We didn’t see it coming, but here it isa new PC headset VRthe Bigscreen Beyond, has just been announced by the CEO of Bigscreen (an application for co-watching videos with friends). But what would a video playback application development studio do in the ultra-competitive world of headphones? VR ?
The owner’s turn
The Bigscreen Beyond helmet has lenses pancakes supported by two OLED screens of 2560 × 2560 pixels each. The PPD (the equivalent of the DPI on our flat screens), i.e. the pixel density per degree is 28 pixels, which promises really minimal spacing between pixels. For comparison, the Meta Quest 2 is at 22 pixels per degree and weighs 700 g!
But that’s not all. Aware that helmets VR are standardized and can cause discomfort in some people (especially those with non-standard morphologies), Bigscreen decided to make the 3D scan of his head mandatory to buy the helmet. Yes, you read that right, this is a condition of sale. Regarding the eyes, the buyer can send a prescription to Bigscreen so that the lenses are adapted to his sight, because the reduced size of the helmet prevents slipping glasses.
Proposed for no less than 1,369 €, the Bigscreen Beyond is not intended solely to be used for viewing films or other videos, since the latter is compatible with the SteamVR tracking. Only flat and big black point, you will have to buy the equipment separately to be able to benefit from it ! And we don’t know if hand tracking will help pilot the device, but that’s unlikely given the lack of cameras on the headset.
The Bigscreen Beyond maybe pre-ordered at the following addressshipping costs are free and the first models will be sent at the end of 2023. It is possible for any reservation to be fully reimbursed in the event of a change of mind, including during shipment of said helmet.
A purchase that turns out to be tedious
When customers want to get the headset, they will receive an email inviting them to use their iPhone (XR or newer) to measure face shape and interpupillary distance. And if you’re from Team Android, you’ll need to borrow theiPhone someone to be able to do it, and a recent one moreover, it’s starting to do a lot!
Another obstacle to the purchase, the headset comes without controllers, iTo enjoy the games, you will therefore need to buy a base station in addition SteamVR 1.0 or 2.0 (€199.99) and compatible tracking controllers at €436 (VIVE Pro Controller 2018), which gives us a total of €2,004.99.
If the idea of offering a custom helmet that is so thin, light and technologically successful seems brilliant, the conditions for obtaining it or taking full advantage of it seem to us simply scandalous.
At the genesis of the project
Darshan Shankar, CEO of Bigscreenand Philip Krejov, Head of Hardware, spoke about their headphonesthe perfect opportunity to discover what motivated them to go through the box hardware :
To provide the best software experience for watching movies in Bigscreen, we also had to build the best hardware with Bigscreen Beyond. Instead of one-size-fits-all consumer electronics, we believe VR headsets should be a custom-fit wearable device, like prescription glasses.
Beyond is custom built for each customer, resulting in longer manufacturing and turnaround times. The first wave of deliveries to customers is supposed to start from the third quarter of 2023 in the United States. The other countries will follow in successive waves throughout the rest of the year.
The customer can cancel their pre-order and request a full refund at any time until their device is shipped. Terms and conditions apply.
Our impressions on paper
As you will have understood, the comfort of the eyes and the head comes first, to the detriment of the rest. For exemple, no audio solution is included in the headset, requiring a direct audio connection to the PC or via the headset’s USB-C accessory portas much to say that practicality level, we are clearly not in the plug and play !
The company is still planning an audio strap accessory ($99) to alleviate the problem, which will further increase the total price of the set. Let’s take it for granted, the helmet is not really RSA friendly ! Especially sinceyou will need at least an RTX 2070 or an AMD RX 5700 XT with Display Port 1.4 and DSC (Display Stream Compression) required, which is still a joke given the high definition of the panels ! With such a configuration, expect to play your favorite games in a definition well below what the headset can actually display, although it is still sufficient for video.
If you want detailed specs and more photos, go to the next page.