Wireless VR Flight Simming - Everything in One Thread

[Tensorial_Architect]

Gents of the Forum (and those rare ladies) - You don't have to be a prophet to see that in the years ahead, VR headsets will increasingly drop the need for a data cable snaking from your desktop rig up to your head. I had a bit of time during the nights in late March and early April and decided to make a guide for what is coming down the pike, ... wireless VR simming. We are already in the early stages but most guys have a boatload of questions about everything from wireless communications to the best bit rate settings. This guide aims to answer a plethora of questions:

What VR headset is best in 2025 if I want to ditch the cables?

How do I maximize wireless information flow from the graphics card to the VR headset?

How do I set up my wireless router for wireless VR flight simming?

How does wireless transmission of information even work?

What can I realistically expect in the next few years? ... In the next few decades?

Just like Chuck with his free aircraft guides or MBucchia and his Quad Views software, I am hopeful that this work will be useful to the DCS community. The guide is free to all and no attempt is being made to make money from it. All the images within are open source or I have obtained permission to use (still trying to nail down one last image). I am optimistic that almost everyone from hardcore simmers to tech-enthusiasts will find the information contained within the guide useful. If you have accolades, please post them in this thread. If you find errors, please send me privately. .... LOL, ... I'm just sh#$ing you. ... If you notice any errors, please post them in this thread. I welcome correction and suggestions. If there is a feature you would like the guide to adress, post in the thread.

Enjoy!

- J

(This guide is released under the GPL 2.0. If you are a member of multiple flight sim forums (say, MSFS 2024, IL2, X-Plane, etc .... ), please feel free to distribute there as well because the information contained within the guide is going to be equally helpful for those simming communities as well.)

(There are now two versions of this guide, ... one without any politics (below), ... and one with some light political opinions (in the second post of this thread). (I do this because I feel it is my civic duty to preserve the American traditions of democracy and rule of law.) Obviously, don't download the political version if that might offend you. As BigNewy doesn't want politics in these threads, any questions or comments about politics will not be addressed here so please don't even post them.)

 

 

 

The Wireless VR Flight Simming Guide with no Politics.pdf

Edited Tuesday at 08:33 PM by Tensorial_Architect

[Tensorial_Architect]

Option #2 - The version of the guide with light politics is below.

 

Reserved ... (Will post version numbers here)

Revisions (for both editions) - 1.03 - 29/4/2025 - Fixed a typo, ... should have been milliamps instead of microamps.

 

The Wireless VR Flight Simming Guide with Politics.pdf

Edited Tuesday at 10:09 PM by Tensorial_Architect

[Tensorial_Architect]

My first question came in earlier today, "How will we be able to power wireless VR headsets past the current two hour time limit?"

My answer, ... by the same manner that a zillion other products work, ... (like wireless rear derailleurs on higher-end bikes) .... with interchangeable batteries:

 

I have not heard any news on the upcoming Quest 4 but I suspect that future headsets in 2026 and after will all feature hot-swappable batteries. A simmer buys their wireless capable VR headset with one or two batteries stock in the box. Obviously, the manufacturer sells extra and chargers so that guys can do a ten-hour-long mission if need be.

Edited Tuesday at 12:46 AM by Tensorial_Architect

[Nodak]

Keep your batteries, that'll always be a weak link.  Proprietary batteries, and their weight mounted on your head, just another failure point.  For flight sims it's not as if we need to nor want to walk around. 

If you got the cash to continually throw a new VR headset on every year that may be the way to go, but for scale of economy through long term operation and reliability tethered will never be beat using a quality built HMD. 

[Tensorial_Architect]

I think what is much more likely is what we already have now, ... at least for the next five years or so. That is headsets like the Quest Pro and Quest 3 that can both use a cable, ... or go to a wireless mode. I suspect that will increasingly become an option until almost all headsets by 2030 can do either. The upcoming Quest 4 and several soon to be released headsets seem to be (if you believe in rumors) headed along this path. I see almost no headsets in the next five years attempting a wireless only option with hot-swappable batteries.

Edited Tuesday at 08:38 PM by Tensorial_Architect