PlayStation VR2 Firmware Update Enables PC Access

[T0@st]

The "iVRy VR" community-backed project has slowly chipped away at unlocking the PlayStation VR2's full potential—Sony's $550 (MSRP) virtual reality headset is locked into the PlayStation 5 ecosystem, but many gamers have requested that it become compatible with PC platforms. iVRy's progress on this front could be surpassed by first-party efforts—a month ago, Sony indicated that it was exploring new avenues: "we're pleased to share that we are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024, so stay tuned for more updates." Reports suggest that Sony's second generation product has not met sales expectations—insiders posit that company leadership has requested a pause of production. An entry into the PC market could boost the PS VR2's popularity, but it will face plenty of competition within an already "niche" segment.

iVRy has monitored Sony's progress with great interest—the former's social media account has disclosed the discovery of a new development milestone: "(their) latest firmware update enables PC access! This means it's no longer necessary to use driver/hardware workarounds to make it work on Windows. Still to be confirmed whether this update enables NVIDIA use, but all indications are that Sony's 'PC games' plans involve direct connection." The iVRy VR project has—so far—managed to (successfully) connect the PS VR2 to AMD GPU-based systems. Sony is expected to produce an official means of hooking up their headset to PCs. iVRy discussed this provision in their follow-up post: "a 'VirtualLink' adapter of some kind is still required due to PS VR2 hardware design. If Sony does intend to make 'official' PC drivers, they would need to provide this adapter to end-users."



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[AnarchoPrimitiv]

Anybody personally own or have used one of these headsets? What are your feelings on it?

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Don't have the headset but I wouldn't be too keep on messing with the firmware of a $500 toy when we may get first party support for the PC before too long.

 

[theglaze]

Anybody personally own or have used one of these headsets? What are your feelings on it?

I managed to get a couple mins with one, and the OLED seemed like a big upgrade over Valve Index.

On PC, this headset could be a winner with proper driver and hardware support. Wired PSVR2 connection means better image quality than Quest 3 (which only receives streamed video from PC) and if Sony gets the eye tracking to work for foveated rendering, it will easily be the least expensive headset to do so.

Just depends on how greedy Sony gets. If they try to implement a closed garden, this project will go nowhere on PC. So could be a good sign they are haulting production, it suggests they need to sell what's in distribution, and providing software without licence limitations on PC is the quickest way to do that.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Sony's mistake is not making it backwards compatible with older VR games while not making much content to make use of the new headset.

 

[bitsandboots]

I wonder if I'll ever encounter someone using this in vrchat
There's enough hoops to jump through with pc vr that it seems to me the only people who'd use this is someone who already owned it from prior PS use.

 

[bitsandboots]

Wired PSVR2 connection means better image quality than Quest 3 (which only receives streamed video from PC)

Huh? Quest has the option to be wired with Oculus Link (USB C cable)
I think they're comparable in price and spec.

 

[bonehead123]

Translation:

The PS4/5 cash cow has run dry or is about to, so now they just need to find a way to continue selling the rest of the current version of the headsets, BEFORE the next big thing (PS6xxx) comes around, hehehe

Of course, they could just wait until Valve/Steam buys them out or puts them out of the gammin business altogether, but that's probably a ways off...

 

[Vayra86]

Sony's mistake is not making it backwards compatible with older VR games while not making much content to make use of the new headset.

Yep.

VR's achilles heel. It needs tailor made content. Chicken egg situation live and in effect here, forever I think.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Yep.

VR's achilles heel. It needs tailor made content. Chicken egg situation live and in effect here, forever I think.

- If HL:Alyx couldn't get the ball moving on VR (since its basically the closest thing to HL3 we'll ever get) then I'm convinced nothing ever will.

 

[Vayra86]

- If HL:Alyx couldn't get the ball moving on VR (since its basically the closest thing to HL3 we'll ever get) then I'm convinced basically nothing ever will.

Well, I think it did get the ball moving, but you play that and then what. Play it again? Go back to beat saber? Watch porn?

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Well, I think it did get the ball moving, but you play that and then what. Play it again? Go back to beat saber? Watch porn?

- If Halo somehow single handedly saved the Xbox, HL:Alyx could have done the same.

But true, no one was positioned to follow-up with another AAA narrative experience and no one looks like they will be interested in the near future either (including Valve themselves).

However, the Quest 2 at $200 is finally cheap enough for me to dip my toes into VR without feeling like I'm getting played for a sucker if the experience doesn't pan out, so I am on the verge of picking one of those up.

 

[theglaze]

Huh? Quest has the option to be wired with Oculus Link (USB C cable)
I think they're comparable in price and spec.

The graphics card generates the 3D rendering AND encodes the video, which can be sent Wifi or USB-C, to the Quest 3. This crates compression artifacts and latency, unlike HMDs that directly plug into the video card via DP or HDMI.

Which reminds me, PSVR2 connects to PS5 via USB-C. So never mind, it will probably operate the same way as a Q3.

 

[TechLurker]

Anybody personally own or have used one of these headsets? What are your feelings on it?

I used a friend's. It's very comfortable, and after getting it to fit right, it almost disappears once you get into that "zone" while playing the few games available for it. Sony really focused on getting the balancing just right compared to some forward-heavy VR headsets. The lack of integrated headphones is a bit of a downer, since you need to bring your own compatible set, and bulkier cans don't always play well with the headset assembly.

Personally, I'm reminded of the points in LTT's revisit of the PSVR2 while playing Horizon Zero Dawn in VR, and for the most part, I agree with their conclusions; it has potential and one could kind of get lost in the game if they're enjoying said game. It's just that PS5 has a severe lack of VR games.

So if they can really make it compatible with PC and PCVR games, I might get one myself. I don't have enough space for full-body tracking, but standing and sending my hands flailing about I can do, and I already have a PS5, so it's justified as an investment in both ecosystems.

 

[Calenhad]

I may have had to little coffee so far today. Is this the latest official firmware or something iVRy VR have cooked up?

Which reminds me, PSVR2 connects to PS5 via USB-C. So never mind, it will probably operate the same way as a Q3.

Heard of DP alt mode via usb C?

 

[Octavean]

My view of the Sony PSVR2 is that it is an odd but interesting mishmash of technologies given the tech available at the time. I have the Sony PSVR1, Oculus Rift v1, Oculus Quest v1 and Oculus Quest 2 (not Meta branded). The PSVR v1 made compromises to work with the existing infrastructure which is understandable.

The PSVR2 eye tracking is an advanced feature IMO that has potential. However, the wired only connection and inside out tracking of the controllers looks like dated tech in retrospect of the Quest Pro’s self tracking controllers.

The price of the PSVR2 isn’t too outrageous but it also isn’t great either.

For me, PC support is great but a nominal price drop and a free game would also be necessary to make the deal attractive.

 

[theglaze]

I may have had to little coffee so far today. Is this the latest official firmware or something iVRy VR have cooked up?

Heard of DP alt mode via usb C?

"Sony is expected to produce an official means of hooking up their headset to PCs." So it's going to be official support.

D'oh, I should have just looked at the wiki page: "The headset connects to the PlayStation 5 console through a single USB-C cable that negotiates 12 V via Power Delivery[11][12] and simultaneous USB 3 data and video via DisplayPort alt-mode" and I can't find any mention of internal processing on the PSVR2. So it has to operate like a G2, Index, Pimax, etc.

I'm excited for his headset again!

 

[trsttte]

"Sony is expected to produce an official means of hooking up their headset to PCs." So it's going to be official support.

D'oh, I should have just looked at the wiki page: "The headset connects to the PlayStation 5 console through a single USB-C cable that negotiates 12 V via Power Delivery[11][12] and simultaneous USB 3 data and video via DisplayPort alt-mode" and I can't find any mention of internal processing on the PSVR2. So it has to operate like a G2, Index, Pimax, etc.

I'm excited for his headset again!

Thing is it doesn't, the base are standard interfaces but Sony changed them in enough meaningfull ways where it will need at least very specific drivers, maybe even some kind of hw protocol/edid adapter (or FW update), before it can work.

The PSVR2 is feeding eye tracking data so the PS5 can do foveated rendering (high detail where you're looking, low where you're not) and the display connection itself is identified by default as a 1080p screen or something silly like that (people already tried connecting to gpu sources because of course they did).

Either way this is great news and ideally it would have been planned from the get go - like how new controllers are also getting support right away, Sony was for the longest time big assholes about this type of stuff but they've changed their tune in recent years and it only makes to keep that momentum going with the VR headset.