streakeagle

They just now emailed me to confirm the cause of the delay is that they are out of stock of G2s.

The HP website for tracking my return says the best estimate for a replacement/repaired headset is 03/12/21. In the interim I have been bouncing between my son's Quest 2 I got him for Christmas and my Rift S. The Quest 2 is halfway between the Rift S and G2 in image quality, but I have had problems with it randomly disconnecting from the PC in the middle of DCS. I suspect it is because I am saturating my USB 3 port by raising both the image quality and refresh rates to the limits, but it could simply be a hardware/software problem, too. So, for reliability, I have settled on the Rift S, which isn't so bad as it is what I have been using before I got the G2 at the end of November.

I can't wait to try it out!

I tried forced on, forced off, and auto. Auto jumps too much. My frame rates aren't high enough to work well with it off... too unstable like Auto. So forced on it is. Staying at or near 45 fps with little or no ghosting is pretty good compared to 40 fps with lots of ghosting in the Rift S.

I just mapped the controls and flew the AV-8 for the first time since I got my WinWing throttle last May. It is such a cool aircraft, fun to fly, and I love the pilot body for VR. But it still has so many flaws. It is closer to a very buggy alpha than a nearly finished beta release. The simplest control mappings have problems. If you map the jettison switch, there are no direct position maps and the turn left and turn right maps are backwards. The INS course switch map doesn't animate the toggle switch correctly when compared to the mouse and doesn't function correctly. It would really be nice if the HOTAS switches were animated to move when you press the associated buttons on your real-world HOTAS. A finished manual would be icing on the cake, but I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time on the manual until the majority of systems work correctly to avoid wasting time constantly updating the manuals to match the current functionality. I only fly it for startup/taxi/takeoff/navigation/landing and instant action air-to-air. I can only imagine the problems I might encounter if I tried to learn how to employ it correctly in its dedicated air-to-ground combat role. So, it goes back in the hangar until I see some meaningful update progress. At least some progress continues to be made however slow. The AV-8 is way better than the abandoned VEAO Hawk and the paid-for-but-never-delivered P-40.

Yes, ghosting is a VR thing caused by motion reprojection. But for me the G2 caused almost no ghosting compared to the Rift S. Almost any time I got in close with a fighter with the Rift S, I would see ghosts unless it was a clean terrain like Nevada with nothing else to process besides the opponent and myself. Using the G2 I rarely see ghosting. The Quest 2 still suffered from ghosting, but not as much as the Rift S.

I used the support chat, too. They asked a few questions but didn't have me do anything creative like unscrewing the headphones. I will say that I moved them extensively trying to trigger a fail: slid them up and down full extension and rotated them. The only way I got a fail is by moving my head as opposed to flexing the cable or tugging on the cable to try to wiggle the connector. It seems like something inside the headset didn't like the acceleration. But was it an electrical/mechanical failure or an electronic chip failure? It will be interesting to see if the new one behaves better out of the box or if it exhibits some of the same little tracking/display quirks.

The support person did not suggest that to me. I gladly would have tried it. But my G2 was received by HP last night. So, hopefully, the new one arrives soon. I am flying with the Rift S and Quest 2 right now. The Quest 2 is in between the Rift S and G2 in graphics quality, but is not nearly as comfortable as the Rift S and G2. The Quest 2 also has a battery that needs to stay charged. Since I turn my PC off after flying at night, it doesn't get charged overnight. I will say that the Rift S has far superior tracking in every way (stability, precision, smoothness) than the G2. The G2 has always given me minor problems with freezes and glitches while looking around. Maybe mine was a bad one from the start? Maybe my earphones were loose from the start? The G2 display is so superior, it is hard to give up, but if I could have the G2 hardware with the Oculus software, I would be much happier. WMR/SteamVR has some advantages, but overall is inferior to my experience with the Oculus software using the Rift CV1/Rift S/Quest 2.

I started having this problem intermittently, and it got worse. Basically, anytime I moved my head too much or too fast, the screen would flash blue then go black. WMR would see the G2 as disconnected. I tried flexing the cable and wiggling the connection to look for a cable/connection problem, but I could only consistently reproduce the problem by moving my head. HP Support told me to send it back for a new one. They FedEXed me a box with a shipping label. I have already sent mine back. Waiting to see a response indicating a new one or repaired one is on the way.

The obvious choice is the early F-4B/C as they were in 1965-66: you can provide both USN and USAF variants with minimal difference in 3d model, aerodynamics and systems. For just a bit more work and charging an addon fee, you can make the F-4B/C into the F-4D and/or F-4N. Imagine buying one module and getting so many variants. The key problem is that the F-4 underwent continuous improvements. So the F-4B has quite the list of changes until it changed so much that they called it the F-4N. The principal area of improvement was RWR/ECM, but if you study the flight manuals, you will find that the cockpits and system functionality of things such as flaps changed a bit over time, too beyond the addition/integration of more capable RWR systems/displays. Even the stick and throttle grips kept changing whether it was bolting on an extra switch to a throttle grip or a completely new stick grip to help support early HOTAS functionality. I am greedy. I want ALL of the F-4 variants that ever entered service. But I am also desperate and will settle for any one variant. If I can have only one, an early, slatted F-4E from 1972 Vietnam would be my preference or maybe a Vietnam F-4J. But I will take any variant I can get, including the Spey engined RN and RAF variants, which also went through many upgrades.

I can't imagine wireless having the throughput and stability for decent video quality and head tracking. Using the single USB C copper cable doesn't fully provide the bandwidth needed, how can a wireless connection handle it?

I didn't know it existed... but it looks like I have it and it runs. That should reduce the impact of crashes.

I have very bad vision with severe astigmatism, too. On top of that, I am old enough that I need reading glasses, so I have the expensive progressive lenses that only focus correctly when you look straight at the object of interest with the correct elevation angle. So, my vision already has its own "sweet spot" independent of any VR headset. Contact lenses never worked well for me. The severe astigmatism requires them to sit at a certain position and rotational angle, but they always move with every blink and make it impossible to maintain a constant sharp focus at any distance. As a general rule, I have to buy the absolute smallest glasses frames and use the most expensive high index material available to keep my glasses as small and light as possible for general comfort. The byproduct of this strategy is that the Oculus CV1, Rift, Quest 2, and HP Reverb G2 all fit over my glasses with minimal issues. The CV1 did put a lot of force on my nose pads, causing fatigue and headaches after using VR too long. All of them require me to carefully adjust my glasses so their sweet spot lines up with the VR sweet spot. But the end result is that I don't really have any problems using VR despite my glasses and poor vision. Therefore, I haven't had any reason to buy dedicated VR headset lenses. I guess I am fortunate, because GreP is not the first person I have seen post they were less than impressed with the G2 and were returning it for the same reasons.

There is no wrong answer. It is all a matter of personal preference. I still believe in the value of both 2D/TrackIR and VR. But the Reverb G2's resolution and image quality are such that I no longer want or need to fly 2D for any reason other than to enjoy maxed out graphics settings with a fairly steady VSync 60 fps. But for combat, carrier operations, and helo flying, I am now 100% VR. I only use 2D for sight seeing and testing.

Latest patch fixed the problem. I see all switch animations working.

I just had multiple crashes in a short time frame... then hours with no crashes after that. No other software started/stopped, running DCS World online multiplayer.

From the Windows Events Log (Applications):

I am glad I am not alone. I finally took the time to experiment to try different aircraft and online/offline modes. But any time I am in the F10 map view, the displayed co-ordinates are incorrect and the ruler doesn't work right. I am using only a single monitor. ED had to have broken this fairly recently.

No, even with the most current firmware the test lights functionality has been partially broken. Some switches still indicate their positions, others do not. All of the switches still indicate in the log to the left and work fine in the game, but he animated images have been partially broken since I installed the last software update.

I don't know what has changed to cause this problem. But sometime in the past month or so, Voice Attack/VAICOM Pro started crashing very frequently. In the past, it was normal to crash every now and then. Sometimes, some sort of magical stable point would be reached and I wouldn't have any crashes at all. But right now, it is normal for Voice Attack to stop running not long after takeoff and maybe stop again sometime during the same flight. Between DCS World, Windows, nVidia, SRS, SimShaker, Voice Attack, VAICOM Pro, etc., there are always updates. The big change for me was getting a Reverb G2, which added Windows Mixed Reality and SteamVR to the mix in place of Oculus. So, I have no idea what has caused this to become such a frequent problem right now, but it sure is annoying as I have come to depend of being able to talk to the AI without using any menus.

What percentage of flight sim players use TrackIR? What percentage use some third party alternative to TrackIR? What percentage have have any form of head tracking and just use a HOTAS or keyboard/mouse? To go from 0% to 12% of the flight sim market is a big chunk. Most of those probably used TrackIR previously. So, say TrackIR was in use by about 30% of the market, which is probably a reasonable number, 12 of 30 is the same as losing 40% of your long-term customer base.

I love the maxed out image quality and stable vsync frame rates of the flat panel vs VR, but after using 1:1 head tracking with stereo vision, TrackIR doesn't cut it for dogfighting, helo flying, formation flying, or carrier landings any more. One problem I have always had on a flat panel is the canopy frames. Somehow, AI always gets on the frame and disappears during the time I can't see him. TrackIR makes it easy to shift your view, but I still frequently lost track of contacts that crossed the canopy frame. Whereas stereo vision makes it much easier to see around or "through" the canopy frame with little or no head movement. Even after years of flying with TrackIR, I could get disoriented. I might not be sure which way I was really looking with a clear bubble canopy and amplified head movements, especially at the fringes of the TrackIR's tracking ability. With VR, the 1:1 head movement guarantees I know exactly what my view angle is relative to my aircraft's nose, which is a good thing. The one strong advantage of TrackIR's amplified head movement is checking your six. Aside from the aforementioned disorientation issues, you can quickly and easily look behind you, which is really useful when trying to shake someone off your tail in an aircraft that doesn't have mirrors. But I don't have any issues with physically turning my body/shoulder/head to look behind me in VR despite being over 50 years old, so I enjoy the realism in having to move so much in a close-in dogfight. Of course, pulling high-g's in the game doesn't impair my head/body mobility, so it isn't that much harder than using TrackIR's amplified head movements. But after a long series of desperate rolling scissors with enemies near my six, I can be pretty tired and maybe even my neck is a little sore. When I had the Rift CV1, the resolution in VR was so poor that I spent about 50/50 time between TrackIR/flat panel and VR. I bought the Rift S as soon as it was available and that was a huge step up. I flew about 80% VR, 20% TrackIR/flat panel. Now that I have a G2, resolution almost isn't an issue, just the lower quality settings I have to use to struggle to try to keep 45 fps, so I am flying nearly 100% VR. But I am not giving up my TrackIR. I have enjoyed three generations of TrackIR: TIR3 with vector, TIR4, and TIR5. My only real complaints after years of use are: 1. Insane price for what you get (a Rift 2 or Quest 2 isn't that much more expensive and is a much better choice if your PC is strong enough for VR). 2. Relatively poor quality of the Track Clip Pro. You can find countless posts about how delicate it is with both the plastic construction and wiring causing various problems. 3. Over the years, I have had some issues with light sources and reflections blinding the sensor, particularly at certain times during the day when bright sunlight would come in through windows and reflect off white walls or glossy posters and confuse the sensor. While using the LED Track Clip Pro or a 3rd party equivalent minimizes that problem, I still had issues in on really bright sunny days. So much so, that I put cardboard behind the blinds in the offending window to block out the sun (inadvertently lowering my electric bill due to air conditioning). I would presume that if you have the money to have a PC that can handle VR, you would pretty much have the money to buy hardware as needed/wanted. But for someone new to flight sims and on a budget, I would prioritize hardware purchases as follows: 1. Stick. 2. Throttle (of course a complete HOTAS is the most cost effective way to get both a stick and throttle if you have enough money to do so). 3. TrackIR. 4. Rudder pedals. 5. MFDs and/or aux control panels. You would thing with all the competition from VR, Natural Point would lower the cost of TrackIR to try to grab a larger market share. But the fact that they haven't tells me they are still selling decent enough numbers to keep the price where it has been, which is effectively a lower price when you account for inflation.

Interesting. I just tested mine and depressed or not, I had the full axis range. Quality control issue with the shape/size of the hat? Or installation of the mini-stick? Or possibly substitution of parts to keep production going and one part has a slightly shorter stem than the other? I am keeping my fingers crossed and knocking on wood, but so far I haven't had any of the various minor electrical and mechanical problems with the WinWing throttle, startup panel, takeoff panel, or combat panel. I can't really say much about the stick quality/reliability because I only tried it out for a week or two before reverting to the VKB Gunfighter, but it didn't have any problems during its brief use either.

That is very cool and practical. Having the MFDs mounted like that is a big step up from having them sitting on a desk (I have yet to mount mine). I really love the fold-up box cockpits that turn into a bench that looks and functions like professionally built furniture, useful for having the cockpit in a public area of the house when one is married whereas I have always had to hide my PC desk and cockpit seat/throttle console in a room that is out of sight.

I used industrial quality linear potentiometers for my real F-4 stick. Even the good stuff only lasts so long before it starts getting noisy or spiking due to dirt and wear. I finally got tired of cleaning the pot with alcohol every night and switched to a Warthog with an extension. Within the next year or so, I am going to bring my F-4 stick back into action. I think I am going to disassemble a Warthog base or VKB Gunfighter base and find a way to make it work for both pitch and roll. The Warthog and VKB bases have higher resolution and are built/programmed to minimize noise/spikes. So all I have to do is come up with the mechanical interface to leverage their great hardware/firmware to connect to my big stick. I can't wait to use it again, because the spring setup I was using for centering in the pitch axis made violent dogfighting very tiring... sort of a force feedback simulator. I like going to bed physically exhausted after just few hours sitting in a chair in front of a PC. I have had my original Warthog stick for a very long time and it has required zero maintenance beyond replacing a green board in the grip because the first stage of the trigger had stopped working. I love having 14-bit resolution (because contrary to advertising, that is the actual resolution used by the Warthog) with no noise and not having to do any cleaning