The next emerging frontier of technology is the ability to immerse yourself in a virtual world. While VR headsets have taken a while to perfect, the technology has definitely evolved in recent years and become more affordable, making a VR experience in reach for more consumers.
The excitement of virtual reality is that you can completely lose yourself in another world while playing a game or watching a movie. Who wouldn’t love to have a Holodeck like the one in Star Trek: The Next Generation?!.
It’s projected that over 1 billion people will regularly access virtual and augmented reality content by 2020. (The BOSS Magazine)
At Quantum PC Services, smart home automation with home network setup is one of the many services we provide to customers in Sturgeon Bay. It seems the “smart home” of the future is already here as people populate their homes with IoT (Internet of Things) devices like smart TVs, security cams, personal assistants (like Echo), and more.
While some may think virtual reality headsets like Oculus and VIVE are just for gamers, the potential for immersive experiences goes beyond that. Here are a few other interesting uses for VR:
- Virtually walking through your favorite museum or town
- Enhanced exercise experience, being right in front of a personal trainer or group
- Designing a building and entering the blueprint in 3D
- Doctors having the ability to better visualize internal areas of the body
- Manufacturer product inspections that put the inspector virtually inside every part of a vehicle
- Virtual field trips to visit past historical events
What’s the price for a VR experience? Should you buy an Oculus or a VIVE? We’ll take a deep dive into VR technology and tell you about two of the most popular headsets.
How Does VR Work?
Sometimes you go to see a 3D movie and think it really wasn’t all that different from the 2D version, other times there’s a world of difference because the technology was used to the fullest. VR headsets take 3D a step farther, by completely cutting your vision off from the real world (hence the wrap around feature of their goggles).
VR tricks your mind into believing you’re in another three-dimensional space by using two different screens (one for each eye), aka a stereoscopic display. The screens come from two slightly different angles, providing a perception of depth.
Here are some of the other components that go into that “real world” VR experience.
Field of View (FOV)
FOV is the totality of the visible world that you can see at any time. VR headsets emulate the experience you get when looking left or right or moving forward or backwards and adjust the objects and angles in your field of view accordingly to simulate the real world.
Latency
Latency is another vital component that can make the VR experience totally immersive or cause it to fall short of expectations. It’s the total time taken for data packets to be transmitted and returned to the source. Anything over 20 milliseconds in latency is generally not fast enough to maintain a realistic VR experience.
Issues with FOV, latency, and frame rate can cause motion sickness while using VR, so they’re very important aspects to consider if you want to enjoy your new VR headset.
Oculus vs VIVE | Which VR Headset is the Best?
If you’re thinking of jumping into the VR world with a headset, you’ve most likely run across two of the most well-known, Oculus by Facebook and VIVE by HTC.
Often our Quantum PC Services smart home automation unit is working with clients on their home IT plan and network setup and is asked for advice. We have a vast depth of experience with all types of business and home technologies and can answer tons of questions in minutes that might take you hours searching online.
It’s our pleasure to make your tech decisions easier!
Here’s our overview of the Oculus vs the VIVE VR Headsets.
Oculus by Facebook
The Oculus starts at $199, which is right in line with most video game consoles. They offer three different models:
- Oculus Go – $199 to $249
- Oculus Quest (coming in 2019) Advertises “no PC, no wires”
- Oculus Rift – $399
The Oculus consistently gets ratings of 4 out of 5 or higher from major IT review sites like PCMag, Tom’s Guide, and Tech Radar. It’s praised for providing an “immersive, crisp virtual reality experience.”
VIVE by HTC
The VIVE VR System has one model and is $499, coming in a bit higher than the Oculus. They advertise up to a 15’x15’ room-scale stage for their virtual immersion.
VIVE’s review ratings are almost identical to Oculus, also in the 4 out of 5 or higher range. One negative mentioned is the higher price. The VR system gets kudos for its use of whole-room VR for a completely immersive experience.
The Verdict?
Both systems are highly comparable and run neck and neck in the awards for VR systems.
While Oculus beat out VIVE and 3 other contenders to win VR Headset of the Year in 2017 at the VR awards, in 2018 the HTC VIVE pulled ahead and won that honor.
Price and the whole-room VR approach are the key differences between the two virtual reality systems.
Need Help Setting up a VR or Smart Home Automation System in Sturgeon Bay, WI?
Don’t struggle with connections and cords, we can take the hassle out of setting up a new Google Home, Virtual Reality System, smart TV, or any other smart home device. We can also personally program it to your family’s needs.
Save time & money with Quantum PC Services, contact us today online or give us a call at 920-256-1214.
