Introduction to Big Screen Beyond VR Headset

Norm from Tested provides an in-depth preview of the Big Screen Beyond VR headset, which is a tethered wired headset that requires an existing setup or a new SteamVR setup. The headset uses micro OLED panels and custom facial interface.

Features of the Big Screen Beyond VR Headset

• The headset is a desktop VR headset that does not run its own internal tracking or processing power.

• It requires an existing setup or a new SteamVR setup with base stations and compatible controllers.

• The headset costs $1000 and does not include any other tracking accessories or controllers.

• The displays use micro OLED panels with high resolution per eye and custom thin pancake optics for a close to 90-degree diagonal field of view.

• The pixel per degree is 28, higher than Quest 2, Quest Pro, HP Reverb G2, and Vive Pro 2 but lower than Vario Arrow.

• Custom facial interface requires users to send their IPD and do a face scan using a modern iPhone with lidar sensor.

Unique Aspects of the Big Screen Beyond VR Headset

• Custom facial interface perfectly conforms to user's face structure for better comfort and fit compared to other headsets.

• Facial interface has more surface area contact than other headsets due to its smaller size but perfect conformation.

Unique Features of the VR Headset

The VR headset is lightweight and has a custom form factor for users. It also features a high-resolution micro OLED display.

Lightweight Design

• Weighs 127 grams without the head strap and custom facial interface.

• Up to 180 grams with the custom facial interface, which varies for each user.

• Lighter than a Quest 2 controller with batteries inside.

Custom Form Factor

• Made-to-order for users.

• Unique design sets it apart from other VR headsets.

High-Resolution Micro OLED Display

• Provides tremendous clarity.

• Uses an RGB stripe subpixel arrangement, eliminating screen door effect.

• Colors and contrasts are fantastic, with deep blacks and great contrast in dark scenes.

Experience of Using the VR Headset

The clarity on this headset is tremendous. The micro OLED display provides high resolution, making everything in VR more believable.

Clarity of Display

• Tremendous clarity that makes everything in VR more believable.

• Increased geometry detail that enhances immersion.

• Details previously unseen on other headsets can be seen on this one.

Comfortable to Wear

• Lightweight design allows for longer wear time compared to other headsets.

• Ski goggles strap works well without top strap.

Great Contrast and Color Reproduction

• Deep blacks provide great contrast in dark scenes.

• Colors are fantastic, providing great contrast between light and dark areas.

Improvements Needed for the VR Headset

While there are many positives about this headset, there is still room for improvement.

Aliasing Issues

• Some aliasing issues present when looking at thin lines or wires in Half-Life Alex's opening scene across City 17.

Room for Improvement in Clarity

• While the clarity is tremendous, there is always room for improvement.

• Some aliasing present in some geometry.

GPU Taxation

• The GPU is taxed when running the headset, making it difficult to do full video editing in Premiere.

• Basic tasks such as typing up Google Docs and web browsing are possible.

Conclusion

The VR headset provides a unique experience with its lightweight design and high-resolution micro OLED display. While there are some areas that need improvement, such as aliasing issues and GPU taxation, the overall experience is fantastic.

Comfort and Microphone Quality

In this section, the speaker talks about the comfort of wearing the headset for long periods of time and how it feels different from other headsets. They also discuss the microphone quality.

Comfort

• The speaker mentions that the headset is comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

• The design allows for a secure fit without having to tighten straps too much.

• The weight may cause some downward pressure on certain parts of the face, depending on individual facial features.

• The form factor was chosen by the manufacturer based on their manufacturing process, but it may not be equally comfortable for all users.

Microphone Quality

• The stereo microphones located at the bottom of the headset are of good quality.

• During gameplay, people were impressed with how clear it sounded compared to other headsets like Quest Pro.

• It works well as a dedicated mic.

Glare and Comfort Issues

In this section, the speaker discusses issues related to glare and comfort while using the VR headset.

Glare Issues

• The speaker noticed a floating glare in high contrast scenes.

• The glare was closer to their face than the image, making it feel like smudgy glasses.

• If the scene is uniformly bright, then the glare is not noticeable.

• First-time users may find it jarring.

Comfort Issues

• The prescription lens insert tended to fog up more than the lenses themselves.

• Users who wear contacts may prefer this headset over using prescription inserts.

• The default head strap's cable routing solution isn't as secure as desired for a beefy cable like this one.

• There is some adjustment for angle, but it needs to be more firm or ratcheted clicky instead of loose connection.

Limitations and Awkward Features

In this section, the speaker discusses limitations and awkward features of the VR headset.

Refresh Rate Limitation

• Although it's a 90 Hz panel, its default refresh rate is 75 Hz due to bandwidth limitations of DisplayPort 1.4 protocol.

• When running at 2560 by 2560 per eye at high refresh rates, you can only get full native res across this cable when running at 75 Hz.

• At 90 Hz, the headset accepts only a 1920 by 1920 signal compressed down from GPU output through distribution display stream compression (DSC).

Big Screen's Micro OLED Headset Review

In this section, the reviewer discusses the comfort and performance of Big Screen's Micro OLED headset.

Comfort and Performance

• The OLED panels have a low pixel response time, making it comfortable to use at 75 Hertz.

• Some users may experience persistence issues with the image, but decreasing brightness can help.

• The headset is not very bright due to the use of pancake optics and polarization.

• Compared to other headsets, such as PSVR 2, scenes are not as bright in daylight settings.

• The clarity and vibrant colors make up for the lack of brightness.

• It is unclear if using micro OLED panels with pancake optics will improve HDR quality.

• At $1000, it is a no-brainer upgrade for those who already have a Valve Index setup or play Sim games.

Future of PCVR

In this section, the reviewer discusses what we can expect from future PCVR headsets.

Next Generation Headsets

• Other manufacturers may adopt micro OLED panels in their next generation headsets.

• There may be different trade-offs made when choosing lens combinations and panel sizes.

• Big Screen's approach with custom facial interfaces and ultra-low weight is unique and unlikely to be copied by competitors.

• A three doff solution where you can plug this into a laptop would add extra value to Big Screen beyond gaming.

Final Thoughts

In this section, the reviewer shares their final thoughts on Big Screen's Micro OLED headset.

Final Impressions

• The comfort and clarity make them fall back in love with PC VR after years of stagnant hardware improvements.

• They are excited about what production actual shipping product will look like once released.

• They hope Big Screen will make a three doff solution where you can plug this into a laptop and use it as a productivity or media viewing device.