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SideloadVR for GearVR?
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As indicated by rendler, Oculus Home will now fall back on your phones internal sensors if you launch it without the headset while the Gear VR service is in developer mode. This leaves you free to use any headset you like, albeit without VR-calibre sensors and proper distortion correction.
If you're not actually a developer you can satisfy the prerequisites by installing SideloadVR and following the instructions. Then you just need to locate the Gear VR service in the app manager, tap on the VR Service Version a few times, and then hit the appropriate toggle.
I'll try to write up a detailed one a bit later. Right now the quick one is: step one, have a 660 or above nvidia card.
then: download sideload vr. follow the instructions there, and then install streamtheater.
launch stream theater, and make sure it works with regular games. This is a cool experience anyway (and great for also streaming movies if you set it to stream your desktop and then full screen vlc).
to add 3d depth to the games, install tridef 3d, Set it to run in sbs mode. launch your games using that. I'm only usuing the trial now, but it's a full version for 14 days.
Once you launch the game with tridef, start streaming in streamtheater to the gearvr using the desktop mode.
and then it should all be working!
It's oculus cinema with nvidia gamestream instead of movies. Gamestream is a game-oriented low latency remote desktop.
It has support for side by side 3d (any side by side 2-eye view on the PC screen can be set to send half to each eye)
It supports many Bluetooth controllers and they're treated like a native PC controller.
It also has a VR mode where head tracking translates to mouse movements. It's not perfect but it has the advantage over other remote desktop software that it is a gearvr app and tries to adjust the screen position to account for latency.
Also it's free, and available from SideloadVR
Download the Sideload App and setup your device (if you have your Oculus Account credentials ready it only takes a minute)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
Then just browse the store and look for Quake :).
To customize the game, like adding texture packs, installing the full version, multiplayer servers, etc, you will find more help here:
There's a Positional Tracking Demo on SideloadVR. I don't know what its S7 compatibility status is right now though.
Install the SideloadVR app in the play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
Follow the instructions in the app to allow the sideload of Gear VR apps.
Then, install YTCinemaVR.
There may technically be 300, but only a portion are functional and not headache inducing. Even Carmack had this to say when going through the finalist.
My head hurts from evaluating VR Jam entries that aren't even close to 60 fps.
But to the OP, this is a developer version. Don't expect anything until consumer release. If you want content, get a Google Cardboard as well.
There is also SideloadVR through Google Play, that has additional Gear VR compatible stuff.
If you put the Gear VR service into developer mode* you can launch Gear VR apps without the Gear VR attached. The platform will fall back on the phones internal IMU and you can then use any third-party headset you like. The problem is that there's no support for custom optical distortion correction profiles so you'll have to put up with some degree of warping.
As should be clear, this is kinda silly.
(* if you're not a developer you can satisfy the prerequisites by installing SideloadVR, following the setup instructions, and using the service to install at least one app which will be signed with your osig)
This is the one, right?
How does Deo compare to others? I've been using Skybox because of it's ability to stream so sd space isn't an issue.
There is a Youtube cinema app on SideloadVR, but it's a bit buggy in its current state. If you want to check it out anyway you'll need to install this on your phone and follow the instructions.
However for the time being I would recommend that you simply use the Samsung Internet app (Gear VR version) as it supports Youtube just fine, including all the 360 VR clips.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market&hl=en
use that to disable the gear vr apps. called gear vr... then the oculus main screen wont open when you connect the phone to the gear vr
Install SideloadVR from the play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
It should guide you through the process of getting your device ID, getting your signature file, and uploading it to sideload's server. After that you just install StreamTheater from inside sideload's app.
Download the SideloadVR app from the Google play store and go through the setup process. After that, you will have access to the market and can download the app from there.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
> I'm interested in playing games in cinema mode in the VR headset
In that case you might want to check out Stream Theater on SideloadVR. You'll need an Nvidia card that supports their GameStream tech (go here and take note of the "Share and SHIELD PC Streaming" column).
If you want to initiate the download and install process of tge required vr applications before you receive your vr. Install this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
And download any vr app/game and launch it and you'll get a prompt to download all the required files and apps. This way by the time you receive your vr you'll be ready to play with it. I did this and have all the files and apps ready. My vr comes tomorrow.
Let me know if you have any questions.
If you go that route here's a tip that might improve your experience.
The Gear VR version of VRidge can still work over a tethered interface (just disable your Wi-Fi connection to simplify things) so that's the version you should use. You can run it without the Gear VR connected by enabling developer mode. If you're not actually a developer who has built, signed and installed an apk with your own osig, you can meet that prerequisite by downloading and installing at least one app from the SideloadVR distribution platform (which you will end up doing anyway in order to get the Gear VR version installed in the first place).
By doing things this way you can continue to utilize the low-persistence display mode and near-perfect distortion correction offered by Gear VR software platform.
> So you have a distorsion free picture with S6+2016? If yes what is the version numbers of oculus services, apps, etc? thanks a lot
I sold my S6 about a month ago. I only have an S7 now. But I first got my 2016 Gear VR back on the 18th of August and at no point have I ever seen any amount of distortion that I would describe as extreme or severe or bad or even just prominent enough to significantly degrade the experience. Not with my S6, not with my S7, and not with any version of the Oculus software between then and now.
I have an idea though. Do you have access to VR developer mode? If not, you can satisfy the prerequisites for enabling it by installing SideloadVR and following the instructions. Then you just need to locate the Gear VR service in the app manager, tap on the VR Service Version a few times, and then hit the appropriate toggle. This will allow you to launch Gear VR apps without the Gear VR attached, and the distortion correction should be a match for the last Gear VR model you had attached (so make sure it was the 2016 version). Then if you can take a picture of the display, from as square an angle as possible, upload it somewhere (imgur for example) we can compare the distortion correction profile that is being applied on your phone to the distortion correction profile that is being applied on someone else's phone (mine for example) and see what may be different.
Another thing you might want to try (although these files are usually automatically recreated and replaced every time you use the Gear VR and so it might have no effect) is to delete the defaultDistortion.bin file in the Oculus directory found on your phones internal storage, restart your device, and try the 2016 Gear VR again.
I can't see what you guys are talking about. Which phones?
Perhaps you might be willing to "become a developer" (using the SideloadVR method if needed), put the Gear VR service into developer mode, and see if there are any anomalies present on your screen when running Oculus apps without the headset?
My S7 looks fine.
(you could probably also take a peek by inserting your phone without clipping it in if you're careful)
The Milk player (and possibly also Samsung VR?) suffers from meaningless geographic restrictions, and can only be downloaded from the States. The rest of the world has to make do with VPNs, or in my case I had success using VirtualRealPlayer For GearVR, which you download from the Sideload VR app
http://sideloadvr.com/detail.php?id=26
and
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
It's a bit of a pain, because you have to create a "developer" signature to be able to load the apps, but the walk-through is straight forward and you only need to do it once.
Usual disclaimers about unchecked 3rd party apps applies.
Sideloadvr has ~50,000 downloads. The oculus store claims over a million users.
I followed the instructions I found ... let me see if I could find it again :) UPDATE: Maybe the instructions on the SideLoadVR app itself.. I think.. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market&hl=en
It'll have you get your sig file, upload it, and you can just pick a random app that it'll repack, all from your phone
Go here and download the sideloadvr to your phone
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
You will then have to do a few steps to install it.
Once you start the install, you will get a code that will be copied to your phones clip board.
You will then go to the second step which makes you go to a website and enter the code. You can type it in or paste from clipboard. You should download a small file.
You then do a third step where you need to go to another site and enter your code once more and also upload the small file you downloaded. After that, sideloadVR should install.
Open the sideload app and you will see a bunch of apps you can install and run that won't be on the oculus store. Near the bottom is quake VR.
You can, but I'm not sure how well it works. There's not an official YouTube app yet, but there's an unofficial one on SideloadVR. I haven't tried it yet either, however.
I don't know of any way to preload the the Oculus store on your phone without GearVR. Everything downloads once you connect the phone into the usb slot on the device.
For non-Oculus store, unmoderated, content there is the sideloader that supports some things like QuakeVR. Which I haven't even installed yet because my phone only has 16gbs lol. Every mb is so precioussss.
Download the SideloadVR app from the Google play store and go through the setup process. After that, you will have access to the market and can download the app from there.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
Install SideloadVR. Use it to install the Gear VR version of VRidge (or the latest beta version if you want to be on the bleeding edge). Install Riftcat on the host PC.
Resources:
Support
VRidge Subreddit
Riftcat blog
Be aware though that the performance leaves something to be desired.
You can do this whenever you like by enabling developer mode. The official method is detailed here. The unofficial method is to install SideloadVR, follow the instructions to get it working, and then download and install an app. You will then have satisfied the prerequisites for enabling developer mode.
As of the 1.0.3.4 version of Oculus System Activities (released some time ago now):
- Phones in Developer Mode now implement limited orientation tracking using phone sensors
(source)
The distortion correction will be off to varying degrees when using other headsets of course, and I've personally found the tracking to be noticeably inferior (although not always dramatically so, and it may depend on your device variant).
You have to install SideloadVR (alternative store for Gear VR apps): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
From there download Vridge app. It's written on their page: https://support.riftcat.com/hc/en-us/articles/212489169-How-to-setup-VRidge-in-GearVR
They have also blog with many usefull information: http://blog.riftcat.com/
Youtube is also helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvlYIcZspEM
> Where is it located because I've never seen it in any of my Gear or Oculus menus?
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/509618999185225/
> They actually have microtransactions? Are we talking the kind of microtransactions to unlock features of the games, or are you literally feeding quarters into an arcade machine to continue playing?
The app itself is free, and you can play all the games for 20 minutes. After that you have to buy them individually, at which point you can play them indefinitely.
> Is there any way to get that working on a GearVR without connecting to your PC that anyone might be aware of?
Not that I know of.
But if you're willing to connect to your PC and you have a modern Nvidia GPU the StreamTheater app on SideloadVR works well with Gamestream, and EmulationStation is apparently supported, so you should be able to play your NES/SNES games on a "huge" screen in a virtual cinema environment with your Gear VR.
Samsung VR is a dramatically better solution for just about all 180° and 360° VR clips. If you can't find it in the Oculus store because you're not in the US just use one of the VPN apps on Google Play to pretend that you are [in the US]. It's a must-have.
And even if it wasn't possible to install Samsung VR, the Samsung Internet app has a built-in file browser and media player that supports both 180° and 360° clips as well. It's hardware decoding capabilities aren't as good as those of Samsung VR, but the same is true of all third-party media players as well.
And even if the Samsung Internet app couldn't handle such content, there are native third-party players on the Oculus store that can, such as Moon Player. And even if there weren't native third-party players on the Oculus store, you can find a bunch of Gear VR compatible players on SideloadVR, or get one directly. And of critical importance is the fact that all the way up to this point you still have proper distortion correction, low-persistence display operation, and access to the Gear VR sensors.
But if you still insist on going all the way to cardboard land, I would argue that CB Enabler for Gear VR is a better option for most people who just want to perform this one task because it's easier to use and it facilitates the enabling of developer mode for the Gear VR service so you can at least have low-persistence for cardboard VR media players.
But, again, I wouldn't insist on that. Start with Samsung VR, and at least fall back to some other Gear VR app if it doesn't work out for you.
Today on Lunchtime with my Gear VR I take a look at an app called YouTube Theater. I got this one from a great website I recently discovered called SideloadVR. On this site users can upload their Oculus signature files and developers can upload content then once you are signed up, the site compiles the app with your OSIG and sends the download to your phone. This is a great way for content developers to test their apps and it is completely outside of the Oculus ecosystem. The YouTube Theater is nicely rendered and has a great sense of scale. It's awesome to be able to walk freely through the theater environment and explore it. The screen looks great and the controls are easy to navigate. Even though we already have the ability to watch YouTube content through the Samsung Internet beta app, I like this one much better! If you have a Gear VR then I highly suggest following the links at the bottom of this description and checking out SideloadVR. There is also an app that will run on your phone to do this so no PC is required!
Check out the website here: http://www.sideloadvr.com/
Grab the phone app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
For more great Virtual Reality content please take the time to check out the rest of the VR Bros!!
VR Gaming Evolved - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZd97u2gmlxsDpoMygQBg3w
GameHard 4.0 - https://www.youtube.com/user/GameHard40
UK Rifter - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUKRifter
ImmersiveGamer83 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_2BINiElrtu95ZILitm4Q
Pretty Neat VR - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMN5I_nEZAWCKqjbB2x_BUg
RealityCheck - VR https://www.youtube.com/user/CubbyE
Have you tried running any Cardboard apps in low persistence mode? You can do this by enabling developer mode (but ignore the part about running apps outside the headset since we obviously do in fact want to use it). If you're not a developer you can satisfy the prerequisites by installing SideloadVR, following the setup instructions, and using the service to install at least one app which will be signed with your osig*).
Developer mode needs to be enabled before you disable the Gear VR service so low persistence mode remains active.
(*if you have problems installing apps from SideloadVR you can alternatively install any app that offers an automated signing and package building process, like DeoVR)
> I see the validity in everything you're saying, but I'm not talking about measurements and what they should indicate ... I'm talking about taking the exact same image on my phone, and displaying it in the Gear VR, and then displaying it in the SVR, and comparing the two. Same image, same resolution, yet in the Gear VR it looks blown up, with very visible pixels, compared to the SVR, and the SVR also gives the impression, at least, of a wider FOV ...
FOV and subpixel visibility are inextricably linked, as you probably know. You can't really adjust one without affecting the other. In the case of the Gear VR the optics are just about a perfect match for the size of the utilized display area in VR mode, which is dictated to some extent by the dimensions of the Gear VR itself (at least on larger phones which render a little bit beyond the edges). If you wear the headset tight enough to maximize the FOV, you can see the edges in your peripheral vision (or even more easily than that if you really jam it against your face). So it's not as if the degree of magnification is beyond what is necessary; it's just right.
Of course that doesn't mean you have to like it. If the degree of subpixel visibility bothers you, it bothers you. Fair enough. So I can understand why you'd want to try to improve things. I'm just pointing out that you can't reduce it without also reducing your FOV (not without some serious modding, anyway, and only if you have one of the larger phones).
> If I just did that, but didn't change the lenses, I would avoid the optical distortion you've warned me about, but still gain a larger FOV?
Probably (another example of that sort of mod here), as long as you have one of the larger 5.5" or 5.7" phones. I say probably because although it is definitely the case that the larger phones render a bit beyond the edges of the Gear VR when they are used in the 2015 model, I'm not 100% sure that this is also true in the case of the 2016 model because it prompts the phone to render to the display differently for a number of reasons. But it's probably a safe assumption.
It's easy to find out for sure though: enable developer mode for the Gear VR service so you can run Oculus Home and other apps without a Gear VR headset attached. If you haven't done that already, here are the steps: https://developer3.oculus.com/documentation/mobilesdk/latest/concepts/mobile-troublesh-device-run-app-outside/
If you're not a developer, you can effectively satisfy the stated prerequisites by installing SideloadVR and getting at least one app downloaded, signed with your osig and installed on your device.
Obviously at this point you could also go ahead and use your SVR Glass as a Gear VR viewer (assuming you have a bluetooth controller you can hook up for input) and see if you can live with the distortion/warping.
> There are things that are great about the Gear, and things that are great about SVR ... I feel driven to create some kind of Frankenstein's monster version of the two of them, but perhaps that is unwise ...
I can totally understand that. Although I'm personally quite happy with the 2016 model paired with an S7, I really just couldn't find a way to like the 2015 version back when it was the only compatible model. So I found myself in the same sort of position you find yourself in now. I spent ~AU200.00 on about 10 different mobile VR headsets in search of something better, although instead of an optical transplant I was planning to put the Gear VR internals into something else. But in the end Samsung fixed my problem before I did. So now I have a little VR headset museum, or whatever. Heh.
Good luck, whichever way you go :)
> I know there are a few gaming-related solutions, but is there a way to cast my laptop's screen to my Gear VR? Thanks in advance
A gaming-related solution is what you need, since it will get you on SteamVR where you can find Virtual Desktop: https://riftcat.com/vridge/howto
Get the Gear VR version of VRidge which you can find on the SideloadVR distribution platform: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market&hl=en
Your laptop may or may not provide an acceptable Virtual Desktop experience depending on its specs.
Today on Lunchtime with my Gear VR I take a look at an app called YouTube Theater. I got this one from a great website I recently discovered called SideloadVR. On this site users can upload their Oculus signature files and developers can upload content then once you are signed up, the site compiles the app with your OSIG and sends the download to your phone. This is a great way for content developers to test their apps and it is completely outside of the Oculus ecosystem. The YouTube Theater is nicely rendered and has a great sense of scale. It's awesome to be able to walk freely through the theater environment and explore it. The screen looks great and the controls are easy to navigate. Even though we already have the ability to watch YouTube content through the Samsung Internet beta app, I like this one much better! If you have a Gear VR then I highly suggest following the links at the bottom of this description and checking out SideloadVR. There is also an app that will run on your phone to do this so no PC is required!
Check out the website here: http://www.sideloadvr.com/
Grab the phone app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
For more great Virtual Reality content please take the time to check out the rest of the VR Bros!!
VR Gaming Evolved - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZd97u2gmlxsDpoMygQBg3w
GameHard 4.0 - https://www.youtube.com/user/GameHard40
UK Rifter - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUKRifter
ImmersiveGamer83 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_2BINiElrtu95ZILitm4Q
Pretty Neat VR - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMN5I_nEZAWCKqjbB2x_BUg
RealityCheck - VR https://www.youtube.com/user/CubbyE
http://www.convrge.co/ for information
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market (SideloadVR) will be required
Some additional information here http://sideloadvr.com/detail.php?id=23
If you're asking about the SideloadVR app, it's available on the Play Store.
If you have a computer with a modern GameStream compatible Nvidia card you should be able to stream Kodi to your Gear VR setup using Stream Theater which you can install using SideloadVR (Stream Theater utilizes Moonlight which is a third-party implementation of Nvidia's GameStream protocol). If you can't stream Kodi directly, which I imagine that you probably can, you can just stream your entire desktop instead.
Stream Theater, in addition to providing several nice virtual cinema environments, provides the facility to zoom the virtual screen enough to completely fill or even exceed the available FOV. And if you really don't want an environment at all you can use a void theater.
This is not exactly a simple solution I know, but if you need to be using something like Kodi with a streaming add-on in order to access the content you want to watch, and need more zoom control, it's one way to go about it.
FYI I was still able to download it here
Does it work if you click a direct link?
How about some context?
If you're talking about Gear VR development, or you're trying to enable developer mode for the Gear VR service or whatever, in order for the Gear VR platform to consider you a developer you need to have built an apk signed with your own osig and installed it on your device. See: https://developer3.oculus.com/documentation/mobilesdk/latest/concepts/mobile-submission-sig-file/
Or you can go through the steps required to install an app via SideloadVR.
Mhmm i can't find it ether ... maybe you can find a direkt source on their site
Edit: found it https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
Sideload get it here in the Playstore https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
Tried Hola, but no matter what country I use, it wont find sideload :(
If by "virtual theatre" you mean this sort of thing, then you can apparently do it with Emulation Station, which is supported by Nvidia's Gamestream, which can be utilized by Stream Theatre (there's a sub here), which runs on the Gear VR platform via SideloadVR.
This is currently the closest thing to what you're asking for I think.
Today on Lunchtime with my Gear VR I take a look at an app called YouTube Theater. I got this one from a great website I recently discovered called SideloadVR. On this site users can upload their Oculus signature files and developers can upload content then once you are signed up, the site compiles the app with your OSIG and sends the download to your phone. This is a great way for content developers to test their apps and it is completely outside of the Oculus ecosystem. The YouTube Theater is nicely rendered and has a great sense of scale. It's awesome to be able to walk freely through the theater environment and explore it. The screen looks great and the controls are easy to navigate. Even though we already have the ability to watch YouTube content through the Samsung Internet beta app, I like this one much better! If you have a Gear VR then I highly suggest following the links at the bottom of this description and checking out SideloadVR. There is also an app that will run on your phone to do this so no PC is required!
Check out the website here: http://www.sideloadvr.com/
Grab the phone app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
For more great Virtual Reality content please take the time to check out the rest of the VR Bros!!
VR Gaming Evolved - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZd97u2gmlxsDpoMygQBg3w
GameHard 4.0 - https://www.youtube.com/user/GameHard40
UK Rifter - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUKRifter
ImmersiveGamer83 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_2BINiElrtu95ZILitm4Q
Pretty Neat VR - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMN5I_nEZAWCKqjbB2x_BUg
RealityCheck - VR https://www.youtube.com/user/CubbyE
Today on Lunchtime with my Gear VR I take a look at an app called YouTube Theater. I got this one from a great website I recently discovered called SideloadVR. On this site users can upload their Oculus signature files and developers can upload content then once you are signed up, the site compiles the app with your OSIG and sends the download to your phone. This is a great way for content developers to test their apps and it is completely outside of the Oculus ecosystem. The YouTube Theater is nicely rendered and has a great sense of scale. It's awesome to be able to walk freely through the theater environment and explore it. The screen looks great and the controls are easy to navigate. Even though we already have the ability to watch YouTube content through the Samsung Internet beta app, I like this one much better! If you have a Gear VR then I highly suggest following the links at the bottom of this description and checking out SideloadVR. There is also an app that will run on your phone to do this so no PC is required!
Check out the website here: http://www.sideloadvr.com/
Grab the phone app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market
For more great Virtual Reality content please take the time to check out the rest of the VR Bros!!
VR Gaming Evolved - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZd97u2gmlxsDpoMygQBg3w
GameHard 4.0 - https://www.youtube.com/user/GameHard40
UK Rifter - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUKRifter
ImmersiveGamer83 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_2BINiElrtu95ZILitm4Q
Pretty Neat VR - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMN5I_nEZAWCKqjbB2x_BUg
RealityCheck - VR https://www.youtube.com/user/CubbyE
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideloadvr.market after it opend login or follow the tutorial