Pimax Crystal: Complete Kit Software/Firmware Update testing report

[GayCavalier]

Summary: A new software update to the Pimax Crystal is arriving in September.

System: 11900kf (OC to 5.1 GHz), 64gb ddr4 3600Mhz, 990Pro SSDs, MSI RTX 4090

I have been testing the pre-release version of the upcoming firmware beta that adds eye tracking functionality, along with auto-IPD, wearing location reminder, and lighthouse tracking mode, along with firmware updates for the controllers that dramatically improve tracking performance.  As a disclaimer, I paid full price for my Crystal, and have never received anything free from Pimax.

Software Update

In the middle of September, a new version of Pimax Play will be available for download. This will be version 1.15.01.01 or newer.

Firmware Update

The headset, once turned on, will be subject to firmware upgrade from 1.3.0_au0807 to 1.3.0_au0829 (or newer).

Remember to plug the side USB-C port into the PC as per the instructions. I would recommend that people are asked to set their "screen off time" to at least 30mins until after the update completes.

For me, after starting the firmware upgrade it took 187 seconds the update widget returns a prompt to "Continue", if you press the button, the update proceeds, after another 183 seconds it completed successfully. 6m 10sec total.

Pimax Play will most likely shutdown the headset after the firmware update is reported to have completed successfully. It’s prudent to reboot your PC.

Upon reboot, in Pimax Play, in the General tab you’ll be alerted to a controller update from V0.8.21 to V0.8.22 (or newer). I turned on the controllers and the update went smoothly and took around 2mins.

In Pimax Play device settings, new features were now available:

• "Lighthouse" mode, still awaiting my faceplate, so cannot test yet.

• "Eye Tracking"

• "Auto IPD Adjustment"

• "Wearing Location Reminder"

• Also note that the PC/Standalone mode is now unlocked with this update.

 

“Eye Tracking”

There's a calibration utility that is activated by a button next to the "eye tracking" selection that takes you into a calibration utility. Ensure that you have one of your controllers with you, as you'll need the A and B buttons available. When you're in the utility you can already see that your eyes are being tracked, as there are a number of targets that look like radio buttons that you can look at, and the radio-buttons light up as you look at them. Hitting A on the controller will take you into a calibration utility that makes you watch a circle as it moves in cardinal directions around with screen with a black background, and then in diagonals against a white background. Once completed, the Calibration is saved for good, and can be updated at any time. That's the only calibration required.

I’ve been testing the eye tracking implementation over the past few days, and I have to say, it’s probably the best functioning eye-tracking system I’ve ever used. Its accuracy and repeatability is beyond what is actually required to perform Dynamic Foveated rendering – so I’m sure there will be additional applications of this technology in the future.

"Wearing Location Reminder"

I took the headset off, and put it back on again. While looking at the default 'moon surface' in the Pimax Crystal a box pops up that tells you how to move your headset around on your face to achieve the optimum position for clarity, along with simple indicators. The box disappears once you’ve got your pupils where they need to be compared to the lenses. You can then use the dial-handle on the back of the head-strap to firm-up the HMD against you head.

It's actually really well done, and uses your pupils' averaged up-down position to calibrate as you look at the indicator in HMD.

"Auto IPD Adjustment"

After the Wearing Location Reminder box disappeared, a new box appears with a segmented green cross-hair. You’re reminded to focus your gaze at the middle of the crosshair, while the Auto-IPD activates and the motors whirred until my measured IPD was dialed in (65mm). This happens every time you put the HMD on – on each time you’ll hear the motors whirr for a shorter and shorter time.

You can go into the Device Settings of Pimax Play at any time and see the IPD measurement being used. If you’re the only person using the HMD, you can turn off Auto-IPD and just sent the value manually once.

"Stand alone" mode.

Standalone permits you to unplug your cable from your PC and use the headset more like a traditional standalone HMD. Standalone mode as its own menu, not dissimilar, but better looking than the Meta-Quest’s. A number of games are available, but this is not why I personally purchased the Crystal.

Hand Controller improvements.

The tracking on the hand controllers had definitely improved. You can now flail around in Beat Saber with wild abandon, and the controller behavior is now smooth and maintains tracking. The controllers also do not twitch anymore, so they’d be useable with first person shooters.

Battery life improvements.

As long as you're sure to actually turn the headset off, then the Headset charges through the cable attaching the HMD to the powered USB hub. You typically run for 6 hours while plugged into the PC, turn it off for the night, and by the next morning the battery is fully charged again (as long as you leave the USB-hub powered). This means that the second battery that you receive with the Crystal is only really needed if your primary use is standalone mode. Hot swapping can also be performed when plugged in, without having to take the HMD off (if you're prepared), so you could run the headset continually indefinitely, if that was your thing.

Digital Combat Simulator

I switched the Crystal into 120Hz mode (also greatly improved) using device settings in Pimax Play. The headset reboots when you switch between

I took the Crystal off and started the process for modifying OpenXR, PimaxXR, and some new software to be able to use eye tracking in DCS.

I followed the Quad Views setup (post OpenXR/PimaxXR add on the lets you run Dynamic Foveated Rendering in DCS):

https://github.com/mbucchia/Quad-Views-Foveated/wiki

including running OpenXR Toolkit in Safe-mode and going into the VR menu (OXRT in HMD) and resetting everything to default, then turn off safe-mode. It's recommended to follow every instruction on that page.

Part of the Quad-views setup that isn’t necessary, but recommended, is that you create your own settings file for Quad-views in DCS. This is done by creating a folder called

Quad-Views-Foveated

In

C:\Users\<YOUR_USER>\AppData\Local\

Or

%LocalAppData%

In the folder you’ve just created you create a text file called

settings.cfg

I did the work for you, so, below is what I’ve found to work the best for my system. This is with all DCS settings on Max, except MSAA which is set to 2x. Pixel Density of 1. Make sure “Allow use of eye tracker” is enabled in PimaxXR. Also ensure that “Fixed Foveated Rendering” is set to off in Pimax Play.

Contents of settings.cfg:

# Common settings for all headsets (unless overriden below).

smoothen_focus_view_edges=0.35

sharpen_focus_view=0.75

turbo_mode=1

# Fixed Foveated rendering settings for fallback when eye tracker is not available.

horizontal_fixed_section=0.5

vertical_fixed_section=0.45

[PimaxXR]

# Dynamic Foveated Rendering settings (for Crystal)

horizontal_focus_section=0.35

vertical_focus_section=0.35

peripheral_multiplier=0.28

focus_multiplier=1.44

# debug_eye_gaze=1

# debug_focus_view=1

[app:DCS World]

# The settings are specific to the app "DCS World".

vertical_focus_offset=-0.1

 

Note that, when you start DCS (must be in Multi-thread mode), and go into the OpenXR Toolkit ‘in-VR’ menu, do not play with the foveated rendering or turbo mode settings, as they conflict with the Quad-views settings from the settings.cfg file that you’ve just created.

With these settings, with my setup, the central focal region is being super-sampled to 200%, while the peripheral region is down-scaled to 9%. With the focal region being set to 35% of the FOV, you still cannot see the heavy pixelation outside of your focal region.

On the deck of the Abraham Lincoln in a F18, in the South Atlantic map, with a very heavily populated deck (i.e. 20 aircraft and helicopters), SARHelos, and a carrier group surrounding, I now achieve 70-75fps, with an extremely sharp and Crystal-clear (no pun intended) image wherever my pupils were pointing.

If you set focus_multiplier=1 then your focal region will render at 100%. The will mean that you’ll be seeing around 100fps in 120Hz mode.

With the 200% super-sampled focal region, after launch I am up above 95fps. Above the clouds I am at 110-120fps.

In the F16 in the South Atlantic map, I see 80-90fps flying through the mountains, and 120fps at altitude.

With my system, the 200% super-sampling in the middle of my focal region makes the buttons, dials, and displays of the cockpit look incredible (though they already did with just the Crystal at 100%) - and the odd pixelation that you'd normally see in VR with Ultra clouds at a distance has completely gone. I can see details on the side of mountains that are over 15nm away. I also spotted a missile the other day, one of mine, turning at about 3nm away, without a trail, I could see the actual missile.

It was, without doubt, the best visual experience I’ve ever had in VR, period.

CONCLUSIONS

With this upcoming software and firmware update, Pimax are about to deliver on their promise for the Crystal.

With the limited testing i've performed with the beta, I've found the whole system it to be very stable. There are a couple of little niggles that need to be ironed out before the release, but Pimax are aware of them, and as with all firmware and software, it is continually being developed and improved.

[dburne]

Interesting...

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by dburne

[GayCavalier]

14 hours ago, dburne said:

Interesting...

 

 

Yes - note that Pau1us seems to have been using the 'default' Quadviews settings, rather than really experiment with the settings, which is why I included my settings.cfg file in my post.  I want to take the scientific approach of giving others the opportunity to recreate my findings by disclosing all of the necessary information.   I've found a significant improvement - in fact, i am beyond delighted with the result.   Note that i'm running my focal region at 200% super-sampling, rather than the default 100%.  

Here's the standard settings (i.e. if you do not make your own settings file as per my post):

# Common settings for all headsets (unless overriden below).
smoothen_focus_view_edges=0.2
sharpen_focus_view=0.7
turbo_mode=1

[PimaxXR]
# Dynamic Foveated Rendering settings (for Crystal)
horizontal_focus_section=0.33
vertical_focus_section=0.31

Note that there are no specific settings for DCS.