But sensor drift and headset comfort were real issues. Without a proper cable-routing solution, the headset kept tugging to one side, and despite the padding, it was smashing my nose and cheeks.
I’ve done hourslong endurance races in multiple mass-market VR headsets. After 15 minutes in this one, I was ready to quit.
Projects like this are never really done.
Credit:
Tim Stevens
Projects like this are never really done.
Credit:
Tim Stevens
Final thoughts and future upgrades
My total outlay for this project was $239.93. But that includes the extra $62 I had to spend on a second set of displays. Avoid that expensive gaffe, and you’re looking at around $180 in components.
That makes it roughly half the cost of a Meta Quest 3S, one of the cheapest headsets on the market right now. That’s a substantial savings, but I’d certainly recommend that most people pay the extra. The tracking issues in my headset are maddening, the image quality is middling at best, and this is far and away the least comfortable headset I’ve ever worn.
All that can be fixed, though. Some projects use a MinIMU-9 IMU, which looks miles more accurate and is less likely to be faked, but it’s also substantially more expensive at $35. You can also step up to higher-quality LCDs or even tiny OLED panels that come with all the color and contrast you could ever want. There are options for onboard battery packs, wireless adapters, and of course you can spend as much time as you like designing an ultra-comfortable housing for it all.
But even if you ignore the time commitment, once you start adding those upgrades, you’re not far from the cost of that Quest, a far-from-perfect headset that still works effortlessly and comfortably out of the box.
As always with these projects, it depends on what you want. If you just want a cheap, easy, reliable headset for your next-gen immersive gaming fix, this probably isn’t it.
If, however, you want a fun project that will help you appreciate the industrial design required to make a good-looking and comfortable wearable device, this could be it. I learned a lot and, despite the frustrations, I’m glad I embarked on this journey.
That said, while I’ll keep tinkering and likely throw a few more upgrades at this thing, I can’t see it replacing my other headset for regular racing duties, deprecated though it may be.