Avatour and Virtual Reality
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      2. Avatour and Virtual Reality

      Which VR headsets (HMDs) can I use with AVATOUR?

      Avatour is currently available for standalone Meta (formerly Oculus) Quest 1 & 2 headsets, as well as on Pico VR models Neo3 Pro, Neo 3 Pro Eye, G2 4K, and Neo2. Most customers choose between the Meta Quest 2 and the Pico Neo3.

      Meta Quest 2

      The Quest 2 is by far the largest-selling VR HMD. It's inexpensive and widely available, but was not originally designed for enterprise use.

      • Ease of use: The Quest 2 is entirely standalone and does not require a PC. We consider this to be a requirement for easy deployment.
      • Performance:  The Quest 2 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, which provides dramatically better performance than other standalone options.
      • Price: Quest 2 is relatively inexpensive, starting at $299 retail.
      • Kiosk mode and Device Management: Quest 2 can be managed remotely using the ArborXR management platform. Avatour can manage headsets on behalf of our customers, or provide access to the ArborXR platform to customer IT personnel. However, Meta's strategy for enterprise customers is unclear and there is no guarantee they will continue to permit this mode of operation.
      • EU Restrictions: Due to privacy concerns with the underlying Facebook platform, availability of the Meta Quest in the EU is currently problematic. Facebook is not selling headsets in Germany, and other organizations have expressed concerns as well. The recent change in login policy, taking effect August 2022, may change the situation.

      Pico Neo3 Pro

      The Pico Neo3 Pro (and Pro Eye) were designed for enterprise. They're more expensive than the Quest, and don't provide anything like Meta's breadth of gaming and entertainment apps. But they have roughly equivalent performance and are a better choice for most enterprise deployments. 

      • Ease of use: the Neo3 devices are standalone and have good balance and ergonomics for long-term use.
      • Performance: Neo3 uses the same Qualcomm XR2 chipset as the Quest 2, for roughly similar performance.
      • Price: Neo3 is not available at retail; Avatour customers can purchase from us at $699.
      • Kiosk mode and Device Management: Neo3 headsets can be managed remotely using the ArborXR management platform. Avatour can manage headsets on behalf of our customers, or provide access to the ArborXR platform to customer IT personnel.

      Meta Quest or Pico Neo3 Pro?

      Most customers choose between these two devices. The chart below breaks down the pros and cons of these two headsets.

      Meta Quest 2 Pico Neo3 Pro

      Pros:

      • Price: $299 in USA
      • 6 degrees of freedom for both headset and controllers
      • Easily available from many US retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.)
      • Slightly more precise tracking than Pico headset

      Pros:

      • Designed for Enterprise deployment: can be locked down ("Kiosk mode") and/or remotely managed
      • Larger field of view (98°)
        compared to Quest 2 (89°)
      • Ergonomic design
        and weight distribution more suitable for longer use

      Cons:

      • While remote management and Kiosk mode are currently possible, Meta's future strategy is unclear and this capability may be removed at any time.
      • No ability to restrict users from downloading and running other software 
      • The field of view is smaller than Pico model

      Cons:

      • Price: ~$699 in USA
      • Only available for purchase to Enterprise/business customers 
      • Fewer apps available in Pico store due to being to being business-oriented 

      Other Headset Options

      Pico Neo3 Link: Pending

      As of this writing the Pico Neo3 Link was recently released. We have not yet tested our Pico build on the Neo3 Link but we expect to support it alongside the other Neo3 models.

      Oculus Quest 1: Supported

      In addition to the Quest 2, Avatour also supports the previous-generation Oculus Quest 1. This device has a less powerful processor and provides lower performance than the Quest 2 when used in Avatour. We are continuing to provide support for the Quest 1 until further notice.

      Oculus for Business: Support Discontinued

      The Oculus for Business (OfB) program was discontinued at the end of 2021. OfB headsets are no longer receiving updates to the latest version of the Oculus/Meta Quest SDK. As a result we are unable to continue to support OfB headsets.

      Pico G2 4K: EOL

      The Pico G2 4K is 3-degree-of-freedom headset which is less expensive than most other options. It's quite a good option for Avatour and works well despite its less powerful processor. However, Pico has discontinued updates to the G2 4K SDK as of late 2021. We expect the G2 4K hardware will also be discontinued in the near future. As a result we can only commit to support for the G2 4K until EOY 2022.

      Pico Neo2

      The Pico Neo2 was rapidly replaced in the market by the Neo3. We currently support the Neo2 but we are unaware of any customer deployments with this hardware. Most likely, future Avatour updates which support the Neo3 will also support Neo2, however, given the low usage of this headset in the field we are not explicitly testing or supporting Neo2.

      Looking Forward

      The universe of available VR hardware continues to evolve, and we're constantly evaluating new hardware. If there is a specific headset you'd like to see us support, please drop us a line and let us know.