We're Having Wildly Different Experiences

[@johnr2391]

The cameras have limited dynamic range, that is the difference between the darkest and lightest part of the image. If something is out of that range, it will be overexposed (almost white), or underexposed, (pitch black). If the room is as bright as the screen then you will see it. This is all over the internet in many many places and has been known since Release in October.

[@JoernR]

And this is the explanation.

[@bringhurstvr]

Tomorrow's episode shows my computer being used in a completely unlit room with pretty great clarity. It's as dark an environment as I could achieve. Following another factory reset everything's improved quite a bit. But this thing with a bright screen in a dark room isn't holding up, except for when we're several feet from the screen. Check it out tomorrow.

[@JoernR]

@@bringhurstvr - Sorry to say, but it seems you still didn't get it.

[@Densmode3dp]

I was playing a round of Golf+ last night. Between holes I was going into passthrough, mixing a drink in the bar, messaging my buddy on the phone. Now, it’s not crystal clear, but I can read and use my phone in passthrough. Well lit room I think.

[@toncatboy]

The best headsets were made on Monday's thru Wednesday's. They start getting "iffy" when they are made on Thursday's and worst when made on Friday's. Purchasing is like rolling dice......

[@Obi-Wan_Pierogi]

FINALLY! I found a video with my same issue! Everyon'e passththtough videos look almost like real life. While mine is "ok" it's grainy and wavy. I can't read a book and I can barely if I turn the brightness down to like 5%.

[@bringhurstvr]

The wavy stuff is gonna be par for the course, and any of the screen capture stuff will always look more crisp. But yeah, these through the lens videos are pretty damming.

[@danilodevita]

I can read my phone through pass through, kinda hard but doable.

[@SeattleGenXDude]

I can’t read my phone or monitor in pass through mode. It’s my first headset. I just thought it was a hard ware limitation. It’s like looking through a static field

[@devinchandrapala3321]

My first headset as well, I was also under the impression that it was the hardware limitation. Is the static field you're referring to, the low quality of the passthrough? For me its like I'm looking through a mobile camera from the 2000's.

[@Acilius.]

@@devinchandrapala3321 correct, it uses 4mp cameras for the passthrough - there's only so much that you can get from that; that being said, as someone who has been using VR for many many years, this is truly next level compared to what we've had, so far. Despite Meta's marketing efforts, this is definitely still a VR first headset, with decent passthrough. You'll probably come across the term 'occlusion' at some point, and the fact that the Q3 (for whatever reason) does not utilize it, removes the possibility of decent MR. All in all though, it's the absolute best first headset you could've hoped for! Hope you find as much enjoyment in the VR world as so many of us have

[@Joric78]

If there's really this much variation headset to headset, that's a massive QC issue in itself.

[@robertpetrie2536]

There isn’t. The only difference is how well lit your environment is. The more light-the clearer the mixed reality. This KZbinr is spreading rumors.

[@tapetwo7115]

This. tldr: skill issue@@robertpetrie2536

[@producdevity]

@@robertpetrie2536may I ask how you know this? Genuine question

[@robertpetrie2536]

@@producdevity May I ask how you know anything? Genuine question.

[@producdevity]

@@robertpetrie2536 that’s an easy way to avoid a question… I was hoping you had something to back up those statements. I didn’t even disagree with you and you felt the need to genuinely ask how I know anything. I could tell you my life story and how I developed as an individual but I have a feeling you aren’t “genuinely” interested in an answer :)

[@Lechuck004]

I got my quest 3 about 3 weeks ago but got to be honest I was really disappointed with pass through which was a grainy mess even with the room being what I would say was well lit. As well as this I'm experiencing exactly the same issues when it comes to reading a phone, tablet or monitor screen... The experience I'm getting via pass through certainly isn't what I expected after watching various videos online! I've seen guys play on a PS5 while in pass through! There's no way I could do this with mine.

[@mikanuutinen2264]

Oh boy it's the Index RMA kerfuffle all over again. Holy fuck.

[@RayRift]

The only thing I'm noticing is The Quest 3 is noticeably dimmer than the Quest Pro. Quest 3 seems higher resolution but noticeably softer light on the eyes. Also, those through the lens videos could be recorded in different methods such as cell phone versus DSLR.

[@bringhurstvr]

I asked him what he had been using. It was a Samsung Galaxy device.

[@bringhurstvr]

And more importantly, I've been sharing my own footage with these guys. However accurate their footage is, mine is accurate to what I'm seeing, and they're confirming it looks nothing like that for them.

[@lilmacgaming7221]

For the passthrough being grainy in any room other than my tiny ass bathroom...like....I have an open sliding glass door and two different room lights on and it's still grainy. I also have completely blown out screens on my phone and PC unless I put the headset right up against them. It's honestly less hassle to just lift the headset slightly to use them as I always did with the quest 2.

[@AnansiFpv]

Thanks, i found this info really valuable. I see a lot of comments telling you to 'simply' turn down your brightness like you wouldn't obviously have tried that. The bigger issue is the variance in experience between users. I guess we'll know alot more when you recieve your replacement 🤞.

[@bringhurstvr]

What's even more aggravating is being told to change brightness or contrast to achieve some modicum of normal use, when they know full well that others don't have to do any of that. I'm pretty tired of hearing it.

[@AnansiFpv]

@@bringhurstvr it's the dunning-kruger effect 🤣

[@JoernR]

johnr2391 alrady stated it: The issue isn't the Q3 cameras, it's the picture composition: Dark background and bright foreground (display). The software needs to decide which part you can see - the big part or the small part of your environment. Usually it's better to see the big picture (for not bumping into things), thus it adjusts the exposure according to the big part, overexposing the small display part. That's quite normal with about every digital camera, it's the reason why HDR got introduced. Turn up the light and you'll be able to read your display - just like in the comparison footage you refer to: Bright background. By the way: The Q3 cameras ARE from the lowest shelves, but the phenomenon is a very common one.

[@heythere6804]

Also used a couple, some have crazy mura, some have more glare, etc...that's also a thing

[@IAmMuffin.]

Every copy of a quest 3 is personalized..

[@Acilius.]

oh man, while watching this & your previous videos, I'll admit that I was getting a sort of placebo/bandwagon effect going.... While I can't really use my phone via passthough, nor clearly read text on my monitor, it is not nearly as bad as what your experience seems to have been. When working in e.g. Immersed and I have passthough windows for my keyboard or other spots, it is perfect. Keys are clearly legible, everything looks as I would like it it, etc. When it is low-light, yea, it is pretty grainy - but, that's where my mind goes to the hardware specs and price point of the headunit and says, "This is what those specs deliver" and I'd be naive if I was expecting much more." I hope your new unit will provide you with a better experience - the Q3 has definitely re-invigorated my love for VR and I'm excited for the next phase now upon us.

[@hairbear31d]

I'm able to see my phone and monitors fine, I even turned up the brightness to max and was still able to read it easily (I keep it at about 40%) I've noticed the brighter the room the clearer the image looks.

[@derek488]

Mine is blown out

[@burnban3047]

i kept telling people in commets it doesnt look that clear

[@skipp1877]

Mine looks the same. It's a grainy mess. I'm considering returning mine completely.

[@intermsofreality]

Have you tried being a in brighter room? Cameras will typically try to balance out brightness based on what they're seeing. Your cameras might be overcompensating for a dimly-lit room by ramping up the brightness, which can result in blown out screens.

[@bringhurstvr]

I've tried everything.

[@TheRacheakt]

My pass though is like yours.

[@producdevity]

I am giving a workshop tomorrow and we ordered around 10 quest 3 headsets in total, I’ll try to remember to compare their cameras and comment below this comment what my findings were

[@bringhurstvr]

That would be so valuable. Thank you so much. Look forward to hearing back.

[@producdevity]

@@bringhurstvr happy to help! I have 3 Q3 headsets at my home office that I bring for smaller demo’s and presentations and I got curious because I do remember using my phone comfortably using passthrough, but I’ve also experienced the washed out mess countless times. What’s the best place we can get in touch, I’ll send you some of the recordings, hopefully they offer you some more insight

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Did you turn down the brightness on the headset and turned up the night mode? As that worked for me.

[@bringhurstvr]

I tried that a while back with no success. But others claim they didn't need to do that themselves. So there's some variance there.

[@walterchoy4613]

I have the same problems with my phone. However, after I turn down the brightness of my phone. The problems will get better and gone. Hope this help.

[@drewpatterson8009]

Meta screwed the pooch BAD with the Q3. That's obviously MUCH lower quality cameras. I bought one, had the SAME experience and it was obvious these were 480p cameras. My Quest Pro was literally the same exact visual fidelity in passthrough. Zero difference.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

however I agree the QC is herendus like Nintendo DS Lite bad and meta should be ashamed they are shipping up bad HMDs at all.

[@Cray-Z-303]

I am still using my Quest Pro because of a number of reasons, mainly the face and eye tracking and the visor fit that hangs over my face, but coming from using MANY other HMD's in the last 6 or so years, Meta seems to constantly have issues with QC and even bigger issues with the software side of things, I have had to RMA my Quest Pro twice since buying it and may need to again if the current issues are not able to be resolved through a software update, but given their record on the software side of things especially for the Pro HMD, I am not too hopeful about that, point being I would not be surprised if it was a QC issue they were having with the quest 3 and just not acknowledging it....

[@subcog]

My phone screen is totally blown out, but if I turn the phone brightness down it becomes readable. Text is still low-res & blurry though. Anyways, it might have to do with the ratio of ambient light in your room vs the brightness of your phone screen.

[@AlexPye]

I seem to have a mix between blurry and clear when checking - its pretty much the middle point between both examples you have shown in your video. I'm just happy I don't have any dead pixels and don't really want to be using my phone/other screens in VR so will keep it but agree that it could be a lot clearer!

[@Acilius.]

exactly my sentiments - could be more, but then again: not with 4mp cameras.... I used Immersed, so my screens are using VR anyway, but the passthrough that I use/want is way more that I had with the Q2, for example and is completely satisfactory for my needs (for now 🙂)

[@bluebell1]

I’m one of the ones that I can read my phone just fine. Passthrough is not as clear as Meta showed off but it’s better than the Pro.

[@plasticlife283]

That sucks. I have two Quest 3s, one for me and one for my son. The pass-through looks just fine in both. I can read things relatively fine. It's as clear as to be expected from what I have seen on other KZbin channels. Besides the graininess of the cameras, it looks good.

[@salmanmunawar1]

My experience is somewhere in the middle, not as blown out as your phone footage, but not as perfect as the footage with keyboard and monitor. I am able to read the phone screen and look at monitor but it is slightly overexposed and warped.

[@joonglegamer9898]

I thought I had gotten a Fake Quest 3, you know - like those phone clones with really bad VGA type of camera. I feel like it has 2 vga resolution cameras in it. It's as bad as the Original HTC Vive passthrough mono-camera it had, and it's terrible. Noisy and blurry even with 6 lights on in the living room, and I can't read the phone screen for the life of me.

[@T1NYT]

Stupid question. Have you tried changing contrast in the accessibility settings of the Quest 3?

[@bringhurstvr]

It's not. And yes, I've played with it. It's not a solution that works great or that's acceptable knowing others don't have to do it.

[@0heck]

Well this is concerning, if true. My pass through cameras also have terrible image quality as well, and i was wondering why some people were loving the MR side of this headset with such awful quality.

[@dtz1000]

Compared to Quest 2 and Quest Pro, it's a revelation.

[@Toofast4005]

Thank you for this video. I’ve been extremely disappointed with the AR feature of my Quest 3. Very similar experience not being able to read phones or see tv screens clearly through the cameras. Looking forward to your comparison video in a few weeks

[@MattLovesCheese]

My passthrough looks the same as yours, I can't see my monitor or my phone screen through it, just really blown out. The passthrough in general is just really grainy too. :(

[@bringhurstvr]

Thanks for chiming in. Appreciate it.

[@brokensword2621]

first of all i must say there is a huge differences in quality and sharpness between natural light and artificial light. in natural light i can Easily read my phone without any problem. but in artificial light despite how good the light is the sharpness and quality are never the same. but if you have problem reading your phone in good natural light i think there is something wrong with your quest 3 camera.

[@luisfelipegonzalez4423]

Glad youtube recommended this video. Im Just about to purchase a q3, and this is dealbreaker for me. Hope this is just an isolated problem. Ill be awaiting the second video. Cheers from Chile.

[@jared6200]

It depends on my lighting, but i've been able to see my phone clearly through passthrough from the beginning. I Bought my Q3 at Walmart instead of Amazon or online. I'm not sure if there is a difference in quality from where the headsets were shipped to initially. My color passthrough is grainy at times in lower light though.

[@ghsnyc]

How did you file the RMA? I have the same issue? Same blown out screen, very pixelated.

[@bringhurstvr]

I'd personally wait to see what my experience is like with the return, since I've been informed I'll likely be getting a refurbished headset. But it can be fine by logging into Meta and clicking support in your purchase menu.

[@tangibleplanetvisualmedia1138]

My headset looks like yours for the most part but I can still use my phone if I turn the brightness down. Its warpy and I usually need to close one eye though. They need to fix the software for auto adjusting brightness because it absolutely does not adjust to my display or my phone. I really liked the old intro song btw, what was it called?

[@bringhurstvr]

I may return to it. I was having copyright issues that have since been resolved. It's Little, by Ryan King.

[@Neon_195]

On my quest 3 its okay ig

[@gilphroy]

I have this issue as well

[@ryanhenderson8908]

Almost assuredly because your screens at 70%. My screen is at 25% of auto brightening on my Samsung and is blown out but still legible, in a medium lit room in daytime. Did you try it with the brightness down?

[@bringhurstvr]

I've tried it outside, inside, with extra lights, with the brightness set to 5%, and it never achieves the visual clarity others share. And others aren't being asked to reduce their brightness anyhow.

[@jammygeez]

Im very excited for my quest 3 but for meta to do this is extremely frustrating

[@RolandDobbins]

I can use my iPhone at max brightness via pass-through on my Quest 3 512GB with no issues. Maybe I got lucky?

[@S01DATT]

I like your videos, very informative, I noted in an early review you bought the 128Gb Q3. I bought the 512Gb version, off eBay and experience nothing like what your having. My phone is just fine, same with my monitor...Their has to be a quality control issue between the entry level and the 512Gb

[@JesseDriftwood]

I have the 512gb model and I have the same issue. I have to turn screen brightnesses down so low to be able to read them.

[@eiancruz080809]

there is ISO change when diff lighting situation that why

[@bringhurstvr]

With dark and light rooms, extra lights, different devices and different brightness levels, this answer is becoming less helpful as the day progresses. But I appreciate the reply.

[@crimsondragon1794]

for me since i use a dark theme on my pc i have trouble reading text unless i get close too the monitor or phone. but if it's something like a video or an image i can see it fine

[@tomc1380]

I hope you get better results with your replacement Q3. My +2mo Q3 (bought from Meta) passthrough seems pretty good and soooo much better than my QPro. Heck, even my +2mo Elite battery strap (also bought from Meta) is continuing to work perfectly, lol! I'm still on v59 and even Air Link continues to work very well with both my QPro and Q3/rtx4090. Pretty depressing to see all these problems reported on YT and user forums. In some cases I think it may be user error, but I guess it also could be faulty hardware. Good luck mate and cheers.

[@47souls48]

I had the same issue with my HTC vive. The UI was compromised, it wouldn’t work with updates and the camera although it was alright it always failed and never let me pass through. Games would only work when running. Otherwise it would just act like it’s on crack on steam and the starting menu.

[@HearthstoneMontage]

Clean your cameras, I'm serious, get a lens cloth and wipe them down, get some proper lighting in the room and that's it. Literally I had a situation like your screenshot, after these 2 steps it became like a better quality screenshot, but good light cost a lot of money

[@bringhurstvr]

I really wouldn't have taken the time to make the video without doing that. But stay tuned for tomorrow's episode. Got it resolved.

[@FlamingCurtain]

I can see my phone pretty easily though not as clear as the second clip in this video, also nowhere near as bad as your example. I text and stuff with passthrough

[@JW-um5pg]

This product is not ready for prime time, simply put. Don't buy it unless you want headaches. On paper its great, but exchange a headset and you'll see the wild variances. Youre not getting what you pay for. I went through freaking 7+ exchanges because of issues with dead pixels which then lead to me noticing wild variances with mura, screen door, cameras, etc. Now several exchanges later (now over 10+) I can't settle on a headset because every single one has its issues. On top of that its making me look crazy because who tf does that many exchanges? It is so infuriating. Meta is profoundly lucky there isn't serious competition right now, but that will change overnight. Cannot wait for the day because Meta is a trash company. It's still Facebook at the end of the day.

[@mattvsmetaverse]

Dang, that's definitely some relevant information, to put it mildly. Bummer to hear, as I was thinking of picking one up early next year. Now I gotta watch out for this landmine. 😣 Sucks that everyone doesn't get the same experience, but pays the same price.

[@John56653]

I got one no problems here

[@plasticlife283]

Ya, I'm not saying it isn't an issue. Hopefully, it is just a small number of units affected. But the ones I have don't have that problem. I also have a couple friends who have the Quest 3, and they don't report that problem either. Maybe we were just lucky, or the problem isn't that widespread.

[@mattvsmetaverse]

@@plasticlife283 Ah sweet, that's good to hear. Def alleviates some of that concern. I've been hearing only good things about it (especially those pancake lenses) up til now. Appreciate that! 🤘

[@bringhurstvr]

And I really don't wanna be seen as the guy who blindly loves Meta or who constantly insists it's garbage. The audience seems to really want me in one box or the other. In terms of VR it's uncontested. It's amazing. Just the pass through I take issue with.

[@plasticlife283]

@@bringhurstvr, you mention an issue you've encountered. Nothing wrong with that.

[@patrick1143b]

Reduce your screen brightness to half in the quest settings

[@S1MONSAYSVR]

Hmm.. mine is definately adjusting its exsposure for a phone, but I rarely find it practical to use my phone when i have the headset on anyways, quick glances or quick responses on texts as a minimum. However I remember my quest doing all kinds of weird things at launch, i thought it was very divided opinions on reddit on performance, fan noise etc. But it kinda went away partially in an update so I'm happy for the most part. Very intersting to hear about your experience with a second unit.

[@Scolecite]

The through the lens videos are FAKED. All Quest 3 have blurry pass through in person in the headset.

[@bringhurstvr]

You're hilarious.

[@tapetwo7115]

Are youtubers ever going to be taken care of for straight up just making up things and claiming it's true. oh wait. TLDR; skill issue

[@bringhurstvr]

You're awesome. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[@dtz1000]

The solution is simple. Keep your phone brightness under 60%. I have the same problem but only when i increase my phone brightness to over 60% which i find is too bright indoors anyway. This really is a non-problem.

[@bringhurstvr]

Then why are others not having to go through that? It's not resolved without going below 10%. It's an issue for those who are affected by it.

[@dtz1000]

​@@bringhurstvr In your video you said you keep your phone at 75% brightness.

[@bringhurstvr]

​​@@dtz1000yeah, that's what I typically keep it at, and others claim between 50 and 100% works fine, but that doesn't mean I never tried troubleshooting with different brightness levels. I've lowered the brightness of my phone and laptop, factory reset the device, adjusted in-headset brightness, cleaned the lenses and cameras, and I think there's a general thing happening here where because a huge percentage of the population doesn't have an issue they're just bent on deciding that the rest of us are doing something wrong. Which is kind of undone by the fact that it was screenshots from this video that prompted Meta to issue the replacement.