While Oculus Rift and HTC Vive may grab a lot of the virtual reality (VR) press Razer’s OSVR HDK 2 is still the only headset for true open source VR. Today the company has announced the latest update for its HDK Windows Installer, version 0.8.0, making it easier to install software whilst adding loads of updated features.
The software is designed as an all-in-one package for setting up the head-mounted display (HMD) and this latest version comes with a revamped and simplified user experience.
Alongside an easier setup experience OSVR has endeavoured to improve the device further by improving the positional tracking, quicker access to its Steam videogames, and official support for Nvidia hardware. Here’s a quick summary of the new features:
- Fast access to over 300 supported games on Steam
- Toggle key features and configurations on and off for the best experience
- Easy to create, test and set custom configurations for developers
- Vastly improved positional tracking for both native and SteamVR content
- More intuitive controls, tools, and configuration settings
- Improved configuration files, updated drivers, and components
- Easier-to-use firmware updater
- Officially supports NVIDIA, with beta support for AMD
- Improved overall stability
OSVR only gained Steam support back in November 2016, making the headset far more attractive to consumers and developers alike.
2016 also saw the launch o the OSVR Developer Fund, a $5 million USD initiative aimed at incentivising developers to spur VR development through the production of open-platform content. The fund has seen hundreds of applications since its arrival.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of OSVR, reporting back with any further updates.