V60 and charging the Quest 3

[DownunderGrumpy]

On the V56 I figured out that a proper USB POWER SUPPLY (not charger) for a laptop works great.
From almost dead my Quest 3 went to full in under 90 minutes - using FAST CHARGE as the USB mode.
While playing seated games, watching videos or whatever with the power supply plugged in the battery got charged while I used the headset - even during hard gaming session on demanding games and with 120Hz enabled.
Best of all: Unlike using a 45W PD rated USB CHARGER the headset did not get that hot at all.
Never mind the 45W charger was unable to keep the headset running.
It added around 1 hour of extra time until the battery went flat anyway - and with only a few seconds of warning before just shutting off.
Means I was able to keep playing for as long as I wanted and when I took a break or stopped the green light was on and the battery above 95%.

Then came the V60 and those annoying horizon feeds I don't need.
And I though a lot of bugs must have been fixed, including those charging bugs....
Sadly it seems the opposite happened.
On the V56 PD CHARGER were basically ignored by the headset unless they had a USB-C port AND a PD rated cable with ALL lines was used.
With the correct match you were able to go to 9V for the charging but only ever got the slow rate.
On a PD rated CHARGER having one of these orange USB ports even the best cable only ever worked with 5V, despite basically any other device being able to use the higher rates.
On the PD standards it states that up to 3A are no problem using an orange USB cable and a charger with an orange port.
Meta however only allows a maximum of 2.1A and that goes down with the increasing temp of the headset, thanks the battery mounted right behind the hottest parts.
Using PD SUPPLY and CHARGING rated POWER supply however allowed the headset to switch to preference mode so to say.
The headset is powered by the power supply while it also charges the now NOT used battery - probably at a low rate but does not matter as nothing is drained.
The beauty of this was that the headset used the 9V LINES for this - one for the headset, the other for the battery.
Creating far less waste heat and keeping both user and headset happy.

[DownunderGrumpy]

For the V60 it seems Meta had a strong focus on trying to somehow rectify the issues with the flawed battery strap.
Despite that the combo still fails to first drain the strap battery, provide a notification that the internal battery is used now and still fails warns the user with enough time if this runs out as well.

For just the headset the only improvement I found was that ONE PD rated charger of the orange kind now can charge the headset with a slow rate at 9V - one charger out of 6....
My loved USB laptop power supply now is rather disappointing - performance wise.
According to my USB doctor it now only uses one of the available lines to provide juice to the headset.
Means it can no longer power the headset to keep the battery free from drain.
Since the headset now has to prioritize the battery use it takes all power from the battery while the power supply is stuck on a slow rate with a single line.
Playing AW now ends after a max of 3.5 hours while on the V56 I could play until I eventually gave up from the pain of wearing the headset.
And then I ended with a FULL battery after 5 or so hours of ongoing use....

All this of course made me check their T's & C's again but also what comes in the box.
It is made abundantly clear that one shall only ever use Meta approved chargers and cables....
Back in the day this meant only 'being allowed' to use what's in the box so to say.
With the legal changes in Europe in regards to USB-C Meta HAD the chance to actually FULLY implement those upcoming recommendations.
The only thing I find even remotely being connected in the T's & C's or on the support pages is that new now can use any charger that conforms to the USB standards - without specifying of course what our headsets are conform with.

Checking the headset, supplied charger and cable we find another big issue right away - the total lack of certification visible!
Means the charger only comes with whatever Meta deems fit but you won't find the real specs anywhere.
Making it a STANDARD USB-C charger.
The cable is void of any meaningful markings to indicate anything above data and SLOW charging rates at LIMITED power. 
Making it a USB-C data cable free from any fast charging options it could survive and not even rated for the really fast data transfer rates either....
With that and the battery placement in mind I started to hunt for teardown videos and posts with meaningful detail on the USB port.
And sure enough, like for the Quest 2 we got sub-standard parts included - nothing rated for the fast charging standards judging by the comparison to those strips used for USB ports ACTUALLY rated for PD use in full.
A few cents, literally on the hardware side of things but rather costly for the certifications required.

Funny enough there are EU users who had their USB ports failing on the Quest 2 that did try get legal help.
Two issues:
Firstly Meta made sure that there can't be any authorised repair options apart from sending the headsets back to Meta.
Outside the warranty Meta provides for the country in question this mean dealing with quite high postage costs as Meta dictates what one can use here.
Within the warranty period the return shipping is free but often means impossible as their shipping service won't provide any drop off locations one can reach within the THREE day time frame Meta allows to get it shipped.
These affected users faced a limited warranty based on their location in the world AND the lack of shipping options.
They argued to their lawyers that this far to controlling by Meta and also NOT properly disclosed in their T's & C's - especially not those one has to agree to when buying a new headset from Meta directly.
Legally those the battle was lost right away as Meta does sort of exclude a lot for countries in some places of their T's & C's.
The only way to make this happen would be a class action law suit in an EU court.
And the only thing that Meta would be found guilty of would be that they failed to disclose country limitations properly - they wouldn't even get a fine and it wouldn't help the affected users in any way or form.
Since Meta, so far always fixed or replaced devices if the owner managed to send them back for repairs free of charge no court would rule on foul play - not with these extensive T's & C's we all just click away to keep going...

Where does leave the user then ?
We keep enjoying below standard hardware that saves some bucks for Meta but keeps making things hard now since we got the first Quest.
By the time the new EU laws are fully binding the Quest will be fully discontinued and the Quest 2 reaching the end of its lifespan as well.
Thanks to providing the required server support and developer support our headsets keep going obsolete right before any batteries would start to fail or other hardware can be expected to make issues - like dust in a fan system....
By the time the next generation is released by Meta they have to follow EU specs - at least for all headsets sold there....
Still then have a nifty loophole left....
Manufacturers won't have to provide the highest possible standards!
Instead what has to be supported will be regulated based on how a manufacturer specifies the intended usage of the device.
Everything will have a USB-C port then but it can be rated to only provide the most basic standard of 5V and 500mA - like for a nightlight or such....
Meta can simply specify that the intended use is the use free of any cables, restricting it battery use.
With that can also specify how and when the battery is charged - like not being charge above minimum rate while playing....

[DownunderGrumpy]

Be it Meta or the V60 update - I am disappointed.

VR, or now mixed reality should all be about the experience and how much more is possible.
The GO opened the door here and it got slammed right open thanks to the cleaver Marketing Oculus had in place.
The breakthrough was supposed to be the Quest - more power, more everything, just no runtime....
And this seems to keep happening while we should long have headset allowing us to use them with a decent battery pack to be mobile or a PD charger for seated things - or just watching a LONG a movie in bed.
Still we keep waiting for THE APP, THE GAME that really makes it all worth it.
Sure the graphics, physics and all keep getting better - but with that also an increased hunger for power.
And it is always the same in the store, no innovation, no break-through's either.
If you want more than dead basic, far below any other Android device you need to pay or deal with multiple apps just to watch local movies, what is in your media server or what you might like to check in a browser.
Not even an option to define a default app to be used with a proper filemanager to find and open files wherever - something normal Android users take for granted these days.
What we do get now is a flood of business orientated apps, paid apps of course and on top of 'social' crap, like Horizon and those things where you pay money to 'own' something you can rent or sell after 'improving' it.
By making it impossible to enjoy the Quest 3 without investing more money into a headstrap that is not classified as a torture device the money train seems to be the real goal here.

Since the USB charging while giving power worked just fine on the V56 I can only assume this was intentionally wrecked with the V60.
And if it is not to 'fix' the battery strap then it is to rule out future claims of overheating batteries (or worse).
No one with a sane mind sticks to the crappy charger and cable provided.
By far not every USB-C power supply is able to handle the many different requests to change Voltage or Ampere output while also providing power.
Most do either or but not both.
Those cheap ones from China however simply provide whatever is requested or whatever the device takes.
No feedback between charger and device.
What happens if you use those for your high end smart phone ?
Nothing because here the device takes care of all power and charging regulations required.
Means if it requests 5V @ 2.1A from the charger it won't let any more than that into the phone.
The 'only' thing Meta would have to is to fix their firmware to allow the FULL use of the PD standards again, preferably while including PD rater charger and not just power supplies with additional charging options.
It worked before, so it CAN work again and we can also hope Meta fixes things for good one day.

Assuming on the V56 it was NOT JUST the firmware doing it all AND ASSUMING the USB port is actually fully equipped and also fully routed to the motherboard:
Update the firmware for the battery strap (if possible) to act as POWER SUPPLY AND CHARGER instead of just working as a charger for the internal battery.
With this update the strap should prioritize routing the power to the headset.
Both is used alone and if a charger is connected to the strap.
If a charger is connected for both strap and headset alone the same applies - Prioritize powering the headset while using anything the charger can provide on top to charge the battery.
Preferably by using individual channels.
The firmware in the headset should be able to detect the battery strap and provide a matching USB mode.
If a charger is connected to the headset It should use both channels to provide power and charging at the same time.
Since different Voltages can be used on the channels it is possible to provide matching rates to give the best balance to prevent overheating.
This would still allow to get much more out of these underrated connectors as on a higher Voltage the Current is much lower to provide the same WATT.
Means those flimsy foil connectors won't overheat for no reason and our battery stay happy and healthy.

[DownunderGrumpy]

What about the future if I could have a wish list?
A PROPER firmware free of the bloatware while including what we take for granted on our normal and Android TV devices.
Provide and easier integration of Android and Android TV apps.

For the hardware:
Lighter and thinner is great but the battery is a problem since day one.
Higher capacity means more weight and larger size.
While I was pondering about this conundrum and how hardware and optics keep shrinking I started to wonder....

I Like to tinker and DIY AND I like to actually own my devices and have full control over my devices.
Meta will never allow the later, leaves us with a modder's dream to hopefully come true with the generation after the next....
A fully modular headset!
Provide the 'front', as in the device having the stuff required to work and look half decent.
Include a basic but comfortable face cover and STRAP that makes all basic users happy.
Allow for cylindrical battery either side of the headset that can be quickly changed INDEPENDENTLY, preferably easy enough so you won't have to take the headset off.
Provide TWO USB connectors.
One for the dedicated use on the headset, the other to connect a battery pack or strap.
And for crying out loud: Provide a proper magnetic USB connector just for power/charging needs.
What the deal with the battery compartments and face cover ?

Many people these days have a 3D printer or know how to use the many online services to get things printed in all sorts of materials.
Imagine someone with glasses not wanting to invest into prescription lenses for the headset as they share it with family members.
Or just someone who naturally produces far more sweat than what Meta defines - some people are in hot climates, some people get very sweaty...
Being able to use an Iphone or any other device capable to produce a detailed head scan would open the door to give these headset a whole new world of uses.
Have a face cover for every member of the family and quickly swap it over, have another one for guests....
And for those glasses you just extent things to allow for enough room so they won't be ripped off your head when you take the headset of in a hurry - or carefully.
Being able to print it in some really nice and soft materials or to CAST a face cover would allow for the best comfort possible.

If you happily (or not) server your country as a soldier you probably had the chance to use these nightvision and FLIR headsets.
They can be quite heavy depending on the generation and features.
But you can wear them for hours and only ever have to worry about the overall weight but not being dragged down by the tech.
Ideally all the weight of the headset is on the strap(s), not the forehead.
The only pressure the face has to take is what is required to provide a secure fit while moving around, the rest is done by the strap.
Sound out of the box is great but not always wanted, one might want to ply while someone close by wants to watch TV....
Earbuds are still a hit and miss in terms of audio lag and such.
Wired options though seem to only support stereo mode.
For a fully immersive experience it would be great if one could use quality surround sound headphones.
Means of course being able to get rid of those plastic parts for the build in sound.
This would be best of course with a three point mounts from the sides and front to the top of the head with a slim strap connecting to the pressure pad on the back of the head from either side and the top mount.
So why not provide an option to mount the next gen basic headset onto an open face motorbike helmet or light weight counterpart ? 😉
Instead of the visor hook the headset up and enjoy comfortable fir on your face while also being protected from the accidental falls and bumping into things with your head - just saying...

The Bigscreen shows what is already possible.
And hardware get more powerful every year, giving Meta plenty of time to come with a properly developed platform for a change.
A modular headset where the USER do do things to mod it combined with powerful hardware could be game changer we are all waiting for.
Forget the internal battery and use a belt clip with a battery pack.
A standard power tool battery of the 5AH range could let you play like forever and with a dual port ....
Forget the overheating issues caused by having more power that heat removal capabilities....
Provide a multi-channel power layout for the motherboard.
Meaning to allow for an 'internal power supply' so a PD charger can be used at the highest Voltage by default.
All power handling is then be done by dedicated hardware on the motherboard or preferably and independent chipset connected to it.
For battery use consider going only with external battery pack and the usual 18V variety.
No more power issues, no more wasted heat by relying on low voltage only resulting in high currents heating things up for no reason.Like this our 6th generation Meta headset could come with a fraction of the weight. great comfort out of the box while allowing anyone to adjust the thing to their individual or family needs.
And in times of everyone going mental about infections it would make a lot of sense if one could just take the face cover off to sterilize it after use or when changing users.
I don't want to know what all collects on those foam covers over the years LOL
We can still dream, can we ?

App support and being able to use to use powerful hardware to emulate lower specced hardware is great!
If you grew up with our first computers and 'game consoles' of the analogue and BW kind you certainly loved finding some of your favourites ported to more modern systems.
Sure, the original Mario still looks crappy on a big VR screen but it brings back memories, especially if paired a matching retro style controller.
Imagine though you could transform those old, titles, not the oldest, into 3D.....
Of course for most we still face the rights (violation) issue that comes with having 'roms' and the required images to emulated the old hardware.
In an ideal world though we could quite easy transform many of our old games into a more 3D looking counterpart.
Sadly any time someone came close to providing an emulator doing just that the required hardware got discontinued, be it Cardboard, Gear or whatever there was before.
Out of the box support for old Android games would bring back retro in a new design.
Imagine Beach Buggy racing in full VR mode .....
Or Riptide.....
Sadly porting old games to new hardware these days means it won't happen or you are asked to pay a fortune (compared to the price of the original).
But emulating or allowing lower systems would also mean LEGAL uses are quite possible.
At least in most countries.
With that it would be up to user what he feeds to the emulator and where it came from.
For the hyped security Meta claims to love so much Meta could simply let those emulators run in a protected memory area....
Some nice things are available for Android TV.
And while the push is to go cheap these days and to use stuff like WebOS instead of Android TV a lot of good TV's still with a Android TV backbone covered by their own UI.
Imagine running them on an adjusted screen in VR like you can watch a movie in Skybox - in all possible positions and sizes....
I am sure Meta could even make it happen that we can use those Android TV streaming ups that require rights management, like Netflix and all.
After all or VR environment IS based on Android TV underneath.....