New VR headset coming - "Totem" (big trouble for the rift)

[AnotherCrazyCan]

This Canadian company recently revealed one of their projects that they've been working on for many years. It's called the Totem and from the looks of it, it's going to outshine the Oculus two-fold.
Spec sheet:
Screen 1080p OLED

Field of view 90 degrees

Connectivity

HDMI input
USB output (tracker)
Sensors

2x cameras 1080p
3 axis 1kHz gyro
3 axis 4kHz accel
3 axis magnetometer
Audio: Surround sound over stereo

Emulated controls

USB mouse
Playstation controller
Xbox controller
Non-game controls

Up, Down, Select/Real World View

Supported engines

Unreal
Unity
Havok
CryEngine
Platforms

PC
Playstation 3 & 4
Xbox One & 360
Supported media

All 3D formats, SBS preferred Size 6.6″ x 4.4″ x 5.4″

(One of the features I also saw is called "Real world view" and from what I can tell, it uses the cameras on the front of the headset to see the real world, in case you need to find the keyboard or something.)

Now, this both makes me exited and nervous, because if this is near the same price of the oculus, I might cancel my devkit and make the switch to this. Sorry guys, but I'm being honest here. They haven't released any more information, but they want to release more soon. There is also a link included here.
http://www.trueplayergear.com/

If all of the stats are true, then it looks to be above everything else, except perhaps for the field of view.

Man, I think this is gonna shake up the VR world very, very hard.

[360FOV]

I'll be spending my money on the Rift. Only after VR is solidly established will I be looking elsewhere to check out what the competition is doing to play catch-up. 😉 I think people would be better off owing the DK2 than this thing. Just the name Totem makes me want to slam dunk it into the trash can. Can you imagine your friends reactions when they ask you what you are going to do today and you say, "Oh not much, I am just going to play with my Totem." Thanks, but no thanks! :lol:

[Frito]

"archaicbereft" wrote:

"Frito" wrote:

"Alci" wrote:
he probably means that first time we saw this image we also had heard from people "my God, it works!". Not sure if I got excited just from that image alone.

Oh, could be.

I meant that CG renders are just... well, cg renders. :lol:

It looked like you were insinuating that The rift started with a render too.

My link proved that, sure your render from 2012 that won it a best of E3 nomination was just that, a render.
it was also usable in person and proved its validity.
Palmer and John weren't standing around talking about what it "could" do, they were showing people in person what it "does" do

Oh, no, no at all, but I see it could be in interpreted like that.
But your reply was just what I was thinking actually! Its not just an image, Oculus talked the talk and walked the walk.

I hope the stream of rendered HMDs we will probably see in a future will be able to do the same and not just " yeah we are working on this like for 9 years, but just kept it secret"

"Hadwell" wrote:
be very skeptical of a product that doesn't even have a duct tape prototype "proof of concept" that can be plugged into a computer, so that a reputable person, who the industry trusts, can strap it on his face and say "this works"

a functional mess of wires and parts is a lot better than a cheezy looking plastic box....

+10

[ThreeEyes]

About the Totem being real or not....

Here is an interview with the main guy: http://www.roadtovr.com/totem-vr-headset-true-player-gear-ceo-interview-bertrand-nepveu-oculus-rift-...

The highlights...

It's just 5 guys but they have been working with VR for a while.

They were working on a version with microdisplays which had no screen door, fast update, but limited FOV.

They were ready to announce an HMD with tracking and such right when Oculus did so they pulled the plug and went back to the drawing board as they realized the limited FOV of their model was going to be a deal breaker in light of the Rift's immersive FOV.

They already had the basics and really just switched to a panel display like the Oculus. It took them a while but not that long.

The prototype you see in the various pictures is either a render or photos of their 3D printed shells modded out. I'm kind of thinking render but it's so good it's hard to tell.

They are doing processing on the HMD that allows it to look like a 3D display to what you plug it into. That's why it can run on so many platforms. Just like the PlayStation and Xbox can drive 3D TVs, this looks like a 3D TV too.

Not sure if they are doing image distortion in software or hardware or even if they are doing it at all. I suppose it depends on their optics.

They decided to let people know they are around now because they saw all the uproar about Oculus and selling to Facebook and wanted to let people know there is another path opening up.

Read the interview and see what you think. If CV1 isn't coming out with forward-facing cameras now, Oculus may be rethinking that design choice depending on what they plan to do. Certainly allowing software, a key, or a button on the HMD (they have 3) to let you see out is an advantage. This presumably also opens up the chroma-key thing where a lime green (or skinned) keyboard and mouse appear when you look at them if that is enabled.

Looks very interesting to me. The VR and HMD world is heating up. I also believe it is real. That interview isn't dated April 1...

[ThreeEyes]

"Chivas" wrote:
I think the Totem is legit, but the Totem will have more problems than the Rift if they don't find investors with a lot of money soon, especially if the Rift is sold as a loss-leader at 100 dollars. Not to mention that Oculus, is now setup to support and publish software that will be needed for any VR hardware to survive.

Valid points but it appears the Totem is keeping options open by making it look like a stereo TV/monitor kind of display which gives it access to the PC, the PlayStation, as well as the Xbox. For the PlayStation and Xbox it not only gives them the generation just out but also the last generation too. That is a lot of potential. One of the advantages they specifically mention is not needing so much (if any) preprocessing on the images sent to the display. They say they are aiming at lesser systems being able to run the Totem just fine. They are shy on details though.

My guess here is just as was speculated on how the cash infusion could allow the Rift to process on the HMD itself so Zuckerberg's Facebook fans could use it with their tablets, phones, and lesser computers, the Totem folks have already been working through that. One thing about each HMD and processing on the HMD - they already know the resolution of the output device. It can just be an image processing pipeline.

I don't know that lack of software would keep them out either. Everything that already can support 3D would work.

The issue would be finding the money to move past prototype and commercialize it.

Imagine the shakeup in the HMD/VR market if Microsoft stepped in behind True Player Gear and the Totem. All the players would be in their corners and all with fat wads of money.

The only real loser I see in this possible (but who knows how likely) scenario would be Mark Zuckerberg and his shareholders.

[Alci]

I was all up for cameras on vr. That and position tracking were things I missed on DK1. But it's not that easy as it may seem.

https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/368957329200271360

You need quite special cameras to get it work. Basically with larger fish-eye objective. And more then 30fps if it is supposed to work 😕 Also Totem plans to use cameras for position tracking. Meaning you need some active LEDs all around the room. Not practical either.

Right now I think it would be better if such things are actually detachable components. Bought separately so you can choose what exactly you want and how much you are willing to pay. And I would attach stereoscopic cameras to some flying machine actually 🙂

[ThreeEyes]

I find I can easily get myself into trouble when I tell people that something they are working on is impossible.

[Br0ken]

Nothing interesting. It's just Rift clone, in the best case. And attempt to attract attention on the wave of bad reaction from the Oculus/Facebook deal. :?
I think they're unable to offer the better (or even same) VR experience with this.

[DieKatzchen]

"Alci" wrote:
Right now I think it would be better if such things are actually detachable components. Bought separately so you can choose what exactly you want and how much you are willing to pay.

One of the things I like about the DK2 is the USB port on it. I can think of lots of things you could plug into that.

[rollez]

"Hardware acceleration" and "Expansion port" are things that caught my eye.
I think i'll be checking this out, might be nice competition to Oculus. Giving people the freedom to extend and hack the Totem is a huge advantage for people who want to make an awesome device more awesome, and for people who want to buy things that make their device more awesome 8-)

[Falan]

"bongodriver" wrote:
as fake as plastic tits, if it isn't I'll eat a plastic tit.

Hahahahaha