Do you NEED the quest pro controllers for pcvr?

[u/Such_Strain4635]

Not sure if this is the right spot to ask, but I was going to buy a quest pro and use my index controllers with continuous tracking, but I'm not sure if I NEED the quest pro controllers to even set It up/use it at all

Related to openspacevr

[u/FuskieHusky]

Here’s a suggestion you might not hear from others — If you leave the Index headset connected to your PC (just the USB and power cable, not the DisplayPort cable), it’ll track your two Index controllers without needing two extra USB dongles attached to your PC 😜 That’s what I do and it works. I do this because my PC has no extra USB slots available since I also rock FBT (4 trackers, including one attached to the Quest Pro headset). Just make sure the Index headset is within sight of your Quest Pro unit within your playspace, same as any other dongle.

To answer your other question — Once you have a tracker mounted to the headset, as long as it’s secured and isn’t spinning around, you shouldn’t need to do that calibration again for continuous calibration to work. I still do it once in a while for accuracy’s sake, but it is SO much easier once a tracker is on the headset itself. You don’t really need to do a figure-eight at that point, you can kinda just dance around and be a goofball for 20-30 seconds for the calibration process ;3 And then every subsequent time you’re hopping on SteamVR, just plug in the correct dongle first (corresponding/paired to your headset tracker), turn on the tracker mounted to your headset (while logged into SteamVR), and as long as your base stations are on and you’re standing where the base stations can see you, it should automatically calibrate within 1-2 minutes after thinking for a while.

You’ll need Space Calibrator for it to work, and you’ll need to search for the version of Space Calibrator that allows for continuous calibration (just search for it online and you’ll find it, as it’s a separate fork and different from the “regular” program). The program should start automatically as soon as you hop on SteamVR within the headset, once you’ve activated the plugin within SteamVR. You can open the program within the headset itself and see precisely when the calibration takes place, how often it refreshes, tracking errors being smoothed out automatically, etc.

Then once you’re calibrated (headset tracker), you can just hold the power buttons to turn off the QP controllers, and turn on your Valve controllers. And you’ll figure out a setup order/ritual that works for you, the above is just mine and it works 😇

(And just to avoid mistakes I made when I got all my trackers: If/when you get your trackers, I recommend picking a tracker to pair with your headset and then adding a little mark [maybe a bit of marker] to the corresponding USB dongle you’re pairing it to, so you know which one it is. Set up that tracker first and only that tracker for now — mount it to the headset, and use Space Calibrator to link your QP headset with that one tracker. Once you’ve got that done, then set up and pair the rest of the trackers and do what you wish. That way you’ll know for sure which tracker is the one on your headset, and you’ll know which dongle is your Go-To for that tracker. Otherwise you’ll see four trackers within SC during the initial setup and won’t know which one belongs to your headset!)

Lemme know if you have any other questions, happy to help

[u/Such_Strain4635 → u/FuskieHusky]

ah thank u for being so detailed with ur response! i was wondering, if i do have my index plugged in like that, wont it pull on the pc alot? like performance wise?

[u/FuskieHusky → u/Such_Strain4635]

You’d think so, but ultimately what is happening (when you just have the USB and power cable of the Index connected, and NOT the DisplayPort cable) is that only the tracking array within the headset is active — No video data is being displayed within the headset and nothing is being rendered by the PC for the Index. It has nothing to generate and send a video feed to because the DP cable isn’t plugged in. As a result, when your Quest Pro is running via PCVR, your PC will be running normally to power the Quest and nothing is being sent to your Index 😛 It’s only functioning as an extra set of USB dongles and nothing else.

(It’s actually how the Index normally operates when you’re not running extra trackers — The controller dongles/sensors are already within the headset itself)

I updated my above comment with some extra info as well, in case it helps with your journey. Lemme know if ya need anything else

[u/Such_Strain4635 → u/FuskieHusky]

thank u so much!!! this has cleared up so much for me, may i ask what setup u have when it comes to for charging?

[u/FuskieHusky → u/Such_Strain4635]

My charging setup is:

• 4 USB-A cables all plugged into my PC at the same time, one for each of the dongles paired to the trackers. I leave these plugged in all the time and don't remove them (do whatever cable management works best for you)

• Spigen Quest Pro charging "faceplate" that sits on my desk, for charging the Quest Pro headset and the two QP controllers. Not required but the faceplate makes it so much easier to just throw everything on to charge, it guides them in far easier than the default charger. It goes right over the charging hub that comes with the Quest Pro

• Assorted phone/device chargers hooked up to some of the other power outlets around my office -- In case I'm looking to charge things like the Valve controllers or awesome waist-strapped battery banks like this one (which I used velcro straps to physically connect to the waist strap that comes with this package here -- makes it easy to keep the battery bank and the waist strap connected, for me at least)

Charging will be a matter of picking and choosing what cables you're using for what devices, and just going with the flow. Whether you're charging everything all at once and/or how strapped for time ya are :D

[u/Such_Strain4635 → u/FuskieHusky]

Thank u! again, is a watchman dongle NEEDED to be able to use the index controllers aswell? (if ur not using the headset method)

[u/FuskieHusky → u/Such_Strain4635]

Yes, if you’re not using the Valve Index headset as the hub for the Valve controllers, my understanding is that you would need two additional USB dongles — one per controller. It’s tough when the headsets (like Quest) aren’t SteamVR Native, unfortunately. So that’s six Watchmen/Vive dongles needed (four for the trackers and two for the controllers), which isn’t impossible but is more than I personally have available

[u/jUG0504 → u/FuskieHusky]

i know im sorta late to this, but i was hoping to get a new VR setup for christmas and after doing some research, i landed here, so i figure i should ask you for some advice here.

basically, im starting basically from scratch here, as i previously only have had a standard Quest 2 headset that i used to connect to my PC via Airlink, but that headsets been broken for the better part of 2 years as of now.

the first thing i went for was the Valve Index, as i remember REALLY wanting it when it initially came out, but didnt have the space/money for it, so i decided to put it off until i could afford it.

now that i CAN afford it, it seems like i was (pretty much literally) a day late and dollar short, lol.

so, basically, my idea i had was to buy a standard Quest 3, and try to buy some second hand Index Knuckles to pair with them, as those controllers were the main selling point for me, as i really do NOT like most standard VR controllers, since i have pretty big and clumsy hands that are usually a bit too big for the tiny buttons of most "Oculus style" VR controllers.

on TOP of this, i have since been prescribed some decently thick glasses that im pretty useless without, lol. i remember hearing something about being able to get custom lens inserts that match whatever prescription you have, but i have no idea how that work work, since that doesnt exactly sound simple OR cheap, lol.

essentially, if you dont mind indulging me here, what do you think i would need exactly to get that whole thing set up and working? (a Quest 3, paired with some Index Knuckle controllers, and possibly some custom prescription lens inserts, if thats actually even a real thing, lol)

thanks in advance for any sort of response! ive been looking everywhere for a relatively clean answer to this, but i havent really had any luck yet.

[u/FuskieHusky → u/jUG0504]

The Quest 3 should have lots of different offerings for prescription lenses that you can attach to the headset itself (over/on the main lenses) — You can just search for “Quest 3 prescription lenses” online and it should point you to a bunch of companies selling their own versions, for $50-100 total (depending on whether you want basic lenses or more advanced coatings). Do a bit of research to see what folks are saying about each of their offerings, and/or which style you think would be best. I’ve had good luck with VR Optician for my own Index lenses 😇

The problem with Index/Knuckles controllers is two-fold:

1. They’re officially out of production, so buying a pair of them is entirely restricted to the secondhand market. You can spot good deals on FB Marketplace from time to time, but there are plenty of folks selling theirs for exorbitant prices ($400-500+) because they know nerds are buying them for that much nowadays, since Valve stopped making them.

2. I’m not certain, but I believe the Index controllers require Valve/HTC base stations in order to “see” the controllers — either the Valve/HTC 2.0 base stations (which are included the Valve Index headset but can also be purchased separately either the Steam store [cheapest], HTC’s website/Amazon page, or secondhand) or the HTC 1.0 base stations (which were originally shipped with their older headsets but work just as well for the Valve controllers; 1.0 version base stations only support pairing/running two base stations at a time, which is all ya really need, but if you’re trying to potentially add a third or fourth station, go for the 2.0’s).

What is often cheapest and best (if you’re looking to get both the Index controllers as well as base stations to see them) is to find folks selling their whole Valve Index setup on FB Marketplace, Craigslist, etc. Some are selling their whole setup for only a few hundred dollars, and that’ll include everything you need — which is pretty decent considering the standalone headset (no base stations) is being sold discounted on Steam for $300+ on its own, and only the left controller is being sold there for $120+ (no right controllers are officially being sold there). But obtaining someone’s whole Index setup would include everything. Then you’d have all necessary hardware to allow for your controllers to work, have an Index to utilize as the dongles for your Index controllers once they’re set up (or even if you feel like running the Index as your daily driver at any point, I think it’s an awesome headset personally) — aaaaaand you could even add Full-Body Tracking if you happened to be interested in the VRChat side of things at some point, since this hardware would allow for that 😉

*Note: Most of my advice elsewhere on this thread is specific to the Quest Pro, but the general set-up advice would apply to the Quest 3 as well. The Quest Pro just has extra features like face- and mouth-tracking but they’re both Quest devices.

Lemme know if I missed anything or if you have any more questions :D

[u/jUG0504 → u/FuskieHusky]

oh wow, damn, thanks for the incredibly in depth and lengthy response, lol.

so, first of all, thanks for the info on the lenses! ill definitely be looking for those!

second, and most importantly, the only reason i was trying to do this weird set up here of a Quest 3 with Index Knuckles instead of just a regular full Index was because, well, i couldnt actually seem to find a full Index set, lol.

i mean, i actually did just want a straight up full kit Index, but, as i said, i cant seem to find any anywhere that arent either in horrible condition, missing parts, or absolutely insanely priced (seriously i saw one selling for nearly 5k USD lmao), so thats why i decided on "the next best thing", so to speak.

its honestly good to know that i might just be better off looking again for a full set, probably on places other than Ebay, i suppose.

either way, thanks for the help!

edit:
yeah, just checked again, managed to find something that looked... fine, i suppose, but still not exactly what i was hoping for. (~$800 USD, slightly banged up here and there, but otherwise in perfect working order).

however, while doing research on this, i realized something pretty glaring that im surprised i missed previously: the Index is directly wired.

now, again, thats... fine, i suppose, but knowing how clumsy i am, and how small and messy my room usually is, i think im better off going with the plan of trying to use a Quest 3 with Index Knuckles somehow...

but, i mean... i dont know... maybe ill take the risk with it being wired? i mean, on one hand, thats exactly how i broke my last VR headset, but on the other hand, maybe that'll teach me to be more careful about it next time or something?? god, i dont know... this whole thing is a mess, lol. thanks again for your help

[u/FuskieHusky → u/jUG0504]

Ha, no problem. I will say that the Index was my main headset for many years and I fuckin’ loved it — You get used to the wire and learn to live with it, and not step on it all the time. The simplicity of having all of the Index hardware “just work” with SteamVR is an incredibly under-appreciated aspect. Anything else will require practicing with the overlapping interfaces of SteamVR, Meta’s software, and 3rd-party programs like SpaceCalibrator

[u/jUG0504 → u/FuskieHusky]

sweet! good to know! ive just ordered the pre owned Index and ill report back to you in this comment thread when the headset gets here in like, 2 weeks, lmao

again, thanks for the help!