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Strange Question maybe

chrono99
Explorer
So a buddy of mine came buy. Tried the Rift. Even tried to buy it from me lol.
I wanted to keep it. Anyway he wanted to know if there were any cheaper alternatives to
Oculus Rift? I looked around and I saw a bunch of different headsets Durovis Dive 5 being one of them
but they all use phones. He was curious if there were any out there that you could hook to your PC
that were maybe a lil more affordable that would offer the same thing as far as motion tracking and
looking around in a VR setting like the rift offers? Obviously they wouldn be as good as rift but hey at least
he might get the idea right???
5 REPLIES 5

Jose
Heroic Explorer
There is no cheaper consumer product that your friend can buy that does the same thing as what the Rift DK2 does.

chrono99
Explorer
Ok ty I was pretty sure there wasn't but you don't know if you don't ask right?

Jose
Heroic Explorer
Sorry I didn't mean to sound so absolute in my original post.

It's possible to create your own VR HMD system by buying a used DK1 and adding positional markers on it, and a webcam. You'll be missing features like low persistence, and you'll be limited to whatever content you can create in Unity or Unreal Engine. The parts will cost less than the cost of a DK2. However, it's very difficult for most people to do this, and if you choose to go this route, it will most likely take a very long time. Longer than it's worth if you're simply trying to find a low cost HMD.

A more realistic option would be to get an Android phone that's in the $150 to $250 range and then get Google Cardboard. There's no positional tracking. But there's orientation tracking, and you'll have access to the VR apps on the Play Store, and 360 videos on YouTube.

RiftXdev
Explorer
Just tell him to wait for the consumer version in Q1. Anything before that will be wasted money as it's all at least a year old tech now

Unless of course he already happens to have a samsung S6, in which case he can get the new GearVR for £100 - £150
DK1 | DK2
"The question isn't who is going to let me but rather who is going to stop me"

VizionVR
Rising Star
For $25 Google Cardboard is a down and dirty (and cheap) alternative, but it lacks most features that VR requires for quality immersion. Still, it's fun to pass around at parties.
Not a Rift fanboi. Not a Vive fanboi. I'm a VR fanboi. Get it straight.