Desktop Viewer for Flatscreen Gaming

[austint]

The new theater mode for SteamVR has released recently and I am impressed with how useful it is for flat screen gaming in VR. I see no visible performance issues for the most part. However, it is just too blurry for my Valve Index.

After playing some flat screen games (that Vorpx cannot hook to) with the Vorpx desktop viewer, the visual clarity is amazing after messing around with the FSR and sharpening filters. The difference is night and day compared to SteamVR theater mode and Virtual Desktop Classic.

But, the desktop viewer has major issues with performance. It has frequent stuttering and frame drops when the game is running buttery smooth on my monitor. SteamVR theater mode and Virtual Desktop also run buttery smooth. iirc Ralf in a post earlier said that the desktop viewer wasn’t designed with playing games in mind. I really think this should change. As VR headset screen resolutions improve, the appeal of using a VR headset to emulate a massive screen is becoming more enticing. I can even emulate a super-ultrawide curved monitor the size of my room and it’s just incredible.

If the performance issues are solved with the desktop viewer, I think this would become the best flatscreen gaming via VR solution out there.

[MarcDwonn]

But why would you play flat? You already are in VR, why not let the virtual screen show your game in Stereo3D?

You get exactly that if you play with VorpX proper, in Immersive Screen Mode or Cinema Mode.

[austint]

Because I can’t play it in Stereo3D. The games I am trying to play cannot be hooked onto due to anti-cheat or other reasons.

[MarcDwonn]

I see. Just wanted to make sure you are aware of the possibilities. Many people aren’t. :)

[Ralf]

@ Austint:

Try the vorpX beta. It has a rewritten desktop viewer and comes with a new virtual monitor. Together these should resolve most performance issues with the old desktop viewer.

The desktop viewer itself is now a lot better at handling high GPU load, while the virtual monitor helps with otherwise inevitable micro stutter by running at the same refresh rate as your headset. Provided you can make a game run fast enough (at the headset refresh rate) that’s the best desktop capture you ever experienced.

For convenient usage per default the virtual monitor kicks in when you launch the desktop viewer and then switch off your actual monitor (requires the actual monitor to be connected via display port). You can further configure its behavior in the config app and also enable it manually.

vorpX 23.1.0 BETA

[drhouse]

@Austint if it helps, and since you specifically mentioned the VorpX Desktop Viewer, I think it’s the best VR viewer among the choices so far. I started using it after the Beta, so I never experienced any issues. The main reason I like it is for the Ambience feature. It can enhance certain scenes I think even more effectively than real world ambient lights on a tv/monitor, cuz rather than being just a flat wall, you can watch a movie theater sized screen while the lighting fills up a frontal hemisphere around you.

So, for example, if a scene takes place underwater, you’re surrounded by the same blue matching the screen, and it can feel like you’re also underwater.

Once my Bigscreen Beyond arrives, I plan on comfortably spending a majority of my time watching flat and 3D computer media on the viewer instead of the monitor.

Here are the settings I usually use, maybe give them a try, see if you like it:
Background: Ambience
Ambience Brightness: 2.00 (max)
Screen Distance: 5.00 (max)
Screen Scale: 4.00-5.00
Screen Curvature: 3.00 (max)

btw, if you shrink the viewer as small as possible while playing media (e.g. youtube ambilight demo videos), you can really see how much the ambient lights are adding.

[austint]

Thanks for the info. I wasn’t aware that there was a beta build of Vorpx. Definitely going to try it out now!

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