game. You also have to ensure that you do not trip on the legs of a tripod by mistake. Another thing that can affect tracking when using a tripod is if vibrations actually shift the tripod.

These are not major issues, but they underline the fact that you need to purchase a sturdy and heavy duty tripod that will not shift during a game. I reiterate that an HTC Vive tripod should be able to raise a lighthouse to a height that is greater than your own. Here are some good tripods that meet these specifications.

Cayer BV30

This is a very solid and reliable HTC Vive tripod that is also a good deal heavier than you would expect, which is a very good thing because it will prevent the lighthouses from shifting or moving around slightly due to vibrations.

It is much superior to the cheap light plastic tripods that are generally available, and which could easily tip over, causing catastrophic damage to your lighthouses. This tripod sits in place very solidly, though you must bear in mind that it will take some effort to shift it when you actually want to move it around.

It is very easy to set this tripod up once you’ve done it once or twice. Adjusting the height of this tripod is done by extending the legs rather than with a crank as with other tripods. The height of the tripod is more than adequate for the lighthouses.

htc vive tripod cayer

Cayer provides excellent customer service, and will usually email you after your tripod arrives to check whether you’re happy with it and if you have any suggestions. If there’s any actual problem, their customer service is more than helpful. This is an excellent company, and their products are really worth buying.

Order Cayer BV30 tripod via Amazon

The LYPCTECH Heavy Duty Tripod

This tripod is an excellent one to use with your HTC Vive lighthouses as it has large legs that lock into place and adjustment knobs that will allow you to position the lighthouses precisely.

There is also a spreader system on the tripod that ensures that it sits on the ground stable and that it’s unlikely to tip over. The tripod is very sturdy and durable, made of aircraft aluminium.

The tripod folds down to less than a foot and a half, and will fully extend to above head height. The rubber base of the tripod is designed to grip your floor and to resist wear to a considerable extent.

The tripod has a special locking pin in place to prevent lighthouses from falling to the ground due to an equipment failure. The ergonomic adjustment system allows for easy adjustment of the height of the tripod to best suit the tracking requirements of your Vive.

Order LYPCTECH Heavy Duty tripod via Amazon

The miliboo MTT601A

htc vive tripod miliboo

This tripod is light years ahead of any other supporting tripod on the market. It sits massively and immovably in place, giving you a feeling of absolute security when you set up your lighthouses.

The tripod will allow your lighthouses to rise to around head height, and the floor support system will ensure that the tripod does not tilt or fall over. For the price, this tripod spells utter quality and is definitely worth buying.

Order miliboo MTT601A tripod via Amazon