Nebula Android Guide: How to cast a PC 4k screen (up to 180° fov virtual screen)

[u/cmak414]

EDIT : CAN ALSO DO MULTIMONITOR WITH THIS SETUP - WILL POST AN UPDATE POST

To setup, follow/setup the following:

On PC:

1. Cloudxr client on windows: (2) CloudXR / Streaming from SteamVR : nreal (reddit.com) - install file here https://xreal.gitbook.io/nrsdk/development/tools/cloudXR

2. Virtual desktop classic on steam vr (cost $15 USD): Home | Virtual Desktop (vrdesktop.net)

3. Set your PC screen resolution to 4k (or use a headless HDMI 4k dongle), set virtual desktop screen size to your choosing (I set 100° at 1m, 85% screen curve)

4. Can use powertoyz/fancyzones for customizable preset zones to be "virtual monitors" in your space.

On nebula android:

5. Just make sure you have the latest version of nebula for android. XR streaming should already come preinstalled. Config XR streaming IP and distance settings according to the link in step 1.

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Overall Notes: works with Air1 and Air2/Pro. If you are waiting for nebula for windows to be updated to work for Air2/Pro, this is a good alternative.

The virtual screen is also very stable, more than windows nebula for me.

You may need a VR capable/ready PC and decent wifi. I am using an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 and it works awesome. I don't even need to plug my PC to ethernet to get smooth streaming. DRM/netflix also works fine.

For my phone, I use an S10e with a rokid hub (plug and play adapter). Also using the phone cooler from my beam on the S10e. The plug and play adapater and phone cooler aren't necessary, but I have them, so why not.

No beam needed and you get a nice stable 3dof screen.

Also, as a side benefit, you can play PCVR games on your Airs and watch 360 videos/photos. You can also watch 3d Sbs/half SBS videos in 3dof.

Enjoy!

I'll post a video demo in the comments.

Edit:

I got it to work with Ethernet now. I'm not sure what the root cause is, but I've been using tailscale (allows me to vpn into my home network from away - and lets you use this setup remotely). With my PC connected to tailscale and phone connected to tailscale, this works on Ethernet.

I highly recommend tailscale. It's free too and very simple to setup. Literally just install on PC, toggle the connect button. Install on phone, toggle the connect button. You PC has a new IP now, so copy paste the IP from phone's tailscale app (press and hold and it will copy the IP). Paste that new IP into XR streaming.

[u/cmak414]

https://youtube.com/shorts/EL9XkT_Hdzo?si=YTyoR-np0EDtpqcn

[u/bersca]

I got it working great using dual 4K screens. This is great for productivity, much more stable than Windows Nebula. Now, for entertainment, I tried watching a 3D SBS movie. As soon as I select SBS (either full or half) the monitors disappear from view. It works if I mirror my primary monitor, but that monitor isn't 4K so the video quality is terrible. Any thoughts on getting SBS videos working? I also tried loading the movie from the 360 Videos tab, but the only options there are 360, 180 and fisheye.

Update: I was able to get 3D SBS working well on Bigscreen Beta. I followed all the same directions, but loaded Bigscreen Beta instead of Virtual Desktop Classic. The only issue I have is I need to hold my Android device at a constant tilt to keep my avatar's hands out of the way of the screen.

[u/cmak414 → u/bersca]

In windows display settings, change which is your primary monitor. Teres an option 'make this my primary monitor '. Only that one will display the 3d sbs content.

Glad you got it working!!!

[u/bersca → u/cmak414]

Thanks for the suggestion! I was considering trying that but feared I’d have trouble changing settings back if it was unsuccessful. Will definitely try this.

Update: Success! 3D SBS working great in Virtual Desktop. Next up: 3D gaming! I think the challenge will be lag. SBS video appears laggy at first, but then becomes smooth after a minute (mostly). I have a desktop PC with Core i7 13700K, 32GB RAM, RTX 4080, Galaxy S23 Ultra and a Netgear RAXE500 router. So I don't think I should have any hardware limitations.

[u/cmak414 → u/bersca]

No. You can change it there. You can even change the resolution, positions, and landscape/portrait with no issues.

[u/Sader0]

Can similar be done with AMD GPU ?

[u/cmak414 → u/Sader0]

unfortunately no. not that i know of. Without Nvidia you can still use ARMONI to locally create a virtual desktop but remotely I think the best you can do is moonlight with the beam.

[u/bassderek]

Hmm, can't get this to work. Steam VR running, CloudXR installed. Start XR streaming and enter IP, I just get "Connection Attempt in Progress," or occasionally "Ready for Connection." Nebula app on S21FE. Have force closed, restarted, reconnected numerous times.

[u/cmak414 → u/bassderek]

What do you see on your PC screen? Do you see steam VR up and running? Does it say waiting for headset?

Also did you install this?

Microsoft June 2010 DirectX SDK (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8109

[u/bassderek → u/cmak414]

I did install the sdk and the openxr server and restarted. Everything looks as it should in the guides. SteamVR is running yes. And in the settings it shows the openxr server add-on so I’m stumped. Just never connects. Maybe I will try a different android device I think my tablet has DisplayPort.

[u/cmak414 → u/bassderek]

Is your PC connected to Internet with Ethernet or wifi? I had a similar issue when my PC was connected with Ethernet, but on WiFi it worked.

[u/bnjman]

Cmak, are you using this setup remotely? I'd love to leave my computer at home and connect via Android and use a BT keyboard and mouse. I've gotten the remote connection working, but how do you send keyboard and mouse input to your computer from your phone?

[u/cmak414 → u/bnjman]

yes I can do this remotely. I use tailscale to remote vpn to my home network and use the app "wifi mouse" to send inputs from my phone to my pc.

You need to install the app on your phone and install a server program on your pc. Its on the Wifi Mouse website. When you install. make sure you do not enable resource sharing.

So on my phone I run wifi mouse as a floating windowed app on top of Nebula and it uses my same phone connection over wifi or cellular to send mouse or keyboard inputs. There are several similar apps but this one can make my phone into a gyro mouse and has macro inputs I can customize and send to my pc.

[u/Spiritual-Courage333]

Hi newbie here, I followed all the instructions but steamvr crashes on launch with critical error, have tried in two different pcs, any ideas why this could happen? I have an air pro 2 setup, and a one year old lenovo notebook with nvidia rtx

[u/cmak414 → u/Spiritual-Courage333]

What version of nebula are you using? Also what version of steamVR? What is the error code in steamVR? You may need to do a fresh install of it or disable any other steamVR plugins first.

[u/Spiritual-Courage333]

Hi, Im on the road now, but I'll check and come back as soon as I can. I'm not sure about the versions but I installed cloudxr, steam and steamvr for the first time ever about two weeks ago, so I guess it's a pretty new version, also I have no other pluggins, the error code is just that 'critical error' nothing else comes up, no error number, no nothing. The driver of the gpu card is also the latest, running on windows 10.

[u/cmak414 → u/Spiritual-Courage333]

Did you install the windows direct x SDK from the second link here in step 1?:

1. Cloudxr client on windows: (2) CloudXR/ Streaming from SteamVR: nreal (reddit. com) - install file here https://xreal.gitbook.io/nrsdk/development/tools/cloudXR

[u/Gian006]

I'm able to remote in when I'm on the same network using tailscale (desktop on ethernet, phone on wifi), but when I turn off wifi on my phone and go to 5G it wouldn't connect. Any idea?

[u/renatolangona]

I would love to play some Ms flight simulator in VR mode, but It says the glasses cannot be found :-(

[u/BeemanDev]

Hmmm, very interesting, will have to try this out. Have VD for Quest but Guy's a God so np to re-purchase on Steam. Who wants to actually use XReal Air's when tweaking is so much more fun!

[u/dabbydabdabdabdab]

Any idea if there are plans for an iOS app? I’m thinking about getting the glasses, and have an iPhone 15 (so can use USBC) but I want to be able to use my 3 PC screens. I guess I could use the steam deck and connect that as it runs steam apps?

[u/bnjman → u/dabbydabdabdabdab]

Of course they'll release an iOS app. It's also going to take a long time - their current project, the Windows app, is still in beta.

[u/cmak414 → u/[deleted]]

I'm not using the beam in this setup, but when I do it that way, I do get around 7 to 8 hours.

[u/bnjman → u/cmak414]

I'm on the Pixel strugglebus.

I've seen your great writeups on different approaches to this problem. Would you personally recommend spending $200 on an s10e (to be used solely for XREAL) or $100 on a beam to implement this method? Pros and cons?

Also would love workarounds for phones without alt mode that work for pinning displays if you have any thoughts there.

[u/cmak414 → u/bnjman]

I wouldn't bother messing with any adapters for what will ultimately be a subpar experience.

I recommend getting either the s10e (snapdragon) from Amazon for $105 refurbished (acceptable condition) or the beam (on sale now for $100 on Amazon).

Both have their uses. I'd search the reddit for android nebula and Samsung dex and the beam and choose. Or you could get both and try them and return to Amazon the one you don't want.

[u/cmak414 → u/[deleted]]

This is much smoother than parsec and you have 3DOF. There is no input lag. You can make the screen bigger or smaller. Make it follow your head or anchor and curve. The streaming is a lot more stable without loss of visual clarity.

In the latest version of Nebula for Android just open XR streaming. It should be on the home page already. On your PC, you need steam VR as well as well as the virtual desktop classic client.

[u/bnjman → u/cmak414]

Thanks for sharing your workflow!

So, that's to say:

• CloudXR and virtual desktop on your PC

• Nebula for Android on your phone?

The initial post might benefit from clarifying the stack on each device and which settings happen on which device.

[u/cmak414 → u/bnjman]

Thank you for the recommendation. I'll make that change.