VirtualLink to replace VR-cablemess with single USB Type-C

Kaotik

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http://www.virtuallink.org/

New open standard based on new alt mode for USB Type-C, it has 32.4 Gbps bandwidth for video signal (4x displayport hbr 3), 10 Gbps for USB data (USB 3.1 Gen 2, takes up 2 lanes) and can supply 27W power.

Pretty much guaranteed to spread quickly since the companies behind it are AMD, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oculus and Valve
 
And Intel, which is pretty big and conspicuous by its absence.

They're not a player in VR, they don't have a stake in the game yet. Intel is only a passive voyeur.

While Sony is already involved in VR, but missing from this new group, so that makes their lack of involvement even more thought provoking.
 
Sony don't really need to join a standard for a VR cable do they? Their next headset will be custom hardware that plugs into custom hardware.
 
I suppose all 3 current VR players will be delighted. Although it is good they are making progress towards better functionality. It might even hit mainstream in the next 10 years but that is in the hands of console makers and content creators.
 
Sony don't really need to join a standard for a VR cable do they? Their next headset will be custom hardware that plugs into custom hardware.
They don't even need to join the group to adopt the standard..
And if AMD is making their hardware and playing a part in the VR implementation, there's even fewer reasons for them to enter the group.
 
And Intel, which is pretty big and conspicuous by its absence. Considering this appears to be targeted at PCs, that's a rather large omission.

Regards,
SB
And Apple, though I assume that they envision wireless connectivity, current rumors pointing to 802.11ay.
 
And Apple, though I assume that they envision wireless connectivity, current rumors pointing to 802.11ay.
Apples VR-capable GPUs come from AMD so it's irrelevant - that's like saying "Acer/Asus/HP/Dell/you name it" is missing
Intel doesn't have VR-capable GPUs either, and since it's open standard, nothing prevents them from adding it to their future discrete GPUs if they so choose
 
Apples VR-capable GPUs come from AMD so it's irrelevant - that's like saying "Acer/Asus/HP/Dell/you name it" is missing
No it’s not.
It’s more akin to Microsoft missing. But more, since Apple also controls their own hardware on top of controlling the APIs to access it. Regarding VR-capable hardware, the iPad Pro I’m typing this on has graphics that stomp that of any stand-alone VR headset in existance, and it has been in consumer hands for over a year. What could Apple build in upcoming years if they feel that it is a priority? What specific functionalities could they build into their SoCs, given that they also control the software stack to access it?
Apple is nothing like Acer in this.

Besides, they could use the port/protocol if it suits them regardless of membership. Tethered solutions just don’t seem like something Apple would bring to market, regardless of stability merits. (By the way, isn’t the bandwidth a bit low?)
 
No it’s not.
It’s more akin to Microsoft missing. But more, since Apple also controls their own hardware on top of controlling the APIs to access it. Regarding VR-capable hardware, the iPad Pro I’m typing this on has graphics that stomp that of any stand-alone VR headset in existance, and it has been in consumer hands for over a year. What could Apple build in upcoming years if they feel that it is a priority? What specific functionalities could they build into their SoCs, given that they also control the software stack to access it?
Apple is nothing like Acer in this.

Besides, they could use the port/protocol if it suits them regardless of membership. Tethered solutions just don’t seem like something Apple would bring to market, regardless of stability merits. (By the way, isn’t the bandwidth a bit low?)

Your ipad pro will also likely burn up while trying to sustain that graphics stomping power. Aside from that I believe the most powerful stand alone vr headset is a mere $250 while the ipad pro starts at $650 more than double the price.

MS themselves control their own hardware. They have designed multiple chips for HoloLens and they have made modifications according to the rumors for the apu's they are using in HoloLens 2. not to mention custom chip work in the xboxs.
 
Your ipad pro will also likely burn up while trying to sustain that graphics stomping power. Aside from that I believe the most powerful stand alone vr headset is a mere $250 while the ipad pro starts at $650 more than double the price.

MS themselves control their own hardware. They have designed multiple chips for HoloLens and they have made modifications according to the rumors for the apu's they are using in HoloLens 2. not to mention custom chip work in the xboxs.
MS or Sony doesn't do "modifications to their chips", they can request modifications (and even supply the necessary plans and whatnot) to AMD, but AMD is the one who designs their chips, their layout and so on
 
MS or Sony doesn't do "modifications to their chips", they can request modifications (and even supply the necessary plans and whatnot) to AMD, but AMD is the one who designs their chips, their layout and so on
I am pretty sure all the hardware added to the xbox one soc for Kinect was developed by ms. The HPU in HoloLens was also developed by MS
 
I am pretty sure all the hardware added to the xbox one soc for Kinect was developed by ms. The HPU in HoloLens was also developed by MS
I'm not saying MS doesn't design things, but it's not like AMD gives them a SoC and MS bolts things to it. Unless there's something that's completely unique unit to that SoC that connects to whichever internal buses AMD has in place, it's AMD that does the actual work to implement a requested feature, and even if it would be that some unique thing connecting to whatever internal buses are in place, it would still be AMD that does the actual physical implementation into the SoC
 
The use of high speed serial connections makes it almost impossible to put this on a slip ring ... this is worse than useless. It contributes to driving VR to fundamentally unsatisfying use modes.

Slip ring support should be fucking core to any VR cable standard, not an afterthought.
 
Intel chipsets drive most thunderbolt connections. Without Intel on board this is going nowhere. :nope: There are plenty of non-Intel thunderbolt chipsets but they are as good as you'd expect them to be, i.e. not good at all.
 
Ah, the flashback to days of Via chipsets and horrible hard drive or optical drive performances. After that I was able to go full Intel (cpu, mb, northbridge and southbridge) and haven't looked back. Yet somehow it surprises that Thunderbolt chipsets is the same situation. I guess I assumed its simple enough that its hard to mess it up, or everyone else has advanced enough that this should be commodity.
 
Yet somehow it surprises that Thunderbolt chipsets is the same situation. I guess I assumed its simple enough that its hard to mess it up, or everyone else has advanced enough that this should be commodity.

For Thunderbolt it's less about the underlying technology and more about the licensing. But if you want to know how 'good' unlicensed Thunderbolt chipsets are, take a look at the state of unofficial Nintendo Switch docks, most of which can handle 30Hz at most.
 
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