Pimax 8kx -constant issues.

[TED]

I’ve had an 8kx for a while now and have to say when it works it’s amazing. The full fov is just beautiful as is the image.

There is the issue - WHEN it all works. The constant tracking issues are just a mystery. Everything will work fine one time. Next time, nothing changed, no adjustments to the 2 lighthouse base stations and it will never detect them. I’ve gone through every fix on the net and the mystery just continues. It seems since the last software update it got worse and less reliable. The strange thing it does now is that the boxes for lighthouse bases in Pimax software remain grey, but it does not say “not tracking” under the headset, even though lighthouse is selected as tracking option. If I unplug the base stations the grey boxes remain. It’s a lottery as to what it does next time I switch on the computer. It may work straight away. It may take 30 mins of unplugging and plugging in and restarting before it works or it just may simply not work at all. 
 

All this has lead me to pretty much give up on Pimax, which is a shame because I really love this headset, but the frustration is just too much. The forums are full of the same issues and there is a complete lack of any solutions. A headset such as this should be a bit more robust and user friendly. There are lots of comments mentioning how other electronics can interfere with the tracking! I mean, come on, seriously? Something designed for using in a simpit around a pc is sensitive to other wires and interference? Smells a bit fishy to me as far as explanations go. I now have a Pico 4 as well, which just works perfectly every time and straight away. The image on the p4 is fantastic and on a par with the Pimax, except with better clarity edge to edge. I just really miss that wide fov. 

[WipeUout]

 

4 hours ago, TED said:

I’ve had an 8kx for a while now and have to say when it works it’s amazing. The full fov is just beautiful as is the image.

There is the issue - WHEN it all works. The constant tracking issues are just a mystery. Everything will work fine one time. Next time, nothing changed, no adjustments to the 2 lighthouse base stations and it will never detect them. I’ve gone through every fix on the net and the mystery just continues. It seems since the last software update it got worse and less reliable. The strange thing it does now is that the boxes for lighthouse bases in Pimax software remain grey, but it does not say “not tracking” under the headset, even though lighthouse is selected as tracking option. If I unplug the base stations the grey boxes remain. It’s a lottery as to what it does next time I switch on the computer. It may work straight away. It may take 30 mins of unplugging and plugging in and restarting before it works or it just may simply not work at all. 
 

All this has lead me to pretty much give up on Pimax, which is a shame because I really love this headset, but the frustration is just too much. The forums are full of the same issues and there is a complete lack of any solutions. A headset such as this should be a bit more robust and user friendly. There are lots of comments mentioning how other electronics can interfere with the tracking! I mean, come on, seriously? Something designed for using in a simpit around a pc is sensitive to other wires and interference? Smells a bit fishy to me as far as explanations go. I now have a Pico 4 as well, which just works perfectly every time and straight away. The image on the p4 is fantastic and on a par with the Pimax, except with better clarity edge to edge. I just really miss that wide fov. 

I use only one lighthouse and only on channel B.  The behaviour and sensitivity of the tracking varies quite a bit and finding the best location for the lighthouse takes a lot of trial and error.  I have my lighthouse on a tripod at about 2.5m from the ground and about 3.5m away from my head.

When I start Pimax client, everything is grayed out and it goes into connect / disconnect about three times before I start seeing the lighthouse flashing green.  Once it is flashing, while seated in my sim pit, I do the "Pimax Dance", or rotate the HMD 180 degrees from the lighthouse and out of sight and then back facing the lighthouse and the tracking starts.  After that, I have to be very carefull not to grab the HMD from the side as I loose tracking easily.  Other than that, it is very precise and creates quite well the illusion of being physically in the cockpit.

As you said, oncer it's all fine, there is nothing like an 8KX to provide this intense level of immersion.  Give it another try...

Edited February 16, 2024 by WipeUout
Typo

[TED]

Yeah, I just spent another morning trying to get this thing to track. Following all the specified directives, distances correct, heights good, lots of adjusting. I’m done with Pimax. This just ruins my dcs experience when I spend 30-45 mins just trying to get the headset work. All worked fine a few days ago with the 2 base stations. Nothing at all changed and now they will not track at all, so I’m done getting frustrated with the 8kx. The Pico 4 is giving me an infinitely better experience, as it actually works. 

[NAM]

As owner of 8kx/Pico4/G2 .. I share the same experiences for 8kx.. When it works, nothing can beat it in term of immersion with 160 FOV.

I did have smilar problem as yours..  I had to spin headset dozen times and several minutes for it to trackked.

It got worse and screen flickered every few minutes. Eventually it became unplayable.

I was ready to bin it.. then I read some reddit users mentioned, it might due to cable.

With Amazon 30 days return policy.. I have nothing to loose, so I bough the Pimax 5m fiber cable for $190 Aussie dollars.

Since then it is the become my favourite headset, it track almost immediately.

With the improvement DCS MT with quadview.

I am so happy with 8kx, I don't think I going to upgrade anytime soon. will only thinking buying another when it dies of natural cause.

8 hours ago, TED said:

Yeah, I just spent another morning trying to get this thing to track. Following all the specified directives, distances correct, heights good, lots of adjusting. I’m done with Pimax. This just ruins my dcs experience when I spend 30-45 mins just trying to get the headset work. All worked fine a few days ago with the 2 base stations. Nothing at all changed and now they will not track at all, so I’m done getting frustrated with the 8kx. The Pico 4 is giving me an infinitely better experience, as it actually works. 

Why not get Pimax Fiber optic cable from Amazon.

You can return the cable within 30 days if thing does not work out

[TED]

21 hours ago, NAM said:

As owner of 8kx/Pico4/G2 .. I share the same experiences for 8kx.. When it works, nothing can beat it in term of immersion with 160 FOV.

I did have smilar problem as yours..  I had to spin headset dozen times and several minutes for it to trackked.

It got worse and screen flickered every few minutes. Eventually it became unplayable.

I was ready to bin it.. then I read some reddit users mentioned, it might due to cable.

With Amazon 30 days return policy.. I have nothing to loose, so I bough the Pimax 5m fiber cable for $190 Aussie dollars.

Since then it is the become my favourite headset, it track almost immediately.

With the improvement DCS MT with quadview.

I am so happy with 8kx, I don't think I going to upgrade anytime soon. will only thinking buying another when it dies of natural cause.

Why not get Pimax Fiber optic cable from Amazon.

You can return the cable within 30 days if thing does not work out

Thanks and this is probably a good suggestion worth trying someday. Unfortunately here Amazon doesn’t sell them and I’m looking at 150 euros for a cable. I’m just not prepared to throw any more money at Pimax as I’m actually really happy with the pico 4. Apart from the fov, everything else is better with the pico imo. Now I can run on HVEC+ at max bitrate, it’s really smooth, clear, and gives great performance, and there is no Pimax dance and room setup for an unspecified time before flying. 

[NAM]

I think offical Pimax retail price for the optic cable is $99 USD. Here in Australia the mark up 30%-50%, Even $A190 is a bit steep.

I agree with you, no way that I am going to pay $150 Euro for the cable. That is around half of the price for Pico4

I am pretty sure in your case, it is the cable... spining headset several times a day not good for metal fatique.

Dont bin it. One day, someone will list a used cable on ebay for very cheap.

Edited February 18, 2024 by NAM

[NAM]

After getting the fiber cable. I recently discover that instead of spining the Pimax. Just use your hand to block the lighthouse, after that the headset will track immediately.

Maybe this method only works with fiber cable.