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Wearable 'Backpack PCs' Let You Experience High-End VR On The Go (mashable.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Powerful virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive require powerful PCs with beefy graphics cards to operate. That means you'll usually be tethered to a PC tower in your home. Well, HP and MSI have announced portable 'backpack PCs' designed to be used with high-end virtual reality headsets. These PC internals are built in a backpack enclosure powered by a large battery pack. The HP Omen X weighs less than 10 pounds and has a battery that's big enough to last for up to one hour of gameplay, but you do have the option of swapping out the batteries for uninterrupted VR. Specs include either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and at least an Nvidia GTX 970 or AMD R9 290 or higher. The MSI Backpack PC features an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GTX 980 graphics, according to the company. The last of the backpack PC trio is the Zotac Mobile VR. The company hasn't released any specs of the product but the company did state in a blog post, "This mobile solution not only removes the bulk of connecting to the large traditional computer towers of old, but also allows the user to roam freely in VR with their undivided attention. This innovative solution includes a system powerful enough to drive VR, and a portable battery pack to keep you going." There is no pricing or availability information as of yet.
Reminds me of lan parties back in the day. Almost brought tears of joy to my eyes!
Every does know that the Hololens does its own rendering and is a complete system in the head gear right? AR is a better idea, their system fixes all head tracking and is fast enough to fix motion sickness.... Why is this this kludge news?
The unshaven guy looking for the Knights of the Eastern Calculus IIRC. Unfortunately for him, he got more than he signed up for.
Am I understanding that this is a dual battery system so a battery hotswap would be possible?
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
welcome to snowcrash by neal stephenson!
Is any of those backpacks compatible with the new nVidia GTX 1080 that came out today? And wouldn't using a GTX 1080 give you more hours/minutes with the same batteries?
I use google streetview a lot, basically as a virtual tourist. I even put together my own little library - museum of my favorite places:
http://xweb123-001-site1.myasp...
but I talk to people and I'm shocked at how few(actually none) people are into using google streetview to explore. Although, there are whole web sites devoted to streetview pics of hookers and people urinating in the streets. Quite a few people say its somehow wrong to see the world through streetview and you should go there in person to see it for 'real'. Problem is I only have the budget to see a fraction of the world for 'real'. 90+ percent of the people I talk to only want to do facebook and Netflix on the internet. Maybe VR will take off but it will surprise me.
heh, people were pushing for backpack VR/AR for "high end" systems a few years ago that had less capability than Google Cardboard delivers from my cell phone. what they wanna stuff in a backpack today, will most likely be beaten by a portable handheld sized device as soon as it is believed a significant market exists.
Can't wait to try "Get Hit by a Bus Simulator."
Putting a desktop into a backpack, with just an hour's worth of battery, is a bandaid solution.
Clearly the marketing teams have had a go.
"On the go"? You mean, like... when you're pooping?
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
You can experience the virtual world... while walking around in the real world...
Try not to get hit by a bus... Or ... whatever, go ahead..
My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
Good luck carrying around a GTX 1090 that heats up to 100+ C and will break under sudden acceleration of 1G.
Or maybe you're looking for memes that are a little more old school when it comes to wearable computing...
More heavy gear to strap on. This just gets better and better.
So pray tell, how in the world does battery swap equal uninterrupted?
Cant wait to look back on this moment in 10 years and LMAO. Oh, virtual boy.
These were actually announced a while ago. You can make one yourself by putting a gaming laptop inside a backpack (and figuring out how to ventilate it). The upcoming ones are more like NUCs with decent GPUs and big batteries. As GPUs improve, the size/weight/battery draw will shrink, until it can clip onto your belt. Hopefully the HMD will be down to a single thin cable by this point. In the near term, external graphics card docks will be used, as HMD advances will track closely with GPU advances for the next several years.
An HMD was announced (can't find it now) that uses a usb 3.1 type C cable to connect to a smartphone that you clip onto your waist, which will be the low-power version of the same thing, but I think this form-factor is going to become standard for mobile VR until the processor is so fast (decades from now) it can be put in the HMD itself. Sliding the phone into the HMD imbalances it, and counterweighting it is difficult if the HMD supports multiple models/weights of phone; furthermore, HMDs will eventually have 5k+ resolution screens, overkill for a phone to have otherwise.
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
On the go it is better to experience the real world around you. Beats any high end VR. Just set the gadgets down by you and breathe deeply the fresh air and gaze wondrously at the blue sky and green trees.
Watch this cammed video clip for its reference. :P
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Like I said, "Why?"
A backpack PC may sound pretty silly right now, and it is. For anything more than enthusiasts, a backpack is asking too much IMO.
However this is one of those things I think we can count on getting better. They'll stream content to a VR headset, or miniaturize the backpack PC, or whatever. It won't stay as a backpack for very long.
Look, if you go into broadcasting, you wear a microphone (usually) and a wireless transmitter (usually). Do those people complain about how impossible those requirements are? No, both are fairly small and light. They don't impede movement or require you to wear special clothes. And if you don't have that setup then you have a boom mic and all that equipment isn't on you to carry around.
It will improve from the backpack setup. You can count on that.