So, which did you choose?

[bill_correa]

BEWARE: After reading reviews and comparisons, I chose the HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset - mainly because of the durability reviews of heavier materials. It felt very comfortable and solid... although in the flipped up position, it made my head feel off balance (similar sensation to pee-wee football helmet).

Mine arrived before Christmas, after which the entire setup experience was met with great disappointment. For my use case scenario, it just went back into the box for return… and the reason is quite baffling! According to HP support website, the HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset must be connected directly to the computer to display video.

Maybe doesn’t seem unreasonable for performance reasons, until you realize that it’s a full size HDMI port along with powered USB 3.0. If you have HDMI full size output on your system, and you meet all the other spec requirements, then you should be fine. But for the other 80% of systems out there, something other than HDMI out is going to be a problem. I had the USB 3 no problem on my mid-level Surface Studio (i7/16GB/2GB GPU), but alas I have a Mini DisplayPort for out video. I also have a top of the line Surface Book, and an HP Workstation with a full size display port for HD out video. In all cases, using a Mini DisplayPort or DisplayPort to HDMI adapter (yes a high-end one that supports 4k/60Hz)… results = no video!

I actually started with a cheaper video dongle and the system check didn't detect video in setup, so I upgraded to the 4K dongle which setup then detected and completed showing the unit was online and working - but without actually showing any video signal. I went as far as to setup Steam with the Windows Mixed Reality add-in so that is shows a viewer on regular display of what is supposed be getting sent to the headset. After searching on HP support site, their troubleshooting guidance states that USB and HDMI must be connected DIRECTLY to the computer - no dongles, USB hubs, etc. I also found a post from 8/15/17 sharing same experience specific to Surface Studio and Surface Book... essentially zero support for Mini DisplayPort or any other connection other than direct HDMI and powered USB 3.0 connections.

I have since confirmed with a colleague who purchased the Samsung Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality Headset and it works just fine with a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter – he has it plugged into his Surface Dock and uses a Surface Book 2 without issue.

 

[Frenchmeister]

NO NEED TO BEWARE:

The HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset works just fine with video adapters. You just need to research the specs of the computer you intend to use it on and know what specs the headset expects, which I did. Especially since this was going to be a Christmas gift for my college age daughter and would be used on an older computer. Since the gaming PC I built for her a few years ago only had an HDMI 1.4 port, I also bought a DisplayPort 1.2 to HDMI 2.0a active adapter and a generic USB 4.0 Bluetooth adapter. After updating her computer with the Windows Fall Creators update 1709, I plugged everything in, paired the controllers to the bluetooth adapter and started testing. And immediately booted into the WMR setup routine. After setting up the boundary it went into the quick tutorial and then the Cliff House. No muss, no fuss. It worked perfectly. SteamVR also installed and works without issue. My daughter now has the computer at her house at college and is enjoying playing VR games with her friends. I even purchased her a 15' HDMI 2.0b extension cable and a 16' USB 3.0 active extension cable so that she could increase the size of her play area. Both of those work fine as well.

The moral of the story here is (like most things) to make sure you do your homework before ordering things, especially electronics.

 

[onlysublime]

. I also found a post from 8/15/17 sharing same experience specific to Surface Studio and Surface Book... essentially zero support for Mini DisplayPort or any other connection other than direct HDMI and powered USB 3.0 connections.

I have since confirmed with a colleague who purchased the Samsung Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality Headset and it works just fine with a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter – he has it plugged into his Surface Dock and uses a Surface Book 2 without issue.

Did you follow the directions for the Windows Mixed Reality support?

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/windows-mixed-reality-minimum-pc-hardware-compatibility-guidelines

Surface Book is incompatible.

Surface Studio is compatible but headset must be plugged into a particular USB port.

And yes, the adapter matters. I had problems getting my WMR headset to activate until I got the right adapter (I bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUwpUvbUpU3728425). I have the Surface Pro 2017 with the mini DisplayPort.

 

[grantson]

I went for the Dell Visor after initially deciding on the lenovo explorer.

Having read the limited reviews around on both headsets & basically deciding the lenovo was lighter, not white and had slightly less bugs in early reviews.

PC world were offering package deals with gaming laptops and both of the headsets, but all my local stores either had the laptop I wanted or the lenovo headset but not both so couldn't sell em the package. I opted for the dell realizing that the only reviews I could find about it were from the day one launch event & that one review of the lenovo from the same event said the controllers wouldn't work at all. So leap of faith...

Overall really happy with the headset, build quality, image quality etc all seem really good although all i have to compare it with is a google cardboard.

I have to say though given the amount of content available in the windows store and on steam VR if I had paid for the headset I would be returning it and buying a Rift or a Vive, but as it was technically a freebie I'm happy to sit on it and see what happens over the next few months