The VirtualLink Consortium announced a new standard development that allows connecting a VR headset to any source via an USB Type-C cable. The consortium includes nVidia, Valve, Microsoft, Oculus and AMD. There is a no frills website at the current time that hints at not much more than the press release.
Virtual Link will make connecting a VR headset much easier
Overall it seems that they aim to connect any VR headset based on this technology via an USB C cable to any content server implementing the same standard. From a technology standpoint this connection should increase the available bandwidth over most other solutions. The preliminary specs are:
- four high-speed HBR3 DisplayPort lanes
- one USB3.1 data channel for supporting high-resolution cameras and sensors
- up to 27 watts of power
It appears that this is the initial announcement with very few hard details available today. We have to see when the first VR headset based on this standard will be released.
If you are interested in receiving this standard you have to register to the Google Group ‘VirtualLink Advance Overview Recipients’. The link to this group can be found on the VirtualLink website under resources or you can email [email protected] for more information. The standard is an open industry standard and aims to HMD makers, OEMs and consumers.
Analyst Comment
This is certainly a consumer oriented development as it makes it so much easier to set up and use a VR headset. However, we should not forget that this also means that at the current time the involved parties do not see a chance to create a competitive self contained headset. With the increasing demand for resolution and frame rates, the power requirements are most likely set to go up and consequently making a self contained (wireless connection) VR headset very unlikely in the near future. (NH)
