Returned the Rift S keeping the Vive

I thought I'd write this to perhaps help someone who is contemplating replacing their HTC Vive for a Rift S.

Firstly, I've been waiting months to see what the market comes up with to replace my HTC Vive. To be honest I was waiting for the HTC Vive Cosmos, but after many reviews it seems to be a dud so I'm not going there any time soon.

Secondly, I have budget constraints so making a decision on a new headset has two implications, spend big on a headset means upgrading PC hardware and not upgrading hardware means not getting the best experience for VR.

Thirdly I'm keen on the Valve Index, but, I cannot order one being out of region, but this would also mean having to upgrade hardware.

So I decided for now what I need is a resolution bump but at a cheaper pricepoint. Also many would say that most VR titles like DCS, Aerofly, Condor were designed with Oculus in mind. So the Rift S ticked the boxes for me for now. See what the Oculus experience is like, get a resolution bump - seemed like a plan.

The Good - setup for me was easy as pie. No hiccups or issues. First up was DCS. I kept all settings as I had them with the Vive.

The Bad - IPD for me was fine, set to the default. BUT - it is by far the most uncomfortable headset I've even used. The halo part is fine but the headset "resting" on your face soon feels like someone trying to push a hole in your face. No matter how many time I reset it, I could not help constantly but re-ajust the unit because it became too uncomfortable. I tried different settings, further, closer but the edges of the "mask" are to thin/narrow and they cut into your skin after a while. Also remember that in DCS you can spend hours going at it. I could not manage more than 15 minutes at a time before having to take it off. This is one of the major reasons it's going back.

Another problem I've never had with the Vive which the Rift S has evey time I put the headset on is the optics fogging up. Again I have no idea why a modern headset does not minimise this .. definitely not a next gen set.

The Good - The optics are good .. great. DCS is pin sharp at a 1.3 sampling. Gauges are clear and readable. Yes, blacks are "dark grey" and you notice that when comming off the Vive. Interestingly the cockpits seem bigger especially the Mirage which alway felt narrow.

The bad - FOW - basically the same as the Vive BUT the optics has a weird artefact which I've not seen anyone talk or write about. When you look straight ahead it looks optically as if the outer corners of the lenses become a straight line making the lens appear more square than round (it's hard to explain), but as soon as you turn your eye in the direction you can see the lens is round. I've always heard people talk about the scuba mask effect and with the Rift S for me, it is very pronounced. The Vive never gave me that feeling even though its similar in design. This for me is an emersion killer as I cannot block this optic out of my mind when flying it's so distracting. And no, changing IPD, fit etc did not resolve this.

The Good - performance - here is where the Rift S has legs on the Vive. With the Vive, and I think its more to do with SteamVR, I get all sorts of stutter and often dismal performance in DCS. The Rift S is smooth as silk, no stutters and in most cases constant 40fps in multiplayer. This is the one area that impressed me. With the Vive I always wondered if my rig was underspecced, but the Rift S proved it is more than adequate.

The Bad - ASW - I was getting a lot of smearing and weird artefacts around the canopies of various aircraft until I installed Oculus Tray Tool to turn ASW off. This fixed the problem. But this also cause a weird blur artefact when flying around. It's not a tracking issue I believe.

The Good - tracking is good in my room and I had virtually no issues. I do mostly simming so no standup or heavy movement.

Other Sims - I don't want to mention names as this might get bumped, but suffice to say all other flight sims with native Oculus support worked great. The only exception - a Russian WW2 era flightsim with SteamVR support runs terrible compared to the VIVE. I fly that a lot so the Rift having to use SteamVR is a deal-breaker for me.

Summary - If you are looking for good resolution bump, not so great optics, not having to necessarily upgrade your pc and native Oculus support, the Rift S may be right for you. But take it from me that it is uncomfortable, terrible for me to be honest. The Vive feels plush and comfy compared to this (I use the audio head strap). The FOV is a disappointment and feels a step backwards from the Vive. DCS performance is good, compared to the Vive - the Vive is good if you can see past the micro stutters (it may be more setup of my rig though than a general problem). So I cannot recommend a Rift S to anyone who is going to spend an hour or more with this stuck to your face. For now, the Vive will do and perhaps the Index will land on our shores.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

I thought I'd write this to perhaps help someone who is contemplating replacing their HTC Vive for a Rift S.

 

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Interesting read I had chance of a vive cheap have you tried the original oculus cv1 ?

Thanks Jamie.

Interesting read I had chance of a vive cheap have you tried the original oculus cv1 ?

 

Thanks Jamie.

Hi Jamie - no I've never tried one. I wish I had so I could compare it with the Vive and the Rift S.

The Bad - IPD for me was fine, set to the default. BUT - it is by far the most uncomfortable headset I've even used. The halo part is fine but the headset "resting" on your face soon feels like someone trying to push a hole in your face. No matter how many time I reset it, I could not help constantly but re-ajust the unit because it became too uncomfortable. I tried different settings, further, closer but the edges of the "mask" are to thin/narrow and they cut into your skin after a while. Also remember that in DCS you can spend hours going at it. I could not manage more than 15 minutes at a time before having to take it off. This is one of the major reasons it's going back.

In this aspect the placement of the headset is important. After placing the halo and the face well. Rift S has a small lower button with which you can zoom in or out of the face, so it is advisable to zoom in as much as possible and press ONCE that button so that the face skips slightly towards the front and ready ...

For me its biggest flaw is the FOV that is 88º horizontal, (diagonal FOV 110º), it is the smallest of new headset,

The thing with headsets is that people have different head shapes, and what's comfortable to one person may not be for someone else. And it's hard to judge what's comfortable without really spending and hour or two inside.

To me Rift S halo is very comfortable and I have no issues during longer sessions. It's also very easy to adjust the tension mid-flight, either at the rear or at the front, so it's not hugging your face too hard. Definitely better than the original CV1.

FOV also depends on IPD had head shape, though there's no deny that FOV in Rift S isn't great. That and no IPD adjustment are two biggest flaws for me.

Yeah to me the Rift S is very comfortable, I much prefer the Halo to the strap the Rift CV1 and Quest uses. No problem with fit on my head either, but as mentioned I am sure head shapes come into play. I can wear mine for hours with no discomfort.

I have not had the fogging of the lens either, but my play area is well air conditioned also. I have nice cool air blowing right on me.

Re: Steam VR, I prefer not to use it as I get better performance in Steam VR game using Open Composite instead.

I have had zero fogging issues, and it is easily adjustable for comfort. As far as resolution goes, I'd call it sufficient to use but could be better and more comfortable. I gravitate between zoom and non-zoom views of the instruments in the M2000. The instruments in the F-14 are seemingly much clearer. So maybe it also has to do with the specific cockpits I dunno.

Tracking is excellent for the sims I play. Sound absolutely stinks so it is a given that I wear my headphones which is a bummer but at least sound is good.

I always knew the Rift S would be a 1st step for me into VR. Before that all I had use were flat screens. I am looking forward to seeing what 2020 brings for new headsets.

No fog on my Rift s lenses (I've put two prescription inserts above them) and no issues with ipd (even if my ipd is 74 so 2 mm outside the adjustable software range); FOV is about the same as Rift cv1, not so bad if you Imagine you are wearing a pilot helmet; the facial interface itself could be more confortable, but there are 3rd party alternatives I'm planning to try.

No fog for me either, this might depend on the room humidity, idk. The halo strap or the CV1 have no big difference in terms of comfort for me, I am slightly biased towards CV1 strap as I can use my headset even tho the halo strap adjustment is easier. But overall S is way better easily.

Zafgev, you should think about HP Reverb. Hardware consumption is the same as Vive or Rift-S because of higher native resolution 2160x2160 there is no need for PD. So you got a level of detail the same as on Vive or Rift-S but with better clarity. Here is the video with comparison Reverb, Vive and monitor.

Picture tales more than a thousand words.

Link starting from DCS world part:

a Russian WW2 era flightsim with SteamVR support runs terrible compared to the VIVE. I fly that a lot so the Rift having to use SteamVR is a deal-breaker for me.

I have a huge performance boost in that game using OpenComposite

I have a huge performance boost in that game using OpenComposite

:thumbup:

With Rift or Rift S and a game that does not have native Oculus support only Steam VR, Open Composite is the way to go. Lean and mean.

I have very good performance in that title using Rift s and steamvr, so I do not understand what is needed to boost, since it's already boosted.

I thought I'd write this to perhaps help someone who is contemplating replacing their HTC Vive for a Rift S.

 

Firstly, I've been waiting months to see what the market comes up with to replace my HTC Vive. To be honest I was waiting for the HTC Vive Cosmos, but after many reviews it seems to be a dud so I'm not going there any time soon.

 

Secondly, I have budget constraints so making a decision on a new headset has two implications, spend big on a headset means upgrading PC hardware and not upgrading hardware means not getting the best experience for VR.

 

Thirdly I'm keen on the Valve Index, but, I cannot order one being out of region, but this would also mean having to upgrade hardware.

 

So I decided for now what I need is a resolution bump but at a cheaper pricepoint. Also many would say that most VR titles like DCS, Aerofly, Condor were designed with Oculus in mind. So the Rift S ticked the boxes for me for now. See what the Oculus experience is like, get a resolution bump - seemed like a plan.

 

The Good - setup for me was easy as pie. No hiccups or issues. First up was DCS. I kept all settings as I had them with the Vive.

 

The Bad - IPD for me was fine, set to the default. BUT - it is by far the most uncomfortable headset I've even used. The halo part is fine but the headset "resting" on your face soon feels like someone trying to push a hole in your face. No matter how many time I reset it, I could not help constantly but re-ajust the unit because it became too uncomfortable. I tried different settings, further, closer but the edges of the "mask" are to thin/narrow and they cut into your skin after a while. Also remember that in DCS you can spend hours going at it. I could not manage more than 15 minutes at a time before having to take it off. This is one of the major reasons it's going back.

 

Another problem I've never had with the Vive which the Rift S has evey time I put the headset on is the optics fogging up. Again I have no idea why a modern headset does not minimise this .. definitely not a next gen set.

 

The Good - The optics are good .. great. DCS is pin sharp at a 1.3 sampling. Gauges are clear and readable. Yes, blacks are "dark grey" and you notice that when comming off the Vive. Interestingly the cockpits seem bigger especially the Mirage which alway felt narrow.

 

The bad - FOW - basically the same as the Vive BUT the optics has a weird artefact which I've not seen anyone talk or write about. When you look straight ahead it looks optically as if the outer corners of the lenses become a straight line making the lens appear more square than round (it's hard to explain), but as soon as you turn your eye in the direction you can see the lens is round. I've always heard people talk about the scuba mask effect and with the Rift S for me, it is very pronounced. The Vive never gave me that feeling even though its similar in design. This for me is an emersion killer as I cannot block this optic out of my mind when flying it's so distracting. And no, changing IPD, fit etc did not resolve this.

 

The Good - performance - here is where the Rift S has legs on the Vive. With the Vive, and I think its more to do with SteamVR, I get all sorts of stutter and often dismal performance in DCS. The Rift S is smooth as silk, no stutters and in most cases constant 40fps in multiplayer. This is the one area that impressed me. With the Vive I always wondered if my rig was underspecced, but the Rift S proved it is more than adequate.

 

The Bad - ASW - I was getting a lot of smearing and weird artefacts around the canopies of various aircraft until I installed Oculus Tray Tool to turn ASW off. This fixed the problem. But this also cause a weird blur artefact when flying around. It's not a tracking issue I believe.

 

The Good - tracking is good in my room and I had virtually no issues. I do mostly simming so no standup or heavy movement.

 

Other Sims - I don't want to mention names as this might get bumped, but suffice to say all other flight sims with native Oculus support worked great. The only exception - a Russian WW2 era flightsim with SteamVR support runs terrible compared to the VIVE. I fly that a lot so the Rift having to use SteamVR is a deal-breaker for me.

 

Summary - If you are looking for good resolution bump, not so great optics, not having to necessarily upgrade your pc and native Oculus support, the Rift S may be right for you. But take it from me that it is uncomfortable, terrible for me to be honest. The Vive feels plush and comfy compared to this (I use the audio head strap). The FOV is a disappointment and feels a step backwards from the Vive. DCS performance is good, compared to the Vive - the Vive is good if you can see past the micro stutters (it may be more setup of my rig though than a general problem). So I cannot recommend a Rift S to anyone who is going to spend an hour or more with this stuck to your face. For now, the Vive will do and perhaps the Index will land on our shores.

 

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

R O T F L

:thumbup:

 

With Rift or Rift S and a game that does not have native Oculus support only Steam VR, Open Composite is the way to go. Lean and mean.

You mention Open Composite quiet a bit. You didnt ever try it for DCS by any chance?

The Virtual Reality Kneeboard (VRK) Mod requires to run SteamVR.

DCS runs very smooth with the Rift-S... but since Im somewhat "forced" into the SteamVR, I'm looking to optimise it a bit.

I've installed Open Composite. But if I start SteamVR with --force_steam_VR I get an error message: "unknown string poperty - dev:2, prop:7000". If you have an idea, let me know.

Thanks :)

You mention Open Composite quiet a bit. You didnt ever try it for DCS by any chance?

The Virtual Reality Kneeboard (VRK) Mod requires to run SteamVR.

DCS runs very smooth with the Rift-S... but since Im somewhat "forced" into the SteamVR, I'm looking to optimise it a bit.

I've installed Open Composite. But if I start SteamVR with --force_steam_VR I get an error message: "unknown string poperty - dev:2, prop:7000". If you have an idea, let me know.

 

Thanks :)

No I have no reason to try it for DCS nor could I as the game has native Oculus support. Open Composite is just a tool to allow switching from Steam VR to Open Composite.

It still feeds through Oculus same as Steam VR does.

For Rift/Rift S:

A Steam VR only game- Steam VR --> Oculus--> Headset

Alternatively: Open Composite--> Oculus --> Headset

There would be no reason, nor could you, run SteamVR --> Open Composite--> Oculus --> Headset.

So why use Open Composite rather than Steam VR for an Oculus Headset? Open Composite is a leaner program than Steam VR, and depending on the game that can mean better VR performance. But Open Composite has no bells and whistles so to speak, like Steam VR has with all it's settings. Open Composite just gets the image rendered for a Steam VR game in the Oculus Headset.

The ideal solution for Rift is for the game to have native Oculus support, as DCS does.

Well, reason was stated. Need to run the DCS in SteamVR, otherwise I cannot use VRK.

But thanks for the explanation. :thumbup:

Rift S and Oculus is native in DCS. In my tests, steamVR implies losing 20% ​​of performance compared to oculus native suit

I had the same comfort issues (visor pressing into my face that it hurts and fog on the lenses) with the Rift S until I realized that I wore it the wrong way. After adjusting the halo so that it sits slightly below the small bump at the back of the head (and not above it as I wore it originally), it is very comfortable and not pressing into the face at all.

I had the same comfort issues (visor pressing into my face that it hurts and fog on the lenses) with the Rift S until I realized that I wore it the wrong way. After adjusting the halo so that it sits slightly below the small bump at the back of the head (and not above it as I wore it originally), it is very comfortable and not pressing into the face at all.

Yep that is the proper way to wear it. I can wear mine many hours a day without issue.

Very interesting, I am very intetested by the HP Reverb

Great post..