spatialcomputing.info

HTC has released a beta for its Vive Ultimate Tracker that brings support to third-party PC VR headsets, such as PC-tethered Quest and Pico headsets, letting you do body tracking in supported apps.

Unlike previous Vive Trackers, which required SteamVR base stations, Vive Ultimate Tracker makes use of inside-out optical tracking thanks to each unit’s dual wide-FOV cameras.

At launch in November, the device was only compatible with HTC standalones Vive XR Elite and Vive Focus 3. As promised, now the company is launching beta access to OpenXR/SteamVR based PC VR headsets, like Valve Index or Quest 2/3/Pro with Link.

The plug-and-play solution lets you link up to five trackers per headset for multi-point full-body tracking across a variety of supported apps, such as VRChat, Neos, Blade & Sorcery, Soccer Skill Shot, and Dash Dance. Realistically though, you only need three: one for the hips, two for the feet.

HTC says users should have a 3×3 meters (10×10 feet), well-lit area that is clear of obstacles. Users should also place their trackers “at least 1.5 meters away from any environmental obstacles” during setup, the company says.

To get started with the beta, you need to head to the Viverse Discord (invite link) and opt-in to the Ultimate Tracker PC Beta channel. There, you’ll find a video that includes a code for the beta branch in the Vive Streaming Hub software. To learn more about Vive Ultimate Tracker, or to snag the $200 device, head to Vive.com.