HTC Vive Wireless Adapter vs. TPCast Wireless Adapter: Which should you buy?
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Wireless VRHTC Vive Wireless Adapter vs. TPCast Wireless Adapter: Which should you buy?
We don't only limit ourselves to laptops and PCs at Windows Fundamental; we also delve into the world of VR, which includes Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. If you're interested in a wireless adapter for the latter headset, we can help.Official adapter
HTC Vive Wireless Adapter
Third-party choice
TPCast Wireless Adapter
This official adapter from HTC delivers a wireless experience that'due south indistinguishable from a wired i … save for the lack of cables. If you don't have an extra PCIe slot in your PC, though, information technology might not piece of work.
$300 at Amazon
Pros
- Uses a 60GHz wireless signal
- Works with both Vive and Vive Pro
- Works with Deluxe Sound Strap
- Supports upward to a xx square foot play area
- "Near-null" latency
Cons
- Requires a free PCIe slot in your PC
- Vive Pro requires extra adapter
The TPCast wireless adapter has been effectually for awhile at present, and it's proven to provide quality wireless VR. If you take the standard Vive (it doesn't work with Pro) and don't have an extra PCIe slot in your PC, this is a skilful option.
$299 at Amazon
Pros
- Uses a 60GHz wireless signal
- Less than 2ms latency
- Up to 5 hours bombardment life
- Supports up to a xvi foursquare human foot play area
Cons
- Does not work with Vive Pro
- Vive camera does not piece of work
- Extra router required during setup
Tech specs
| Vive Wireless Adapter | TPCast Wireless Adapter | |
|---|---|---|
| Play surface area | twenty feet x 20 anxiety | 16 feet ten sixteen feet |
| Signal | 60GHz | 60GHz |
| Battery | Up to 2.v hours | Upwards to five hours |
| Latency | "Near-zero" | Less than 2 ms |
| Weight | 4.55 ounces (129 grams) | 3.17 ounces (xc grams) |
Setup
Both of these products advertise a certain simplicity when information technology comes to setup, but there are some extra steps that generally get glossed over. In the case of the new official Vive adapter, you must accept an extra PCIe 1x slot in your PC for an Intel WiGig card, which gets connected via coax cable to an antenna. That antenna tin be mounted or can sit near your PC, every bit long as it has a view of your headset and attached wireless receiver.
The biggest issue here is having an extra PCIe slot in your PC. Those who do not will take to get creative, whether with something similar an One thousand.2 to PCIe adapter carte or external bay. In that location'southward not however any confirmation that anything other than a standard PCIe slot will work with the WiGig carte du jour, so if you're stuck with a workaround merely, I'd look until there is confirmation that other methods work.
The TPCast wireless adapter does non require a PCIe slot and instead uses a separate, standalone router to handle manual between PC and headset. Aye, you lot have to ready and configure some other router, but at to the lowest degree those using a laptop for VR (without space for a PCIe card) can use TPCast equally long as they have an HDMI port. For all-time results, an Ethernet connection is besides recommended betwixt PC and TPCast router.
Both systems involve a lightweight receiver that easily mounts onto the top of the headset, plus a battery pack that tin clip onto your belt (in that location are also some nifty 3D printed options for adding the TPCast battery to the back of the Vive headset). Likewise, both systems crave extra installed software on the VR PC for final setup and configuration.
VR experience
When information technology comes to actually using these wireless adapters, we know that TPCast offers latency lower than 2ms, which translates to a VR experience that'southward essentially indistinguishable from one with a wired connectedness. Sure, at that place are signal drops and some hiccups to be expected — wireless bands run across a lot of interference — but overall the payoff of having no tether outweighs whatever occasional performance bug.
TPCast'due south battery gets well-nigh five hours of life from a single charge, and you can buy extra batteries and hot-bandy them out while on the go. That's a lot of time spent within VR, and if you have 2 batteries, you'll exist able to accuse one while using the other. This is specially handy if y'all're hosting a few people for a dark of VR. As for range, you should exist able to use the TPCast adapter in a VR infinite upward to nigh 16 square anxiety. Unfortunately, the camera on your Vive will non work with the TPCast adapter, though a recent update has added microphone support.
The HTC Vive Wireless Adapter has even so to be widely tested, but it is expected that it volition also offering a seamless transition from wired to wireless VR. HTC says it has "well-nigh-zero" latency, and pretty much anyone who's then far tested it says the experience is indeed on par with the wired option, save for a couple of hiccups to do with the wireless signal.
The Vive adapter's battery is smaller than that in the TPCast selection, offering up virtually 2.five hours of life from a charge. It'south expected that HTC will also sell actress batteries for quick switches, and while the included battery appears to be quite similar to 1 HTC uses for telephone accessories, no official Vive options accept hit HTC's site.
Unlike TPCast, the official Vive adapter should support camera and microphone functions right out of the box. There's no give-and-take on HTC's site, but capabilities of the DisplayLink XR codec that the Vive adapter uses should get in possible. If you're decumbent to using the camera, y'all'll probably desire to opt for the official adapter, though equally far equally a straight comparison between VR experiences, these are quite closely matched. You'll become better battery life out of the box with TPCast'south pick, though you lot should get a slightly larger play expanse with HTC'due south adapter.
One terminal matter to note is the number of simultaneous users possible in a play area. The official Vive adapter can handle three people with separate headsets and adapters in the same play space, while the standard TPCast adapter can only handle one.
Compatibility
Dropping $300 on an accompaniment for your Vive means you want it to last. The TPCast adapter is compatible with the standard Vive, though it will non work with the newer Vive Pro.
Equally for the HTC adapter, information technology is compatible with the HTC Vive and HTC Vive Pro, merely yous will accept to buy an extra $60 adapter for the Pro. That brings the cost up to about $360, simply it'south actually the simply option so far for the more than contempo Vive headset.
Those who take the Vive's Deluxe Sound Strap can utilize either adapter, as they are both compatible with the larger hardware.
Determination
If you're looking for a worthwhile accessory for your HTC Vive, a wireless adapter is indeed a top, if pricey, option. The official HTC Vive adapter works with the Vive and Vive Pro (though you do demand an actress adapter), but information technology does require a PCIe slot for the Intel WiGig card. In any instance, information technology should deliver a seamless wireless VR experience.
The TPCast adapter works with the standard Vive and just needs an HDMI port on your PC for a connection. It offers smashing battery life and doesn't require a PCIe slot in your PC. TPCast is yet a skillful, if not official, choice, and it volition deliver a seamless VR experience.
For Vive and Vive Pro
HTC Vive Wireless Adapter
HTC'due south own adapter is here
The official Vive adapter works with standard and Pro headsets to deliver a wireless VR experience, though the requirement of a PCIe 1x slot might not be viable for some.
Third-political party option
TPCast Wireless Adapter
Proven wireless VR
The TPCast adapter has been proven to deliver a quality wireless VR feel, and it doesn't require a PCIe slot. All the same, it'southward non compatible with the Vive Pro.
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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/htc-vive-wireless-adapter-vs-tpcast-wireless-adapter-which-should-you-buy
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