I purchased a set of these last year. Note that Amazon carries a variety of similar products. It works fairly well but I'd add some caveats. I have a drop-ceiling in my playspace so I was able to use string to affix the mechanism and didn't have to use the adhesive (which is reportedly very strong to the point of pulling off paint upon removal). You still have to be careful with a system like this because if you're swinging/punching with your arms, you can easily connect with a hanging cable.
I'm not sure if I really recommend it, but I don't regret getting it. I don't always use it, but when I do it has been useful.
There's actually a kit for this sold for $26 on Amazon that does this. It's meant for the ceiling but could easily be used for walls or the floor, as you have. I like your idea of using a weight!
I ran a length of 550 paracord across my ceiling and into the wall about an inch from the ceiling using eye hooks. I have several of those name badge retractable lanyards I attached to the paracord and then just snap the plastic button parts to the Rift cord and adjust to where I have enough slack to not get in the way. If I can play Robo Recall or Lone Echo without ripping G the cord from the cable then I have adjusted it well.
I got the idea from this overpriced garbage on Amazon. Save your money and you can get everything I mentioned for like $15 total at Walmart.
6 Packs Retractable Cable Management for HTC VIVE NEW Version System for HTC VIVE Virtual Reality Headset- MDW Adhesive Drill Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2lg7zbFY52TXH
I can't find a way to link this video, but I found it on an Amazon Product and he shows the "mod" he used for it to rotate easier. I'll just link the Amazon product, the video is in the reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tQ26AbVJSTBXS
retractable ceiling cable management. under $20. works great. been using with my vive for over a year.
I put some zipties on my cable to make it catch in a specific spot, otherwise, works great out of the box.
Why do you need so much cable? As you said, you need half your cable till your playspace. And then? What do you need the other half for? Maybe you should work on your setup. There are cable managements for hmds like this https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM which are a great QoL Improvements. Even a longer cable would just break over time.
From left to right there are 3 sets of 2 pulleys with the fourth just a hook that holds all the of the slack from the PC. The cable is does not slide where it's attached to the 2nd pulley in each set. If you were to place the headset at the base of the near or far corner of the same side of the PC the first set (left to right) of pulleys would be fully extended. The second set you be half way extended. The 3rd set barley extends at all as you suspected. This allows the cable for the headset to have tension on the entire 10x10 area even if you are playing Onward and on the ground in the corner. The 3rd set of pulleys could probably be removed but 6 came with the set I got on Amazon so I used them. Hope this helps explain. Here is the set I purchased. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM
There's a wire harness system out there that holds the wires above your head. When you walk around they give the wires slack. When you walk back to the middle they pull the wires back up.
Just Google vive wire harness system or something.
6 Packs Retractable Cable Management for HTC VIVE NEW Version System for HTC VIVE Virtual Reality Headset- MDW Adhesive Drill Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_K436BbS29P7V9
I’m using something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540916930&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=vr+cable&dpPl=1&dpID=414oxYbQLfL&ref=plSrch
There are several of those on Amazon (search for VR cable management).
I’m only using two pulleys though but they come with a little hex wrench so you can set a stopper to give them a minimum length (so they don’t pull all the way to your high ceiling)
My play area has the front of the pc facing it, so the cable would have to go around the pc and into the headset. Would i need the extensions then? Also https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534184451&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=retractable+cable+management&psc=1. Is something like this a good thing to get? (sorry for long link.
Side note when you get everything squared away with your cable I recommend a management system like this https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1531771593&sr=8-3&keywords=vr+cable+management if you have the ability to stick them on the ceiing. Helps keep the cable off the floor to prevent doggos from snagging it.
i do have a somewhat small play area, although it says it's optimal on the oculus software. in any case, now that i bought a cheap cable management system off of amazon, and now i don't have to worry about the cable getting in the way. i have still yanked the usb cord out of the computer once during a very intense moment of a game, but this can be avoided by taping the cable to one of the pulleys so that it doesn't draw too much cord near the port.
i guess for the average person this would be too much effort, but you have to consider what roomscale vr is, it's not the same as normal gaming. maybe it would help if the hmd companies themselves came up with cable management solutions and offered them as extras.
I used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The original version has the problem you mention. Now they include a square of "sticky" designed to go between the clear plastic hooks and the wall/ceiling. Using that makes everything stay perfectly. Just remove the backing on one side, stick it where you want it, remove the other sides backing and the backing on the hook... press and done.
I used
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Along with extension cables of course. No drilling needed, easy install, and after a bit of tweaking my approx. 10x12 foot VR space is basically wireless, EXCEPT for cable twisting which is why I made my original post.
Thanks! Are you using this set from Amazon? If not, can you recommend specific hardware? I've got to figure something out for my house because I keep tripping while playing Windlands!
Any advice on cable? I am constantly worried about picking a 'bad one' I can never tell if one is going to be crap or not...
I was thinking of something like this. I get the tangle... but not have it would stress the cables any more than my stepping on them and constantly tangling them by turning around. Thoughts on that?
I use something like this except I have the old one that uses springs. It holds my cables up and out of the way so I can spin 360 without tripping over them or even feeling them. Also, if I leave my playspace, they start addign resitence, so I know i've gone too far. Dont need gardian
This is a game changer and no one has gotten tangled up once. https://smile.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515459597&sr=8-1&keywords=vive+ceiling+mount
Is this for VR? I use a suspended cable management system like this one:
www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/
Coupled with one of these belt clips:
This solution has eliminated all my cable hassles entirely. The overhead system keeps the cable off the floor and the belt clip keeps the cable from pulling on your head when/if it gets bound. Works great!
6 Packs Retractable Cable Management for HTC VIVE NEW Version System for HTC VIVE Virtual Reality Headset- MDW Adhesive Drill Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-gzwBb76144D4
Maybe something like that
Amazon has ceiling based cable management systems that use pulleys and retractable cords. It's what I use
https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM
Total rip off: a few sticky hooks + a few id card retractors # $25.99
I've got a 6ft hdmi extender, 6ft USB 3.0 extender, two 3M (style) hooks, four retractable key chain holders, and two cheapo carabiners.
Besides the Cable extenders I got everything (except the cable extensions from the ¥100 Daiso (dollar store in the U.S) for under Ten bucks.
Other people with VR that have came over and seen my setup have followed suit.
Their is also a simalar setup on Amazon for $25.99 though that seems to be way to much for what little is included.
Pics included of my setup, though your requirements my change depending on ceiling height and room space.
I've invested some €30 in this VR cable solution: link amazon . It works pretty well, though you can still get tangled up in the cable when you tend to turn too much in one direction compared to the other (apparently, I much prefer to turning to the left for some reason). It does get the cable successfully out of your feet however. All in all it's worth the price I'd say. As I live in Europe, I bought it on amazon.de .
Here's one such system, amazon has tons of them
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_8Zd6CbZR41FT6
I did this a long time ago with a homemade extension cable. Run the extension cable from the link box (OG Vive) straight up to 2 pulleys on my ceiling that are about 8 inches apart (mostly to support the weight of the cable to hold it up high), then about a 2 1/2 gap to another pulley and in the middle of these pulleys is where the headsets cable attach to the extension cable. Then I have another pulley about 8 inches further from the last one, then the final pulley (its 2 pulleys attached to each other and ill explain why in a bit) for the headset. So the second to last pulley has the headset cable with alot of slack in it to use as extra cable to pull from (for when moving far away) similar to that in the post by badillin but on steroids with how far you can move. Then the last pulley is for minimal pull on your headset while just standing around (you cant feel it pulling up at all on your head) as well as allowing you to move very far (length of the 2 pulleys/slack). Overall you can walk around in a circle thats 10+ meters in diameter as well as I've never had to stand in place and turn while playing to untangle the cable thanks to the slack portion (you would have to do alot of just standing and turning in order to tangle the cable where it affects the system in which case just do a couple spins in the other direction if you manage to screw it up that bad). I am using 2 packs of these so I have extra (no longer available) which was about $12-15 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and a few clips that are attached to the extension cable and the end of the pulleys so I can just click them together when I want to run VR up to the ceiling as described above. The headset cable I took those velcro cable ties and wrapped them up where I wanted the pulleys to be in place at so the cable is not sliding through the clip that the pulley is attached to. Going to do the same thing to the index once my Vive sells which should be great since I wont be restricted by the 4x4 meter area that the 1.0 base stations are limited by. I posted about a pulley system in another thread where people were talking about the Vive Pro 2 and wireless talking about how wireless is essential even though your currently limited by resolution and refresh rate with it and got flat out downvoted by people who have never tried these pulley systems to realize how great of a substitute it is for the time being until we do get a no compromise wireless system.
I Macguyvered a way to clip the cable to the back of my waistband, and then suspend it from a ceiling lanyard (https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/)
"Critical" PSVR tips for new owners here
Do this with the cable on the headset to keep it from kinking up and also minimize pulling so it doesn't come loose from within: https://imgur.com/a/Ps27cGk
As for the rest of the cable, you could use a retractable pulley system so it isn't lying on the floor and getting stepped on or yanked around. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/
I use these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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I have the cable running along the center of the ceiling about 1.5" from the ceiling itself so it doesn't interfere with the light I have up there. The cable itself is strapped to the headset strap at the point of the crown of my head (towards the back). If it's further up, it tends to feel like someone is pulling on a hat straight up. If it's further back, it tends to have too much slack and gets in the way.
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I also use the new version (less stiff) of the cable. You want to make sure you leave some good slack. I have the breakout box on the wall itself. This way, the cable is entirely suspended from the ceiling. The computer has it's own set of cables that go up the wall into the breakout box.
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Couple of things I do want to point out.
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1) If you are playing a game that forces you to cross each of your arms paths, there is a chance that the opposite arm's controller will get hooked onto the retractable lead (not the vive cable itself). This is bad because it will jerk your head if you make a swift action. I haven't had it happen too many times and I've had the setup for a year. The very few times I felt I got caught, I paused the game and fixed it.
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2) You will need to use some kind of cable tracking system in the vive that tracks rotations. Otherwise, the cable will begin to bind and pull on you a little bit. I use Turn Signal for this. Nice little VR overlay onto the floor showing you how many times you have spun around (rotating the cable).
one way to prevent that problem is to organize your cables, I preferred my cables to be coming from the ceiling so I got something like this so that I won't trip on them and less tangles. If sticking stuffs on the ceiling isn't an option I've heard some people use something like an old lamp stand that they run the cables on by putting some velcro or something to hold them in place, and you could take it out and store in somewhere if not in use
Looks like this. (or something very similar)
This. I use the same setup and it virtually eliminated cord tangles
I would suggest running the cable on the ceiling if you can. I bought these and so far they are working well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Is this not an option?
I'm weird, but I liked the rubber better then my DAS. I use my DAS because the headphones don't fall off my head, but I really liked the rubber's tightness and the fact I could stretch it to scratch my nose.
The cable I didn't care for either, so I suspended it off the ceiling and got turnsignal The combination of the two works really well. It still twists, but I can tell how much while in VR, AND more importantly I don't trip over it.
I used this, but I also used 3M hooks instead of the supplied.
In short, whatever is bugging you, work it out and get back in VR!
6 Packs Retractable Cable Management
I got these and it's so much better not having to worry about the cable getting tangled up.
Saw this on amazon today. Any one have this looks like it could be nice organizer. (Link is not a referral link)
Also noticed this looks to be by the same company
Retractable Cable Management for HTC VIVE https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM
Works perfect:
6 Packs Retractable Cable Management for HTC VIVE NEW Version System for HTC VIVE Virtual Reality Headset- MDW Adhesive Drill Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6EB8DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2MPMzb683ZM9Y
Here is what I use. It's a great cable management option. It's basically a pulley system that sticks onto the ceiling with spring retractable cables.
https://www.amazon.com/Retractable-Management-Headset-MDW-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM
I use this: https://www.amazon.com/MDW-Retractable-Management-Headset-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM
They stick on your roof so there is no need for drilling.
I bought this to hang my wires from the roof. They work well and there is no drilling involved. https://www.amazon.com/MDW-Retractable-Management-Headset-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM
This is the pulley System I am using: https://www.amazon.com/MDW-Retractable-Management-Headset-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6EB8DM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This works too.
Been using it for both my rift and vive without issues.
Truly the best way to play.
FYI, this kit for $26 exists that may save you some time and trouble. I've ordered one but it hasn't arrived yet so I can't vouch for its effectiveness yet. That said, the reviews are quite positive.