Gear VR glasses: what else do they need? Review of virtual reality glasses Samsung Gear VR Connecting samsung galaxy s7 to gear vr

Samsung virtual reality glasses are represented on the global gadget market in five models. Each sample is an improved version of the previous one. The article provides a complete overview of VR devices, examines the detailed characteristics of each model, and points out their advantages and disadvantages.

General characteristics of Samsung Gear VR

The Koreans developed Samsung Gear VR virtual reality glasses together with Oculus. The device is rapidly gaining popularity among gadget lovers.

The device was an innovation among users. The device does not just make the picture three-dimensional, like regular 3D virtual reality glasses when watching movies on TV or in a cinema. The glasses immerse the user in the world of a game or video, providing the possibility of a 360-degree view (i.e. viewing the surroundings, rotation, etc.). An overview of the different models provides more detailed information.

Versions of Samsung Gear VR glasses

Regardless of the year of manufacture, the glasses made a lasting impression. Every person who visited virtual reality had a lot of fun. This is the case when you need to see the functioning of the gadget with your own eyes.

The manufacturer took care of user convenience. The design of the gadget is thought out to the smallest detail. Everything in it is done so as not to remove the device. For example, while watching a video or playing a game, you can read your phone notifications directly on the glasses screen. Each model is presented with its own characteristics, which can be found below.

Samsung Gear VR SM-R320

The sample represents the first model of glasses for a smartphone. The gadget went on sale in December 2014 and was a kind of experiment in the field of virtual reality for users and developers.

Compatibility was limited. Only owners of the Galaxy Note 4 could use the glasses. Other phone options were not suitable for synchronized work, which is why performance was low.

Samsung Gear VR SM-R321

In March 2015, the 320th model replaced the 321st. Taking into account user feedback, the developers have improved it. But, in comparison with the new samples, shortcomings remained. The updated version was characterized by the following features:

Micro USB port
Built-in fan
New Compatibility

The port was built-in to conveniently provide power to the gadget, and the fan prevented the lenses from fogging. The range of users was limited to owners of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.

Samsung Gear VR SM-R322

The sample was released in November 2015. It has been completely updated. The main feature was the redesigned touchpad, which greatly simplified navigation. The weight of the device has also been improved - 19% less than the 321st model.

The sample synchronized with six devices. These include Samsung Galaxy s7, S7 Edge, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, Note5. The expansion of the circle of users gave impetus to increased productivity, which was a step towards a new version.

Samsung Gear VR SM-R323

2016 marked the release of the 323rd glasses model along with a new version of Note7 smartphones designed for collaboration. The device has been upgraded:

Flat touchpad panel
Wide viewing angle
Adjusting the body to prevent glare

Samsung Gear VR SM-R324

The latest 324 model – Samsung Gear VR New 2017 – has already gained popularity among users. The main feature of the sample is compatibility with the latest versions – Samsung Galaxy S8, S8Plus and Galaxy Note 8.

The company has developed a special controller. Its goal is empowerment. Having previous versions of devices in hand, you can separately purchase a controller and connect it to them. This will improve their functioning. Below is a detailed overview of the new glasses model.

Features of Samsung Gear VR New

The manufacturer has improved the device from different angles. Unlike previous models, the developers equipped this one with three elements:

USB-C port (to support smartphone power supply)
MicroUSB adapter (for pairing)
New Home button on the touchpad (for quick exit)

A detailed review of the Gear VR New is provided below.

Design Features

Compared to previous versions, the new model weighs a quarter less. The developers took care of users with eye diseases. There is a special disk located outside the device that allows you to adjust the optics.

Diopters are difficult to fit into the device body. Samsung glasses fit tightly to the face. There is little free space inside the case, so outside light does not penetrate inside. People with vision problems use lenses. The model is equipped with soft pillows that gently fit the face. The case has several holes, which prevents the lenses from fogging.

Play in a swivel office chair

While the Samsung Gear VR isn't as powerful as its VR counterpart, the Gear VR has one major advantage - it's wireless. You really should take advantage of this and play in a comfortable chair.

Avoid lens fogging

Samsung has addressed most of the technical issues with the Samsung Gear VR, but until someone comes up with an amazing lens coating that has an anti-fog effect, it seems like fogging will be a problem in every VR headset. After playing, the fog will disappear on its own for a while (this is caused by the temperature difference between the lenses and the phone), but you can also take matters into your own hands.

There are many chemical products available that are designed to clean plastic spectacle lenses and sunglasses to help us. 2 products helped me - Clarity DEFOG and Jaws Quick Spit, but I recommend the latter simply because it is much cheaper. It costs about $6 a bottle on Amazon and lasts at least 200 uses. Before jumping into VR, simply spray a little onto your finger, rub into each lens, wipe off excess, and enjoy fog-free VR.

Keep your glasses clean

There is nothing more annoying than connecting your phone, headphones, gamepad, attaching the headset to your head and realizing that the view is blocked by a layer of dust...

I always keep a can of compressed air on hand to blow off dust on both sides of the lenses before using the headset. In addition, I try to always keep my glasses clean.

Download apps before using Gear VR

Overheating was a major issue with the Gear VR Innovator Edition in 2014, but the consumer version has largely resolved the issue. The only time I encountered it was when, while wearing the headset, I queued up several apps to download and played something else while installing them.

The Samsung Gear VR puts quite a bit of stress on the phone, so it's not surprising that it overheated. To avoid such problems, I recommend downloading apps from the Oculus Store before entering a game or using other features of the glasses.

Get an Android-compatible gamepad

You may be aware of this, but some of the best games for Samsung Gear VR require the use of a gamepad, while others provide the best experience with one.

I liked the Steelseries Stratus XL (left), but not everyone wants to add $70 to the cost of the kit. For those looking to save money, the Moga Hero Power (right) is $28.

Use headphones

Virtual reality is a largely visual experience, but don't underestimate the impact of audio. Thanks to the sound, a deeper sense of presence in another place is born.

The Gear VR can stream game audio through your phone's speakers, but makes for a fairly pedestrian immersion experience. Therefore, buying yourself a pair of high-quality headphones like the Sennheiser Momentums, which you can see above, will not be an unnecessary step.

Determine your tolerance to motion sickness

Some people are more sensitive to motion sickness in VR than others, and some content is more likely to cause motion sickness.

Fortunately, Oculus took this more seriously than other companies and included comfort ratings in the Oculus Store that categorize content as “suitable for most,” “suitable for some,” or “suitable for a few.” Compare your response to each category of apps and guard against those that don't meet your tolerance level.

There is an opinion that those owners of top Samsung smartphones who have not yet bought Gear VR glasses are missing out on a lot. After all, unlike the empty cardboard box of Google Cardboard, this product is a real virtual reality headset, the “filling” for which was also created by the flagship of VR technologies - Oculus.

The product itself, of course, turned out to be very interesting from a functional point of view and was designed with an understanding of the needs of the end user. How can one not recall the convenient navigation touchpad and the internal volume sufficient for the headset to be used with regular glasses. And now the branded Milk VR service has also appeared, which over time the developers promise to literally turn into a real parallel universe for Gear VR owners. So the prospects are encouraging.

And in this regard, today we’ll talk about how a newcomer to virtual worlds can quickly master their new Gear VR glasses so that the device can work with full efficiency right away, and not later.

game controller

Let us repeat, the standard, that is, built-in touchpad of the Gear VR is intended, first of all, to improve the convenience of navigation. Therefore, even if it is suitable for games, it is not the best. The headset can also work with plug-in full-featured game controllers. The manufacturer officially names 3 models of compatible gamepads: Moga Pro Power, Samsung EI-GP20 and SteelSeries Stratus XL in the Android version. However, judging by the reviews on specialized forums, mobile gamers have already significantly expanded this list and successfully use the glasses with other joysticks, including less expensive ones. For example, in addition to Moga Pro Power (about 6,000 rubles), Moga Hero Power has also proven itself well (4,500 rubles in domestic stores, and $28 on Amazon).

work-play space

The specificity of virtual reality in its current form is that the view there is circular. But since few people know how to view everything around 360 degrees without changing the position of their body, the Gear VR still requires some free space where the user can comfortably rotate their head and turn their whole body, as well as moderately spacious and a stable seat that will hold this body securely. Of course, you can try to stay on your feet, but, as practice shows, not always and not everyone succeeds (remember the old videos with the first Rift and roller coasters?):

As a result, by this day the mass VR user came to the conclusion that the optimal seat for immersing in virtual reality is a strong swivel chair, in which it is comfortable to sit and turn around, and from which it is most difficult to fall out.

headphones

The virtual world is not only a visual experience, but also a sound, and often a very good one. Therefore, in order not to deprive yourself of the pleasure of high-quality audio in games, videos and VR applications, you will have to look at decent headphones for the Gear VR. Since, as you understand, you can’t expect any records in terms of sound from the built-in speaker of even a top Samsung smartphone.

But there is one important point in this matter: there are complaints that some Bluetooth headphones paired with Gear VR exhibit an unpleasant lag (lag) in audio playback. For this reason, when you first get acquainted with your new Gear VR, it is more logical to use wired headphones, and then choose a wireless model using the method of subject testing.

comfort mode

Once in virtual reality, some of those who have only recently put on Gear VR glasses (as well as any other VR headset) begin to suffer from the so-called motion sickness. In other words, you begin to feel nausea and other symptoms of motion sickness.

This is due to the characteristics of the body of each individual user. For users who are more sensitive to motion sickness, the developer recommends that, firstly, at first, use only software products marked comfortable for most, and secondly, turn on “ Comfort mode » ( Comfort Mode), which reduces eye strain by reducing the amount of blue color in the picture displayed on the smartphone screen.

turning off reality in Gear VR

Constant transitions from the virtual world to the real one in order to answer a phone call, SMS, read a reminder, etc. have an extremely negative impact on mood. However, the close proximity of the smartphone in the case of Gear VR is the other side of the coin, which cannot be avoided. However, this kind of external mobile irritation can be quickly blocked.

Open it on Oculus Home, hover the cursor over the “Do Not Disturb” icon (the icon with a crossed out smartphone) and tap once on the touchpad. Now your Samsung in the virtual world will not bother you.

Something like that!

Many users interested in VR technologies also try to keep up with new products. The manufacturer Samsung does not lag behind its competitors in this matter and presents its own modern products. Thus, this article will discuss the question of how to connect Samsung Gear VR to a computer, and also to a phone.

Samsung Gear VR is a joint product of Samsung and Oculus VR in the form of a virtual reality helmet. This device is quite easy to use, has optimal weight and dimensions. The design is designed for comfort and ease of use. Regarding functional features, the model in question has all the parameters that meet modern requirements.

It is worth noting that in terms of price and quality ratio, this offer is one of the most attractive on the virtual technology market.

The main purpose of the device is related to its use with Samsung Galaxy S-series, but it often does not work with other smartphones. This may be due to both software features and the dimensions of other smartphones.

However, the problem of connecting to other phones can be solved in the following way:

When you install your phone in your headset, the Oculus process automatically starts and must be manually disabled.
There are three such processes in total and they are disabled using special, but paid programs, for example Package Disable Pro.
After this, Gear VR will become equivalent to an ordinary Google Cardboard and can be used with any VR applications from the Play Market.

If necessary, all changes made can be canceled and the device will restore its default operating mode. Care should be taken when carrying out such manipulations so as not to disrupt the functionality of the device.

Learn more about Package Disable Pro

This application is designed to work exclusively with Samsung devices, and its the price does not exceed $2. To run this application, you do not need Root, and it is installed as an ordinary apk file.

Its main purpose is to completely freeze other processes and applications on the smartphone. This feature can be useful when you need to reconfigure the Gear VR from Samsung to work with smartphones from other manufacturers. The program has a user-friendly design and good performance when analyzing the system and performing tasks. It can also be used to optimize the power consumption of your device.

How to connect to a computer

In order to connect Gear VR from Samsung to your personal computer, you will need the following:

Selected virtual reality glasses;
Eligible smartphone;
USB cable or Wi-Fi distribution point;
A special program Trinus VR, which broadcasts images from a computer directly to a smartphone;
Customized games and other VR applications.

The Trinus VR program can be installed on your smartphone via the Play Market for free. You should be careful while checking your version of Android, which directly affects the installation process.

First you need to connect your smartphone to your PC via a USB cable or via Wi-Fi;
Next, you need to make sure that the connection is stable and correctly configured, which is best ensured by a USB cable;
Next, you can run the mentioned Trinus VR program on your phone and then on your computer;
In both program windows you need to click on the triangle icon;
After this, the image from the smartphone screen will begin to be displayed on the computer, and all data read by motion sensors, etc., will also be transferred to the PC.

Video instruction

Samsung Gear VR is a virtual reality headset made in collaboration with Oculus. The equipment gives you access to movies, games and other content that we can “step into” to get a full 360-degree view.

Virtual reality with Samsung Gear VR glasses

The glasses themselves are a fairly simple device. The most important design element is the set of lenses through which we see the phone's screen. In our case, it was the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S6, since we tested the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition for the S6. Samsung also offers a version designed for Galaxy Note 4 smartphones. There are differences in the phone's mounting system.

Samsung Gear VR device and connection

The lenses are made of plastic. The parts in contact with the skin are made of soft foam and, in some places, leatherette. The device has a small touchpad, a back button, volume and focus controls. Samsung Gear VR glasses do not have their own battery, so they use a smartphone battery. However, you can connect a charger; there is a micro-USB port for this.

The equipment can also be used with headphones, but they are connected to the jack on the smartphone, although this is not particularly necessary; the sound from the phone's speakers is sufficient for operation.

The smartphone is connected to the USB port on the glasses and placed in special mounts. The Gear VR has a sensor that detects when the glasses are in use. After putting the equipment on our head, the Oculus Gear VR application automatically launches, and we immediately begin to immerse ourselves in virtual reality.

Features of using Samsung Gear VR glasses

Compatibility with diopter glasses was immediately checked. Users with visual impairments also have the opportunity to use this device. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of space inside the Samsung Gear VR, making it very difficult to fit the device on top of your glasses (if possible), so wearing lenses or moving the device further towards the tip of your nose is preferable, but you're unlikely to get the full viewing experience.

Virtual reality glasses are very comfortable to use. The foam in contact with the skin is soft and pleasant to the touch. Gear VR has a significant range of adjustment, so the device easily adapts to the head. More importantly, the device completely limits the penetration of light from outside, which increases the effect of complete immersion in the virtual world.

Samsung Gear VR perfectly reads head movements; during testing, it never happened that the glasses “understood” the movement incorrectly. If such problems suddenly appear, you can calibrate the device without removing it from your head. Unfortunately, all screen pixels are visible to the naked eye, which affects image quality. Even the QHD resolution (1440x2560 pixels) of the Samsung Galaxy S6 cannot help here.

Samsung has provided a very interesting option - built into the pause menu. If you need time to return to the real world, but it is inconvenient to take off your glasses, then it is possible to get an image from the main camera of your smartphone on the screen. As a result, everything that is in front of us is visible.

Samsung hasn't forgotten about notifications. They appear inside the virtual world in the form of small plates suspended in space. These are standard Android notifications that provide a preview of messages or an incoming call. This allows you to immediately decide whether to leave the virtual world or let things wait.

Watching videos using Samsung Gear VR

First, it should be emphasized that 360-degree videos are not like 3D videos. 360-degree video is an immersive experience within which the viewer can look around and rotate. Stereoscopic 3D, in turn, creates a similar spatial experience as when watching 3D films in a movie theater.

The most important news is that Samsung Gear VR can play both types of video content, as well as combinations of them, such as 3D movies. Moreover, the glasses also allow you to watch the videos you have shot and downloaded. Simply move the files to the appropriate directory in the smartphone’s memory.

Samsung Gear VR has two main video viewing apps - Oculus 360 Videos and Oculus Cinema. The first one is used to watch movies. Initially, several examples are immediately available to us, among which there are both 2D and 3D videos. It's interesting, although the demos provided are short, but they leave an incredible impression. The application also allows you to watch downloaded films, the database of which is already quite extensive on the Internet.

The second Oculus Cinema application is used to watch “flat” films. The application simulates a virtual cinema, the picture occupies almost the entire field of view. By turning your head, you can even see the cinema scenery. An interesting option is to change them to something a little more extravagant. The video can be viewed, for example, on the lunar surface or from the point of view of an ant on a smartphone left in the forest. The experience is amazing because the environment dynamically reacts to changes in color and brightness of the film.

In theory, the Oculus Cinema app replaces the movie theater. We can lie on the bed with Samsung Gear VR + headphones on our heads and go to the movies without leaving home. However, such a system will become truly interesting only when the screen resolution of smartphones improves significantly.

The main app you can use Samsung Gear VR with is Oculus Gear VR. It starts automatically as soon as the glasses are put on your head. This is a kind of store with various materials.

Oculus Gear VR provides access to a variety of content: games, movie apps, concerts recorded in 360 degrees, or movie trailers adapted for virtual reality glasses. Some content is paid, but the vast majority is freely available. When we open the application without glasses on our head, it uses the most common design. But once you connect the Gear VR, it takes the form of a virtual room in which the menu floats in the air.

In terms of the quality of available footage, the most impressive are the movie trailers, especially Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron. The biggest impression was made by Cirque du Soleil Curios. The choreography, costumes, atmosphere and quality of the sets are of an extremely high level. There is so much going on on stage that even after watching it multiple times you still find something new. Another successful example is concert recordings, including those of Paul McCartney.

Unfortunately, not all materials are made at such a high level as illustrated in the demo. Most of them are very simple, and this catches your eye. After a few minutes, the initial delight subsides due to the monotony and lack of any meaning. Gaming content requires a Bluetooth controller.

Additional Samsung Gear VR apps

Unfortunately, there is also a big drawback in compatibility with various applications in VR. As already mentioned, as soon as the Gear VR is on your head, the Oculus Gear VR automatically launches, which does not turn off. We can't use other VR apps, of which Google Play now offers a huge variety. An example is the same Google Cardboard.

The problem with Gear VR is that the Oculus VR application starts automatically when the glasses are on your head. You can, of course, take a workaround. The smartphone can be inserted into the mount without the USB connection built into the glasses. This is physically possible, but the phone is placed on a slight slope and, as a rule, is not held very securely in the clasps. This solution works well and allows you to view content, but it has its drawbacks. In this position of the smartphone, we have no way to control the “action” on the screen. If, for example, we want to pause a movie, we must remove the glasses from our heads, take out our smartphone and simply press the pause button.

This is a bit odd because being able to watch spherical content from YouTube is pretty much the accepted standard. It's a shame that Gear VR doesn't allow this.

Samsung Gear VR and the maze

Samsung VR glasses also became a challenge for the maze. Some of this material makes you dizzy and nauseous within just a few seconds of viewing. The worst experiences are dynamic games in which we look at the world through the eyes of the hero. Our eyes see a picture in which we are supposedly moving quickly, although at this time the body is simply on a chair. The brain receives conflicting information and cannot cope with it. We tried for a long time to get used to this effect, but after two weeks we still didn’t succeed.

This unpleasant effect applies exclusively to the labyrinth. In most other materials, we can simply look around while at one point. And viewing such materials does not entail any unpleasant sensations. Thus, Samsung Gear VR performs much better in movies than in games.

Bottom line

This is the big question: is the Samsung Gear VR worth buying? On the one hand, the device provides something new, and virtual reality is something that just needs to be seen. I think this is the future of entertainment. The first contact with the BP gearbox is simply stunning, and I think there is not a single person who will not be impressed by the device.

On the other hand, the equipment is very limited, and too expensive for the capabilities it provides. Samsung Gear VR costs about $250 and requires a Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone. In addition, not everything is perfect in this generating equipment.

The Oculus VR app contains quite a bit of content, but most of it is for fairly one-time, short-term enjoyment. Thus, after two weeks of fun, you can get acquainted with literally everything that the equipment offers. The salvation, of course, will be your own films, which you can watch in VR.

However, do not forget about Google’s offer, which is an interesting addition in the form of all specialized solutions, including VR. I'm talking about the universal Google Cardboard glasses, which can be purchased for 10 dollars. The equipment is much less developed, but it allows you to watch spherical films.

Overall, if you have a Samsung Galaxy S6 or Note 4 and the $250 price tag for a few hours of entertainment doesn't put you off, the Samsung Gear VR glasses are a great choice.

pros

An amazing experience, this has never happened before.
Perfect reading of head movements.
A large database of games, videos and other materials available in the Oculus Gear VR application.
The ability to watch videos that you made yourself.
Convenient control using the touch panel.
Lots of thoughtful touches, such as the ability to look into the real world using a smartphone camera without taking off your glasses.