BigScreen VR - My Impressions after 100 Days

[@TheTotalGeek]

One of the best real world usage comparisons I have seen. Thank you very much.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks got the feedback. I really appreciate it.

[@geneanthony3421]

Bigscreen should make it a policy to do 2 different scans in 2 different areas beforehand. Especially with the IPD.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Definitely, or the ability to incorporate 2-3 scans in your submission.

[@geneanthony3421]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I actually just got mine (after 3 months of waiting) and I was worried that I'd get one with the wrong IPD and have to start the process again. I seemed to have lucked out, although it's a bit tight and I don't know if it's due to the face cushion being off. I appreciate what they're trying to do, but I feel like they could have just gone with a more standard model. The real selling point is the small form factor and micro OLED. Adjustable IPD probably wouldn't have added that much to the size and weight.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@geneanthony3421 I hope everything is going well with yours and you aren’t getting any buyers remorse. I hear you on the “pushed the envelope, with no compromise”. Maybe it’ll help BSB or other manufacturers find a way to improve on the next version.

[@geneanthony3421]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I have a bit of buyer's remorse, but I get that with a lot of major purchases at first and than later on I end up being happy I got it. I also had to get controllers and base stations so this was an expensive unnecessary purchase. (Probably close to $1,700 all in). I would tell most people just stick with the Quest 3 though. The lenses on it are a major improvement over the Quest 2 when it comes to FOV and the sweet spot. I have one as well and with a great headstrap it's a much better value for your dollar plus it can be used for PC VR.

[@RanmaSyaoranSaotome]

This is a great review and you're especially articulate in explaining the pros and cons. Thank you!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thank you 🙌🏾

[@replacesoundboard]

Yesterday evening, I tried using the headset for 3-4 hours straight. At some point, my view became somewhat blurry even though I knew the lenses were clean and were not covered in fog (that's only at the beginning). That's when I realised my eyes probably got dry from being super isolated and with the headset being somewhat hot (not that hot; unlike the Vive Pro 2). So I removed the headset and took a break. I guess that's something I'll have to take into account too x) But yeah, after several days of using it, I think I'm happy with it. Thank you.

[@soccersensation]

This is the conundrum I am currently facing. The form factor of the Bigscreen Beyond is above all other VR headsets. It looks great and in theory would allow you to play for longer sessions without getting tired from the weight (compared to other headsets). However I'm still leaning towards the PIMAX Crystal OLED slated for later this year. In a perfect world, we would have the quality and resolution of the PIMAX in the form factor of the Bigscreen Beyond.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Conundrum is the perfect description. Even if we didn’t get the form factor of the BSB, it would be great if other manufacturers could significantly reduce the weight of their devices.

[@t0x1cde6t]

Yeap, agreed. I love the pimax crystal but hell, it’s the first time I’ve seen my 4090 sweat and the amount of cables I have to hook up to it just to work around the dumb battery pack design as well as the ginormous headset. But….Visually, I think it’s brilliant so much better than quest 3 for PCVR IMO. Personally speaking, my wholly grail is when these headsets support resolution per eye of 3840x2160, no video signal compression, no foliated rendering, no third party software to improve performance, no tweaking. These things ain’t cheap so my expectations are high as I’m keen to get rid of massive screens on my sim rig and all of my half-baked VR headsets. Just give me what I see on my 4K OLED 120hz monitor straight to my eye balls! Side note, 8K will be really hard to drive with current hardware, speak to my 4090 about it… it’s hooked up to a Samsung G9 57 inch monitor which is 4K+4K (7680x2160) but I can’t bring myself to use DLSS. 5090 better be powerful enough for the next gen PCVR headsets. Get rid of stand alone VR mode too, leave that to Apple and Meta.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@t0x1cde6t I'd like some kind of gyroscopic based tracking, no ,more reliance on light stations or other signals that can be disrupted.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@t0x1cde6t The upcoming MeganeX Superlight which will be released in 2025 (but only sold to Japanese and US customers on their website) will use Sony's 1.35 inch micro OLED panels with a resolution per eye of 3552 x 3840 (both eyes combined is 7104 x 3840, so 8K). On the plus side, it's the same form factor as the Bigscreen Beyond with IPD adjustment. No word on the perceived field of view yet though, but seeing the panels are barely bigger than the 1 inch panels inside the Bigscreen Beyond, I wouldn't expect a huge difference I think.

[@replacesoundboard]

Speaking about glare, I do see them when there's very bright white spots on what I'm looking at. Still, I feel like it's a bit blown out of proportion. Yes, it's there, but it's not THAT bad, at least in my opinion. Well, I guess some people don't like having it at all x)

[@replacesoundboard]

At least it used to be a lot worse on my Vive Pro with Fresnel lenses, and even there I found it to be pretty much acceptable.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

I agree with you. It’s there, it’s noticeable - dependent on what environment you’re in. However, like you - I find it to be well within my tolerance levels. I’ve even stopped constantly cleaning the smear off my lenses. I guess it’s much more annoying for those using it for VR Chat or movies, I’m yet to test that out.

[@replacesoundboard]

I realised something: if I use the normal soft strap alone without the top strap, even though I used Velcro loop to hold the video cable, it tends to weight down on the strap as I play, making it slip down on my head. To fix that, what I did is I'm setting the strap higher in the back on my head, like in between the back and the top, where the head is thinner, before tightening the strap. This way, since the back of the head is thicker, even if the cable wants to make the strap slip down, it cannot. So far it's been working fine. But I'm still eager to get the 3D printed soft strap mode to add the top strap in halo strap mode.

[@steveramundo4946]

Good Follow Up Man - I to am please with My BSB and have no regrets coming from Valve Index... This is def a step up! I mostly sim race and it work great for that!! Clearest smoothest VR headset I"ve ever used in sim racing...not to mention most confortable by a mile

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks. Glad to hear you too have no regrets.

[@stevedoughty5062]

Great review. I have one. The field of view is.... very narrow indeed. I hooked up my HPG2 to my daughters PC last week and was astonished by its AMAZING FOV. I guess i got used to the Big Screen Beyond !!. It's definitly a compromise. Same as oyu, its oe i think on balace was worth making for the positives regards weight. I would love one of these with adjustible IPD, mine wa also off. it was too wide. and with a generic gasket so i could share it. all in all... im pretty much of th esame opinion as you. good review !

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks for the feedback and comments, I really appreciate it. I totally agree with your “wish-list” of nice to have compromises too. They’d be a great trade off for a slightly bigger headset.

[@highseas6202]

Yep. Small and light weight is awsome. FOV is... disappointing. But on balanace.... it's certainly for me at least a great option. Kinda wondering what the index 2 will bring. Hopefully not much weight. Really good review. About as objective as you get in this "interweb thingamy" 😂 Cheers fella.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@highseas6202 Thank you for watching and commenting, it’s always appreciated.

[@replacesoundboard]

Not gonna lie though, I think one of the main reasons I'm satisfied is because I purchased at the right time. I kept a close eye on Bigscreen's blog where they talked about their supply issues, and the fact they would receive a new batch of parts some time in August 2024 and people who purchased before August would have to wait longer. So I made the purchase in September, knowing they would have more supplies. I still waited 2 or 3 weeks, but when they announced 1-week delivery, my headset was shipped the same day. That was an infinitely better experience than having to wait months or an entire year like the early adopters.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Definitely smart! I was one of those, early adopter orders that had to put it out of my mind to avoid impatience or frustration. How have you found life with the headset?

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Been occasionally using it, mostly to display the virtual Steam overlay curved monitor. I purchased a 4K dummy HDMI plug to have a 4K virtual monitor (I didn't want to own an actual 4K monitor since they are too big for my liking). That's why I noticed some glare because some web pages (and videos) display white over black. I have yet to try using it for a VR game, but I believe it should be just as good if not better than the Vive Pro, without screen-door effect.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

⁠Z nice, I really need to try it out in non-gaming scenarios.

[@simonoregan4744]

I think you hit the nail on the head for me. I Got a Quest 3 as my first ever headset. Weight is great if I position my aftermarket strap properly the thing barely touches my face and I wear it more like a hat. I can wear it easily for about 6 to 8 hours no problem. I'm considering the PIMAX as I'm building a whole new rig soon. But I've always been concerned about the comfort. Sim racing play time is always pretty long compared to other types of games. With practice, qualifying and racing. You've really given me some food for thought and I appreciate that. All of the influencers are going nuts over the Crystal Lite at the moment, not many people mentioning the cons. And even though it is apparently lighter the size of the thing just doesn't look comfortable to me.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

I’ve seen there are counterweight options to relieve some of the weight of the Pimax headsets, perhaps look into those. However, yep - I hear you on those 6-HR sim-racing sessions. I don’t know about other users’ experiences, but my Pimax 5&8KX box started digging into my forehead after 2 hrs. I’m not sure if it was because I didn’t ever have it positioned well enough on the back of my head to take the strain. I tend to think it’s just because there’s only so long you can hang something that large off your face before gravity wins out. I’d love to know what you finally decide on.

[@yellowflash111]

I have an og crystal, and the comfort is pretty good, but it is a noticeable weight on your face after an extended session. Also, if you have a quest 3 the crystal isn't that much better in terms of clarity. It does have a higher resolution screen, but because of the lenses, it's a bit more blurrier on the edges, which can hurt the overall experience.

[@andresmedina7670]

I have both, Q3 and the original Crystal. The Crystal in terms of resolution and visual fidelity beats the Q3, I got the top strap and counter weight mod and I can game 4 hours straight no problem. I fine tuned mine so its as comfortable as the Q3 with a bobovr strap. If you’re planning to build a rig with a 4090 like I have, the crystal is probably the best headset to pair it with. If not, the Q3 will do you just fine, I just cant stand those cheap LCDs on the Q3 after I got a taste of the crystal panels.

[@HDRGamingHub]

Quest 3 is a streaming headset wich has tons of compression artifacts and double the input lag vs a PCVR headset with Display Port connection.

[@TimLongson]

Probably the best display VR headset, but I would want a version that could manage the same specs but with 120 degree FOV at 120hz refresh - even if that it bigger and more expensive.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

120:120 would be amazing! I’ll keep my fingers crossed BSB either dial back and compromise a little for BSB2 or find a way to incorporate those specs and still keep the form factor.

[@mcleach71]

I’m about 60 days in, but it’s my first VR headset, so I have no comparison. I have had to trim my eyelashes for years because they hit my sun glasses, so my lashes hitting the BSB has not been a problem. I can’t for the audio strap to show up! I also have a Leap Motion 2.0 that I just got, am still configuring it and getting it dialed in to DCS. Will attempt MSFS integration soon. Awesome video!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thank you. How have the first 60 days been for you? How’re you finding the LM 2.0? I might look into getting one; I had the first unit but couldn’t ever get it to work 100% consistently.

[@replacesoundboard]

I just discovered 2 amazing things with my soft strap modded BSB: - When I tried jamming the gasket against my face, I felt like the headset had the potential to have a higher field of view. So I tried removing the gasket and having it much closer to my face. And then I tried having the lenses practically sticking against my eye balls. When I did that, I was amazed at how gigantic the field of view could be. The risk in doing that though is if you play VR and you hit something or fall head first, it can be dangerous for the eyes (I think HTC Vive or Valve engineers specifically mentioned they kept a safe distance between the eyes and the lenses for that reason). - The description of the soft strap mode said the headset could be used without the face gasket if the straps were in the "halo mode" configuration. So, I removed my relatively thick face gasket, adjusted the headset, tightened the strap and... Oh my god I can wear it without the gasket. Okay, I admit, it looks super neat x) But I don't know how viable it is for actually playing though. When the lenses are so close to my eyes, they seem to get dry super fast, since the lenses are perceptibly hot. I think I'm going to try asking for a thinner face gasket, although I think BSB is going to charge me for it... I've owned the headset for nearly 2 months now.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

That’s really good news. Definitely try BSB support and that thinner gasket, they’ve been quite good at providing thinner gaskets to people who’ve had trouble with the initial one they’ve shipped.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Err... They're charging 99 euros for a new gasket x)

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@ Damn! I was hoping they’d do it as a courtesy, €99 isn’t cheap 😔

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Yeah, especially since I'm trying to save. I have to ask myself if I need the bigger field of view that much x)

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@if you don’t have any discomfort with the thicker gasket, perhaps it’s a 2025 problem? With the thinner gasket, I find my eyelashes have smeared the lenses within 10-15 minutes.

[@replacesoundboard]

I received my Beyond while I was still sick. Tested it when I got a little better. I think I'm going to need getting used to it. When compared to my Vive Pro with the official thin leather cushion, the field of view is somewhat smaller (if I open Steam overlay in SteamVR, I could see a blurred clock with the Vive Pro in the lower right corner, whereas the clock is out of my field of view with the Beyond). Sometimes, I used to open the Steam overlay in VR to benefit from the giant curved desktop screen, but with the somewhat smaller Beyond field of view, it feels slightly too big, so I have to grab the line at the bottom of the overlay to push it further, and then it's perfect. I ended up setting the luminosity to 50%. Initially, I attempted to set it straight to 10%, but that clearly looked way too dark for my liking. 50% makes it look normal enough to my liking; at least it reminds me of the Vive Pro (even though I was told the Vive Pro was eye burning bright). Screen door effect is completely gone, which is nice. Now I can use my VR headset as an actual screen replacement. Still, it's good that I went from a Vive Pro to the Beyond, because you have to move your head more than your eyes. If you move your eyes, you quickly get out of the field of view. As for light leakage and micro OLED dark? I cannot say much about them, since with the Vive Pro, I already had perfect light isolation and OLED black. You do see a very little light leakage with the Beyond when you put the headset on without plugging in the video input, but once you plug the wire, it's gone. I'm still waiting for my 3D printed soft strap mode to make it more comfortable. I don't want to purchase the audio strap because I want to use my own IEM. Still going to need to get used to it, but I do believe it is a headset for me. But it's definitely not a headset for everyone.

[@replacesoundboard]

I think my 3D scan came out fine, but I don't know for sure. It doesn't feel uncomfortable, that's for sure.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Glad to see it’s been a mostly positive experience for you. It’ll be interest to hear how the 3D printed audio strap and your face gasket feel after a few weeks of use.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I think the package got lost in transit because it's been more than a week x) Perhaps I'll have to have them printed again. Dang

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@replacesoundboard I hope it’s just a delayed delivery.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I had to purchase some newly 3D printed soft strap modes (luckily from a buddy so he made a friendly price just to help me out) and they just arrived. Haven't had the chance to actually test it out in VR yet. Some things I noticed though: - The fact I'm adding plastic parts on each side of the strap is already improving its ergonomic a bit. The strap as a whole can still adapt to the shape of my face, but because each sides are being held by hard (but flexible plastic), it's less prone to slippage because of the USB-C cable in the back. - So far I haven't used the top strap yet. I tried installing it and I realised the long velcro side is, well, not long enough for my head. Luckily, the small velcro band they used to wrap the top strap helped: I use it as a velcro extender, allowing me to adapt how tight I want the top strap to be. I haven't had the chance to actually use it yet, but during lunch break, I tried checking the fit, and depending on how you wear it, you may have light leakage, and the headset might even slip out of your face partially. For example, if I wear the top strap in halo mode to reduce pressure from the face gasket, since it's no long held against my face firmly, if I lean down (and not just turn my head towards the ground a bit), then the part that is touching my nose will fall off slightly. Also happens when I'm leaning my head to the side. And as I mentioned, very minor light leakage also happened depending on if I allowed the gasket to apply partial pressure (depending on how tight the top and back straps are) and how I've put the headset on my face. But it was noticeable because the headset was turned off, so I could see teeny tiny bit of the light shining against a lens. I believe it would work perfectly for someone who doesn't move around a lot or who mostly keeps a straight head when playing VR. Otherwise, the top strap would need to be worn in the back instead of the front in halo mode (or if it's in halo mode, you'll have to tweak it to your liking). As it is right now, it's already more comfortable because I used to set the back strap very tight to prevent the USB-C wire from weighing it down, because of which I may have felt some pain on the face. Now I just have to find the perfect middle (a bit of pressure from the gasket and each straps), so that it's a perfect fit whilst being super comfortable.

[@Maebbie]

yes i skipped ahead to 0:45 lol. tbh i started frontloading hard on my videos just make it as if people skipped already but at 0:00. But yeah good video.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks 🙌🏾

[@rp20010]

Solid owners review mate! Fantastic job on explaining your experience with the BSB. I was close to biting the bullet on ordering the BSB and getting it shipped to UK. I think the worry of getting a bad face scan (I have a neanderthal features lol) and incorrect IPD and the hassle of getting it corrected just put me off. I've instead placed an order for the new Pimax Crystal Light which has raving reviews for clarity and comfort. My trusted Valve Index will now be retired and I can't wait to experience a big step up in clarity.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thank you. I completely understand that nervous angst. I did the face scan and IPD measurement multiple times. I was certain I’d mess it 🤣. I’d love to hear how you find the Crystal Light. Here’s hoping you receive it soon 🤞🏾.

[@Nearest_Neighbor]

This is such a nice piece of engineering. I still have time to get a set for myself but today this would be the one.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

It really is.

[@toututu2993]

Beyond is like one of the worse product and deal ever. It came with absolutely nothing other than the lenses and screens for a whooping $1,000 that it required you to buy too many things to make it work including a headphones because it doesn't even have that built in. Not to mention you need to buy an ancient overpriced base trackings set to even make it work as advertissed 🤷‍♂️

[@Nearest_Neighbor]

@@toututu2993 "Yeah, well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man."

[@fishtaco-m3j]

@@toututu2993 I recommend you learn to preface your opinion with a simple "IMO"

[@AlexysRM]

Regarding the cable comfort there's actually a clip on the back of the strap. In between the two pieces you pull to tighten it there's a block of plastic with two prongs. Snap the cable in there and it'll take the extra weight off the side of the headset and hold it in place for you!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks. I forgot to say in the video, I’ve been wary of using the clip - it looked like it’d crimp the cable over time and I didn’t want to potentially introduce a stress break in the cable (unlikely, I know 😏). But yes, you’re right - it would resolve it.

[@Cheenael]

Transitioned from Oculus Rift S to Pico 4 and there are so many drawbacks, screen door effect being the major one. BSB seems nice, but I do not have an iPhone or SteamVR base stations nor controllers. So I will have to wait till Pimax Crystal Super microOled comes out. And, knowing Pimax reputation, I do not expect it earlier than summer 2025. And 12k? It's just an urban legend )

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Urban legend 🤣. I have to admit, I thought it would be here by now.

[@SamSamerson-hm1hd]

For cable weight, other than using a Velcro cable as the other guy suggested. Try running it thro the left hole in the back of the seat to take some of the cable weight away.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

I’ll try that, thanks. Let’s hope I don’t forget and get up too quickly 🤣. I might also look into an alternative grip to the one it ships with (it’s a little too tight for my liking).

[@SamSamerson-hm1hd]

@@MAWvR3ALITY yeah, it’s more of a permanent solution, but u get used to it quickly. Are u a sim racer only? I appreciate the review. I just would need foveated rendering and I’m not sure about the fov but otherwise this is the perfect headset. I still use the g2, it’s a shame there hasn’t been an all rounder like it on sale again.

[@Savage_Viking]

I like the small form factor the most. Still the 50 PPD of upcoming models are a bigger draw. Maybe we will see that in the BigScreen Beyond 2.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Someone else mentioned the Visor Immersed, that form factor looks appealing too.

[@replacesoundboard]

Still unsure if this is what I want to go towards as a VR headset, or the Pimax Crystal Super with micro OLED. One the one side, nice form factor which you can easily put on and off, lightweight, you can flip up to watch your surrounding. On the other side, old form factor with IPD adjustment which I like, automated IPD and foveated rendering thanks to eye tracking (never had it but nice to have). Or maybe I should just keep my Vive Pro and skip on everything else for the time being. For me personally, it's almost perfect.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

There is a strong argument, if you’re perfectly happy with the Vive Pro, that you wait and see what the next generation of headsets bring. Also, if you prefer being able to adjust IPD and don’t have a huge desire to avoid a larger headset, the arguments for the BSB do become less compelling. I don’t envy you having to make the decision 🤓

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I'm also trying to weight in the possibility that in the future, when I retire, I may no longer be capable of wearing a 1 kg headset on the head anymore. But then, maybe the Bigscreen Beyond would be outdated by then But yeah. Vive Pro is nearly perfect for me but the SDE, as small as it is, becomes noticeable sometimes.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@replacesoundboard Decisions, decisions 🤔. I'm with you on the future-proofing dilema; SDE, weight, heat, inertia, and definition were all factors that drove me to take the chance on BSB.

[@gijslaumen1354]

I didn't buy the BSB for it's downsides, but I already know the BSB 2 will be my next headset.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Did you get something else or just sitting this round out? I’m going to be so conflicted if the BSB2 becomes available in the next 12-18 months 😂.

[@gijslaumen1354]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Rocking the Varjo Aero since December 2021. Very statisfied with it ever since and nothing has pulled me away from it. Have no interest in XR-4, want something to go with Steam Base stations, loving the small form factor of BSB. Allthough I don't mind if they shift the balance a little more towards functionality. Let's say, a BSB, with Quest 3 lenses, so a slightly bigger headset (probably), maybe less intrusive facial interface (my lenses always fog up), active cooling fan like Aero, either Micro Oled or Local dimming Qled, at least 2880x2880 res, don't mind the fixed IPD, but no glare and better fov. Keep as lightweigt as possible and better cable routing, maybe through top strap? Don't care for eye-tracking. Anyway, that's what I dream of ;)

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@gijslaumen1354 that sounds like a headset I’d buy too 🙌🏾

[@PlaCrown]

Great review dude! Went with Varjo Aero last year instead of BSB cuz got it for 1k euros, BSB was 1450 including audio solution so it was too much for me personally. Also eye tracking was something i wanted for social vr and DFR. If they ever come out with BSB 2, im Definitely going for it! Great review dude.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thank you. May I ask what the Varjo is like, because that had previously tempted me A LOT!

[@replacesoundboard]

About the part where you said the cable is heavy and is pulling down on the headset, I'm guessing the reason you don't use the cable clip in the back is because you heard about how it was biting into the cable. I ended up making a purchase (thanks to the many people who helped me and especially you for taking the time to measure the lenses), and I think I'll come up with some ideas to "improve" the experience once I receive it in the next decade or so x)

[@replacesoundboard]

I'm writing this as a second comment since I'm not sure whether KZbin will hide it or not (they tend to when I write lengthy messages) First of all I would wrap some cable velcro in the back to create some kind of loop through which to pass the cable. The material is softer and will barely hold the cable, much like on the Vive Pro (where the cable is going through a plastic tube which isn't even holding the cable; it's just there to prevent it from weighing down on the headset) Then I think I will probably have the 3D printed soft strap mode. Initially, I thought I would get the audio strap, but in the end I went with some IEM that I'm very satisfied with

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Hey, yes - it was because I used the clip day one (for about 30 minutes) then immediately saw it had left a crimp in the cable. Considering the amount of split wires I’ve had in numerous headphones, charger cables, etc. through bending fatigue - it was a huge red flag. I’ve done something simple and similar, a Velcro loop. Hey presto, problem solved. Exciting to hear you’ve placed an order, I’ll keep my fingers crossed everything turns out well when it arrives.

[@willmauney9609]

Quality video man. I've still got my OG vive right now that I just haven't quite justified replacing, as my largest complaint is the pressure points and sweat that come along with longer races and the BSB seems to be the first headset to prioritize that. Like you, I'm not overly concerned about the glare as on track I've had some tear-offs with horrible glare while driving open wheel. Now I just have to decide if I should wait a little while and see if they revise the optics to increase the FOV. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thank you. If you're able to hold out and wait, perhaps you'll have options from some of the other manufactorers making small format headsets. Or (fingers crossed) BSB figure out how to widen the sweetspot and solve the glare in a newer model. You'll have to come back and let me know if you give up staying strong and can no longer resist the urge to buy something 😂.

[@Starmast3rmusic]

I'm still using the OG Vive too, although heavily modified with the frankenstrap mod, which makes it very comfortable, and the Gear VR lens mod, which removes the bad glare and god rays. The OLED panels in the Vive are great, even if the resolution isn't super great.

[@willmauney9609]

@@MAWvR3ALITY The itch grows stronger by the day, but I know I'll be kicking myself if I upgrade after this long and miss out on a V2 or an option from another brand by 6 months. Sure is tempting though.

[@willmauney9609]

@@Starmast3rmusic What strap did you put on yours? I'm still using the basic cloth strap. I made a ~1mm pad to bring my lenses closer for better FOV and then added foam to spread the weight, which also minorly improved clarity, but that's all I've done to mine. Sounds like the lens mod may be worth it if I'll be hanging on to the Vive for a little while longer.

[@brandonvalero7315]

My headset is arriving tomorrow!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Exciting times 🤓. I really hope all goes well 🤞🏾

[@brandonvalero7315]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Thanks! Upgrading from an Index :)

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@brandonvalero7315 I'll be holding my breath, waiting for your verdict.

[@replacesoundboard]

I have one more question: do you know the diameter of the lens? I finally got my far and close IPDs measured by an optician, and now I'm trying to come up with a diagram to determine the IPD to choose, based on the fact about 50% of the centre of the lens is the sweet spot and other factors.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

BSB website says dual 1-inch OLED displays, which would make it ~2.54cm. I tried measuring with my phones utility but got a 3cm measurement - so a bit off.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Thanks! I'm going to trust your measurement because the display would be the size of the panel itself, whereas what I'm looking for is the lens itself which you measured.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@replacesoundboard here’s a picture of the lens overlaying a tape measure: kzbin.infoUgkxcmW91UZFEykDlgvmEoowuXF5vLEZ5ZE_?si=QMQ64brHSONmmVWS

[@replacesoundboard]

Questions: - What was your IPD on the Oculus? - What's your measured IPD by the doctors? Is it close IPD or infinity? - What IPD did you choose for the Beyond? Just trying to get an idea on how to choose my IPD. I was told choosing 1 mm below my "infinity" measured IPD is the way to go to keep it sharp when looking straight and when reading stuff up close

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Hi, IPD on the Oculus varied but was usually ~68mm - I was never certain I had it set perfectly. My measured IPD is 67mm (close). My original BSB face scan measurement came out as 69mm. I changed my face scan measure to choose 67mm for my BSB order. If any of my friends or family were ordering one, I’d 100% urge them to get their IPD measured by their optician (remove all doubt and worry when ordering). I need lens inserts now too, as my vision is now slightly far-sighted - so I have to factor that in when anything in game seems a bit out of focus. However, I now at least have 100% confidence that I should first check if lenses are smeared, then if the scene isn’t rendering in properly (MSFS specifically), then check I haven’t moved the headset out of alignment. All before worrying that it’s IPD related, as I know it’s 100% accurate. Hope that helps.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Thanks! I'm beginning to think I'm really going to the eye doctor to get my measures. Every other tools seems to give a varying result of about 3mm. It gives me an idea, which is nice when I use the Vive Pro with its adjustable IPD, but I can't afford to be that vague with a fixed IPD

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@replacesoundboard if an eye exam costs nothing or little, in comparison to the cost of the headset - it will definitely remove some anxiety.

[@t0x1cde6t]

Is the big screen VR usb c only? Or does it support uncompressed direct signal from the GPU via DP1.4? I just got a pimax crystal and it’s a country mile better than my other headsets Quest 3, HTC Vive Elite and PSVR2, whatever the latter is… The crystal indeed is great quality but I hate all the cables and size of the damn thing.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

The BSB has a 5M USB C from the headset into a link box that connects to your PC via two USB 3 and one DP1.4 connection (that must connect to your GFX card directly). www.bigscreenvr.com/mybeyond# “Connecting the Link Box to your PC Connect the two USB 3.0 cables ⦿ on the Link Box to two USB 3.0 ports on your computer. The Link Box's DisplayPort 1.4 cable ⦿ must be connected directly to the Nvidia or AMD graphics card on your computer, and should not be plugged into your motherboard. If you're using a laptop, you will either need a Mini-DisplayPort to Displayport 1.4 adapter. or if your laptop has USB-C DisplayPort (also known as DP Alt Mode), you will need a USB-C to DisplayPort 1.4 adapter. “

[@gaudin5573]

That was very helpful - currently on a Vario Aero (gone through most of the older headsets HTC Vive, Pro, Pro II, G2) and I'm considering a BigScreen headset - ergonomics and stability are my biggest concerns, as I've just watched the video, ergonomics is handled very well - what about stability? Any tracking issues, other things not working (my aero loses tracking at times, or doesn't work at all, is juttering, image only in one eye, etc.) Would love to hear your opinion on stability, ease of use, thanks!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks, glad it was helpful. You’ve reminded me of things I should have covered, so thanks - they’ll be day 200’s update topics 😆. Every so often, if I’ve turned on the PC and left the headset for a while - the left eye has no image. Unplugging and plugging back in, the power resolves it. If I grab the headset to peer out, my fingers block the base station reception and grey out the view. Some games (DCS, MSFS 2020) don’t track in all degrees of motion if I have OpenXR/Composite active (or vice-versa). I have to use the multithread command modifier for DCS and (I think) disable OpenXR for MSFS 2020. Not sure if it’s placebo, but that’s what resolves the tracking issue with those two games for me. I edited it out of the video but, with the BSB I can shake my head left and right quite a bit before inertia takes effect. So quick glances result in no movement, it’s overly exaggerated shakes that shift it. With the 8KX the inertia effect was much more noticeable. Especially if I slackened the head strap to relieve pressure on my forehead.

[@gaudin5573]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Thanks a lot - DCS is my main sim, so that was helpful answer - now I have to find someone willing to 3d-scan my face :)

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@gaudin5573 good luck with the 3D scan. They really need to fix that 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@rodrigomartinelli741]

I'm still rocking an Original Vive ever since it came out, never saw big updates in tech to make up for the tag.. i was actually waiting for something smaller, better res and hopefully foveated rendering to move on but im chewing on this instead.. im quite tired of the bulk of it.. Does the Beyond have any screen door effect?

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Decisions, decisions. I totally get the hesitancy, it’s a high price tag to gamble on. I genuinely haven’t noticed any screen door effect. If it’s there, I’m just not aware of it. This was my first impression: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epTGknV9rrN3gJosi=mlCvuZvOiNkn_pFb In it I was blown away by how clean and clear images were compared to my previous headset. At the time I didn’t even notice a sweet spot (which I now know exists). Compared to what I was used to seeing in AC, ACC, rF2 etc., in the BSB - particularly in AMS2, it had me questioning if it was an even better image than my 4K TV (probably due to it being clean, clear, and 3D). This was me testing if I could read tiny font in MSFS: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYrQlaGXjqagnbMsi=w99bXLt-FvCmr3AB I could, mostly - especially text that was illegible before. I noticed the glare on this video and the sweet spot. It’s a shame you can’t get hands on a unit to test before you buy.

[@rodrigomartinelli741]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Thanks for your comeback.. apart from the OGV's bulk, the second thing that bothers me the most, only when i notice it, is the screen door. At this screen resolution should be a thing of the past or barely there if you look for it.. I also use it mostly with AC and i also just tilt my head, even though i modded my unit with the clear Samsung lenses.. Will keep chewing on this.. thanks for your info.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@rodrigomartinelli741 I don’t want to influence your decision (be liable if you buy then hate it 😏) but I’d be shocked if you were disappointed with screen door. I found this video really helpful when I was first considering the switch: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poG8gKCYpcmdnKMsi=9di4FcNOTwd1Canf He does a through the lens comparison.

[@rodrigomartinelli741]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Worry not, as i said, been chewing on this for months.. still have some time tho.. there are two taxes in my country wich make anything you try to import and its shipping, *twice* as expensive.. hopefully in a few months it'll be gone so i have time to make up my mind.. Thanks again for your time.

[@jamesspov4026]

Hey great review. I just got mine a week ago. I had an issue when I start steam VR. The headset will still be black. It’s tracking the headset, I can see on my computer screen. But nothing display on the headset. Have you ever ran into a problem like that? Thanks

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks. Yes, I’ve had that too. Usually I resolve by unplugging the headset and closing down Steam and SteamVR. Also check SteamVR to see if it has blocked any plugins. Are you experiencing the problem with all games, one in particular, or just SteamVR itself?

[@jamesspov4026]

@@MAWvR3ALITY thanks for your reply. Yeh pretty much all games and steam vr. It just started a few days ago. It was working fine before. Had a ticket open with beyond. Hope they will be able to solve it.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@jamesspov4026By any chance, did you update your Nvidia drivers? This sub-Reddit says that’s caused the same issue for others. The solution being to roll-back to a previous driver: www.reddit.com/r/BigscreenBeyond/s/fIYo4R4n7j

[@jamesspov4026]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I did update the Nadia driver. I’ll try the roll back and see if it works. Thanks man.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@jamesspov4026 Fingers crossed that’s the silver bullet 🤞🏾

[@antjones2281]

Sensible review, but you should ask Pimax for a review unit of a Crystal.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks. Interesting suggestion, I hadn't considered that - not with the tiny size of my channel.

[@brettgrieves]

I agree on all points. Interestingly Ive come from a slighly different direction. Index to Aero to Beyond.. The Beyond is much smoother than the aero, even at the same render res and OpenXR settings, the aero feels jerky, the beyond is butter smooth at even 75fps. Big Screen are actively working on the beyond 2. they are hiring optics engineers :) With LG, Samsung and BOE releasing micro OLED 4k displays this year we are in for a treat 2025 onwards!!

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Sounds like I might need to auction off an arm and a leg to get ready for the pre-order list when the BSB2 is announced then 😁

[@brettgrieves]

@@MAWvR3ALITYMeta are planning on the lg 4k micro oled for their next headed,that would I'll be £500 Ish so panels might be cheaper than we think

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@brettgrievesfingers crossed 🤞🏾

[@dtz1000]

Pimax Crystal Light is out now. Much cheaper than this and lighter and cheaper than the Crystal.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

If the BSB didn't exist, I'd probably go for the Crystal Light ahead of the 12K. However, I believe the Crystal Light is ~3X heavier than the BSB, covering the same facial area as the 8KX and 5KX. So I'd still be happier with the BSB, just my preference 🙂.

[@moncimoov]

1st immpression is ugly, but day 2 changed the whole experience for me❤ been using it 2weeks and im still loving it more and more each day.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Glad to hear day two was a game changer. Out of curiosity, what made the difference on day two?

[@moncimoov]

@@MAWvR3ALITY asetto corsa competizione.. im really immpressed by the clarity, coming from index its a game changer. i forgot about the sweetspot and small fov. when we drive we look straight anyway.. so its not a big deal anymore only glare when its night time.. but the black level is Amazing, so i can forget the glare few days after

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@moncimoovah yes, ACC looks so much better in the BSB. Here’s hoping🤞🏾 you have many more day twos to come

[@moncimoov]

@@MAWvR3ALITY RE2 remake, and cyberpunk 2077 also quite a game changer with this headset... but when u play other games like beat saber, or superhot... yuckkkk.. all u think about is the small sweetspot again lol

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@moncimoov haha - for me it’s in-game menus that are fixed in place, so you can’t pivot to look at the edges 🤣

[@seba3420]

Did u use Motion on your SimRig ? My History is DK I+II, Samsung Odyssey I, Rift S, Reverb G2, Pimax 8kx but i returned it, Quest3. So i am not total beginner in VR. For me SimRacing was possible from the G2 upwards. I love the image quality of the G2 but the very small sweet spot and in combination with motion I can't and don't want to use it any longer. The Quest 3 is good but for me the image quality is not good enough for sim racing. The long-distance view is nowhere near as good as in the G2. That's why I've been driving 32" triple almost exclusively for the last two years. But the Beyond really appeals to me. Does it stay on the nose well even when moving? I don't care about glare but the small sweet spot is scaring me again. I wear glasses too. Thanks for your video. I'm only halfway through and will keep watching ;-)

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks for watching and commenting 🙌🏾. I’ve not used a motion rig. Part of the reason I’m all in on VR is because I live/game in a tiny space that barely fits anything, so VR overcomes that hurdle. I did an experiment and moved my head as vigorously as possible from left to right. With my 8KX I couldn’t be vigorous, the inertia of the unit meant it shifted across the bridge of my nose/cheeks pretty easily. With the BSB, I could be quite vigorous before inertia kicked in. Quick left right glances, as you might do with overtaking, don’t result in any perceived movement for me. I have to shake with intent to get it to start moving. I could imagine that you’d notice it on a motion rig, but I’d expect it would be considerably less noticeable than with a bigger and heavier headset. Purely due to its low mass.

[@seba3420]

@@MAWvR3ALITY Thanks for your quick response. Heave (up and down) was my biggest problem with the G2. The reverb is very front-heavy. I can well imagine that the low weight of the BSB will make this problem a thing of the past. By the way, call me Mr. 400 ;-) Excuse my english its not my native.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@seba3420 Mr 400 it is and thank you ❤. And your English is better than my terrible attempts at a second language. Perhaps I should do a follow up “movement” video 😂🤔😏

[@vrmainframe]

Great video and in depth explanation of BSB , I sold my Pimax Crystal. The Crystal has a great picture but everything else IMO sucks. I'm tempted by to get a BSB but I decided to pre order the Immersed Visor instead. Mt 1st impressions of the Crytal was pretty good but after a few months I ended up disliking it ( quite a lot I might add ) because of the bulk , weight , poor comfort and fit , cheap plastics , awful strap and dial , cheap Velcro stickers for gasket , awful mechanical noises from auto IPD and then having to spend out more for the lighthouse face plate or AR plate. It seemed more like tacked on add-ons that should of been included already, and the overall whole design could of been thought out so much better and they never sent my the 2nd set of lenses. Now I look back I was happier with my Valve Index. I'll never buy into Pimax ever again.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks. I hadn't heard of the Immersed Visor - I'll have to look into it. How long is your pre-order? I hear you on growing out of love with Pimax. I'm still glad I went Pimax after my CV1 - however, there were times when I wondered if I'd have had a better experience going the Reverb route instead.

[@Rockysbeats]

can it hook to a pc with a single wire and charge and be used at the same time keeping the battery full (unlimited usage) ?

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Hi, the BSB doesn’t have a battery - so has to be plugged in to power to work. It has a single cable from the HMD that plugs into a cable unit. The cable unit then has three output cables that plug into the PC - two USB and one Display Port.

[@Rockysbeats]

@@MAWvR3ALITY interesting..what is the "display port" like a usb-c or a hdmi or something?

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@ From the BSB tech specs: 5m Fiber Optic Cable The headset is powered by a custom, ultra-lightweight 5-meter fiber optic cable that connects to the USB-C port on the left side of the headset. The cable connects the headset to a Link Box. The Link Box has a DisplayPort cable and two USB 3.0 cables, which connect to the PC. The Display Port on my RTX4090 is: DisplayPort 1.4a Out Port: Outputs digital video and audio at up to 8K resolution (7680x4320) at 60hz.

[@docslappy8946]

Great stuff. Does it still work in a 1954 Masareti 😀

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks. That’s it - I really need to stop getting distracted with other stuff and get back on track with you guys.

[@Eskoxo]

it's love/hate relationship for me with bsb as glare and edge clarity really sucks on it the worst out of 5 headsets i own... ultimately i think i am giving up buying any future headsets until valve index 2 comes out.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

What are the other headsets you own? Hopefully the next generation of headsets are at least smaller. One thing BSB have demonstrated is that they don’t need to be the size of a 1970’s TV.

[@Eskoxo]

@@MAWvR3ALITY i got hp reverb g2, psvr2, quest 2, index, bsb and have tried quest 3 but returned it. as far as size of bsb i think no one would have complained if it was 20% bigger and resolved the issues and still woulda been the smallest one.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@@Eskoxo Nice assortment of headsets. Agreed! BSB definitely went to the extreme limit, almost as though it was a POC to prove it could be done.

[@replacesoundboard]

I heard the prototype BSB weights 350g because of IPD adjustment (they're now sending that as test device to people who need to precisely measure their IPD), and people who had worn it said you could feel the difference of the extra 100g and it was uncomfortable. Perhaps because of the soft strap not being as good as a "real strap"

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

that’s really interesting. You’re probably right, I can imagine it would cause the headset to droop and sag away from the face.

[@RabbitConfirmed]

Fun fact, I got it, I hated it, I sent it back. It's not for everyone though.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Yep, I wasn’t 💯 certain I’d like it when it ordered. I’m curious, what did you dislike most about it and what do you use now?

[@replacesoundboard]

I have a dumb idea: I'm going to purchase a sleeping mask; one with cushion contours and eye holes and cut off the eye holes to wear the Beyond on top of it. I'll find out if it's a cheap way to replace the face gasket with.

[@replacesoundboard]

The top cushion is 13 mm thick (some versions are much thicker and some are thinner), which is still thinner than the face gasket. And since it's cushiony, I suppose it can be compressed to allow the headset to get closer

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

That’s a really good idea. You’ll have to let me know how it goes.

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY So, the cushion is longer than I thought so I had to be smart about the size of the holes I cut out. Plus, my cutting skills are very bad, it''s no wonder I never landed into fashion schools x) But the result looks promising. Someone who's more skilled than me could possibly make something even more neat. Still, it looks like I have a thin, comfortable, universal, "don't be ashamed" face gasket which I could share with everyone with the same IPD as me. I could send you a picture if you want. Do you have an e-mail address?

[@replacesoundboard]

@@MAWvR3ALITY I'm testing it right now. The idea has potential but it's going to need a lot of tweaking. I'm not getting a perfect fit as soon as I wear it, and the nose part is too thick so it's difficult to have it at the right angle and close enough without being blurry or having an unpleasant pressure on the nose. Also, I'm wearing it backward because otherwise the nose sensor doesn't detect that you're wearing the headset. I'll have to see how I can improve it. A bit disappointed it didn't work out as well as I wanted but it's never easy when you go down the DIY route

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

@ sounds like you’ve got a right little project going. It still sounds like a good idea, just might need a few tweaks along the way.

[@crimsom2977]

not enough FOV for me for social experiences sadly

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Hopefully they resolve that if/when they release a v2.0

[@GavinCowieIndeed]

What do you mean here? Is this VRChat?

[@giannilagast]

how many base stations do you need for sim racing

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

You probably only “need” one. As long as it has good line of sight with the devices sensors. I use two, to account for the awkward layout of my room.

[@giannilagast]

@@MAWvR3ALITYthanks, do you need controllers

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

⁠@@giannilagastnp, no VR controllers needed for sim-racing, but you might need one if you have to navigate the Steam VR menu (to reset your seating position etc.) Although, you can probably do this via the Steam VR desktop menu (with your mouse). You’ll need your pedal, wheels, game controller for the game/sim though (I know you know, just making sure 😊).

[@der60er]

crystal has also only around 100 hfov.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Good point - there really isn't a lot in it.

[@jayjayp9618]

U need a better mount for that csl bro it’s bouncing all over the place

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Yeah, unfortunately - needs must. I’m space limited - so it’s the collapsible PlaySeat mounting for the foreseeable future.

[@gaminginstilllife9429]

im going with the Pimax crystal lite, i like the size but base stations and controllers are a no go for me

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Makes perfect sense. It would be nice not having to rely on (buy) base stations.

[@simonoregan4744]

Love your content. Thank you Just trim your eyelashes 🤣🤣🤣 Get a piece of velchro tie and run the cable along the side of the strap.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Don't think I haven't considered 😂🤣😂

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thank you - I really appreciate that. That's also a great idea - thanks, I have plenty of spare velcro. I forgot to mention in the video, I've deliberately avoided uses the cable grip at the back of the head-strap, as I fear it will crimp the cable.

[@mrdummy_nl]

Only Pimax talk and not much other headsets like Quest 3. Yeah, kinda hard to tell what is better, what cons and pros are from other headsets. It's more Pimax versus Bigscreen video, not very useful in some ways. Especially if you know Quest 2 and 3 are way much cheaper (2-4 times cheaper). At least you talked about pros and cons of Bigscreen, that is fine. The part 'Should you buy...' is still Pimax focused, so not much useful for others.

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

Thanks 👍🏾, it’s primarily because this is based on my personal experience upgrading to the BSB from the 8KX and the choices I was considering at the time (Pimax options). It’s also a follow up to my previous video speaking about my initial impressions having made my choice.

[@x32i77]

Wait for MeganeX Superlight instead and skip this headset

[@MAWvR3ALITY]

The problem is, as with all PC related buys, eventually you have to stop waiting and just buy something 😄.

[@x32i77]

@@MAWvR3ALITY yeah that's why I am getting the Somnium vr1 now . Hope to see you on the Somnium Connect show 🫶🫠

[@SamSamerson-hm1hd]

For cable weight, other than using a Velcro cable as the other guy suggested. Try running it thro the left hole in the back of the seat to take some of the cable weight away.