Valve Index

Yes, it is backward compatible with 1.0 lighthouses. (Conversely, keep in mind that one is NOT able to use the Vive controllers with the Index 2.0 lighthouses). I'm planning on using my Vive lighthouses with the Index and Index controllers, as well.

Anyone have any time guestimate as to when the preorder page will hit? I'd like to get the order in before the site crashes.
so far May 1st is what I have been hearing as the date that info drops including pre-orders/releae dates
 
Yes, I know May 1st is the preorder date. I was just wondering about actual timing, like the hour it will go up for sale. Don't know whether Valve will put it up at midnight of April 30th or just any time during the day on May 1st. I think they're in the Pacific time zone? I'm in the Central time zone. Guess I'll set an alarm just in case.
 
*prays this has the 2160x2160 panels and it will be an instant buy for me.
2160x2160 each? how does one equate per Eye resolution to total resolution? I guess as far as the GPU is concerned, you're looking at nearly 4k res performance wise?
 
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2160x2160 each? how does one equate per Eye resolution to total resolution? I guess as far as the GPU is concerned, you're looking at nearly 4k res performance wise?

It'll be lower performance than 4k - they have to oversample before they apply the lens warp, plus the geometry load is doubled in most games (some use single pass stereo or multi view rendering, so not as severe). However, all headsets support undersampling, so you'll get the benefit of no screen door and can run as high res as your PC can push.
 
Surprised nobody posted this yet.

https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/index


It looks like a very good headset. Price $999 for the full kit.

Highlights:

1440x1600 RGB LCD screens.

120Hz an fall back to 90hz also has an experimental 144hz mode.

Low persistence screens.

130 FOV

Dual lens, canted optics.

IPD slider.

Headphones,

5M cable.
 
Ugg only 1440 x 1600 panels. Less than half the resolution of the HP Reverb. Passing on the Index.
 
Surprised nobody posted this yet.

https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/index


It looks like a very good headset. Price $999 for the full kit.

Highlights:

1440x1600 RGB LCD screens.

120Hz an fall back to 90hz also has an experimental 144hz mode.

Low persistence screens.

130 FOV

Dual lens, canted optics.

IPD slider.

Headphones,

5M cable.
I'll be in for one, for sure. Even though the resolution is not quite as high as I was hoping, it's still better than my OG Vive, and I'm thinking it will subjectively present even better and just be an overall better experience. The headset itself looks to be especially comfortable, with lots of adjustments, not to mention the IPD slider. I do like lighthouse tracking. Already have the Vive lighthouses so just need headset and controllers. I wish it were wireless; maybe down the road. But, yeppers, I'll be refreshing my Steam Store screen tomorrow every five minutes to get my order in.
 
Not impressed by the headset, but I'll probably pick up the controllers. Of the current HMD options I'd rather go with a pimax (or an xtal if I had money to burn).
 
good wireless is the killer feature for VR headsets in my mind. i can get past screen rez, etc, but being tethered to a cord always messes the immersion. Im a little disappointed no wireless.
 
$280 for the controllers is way too fucking expensive, IMO.

Also, only up to 70mm IPD may be a deal breaker for me. I have my Vive on maximum (~74ish) and even that isn't quite perfect as far as I can tell.

My eyes don't seem that far apart but...apparently so.
 
Not quite the resolution I was hoping for, but still a lot better than what the Rift S is offering. And yes, those Knuckle Controllers are overpriced by themselves... they should have maxed out at $199 instead of $280.

I was sort of hoping that Valve would choose to price their VR hardware at cost to drive VR software sales and make up profits there instead. Its not like Gaben and Co. are hurting for cash... They could have easily sold the entire VR setup at or below cost ($499) and simply destroyed Facebook's Rift S offering.

At this point I'll probably preorder the Index HMD with just the controllers and use my existing lighthouses.
 
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Not quite the resolution I was hoping for, but still a lot better than what the Rift S is offering. And yes, those Knuckle Controllers are overpriced by themselves... they should have maxed out at $199 instead of $280.

I was sort of hoping that Valve would choose to price their VR hardware at cost to drive VR software sales and make up profits there instead. Its not like Gaben and Co. are hurting for cash... They could have easily sold the entire VR setup at or below cost ($499) and simply destroyed Facebook's Rift S offering.

At this point I'll probably preorder the Index HMD with just the controllers and use my existing lighthouses.
ya the index is beautiful but like you said the cost is a killer. The rift S is probably going to destroy the index thanks to it being literately less than half the cost for new comers and cheaper by $100 compared to just getting the index hmd. I don't understand why valve didn't take a loss on the index and hope for big sales which leads to big software sales on steamVR, instead now what they have done is offered the market to Facebook/oculus on a silver platter and said have fun building the closed off oculus ecosystem even larger
 
Yeah ouch on the controller only price. I really really want the controllers but at $280 that is kind of steep. I like the headset but I already have a Vive Pro so I am going to pass on it. I am going to have to think about the controllers. I probably don't have to get them right away, summer is coming up and my playing of VR games goes down in general so I can probably hold off till the fall. That is of course if I don't cave in at the last moment when the order page goes live ;).
 
Oh snap I didn't read the fine print at the very bottom. The rez though honestly is the killer. Pimax 5K or higher or bust for my cash.
https://store.steampowered.com/valveindex

California Residents
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm
associated with materials used in Base Station housing, power supply, and cables
 
$280 for the controllers is way too fucking expensive, IMO.

Also, only up to 70mm IPD may be a deal breaker for me. I have my Vive on maximum (~74ish) and even that isn't quite perfect as far as I can tell.

My eyes don't seem that far apart but...apparently so.
The Vive controllers are $129 each on Amazon. That's $260 for a pair. I don't like the pricing but it is what it is. :)
 
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$1000

Nope... i'd rather just get one of those motion chairs for VR for that price to add to my rift.
 
The Vive controllers are $129 each on Amazon. That's $260 for a pair. I don't like the pricing but it is what it is. :)

Which is absurd considering they came out almost 2 years ago. Why is it that technology never gets cheaper as it progresses anymore, just more expensive?

I know the Index controllers are more advanced but still, they should be closer to $200 for both at the most.
 
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Which is absurd considering they came out almost 2 years ago. Why is it that technology never gets cheaper as it progresses anymore, just more expensive?

I know the Index controllers are more advanced but still, they should be closer to $200 for both at the most.
#1 - inflation

#2 - theyre going to charge as much as people are willing to pay. And having credit cards makes that number jump higher.

I dont like it either :(
 
Oh snap I didn't read the fine print at the very bottom. The rez though honestly is the killer. Pimax 5K or higher or bust for my cash.
https://store.steampowered.com/valveindex

California Residents
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm
associated with materials used in Base Station housing, power supply, and cables

I wouldn't worry about this too much - it probably means something in the base station housing has a plasticizer, lead-core solder etc. - good to know especially for any who may be modding and/or recycling/handling broken items , but unlikely to be exposed to the user in normal use.

--

Overall as someone who doesn't yet own a VR kit, it looks pretty nice on paper anyway. Essentially it seems to have all the features of the Vive Pro Eye! I was happy to see eye tracking mentioned in the description (looking around the scene with your eyes instead of moving your head etc) but for some reason they didn't put it into the specs. Maybe that's because the use of it and by nature, FOViated rendering - which I also expect to be supported if eye tracking is present - is more of a software/dev thing? Comparing the $1200-1400 costs of procuring a full Vive Pro Eye w/ 2.0 controllers + 2.0 base stations kit, $999 is far more reasonable and similar to the price of the original VIVE kit when it came out. Especially given the next generation Knuckles type controller and updated base stations.

The resolution doesn't necessarily bother me, especially if what they say about the display being specifically to reduce screen door effect - it also is capable of 120hz by default up from 90 in typical headsets and even has a 144hz mode ; the whole thing has a wider field of vision than existing hardware. The ear "speakers" are a nice idea especially as someone who doesn't particularly care for headphones, but its nice there's a standard jack for headphones as well for those who want them.. I am a bit curious about the Display Port 1.2 and USB 3.0 specs... I mean, couldn't they at very least use the latest version of each? Especially given the potential bandwidth of USB 3.1 and the nice small TypeC port, it seems that would be the best choice; its not like these aren't backward compatible standards! The "Frunk" and expansion port is a nice idea but again I can't see the purpose of 3.0 for the long haul. I expect this is evidence that they're going to be supporting the Index themselves and compatible with 3rd party addons. Those worrying about wireless functionality, I expect a compatible wireless module will be on its way before very long. I really hope they build the whole thing in such a way that it is modular and able to be upgraded as much as possible.

While I know not everyone will have the same interest, it is a BIG feature that Linux (and Mac) is officially supported. While the VIVE lineup has been the most 'open' and SteamVR has made some amount of Linux use possible, the Index being granted official Linux support is a major step forward!

I'll keep my eyes open for a reason not to pick it up or another competitor, but for now it looks to be the best of the currently-or-soon-to-be-available offerings

Edit: I wonder if they'll be selling these via Amazon soon. I have a bunch of gift cards to use up...
 
Not quite the resolution I was hoping for, but still a lot better than what the Rift S is offering. And yes, those Knuckle Controllers are overpriced by themselves... they should have maxed out at $199 instead of $280.

I was sort of hoping that Valve would choose to price their VR hardware at cost to drive VR software sales and make up profits there instead. Its not like Gaben and Co. are hurting for cash... They could have easily sold the entire VR setup at or below cost ($499) and simply destroyed Facebook's Rift S offering.

At this point I'll probably preorder the Index HMD with just the controllers and use my existing lighthouses.

I mean it won't look any better than the Rift S because of the increased FoV + modest resolution bump. Not that FoV isn't important but it's not what bothered me at all with Gen 1 headsets (maybe because I have glasses) so this is a pass for me (plus I did not own the Vive so would have to buy the whole package, too much for something that doesn't tick THAT many boxes).

The HP Reverb on the other hand offers a massive resolution increase and a FoV in between Rift S and Index. That's going to look gorgeous and for only $650. Don't think I'll be running too many games smoothly on the Reverb with my 1080 ti though so might end up getting a Rift S anyway (or both since the Rift S would be superior for active games and the Reverb superior for sims).
 
Oh snap I didn't read the fine print at the very bottom. The rez though honestly is the killer. Pimax 5K or higher or bust for my cash.
https://store.steampowered.com/valveindex

California Residents
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm
associated with materials used in Base Station housing, power supply, and cables

lol in Commiefornia they put that nonsense on EVERYTHING. They put it on COFFEE for Christs sake.
 
You can now reserve your copy of the full Index kit or any combination of HMD, Knuckle controllers and/or lighthouses that you wish to buy on Steam.

https://store.steampowered.com/valveindex

It’s just a reservation tied to your Steam account - there is NO obligation to buy. If you are considering one at all, go for it and you’ll be given a reservation slot that once they are ready to ship, you’ll have seven days in which to either buy or let it go. Odds are that if you don’t reserve one and then change your mind in a few months, you’ll have a very long wait...
 
I caved and ordered the controllers. I have been wanting them since I saw them the first time and my self control just disintegrated.

No reservations just straight up preorder. They already charged my card and took my remaining steam cash. Weird thing is no shipping costs were added.
 
I caved and ordered the controllers. I have been wanting them since I saw them the first time and my self control just disintegrated.

No reservations just straight up preorder. They already charged my card and took my remaining steam cash. Weird thing is no shipping costs were added.

Ya, I believe the knuckle controllers and v2 lighthouses have been building up in their supply pipeline for a while now as they have them listed for sale, not pre-order. It's really just the Index HMD that's really new and still being spun up as to production. And as to shipping costs on the Knuckles, for that asking price they had better be shipped overnight FedEx for free! :D
 
Ya, I believe the knuckle controllers and v2 lighthouses have been building up in their supply pipeline for a while now as they have them listed for sale, not pre-order. It's really just the Index HMD that's really new and still being spun up as to production. And as to shipping costs on the Knuckles, for that asking price they had better be shipped overnight FedEx for free! :D
lol, I doubt it would be overnight for free it'll probably just be standard ground shipping for free, but it's not like i'd complain if they arrived tomorrow or Friday. ;)
 
Was really hoping this had eye tracking. Been waiting for this gen of VR sets to go all in. Pre-Ordered the Quest as my portable VR go to. Now I really want a monster high end PC based unit. Maybe there will be a Pro 2.0 with everything I want they can charge $2K for...
 
Was really hoping this had eye tracking. Been waiting for this gen of VR sets to go all in. Pre-Ordered the Quest as my portable VR go to. Now I really want a monster high end PC based unit. Maybe there will be a Pro 2.0 with everything I want they can charge $2K for...

I actually wrote them about this and they said that the Index is designed for modding and upgrades, so they expected eye tracking to be able to be added. I wrote again asking a little more information on exactly how modular the thing might be since something like eye tracking seems to require modding of the view area etc...so I'll wait to see what they tell me. However, I do think its telling they went with the "we expect it to be added with a mod/upgrade" as opposed to the "we just didn't think it was ready yet etc.." kind of typical excuse for a feature's lack.
 
This warning spells trouble. Especially for California users, they seem to be more affected by this stuff :whistle:
 

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This warning spells trouble. Especially for California users, they seem to be more affected by this stuff :whistle:

Apparently Californians really like opening up electronics so that they can chew on the insides, munch on cables/connectors, etc. If it weren't for these labels, they would probably make salads and stuff with them.
 
Ordered the headset and controllers...first wave. Now, I have an Nvidia 2080 Ti FE, which I think only has one DP? My monitor (Acer Predator) requires the DP for G-sync. The Index requires this, too, so I'm thinking I'd have to resort to HDMI for my monitor. I had forgotten that the 2080 Ti has Virtual Link...that would seem to be an excellent solution, but that won't be released until July. Guess I can live with my monitor in HDMI for a month or so.

I know a lot of folks on here have a similar setup. What are you planning on doing?
 
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Ordered the headset and controllers...first wave. Now, I have an Nvidia 2080 Ti FE, which I think only has one DP? My monitor (Acer Predator) requires the DP for G-sync. The Index requires this, too, so I'm thinking I'd have to resort to HDMI for my monitor. I had forgotten that the 2080 Ti has Virtual Link...that would seem to be an excellent solution, but that won't be released until July. Guess I can live with my monitor in HDMI for a month or so.

I know a lot of folks on here have a similar setup. What are you planning on doing?

Could just buy a $10 adapter if you need another display port:

https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Adapter-QGeeM-Displayport-ChromeBook/dp/B074V5MMCH
 
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Ordered the headset and controllers...first wave. Now, I have an Nvidia 2080 Ti FE, which I think only has one DP?

??

You've got that backwards. The standard IO layout for several generations now has been 3xDP and 1xHDMI; that includes your current card.

You're set with what you have.
 
??

You've got that backwards. The standard IO layout for several generations now has been 3xDP and 1xHDMI; that includes your current card.

You're set with what you have.
Gosh, what gave it away that I'm not very technically oriented? Just overanxious...overexcited...thanks for kindly setting me straight.
 
Ordered the headset and controllers...first wave. Now, I have an Nvidia 2080 Ti FE, which I think only has one DP? My monitor (Acer Predator) requires the DP for G-sync. The Index requires this, too, so I'm thinking I'd have to resort to HDMI for my monitor. I had forgotten that the 2080 Ti has Virtual Link...that would seem to be an excellent solution, but that won't be released until July. Guess I can live with my monitor in HDMI for a month or so.

I know a lot of folks on here have a similar setup. What are you planning on doing?
That's cool. Does the 2080ti FE have a USB C connector?
https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-selling-virtuallink-usb-type-c-adapter-index/
 
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