Valve Index

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Valve Index
Type Virtual reality headset
developer Valve Corporation
Manufacturer Valve Corporation
Display Two 1440 × 1600 LCD displays @ 80 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz or 144 Hz
Field of View (FOV) 135 degrees
Tracking Gyrometer, accelerometer
Sales start June 28, 2019
Platforms Microsoft Windows , Linux
connections USB 3.0, DisplayPort , jack plug
Website Official website
VI logo.svg

Valve Index (also Index VR ) is a virtual reality headset from the US computer game developer Valve . The system is backwards compatible with HTC Vive games and the controllers and base stations of the HTC Vive. The headset is supported on Microsoft Windows and Linux .

scope

Camera and expansion compartment

There is a stereo camera on top of the headset that can be used for environmental observation and machine vision . It also has a USB 3.0 port and an expansion compartment for developers.

Display

The headset can be operated with 120 Hz and experimentally with up to 144 Hz and a resolution of 1440 × 1600 RGB per eye and uses an LC display . The field of view should be up to 20 degrees larger than the HTC Vive Pro and reach up to 135 degrees. The lenses and head size should be adjustable.

Controller and accessories

In addition to the headset, the full package includes two so-called Knuckles Controllers , which have 87 different sensors for monitoring hand movements and the force used, and should thus virtually map the fingers as true to the original as possible. They also have a trackpad with several buttons on the side that is designed for the thumbs and four buttons for the four other fingers. A revised version of Valve Lighthouse is used for tracking, for which at least one base station is required.

Other accessories

Furthermore, integrated off-ear headphones, a microphone and a charger are included as well as two improved base stations for tracking head and hand movements with a better range and laser location in the overall package . Thanks to the jack socket, the headphones can be replaced by other headphones or other headsets.

System requirements

In order to operate the headset, the computer should meet at least the following requirements:

history

Valve is known for the computer game distribution platform Steam and has been optimizing it for VR games through SteamVR since 2015 . On March 1, 2015, Valve presented the HTC Vive VR glasses , which were created in cooperation with HTC .

On June 28, 2019, Valve released its own VR glasses called Valve Index or Index VR . The headset was first announced in April 2019 and was originally supposed to be released in May. The headset has been available for pre-order since May 2019.

costs

The headset without accessories costs 539 euros. The package with the new controller costs 799 euros. The full set consisting of a headset, controllers and two base stations 2.0 costs 1,079 euros (999 US dollars). The controllers individually cost 299 euros and a base station costs 159 euros.

criticism

Adi Robertson from The Verge gives the headset eight out of ten points and praises the image and audio quality, the field of view, the wearing comfort and the innovative finger control with the Knuckles controllers. On the other hand, the high price, the cumbersome and beginner-unfriendly tracking, a lack of haptic feedback on the controllers and the many annoying cable connections are criticized.

The headset offers many customization options for users and developers. The small number of games supported by the controller is also criticized: Currently, it is only 40 games, most of which do not use the full control options. Devindra Hardawar from Engadget shares a similar opinion .

Some critics complain that the headset only uses an LC and no OLED display. However, this reduced the fly screen effect for better immersion . However, there is a lack of stronger contrasts.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Valve unveils its own VR headset in PC Games
  2. ↑ Valve's Index VR Headset Will Support Linux. April 7, 2019, accessed June 30, 2019 .
  3. ↑ a b c d Adi Robertson: Valve is shipping new 'Knuckles' VR controllers to developers with a portal-themed demo. June 22, 2018, accessed May 6, 2019 .
  4. ↑ a b c d Colin Campbell: Valve's Index is the next generation of high-end virtual reality. April 30, 2019, accessed May 6, 2019 .
  5. ↑ a b c d e f Valve Index VR - Release on June 15th, new details about the VR headset - GameStar. April 2, 2019, accessed April 4, 2019 .
  6. ↑ a b c d heise online: Valve's VR headset index: What we already know. Retrieved April 4, 2019 .
  7. ↑ a b c d heise online: VR headset Valve Index: home-cooked glasses, unrivaled controllers. Retrieved May 6, 2019 .
  8. ↑ a b c d Valve shows index VR glasses - price and specifications known! May 1, 2019, accessed May 6, 2019 .
  9. ↑ Sam Machkovech: Valve Index reveal: The best of VR's first generation — but is it worth $ 999? April 30, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019 (American English).
  10. ^ Valve Index. Retrieved December 25, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Valve Index VR: Headset release in June - with Half-Life? April 3, 2019, accessed April 4, 2019 .
  12. ↑ Editor GamersGlobal: Valve Index: Steam operator presents new VR headset. Retrieved May 6, 2019 .
  13. ↑ Editor GamersGlobal: Valve Index: Steam operator presents new VR headset. Retrieved May 6, 2019 .
  14. ^ Adi Robertson: Valve Index review: high-powered VR at a high-end price. June 28, 2019, accessed June 30, 2019 .
  15. ↑ Matthias Bastian: Valve Index Tests: This is how the US press judges VR glasses. In: News on VR, AR and AI | Into mixed reality. June 29, 2019, accessed June 30, 2019 (German).
  16. ↑ devindra: Valve Index review: Next-level VR. Retrieved June 30, 2019 .
  17. ↑ Valve Index: The best VR headset in the test so far. June 28, 2019, accessed June 30, 2019 .
  18. ^ Valve Index review - When only the best will do. In: VentureBeat. June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019 (American English).