Reverb G2 black screen

[SunDevilPilot]

My volume resides in the low 30s. Not volume related for me. 
 

After the standard two blackout issue it won’t happen again for the remainder of the session, no change in volume. 
 

The blackouts are random though...  don’t always occur.  And..  only in DCS.

 

 

[mytai01]

2 hours ago, AlpineGTA said:

It's not mate, at least not in my case. I already knew about the reports of the sound volume and tried it. It didn't work. Now the headset won't connect at all to even be able to try adjusting the volume anyway.

You might have other issues, but try rebooting with the G2 unplugged and set it up again...otherwise, you may have bigger Windows problems...

[Brainfreeze]

These issues are notoriously difficult to trace in Windows.   Could be Windows / Graphic driver / WMR / SteamVr / G2 headset.

 

I recently had issues that were actually related to setting on the Nvidia driver (think it was Vsync put to FAST).   Guess @AlpineGTA has done this already but worth starting clean and default settings on all of these components (starting with the never ending windows updates).  We end up with so many tweaks to try and maximise VR performance that things can get messed up fast

[AlpineGTA]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the suggestions, I'm always willing to try something new to get it to work. I've tried starting setup from scratch, reinstalling the software, rolling back graphics drivers, updating drivers, etc. etc. The fact that I'm getting exactly the same setup errors on 4 different PCs that I've tried leads me to believe it's either the headset or the cable is faulty.

 

I think the only option left is to wait for the new cable to arrive from HP and if that doesn't work to send the headset back for testing. I should know for certain then. But I've a feeling I'm in for a long wait and will have to be patient.

 

The next latest and greatest headset will probably be out by the time I get to the bottom of it!

[SunDevilPilot]

I did have a strange “fix” following a black screen event and the following sparkles / static looking lines. I had the headset cable nicely coiled on the ground next to me, like I always do, and when I moved the headset cable to an uncoiled orientation the sparkles faded away and black was pure black again. I don’t think it was a connection issue because I had pushed right on the connector at the headset before uncoiling the cable and that didn’t change anything. 

 

I played a session of DCS and didn’t get the black screen or sparkles again so I don’t know if it was just a coincidence. Will continue playing DCS with the headset cable uncoiled and see if the issue still occurs in the future. 
 

I played Half-life Alyx and never had an issue with sparkles in that game. Due to the standing nature of that game the headset cable was never coiled up like it is when I play DCS. 
 

Strange.....

 

[SunDevilPilot]

***  update...  so far I’ve played four multiplayer missions in DCS and zero black screens or sparkle issues with the headset cable laid out with no coils in it (Being careful to not have the cable cross itself at any point).  Ordered a few snap-on style Ferrite Chokes to add to the headset cable and see what that does. Some people mentioned a change to 60Hz solves their issue. Possible the 90Hz along with a coiled cable can create a high frequency issue with the headset / cable.

 

 

[AlpineGTA]

Interesting. Your findings might indicate that it is my cable that's broken. I'm hoping it is. I had an email from Dell parts indicating that the had received the request to pick and send me a new cable but no news yet on when they will ship it.

 

When I first got my G2 I was running perfectly fine at 90Hz, then I got the snowy sparkles and black screens, switching to 60Hz fixed it for a short time before they returned and the connection eventually failed completely. Maybe I had a slowly failing cable... 

[AlpineGTA]

So, a new USB cable arrived from HP today and my G2 is working again!

 

I've literally only tried it for 5 mins so far, so I'll have to use it for a bit longer yet to see if it continues to work, but hopefully it does.

 

I've got a new issue now though, now that my G2 is working again. I start up DCS and as soon as I try to start a mission DCS crashes. In fact it just crashed before I even had a chance to start a mission. DCS has been working perfectly with my Quest 2 and I wasn't previously having any issues with the G2 when it was working. It looks like I'll have to spend the rest of my evening solving this issue now.

 

One strange thing is, I've got my Oculus software to only run as administrator, so that it has to ask my permission to start up. I did this to prevent it from starting when I was running the G2. And every time I've been using my Quest 2 with DCS the Oculus software has been asking for permission to run, as it should. Now I'm using the G2 again, when I start up DCS the Oculus software is automatically starting and running in the background without permission, as well as Steam VR and WMR, so I have to close it manually. I wonder if this is causing the crashing. When I close the Oculus software it's closing DCS?

[dburne]

1 hour ago, AlpineGTA said:

So, a new USB cable arrived from HP today and my G2 is working again!

 

I've literally only tried it for 5 mins so far, so I'll have to use it for a bit longer yet to see if it continues to work, but hopefully it does.

 

I've got a new issue now though, now that my G2 is working again. I start up DCS and as soon as I try to start a mission DCS crashes. In fact it just crashed before I even had a chance to start a mission. DCS has been working perfectly with my Quest 2 and I wasn't previously having any issues with the G2 when it was working. It looks like I'll have to spend the rest of my evening solving this issue now.

 

One strange thing is, I've got my Oculus software to only run as administrator, so that it has to ask my permission to start up. I did this to prevent it from starting when I was running the G2. And every time I've been using my Quest 2 with DCS the Oculus software has been asking for permission to run, as it should. Now I'm using the G2 again, when I start up DCS the Oculus software is automatically starting and running in the background without permission, as well as Steam VR and WMR, so I have to close it manually. I wonder if this is causing the crashing. When I close the Oculus software it's closing DCS?

 

You have to stop the Oculus services from automatically running when you power up your PC. Otherwise they will always be running and can create issues when using other headsets.

You can change that in the services tab, set the startup to manual and they won't run unless you launch the Oculus Home software.

[AlpineGTA]

I checked the services tab and Oculus is already set to manual. In any case I restarted the PC and that seemed to fix it, Oculus is no longer automatically starting up and DCS is running again with the G2.

 

Thanks.

[Buzzer1977]

On 3/2/2021 at 2:43 AM, AlpineGTA said:

It's not mate, at least not in my case. I already knew about the reports of the sound volume and tried it. It didn't work. Now the headset won't connect at all to even be able to try adjusting the volume anyway.

All that stuff sounds to me like a broken Cable. The G2 has known issues with the connector cable going bad. Open a support ticket at HP Support.

[Japo32]

Same problem and I think also is the cable. I stated to have yesterday blackouts. My cable was bend in coils to make it shorter. Now I am testing with all free to see if it solves the problem.

 

Edit: Still same problem. For sure it has to be something related to HP. So many people has an USB problem 1-4 or this one... now hope that support does not take long (but it will take long from what I read and also problems I had previously with HP support with a laptop) Next VR headset will be Oculus. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by Japo32

[Cruizzzzer]

Hey everyone,

 

I’m not really sure whether it addresses the problem, and of course, if it’s a hardware issue (broken cabel) nothing will help except for replacing it…

 

Only once I had the problem that my G2 just shut-down while on standby and wouldn’t wake up.

But this occurred only once.

Luckily the G2 is not suffering from any sparkles…

 

The problem I had, that while either parked on a carrier with many static F/A-18s parked on the deck my G2 showed squared “blackouts” only on the right lense, while turning my head. This also occurred while having four F-16 flying formation and following a tanker for aerial refueling. While turning my head my G2 had those blackout squares only on the right lense.

 

During the last few days I messed around with the ingame system settings and STEAM VR settings.

First I set the DCS PD to 0.5 and STEAM VR "per application video-settings" to 500% resulting in no more blackouts.

PD set to 1.0 and STEAM VR set to 100% gave me the blackouts again.

PD set to 1.0 and STEAM VR set to 120% gave me now NO MORE blackouts.

 

I am running the G2 @ 90Hz with a 3090.

[Lt_Jaeger]

On 2/25/2021 at 9:45 PM, Lt_Jaeger said:

I got the same problem and I believe it is the cable. My clip broke pretty early after receiving the hmd and so I fixed the cable with zip ties. That seems to be not an good idea. After I hat brief black outs I noticed the "snow" thing to. I started to bend and wiggle the cable, staring from the headset plug and after coming to the area where I fixated the cable, boom screen completely black and won't go on again. Tracking and sound works. Contacted HP and will wait for them to decide what should happen. Back to the index for the time being.... man, the tracking is so much better as the G2, actually everything is, exepr the clarity of the picture. I miss that..... 

 

 

 

G2 is back in business. It was the cable, as expected. This time I fixed the cable with a little more wiggle room. Hoping for the best...

[AlpineGTA]

Well, that was short lived, the black screen is back! I suspect it's the cable again, as I've tested it on my gaming laptop and it doesn't work on that either so I don't think it's my PC. Just what I was weary of..., in the back of my mind I was nervous just how long the new cable would last. Either there's some sort of design weakness with their cables or I've just been really unlucky. I've emailed HP again; waiting on their response.

[SunDevilPilot]

 Very strange. Since uncoiling my cable...  never had the issue again. 

[slash11985]

Hi to everyone My name's Antonio , i'm italian so forgive me for some error with english linguage ...

 

I've read all the post in this thread and i have a problem with the g2 only after the firmaware update that has come out to solve the volume issue .

First thing first.. i never had black screen till the firmware update . I Had only a blue screen the first time i plug in the  g2 in to my PC due to some update i missed or bad setting i did.

So here it is the problem : 

As i said after the firmware update i started to had black screen and blue screen (random) but most of the time is a black screen .

It takes me back to cliff home and on my monitor the game is still there but no  tracking and the image is freeze (so i force to close dcs  )

This thing happen for the most the first time i play , after that first crash it goes normally, but not all the time to be onest (sometime i have a blu or a black screen again)

Another probelms is this one:

Usually when turn on the g2 , before you enter in the cliff home, the software let you setup the VR, moving  the head right ,left ,down and then it goes in the cliff home ..Ok ..this setup don't show up all the time ..i go straight in the cliff home ...But other time it let me  setup the VR and i can calibrate the g2 moving the head RIGHT LEFT DOWN .  This sound strange to me.

The other issue is in Steam Vr .... So i first : 1 ) put on VR 2) it take me in cliff home 3) lunch from VR headset Steam VR 4 ) Land in the steam VR to choose what i want to play ,in this case DCS .

Here there is the strange problem with the center of VR position : 

Usually(before the update) it was center (the white arrow was looking forward, pointing the monitor) 

Now the visual slide  on the side and is not center ,so i press reset position and the white arrow return to the  center ..OK ..BUT ..:

When i select DCS  the visual in steam vr (after some second , just the time it starts to loading the game ) turn back to the side and not more in the center ...

So when i play in dcs i notice also some strutter and also some other problems with the lose of the track ..(yes , i have the light on in the room where i play  )

At last .. when i have a  black screen i got a pop up on desktop form steam vr taht say something like that : STEAM vr ERROR, or reboot steam vr etc. 

This is all ..hope to have some advice from you , and i will thank you for your time and effort .

 

Edited April 8, 2021 by slash11985

[Brainfreeze]

@AlpineGTA  Did you solve your black screen issue?

BTW ... yesterday started to have bad tracking issue...i.e my position in the cockpit would constantly shift (obviously makes it unflyable). Also got a couple of black screens today. dreading the worst now 

[Drac]

A friend of mine also is getting black screens on his G1 Reverb.  The error codes he is getting are 1-4 and 7-7.  He has also tried swapping to his new cable with the same issues.

[AlpineGTA]

13 hours ago, Brainfreeze said:

@AlpineGTA  Did you solve your black screen issue?

BTW ... yesterday started to have bad tracking issue...i.e my position in the cockpit would constantly shift (obviously makes it unflyable). Also got a couple of black screens today. dreading the worst now 

 

After speaking to HP again, rather than trying yet another cable, this time I've sent my headset back to them. That was only last Friday. Once they've received my headset they will send out to me an exchange headset and test mine.

 

So the short answer is no, I didn't resolve it unfortunately. Hopefully I will receive a new working headset that continues to work this time.

 

Fingers crossed yours doesn't get any worse. First world problems I know, but it is a pain and a hassle being without your G2 once you're used to the resolution. Fortunately I have my Quest 2 to fall back on but it's not quite the same.

 

@DracI was getting error code 14-2 but previously with my first faulty cable I was getting lots of different error codes that all seemed to be USB related.

[Drac]

1 hour ago, AlpineGTA said:

 

@DracI was getting error code 14-2 but previously with my first faulty cable I was getting lots of different error codes that all seemed to be USB related.

My friend just told me he ordered another cable.  Like you, I believe it is USB related.  Time will tell once he gets his "second" new cable.

Edited April 19, 2021 by Drac

[Brainfreeze]

7 hours ago, AlpineGTA said:

Fingers crossed yours doesn't get any worse. First world problems I know, but it is a pain and a hassle being without your G2 once you're used to the resolution. Fortunately I have my Quest 2 to fall back on but it's not quite the same.

 

Haha, dusted off my quest 2 as well just in case.  I did the firmware upgrade and it did work fine last night after that so keeping fingers crossed but feel slightly anxious now

[zildac]

Not sure what happened to my text first time round. Anyway. I'm currently waiting for my 3rd cable. To me the issue seems to be related to the cable flexing when fitting or removing the HMD and the way it pivots. I've tried various routing options and it doesn't seem possible to alleviate tbh.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by zildac

[dburne]

10 hours ago, Drac said:

My friend just told me he ordered another cable.  Like you, I believe it is USB related.  Time will tell once he gets his "second" new cable.

 

 

I would not mind picking up another Reverb G2 cable to have as a spare but do not see them available anywhere.

[zildac]

50 minutes ago, dburne said:

 

I would not mind picking up another Reverb G2 cable to have as a spare but do not see them available anywhere.

I phoned through to HP support and explained the issue, however there is the possibility that they'll want the old one back, which they did last time. This wasn't an issue as the cable was shot and didn't work at all however this one isn't quite properly broken yet so it would be good to have a "warm standby"