Mixed Reality Problems (What They Dont Tell You)

[RaidHobbit]

Let me just say that Mixed Reality Headsets (when you finally get yours working) are absolutely stunning. We are talking about a revolution in gaming and video which is incoming. Maybe even in how people do their jobs at work too. But there are a number of problems that currently exist and I wanted to make people aware of them so they know where they stand before purchasing.

MRH Specs: Its as if every internet shopping or review site lists a different set of specs. If thats not worse some list a lower set of specs for MR ultra compared to standard MR. And if that obvious error isnt ridiculas enough the same error repeats itself on the actual packaging from HP that my MRH came from. Apparently for standard MRH I need a 7th gen i5 while ultra requires only a 6th. Will I hate to point it out but I`m in ultra on 5th generation i5.

My MRH has no slow down or choppyness and the windows software that tested my PC gave it the thumbs up. I`m on:

i5-4690
8GB DDR3
Geforce 970
Win 10

USB 3.0: No where does it tell you that you need a spare USB 3.0 which can deliver 0.9 amps minimum of power. That means USB 3.0 on your motherboard or powered USB 3.0 hub not an unpowered hub.

HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2: You may be suprised to learn than not all HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 cables are alike. My HDMI 2.0 will not do VR. An adaptor I initially brought that advertised as 3D and 4K ready could not do VR. It wasnt until I complained on the HP forums that an engineer contacted me 2 days later to give me a list of cables known to work. I went for one of them which was an active mini-display port 1.2 to HDMI 2.0 cable. Only at that stage would my MRH display graphics output -https/www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S0BWR2K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Graphic Errors: Occasionaly half the screen in my left eye will stop displaying and sometimes I get artifacs. So far the MRH crashes about once an hour requiring a software restart. Seems like the drivers need more work doing on them.

SteamVR: The information you get from the Mixed Reality Portal help menu does not tell you how to play games in SteamVR. Reading it you`ll think it does but no where do they tell you that you need to download the Steam 360 Video Player first as well as SteamVR. Then Steam needs to be switched off, you load the Mixed Reality Portal, then load Steam. Then start your Steam game in VR.

All in all this product is 9.8 out of 10 turned into a 3.0 out of 10 because the specs, prior notification about USB 3.0 and cables, and instructions on how to get things up and running are so God dam poor. I can image lots of people returning their MRHs thinking they got a dud that doesnt work when there isnt anything wrong with their hardware.

 

[smashjohn]

Great info! Thanks!

 

[vrumor]

With the hardware issues and software issues you are reporting with that headset, sounds like people are right and it is a dud whether it works or not. If I had to restart something every hour, id chuck it out the window. Crappy documentation sounds like a small issue compared to that.

 

[RaidHobbit]

With the hardware issues and software issues you are reporting with that headset, sounds like people are right and it is a dud whether it works or not. If I had to restart something every hour, id chuck it out the window. Crappy documentation sounds like a small issue compared to that.

Yes, that headset itself is very, very, polished. Its a shame they couldn't put the same time and effort in with the rest of the product from the instructions, to the specs, to the USB 3.0 and cables you need, and of course the driver issues.

 

[Sakkura]

MRH Specs: Its as if every internet shopping or review site lists a different set of specs. If thats not worse some list a lower set of specs for MR ultra compared to standard MR. And if that obvious error isnt ridiculas enough the same error repeats itself on the actual packaging from HP that my MRH came from. Apparently for standard MRH I need a 7th gen i5 while ultra requires only a 6th. Will I hate to point it out but I`m in ultra on 5th generation i5.

That's because they're comparing laptop i5s with desktop i5s. A 6th gen desktop i5 beats a 7th gen laptop i5.

It's still really confusing though.

I think another major oversight with most of these headsets is the lack of integrated headphones. Putting on separate headphones is really clunky, and at least some of them physically get in the way of headphones.

 

[RaidHobbit]

If its because of desktop and laptop they need to differentiate between them with whats written. I agree with the headphones, you cannot wear the ear muff variety as the headset gets in the way of them and them of the headset. Its in the ear ones you would use with a phone or something that are suitable.

I really cannot believe they have been released with packaging that has misleading specs on them. That should have been nipped in the bud during internal product trials.

 

[jpe1701]

I had no trouble at all with crashing and I love my hp headset but I wanted to add to this thread that one problem I found was that the headset and main monitor have to be connected to the same gpu for steamvr to work. I tried with my monitor on integrated graphics because my dp to hdmi adapter was ordered separately. Took some digging to figure out.

 

[situation]

I'm wondering if the whole "steamVR compatibility" is just a selling point and what they really want is for developers to create native Windows Mixed Reality apps. But to tempt the developers they need the customer base and to get the customer base they need the Steam selling point. (It's like that old song: there's a hole in the bucket - or "what came first, the chicken or the egg?")

 

[situation]

Are these problems specific to the HP WMR?