I still remember the multiplayer game RUNESCAPE that I played back in my school days. All my classmates played that game along with their virtual characters in it. I always wanted to physically enter inside the game and feel like taking a tour of the different places featured in the game, perhaps even go on a quest.
That felt so unreal and almost a dream back then, but now when we look at technology, it’s advancement has made everything possible. Virtual Reality does nothing but the exact same thing that I wanted years ago! It actually takes you in a computer simulated virtual world where you feel like you are actually in the environment that is being displayed on your phone(mobile VR headsets) or PC (PC based VR headsets).
After an extensive research on these gadgets I will classify them into two: smartphone based Virtual Reality headsets and PC based Virtual Reality headsets.
Mobile VR headsets
Smartphone based VR headsets are the ones where you use take your phones and insert them inside the virtual reality headset.The phone has dual screens However many people have asked me questions on how do they work and how can we experience the VR world from our normal phones?
Well there is an app for everything and hence we have an app here as well, all you need to do is download the games you want to play in VR or even go on YouTube and check out the 360 videos for the test run.
How do VR headsets work?
Well if you see the 360 videos or the VR apps on your phone you would always fine the screen parted into two screens, like in the picture below:
Now, this replicates what we see when you close one of your eye with your palm and then do the same with the other.These two images now trick your mind into thinking that you are actually in that space and hence giving rise to a virtual reality.
The lenses play a major role in taking both the images and actually making it look like a real life scene.This is the reason why the phone is place in front of the lenses in the mobile VR headsets.
Do I need to have a specific phone?
Well, mostly no! Most of the headsets are compatible with phones of screen size 4.7 to 5 inches however you do need to have gyro sensors for motion sensing and I guess these days almost most of the smartphones has them because they are responsible for tracking rotation on your phone.
Are there headsets specific to my phone?
Well, that depends on what phone you are using, most of the phones go well with the Noon VR since that is my best recommendation when you want something so that you could use it with most of the phones.However, if you like Samsung phones then all I can say is you are extremely lucky since you get to use the Gear VR.
How do I get started on my VR journey?
Well if you have never heard of VR before then I suggest you could easily get started with the Google Cardboard since it is extremely cheap and it gives a really nice taste of Virtual Reality.
Google did do a pretty good work on getting the Google Cardboard available to the masses for a really low price since it further helps you decide better if you are all in for the headset or not!
Read a review:Google Cardboard
Do I need a VR headset?
This ain’t any rocket science, it is as good as trying a new social networking site, I think it is way better you get into another world and it is really something worth a try.
It could get a little addictive if you like gaming especially when you go for Samsung Gear VR or the Noon VR headsets.
READ: Review on the Gear VR
READ: Review on the Noon VR
If you want to try out any of them or want to know more on these headsets then, check out my reviews on them !
PC Virtual Reality Headsets
Now these are the high-end headsets whose costs can go up to $800 but they are pretty much flawless.They work on almost the same principle of the two pictures being viewed from different angles when combined give out the virtual reality.However in these headsets you are connected to the PC via HDMI and other cables which would be long enough so that you would not feel that you are a horse tied up for grazing.
These headsets have tracking cameras which can be placed at various places in your room so that your motion could be easily tracked and different VR manufacturers have different ways of setting them up, but most of them track the sensor that is present in the headset and hence giving a full 360-degree tracking.
This means that even if you turn your head it can easily track that movement and replicate it in the game you are playing.
The three famous PC headsets are the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and the PlayStation VR. The three of them are the major competitors when it comes to PC gaming headsets.
Specifications needed to use them with your laptop
Well you do need a beefy laptop specifications in order to run these headsets because the refresh rate in these headsets are way too high and if your laptop is slow then that would just result in a blurry mess. So you do need a really good graphics card and a fast laptop that supports these VR headsets.
Is this headset for me?
These headsets are for every gamer or even if you really love gaming and want to take the experience to an entire new level.It is a really good gadget if you want to feel that you are in some other place by just being in your room and wearing the headset.
They feel extremely real and are of real high-end quality and resolution.If not for the money factor, I would recommend it to everyone!
Are they safe to use?
Until now there haven’t been any complaints, however if I ever do find any I would update my page or have the warning tag before recommending any of the VR headsets.Though there have been complaints of motion sickness in a few games and that yet isn’t a deal breaker. I would still go ahead and buy a VR headset apart from that because the experience is really worth it.
Hope I could explain most of the aspects of Virtual Reality in a gist and now you are pretty much informed about what these headsets do and how they work. I hope that I have helped you to make an informed choice before you buy any of the headsets and do like and share my page as it would help more people know about Virtual Reality.