Bigscreen Beyond Teardown: Inside Look At The World's Smallest VR Headset

In this Bigscreen Beyond teardown video, we give a detailed look at its inner workings and showcase what makes it so special.
Bigscreen Beyond, the world's smallest VR headset. Micro-OLED displays with 2560 x 2560 pixels per eye, custom pancake optics, SteamVR tracking - all in an unbelievably small form factor weighing just 127 grams. And for ultimate comfort, each headset is custom-built for each customer using a 3D Face Scan.
Pre-order now, deliveries begin in Q3 2023.
bigscreenvr.com/
About Bigscreen:
Bigscreen is a global team of developers passionate about virtual reality. In 2016, the team launched its software application Bigscreen which now has over 6 million users across headsets like Meta Quest and Valve Index. Today, Bigscreen is launching Bigscreen Beyond to push the bounds of comfort and immersion in VR. Bigscreen is funded by top investors in Silicon Valley like True Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz.
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📖 Blog: blog.bigscreenvr.com
👍 Newsletter: news.bigscreenvr.com

[@RidgeXR_2]

I absolutely love how at the beginning they say "this will probably void your warranty" and design the headset to be easily repairable anyways. Gigachad move.

[@cadence734]

If you need a repair while it’s still in warranty, they need to repair it. If it’s out of warranty then they enable you to do it.

[@cuddlyfoxgirl]

I was not sure about getting one before because i like to share my headset with friends. I waited for someone to do a teardown to see if i could eventually have some fun with modding (even if it might not be trivial). I did not expect to get a teardown directly from the manufacturer that confirms it might be possible but even shows it's easily servicable, unlike other devices. Awesome! I think I'm convinced :)

[@TheSwiftDJ105]

3:20 if they commit to this, i would love to see a transparent purple shell like the old Nintendo console

[@SimVRRacing]

You can tell it's a device made with love and pride.......oh, and I do love a black PCB!

[@RidgeXR_2]

shanks is such a cool ceo darshan best ceo fr

[@shallow3606]

fr red hair shanks cant think of any other better character

[@Amni3D]

Would like to hear more about the audio strap. I don't have the gall to teardown a Beyond, but I appreciate the sentiment. Compared to the PSVR2, this thing is even more packed.

[@RidgeXR_2]

I really like the custom front shell idea, maybe you could get your name engraved in it or something

[@elMuele]

Thank you for this video. I know many people are reluctant to buy because resale is harder because of the fixed IPD. Selling loose IPD plates and allowing the change in software seems a pretty easy way to lessen that hurdle pretty much without any cost or compromise on the concept/product .

[@mangakey]

He already said why it's not possible it's not just the plates but a bunch of other stuff that's custom for that IPD...

@@mangakey acually, they have said it should techically be possible on the discord server.

[@ChickenScratch]

at 9:00 it's just so mind boggling to see how thin the optics are

[@StarCenturion]

Great stuff, can't wait for my unit.

[@mattcy6591]

Man i need one of these

[@SuperMelon2008]

after a long wait I've received my first Bigscreen Beyond. Initial impression wasn't great. But the effort these guys put in fixing the missing parts is AMAZING. They've send me another cushion (thinner!), the IDU unit to measure the precise IPD. I've never felt that much care from the hardware designer/producer. Now I'm waiting for a final version of the unit, but already can tell during my tests that this can be my everyday unit for upcoming years.

[@Outlander999]

That's fantastic. It's hard to go back to a wired headset, after you try a wireless headset (Quest 2, for example). However, for a wired one, the Bigscreen seems a big step ahead. I hope it will be successfull, and I'm curious to see future releases from Bigscreen.

[@RyanR3STL3SS]

CEO doing the teardown. Nice! Is there ANY way to change the IPD, like if you see it? Seems like most of the components are the same. I'm so excited to get this headset.

they have said that it meybe possible to change the IPD plates if you lets say dicide to sell it or give it away. though the new user will atso have to order a new face gasket from Beyond.

[@yarra01]

What a great video! When my HP G1 cable failed I could not remove the faceplate to access the cable port. It was so frustrating! A perfectly good headset that can no longer be used. Watching other's videos with different models, they still had to remove glue and basically destroy the headset to get into it. Love that this headset is built to be accessible.

[@hebu560]

looking forward for my unit!

[@vr4ever645]

Dude, this is incredible!❤

[@oliverx65]

if i could afford this it would be the exact sort of headset i'd love because if i can tear something down to pieces without damaging anything i will do it all the time

[@unotoli]

Genius and minimalistic design! Even new competitors (MeganeX light) can't keep up :) Can't wait for ver1.5 with two DP (like Varjo), that should make it even more modular (two sides) and truly hi-res and hi-hz ;)

[@a-fl-man640]

gotta love a hands on CEO. time will tell if it does as well as promised but it looks pretty neat at this point.

[@anahata8870]

This was ,in fact, interesting 😀

[@thevinlanddragon]

Stoked

[@SteveJake-zq6qh]

can we PLEASE have a clear version Front Shell? Thanks.

[@StormyDoesVR]

Well, if I wasn't before, now I'm sold. Time to start savin'!

[@tasmania9576]

Thanks for share I'm already curious to see what else you improve and when you can officially release it in €U!

[@bofuhonaw12]

Yo bigscreen! I got an IPD of 73,5mm with 36,5 left eye and 37 right eye. Do you do manufacturings for those values? Or would i have to resort to the next closest value?

[@thefunkydeep446]

Man, I might scoop. Valve Index Field of View and Audio and this would be a definite purchase. Impressed the CEO could tear it down and reassemble it.

[@FusionTechCinema]

They’re making a custom made audio system to go with the headset

[@Acela1a]

Amazing

[@fischmanchu]

hell yeah!!!!!

[@Gene669]

what i see is the potential for a work oriented headset where all the computational power can be on a separate unit connected with a cable and place on your pocket or fanny pack for example, BUT also have passthrough cameras and accelerometer for orientation on the headset. still light with extras but for productivity. i have a quest pro and i have 2x 20000mAh powerbanks to exchange and connect one after the other for longer seamless uninterrupted use for hours. when i first heard about the big screen my mind went there: make one more product line add extra sensory like cameras and accelerometers keeping the most important components and all the rest move them to a separate unit connect by cable limiting the weight and size carried on the head. one really useful feature is that you can lay down on the bed and keep using it

[@agniuszoro]

Exactly what i thought. They made social device which is tied to a big box with long cable. Why they don't make one so you could connect to your smartphone with simple 3DOF for watching movies in theatre in bed, isn't Bigscreen al about that? Why not make it with inside-out tracking and bigscreen IR controllers for 6DOF so you could connect to your laptop or micro gaming pc on the move? Really nice device but really small niche of users. I really appreciated portability of the quest 2 and saddened that beyond is tied to lighthouses...

[@Gene669]

@@agniuszoro I am talking about things that the headset does not have (cameras, internal tracking) but can easily incorporate for work-oriented use while maintaining its tiny form factor. what you ask can be already viable through a wire-connected smartphone for example a samsung using dex to stream movies directly from the phone or use the phone to remotely access your steam games from your computer. the quoted text below is from their website "easily connect a range of audio sources or other USB items directly to your HMD"

[@Skarredghost]

I like these tech videos!

[@animal579]

is there any plans to let LTT take a look at the headset? That would be the final blow I need to buy in and even buy pairs for family.

[@jonberg469]

I really hope they can fix the glare issues in the lenses.

[@KingDiamondBones]

they havent I wish they werent focused on making a smaller vr headset lol imagine a lightweight normal sized vrheadset with oled it sucks but ill stick with my index fr

[@replacesoundboard]

How do the microphones compare to a Zoom stereo recorder for recording music in production?

[@1160wILlArD]

I was hoping you could explain how to remove the Rx lenses. Mine are smudged and I want to clean them

[@HyperdriveStudios20]

is there any chance you can make a free spinning cable attachment for the bigscreen beyond or a flat cable so i don't have to spin around like a ballerina every time i twist the cord up. basically, if its flat I can run it through my fingers and get almost tangle-free every time and with a free spinning aux style no matter how much i spin the cord will always stay true

[@hunterm.moreno4201]

I hope Bigscreen will become consumer enough and allow you to simply select your IPD at checkout. Already having bulk of each IPD in stock, ready for shipment. Similar to purchasing glasses on the internet.

[@johngruys7872]

the face cushion is custom made for your face by sending them a 3d scan of ur face when you buy it. they’re not going for bulk wholesale they want each one to be perfect for the buyer, and the preset IPD makes the whole thing less likely to break and (mainly) weigh less

[@anoirbentanfous]

If every gram matters, then I suggest using titanium screws. Also make use of some generative design in order to shave a few more grams... But overall amazing quality, I wish to put my hands on one soon even though it is beyond my actual budget... I suggest adding some haptics to make things more interesting as we are pretty sensitive to vibrations on the head; Another suggestion is to use another innovative solution for the cooling which consists of solid state cooling instead of a fan and an active membrane to balance humidity.

[@ChickenPermissionOG]

support for prism lens?

[@SteveJake-zq6qh]

Would the weight decrease a lot if the parts are switched with carbon fiber?

[@willybilly8187]

I don't understand why no one has made the screens bend to the lenses instead of the lenses bending to the screens, you could have far better FOV. Years ago, I had 10 powered magnifiers and look at 35mm slides they were blurry on the sides so I bent the slides horizontally, and they came in focus on the sides all I could see is picture no borders. It wasn't perfect but the idea was there.

[@GSpotter63]

If one could order new IPD plates and a new face pad it would have a much larger resale value....

they said they will look into it. will probably ateast sell face pads, so selling to someone with simlar ipd is possible even without plates.

[@tapetwo7115]

Other than the GPU/Computer and controller, do I need any tracking hardware to see my head or controller movement? I'm new to PCVR stuff.

[@Sepfox]

Late answer, but: It depends. SteamVR tracking involves base stations (also called lighthouses) sometimes that, very simplified, basically shoot a invisible-to-the-eye laser grid into your room. The bigscreen beyond DOES NOT WORK without this. A lot of other headsets use the same method of tracking. The Index controllers (recommended for the beyond) also require this grid for self-tracking. There is another method of tracking, which involves a lot of cameras inside the controllers/headset to locate itself. this is how Oculus/Meta/Facebook headsets do it for example. If you want base stations/lighthouses, the cheapest place to get them is usually on the steam store, meant for the Index. you need at least two (to ensure you do not block sight of the laser with your hands for example), though you *can* use up to your at the same time if you need it for your specific setup. The Index base stations do not need to connect to your PC in any way. they only need a power outlet. They can be turned on/off over bluetooth which the beyond linkbox can do when you start SteamVR or close it.

[@Blockistium]

anyone think there's enough room to mod in eye tracking?

[@ikemanreed]

I totally want to buy one it would be a lot easier of a choice if it came with good eye and face tracking!!

[@ikemanreed]

Also more field of view

[@TuTAH_1]

Lol, in 10:54 the subtitles hears "beyond" from music

[@slothsarecool]

love the direction, but I don’t want the lighthouse tracking so I’ll skip on this one

[@christopherblair3667]

For the love of God guys Please Release STL files for this headset for modifications. If at the very minimum Please Release the STL files for the ipd brackets. At least that way we can adjust our ipd offset on our own if we have to...

[@basanaboinaramesh3739]

For that price, compromising on USB C is unforgivable... Compromising on weight is different and compromising on quality is different....

[@codemonkey6173]

Will it only work with your controller and bases, or could I use my cv1 trackers and controllers?

[@Ekyluu]

It seems like it works like an index so I think it wouldn't without one 2.0 base station?

They have said they will look at meybe adding 3dof without basestations. but generally for a propper experince you will need a set of Lighthouse basestations and controllers. as far as i know the cheapest you can get both is a used HTC vive. since it comes with both and both should be compatible.

[@nyulia4491]

looks nice and seems having amazing feature, but damn the cost, it's more than one month with the minimum pay in france, more than half of the job in france you get paid 1250€after all taxes

[@nickthomas6205]

Leeeesss gooooo

[@FSK1138]

please lower the price 🧐 - the cusion support plate and the ipd plates could be merged into a custom face gasket also please make a better strap

[@spookykitty2327]

No they couldn't, the lenses can't just be removed from the headset. And then if you want a custom face gasket for someone else to use, you'd need to pay $700.

[@shawn6306]

I know HTC xr eilte is both all in one ar/vr i think HTC xr eilte and bigscreen are the first smallest vr heardsets to achieve this

[@namegoeshere197]

have you ever tryed the HTC xr eilte? Its the most uncomfortable headset i have ever tried

[@shawn6306]

@@namegoeshere197 I never try it and it doesn't look like an uncomfortable headset to me

[@arthur999r]

With such small diameter lenses, to have normal FoV the Eye Relief should be very small (just school geometry laws), something like 6mm. What is the actual Eye Relief or actual FoV per nominal Eye Relief ?

[@StepCrow]

The microphone is absolutely a big deal for me!

[@lassmirandadennsiewillja3943]

just a little bit bigger so fov would not be a problem anymore

[@dharkbizkit]

the thing is. the fixed ipd with not way to change it, is the exact reason iam not considering it. i know, the answer is that its not made for my use case then, but still, since i have 64mm and my wife has 56mm ipd, i couldnt buy it for us, i would need 2, which is overkill. i get why one would get of the adjust mechanism, but beeing able to losen 8 screes, put in a different ipd plate and then share it, would solve that problem. thing is: with the beyond, its not the smal design or the weight, that makes it interesting, its the resolution, paired with the micro-oled display, native steam vr and the lenses, because there is no combined pack like this out there, meaning even if it was standard design an 600gramms, id still take it, if i could adjust the ipd

[@Grampssssss]

1/10 g for an LED; damn. You must be trying to snap my my neck

[@tylerm8143]

FINALLY A TECH COMPANY THAT BUILDS A DEVICE THAT'S NOT NEEDLESSLY COMPLICATED AND CAN BE REPAIRED AT HOME 👍👍👍👍

[@TheVisipac]

Very impressive piece of hardware. I can already see some areas of improvement in future revisions. I wonder if Solid State cooling would be possible in future models and if that would allow additional space and weight savings in those units. Example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3jbhaF9eqaraac

[@mangakey]

Kinda torn on this I like that it's designed with repairablity and easy disassembly in mind in case something goes wrong or upgrades down the line .. but all that customization I don't know on the one hand it's should be perfect fit for who ever buys it.. On the other sharing it looks like it be a pain... The secondhand market seem like it be a mess especially for odd IPD under 60 over 67..

[@Ekyluu]

I would treat this as getting a tailor made suit or personal set of glasses. Made to fit you and only you. Spending 1200 or so is definitely not worth the price for just a simple headset, you'd still have to get controllers and base stations separately. If I'd share this device, it would be when it is off and only to let people feel the weight on their head.

its not meant for sharing or selling, as @Ekyluu said, its like a pair of Personilized glasses. they wont look right for anyone else. though ipd can theorecially be swapped if you decide to sell it in a couple years, warranty has probably expired by then aswell.

[@Rockovissi]

Would you ever consider making this wireless, maybe with WiFi 6? Just to transmit the signal from your PC?

They have been talking with Nofio the compay making the Index wireless kit, so Meybe in the future as a pocketable thingie.

[@drverm]

Does this device have cameras? Can we do hand tracking with Bigscreen? Also, why skimp out for a USB-2 in today's age?

[@x32i77]

Increase brightness and Fov please 🙏

[@ten10_ten10]

The CEO (guy in the video) has recently stated that they've already increased the FOV to over 100. Increasing the brightness is probably a lot harder to do with the displays and lenses chosen. It's probably not needed to begin with either.

[@ratside9485]

I think it's good that VR glasses exist. But aren't BigScreen users rather normal Quest2 players who meet from time to time to watch movies? The device is more for VR freaks. Who already have tracking. Still impressive what you guys have created. Meta is probably spending billions on it.

yea your pretty mutch correct, for the Neos and Vrchat players who spend most of their day on VR. Personally knew a guy who has over 10000 Hours in Neos. But its altso for the Current enousiasts who meybe already own an index and see the potential of a light enough headset to setup 6+ Virtual monitors and workin in it.

[@ratside9485]

@ To replace a monitor, the FOV is too poor. It is supposed to be worse than Quest2.

[@yarra01]

It's also for the many flight sim enthusiasts who spend hours flying. I started with the HTC Vive, got a HP G1, then a HP G2 - all of them get uncomfortable after half an hour or so, and thats with using custom printed head straps which make them more comfortable than the generic ones. This very light headset will make dogfighting much easier on my neck!

[@mitcherny6965]

Do I understand correctly, with the parts I get from my local electronics store I can build myself this type of headset for less than 100 bucks?

[@malaythakkar8772]

Clearly you didn’t understand correctly

[@mariorossi9300]

If by bucks you mean US Dollars then no, from what I gather the OLED panels alone are $200+ each, and the optical stacks another $100 .

[@nebgons4794]

good luck with getting those cutting edge micro oleds with your less than 100 bucks budget lmao

[@ybkim2241]

more cheep pls

[@SINfromPL]

Well done video. Headset seems interesting, however pcvr is not, making it pretty much obsolete.

PCVR is better in every single way. i mean, just look at the diffrence between VRchat on the Quest VS PC. its Opjectivley shittyer.

[@Nobody-Nowhere]

Why don't you ship it with extra IPD adjustment plates, if that's all it takes? Its kinda impossible to resale gear that has fixed IPD. Overall it seems like a really bad design.

well considering this headset is not meant for Resale, or even sharing with other people i think you are just not the intended market.

[@TheBauwssss]

Bro, I want to watch you disassemble the headset, not watch a 10 minute long advertisement... Some of the added information is admittedly very welcome, but in my opinion he just lays it on way to thick for my taste.