This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to get up and running with a gaming laptop, headset, and body trackers. In this tutorial, we’re using the following hardware:
- Valve Index VR Kit (headset with controllers and 2 base stations)
- 3 Vive Trackers with 3 Velcro straps
- Lenovo Legion 7i with 3080 graphics card
- HYPERDRIVE Usb-c to Usb hub
- INSIGNIA Usb-c to displayport adapter
And the following software:
- PC VR Client from SomniumSpace.com
- Steam VR
- (Optional for Oculus users: Oculus Link cable and Oculus desktop app.)
Setting Up Headset and Connecting to Laptop
Position your base stations on secure surfaces opposite sides of the room surrounding the play area. You can optionally anchor them into your walls. Plug them in. The base station lights should turn from blue to green.
Plug in your Index headset to displayport input on computer or to usb-c adapter into usb-c input on your computer.
Connect Index headset USB to USB input on computer.
Plug headset into outlet. Headset light should turn blue.
For Oculus users: Simply connect Oculus headset to computer using Link Cable and activate Oculus app on computer, select Oculus Link connection in headset, and follow prompts.
Activate index controllers by pressing start buttons so controller lights turn blue to green.
Turn on Steam VR if it doesn’t start automatically.
Setting Roomscale Boundary
Set the room scale boundary or stationary boundary on steam vr if not previously set by going to Steam Vr start menu window>clicking the hamburger icon>selecting “Room Setup”. Follow window prompts.
Place your headset on a solid surface and measure the distant from the floor. Height shown above/right: approximately 24 inches.
Connect trackers
Plug tracker dongles into laptop usb inputs. (I plug all dongles into a usb hub like shown above and plug into usb-c input.)
Turn on each tracker by clicking the middle triangle button and click twice again to pair until the tracker light turns from blue to green.
Assign each tracker where you plan to wear them, i.e. waist, left foot, and right foot by going to Steam Vr settings>controllers>manage trackers or clicking the hamburger on the start bar menú>devices>manage trackers.
Put on trackers securely with bands, Velcro straps, belts or tape.
Turn on Somnium Space VR. (If you need to, log into Somnium Space, select your avatar, and/or reset your start position to City Center by going to settings>reset location beforehand.)
Put on your headset. The headset light should turn blue to green when activated. You should see the Steam VR home environment or grid environment in your headset, then Somnium Space should open to the Cube menu with audible music.
When Somnium Space is fully loaded and you can look around, locate the blue tracker spheres in the game and line them up with the trackers on your body in real life. When aligned, press both left and right hand controller triggers at once.
You should be able to move your avatar body in sync with your body in real life.
To fix your height, calibrate your body from the Somnium Space tablet by hitting your controller “A” button, pointing and trigger-selecting “settings”, scrolling down to the “calibrate” button and click it.
Stand up straight and still while your avatar calibrates to the height of your headset.
Congratulations!! Now your avatar is ready to dance, kick, squat, sit, lie on the ground or whatever it can track!
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