Dk2 - still worth a punt?

[Mr_Sukebe]

Just looking through options on VR headsets.
The optimum solution appears to be the Vive as the best allrounder, but clearly they're £690.
The CV1 does have some pros and cons, but is harder to source and is often going for a similar price.


The potentially interesting option is a DK2. Clearly not as good, certainly so from a comfort level and also roomscale. However I've been getting the impression that it's not "that" far adrift on the visuals. More importantly, they're now available for around £200.

So, worth a punt at £200?

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Just bought a DK2 via the Bay. Should be here early next week. I figured that if I really couldn't get on with it, would make more sense to risk was it not only a significantly lower sum of money, but also a value that just doesn't appear to be decreasing at the moment.

Looking forward to seeing how ED pans out.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Picked up a s/h DK2 over the weekend.

Let's deal with the bad points:
- Hadn't realised this whilst collecting, but have subsequently that the owner must have been a smoker. Sure you know what I mean by that. Does mean that I'll probably not keep this particularly unit for that long
- My PC doesn't have USB3 connections (yet, I have ordered a card, which will be here on Wed). Whilst the DK2 does work, and works fine with say DCS, ED won't run. Apparently it does a sanity check of hardware and won't fire up if it's not happy
- The pixels are very much in evidence. Reminds me of the old front projection screens that were the only way to big screen prior to plasma TVs. Initially you think "hmm, that ain't good", but it's fairly easy to quickly ignore them and get on with enjoying yourself
- Resolution is not good enough to read small text. Haven't had time to try out the debug tool, which can supposedly help
- Nausea, yep had some of that after a session of low level flying

And the good things:
- Tracking simply worked. I understand that the CV1/Vive are much better, but I never had a problem
- Was very smooth and I remember only a very small number of "judder" whilst trying DCS. I'm using a 1070 with an old i5 2500, so nothing special. Additionally, my DCS settings were at close to max, so there's clear room for tuning
- The big one, the experience. Just wow. It's hard to put into words how much better it makes games like DCS. I have several aircraft, but mostly fly the Huey helicopter. That has brilliant visibility in most directions, and that allows you to really take advantage of the ability to look in any direction, to help judge landings, where you are to buildings etc. Simply phenomenal. Within the helicopter, the dashboard really does feel next to you. I have a leap motion, which I'm going to try to get running later this week for trying to control switches on the dashboard.


In summary, I'm definitely sold on a VR as a technology. Just awesome, even with it's caveats. Living in London, my intent is to visit PC world on Tottenham Ct road, who apparently have a Vive on show. So I'll be able to get an understanding in it's relative comfort and pixelation.

As for the DK2. This was only ever due to be an extended home test to see if I think VR as a technology is worth it. My logic being that I might lose £20-50 if I resell it quickly, but that amount is a massively lower level of risk than blowing £750 on a Vive.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Just wait till you use the motion controllers and room scale on the vive it add a whole new dimension literally.

I really don't have the space for room scale as the missus is not going to let me put a PC in our lounge. So I'm stuck in a small office space area. That's fine for cockpit driven games like ED, DCS and AC, but not much use for wandering around.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Update:
Change of mind and change of plan.

From a few days more playing with the DK2.
- SDE has become something of a downer for me. I find it really obvious and have struggled to ignore it
- Linked to the above, the resolution is no great shakes, meaning that distance objects are just a blob. Surprisingly, less of an issue in DCS, but I found it very off putting in Assetto Corsa
- Received a USB3 card today, but couldn't get it to work with my DK2. Initially fired up, then stopped for no apparent reason. By then, I was struggling to maintain the motivation
- I wear glasses, and whilst I can use them with the DK2, it's most definitely less comfortable than just looking at a screen, and after every session left me with smudges on my glasses
- Still getting light nausea on some games
- Put the above together and we have a product that can only really be used on a low number of games I own (ACS, DCS and ED). Didn't rate the dems I tried, and being fair, the trio mentioned were why I wanted to try it.
Never got it running with ED. Not an issue with ED itself or the DK2, rather my ancient base unit that I couldn't get running with the USB3 card.
Not impressed in ACS because of the resolution, though I liked the situational awareness.
Awesome experience in DCS. If you have any interest in flight and a VR headset, seriously, you SHOULD try this. The base version of DCS includes a couple of aircraft that you can try for free. Just do it. Even then it's not perfect.
Outside of those, clearly it's bugger all use for anything else I presently run.

As such, the DK2 is going and right now I think I'll wait until gen 2 in the VR arena.

In the meantime, the funding considered for say a CV1 has been put down on a nice Dell 27" Gsync monitor. Clearly that has benefit for ALL of my software.
Sure, it'll never create "I'm there", but I've found a way to close the gap in DCS with the use of things like "snap view" via my HOTAS on a thumb control. Means that some of that awareness is available at thumb control. No, it's not the same, but not a complete loss and means that I'm comfortable in my Huey.
The lower technical requirements of the monitor and it's Gsync capability means that despite running at 2500*1400 res, that I can add in more "visual effects", so it does look good.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

KMW>

No idea what the issue with the DK2 and USB3 was. The Oculus software was complaining about me not having a USB3 and the theory on the ED forums was that this was why ED wouldn't load up. As DCS and ED were the two key games that I was most looking to use, was a bit of a downer.

My i2500 is clocked at 3.6ghz and was never ever close to running at 100% in DCS. Frame rate was not an issue

Only really tried it with both DCS and ACS.
I found the resolution and screendoor really bad in ACS. Sure, the sense of speed was brilliant, but I struggled to pick out the road ahead on fast tracks. I preferred it on a monitor.

DCS was a different story. Wonderful feeling of "being there", to the point where the resolution could be overlooked. For all that, I found a solution with "snaplook" and my CH Hotas, meaning that I can nearly achieve the same viewpoint.

So DCS was better (but couldn't be mostly mitigated with careful setup on my monitor), ACS worse (IMO) and ED wouldn't run.
To me, that made the allocation of funds towards a really good G sync monitor, which clearly benefits ALL of my applications and games, a fairly easy one.

Don't get me wrong, I still want to have VR, but I do think I'll be waiting for gen 2.