OSVR, the open source virtual reality project founded by Razer and Sensics, today announced the latest version of their HDK (Hacker Development Kit) VR Headset. The v1.3 version of the open source headset includes an improved display and optics.
After its initial debut at CES 2015, the OSVR HDK headset has seen several updates even before heading out the door to developers and makers. OSVR offers the v1.0, v.1.1, v.1.2, and now v1.3 headsets at various pricing tiers with features improving as you work your way up.
See Also: CES 2015: Razer Announces $199 ‘Hacker Dev Kit’ VR Headset as Part of OSVR Initiative
The new HDK v1.3 gets an upgraded 5.5-inch 1080p OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. OSVR says that the panel supports Low Persistence (a technique used on other major headsets to reduce motion blur).
Though the display’s refresh rate is 120Hz, it seems that OSVR is still targeting a 60Hz rate for game rendering, possibly using asynchronous timewarp (newly supported by the OSVR software stack) to fill in the extra frames, similar to Sony’s Morpheus headset. Though Sony also offers Morpheus developers access to the full 120Hz, provided they can push the frames. We’ve reached out to the organization for clarification.
See Also: Hands-on – Sony’s 120Hz Morpheus Demo, ‘Magic Controller’, and ‘Bedroom Robots’
In addition to the new display, the HDK v1.3 will see an updated optics module: a two-element lens system that will increase the eyebox and support per-eye focus. Increasing the eyebox means a larger ‘sweet spot’, providing sharp focus for a larger range of IPD without the need for independent IPD adjustment.
The HDK v1.3 will be available for pre-order on October 1st with a release date later that month. The headset price is $299.
OSVR says that the HDK is “designed to be open-source and affordable,” and that they will provide the headset’s full set of schematics and components under open-source licenses.
We expect that the HDK v1.3 will retain the other features of the v1.2 predecessor, like positional tracking. OSVR is promising some add-ons for the headset in the future like a Leap-embedded faceplate and 150 degree Wearality lenses.