Contents
Introduction
Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts! It’s Mike from Techal, and I’m here to share my recent experience with my beloved Oculus Rift. You see, my Rift has been giving me some trouble lately, and I wanted to give you all a quick update on what’s been going on. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in!
A Broken Rift
About a week ago, while gaming with my friend Nathan, the left earphone on my Rift suddenly stopped working. I tried everything to fix it: swapping the earphones, even using a set of official Oculus earbuds, but to no avail. What I discovered was that stretching the headset itself made the left audio work temporarily. Unfortunately, the audio would cut out as soon as the tension was released. This made it impossible to use the Rift in its current state, as I couldn’t hear my friend or the game properly.
Seeking Solutions
I reached out to the Twitterverse for some troubleshooting advice, and many recommended buying wireless headphones. However, I faced a dilemma. I love the freedom of being wireless with the TPCast, but its module sits right on top of my head, making it uncomfortable to wear headphones. At this point, I decided to contact Oculus directly for assistance, but I haven’t received a response yet. So, in the meantime, I’ve had to switch to using the HTC Vive Pro for my recent videos.
Exploring the Vive Pro
You may be wondering about my thoughts on the Vive Pro. Well, I must say, the resolution bump is impressive. However, there are some aspects of the Vive Pro that I find lacking. Firstly, the built-in microphones produce poppy and tinny audio, a problem I didn’t face with the Rift. To address this, I purchased a mod mic as a temporary solution. Additionally, the headphones on the Vive Pro sit on the ears, rather than around them, which can be a bit uncomfortable during long gaming sessions. Lastly, the Oculus Rift’s touch controllers have a superior comfort level compared to the Vive Pro’s controllers.
The Silver Lining
Despite these downsides, there is one particular aspect of the Vive Pro that I absolutely love—the ease of recording VR content. Thanks to the Vive Pro’s excellent field of view when using the Open VR plugin for OBS, recording gameplay is a breeze. Whereas with the Rift, I had to choose between a cropped field of view or dealing with shifting black borders on the display. Needless to say, it’s been a bit of a struggle, but I’m working with Oculus to find a solution.
FAQs
Q: Will you continue to use the Rift once it’s fixed?
A: Absolutely! As soon as I receive a replacement Rift, I’ll happily return to using it for my videos.
Q: Are you attending Gamescom?
A: Yes! I’ll be heading to Gamescom next week and will be creating videos to share all the exciting happenings. Stay tuned!
Q: What are your thoughts on the HTC Vive Pro?
A: While the Vive Pro boasts an impressive resolution, I find some of its features, such as the built-in microphones, headphones, and controllers, to be less satisfying compared to the Oculus Rift.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it, my fellow tech enthusiasts! That’s the reason why I’m currently using the HTC Vive Pro instead of my beloved Oculus Rift. Once I have a replacement Rift in hand, I’ll be back to producing Oculus Rift content for all of you. If you’re interested in following my Gamescom adventures, be sure to stay tuned to Techal. And as always, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts and any questions you may have. Until next time!
Cheers,
Mike
