Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles ???

[MadMitch88]

Just wondering why I havent seen any posts about the soon-to-be-released Samsung Gear VR goggles ??

From all the specs and reviews, this thing is a GAME-CHANGER for FPV enthusiasts. Combine all the good stuff of Oculus Rift with the 2560x1440 display of the Samsung Note 4, and then even use it with DJI Lightbridge HD video link --- and you're pretty much the FPV King of the World (outside of those U.S. military drone pilots working with the really cool stuff nobody gets to see or hear about).

The price tag will be quite reasonable --- Samsung Note 4 is set to hit the market at around $300 (with 2-yr. contract). No firm price on the goggles yet, but I heard around $200-$300 range. If you add Lightbridge, then total cost for a kick-***, no-holds-barred FPV setup would be around $1,800 !! OUCH !!! :roll:

Still, there are some of us out there with a "price is no object" mentality when it comes to this FPV hobby so I eagerly await seeing somebody post a thorough review with this setup using Lightbridge --- and making the rest of us DROOL with envy.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


http://www.pcworld.com/article/2686...better-than-the-oculus-rift-in-some-ways.html



[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMDTWWwKlCs[/youtube]

 

[rilot]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

It will need someone to make an app that takes the video signal and distorts it so that it's viewable with the goggles. Same issue with the Oculus Rift. You can't just stick a video signal in to it and see anything useful as each eye sees half of the screen.

 

[MadMitch88]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

It will need someone to make an app that takes the video signal and distorts it so that it's viewable with the goggles. Same issue with the Oculus Rift. You can't just stick a video signal in to it and see anything useful as each eye sees half of the screen.

You're talking a bunch of mumbo-jumbo --- "can't just stick in a video signal as each eye only sees half the screen" ---- huh, what?

Note 4's display will show up as a flawless 175-inch "greater-than-HD-resolution" screen inside the goggles. Nobody has to develop an "app" for this.

:mrgreen:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6T4M4VMuk[/youtube]

 

[rilot]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

No, you need the image to be formatted in a certain way for it to work. See this picture of the inside of the headset in this review, halfway down the page: http://www.trustedreviews.com/samsung-gear-vr-review

Each eye sees half of the screen. The image must be formatted.

However, if you still think I'm talking mumbo-jumbo, be my guest and buy one. I've got a lot of experience with the Oculus Rift as I'm testing FPV with a DK2 at the moment. The GearVR works in exactly the same way.

Here are some videos and picture formatted for the GearVR: http://www.roadtovr.com/10-samsung-gear ... s-im360vr/
Notice how they are distorted so that each eye sees the correct image. This is what you need to happen to your video feed for FPV to work with this device.

Looking at a normal screen or video that isn't correctly stretched or formatted just looks a mess and is completely unusable.

 

[DBeard]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

I think what he was trying to say, is that Samsung does this automatically, by plugging the phone into the headset. When this occurs, the image is transformed. What you see will not be 3d, but it will be what's called frame packed (side by side) automatically fitting the dioptical view.

For me, while this is really cool for other applications, being ensconced in a headset with no LOS to the quad is not going to work.

 

[rilot]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

I think what he was trying to say, is that Samsung does this automatically, by plugging the phone into the headset

I don't think it does. I'm pretty sure that you have to do the frame distortion in your own code just as you do with the Oculus Rift.

 

[MadMitch88]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

Samsung would be foolish to release these goggles without ample developer support already in place to deliver properly-formatted video for ANY purpose --- not just the 360-degree immersive video screenshots like you posted. I'm sure this formatting will be coded right into the Note 4's graphics processor (activated once you plug it into the Gear VR) and there will also be included apps to convert any normal HD (or greater than HD) video into proper L/R spatial distortion to show a 175-inch simulated screen to the user's eyeballs.

Samsung is not going to force individual vendors to write their own app in order to properly display video for the left & right lenses inside the Gear VR.

Here are some videos and picture formatted for the GearVR: http://www.roadtovr.com/10-samsung-gear ... s-im360vr/
Notice how they are distorted so that each eye sees the correct image. This is what you need to happen to your video feed for FPV to work with this device.

Looking at a normal screen or video that isn't correctly stretched or formatted just looks a mess and is completely unusable.

 

[MadMitch88]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

For me, while this is really cool for other applications, being ensconced in a headset with no LOS to the quad is not going to work.

I agree that FPV goggles of ANY kind are not good for LOS flying where the quad is within 1000 ft. or so of the pilot. I havent used the Epson Moverio BT-200 goggles, but I have doubts if their transparent lenses give you adequate LOS view to your bird when it's close. Maybe some Moverio owners can comment on this.

However, Samsung could take advantage of the Note 4's rear-facing camera (capable of 4K video recording) to allow the pilot to quickly switch to "real-time" video display of what's happening outside the goggles so you don't have to keep taking off the Gear VR headset in order to fly your bird at close range. Of course, nothing beats the resolution, depth perception and field-of-view like unaided human eyeballs, but I would bet the 4K rear video camera of the Note 4 would be an awfully good substitute. :mrgreen:

 

[DBeard]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

I don't think it does. I'm pretty sure that you have to do the frame distortion in your own code just as you do with the Oculus Rift.

Maybe you're right, but if it doesn't, then Facebook would be foolish to get into bed with a specific manufacturer instead of providing a goggle that fits any mini USB or otherwise ubiquitous adapter.

 

[thongbong]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

Rilot, have you gotten anywhere with getting the Oculus Rift Dk2 to display correctly with FPV? I'm using Emrlabs Transporter 3D and the video conversion is non-existent.

 

[rilot]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

Yes, I'm using the DK2, connected to a MacBook Pro and this software to do the image adjustment: https://developer.oculusvr.com/forums/v ... 28&t=11001
LiveViewRift. It can take any camera input and apply the formatting to give you a full screen, 2D image. Works perfectly although there is a teeny amount of lag (about 0.1 second). Not enough to be a problem but enough that it's noticeable when doing very hard manoeuvres. I think it's the video capture dongle thing I'm using rather than the software.

I'm working on some code to connect to my Taranis and send head tracking control to a 2-axis (Pan / Tilt) gimbal mounted on my QAV250 mini quad at the moment.

Transporter3D don't seem to be that interested in supporting the DK2. There's an issue with how differently the DK2 presents itself via USB than the DK1. I was considering buying one but decided to go the computer route instead for more flexibility. When I get around to building my groundstation, the whole thing should be a lot more portable and easier to set up.

 

[cshaw]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

I am going to go for one one these. Apparently eagles can see for miles.

What do you think?

 

[Doono]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

Nobody's talking about it because the idea sucks.

 

[thongbong]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

Yes, I'm using the DK2, connected to a MacBook Pro and this software to do the image adjustment: https://developer.oculusvr.com/forums/v ... 28&t=11001
LiveViewRift. It can take any camera input and apply the formatting to give you a full screen, 2D image. Works perfectly although there is a teeny amount of lag (about 0.1 second). Not enough to be a problem but enough that it's noticeable when doing very hard manoeuvres. I think it's the video capture dongle thing I'm using rather than the software.

I'm working on some code to connect to my Taranis and send head tracking control to a 2-axis (Pan / Tilt) gimbal mounted on my QAV250 mini quad at the moment.

Transporter3D don't seem to be that interested in supporting the DK2. There's an issue with how differently the DK2 presents itself via USB than the DK1. I was considering buying one but decided to go the computer route instead for more flexibility. When I get around to building my groundstation, the whole thing should be a lot more portable and easier to set up.

Thats incredible, thanks for the link, I'm currently running the app through my surface pro 2 for portability and the image is incredible. Much better than a fatshark. I'm going to research if a Raspberry Pi will be able to run this, but I doubt the kernal would play well.

Yes, apparently there are a handful of people in the Transporter 3D community upset with the fact they can't get it to work on the DK2. Going into this, I was not anticipating it to work right off the bat considering the hardware changes between the DK1 and DK2.

I wonder if the DJI lightbridge has a DVI or HDMI port out? Mirroring the image for LiveRiftView, in the correct format would be easy.

Either way, its only a matter of time before true immersive HD FPV is here.. Keep me updated.

 

[tvckz]

Re: Why is nobody talking about the Samsung Gear VR goggles

Nobody's talking about it because the idea sucks.

If it sucks why do DJI advertises this on it is own event?

 

[Tyrone the drone]

I've got a HDMI module ordered and a set of VR Gear goggles off Ebay so wish me luck!

 

[fin032]

Looking forward to see how people get in with the VR gear. Does anyone know if there is anything similar for the iPhone 6+?

 

[CyberTri]

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[Quadcopter102]

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Well for me....whatever the reason.....the vid does not play. Is it just my iPad??