# VR headset, want it at a better price? avoid local shop and known brand(aka hidden review and test)



## GreiverBlade (Sep 15, 2016)

let's talk about Smartphones VR Headset 

ok Amazon has some cheap good one that could match the price i got for mine (17$) and the delivery would be faster, but is it really worth it? in Switzerland, as example, the same headset that i got would be 54.90chf/56.41$ (still the V1.0 and not the 2.0 ) the 1st 2.0 in amazon is ~7$ more and does not pack a bluetooth multimode remote   and there is some cheaper one (including the google cardboard, although not where i live ... they are ~27chf/27.74$ talk about a ripoff  ) but the build quality, straps, focal and eyes spacing correction are non-existant.

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JYOPUA2/?tag=tec06d-20
which has really good review on Amazon  5* all the way, but as i wrote : 7$ more and no remote

Aliexpress
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/VR-...2651739380.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.55.F2RFHh

funny i ordered that one which is the V1.0 but the seller sent me that one
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...id=6a18640f-96fc-4737-ac44-aa26cd3d06c8&tpp=1
which is a V2.0

the build quality is totally great the straps are comfy and better than Gear VR or other headset that cost more (at stock and not needing to buy an "upgrade") and it fits all from 4.5" to 6"  unlike some specific headset that handle only the brand's phone or need a 3d printed cradle to adapt another phone from the initially specified one, the remote take time to learn (only cons ... succinct user manual  ) but once figured out: works like a charm, i usually have a Moga Pocket that i used with my previous headset to play PSP games in PPSSPP SBS mode, but that one does not handle normal "on screen" operation (aka Airmouse albeit not sensor driven, it's the analog stick that handle the mouse )

Gallery

  
3rd pics shows the front cover removed (for augmented reality VR app that use the camera).

  
padding and phone retention is great (although need to be wary of sidebutton  ) once fitted on the head, it's really comfortable.

  
multimode remote controller (2xAAA battery needed, i use 2 Sony  750mAh-800mAh accu like with my Moga) and by multimode i mean multi mode (not the little switch Android<=>iOS) you press the @ on the controller then you press A B C or D and it switch to an accorded mode (airmouse, music control, landscape game mode and vertical VR mode)

my actual phone (Wiko Highway Star 4G) was 5" 720p, nonetheless it was a little too powerful for what i need from it (since i mostly use a Shield Tablet recently), so i switched for a Coolpad Modena 2 to test, Cheap brand, has some downside but still play PSP games flawlessly, and no VR app suffer from the slight downgrad of the SOC (MTK6752 octa A53 1.4ghz Mali-T760MP2 Versus MTK6735P quad A53 1.0ghz Mali-T720MP2 ) and it pack a 5.5" 720P (perfectly fine with video playback in SBS mode)

actually a copy pasta from a either a Xiaomi RedMi 3 Pro or a Huawei P9 Lite sans the fingerprint sensor (for half the price, roughly)

now ... i need to check about..... iMAX KODI mode ... hugely interested 









so, do you own a VR headset, if yes: which one,  where did you get it, satisfied or not, would you like to get one?


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## GreiverBlade (Sep 19, 2016)

update,

Occulus Rift? HTC Vive? OSVR? (funnily enough the last one which also use Leap Motion tech in it, is the most interesting albeit being backed up by Razer ...  at last it's decently priced unlike those from HTC and Occulus)

No... TrinusVR over WiFi (can be used in USB thethering if needed ) a little bit of tweaking and nearly all games soft and co can be used in SBS mode or VR (if the phone has a Gyroscope which is not the case for mine, but successfully used mouselook in Skyrim via Gyro emulation using accelerometer and magnetic sensor data input. ) a setup that cost ... 177$ (OSVR being the cheapest and the HDK1 cost 299$) ok my phone is not the best for that as i get 60fps and need to set Skyrim in windowed 960X1080 which looks far from any dedicated VR headset but still is playable (test from a sofa with a XBone controller, that was fun and quite interesting.)


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## lorraine walsh (Sep 20, 2016)

How have you found the overall video quality. I have read reviews that the ones available on Amazon or even the Samsung VR display is grainy, like you are using mobile with magnifying glass. Any true?


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## GreiverBlade (Sep 20, 2016)

lorraine walsh said:


> like you are using mobile with magnifying glass.


it is what is it ... you have 2 lenses and a split display in a box. I understand why people are disappointed if they expect something else  well OSVR, Rift, Vive ... are not better in that aspect, VR will be real only when it will be a full room hologram projection without need for a headset 



lorraine walsh said:


> How have you found the overall video quality. I have read reviews that the ones available on Amazon or even the Samsung VR display is grainy


the video quality depend on the phone, usually those kind of review use a "potato" phone with a resolution under 720p, for me at 720p (Modena 2 or Highway star 4G) are acceptable, now i got a Honor 5X (5.5" 1080p) to test, nonetheless a 2144p screen would be optimal (not for the GPU in the SOC although  )

in streaming usually it does not need to stress the GPU too much and i've found Skyrim to be quite pleasant (using mouse and keyboard and also testing accel+magnetometer data input to simulate a Gyroscope) altho those 3 handset are mid range and my previous headset were tested with a LG G2 and a LG G Flex 2, though the Honor 5X is quite ... errr...  honorable (with a high end phone the price argument is void ... with the H5X it's still acceptable, around 216$~ unless buying from Amazon or a local retailer/etailer as i've wrote about in the initial post)

Samsung... they can't do anything right lately and i doubt their over expensive gear VR (1st or 2nd gen) have any kind of adjustment, plus they use a proprietary cradle and connector layout ... being stuck with a Samsung phone? no thanks. 
109$ or 17$? meh ... i can't see anything that would give the Gear VR an edge (or a sense ... ) over any other headset, inclusive those at 40-50$ like the re-branded locally sold Shinecon or the brands that sell world widely at a outrageous price (like Homido )

i use mostly my headset for private cinema on plane or when i am on a break at the job and for playing PSP games in "big screen" mode 

i can even have my reading glasses on (which the V1.0 was not ... comfortable with) and it's even cheaper than my 1st headset, who was a basic Ritech3D without any remote or flair, or my second which was a VR Space with the magnet on the side + more adjustment possible.

look at that list and laugh ... specially at the cheapest who are more expensive than the Shinecon ... (including a Google Cardboard for a disgusting price )
https://www.digitec.ch/en/s1/producttype/mobile-phone-vr-goggles-2542?so=1&tagIds=82-537#listhead

nonetheless ... i have taken an interest in a OSVR HDK1 to test as next step (hard call ... gosh, i hate Razer ... even more than Samsung)


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## lorraine walsh (Sep 20, 2016)

GreiverBlade said:


> it is what is it ... you have 2 lenses and a split display in a box. I understand why people are disappointed if they expect something else  well OSVR, Rift, Vive ... are not better in that aspect, VR will be real only when it will be a full room hologram projection without need for a headset
> 
> 
> the video quality depend on the phone, usually those kind of review use a "potato" phone with a resolution under 720p, for me at 720p (Modena 2 or Highway star 4G) are acceptable, now i got a Honor 5X (5.5" 1080p) to test, nonetheless a 2144p screen would be optimal (not for the GPU in the SOC although  )
> ...


Yea I understand that we can not expect it to be like the full on hologram projection effect, but that said concluding from what you mentioned, I am assuming that does it greatly depend on your phone's resolution as well?  
I checked the samsung gear and it was at $350, so comparatively what you managed to get is a lot cheaper option, if its somewhat giving the same VR experience.


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## GreiverBlade (Sep 20, 2016)

lorraine walsh said:


> Yea I understand that we can not expect it to be like the full on hologram projection effect, but that said concluding from what you mentioned, I am assuming that does it greatly depend on your phone's resolution as well?
> I checked the samsung gear and it was at $350, so comparatively what you managed to get is a lot cheaper option, if its somewhat giving the same VR experience.


it's indeed phone resolution dependent and most headset manufacturer recommend a 1080p minima (5.5" is the most comfortable for me, 5" i saw the left and right edges ) 350$ the Samsung Gear VR without Phone? did they crack down ... Samsung is even more despicable than i thought ...

for me both actually sold Gear VR are 99chf/100.97$  and the most expensive is the Zeiss at 189chf (which is "almost" justified ... due to Zeiss reputation when it come to lenses ...  )

what i don't like in Zeiss and Samsung offer beside the price is: they are proprietary (for Samsung) and need different cradle to adapt to different phones (Zeiss ) which is unacceptable if they already cost more than double the price of a universal type (or 6-10time more than the one i have now )

i tested the Gear VR, a friend bought one ... and i did the review with him, result? he got a refund and took a Shinecon V2.0


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