VR rivals meet to develop a single-cable specification for VR headsets

Future generations of virtual reality headsets for PCs could use a single USB Type-C cable for food and data. This is thanks to a new standardized specification from the VirtualLink Consortium, a group consisting of AMD and Nvidia GPU vendors, and Facebook-based Valve, Microsoft and Oculus virtual reality rivals.

The specification uses the Type-C USB connector "Alternate Mode" ability to implement different data protocols – such as Thunderbolt 3 data or DisplayPort and HDMI video – on increasingly common cables, combined with the Type-C support for power delivery. The new headset specification combines four-way DisplayPort HBR3 video ("Broadband 3") (for a total of 32.4 gigabits per second of video data), as well as a USB 3.1 Generation 2 data channel (10 gigabits per second) for sensors and

Such a large amount of video data is sufficient for two 3840 × 2160 streams at 60 frames per second, or even higher frame rates if the stream compression is sufficient. display is also used. Drop the resolution to 2560 × 1440, and two uncompressed streams at 120 frames per second would be possible

The new specification will provide consistent and convenient connections for future virtual reality headsets. Current headphones tend to use multiple cables, transmitting USB data separately from display data, which goes through DisplayPort or HDMI. The use of the slim type C connector will also be useful for thin laptops and cell phones, which usually lack full-size HDMI or DisplayPort connectors.

The specification also marks a point of agreement between companies often rivals the VR space. Oculus, Microsoft and Valve all have their own virtual reality platforms. Microsoft and Valve have worked to ensure compatibility between Windows Mixed Reality and SteamVR, respectively, Oculus has had a more tense relationship when it comes to software interoperability.

Consumer level VR is still a fledgling technology with an uncertain future ahead of it. This type of consolidation and cooperation around cables makes the investment in virtual reality much less risky for consumers, who can rest badured that any compatible VirtualLink system will work with any compatible VirtualLink headset, whatever the software platform used. It would be even better if it was accompanied by greater software-level cooperation, so that any virtual reality program would work reliably on any VR headset so as not to fragment it. this small market, but this could prove too difficult for these competitors. ] [ad_2]
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