HP's Reverb VR Pro Headset

[sohei]

Hp fails on their device ; the headset will be never release for at least 2 months after the holidays and maybe canceled in the worst case.

 

My only hope is acer with his ojo concept D cross fingers they release it .

 

I really don't think they will cancel a device which clearly would have been a big investment for them just because of these teething problems, as frustrating as they are. We'll just have to wait and see, we have no idea really of exactly what needs to be fixed. It could be turned round a few weeks from now. If not, then so be it.

 

Meanwhile Pimax will soon be announcing the 8k x , with a 3840 x 2160 native resolution per eye. I'm conflicted to say the least, but in a good way :)

[Cyptic]

Settings

 

Hi!

 

I also have some issues with my HMD and will get it replaced in end of the month. I have a yellow thin vertical line over the whole screen.

 

Anyway, you guys that have tried the HP Reverb, what settings are you running and have anyone tried to enable the motion reprojecetion in DCS and got it working?

 

I'm trying to recreate the same smooth experience i had with the Rift and AWS.

[Secoda]

I studied the Pimax. Take a look at the comments after the article. They opened new facilities - one at each coast of the US and they are shipping like 200 units a day now but the reviews are marginal.

 

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/pimax-8k-vr-hands-on,38438.html

 

I really don't think they will cancel a device which clearly would have been a big investment for them just because of these teething problems, as frustrating as they are. We'll just have to wait and see, we have no idea really of exactly what needs to be fixed. It could be turned round a few weeks from now. If not, then so be it.

 

Meanwhile Pimax will soon be announcing the 8k x , with a 3840 x 2160 native resolution per eye. I'm conflicted to say the least, but in a good way :)

Edited July 4, 2019 by Secoda

[boedha68]

Yup i got it working but not a good effect. Looks like stuttering. So i disabled it on the fly. :D

[sze5003]

If the index had the same resolution I would splurge on that but I hate the thought of base stations. I didn't like having the sensors plugged in for the Cv1. I'd like to get back to flying but I was telling myself I'll wait to get a new hmd first.

 

With the 1903 update are you supposed to run the original odyssey at steam 210% scale and dcs PD of 1.0?

[Secoda]

I like motion reprojection and have left it on "Auto" with the Reverb. It makes everything really smooth near the ground and when there is a lot going on. I have not noticed any unusual artifacts or ghosting. At times it shuts off when it hit 90 FPS but is usually on when there is an terrain in the display.

 

 

I heard a suggestion by a reviewer that us early adopter home consumers were the beta testers for the HP Reverb and HP is really targeting business users for most of the sales by far. They kind of expected some issues and returns. The business users probably won't buy them until they are very stable - perhaps next year. I doubt they are withdrawn but they also don't seem in that big of a hurry to make them right. They clearly aren't making any concessions because of the problems with home users. I agree with him in that I think HP expected some of this but probably not that all of the units would be bad. Since we are a tiny piece of their intended market there is little lost from their perspective.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Secoda

[sze5003]

I'm curious if any of the major reviewers have went back and reviewed again if they ran into the same issues we see here. Seeing as the cable design is faulty, it's only a matter of time until it possibly happens on their units too.

[sohei]

I studied the Pimax. Take a look at the comments after the article. They opened new facilities - one at each coast of the US and they are shipping like 200 units a day now but the reviews are marginal.

 

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/pimax-8k-vr-hands-on,38438.html

 

Well that review and comments are for the 8k, which uses up sampling. The 8k x is apparently going to have a native res so I am at least interested to see how that works out.

[Cyptic]

I studied the Pimax. Take a look at the comments after the article. They opened new facilities - one at each coast of the US and they are shipping like 200 units a day now but the reviews are marginal.

 

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/pimax-8k-vr-hands-on,38438.html

 

I heard that the Pimax comfort is horrible and that it's really plastic and feels like it should break any time. Haven't seen it my self but when that heard and when testing the Reverb with it's nice design I think i will keep mine.

[Secoda]

Sebastian from MRTV said the first Reverb unit and the replacement unit HP sent were both defective so he pulled his recommendation of the Reverb until they fix it. He has 26,000 subscribers.

 

I think we were the 30 day beta testers while they held our money.

 

I'm curious if any of the major reviewers have went back and reviewed again if they ran into the same issues we see here. Seeing as the cable design is faulty, it's only a matter of time until it possibly happens on their units too.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Secoda

[kega76]

So I called HP support Scandinavia today and was redirected from private to corporate support as several already have experienced. The lady at the other end was very friendly, took my details, the issues with the headset and said that I should expect a new one within some days. I told her about the expected waiting time some of you have been given. She promised me that this was not the case. It would be packed tomorrow and be sent by expedited shipping. I’m to return the other one when able with the free return slip.

 

She didn’t seem to be up to speed with all the issues with the Reverb, but after checking with a colleague she confirmed that this would not be a new faulty headset. I said I’d rather wait for a good one than get another fault. Again she confirmed that shouldn’t be necessary. So, that was what she said, and probably believe is true. So far this has been a positive endeavor, but time will tell...

[sze5003]

So I called HP support Scandinavia today and was redirected from private to corporate support as several already have experienced. The lady at the other end was very friendly, took my details, the issues with the headset and said that I should expect a new one within some days. I told her about the expected waiting time some of you have been given. She promised me that this was not the case. It would be packed tomorrow and be sent by expedited shipping. I’m to return the other one when able with the free return slip.

 

 

 

She didn’t seem to be up to speed with all the issues with the Reverb, but after checking with a colleague she confirmed that this would not be a new faulty headset. I said I’d rather wait for a good one than get another fault. Again she confirmed that shouldn’t be necessary. So, that was what she said, and probably believe is true. So far this has been a positive endeavor, but time will tell...

Please do report if you get another one anytime soon. I'm just curious how it turns out because you can't even buy it in US yet.

[Secoda]

What is the ETA on the 8K "X"?

 

Well that review and comments are for the 8k, which uses up sampling. The 8k x is apparently going to have a native res so I am at least interested to see how that works out.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Secoda

[Secoda]

All of the reviews I have read are mixed at best. Several did break and using one of them for more than an hour seems to be a challenge. Maybe the 8K X will get a redesign with so much negative feedback.

 

I heard that the Pimax comfort is horrible and that it's really plastic and feels like it should break any time. Haven't seen it my self but when that heard and when testing the Reverb with it's nice design I think i will keep mine.

[sohei]

What is the ETA on the 8K "X"?

 

My understanding is that the announcement of its release is imminent, so I guess at least a few months before its being shipped.

 

I'm aware that the build quality on the Pimax was initially quite rough and ready but I'm also hearing that is improving in the later releases. At the very least its interesting to witness and will help drive the market to more innovation in terms of FOV and resolution.

[Secoda]

I suspect anything being shipped right now anywhere is still with the original hardware/cables. I believe every headset was made at the same plant in China. It says it right on the label on the left inside side of the headset. Not sure if it was assembled there. I know the diagnostics on the problems were done by a group of engineers in Houston, TX.

 

I got mine in the US because I had a heads up on when the stock was going to be put online in the HP store (5:30 am on 6/1). Their email system never kicked off the alerts people requested so didn't work either. It was a cluster on many levels.

 

They only stayed In-Stock a few hours in the US store as folks happened to check the store so I am guessing not very many actually shipped in the US (maybe a few hundred but purely a guess it could easily be more). I was told by Amazon that HP could not commit to any quantities and dates so they never relisted it. I guess Best Buy has lower standards because they put it back out there for Pre-Order just as it got delayed yet again. :doh:

 

I would be curious if anyone's Reverb label says it was made somewhere else. I would also be very wary about receiving any of the current units still in the pipeline unless you don't mind working through a warranty repair over time. IMO it's still the best headset for DCS currently when it works and mine always works even though the sound flips to the PC when this USB error pops up occasionally. It still keeps working.

 

I would love to talk to the HP Reverb product manager. I may try to hook up with him in the US to get a clearer picture of what is happening to validate my decision next week. Normally, they are available for customer contact when requested at many US manufacturers. Sometimes, its hard to cut through the line of marketing BS. I just read that some early commercial orders for the Reverb Professional were placed which would be a disaster I might think.

 

Please do report if you get another one anytime soon. I'm just curious how it turns out because you can't even buy it in US yet.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Secoda

[Secoda]

I sent a list of questions off to HP on the Reverb and mainly to clarify their policy and position on the product. It will be interesting to see their responses and the immediate response I received was I would get them answered shortly.

[msgreene77]

I sent a list of questions off to HP on the Reverb and mainly to clarify their policy and position on the product. It will be interesting to see their responses and the immediate response I received was I would get them answered shortly.

 

Will be great if they would make an official response. I've been reading the through the thread, and have followed the reverb since it launched. I've been wanting better resolution for a long time now. I have an O+, but I'm one of those that finds it uncomfortable to wear during long periods of VR. It works well and is a nice headset for sit down games and SIMS, but the reverb has the comfort and resolution I've been after all along. However, I wont buy one until I can be certain they've addressed these problems. Otherwise, it means holding out for the Acer OJO Conceptd.

 

I'm very interested to see what they say, and how they plan to remedy the mechanical issues plaguing the headset for many owners.

Edited July 5, 2019 by msgreene77

[Secoda]

I mentioned the lack of any official communication to the owners of the Reverb which contains a new product defect. The guy I am working with mentioned a recall on the cable but said nothing had been done formally. I gathered the issue is they have no replacements yet and no ETA because it is sourced elsewhere (China) and they are awaiting word internally too. The wheels turn slowly but it is no excuse for poor communications with the folks who bought their product IMO. It does seem to be similar to how they handled the initial delays and final release. Bad management IMO. So far they have great support access on these units.

 

The warranty states 2 day turnaround once they get the parts in stock and receive the unit from a customer. That is a good turnaround time if true.

 

With such a backlog now on the units my decision is do I return it meaning no high-res VR headset for months but a full refund

 

or

 

do I keep it since it works all of the time even if it flips the sound after an hour or so from the headphones to the PC from a USB error and do a warranty repair when the parts become available - they will notify me. I can still use the headset all of the time now but momentary interrupts after it warms up after an hour or so. Normally, I still keep playing but without the mic (I can use another sound headset instead).

 

I was going to send it back because of the Valve Index availability until I tried it a few days ago. It's a downgrade in clarity that I don't want. That makes a huge difference in DCS. In now approaching thirty hours on the Reverb I am used to spotting enemy aircraft at over double the distances I could before. I can see the little dots on the horizon. A night and day difference from SDE with my Lenovo. The Index is only slightly better IMO then the Lenovo on clarity. The Reverb doesn't seem to be getting any worse but I guess the risk is in the meantime it fails and I am stuck waiting regardless.

 

Decisions decisions... lol I expect the Acer Ojo ConceptD is still down the road. I would be surprised if it is out before the end of the year and think next year more likely.

 

Will be great if they would make an official response. I've been reading the through the thread, and have followed the reverb since it launched. I've been wanting better resolution for a long time now. I have an O+, but I'm one of those that finds uncomfortable to wear during long periods of VR. The reverb has the comfort and resolution I've been after, but I wont buy one until I can be certain they've addressed these problems.

 

 

I'm very interested to see what they say, and how they plan to remedy the mechanical issues plaguing the headset for many owners.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Secoda

[Secoda]

Just did about two hours using the Reverb with the Huey. Worked perfectly. Go figure.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Secoda

[sze5003]

Really depends how much you use it and how much you enjoy it currently. I haven't flown in months anyway so I'm fine with waiting either way. But if the have not informed you of a timeline for parts or repairs, then you may be waiting a while. I have no choice to wait though and I would hope that in some time they will provide a response to consumers.

[Secoda]

I use it every day. I can't go back to SDE and less clarity. I love it but it seems perfect for my IPD and face shape using glasses. So easy to put on and take off. I have found that having the Reverb straps just barely snug is best. Clear FPV and largest sweet spot. I know from someone who tried my headset with a large IPD that his experience is quite a bit different from mine. I always leave the earphones articulated up at 45 degrees unless I am in MP. I like the ear phone design and the sound isn't bad. It's very comfortable and doesn't get warm. Despite the heavy cable the way I use it the headset is extremely light weight yet well built IMO. Please make it always run at 100% HP. lol

 

I think everyone knows that all of the new headsets (Rift S, Reverb, Valve Index have some issues). It's not like HP has the corner on a new product release bug.

 

Really depends how much you use it and how much you enjoy it currently. I haven't flown in months anyway so I'm fine with waiting either way. But if the have not informed you of a timeline for parts or repairs, then you may be waiting a while. I have no choice to wait though and I would hope that in some time they will provide a response to consumers.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Secoda

[FoxTwo]

I think I'm going to wait for Acer's version this fall. The adjustable IPD seems nice and maybe they'll have actually worked some bugs out of theirs.

 

 

$650+ is just too much to be a beta tester. I can live with my Odyssey+ until then.

[Tinkickef]

Just did about two hours using the Reverb with the Huey. Worked perfectly. Go figure.

 

Traditionally my missions tend to last a couple of hours in the hornet and tomcat (three hours in the Hog for a similar distance), then I always land and take off the headset for an hour or so. I may then go back for another mission or tweak something in ME. I never spent a full afternoon in the headset, even with Rift.

 

Wonder if this is why I never see these flickering problems?

[Secoda]

I heard back from my email to HP a while ago. I learned and confirmed a few things.

 

If you bought the HP Reverb VR Professional directly from HP it does have a 3 year warranty (there was some confusion on that even at HP). As far as I am concerned 3 years is an extended warranty on electronics. Beyond a year is rare in my experience. The standard HP Reverb is only 1 yr warranty.

 

The two-day warranty turnaround is for customer replaceable parts they ship out right away (like cables and straps, etc, if they have the stock). The headset itself will be sent to their repair facility which can take a while longer.

 

If your unit burned up or something because of a short and is deemed "unrepairable" you will likely receive a new or factory refurbished replacement depending on availability.