GNU/Linux plans?

[nuclear]

So... now that the CV1 release is behind us, it's time to ask again: are there any specific plans for porting the new SDK/runtime to GNU/Linux?

I'm still using SDK 0.5 with my DK2, and I don't have a CV1, but it would be nice to get official GNU/Linux support again, and know that we can release VR apps for consumers on the platform.

[starlightknight]

kojack said:

I've heard conflicting reports, but from what I can see online SteamVR only supports Linux in extended mode.
Oculus dropped linux and osx when they moved to direct mode. Right now they rely on Nvidia and AMD to explicitly support direct mode at the driver level.
Do Nvidia or AMD currently provide linux drivers with direct mode support? Without that, I don't see Oculus supporting non windows platforms any time soon.

There is direct mode support now actually. It is present in the
Nvidia 375 series driver; SteamVR for Linux with the Vive is implemented
in direct mode using Vulkan. Unity 5.6 is also updated to be able to work with OpenVR/Vulkan on Linux. AMD does not have direct mode yet and still requires extended mode.

imperativity said:

"Not completely off the table" and similar statements is basically code speak to the Linux community of, we don't want to offend you as a paying customer but, it's probably not happening.

There is general consensus that this is doable when the timing is right. At this time, given the size of the other operating system environments it just does not make financial sense to expend resources pursuing it just yet.

I can appreciate the reality of the marketshare argument, but it doesn't change the fact that Oculus had publicly promised support, and it had been a year of silence, and all major competitors now have support. I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, but that's all reality. I would still obviously love for Oculus to come to Linux, but, if it doesn't I'll have to go with those who do support my preferred platform next time. If the marketshare isn't appealing now, it's unlikely to be in the near to medium future either, so promises don't mean much.

Personally I'd be happy even if there was just enough support initially to run an OpenVR game, even if Oculus home couldn't come over in its entirety until later on (if that requires much more porting resources / time / qa). Some bare minimum support for advanced users would be better than nothing.

[SpaceHexagon]

starlightknight said:

Personally I'd be happy even if there was just enough support initially to run an OpenVR game, even if Oculus home couldn't come over in its entirety until later on (if that requires much more porting resources / time / qa). Some bare minimum support for advanced users would be better than nothing.

Exactly. I primarily use my CV1 for WebVR, which doesn't need a gui / nonsense. Ditching windows would be ideal.

[dilavni]

Yes, give us the basic runtime and call it experimental and whatever else you need to do. Hire a linux guy or two with your facebook money and do us all a huge favor. You can leave the store part for later! This is not a huge investment. There are other applications besides gaming that would really benefit from linux support which I think you might be ignoring.

[roberto_hradec]

Hi there... 

I'm new here, but I'm a Linux guy as well interested in VR on linux. I got an old DK1 which I was able to run on Arch Linux about 6 months ago using an old sdk (not sure if it was 0.3 or 0.4) 

Although arch aur has a couple of oculus linux sdk packages, none of then is able to detect the DK1 today (booth are sdk 0.5, the official latest linux one)

Since Oculus removed the links to download old SDK's, I was wondering if anyone here known how I can download the old ones, maybe just 0.3.x and 0.4.3!

I was able to find the 0.4.4 on some git depots around the net, but not even the 0.4.4 is working! 

The second problem I'm having is that, not sure why, but nvidia seems to report the DK1 as disconnected! 

As far as I remember, before it would show up as a monitor, so I could extend the desktop. 

but today, xrandr reports it as disconnected:

Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 3840 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767

   DVI-D-0 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 598mm x 336mm

   HDMI-0 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 531mm x 299mm

   DP-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

   DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)  <-- this is the DK1

funny thing is that Xorg.0.log actually recognizes it somehow, since it says it support NVIDIA 3D Vision stereo: 

[ 12100.377] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: disconnected

[ 12100.377] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: Internal TMDS

[ 12100.377] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: 165.0 MHz maximum pixel clock

[ 12100.377] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: supports NVIDIA 3D Vision stereo.

Also, when I switch to a text console (crtl+alt+F2), I got the console to show up in the DK1!! So I known it's properly connected and it's not a cable issue! 

any help would be greatly appreciated!

cheers... 
-Hradec

[roberto_hradec]

I was able to get some more info using nvidia-xconfig --query-gpu-info, and it shows the DK1 as connected: 

Number of GPUs: 1

GPU #0:

  Name      : GeForce GTX 1050

  UUID      : GPU-c1522d6b-bb89-b70e-9aad-39b65e2d1e36

  PCI BusID : PCI:1:0:0

  Number of Display Devices: 2

  Display Device 0 (TV-0):

      EDID Name             : Acer K272HL

      Minimum HorizSync     : 30.000 kHz

      Maximum HorizSync     : 83.000 kHz

      Minimum VertRefresh   : 55 Hz

      Maximum VertRefresh   : 76 Hz

      Maximum PixelClock    : 170.000 MHz

      Maximum Width         : 1920 pixels

      Maximum Height        : 1200 pixels

      Preferred Width       : 1920 pixels

      Preferred Height      : 1080 pixels

      Preferred VertRefresh : 60 Hz

      Physical Width        : 600 mm

      Physical Height       : 340 mm

  Display Device 1 (TV-3):

      EDID Name             : Oculus VR Inc. Rift DK

      Minimum HorizSync     : 30.000 kHz

      Maximum HorizSync     : 83.000 kHz

      Minimum VertRefresh   : 56 Hz

      Maximum VertRefresh   : 76 Hz

      Maximum PixelClock    : 230.000 MHz

      Maximum Width         : 1920 pixels

      Maximum Height        : 1200 pixels

      Preferred Width       : 1280 pixels

      Preferred Height      : 800 pixels

      Preferred VertRefresh : 60 Hz

puzzling... 

[roberto_hradec]

LOL... OK... turns out that, moments after asked you guys for help, I've managed to figure it out! LOL

Turns out that, the latest NVIDIA drivers for linux added an  "AllowHMD"  option, which is turned to "No" by default. 

This makes the nvidia driver treat any HMD connected device as DISCONNECTED! (thanks nvidia!)

By adding:

 Option "AllowHMD" "yes"

to the screen section of my xorg.conf, my DK1 "came back to life" and it's showing the desktop wallpaper now, correctly! 
Now the latest Linux SDK 0.5 recognizes it without problems! 

to make things easier, one can use the nvidia-xconfig command to create a new xorg.conf file with the AllowHMD option, by running:

sudo nvidia-xconfig --allow-hmd=yes

This command creates the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file correctly, with the AllowHMD option as yes, and the DK1 should work without problems! 

I've found this by accident, by examining the extended help for nvidia-xconfig (nvidia-xconfig -A) and it was there, the last option: 

  --allow-hmd=ALLOW-HMD, --no-allow-hmd

      Enable or disable the "AllowHMD" X configuration option.

Then, by googling "AllowHMD", I've found this page from nvidia, which explained:
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/381.09/README/xconfigoptions.html

and voila'... DK1 working correctly in the latest Arch Linux with latest Nvidia driver and latest linux Oculus SDK 0.5 (the one from Arch linux AUR depot), as of Nov/2017! 

although I've fixed myself, thanks for being here guys!!  :smile:
And I hope people having the same problem in the future will find this info here! 

cheers...
-Hradec

[cheery]

I'm also still waiting for the Linux support enthusiastically. But I am really happy that you've taken the time and focus to make excellent quality headset and controllers. The recent software updates have been great and needed as well.

@imperativity and @cybereality keep up the good work!

[MadScientist_42]

imperativity said:

@cheery

But I am really happy that you've taken the time and focus to make
excellent quality headset and controllers. The recent software updates
have been great and needed as well.

Thanks for this! We are certainly focusing most of our efforts on this front currently. Just know that within the company there are those that champion for Linux support. It's just a question of timing and resources.

Considering the public pronoucement of making it a solid experience for Windows has come to pass (I know I've interacted with the system at Best Buy and bemoaned that the thing doesn't work on Linux...) I'm curious as to what timing and resources are involved that would preclude this considering your parent company...

[MadScientist_42]

(Not trying to seem ugly, but trying to understand since there's a rather divergent set of conflicting information going on there...)

[MadScientist_42]

Hm...  Some explanation, perhaps...?   I doubt that Foundry went to the trouble of RE-ing your protocols, etc. on the HMD there, guys... 

https://support.foundry.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000047030-Q100267-Using-the-Oculus-Rift-CV1-headset...

Did you provide support or at least technical details under NDA?  If so...there ARE some that would be "okay" with that sort of thing, mind.