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?? Would... a google cardboard be good enough??

CaliberMengsk
Explorer
Ok. So, I know that the note 4 plugs into the gear vr, but from what I've seen in videos and such, it's more or less just for the button on the side right? The note 4 has the sensors built in right? So would developing something for google cardboard work the same as developing for the gear vr?

(I ask cause I don't have $200 extra for the gear vr, and I personally don't see much difference between a cardboard and a gear vr beside the button being a tactile button.)
16 REPLIES 16

HomerS66
Expert Protege
"CaliberMengsk" wrote:
Ok. So, I know that the note 4 plugs into the gear vr, but from what I've seen in videos and such, it's more or less just for the button on the side right? The note 4 has the sensors built in right? So would developing something for google cardboard work the same as developing for the gear vr?

(I ask cause I don't have $200 extra for the gear vr, and I personally don't see much difference between a cardboard and a gear vr beside the button being a tactile button.)


No there is also tech in the Gear VR.

With the Gear VR you get:

- low persistence Amoled Display (even tho you have Amoled aswell, you don't just get it when putting it in google Cardboard, because it gets hacked in Gear VR)
- oculus trackers within Gear VR which are around 5 times faster than the ones used in smartphones
- low level CPU access, which bypasses the Android system
- <20ms Headtracking latency and no judder
- asynchronous time warp (without it you get motion sick pretty quickly when the framrate drops from time to time)
- positional tracking with STEM pack (or inside out positional tracking probably with S6 or Note 5)
- integrated touchpad
- easy pass through mode by holding the backbutton
- focus dial
- and the best advantage: John Carmack

zerogee
Honored Guest
Homer is mostly right. You don't _actually_ get John Carmack, but do you get his expertise. We haven't determined the pricing yet for the "Gear VR + John Carmack in your living room" package.

CaliberMengsk
Explorer
"HomerS66" wrote:

With the Gear VR you get:

- low persistence Amoled Display (even tho you have Amoled aswell, you don't just get it when putting it in google Cardboard, because it gets hacked in Gear VR)
- oculus trackers within Gear VR which are around 5 times faster than the ones used in smartphones
- low level CPU access, which bypasses the Android system
- <20ms Headtracking latency and no judder
- asynchronous time warp (without it you get motion sick pretty quickly when the framrate drops from time to time)
- positional tracking with STEM pack (or inside out positional tracking probably with S6 or Note 5)
- integrated touchpad
- easy pass through mode by holding the backbutton
- focus dial
- and the best advantage: John Carmack

The only things that you said that aren't a part of the phone are the button and touchpad, which is kind of my point. The sensors are already in the phone, are they not? Gear VR Uses the phone's screen right? Besides the easier to use back button (which a cardboard could provide with the magnetic switch thing) and the touch pad (which can't be simulated with cardboard), is there really any reason we couldn't use a cardboard to develop for gear vr with those not being there in mind? (I realize it'd be better, because then you'd have the end product to be certain with, but seriously, the button and touchpad are the only thing that seem to be a massive difference to something like cardboard as long as the phone's hardware is taken care of by already having a note 4)

HomerS66
Expert Protege
"CaliberMengsk" wrote:

The only things that you said that aren't a part of the phone are the button and touchpad, which is kind of my point. The sensors are already in the phone, are they not? Gear VR Uses the phone's screen right? Besides the easier to use back button (which a cardboard could provide with the magnetic switch thing) and the touch pad (which can't be simulated with cardboard), is there really any reason we couldn't use a cardboard to develop for gear vr with those not being there in mind? (I realize it'd be better, because then you'd have the end product to be certain with, but seriously, the button and touchpad are the only thing that seem to be a massive difference to something like cardboard as long as the phone's hardware is taken care of by already having a note 4)


From the point of view of a regular user who uses Google Cardboard or other Android Headsets with the Note 4, instead of the Gear VR, won't get any of the advantages i mentioned above.

From the point of view of a developer, i'm not sure if you won't need either a dk2 or Gear VR to be able to properly develop for it.

And the things which aren't coming with the Note 4 but are in the Gear VR itself, are the Back button, Volume rockers, touchpad, focus dial, proximity sensor (not sure about this one, could be the one of the Note 4) and the faster oculus sensors/trackers which are used instead of the ones in the Note 4.

Jotokutora
Adventurer
"zerogee" wrote:
Homer is mostly right. You don't _actually_ get John Carmack, but do you get his expertise. We haven't determined the pricing yet for the "Gear VR + John Carmack in your living room" package.

😄
Nice!!!!

Jotokutora
Adventurer
"HomerS66" wrote:
"CaliberMengsk" wrote:

The only things that you said that aren't a part of the phone are the button and touchpad, which is kind of my point. The sensors are already in the phone, are they not? Gear VR Uses the phone's screen right? Besides the easier to use back button (which a cardboard could provide with the magnetic switch thing) and the touch pad (which can't be simulated with cardboard), is there really any reason we couldn't use a cardboard to develop for gear vr with those not being there in mind? (I realize it'd be better, because then you'd have the end product to be certain with, but seriously, the button and touchpad are the only thing that seem to be a massive difference to something like cardboard as long as the phone's hardware is taken care of by already having a note 4)


From the point of view of a regular user who uses Google Cardboard or other Android Headsets with the Note 4, instead of the Gear VR, won't get any of the advantages i mentioned above.

From the point of view of a developer, i'm not sure if you won't need either a dk2 or Gear VR to be able to properly develop for it.

And the things which aren't coming with the Note 4 but are in the Gear VR itself, are the Back button, Volume rockers, touchpad, focus dial, proximity sensor (not sure about this one, could be the one of the Note 4) and the faster oculus sensors/trackers which are used instead of the ones in the Note 4.


No you still not getting it. It is using the Rift sensor that refreshes at 1000hz vs cellphone 100hz. That alone creates latency which are the elements that make people sick. You can not get the 20 Milisecond performance, not even close on any cardboard experience . So pretty much no to what you think cardboard can do.

If other manufacturers make changes on their handsets next year then maybe. But you will get a much poorer performance from cardboard in all areas. Best is for you to try the gear first then compare.

Not sure about using the cardboard for development. I am using a rift, But it would be interesting to use cardbiard for that

Gherron
Protege
I have the Cardboard but plan on getting the Gear VR as soon as it's available. One thing I am desperately hoping for (in addition to the improvements mentioned above) is an increased Field of View. With the Cardboard, it still feels like I'm looking at a video game through a pair of binoculars. There is the pervasive sense that you are peering through two small holes. Surely the Gear VR will not have that effect, or at least not as bad.

Has anyone had a chance to try the Gear VR yet and can you compare the FoV to the Cardboard?

Jotokutora
Adventurer
Have you tried any if the dk's?

Gherron
Protege
"Jotokutora" wrote:
Have you tried any if the dk's?


I had a chance to try the DK2 for about 3 minutes. It was a much better FoV. I really hope the Gear VR is like that. (I'm also tired of cramming a piece of cardboard up against my face!)