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Pico Neo All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset Unveiled From $300
- Thread starter Cyriades
- Start date
MisterHero
Super Member
I was hoping the Sega Pico had made a surprise comeback
Paired with a powerful enough PC, it could be a lower-cost option for anyone who doesn't want to spend big on an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive
Same spec for $300
Its all about the software.. if it does have OpenVR.. this could open the floodgates
I would imagine so. Outside of Oculus, I can't imagine ANY VR HMD manufacturer able to leverage to their own API. Well, potentially mobile HMDs for the time being.
The flood of VR HMDs will be a great thing. There are already a few others such as OSVR aiming for low-cost (~$300) options, and even a few high-end contenders such as StarVR.
No mention of low persistence on any of the three sites. Buyer beware if that's missing. It's something hardly ever mentioned, but it's really important.
edit: so far people expect it's just using the same panels as the Vive and Rift. I'd still recommend waiting for official confirmation on that feature.
edit2: regarding head tracking:
edit: so far people expect it's just using the same panels as the Vive and Rift. I'd still recommend waiting for official confirmation on that feature.
edit2: regarding head tracking:
I would imagine these are the exact same screens that the Vive uses. I doubt a small headset like this could afford the startup cost to produce custom screens.
nillapuddin
Member
Soo..
I could go Pico Headset only -> PC
Then Xbox -> PC
Therefore I get Xbox on my face?
I could go Pico Headset only -> PC
Then Xbox -> PC
Therefore I get Xbox on my face?
yes, you can already do this right now with both the rift and the vive.
The headset isn't wireless, it's a self-contained mobile platform. In other words, when it's not hooked up to anything, it's like wearing a gearVR or google cardboard without the ability to remove the phone.
But you can also plug it into a PC using a cable and use it as a wired PC VR headset.
nillapuddin
Member
Gotcha, well, for 300 bucks, this might be worth the test
keepin the receipts
(outdated phrase)
Aztechnology
Member
Aztechnology
Member
Neo has been used in products for ages. Neo means young or new in context. So I'd hardly call it stealing.
The controllers on the other hand...
TAJ
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Probably. They stole everything else.
half a moon
Banned
WTF are you going to do with a SNES controller? Play 16 bit games in a VR theater?
Crimsonclaw111
Member
I really like the orange and black color scheme.
Aztechnology
Member
It's nearly GAF colors. Flip the logo horizontally and fill the top portion of the circular bit the same color. Neo...Gaf confirmed.
Pops Maellard
Member
k but let's not kill VR before it gets off the ground pls.
As much as I'd like to just blindly assume here, just because the screen specs are technically the same as the Rift/Vive doesn't mean the hardware as a whole is going to be comparable. I know this has been parroted endlessly on GAF and in VR circles, but if this hardware isn't a flawless experience for newcomers, they aren't going to give it a second chance.
As much as I'd like to just blindly assume here, just because the screen specs are technically the same as the Rift/Vive doesn't mean the hardware as a whole is going to be comparable. I know this has been parroted endlessly on GAF and in VR circles, but if this hardware isn't a flawless experience for newcomers, they aren't going to give it a second chance.
Aztechnology
Member
Options aren't a bad thing.
jimmyjimmyo
Member
Sadly, Price will do that before anything else has a chance to.
Low cost options are needed to get the tech to the masses, Sony have the best chance (not the best headset but the set spec should give every user a decent experience)
If this can deliver something close to the PS4 headset for PC (specs are better) then lets do this thing and get as close as possible to removing cost from the equation
Aztechnology
Member
Seriously, for $300 in the case of general PC gamer, many who aren't willing to drop $600-700 on a HMD is a good thing. This is a gateway device. I've been talking about holding out for later generations with Eye tracking and foveated rendering. But at $300 I'll bite provided it's solid quality and low persistence. Hell I would have for $400 if the PSVR had been announced for PC as well.
jimmyjimmyo
Member
Yep, $300 is a step in to the arena for whole chunk of people.
I am getting the PSVR as a freebie from work but this will do for my PC fix while I wait for 2nd gen devices as well
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Speaking of OSVR.. they had a good thing going with their $300 dev kit, but with a 1080p screen.
This Neo has Rift/Vive specs(1200 x 1080) and the headset cost the same, $300.
OSVR is suppose to be upgradable though... with this news I would assume OSVR will speed up their screen swap-out.. if not I don't see anyone buying OSVR over a Neo in June.
Graphics Horse
Member
I guess you have to pocket the controller if you're using the wands. I think that's a fair compromise, I think distributing an all in one system around your body instead of just your face has its advantages.
sixteen-bit
Member
It had a pretty long run in Japan. Even getting some Pokemon games, lol. It was discontinued in 2005.
gunslikewhoa
Member
Anybody with any sort of sense will recognize that the 'Pico Neo' is off brand. It's like we're saying someone is going to test drive a Yugo and then swear off cars for life. The Pico Neo is not going to be doing any damage to the wider VR market, no matter how horrible it is.
We're going to see plenty of trash headsets (not saying this is one) early on. That's no different than any other new tech.
Ehhh people have loved the Cardboard VR and even the Gear VR and those are bottom of the barrel experiences, I don't think a middle ground like this will hurt it.
I wonder if its one of those off brands OSVR was talking about at CES. https://youtu.be/XbiIy4_6lMM?t=5m3s
SneakyStephan
Banned
If anything kills VR it'll be oculus' anti consumer and vr userbase splitting practices
More competition in the VR headset is good, the more companies make headsets the less confusion there can be about what a VR headset is: a peripheral for pc, NOT a platform.
Since this thing seems to use the same screens as the vive it sounds good to me.
People treat oculus and the vive like they're something special or like they're particularly high quality. They just happen to be some of the first devices on the market that's where their merit begins and ends.
I have no doubt that within the next few years many more competitors will pop up and that several of them will be able to deliver much better and more consumer friendly hardware.
Isn't that a cellphone holder?
SinSilla
Member
Some other interesting tidbits:
If it's true what has been said about SteamVR/OSVR support then this actually isn't looking too shabby!
- IPD Adjuster on top (up to 73mm)
- Built-In Microphone
- Proximity Sensor
- supports asynchronous time warp
- "tracking station" with two built in cameras is actually wireless (i guess optionally)
- 360 tracking seems to be out of the question with the current setup
- they were demoing the Neo without positional tracking on PC with a wired XBox Gamepad (not working yet?)
- i have spotted at least 3 inputs on the Headset itself (lower right side), one for the tracking beacon, one 3.5mm audio jack and a third one which awkwardly seems to be located between the face cushion and the shell of the headset. This one most probably is used for either the gamepad when used mobile or usb connection for tethered pc use.
If it's true what has been said about SteamVR/OSVR support then this actually isn't looking too shabby!
StereoVsn
Member
I am actually interested in this thing. Vive/Oculus are too pricey for me considering Gen1 and lack of must have games, but $400 is not too bad to mess around with VR and play some racing and space sim games.
Yeah, if it really lacks low persistence then this is a clear example of the whole well poisoning thing.
To be fair, as someone who buys a LOT of consumer electronics, both the Rift CV1 and the Vive really are particularly high quality. The fit and finish on them is a cut above most anything in the same space that isn't in the "luxury" bracket. You just need to touch a Vive controller, pick up a lighthouse box or put on the Rift to notice that.
I'm hugely in favour of more competitors in the HMD space, but you have to acknoledge that with both the Rift and the Vive you get your (significant amount of) money's worth in high-quality equipment.
metareferential
Member
No.
They actually are higher quality.
From production down to individual components.
Lighthouse alone is so clever and simple it's years ahead of competition.
It's the other way around: it's people like you that mistake things like the DK1/2 for the consumer product.
SinSilla
Member
From the "specs" page on the official site:
It's a goofy setup and looks like you got hit by a golf ball in the face. But whatever works i guess.
What is funny though is that i found a video where they were demoing the Pico Neo WITHOUT the tracking beacon on the headset, just relying on the gyro/magnetometer.
As i don't speak chinese this might have been a demo of the "mobile" setup, but this was being demoed on a motion platform. Strange.
Regarding low persistence; as has been said by another user i also doubt they are using custom screens. Should/could be the same as Rift and Vive.
Oculus keeps saying this and apparently people actually believe they mean it. If oculus cares that much about bad experiences turning people off from VR forever, why do they allow you to use an underpowered PC with just a little warning banner? How would it be any different to let all headsets in their store with a similar banner?
"Warning: This headset has not been tested by Oculus for compatibility, quality, or performance."
There, I saved VR from the existential threat of affordable headsets.
The problems of basic tracking in VR have been solved for years and the hardware to do so is not expensive. I bet this thing's internals are somewhere between very similar and identical to rift/vive. I expect it will work fine for seated VR, with its biggest flaws being in durability, build quality, and comfort.
SinSilla
Member
And people were worried about the Rifts and Vives cable length.
At least this one is easily interchangable though.
The design of the tracking station is kinda strange as well. Having these two 120° fov cameras so close to each other isn't exactly that beneficial? For 180 tracking a single camera should have been enough (as proven by Razer HDK and Oculus Rift). 360 tracking won't work at all with only a single tracking point at the very front of the headset. They don't look as if you could detach them from the station either, so hooking the cameras higher up for "deeper" tracking (or crouching/laying down) isn't convinient at all, this thing is intended to go on your desk or couch table (seems to be quite the brick). At least they can be tilted independently.