Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

Summary

The Room Stairs is a technology allowing the user of a virtual reality headset to move simultaneously in the real world and in VR. Each step taken in the player's living room is transcribed in virtual reality.



Needless to say, this technology dramatically increases immersion in virtual reality. The player is no longer just sitting in their chair with a controller in their hands and headphones over their eyes. He is truly immersed in a parallel universe.

Crouching down to avoid heavy fire, strafing hundreds of zombies, jumping in the air, hitting a baseball at full power are just examples of the fun allowed by the Room Scale. The user is no longer just a spectator, he is physically present in the VR.

The Oculus Rift finally compatible Room Scale

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

Now that the two top-of-the-range headphones on the market each offer a Room Scale experience, a confrontation is required. From the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, find out which VR headset offers the best Room Scale according to three criteria: installation, size and tracking.

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive : l’installation du Room Scale

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

The installation of the Room Scale differs between the Rift and the Vive. For the Vive, the user must connect the headset to a box provided for this purpose, then connect this box to his PC via USB, HDMI and power cable. This connection will soon be offered wireless. The two lighthouses should then be placed in opposite corners of the room, attached to the wall, higher than the user's head. Each station must be connected to a power outlet. Then, you have to configure the Room Scale on SteamVR by entering the orientation of the ground and delimiting the tracking perimeter.



The installation of Room Scale for Oculus Rift is a little more complex. For starters, the Rift connects to the PC via USB and HDMI. The three sensors must then be connected via USB. A extension is required for the third sensor. The shape of the sensors also makes them less adaptable than the cubic lighthouse of the Vive. The installation process via the Oculus SDK then allows you to configure tracking.

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive: the size of the Room Scale

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

For HTC Vive, the minimum recommended space for the Room Scale is 2 meters by 1,5 meters, and the maximum space is 3,5 meters by 3,5 meters. For its part, with two sensors to be placed on the edges of the desk, the Rift allows a lateral tracking field of 1 to 2 meters. With three sensors, Oculus recommends leaving 2,5 meters between the first two sensors, and placing the third about 4 meters diagonally from the one on the left. The tracking perimeter is then 2,5 meters by 2,5 meters. In terms of Room Scale size, the HTC Vive therefore wins.


Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive: the quality of tracking

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

The tracking of the HTC Vive is relatively flawless. The laser system of the lighthouse stations ensures permanent and foolproof tracking. Regarding the Rift, once the sensors are well placed, perfectly oriented and separated by the recommended distance, everything works for the best. However, Oculus sensors are more difficult to mount, and the slightest deviation in terms of height or orientation can upset the accuracy of the tracking.

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive: the verdict

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive - Which is better for the Room Scale?

In conclusion, if you are looking for the best roomscale VR experience, the HTC Vive is still the best choice. Theinstallation is simpler, the device is less bulky, and the maximum tracking space is greater. The Vive was designed from the ground up for the Room Scale, unlike the Rift.


In addition, the price of the Room Scale of the Vive is lower than that of the Rift. The Room Scale is natively offered by HTC's headset at $ 799 excl. For the Rift, iIt is necessary to buy the headset at 599 dollars HT, the Oculus Touch controllers with a second sensor at 199 dollars, and a third sensor at 80 dollars. In total, the Room Scale Oculus Rift costs $ 100 more.

A priori, if we only take into account the Room Scale, the HTC Vive remains the leader at present. We will, however, be conducting more in-depth testing within the editorial staff to verify the quality of the Room Scale Oculus Rift in practice.



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