Category: TPCAST

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VRstudios to Deliver new VR Arcade Systems Thanks to TPCAST

VRStudios, the location-based virtual reality (VR) company, has today announced its latest partnership to improve its tech offerings to commercial outlets. The company has now partnered with Beijing-based TPCAST to use its wireless technology in a new VRcade product line.

The partnership with TPCAST will provide VRstudios with technology that will be utilised for a new product concept (to be announced soon) that will complement the company’s existing VRcade Zone and VRcade Arena systems.

HTC Vive TPCAST

“VRstudios was the first company in the world to provide totally wireless, full-motion capability to virtual reality,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios’ CEO in a statement. “By partnering with TPCAST we can provide an even more comprehensive product line of high performance attractions to address the requirements of LBE facilities around the globe. This exemplifies the benefits of our Attraction Management Platform(tm) that has been designed to allow easy integration of the best emerging technologies in the VR industry.”

“We are excited to partner with VRstudios, the leader in delivering immersive VR attractions to the  commercial LBE market, and enable them to expand the LBE industry and create a pivotal change in the future of wireless, full-motion, arena-scale VR,” said Udi Yuhjtman, TPCAST’s North America GM.  “TPCAST is committed to the VR market by supporting untethered high-end systems providing a fully immersive experience with enhanced video and audio quality.”

VRStudios announced the VRcade Arena and its Attraction Management Platform (AMP) software back in June, as a means of providing a warehouse-scale VR platform for up to eight simultaneous users, offering full-motion, immersive and competitive gaming experiences.

AMP as well as a half-sized VRcade Arena will be demonstrated for the first time publicly at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando, Florida, 14-17 November.

TPCAST is already available for HTC Vive and most recently the company announced work on a version for Oculus Rift. The company has said the Wireless Adapter will be available by the end of Q4 2017, supporting 2K video transmission at 90FPS with sub 2ms latency and a 5 hour battery life.

As further details are released VRFocus will keep you updated.

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VR Headsets to see Mass Adoption of WiGig for Wireless Solution

Virtual reality (VR) has been steadily growing over the past few years, with the consumer head-mounted displays (HMDs) becoming available and new technologies pushing the boundaries of the experiences coming to the medium. However, one of the major hurdles to mainstream adoption remains the cables high-end devices have connected to either a PC or PlayStation 4 console. This may well change soon thanks to the likes of TPCast and DisplayLink, and a new report suggests that future HMDs will likely adopt WiGig technology for wireless narrowcast.

HTC Vive TPCAST

Wireless connectivity is increasingly important for VR users to have better experience, and ABI Research forecasts that almost 84% of tethered VR HMDs will have wireless connectivity using WiGig in 2022. A wired connection between the HMD and PC’s or consoles can restrict the freedom of movement for users, and while mobile and standalone devices run without the need of a cable connection, processing power is limited compared to tethered VR devices. In addition to TPCast and DisplayLink, chipset developers such as Intel, Qualcomm and Peraso are working together with hardware manufacturers to add wireless connectivity using WiGig in tethered VR devices.

Development of Cloud VR applications are expected to be another driver of wireless connectivity in VR HMDs, with the recent announcement of HTC partnering with Dalian Television and Beijing Cyber Cloud to test cloud VR service highlighting a potential future. Much like Cloudgine’s physics engine technology, rendering is done in cloud servers which allows users to access VR applications from anywhere without the requirement of a high-end PC.

“A high data rate and low latency connectivity are required for Cloud VR applications. WiGig which can provide up to 7 Gbps connectivity will play important role to support high bandwidth applications for indoor use,” stated Khin Sandi Lynn, industry analyst at ABI Research. “High capacity, low latency 5G networks will be essential for deployment of Cloud VR applications for mobile and standalone VR devices.”

ABI Research forecasts that 5G connectivity will be available in VR HMD starting from 2020 and over 2.6 million VR HMDs will support 5G connectivity in 2022. These findings are from ABI Research’s Connectivity in VR report.

Of course, the standalone HMDs in question are Oculus VR’s Santa Cruz, expected to launch late in 2018, and Google & Vive’s forthcoming device currently believed to be known as ‘HTC Vive Focus’. This collaboration was originally stated to be releasing in 2017 at Google I/O back in May of this year, however there has been little information concerning the HMD since. VRFocus will of course keep you updated with any further details on Santa Cruz, the HTC Vive Focus and other wireless VR HMD technologies.

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TPCAST Announces Wireless Adapter for Oculus Rift, Arriving Q4 2017

TPCAST, the company known for creating a wireless adapter for HTC Vive, announced that they’ll be delivering a device that supports the Oculus Rift by the end of the year.

Update (10/19/17): TPCast has provided further clarification that their wireless solution for Rift is a separate unit from those Vive-only units sold in China and Europe.

If you own a PC VR headset (aka ‘tethered’), you’ve probably already mastered the strange dance you have to do to untangle the cable during room-scale gameplay. The cable, housing within it an HDMI and data/power-transmitting USB cord, is probably one of the greatest limiting factors to making the room-scale experience truly immersive.

image courtesy TPCAST

TPCast maintains their solution can transmit up 5 meters away at 2k (2160×1200) with a latency of less than 2ms. Battery power, provided by an external powerbank, is said to last up to 5 hours.

This is accomplished via a head-mounted transmitter that draws current from a 20,000mAh power bank. The signal is transmitted through both a dedicated WiFi router for data and a special receiver attached to your PC for video.

The company first launched its Vive-only transmitter in China six months ago and has been filling orders until it went out of stock just recently. While pre-orders for the transmitter aren’t available in the US anymore (Microsoft’s pre-order page has since disappeared), the European market is expecting pre-order delivery later this week from its various distributors.

TPCast maintains their “Wireless Adapter for Oculus Rift” is slated to arrive “by the end of Q4 2017.” It’s unclear in what capacity Rift support will arrive, whether it be in a dedicated Rift-specific unit, or a unit that supports both Rift and Vive. We’ve reached out to TPCast for comment, and will be updating soon.

“TPCAST is committed to support the Oculus Rift HMD with our unique wireless technology solutions, and provide VR users a high-quality, immersive VR encounter,” stated Michael Liu, TPCAST CEO. “With the TPCAST wireless adapter, we will be changing the VR usage and experience by providing the complete freedom of movement with no cables.”

The post TPCAST Announces Wireless Adapter for Oculus Rift, Arriving Q4 2017 appeared first on Road to VR.

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Oculus Rift wird kabellos – TPCAST Support für 2017 bestätigt

Obwohl die TPCAST Entwickler das Vive X Programm von HTC durchlaufen hatten, hält es sie nicht davon ab, ihr System für kabelloses VR auch fit für die Oculus Rift zu machen.

TPCAST Support für 2017 bestätigt

Wie VRFocus berichtet, soll der TPCAST noch in diesem Jahr einen Support für die Oculus Rift erhalten. Theoretisch schafft der TPCAST eine kabellose Übertragung eines 2K Videos bei 90 FPS mit 2ms Latenz. Damit reicht das Produkt also für die aktuelle Generation an VR-Brillen aus und es bleibt spannend, ob das Unternehmen auch die neuen Windows Mixed Reality Brillen von Microsoft unterstützen kann und wird.

In Deutschland wird der TPCAST derzeit für 349 Euro angeboten, was definitiv ein stolzer Preis ist. Dafür könnt ihr jedoch bis zu 5 Stunden am Stück ohne nervende Kabel die Virtual Reality erleben. Falls ihr eine Oculus Rift besitzt, solltet ihr jedoch noch mit dem Kauf warten, bis geklärt ist, ob zusätzliche Hardware oder sogar ein neues Modell des TPCASTs zum Betrieb notwendig ist oder der Support per Softwareupdate eingespielt werden kann.

Wenn ihr mehr über das TPCAST-System erfahren wollt, dann schaut doch in unseren ausführlichen Test zum Produkt.

Der Beitrag Oculus Rift wird kabellos – TPCAST Support für 2017 bestätigt zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

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TPCAST Working on Wireless Support for Oculus Rift

Talk about wireless virtual reality (VR) and one of the companies likely to be mentioned is TPCAST, the Vive X Accelerator startup that announced work on a wireless module for HTC Vive in 2016. Since then the device has been made available in China and pre-orders opened up in North America last month – although getting hold of one is another matter. Today the company has revealed that an Oculus Rift version is being worked on.

One of the biggest issues most users have with high-end VR is the cable linking the headset to the PC, so that even with room-scale experiences there’s still that feeling of being tethered, and not quite having complete freedom in a virtual world.  The TPCast Wireless Adapter supports 2K video transmission at 90FPS with sub 2ms latency, supplied with a battery to power the headset and the wireless module that can last for up 5 hours of operation.

TPCast_picture[1]

“TPCAST is committed to support the Oculus Rift HMD with our unique wireless technology solutions, and provide VR users a high-quality, immersive VR encounter,” stated Michael Liu, TPCAST CEO in a statement. “With the TPCAST wireless adapter, we will be changing the VR usage and experience by providing the complete freedom of movement with no cables attached.”

So when can Oculus Rift users go wireless? Well TPCAST has said the Wireless Adapter for Oculus Rift will be available by the end of Q4 2017.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on VRFocus’ coverage of Oculus Connect 4 (OC4) yesterday you’ll have noticed that Oculus is itself exploring wireless VR. But not through connection to a PC. Instead it revealed Oculus Go, a standalone headset with internal specifications similar to that of a smartphone for $199, competing against devices like Pico Goblin.

While the other announcement was for an updated version of Project Santa Cruz, itself having on-board processing but this device has inside-out tracking so no external sensors are needed.

As further details on TPCAST for Oculus Rift are revealed, VRFocus will keep you updated.

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Microsoft Selling TPCast for HTC Vive in NA, Pre-Orders Now Available

The TPCast Wireless Adapter for HTC Vive opened European pre-orders last month, and today the pre-order campaign for North American has begun. The unlikeliest of partners, Microsoft, has kicked-off pre-orders through its online store.

HTC Vive TPCAST

The TPCast Wireless Adapter is an easy-to-install wireless solution for HTC Vive virtual reality (VR) experiences. The head-mounted display (HMD) receiver mounts directly to the HTC Vive and wirelessly communicates with the included PC transmitter, while a long life battery allows for up to six hours of gameplay between charges.

The TPCast Wireless Adapter will retail for $299 USD, and comes bundled with the following content:

  • PC transmitter
  • HMD receiver
  • Power box (with a 20000Am.h power bank)
  • Router
  • USB long type connection line
  • HDMI short type connection line
  • User guide

It’s somewhat of a shock that Microsoft are leading the field as an online retailer for the TPCast Wireless Adapter, given the recent announcement of the consumer launch for the Windows 10 Mixed Reality HMDs. However, one can assume that the retail team act independently, and thus have chosen to partner for the launch of the TPCast Wireless Adapter as an isolated agreement.

The device will officially launch on 25th September 2017, with pre-orders are available now at the Microsoft Store. VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details on the TPCast Wireless Adapter.

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Erste deutsche Händler listen TPCast-Wireless-Lösung für HTC Vive

Gerüchteweise sollte das Wireless-Set TPCast bereits am 1. September erhältlich sein, noch ist allerdings nicht lieferbar. Zwei Händler haben die drahtlose Lösung für die HTC Vive jetzt aber zur Vorbestellung gelistet. Das gute Stück, mit dem man das VR-Headset vom lästigen Kabel befreit, hat allerdings ihren Preis: 349 Euro soll das TPCast-Set kosten.

TPCast kommt im Oktober nach Deutschland

In unserem Praxis-Test konnte uns die Wireless-Lösung TPCast zwar überzeugen, jedoch fällt der Preis hierzulande doch recht happig aus. Liegt das Set im chinesischen Shop von HTC bei umgerechnet unter 200 Euro, müssen Käufer in Deutschland 350 Euro hinblättern. Das TPCast besteht aus einem Router, einem Sender, einem Empfänger und einem handelsüblichen Akku. Den steckt man sich in die Tasche und verbindet ihn per Kabel mit der Brille. So ganz und gar kabellos ist man damit zwar dann doch nicht, aber zumindest droht man nicht Gefahr, über eine Verbindung zu stolpern. Ansonsten übertrug das System in dunerem Test brav die Daten und kam nur selten aus dem Tritt. Sofern man es nicht darauf anlegt. Der Akku mit einer Kapazität von 20.000 mAh soll für bis zu fünf Stunden Spielspaß am Stück sorgen.Wem das zu kurz sein sollte, kann sich einen weiteren Akku dazu kaufen.

TPCast HTC Vive

Wen der hohe Preis nicht abschreckt, kann ab sofort das TPCast vorbestellen. Im Augenblick ist das Wireless-System bei den deutschen Online-Händlern Alternate und Caseking.de gelistet, weitere Anbieter könnten aber noch hinzukommen. Während Alternate nur grob den Oktober als Liefertermin angibt, findet man bei Caseking.de ein genaueres Datum: am 20. Oktober soll es so weit sein. Ob man das TPCast-Set auch für die Oculus Rift verwenden können wird, ist derzeit noch unklar. Die Entwickler hatten die Unterstützung der Rift zwar offiziell angekündigt, bisher hat sich in dem Bereich aber wenig getan.

Der Beitrag Erste deutsche Händler listen TPCast-Wireless-Lösung für HTC Vive zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

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Pre-orders for TPCast Wireless VR Add-on Now Available in US & Europe

TPCast, the wireless streaming device that lets HTC Vive owners play VR games cable-free, is now available for pre-order in most of continental Europe starting at €349 (or the regional equivalent) and the United States at $299.

Update (09/02/17): Pre-orders are now available in the US through the Microsoft Store with release slated for 9/25/2017. The $299 pre-orders are only currently available online through Microsoft, although the TPCast website hasn’t updated with any such vendor list and will possibly include more retailers in the coming days.

Original Article (9/01/17): TPCast pre-orders are available in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and UK. Many distributors are quoting late October shipping dates.

Customers based in the US will still have to wait, as the company hasn’t said when US pre-orders will go live. The website however maintains that they’ll be shipping in the US “before Sep. 30th, 2017.”

TPCAST has already been available for pre-order via HTC’s Chinese Vive online store since November last year. Only a few short months later, HTC announced at CES earlier this year that the device would go on sale worldwide in Q2 2017 for $249. Now it’s apparent HTC isn’t handling regional distribution like they did in China though, as TPCast themselves have hand-picked a patchwork of online retailers.

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image courtesy TPCast
image courtesy TPCast
image courtesy TPCast
image courtesy TPCast

In contrast to the current European price, which converts to $415 USD, it’s uncertain if the wireless VR solution will maintain such a low price as previously stated. Despite the built-in ~23% value-added tax (VAT) found in most European countries, US pricing will likely see a similar raise in expected price.

The company says their battery provides 5 hours of play time, and that the powerbank itself is swappable for extended operation. Our friends over at UploadVR got a hands-on, stating that visual fidelity of TPCast was “very high” and there was no noticeable latency when they tried it back in June.

European TPCAST Pre-order

What’s in the box

  • 1x PC Transmitter
  • 1x HMD Receiver
  • 1x Power Box (with a 20000mAh power bank)
  • 1x Router
  • 1x USB Connection Line
  • 1x HDMI Connection Line
  • 1x User guide

Check out the full video guide from the company below to see just what sort of setup the TPCast demands.

The post Pre-orders for TPCast Wireless VR Add-on Now Available in US & Europe appeared first on Road to VR.

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TPCast HTC Vive Wireless Solution Gets European Release Date

Many people have been impatiently awaiting the official launch of the TPCast wireless solution for the HTC Vive since it was officially announced at the end of 2016. A tweet my a European retailer seems to have given away the launch date for the device the in the European region.

A tweet posted by German retailer Vrodo.de and subsequently retweeted by HTC Vive reporter SweViver showed a release date of 1st September for Europe. Translation of the original tweet indicates this would be the date that pre-orders would open, however.

There has yet to be a confirmation from TPCast themselves, or from HTC Vive, but the information falls in line with previous information from HTC that rollout of the devices would begin in Europe in late Q2 of 2017.

Previous information also indicated that the rollout of the TPCast devices would begin in China before continuing to other countries and regions. Since TPCast is a Chinese company, and HTC is based in Taiwan, this appears to make business sense. Indeed, the device is already available for Chinese consumers.

TPCast were originally part of HTC Vive’s X Accelerator where they developed the wireless solution for the HTC Vive virtual reality (VR) platform. Since one of the current criticisms for high-end VR devices is the restrictions imposed by the cables, this attracted immediate interest from consumers and businesses alike. There is even a competing device which is also close to a final version in the DisplayLink.

There is still no word on when the TPCast is expected to launch in the US.

VRFocus will bring you further news on the TPCast as it becomes available.

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TPCast Receive’s FCC Approval for Battery and Transmitter

There’s currently a race going on in the virtual reality (VR) industry to make tethered head-mounted displays (HMDs) wireless, removing one of the biggest issues that break immersion. One of the earliest solutions to be revealed was TPCast in 2016, a Chinese company that was part of HTC’s Vive X Accelerator. Now it seems as though TPCast is another step closer to a full launch – in the US at least – with both the PC transmitter and battery both getting FCC approval.

As you might expect the PC transmitter is the part of the kit that connects to the computer – via the now disconnected 3-in-1 cable from the headset – whilst still needing to connect to a router. The transmitter then needs to be placed in a suitable location – TPCast recommends somewhere close to a Lighthouse base station or on the ceiling if performance is sluggish.

TPCast transmitter location

Also getting FCC approval is the battery for the system, which powers the HMD receiver. As the header image shows, the battery attaches to the rear of the headset strap whilst the receiver sits on the top, balancing out the weight.

Whilst this is certainly a step in the right direction for US consumers, for a European launch the company will have to go through individual countries requirements which could take longer.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of TPCast, reporting back with any further announcements.