Varjo Aero: General guide for new owners

[javelina1]

I ended up doing this:

Via JSGME, created mod packages for Varjo-Foveated & OpenXR-InstanceExtensionsWrapper.

So when I want to fly with DCS, I enable Varjo-Foveated, (and with the Toolkit disabled).  With MSFS and IL-2, I disable Varjo-Foveated, and enable OpenXR-InstanceExtensionsWrapper and the Toolkit.

Tested it out with all 3 sims, and the use cases are working great.  Gotta have that Varjo-Foveated for DCS!  But this is a good compromise for the other sims I like to fly.

I'm happy with the Aero, and once I have my VR Optician inserts, I know that's going to help a lot. 

Going to do the hand me down of the Reverb G2 to my secondary rig, (9700K and the 3090FE).  Was using the Oculus Rift S on that.  I have the secondary rig for the Grandkids....

Edited November 19, 2023 by javelina1

[lefuneste01]

41 minutes ago, javelina1 said:

I ended up doing this:

Via JSGME, created mod packages for Varjo-Foveated & OpenXR-InstanceExtensionsWrapper.

So when I want to fly with DCS, I enable Varjo-Foveated, (and with the Toolkit disabled).  With MSFS and IL-2, I disable Varjo-Foveated, and enable OpenXR-InstanceExtensionsWrapper and the Toolkit.

Tested it out with all 3 sims, and the use cases are working great.  Gotta have that Varjo-Foveated for DCS!  But this is a good compromise for the other sims I like to fly.

I'm happy with the Aero, and once I have my VR Optician inserts, I know that's going to help a lot. 

Going to do the hand me down of the Reverb G2 to my secondary rig, (9700K and the 3090FE).  Was using the Oculus Rift S on that.  I have the secondary rig for the Grandkids....

 

Hello, I have varjo foveated installed, and I am able to use DCS with it (as shown by the infamous NVG bug that come back with the last beta), but can also use il2 and MSFS with openXR Toolkit as it is...(I disabled DCS in OpenXR toolkit). I see how you can toggle the OpenXR-InstanceExtensionsWrapper  with JSGME, but how do you disable Varjo Foceat ? And, as it is working, without beeing disabled, does it mean you have better performance ?

Edited November 19, 2023 by lefuneste01

[javelina1]

1 hour ago, lefuneste01 said:

Hello, I have varjo foveated installed, and I am able to use DCS with it (as shown by the infamous NVG bug that come back with the last beta), but can also use il2 and MSFS with openXR Toolkit as it is...(I disabled DCS in OpenXR toolkit). I see how you can toggle the OpenXR-InstanceExtensionsWrapper  with JSGME, but how do you disable Varjo Foceat ? And, as it is working, without beeing disabled, does it mean you have better performance ?

 

Hi M8,

I saw that Varjo-Foveated installed into c:\program files\OpenXR-Varjo-Foveated   I then created a JSGME mod/package from that sub-dir.  I then install or remove that package when I want to use DCS.  I also have DCS permanently disabled from the Toolkit, (and leaving only IL2 and MSFS as active).

So when I want to fly DCS, I install the Varjo-Foveated package and remove the InstanceExtensionsWrapper.  No need to worry about the Toolkit, since DCS is removed from it.

I only went this path, because I haven't gotten clarity as of yet regarding my question in this post: 

Is the correct method is to leave the Varjo-Foveated installed, remove the InstanceExtensionWrapper, (and just remove DCS from the Toolkit)?  MSFS and IL-2 will work fine with the Toolkit, while the DCS Varjo-Foveated is installed? I was worried that Varjo-Foveated was incompatible with the non DCS sims.

With my JSGME method, I'm very happy with the performance of all 3 sims.  I fly SP, 39ppd, locked at 45FPS in VB.

Edited November 19, 2023 by javelina1
clarifying question

[GPatricks]

@javelina1 - I use Varjo Foveated in both DCS and IL-2 Box sims, no issues. I can't speak for MSFS but can't imagine it would be a problem..

[kevman]

Anyone running the aero with a 3090? So tempted with the current bf sale

Im still on an index and am loving the vr fps performance at the moment.

I wont be upgrading gpu until 5000 series and am bit nervous that i will be going back to chasing fps again if i pick up an aero with the 3090?

[cow_art]

21 hours ago, kevman said:

Anyone running the aero with a 3090? So tempted with the current bf sale

Im still on an index and am loving the vr fps performance at the moment.

I wont be upgrading gpu until 5000 series and am bit nervous that i will be going back to chasing fps again if i pick up an aero with the 3090?

I very recently switched from an Index to a Varjo Aero. It is a massive step up. The screen-door effect is completely gone and the clarity is just amazing.

I can't say anything about the performance with a 3090. But for what it's worth: as my new PC is still not here, I hooked the Aero up to my old PC (i7 6700k @4.2 Ghz, NVIDIA 2070 Super, 16GB RAM) and got DCS to run somewhat decently in Single Player, even on this ancient hardware (VR Preset with a few settings lowerd and DLAA added).   Foveated Rendering makes it possible to have a pretty playable experience on older hardware (https://github.com/mbucchia/Varjo-Foveated ). My old PC is currently mostly CPU bound when I am using the Aero, so I guess if you have a decent CPU and are willing to turn down some graphics options a little, you'll be just fine.

If I was you I'd definitely get one, that increase in visual quality compared to the Index is insane. I am sure you will love it.

Edited November 23, 2023 by cow_art

[kevman]

Hey cow-art - thanks for your response. I have a 5900x so not too shabby. As you say i can turn down the settings for now and sounds like it will still be a lot better.

Need to get the executive decision making cap on!

[Brainfreeze]

38 minutes ago, kevman said:

Hey cow-art - thanks for your response. I have a 5900x so not too shabby. As you say i can turn down the settings for now and sounds like it will still be a lot better.

Need to get the executive decision making cap on!

it will be a good upgrade no matter what.   The foveated rendering of the aero saves you on GPU performance and you can always adjust the resolution of the Aero down if the 3090 is struggling (either through the varjoBase software or the foveated .lua file

[GPatricks]

2 minutes ago, Brainfreeze said:

it will be a good upgrade no matter what.   The foveated rendering of the aero saves you on GPU performance and you can always adjust the resolution of the Aero down if the 3090 is struggling (either through the varjoBase software or the foveated .lua file

And Varjo is doing a -10% Black Friday sale right now! Pays for most of the cost of a lighthouse!

Edited November 23, 2023 by GPatricks

[kevman]

27 minutes ago, GPatricks said:

29 minutes ago, Brainfreeze said:

it will be a good upgrade no matter what.   The foveated rendering of the aero saves you on GPU performance and you can always adjust the resolution of the Aero down if the 3090 is struggling (either through the varjoBase software or the foveated .lua file

And Varjo is doing a -10% Black Friday sale right now! Pays for most of the cost of a lighthouse!

I have the base stations already so even more value for money!

[cow_art]

44 minutes ago, Brainfreeze said:

it will be a good upgrade no matter what.   The foveated rendering of the aero saves you on GPU performance and you can always adjust the resolution of the Aero down if the 3090 is struggling (either through the varjoBase software or the foveated .lua file

Yea, 1000 thanks to mbucchia for implementing this! The ability to keep the focus area at 100% resolution and reduce the render quality of the periphery is a great way to squeeze some FPS out of older systems.

Edited November 23, 2023 by cow_art

[GPatricks]

On 10/31/2023 at 3:18 PM, dburne said:

 

If you have any trouble, let me know.

For those that don't know (and I didn't until seeing a Varjo/dcs-world  Discord post from mbucchia), Don (dburne) posted a "Farewell" in the "chit-chat" forum here on October 29th, and here he was, riddled with cancer,  trying to help someone on 10/31.. He passed on November 10, just 10 days later. RIP Don, you have helped/touched many people..

Edited November 23, 2023 by GPatricks

[Slick Twitchy]

8 hours ago, GPatricks said:

For those that don't know (and I didn't until seeing a Varjo/dcs-world  Discord post from mbucchia), Don (dburne) posted a "Farewell" in the "chit-chat" forum here on October 29th, and here he was, riddled with cancer,  trying to help someone on 10/31.. He passed on November 10, just 10 days later. RIP Don, you have helped/touched many people..

 

Thank you for letting us know. It's profoundly strange and sad to have this slightly weird relationship in these forums, and not know the struggles we are all going though. He was such a helpful guy. I feel a strange and deep sadness at his passing. Into the great unknown beyond. I hope he is sitting somewhere-pain free and flying into another adventure. 

[Rodeo]

15 hours ago, GPatricks said:

For those that don't know (and I didn't until seeing a Varjo/dcs-world  Discord post from mbucchia), Don (dburne) posted a "Farewell" in the "chit-chat" forum here on October 29th, and here he was, riddled with cancer,  trying to help someone on 10/31.. He passed on November 10, just 10 days later. RIP Don, you have helped/touched many people..

 

Again as @Slick Twitchy said THANK YOU.. early in October Don was asking about Aero headset recommendations complaining only of his “ear wax” build up and what would be a good upgrade when he went got his ear cleaned. The brief suggestions and interactions with Don on this subject not only proved he was a scholar but also a gentlemen.. everything we could all strive to be.
 

I would be letting Don down if I didn’t share his and mine comfort in knowing our Lord Jesus’s promises in eternal life. If you followed Don thread in “Chit-Chat” of “My Current Situation” please do. Very powerful in his amazing peace about his situation and eternal position flying formation in God’s Air Force. 
 

RIP @dburne ;I know I will see you in a better place Brother 

[GPatricks]

Just a thought, but if Don touched/helped you in some way you can leave a message here for his family. They should know he had MANY friends out in the world.. https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/fl/apopka/donald-burnette-17203992

[HoBGoBLiNzx3]

So does toolkit work with quad views fovated software now? As I went through the installation directions it said it was needed in the instructional guide. Also, what's extensionwrapper? That's something you have to te.ovr if you indtlex it yourself?

[GPatricks]

SOLVED. Not a regular DCS flyer, been using XRNS in IL-2 for some time, works perfectly. Just tried it in DCS (been a while) and while it's active and  the recenter key works, it does not "Autorotate" in the cockpit. Tried it in MT and openbeta exe, and it is running as Admin..  Noticed (checked while in the cockpit) the only OpenXR API layer is " XR_APILAYER_NOVENDOR_XRNeckSafer", should DCS be running something, or is there some setting in DCS i'm missing? 

Edited December 6, 2023 by GPatricks

[Underscore]

Having a strange issue

coming from G2 to the aero

i have motion smoothing turned on with sync on auto

when I run DCS in openXR, the dDCS menus and when entering the cockpit the FPS are very low (around 23) for up to 5 to 10 seconds then they pop back up to 45 and stay there until entering a new screen (back to menu or load a new mission)

 

It’s like the motion smoothing is taking some to work out what to do

turning off motion smoothing this FPS low delay issue disappears

Is this what others experience and is there a fix for it?

Edited November 26, 2023 by Underscore

[zildac]

Having a strange issue
coming from G2 to the aero
i have motion smoothing turned on with sync on auto
when I run DCS in openXR, the dDCS menus and when entering the cockpit the FPS are very low (around 23) for up to 5 to 10 seconds then they pop back up to 45 coming
 
It’s like the motion smoothing is taking some to work out what to do
turning off motion smoothing this FPS low delay issue disappears
Is this what others experience and is there a fix for it?

Personally I avoid MR. You could try disabling MR and locking VSYNC to 45 in Varjo base, and see how you feel. Obviously the closer you can get to 90 and maintain it is the ideal, but not always practical.

[javelina1]

12 minutes ago, zildac said:

Personally I avoid MR. You could try disabling MR and locking VSYNC to 45 in Varjo base, and see how you feel. Obviously the closer you can get to 90 and maintain it is the ideal, but not always practical.

this is what I do, and works just fine.

[GPatricks]

4 hours ago, javelina1 said:

this is what I do, and works just fine.

Me too, works great..

[Underscore]

Thanks - I’ll try locking at 45 and turning off Motion Smoothing and see if it’s smooth gameplay - hope it is

 

out of interest could one of you try enabling motion smoothing and see if you get the same as I reported above - thanks

[javelina1]

2 hours ago, Underscore said:

Thanks - I’ll try locking at 45 and turning off Motion Smoothing and see if it’s smooth gameplay - hope it is

out of interest could one of you try enabling motion smoothing and see if you get the same as I reported above - thanks

During my initial shakedown with the Aero I had it enabled.  Didn't like it, not "smooth" at all. Noticed some drops.  Hence, went with the 45fps/locked setup. I had been following dburne about his experiences and setup.  (RIP Don)

[Brainfreeze]

9 hours ago, javelina1 said:

During my initial shakedown with the Aero I had it enabled.  Didn't like it, not "smooth" at all. Noticed some drops.  Hence, went with the 45fps/locked setup. I had been following dburne about his experiences and setup.  (RIP Don)

Been seeing this a lot... on my side I have motion smoothing on and 45 lock ... without motion smoothing low flying at high speed ... trees and houses are ghosting too much.  I do not get spikes/drops on my system

Edited November 27, 2023 by Brainfreeze

[HoBGoBLiNzx3]

Anyone know if it's possible to get rid of the DFR box that is semi transparent or if it will be fixed? It's def noticeable in some scenarios..