25.04.2020
Play Half-Life:Alyx (Windows) Wireless On Oculus Quest#
The Oculus Quest Link Cable
is not available. I had a 1,80m USB-3 cable for testing, but this is by far not sufficient. I ordered the promoted 3m USB-3 Anker cable, but this has not arrived yet.
So I searched for the wireless option.
(Note: You play it wired with the Oculus Windows App and SteamVR. When you start SteamVR in Windows the Quest starts it also automatically and you are in the SteamVR lobby.)
There are various alternative solutions with different components in the internet (not used here):
- AMD Radeon ReLive (only with AMD graphic cards)
- Streaming App ALVR
- VRidge / RiftCat
The below mentioned solutions works very well for me, but here are the prerequisites:
- use a 5GHz wlan only, I separated 5Gz with a separate SSID in my FritzBox to make sure
- use your headset near the router
- use a powerful computer to run the game, connected properly to the router (1GBit)
- up to date graphic card driver
This discussion helped me to connect wireless.
You also shoud watch this youtube video, which was also linked at the "Get sideload" link in SideQuest (see below).
The components I used are:
Steam Client and Half-Life:Alyx#
Steam is a game platform basically. I bought Half-Life:Alyx from Steam for 49,99€. You need to install on your computer and it took ~64GB on my SSD.
SteamVR#
SteamVR is a tool from Steam to play VR games (free). Easy spoken, SteamVR connects your headset with steam. You have to download and install it on your computer from the Steam shop.Virtual Desktop (Oculus App)#
With Virtual Desktop you can see your desktop in the Quest. You need to buy in the Oculus Store for 19,90€ and install on your Quest.
Sidequest#
Sidequest is a kind of remote management tool for your headset. As your Oculus Quest is an Android device behind the scenes it uses Google's ADB (Android Developer Bridge) to communicate and issue commands via USB to your Quest. Key features are screen streaming and recording (from your Quest) and installing apps with "Sideloader" on your quest from the Sidequest store. Those apps appear in the library under "Unknown Sources". The SideQuest App called Quest App Launcher combines all apps in your quest as overview to start.
To enable ADB you need to install the Oculus Driver. The one for Oculus Go is used also for Oculus Quest.
1. https://developer.oculus.com > Develop > Downloads > Native Mobile > Oculus ADB Driver 2.0 > Download
2. Unzip oculus-go-adb-driver-2.0.zip
3. ..\oculus-adb-driver-2.0\oculus-go-adb-driver-2.0\usb_driver\android_winusb.inf > Rightclick > Install
To enable ADB you need to set Oculus Quest in Developer Mode
1. Create an organisation for your account at Oculus at https://developer.oculus.com > Manage > Create New organization.
2. Go to your Oculus smartphone app > Settings > Tab on your device to connect
3. After connected (Oculus Quest needs to be running) you can unfold and get "More Settings"
4. Select Developer Mode and enable (if you missed step 1 this is not possible)
5. Reboot (!) the Oculus Quest
In the Sidequest store there is also "Virtual Desktop". I am not sure if this is the Oculus app already (?). For safety install this also/again.
Virtual Desktop Streamer#
Download and install Virtual Desktop Streamer (VirtualDesktop.Streamer.Setup.exe). At the website you see additionally also the option to download "Virtual Desktop" PC Version and Mobile version. I have not uses those, just the "Download Streamer App".
Putting all together - play wireless#
1. Start you Quest2. Start Sidequest
3. Connect you quest via USB-3 to you computer and notice the Sidequest title shows a green circle indicating that the Quest is connected
4. Use the wireless button in Sidequest's title to "Connect". If the title shows still a green circle with an additional wireless symbol you are connected now wireless.
5. Disconnect the cable and check to be still online with Sidequest
6. Start Virtual Desktop Streamer to ebale Oculus Virtual Desktop App to connect to your computer
7. Start in Quest Virtual Desktop
8. Start SteamVR on your computer, which makes the Quest starting the SteamVR lobby automatically
9. Start any game in SteamVR, e.g. Half-Life:Alyx
Notes:
- In a FritzBox you can enable "Assign the same IP always" to Oculus. It shows up at Home Network > Network > Android-xxxx (5Ghz). Then you can skip step 3 above - you have to try to WLAN connect multiple times in SideQuets though sometimes
- The SteamVR windows at your computer is showing your Oculus Device and your controllers as colored symbols if found.
- When a game is runnign you see the Oculus view also on your computer.
- You can stream the Oculus view additionally to your TV (see below)
- If you see the game as 2D in Virtual Desktop, kill the game and SteamVR on your computer and start SteamVR again (and within SteamVR's lobby in the Quest the game again)