Kabellose Virtual Reality – TPCAST macht PC VR-Brillen kabellos

Im ersten Quartal 2017 soll die HTC Vive mit einem kleinen Upgrade nun kabellos die Daten vom stationären PC empfangen. Entgegen unseren ursprünglichen Spekulationen war eine Bestellung des im kommenden Jahr erscheinenden Datentransmitters von TPCAST nach Europa doch nicht so leicht möglich. Während des Bestellprozesses konnten Vorbesteller nur chinesische Adressen angeben. Selbst wenn man dann die Adresse eines Freundes oder Bekannten im Land der aufgehenden Sonne angegeben hat, musste man die Bestellung mit einem chinesischen Konto oder Paymentsystem abschließen. An diesen Hürden werden einige VR-Nerds sicher gescheitert sein. HTC bestätigte kurz nach Öffnung der Vorbestellungen, dass die Hardware bereits nach 18 Minuten ausverkauft war. Im kommenden Monat könnten aber weitere Einheiten zum Verkauf angeboten werden.

tpcast-und-htc-vive

Aber was ist kann der Datentransmitter TPCAST Vive?

Das Set, bestehend aus Sender und Empfänger wurde heute in Shenzhen vorgestellt. Die glücklichen Tester konnten keine Latenz oder Verschlechterung der Bildqualität feststellen. Die vorgeführten Protoypen wurden von einem externen Akku versorgt, der in der Hosentache der Tester verschwand. So kann das Gerät für bis zu fünf Stunden betrieben werden.

tpcast-akku-prototypDie Datentransfergeschwindigkeit des 60GHz Transmitters beträgt 3,5g/s, was etwa 8 mal so schnell ist, wie heutige WLAN Übertragungsgeschwindigkeiten. Dafür wird der Empfänger auf der HTC Vive angebracht und via HDMI 2.0 und USB angeschlossen. Der Transmitter, der am PC angeschlossen ist, muss, um die beste Sendeleistung abzurufen an einer Position stehen, die über dem Kopf des Spielers ist. TPCAST weißt ausdrücklich darauf hin, dass der Prototyp zwar mit der HTC Vive gezeigt wurde, das Setup aber auch mit anderen VR-Headsets funktioniert.

Die chinesische Firma gibt zudem an, dass man Auflösungen von 2160 x 1200 bei 90hz und einer Latenz von ca. 15 ms wiedergeben kann. Für die besten Ergebnisse, sollte die Reichweite zum Transmitter dann aber nur 5 Meter betragen.

Video Format HDMI 2.0
Video Auflösung 2K (2160 x 1200)
Framerate 90Hz
Latenz  ~ 15 ms
Reichweite  > 5 m 360°
Stromverbrauch 4W (2-5 Stunden Akkulaufzeit; mehrere Akkus möglich)
Kompatibilität Mit div. VR Headsets kompatibel
Zubehör Dedizierte Datenverbindung, HDMI Kabel, WiFi Blutooth Adapter, Stromversorgungsbox, Tragetasche, Anleitung, Garantiekarte

 

 

 

 

Der Beitrag Kabellose Virtual Reality – TPCAST macht PC VR-Brillen kabellos zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

Walk in VR Freedom with the TPCAST HTC Vive Wireless Upgrade Kit

HTC Corporation has announced its official support for the unveiling of a tether-less virtual reality (VR) upgrade kit (preview edition) for the HTC Vive. Developed and produced by TPCAST, a Vive X Accelerator invested company, this kit will enable users of high-end PC VR systems to have a fully untethered experience on all current HTC Vive VR devices.

HTC Vive TPCAST

The HTC Vive was the first head-mounted display (HMD) to enable room-scale VR and 6DOF controllers to the world, and now TPCAST’s upgrade kits will enable the device to offer a tether-less high-end PC VR experience.

At the Tmall 11/11 Media Center, Alibaba and HTC jointly demonstrated Alibaba’s new Buy+ mobile VR channel on the latest HTC-powered VR-ready smartphones. This is the first application to date that allows the completion of actual retail transactions fully in VR, showing China’s growing leadership in the VR space. HTC Vive and Alibaba have previously announced strategic partnerships relating to Cloud services and VR and this joint VR demonstration is a further strengthening of cooperation across another business section connecting the two firms.

“We are glad to cooperate with Alibaba to enable the first mass-demonstration of a complete VR shopping experience and are honoured that they have chosen Viveport M as the preferred download partner for the Buy+ mobile application,” said Alvin W. Graylin, China Regional President of Vive, HTC. “We are also very proud that a Vive X team, TPCAST, has developed such an impactful product in such a short time. It will allow Vive customers worldwide to gain untethered mobility in VR from their existing devices, while satisfying the biggest feature request of potential PC VR customers.”

HTC Vive TPCAST

Viveport M launched in China earlier this week, and is freely available to download for mobile users in that territory. The TPCAST tether-less upgrade kit will be available for pre-order at 1,499 RMB (approx. £179.88 GBP) in limited quantity on www.vive.com starting at 1pm GMT today, 11th November 2016. Order fulfillment will be prioritised to existing customers who can provide a valid HTC Vive serial number and initial delivery is expected to begin in Q1 2017.

Other wireless solutions have already been revealed as in development for the HTC Vive, and a next generation HMD reveal is currently expected at CES 2017. VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details on the TPCAST upgrade kit, as well as other HTC Vive peripherals and applications officially endorsed by HTC.

Exclusive: HTC Vive Goes Wireless With $220 Add-On, Pre-Orders Start Friday

Exclusive: HTC Vive Goes Wireless With $220 Add-On, Pre-Orders Start Friday

Oculus may be be closing out 2016 with a bang with the launch of its Touch controllers, but HTC is going to kick off 2017 with something special: a peripheral that makes its Vive headset wireless.

HTC today announced a tether-less VR upgrade kit for its SteamVR device, made by TPCAST, one of the first of 33 companies to join the Vive X Accelerator. A preview version of the kit was shown off today at Alibaba’s “11/11” global shopping festival in Shenzhen, China. This is not the wireless prototype device in the works at Quark VR.

Below we have exclusive footage of the upgrade kit being sampled by Alvin W. Graylin, China Regional President of Vive at HTC. There are no wires connecting the headset to the PC behind the monitor.

Speaking to UploadVR in a phone interview, Graylin said that the experience would “greatly improve” the overall Vive experience, with no “noticeable difference” for factors like latency. The product will be available to pre-order with a standard battery, though Graylin said that a bigger battery will be sold eventually. We’re told the standard battery can deliver around one and a half hours of power. The bigger battery would rest in a user’s pocket.

HTC expects the device to be adopted by “avid” Vive users, though it could also be useful for businesses. Arcades, an area that the company is placing a big emphasis on of late, could have multiple Vive units without worrying about tangled wires and fewer tripping hazards, for example.

Former NBA Superstar Kobe Bryant (pictured) was the “first consumer” to try the new wireless setup.

The upgrade kit will be available to pre-order on Vive’s Chinese website “in limited quantity” for 1,499 RMB ($220.33). The kit is said to ship starting in Q1 2017. According to HTC, pre-orders go live at 7 a.m. Pacific on Friday. Graylin said anyone could order the unit from there and pay for shipping. According to HTC, in a press release, “Order fulfillment will be prioritized to existing customers who can provide a valid Vive serial number.”

Graylin said plans for local releases haven’t been discussed and he wouldn’t confirm if the tech could be integrated into future versions of the Vive, though he does “imagine technologies like this will become an option for future products.”

Wireless PC-based VR is the third type of tether-less VR headset to emerge in the VR industry, the others being devices that use mobile phones and entirely standalone systems. The latter category is quickly gaining interest, with major players like Oculus recently showcasing their own solutions. Products like this upgrade kit might hit a nice sweet spot, allowing people to immerse themselves in complex virtual worlds with hand controls and full freedom of movement throughout a room.

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