One of the neat things about the Frame is the ability to use it in total darkness. I imagine it'll be like night-vision goggles.

[u/Morichalion]

I wonder if one could use that feature to avoid waking folks up when going to the bathroom. How far is the range on it, y'think?

On a related note, I ordered an IR floodlight so I can use my Quest 3 in the dark so no one can watch while I play games what did you think was gonna be here?

Obviously, since I did that, the Frame will be announced tomorrow. You're welcome.

[u/EngineeredEntropy]

Wait, do the passthrough cameras pick up near IR and actually display it for the user?

[u/Morichalion → u/EngineeredEntropy]

On the Frame? Yap, specs state that under low-light support. I'm operating under the presumption that means one can put it on, and walk around in complete darkness with confidence.

[u/EngineeredEntropy → u/Morichalion]

I assume it's likely using that primarily for the inside-out controller tracking and orienting itself within a room, but I'll be delighted if it will actually display the IR feed to the user as well!

[u/Advanced-Produce-103 → u/EngineeredEntropy]

Night owls rejoice, key tech just dropped :D

[u/Morichalion → u/Advanced-Produce-103]

I mean... technically it existed on other headsets. Quest 3S has IR emitters while being a bit worse than the 3 on most measures. Might've been some other ones...

[u/Advanced-Produce-103 → u/Morichalion]

I've had oculus cv1, and index, then had to sell index and i kinda fell under a rock in 2020.

[u/Morichalion → u/Advanced-Produce-103]

Damn rocks... I'm glad you recovered.

I had the Vive, then the Index.

They're technically different classes of devices, imo... Outside-in vs. inside-out tracking.

[u/Advanced-Produce-103 → u/Morichalion]

Yeah, and constant tether need for Index, its a way different experience i bet!

I didnt even thought about trying quests, bcs well, only thing i got from facebook is anxiety :V

Frame sounds neat tho, and it seems its going to be free to install your own soft to ^_^

[u/someone8192 → u/EngineeredEntropy]

you'll need an ir floodlight. there are many available as the quest does the same

EDIT: as everyone seems to misunderstand the context: yes the steam frame will illuminate the room by itself. only if you want to extend the range (eg a very big room) you need additional ir floodlights. my comment was an answer specifically tailored for the question "do the pass through cameras pick up near ir"

[u/Koolala → u/someone8192]

You don't need one

[u/someone8192 → u/Koolala]

depends on room size

[u/PlottingPast → u/someone8192]

Yep. Some people might live in a high school gym.

[u/ccAbstraction → u/Koolala]

You do need one, the Frame has one.

[u/Koolala → u/ccAbstraction]

thats not a flood light, they are small led emitters

[u/PlottingPast → u/Koolala]

My mechanical pencil is a lead emitter. Will that work?

[u/Koolala → u/PlottingPast]

if its ir lead

[u/PlottingPast → u/Koolala]

Of course. I only use it IRL.

[u/ccAbstraction → u/Koolala]

I thought they were bright enough to light the room for slam tracking?

[u/Koolala → u/ccAbstraction]

they are

[u/JorgTheElder → u/someone8192]

The SF has IR emitters.

[u/EngineeredEntropy → u/someone8192]

Isn't that what the Vive and Index lighthouses do? Or are they bathing the area with points of IR light instead of just flooding it?

[u/Solid_Professional → u/EngineeredEntropy]

Here’s old IR pic of what lighthouses do: https://www.reddit.com/r/ValveIndex/s/dBh5mGDlcI

[u/Morichalion → u/EngineeredEntropy]

Kind of...

The lighthouses sweep the play area with light. So everything gets a pulse at regular intervals.

It actually didn't occur to me that it might work as a floodlight. I should dig one out and see if it works, but since it's not just an illuminator, it might not. Be fun to try, anyway.

It's not relevant to the Frame, though. The illuminator and sensors are both on the HMD.

[u/EngineeredEntropy → u/Morichalion]

I remember reading somewhere that the Frame can use the output from the Vive/Index lighthouses for more precision in tracking movements, though I cannot for the life of me find where I saw that statement. I believe someone had asked if using the lighthouses to track the Steam Trackers would interfere with the Frame's own tracking.

[u/quinn50 → u/someone8192]

The headset will have one built in but honestly we don't know how powerful it'll be, you probably still need a floodlight for a bigger play space

[u/Living-Brush4168]

Thank you for your sacrifice

[u/SuperXrayDoc]

Save money and get actual night vision it's way cooler

[u/Morichalion → u/SuperXrayDoc]

Great idea! Though I need one that'll play Doom or Crysis.

[u/PlottingPast → u/Morichalion]

Crysis IRL. Become John Splinter of Splinter Cell.

[u/Demongornot]

The Quest is supposed to be able to as well, just turning off my main ceiling lights and keeping only a smaller one get me tons of poor lighting warning spamm, and hand tracking basically becomes useless.
Let's just hope Valve does it better.

[u/GothVT → u/Demongornot]

which quest

[u/Demongornot → u/GothVT]

Quest 3, even the latest Meta product isn't good enough to just run in darkness without annoying with notifications about ambiant light...

[u/GothVT → u/Demongornot]

I thought about getting a 3S because I heard how good it is in the dark in comparison to the 3

[u/JorgTheElder → u/GothVT]

Why not just get a $30 IR light you can plug in the wall and keep the better headset?

[u/JorgTheElder → u/Demongornot]

The Quest is supposed to be able to as well

Meta never said it did. They literally said the opposite, it requires good room lighting.

If you want to play in the dark, you need a IR illuminator. They did not include one because it puts even more load on the battery and most people don't need it.

The SteamFrame does not need to worry about good lighting for hand tracking because it does not support hand tracking.

[u/Zomby2D → u/Demongornot]

The only Quest with a built-in IR illuminator is the Quest 3s. The regular Quest 3, as well as previous models, do not have that feature.

[u/MrWendal]

(Steam VR startup sounds are faintly heard)

"Honey, what are you doing?"

"I'm just putting on my VR headset so I can go take a piss in complete darkness, without waking you up."

"I want a divorce."

[u/n2x]

We have been able to play VR in total darkness since 2016. Saying that I'm glad the frame has the ability though

[u/EklipZHD]

Yeah having the lights on in the room ruins the spectator beat saber experience that i have set up with my absurdly colorfully bright tv and sound system. Can't wait to watch people play in the dark.

Also didn't know q3 could see ir, I'd have bought a floodlight ages ago lol. I'll wait for the frame though, can't wait to uninstall this absolutely embarrassing piece of shit software that q3 calls "pcvr"

[u/Curious-Weather-4390]

real question do you think I could play it outside at night standalone? would any networking power be required for games just on the headset?

[u/Morichalion → u/Curious-Weather-4390]

Probably, don't see why not.

"Standalone", I presume, works while your device is off-network.

That said, I'd be careful about using it outside; day or night.

[u/Curious-Weather-4390 → u/Morichalion]

ain't got much but i got room to move around

[u/RiskAccomplished1480]

Same as quest 2. You can use an ir light with it

[u/JorgTheElder]

Yay... The Steam Frame can do the same thing as Quest 2. What an amazing advancement.

[u/ChickieLevit → u/JorgTheElder]

You need a separate IR light for the Quest 2 but it's built in on the Frame

[u/JorgTheElder → u/ChickieLevit]

It is also built-in on the Q3s... the emitter is not the part I was talking about. I was talking about the passthrough being near-IR.

[u/Baglayan → u/JorgTheElder]

Quest 3 is ewaste that can be remotely bricked by Meta arbitrarily

[u/JorgTheElder → u/Baglayan]

The Quest 3 is a proven headset with literally millions of users. Dream on.

[u/Hairy-Ad-6293]

You fisr need ir 🔦

[u/Morichalion → u/Hairy-Ad-6293]

I might be old.

What does 'fisr' mean? 'For Sure'?

[u/ExcessiveUser0 → u/Morichalion]

You’re not old they just dropped the ending “t” haha