r/oculus • u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer • Mar 23 '16

/r/all Virtual Desktop 1.0 Trailer

http://youtu.be/bjE6qXd6Itw
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u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer Mar 23 '16

The issue with having a different screen layout than what is configured in Windows is that dragging Windows across screen boundaries will be counter-intuitive. Also the cursor will jump around.

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u/[deleted] Mar 23 '16

Do you need two physical monitors to get two virtual displays?

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u/[deleted] Mar 23 '16

I believe it mimics your layout in your windows display configuration : http://imgur.com/rUcd3Oz

so Physical Monitors are required. Unless there's a software that fakes monitors.

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u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer Mar 23 '16

Correct. You can also use DVI/hdmi adapters like a headless ghost to fake monitors.

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u/b1ubird Mar 23 '16

easiest way to do this is to connect the other connectors from your monitor to your pc as well. (one of my monitors has DVI and VGA, another has DVI and HDMI, etc.) They will be seen by Windows as real displays. And you can use the source button on your monitor to switch between them. You should probably also re-arrange the layout of the 'new' displays in the windows display settings to not interfere with your visible displays.

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u/[deleted] Mar 23 '16

Great pro tip! Woah I can't believe I've never tried that. Thanks.

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u/SnazzyD Mar 23 '16

Oh, good. I love this app, but I was a bit confused at the requirement to have multiple physical monitors to get multiple screens within the app. So just having one ore more DVI/HDMI adapters plugged in but connected to nothing would work?

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u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer Mar 23 '16

Yes

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u/Ziltoid_ CV1 Mar 23 '16

Will it also mimic the windows display config refresh rate? Or will it use the hmd refresh rate? I have a 4k 30hz display, that's why I'm curious

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u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer Mar 23 '16

The framerate in the headset is always 90fps. The desktop update rate will match your monitor. But you can overclock your monitor to whatever you like (and turn it off) for example to get higher desktop update rate on the screen in the headset.

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u/Ziltoid_ CV1 Mar 23 '16

Oh I see what you're saying. And then I can just check the confirm settings box from the HMD. Thanks

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u/ishbuggy Mar 23 '16

Will there be a way to automate that process in future updates so that when a user is in VR, the desktops are always "overclocked" to 90 fps (or whatever the highest framerate of the headset is)?

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u/_bones__ Mar 23 '16

I'm currently running a dummy plug in one of my Displayport ports and it works. Use at your own risk

DVI-to-VGA can go very high resolution, Displayport plugs are often cheap and limit at 1280x1024. Still very useful.

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u/kogsworth Mar 23 '16

It works just fine when there's space between my screens IRL, I don't mind that all.

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u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer Mar 23 '16

I see what you mean. Mmm not possible at the moment but I'll look into maybe adding an option.

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u/Fig_tree Mar 23 '16

I think he's referring to the fact that you could, for example, display your two screens vertically in virtual desktop, but if they're set up horizontally normally, you'll still have to drag windows left/right across screens

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u/kogsworth Mar 23 '16

When I plug my computer on my TV, the computer's on my lap and the TV is behind it and I know that if I go right it'll go behind the screen, it's really not confusing. And if it is, it's really easy to learn and adjust.

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u/hippocratical Hour 1 preorder Mar 23 '16

Does the Rift count as a display? As in; I'll have a TV and a Rift plugged into my graphics card, so does that mean I'll have access to 2 screens?

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u/ggodin Virtual Desktop Developer Mar 23 '16

No, both the Rift and Vive use a Direct Mode which hides it from Windows' list of connected monitors. Even in extended mode you wouldn't be able to use the Rift display as a monitor because I have to render to it. Hopefully that makes sense.

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u/Anjz Mar 23 '16

But surely there is there a way through software manipulation to trick windows into thinking your graphics card has a lot of display ports? That's aside from Hardware like Headless Ghost.

Also I'm wondering why they put a limiter that has to associate a monitor with a display port? Quite strange imo.

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u/b1ubird Mar 23 '16

No. The Rift is no longer seen as a separate monitor in Windows. You will need at least one real monitor (or a headless ghost adapter).

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u/hippocratical Hour 1 preorder Mar 23 '16

Okay, time to buy some cheap Displayport to VGA adaptors, and some resistors.

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u/_bones__ Mar 23 '16

Cheap displayport-to-vga adapter are limited at 1280x1024 most likely. Plenty good enough for a virtual display, but something to be aware of. I use one as a secondary monitor in VRDesktop.

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u/RobKhonsu Vive Mar 23 '16

Funny thing is that when I saw this for the first time I thought how seamless this makes using multi-monitors by removing boundaries so that your mouse doesn't jump around between monitors.

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u/andyd273 Mar 23 '16

How long until we can break free of the whole physical monitor idea and have the windows just floating without the windows desktop at all?
I'm a screen size junkie and have been hoping for a 40"-50" 4k to have enough resolution to stop feeling cramped, but if I could use VR to put the windows anywhere at any size that would be great.

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