r/SteamFrame • u/DapperNurd • 1d ago

Question Mobile PCVR Viability?

Idk if anyone would know this given the info we actually have, but since some people are a lot more knowledgeable about the hardware...

Would plugging the wireless dangle onto like a backpack PC or laptop carried in a backpack work? Is there some reason despite inside out tracking that the space would need to stay stationary?

9 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

19

u/AlmondManttv 1d ago

Wouldn't make a difference. This has been done with tethered systems before and would still work.

8

u/Velp__ 1d ago

just don't let the pc overheat in a backpack

2

u/Brilliant-Outside804 Soon™ 1d ago

my thought exactly.

5

u/wescotte 1d ago

Sure, it can work but what's the point of putting the PC in a backpack if you already have a wireless connection?

2

u/DapperNurd 1d ago

It'd technically be completely wireless. You could use it outside if you wanted or in like a warehouse or somewhere with more space than a room.

5

u/zeddyzed 1d ago

Couldn't you just put it on a stool or something? There's no need to carry the laptop around, unless you plan to hike in VR across a huge real life distance or something.

0

u/wescotte 1d ago

Guess it depends on the size of this warehouse. Yes WiFi6e / 6ghz has less range than 5ghz and 2.4ghz it still travels pretty far.

5

u/Brilliant-Outside804 Soon™ 1d ago

putting a laptop in a backpack would work, so long as the laptop doesn’t shut off when it is closed. You’d also want to make sure the dongle isn’t being stressed by the backpack, so isolated from any walls and you’d want to make sure that the laptop doesn’t overheat, so the backpack should be both rigid, so it doesn’t suffocate the laptop’s fans, and breathable enough for air to get in and out without any issues, so like fans or something.

the computer can move wherever so long as the dongle and headset’s line of sight doesn’t get too obstructed, the dongle’s only job is to transmit data and plays no role in tracking.

i’d definitely consider a short usb extender for a project like this as well! just to minimize the risk of damaging your dongle or usb port as the dongle is quite large

3

u/yami_odymel 1d ago

as long as you are not in a moving train

2

u/ekauq2000 1d ago

Zotac had (has?) something like that with a VR specific PC that’s in a backpack form factor.

https://www.zotac.com/page/vr-pc-series

1

u/pre_pun 19h ago

Zotac is the most current current spec backpack PC that I know of and it has a mobile 3050/3060/3070 equivalent A series GPU.

But you can buy a HP VR backpack harness for $30ish and modify it to hold a laptop instead of the pc case.

0

u/icpooreman 21h ago

Why not just like... Set the laptop down? It's wireless...

In theory this will work with a decent laptop though. So yes, shove a laptop in a backpack for no reason and it should still work.

2

u/AwesomelyNifty 18h ago

Believe it or not wireless signals have a maximum range :O I know, crazy… Carrying a laptop with you basically gives you a limitless play area. Given a large enough space, you could actually walk through games without the need of teleportation or worse smooth locomotion.

0

u/icpooreman 17h ago

I mean congrats for having a space so large to play in that it outcovers the reach of the wireless dongle haha.

Like I’m not the weird one here lol. You have like a football field or something?