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VRSmartView - 'Google Cardboard on Steroids' VR Headset - $44.99 + Free Shipping @ Phenomec

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VRSmartView - 'Google Cardboard on Steroids' VR Headset - $44.99 + Free Shipping @ Phenomec
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AssociatedPhenomec on 23/02/2015 - 13:04 phenomec.com (2260 clicks)
Last edited 23/02/2015 - 15:47

Hi Ozbargainers,
After the kind words of support and positive feedback we received from our last sale we are putting on another.

The VRSmartView Developer Kit is designed and manufactured in Australia from premium materials.
It allows you to use your Smartphone as a wireless virtual & augmented reality head mounted display.
This is a unique limited edition product with only 500 units ever made.

You can:
- Watch 2D & 3D movies on a massive display (portable cinema).
- Play the latest Virtual & Augmented reality apps & games on the app stores.
- Wirelessly stream movies from a PC or play computer games in 3D virtual reality.

The VRSmartView developer kit comes as a DIY self assembly product. You can choose to have it pre-assembled if you prefer.

Tech Specs:
- Durable and lightweight high grade plastic body parts
- Dual density foam padding
- Large, high quality aspheric lenses providing an immersive field of view
- Compatible 'sticky gel' mount supports most modern Smartphones
- Design supports adjustment of focus and stereo image calibration
- Thick and adjustable headband

Compatibility:
iOS and Android Smartphones.
We recommend phones with at least a 4.7 inch size screen to a maximum of 5.7 inches.
Apple - We recommend the latest iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 plus.
Android - Look up your phone screen size specifications on http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3 if you are not sure.
Apps - There is an ever-growing selection of available apps (all with differing levels of quality), we recommend this website for finding the latest and greatest apps - https://wearvr.com/
NEW Streaming PC games tutorial is up on our forum - http://phenomec.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=18

We are a new Australian startup who launched the VRSmartView at the end of October last year,
We launched at a discount price for $49.99 where-in a few weeks afterwards we then started selling at RRP $59.99.
We have about 150 units left and want to sell our remaining stock so we are offering a 25% discount with free shipping!

If you are looking for a much better viewing experience than a Google cardboard, and are disappointed the Samsung Gear VR only supports a Galaxy Note 4 and costs $200+ , then this is your headset.
Our headset is comparable to a Colorcross - however ours is honestly much more comfortable on the face with the dual density padding, we use larger optics that are positioned closer to the eyes to provide a wider & immersive field of view, the design gives better adjustment of focus + pupil distance and features a high quality adjustable headband.

Here is a good review on our headset outlining the reviewer's opinion of the pro's and cons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnTT8qnrlUo
Note: We definitely now include a headband, and there are many new and polished apps out now that don't require a controller.

We love virtual & augmented reality technology and are excited about soon revealing our upcoming new project on Kickstarter!
If you see value in what we are doing and think others would too please support us with your vote and share :) Thanks!

Gaming Head Mounted Display Virtual Reality VRSmartView

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closed Comments

  • leemako on 23/02/2015 - 13:08
    +1

    were you the guys at PAX this year?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:12
      +2

      Yes we were! (last year) :)

      • leemako on 23/02/2015 - 13:14
        +4

        ah cool, dropped by the stall. You had a pro version displayed as well. Thats a great price for the smartview - looks like it has some good features, like the strap.

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:20
          +1

          Thanks leemako, we are looking forward to releasing more details on the pro version soon.

        • leemako on 23/02/2015 - 13:39

          @Phenomec: ordered, I am leaving for vacation in a week so I hope the post man is fast ;)

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:45
          +1

          @leemako: Thanks, will post out orders today!

        • leemako on 27/02/2015 - 17:25

          @Phenomec: Arrived today, thanks guys

  • skyworxx on 23/02/2015 - 13:13

    Whats the lens diameter?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:15
      +1

      Lens diameter is 37mm and is positioned ~10mm from the eye for added FOV coverage.

      • skyworxx on 23/02/2015 - 13:43

        This is a vastly different spec than the official Google Cardboard. How is this affecting image distortion, since the Cardboard SDK does not know about other lens parameters?

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:54
          +3

          Indeed, the tradeoff for larger lenses is increased peripheral distortions, there is a way to offset this by applying distortion correction (like the Oculus Rift does) however at this stage most Cardboard SDK based apps do not provide users to control distortion correction. We do however find apps made with the Durovis SDK are more forgiving with their increased distortion correction. If you are a unity developer you may be interested to know we are soon to release our own distortion correction profile for the open source AlpsVR SDK (which supports many different types of head mounted displays).

  • Ravensbane on 23/02/2015 - 13:26

    Anyone encountered the problem with some of the apps constantly pulling left or right? Happens regardless of being in one of these or just running on the phone without the viewer.

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:33
      +2

      We call that drift and I have personally noticed it only in one app so far - the infamous 'GoShow Cinema', curious to know what phone you are using, drift is usually an issue of the inbuilt motion sensors not working effectively (can also be software related).

  • ichthysoz on 23/02/2015 - 13:38
    +3

    Bargain! Great Aussi product, best headset for its price on the market. Also great support from the guys at Phenomec.

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 13:43

      Thankyou!

  • furythree on 23/02/2015 - 13:56

    any reccomendations for apps to use?
    can you use it to browse the web not just view downloaded videos?

    how about streaming videos?

  • drmac on 23/02/2015 - 14:02

    I bought one in the last post back in December.
    I followed the instructions exactly and and once fully assembled, I found the parts holding the lens in place move backwards and forwards too easily (ie. they move closer to the eye) - which resulted in issues trying to focus.
    Looking at the design I couldn't see a way to prevent this from happening short of gluing something extra in place.

    Unfortunately for me personally, I found it to be not a great experience and not really usable. I may have just a 'bad' unit though.

    I assume that the design is still a bit of a work in progress - and obviously it is a developer version.

    However, it's great to see an Australian startup having a shot at this though and I hope the product gets better and better!

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 14:16
      +5

      Sorry you had issues drmac, the lens holders really shouldn't be loose, there shouldn't be more than 1mm deviation.
      I would be more than happy to have a look at your unit and see about fixing/replacing it with a fully working unit - PM me if you would like me to do this and I will organize it :)

    • FabMan on 24/02/2015 - 02:20

      Would a bit of bluetac fix it?

      • leemako on 24/02/2015 - 07:53
        +2

        That sort of dangerous thinking will lead to MacGuyver style adventures if your not careful

  • Feeblely on 23/02/2015 - 14:22

    whats the diff between this and the google cardboard? o.o

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 14:37
      +3

      We get asked that a lot!
      Key differences are:

      Optics - we use large 37mm high quality aspheric lenses which provide a much better, immersive field of view with minimized distortion, similar to the Oculus Rift. Google cardboard in comparison uses much smaller (and cheaper) biconvex lenses resulting in a much narrower field of view, and for us this greatly reduces the virtual reality experience. We mount our optics in adjustable sliders so you can tweak the stereo image for a sharper and more natural view (we call this pupil distance and it varies between different faces and ages).

      Design - we wanted to make a device that could be used comfortably for longer periods of time, so we add a premium adjustable head strap (same used on ski masks) for hands free operation.
      We also found that our phones would be too large to fit in the Cardboard or could easily slip out , so we designed ours to feature a 'Cradle' which secures the phone and supports larger phones.
      Our Cradle design also allows for focus adjustment, which the Cardboard does not support.
      Finally we use premium, dual density foam padding to support comfort for extended use and of course the body is made from high grade plastic, so its much more durable and resistant to moisture.

      This product is for VR fans that would prefer a comfortable experience for extended use - say to watch a movie or play their PC games in 3D virtual reality.

      • turbodude on 23/02/2015 - 15:08

        How do you play PC games on this???

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 15:28
          +2

          We have a tutorial guide here.
          http://phenomec.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=18

          We will update another guide shortly for people without NVIDIA graphics cards and using iPhones.

        • furythree on 23/02/2015 - 16:14

          @Phenomec:

          holy smokes!

          i didnt know you could do that

          if you excluded the trinius program can you still play the game using mouse look?

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 16:27

          @furythree: Yes you sure can, in fact if you do not require head tracking then you do not need Trinus. Trinus does support head tracking and mouse input so you can have the best of both.

        • BadGiraffe on 24/02/2015 - 11:21

          @Phenomec:
          Nothing for AMD cards? :(

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 19:55

          @flaminglemon: Yes it is possible to stream using AMD cards, however
          total latency currently is not as good (which increases the chances of nausea). We are testing some new software workflows this week and will soon come to a conclusion on whether we are confident in promoting wireless streaming with AMD cards.
          Please check our forum, early next week for an update!

        • BadGiraffe on 25/02/2015 - 13:45

          @Phenomec: Interesting. Might try it out sans VR headset first. Nausea or not, I'd be stoked to play games in VR 3D, even if it didn't have head tracking.

      • pjmcshane on 23/02/2015 - 16:32

        Hi there!

        When you say large phones, does this include the Note 4?

        My N4 won't fit in those cheapo cardboard kits. ignore my ignorance for not looking it up, however does this work well for the size.

        If so, consider me a customer!

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 17:03

          Yep Note 4 has a 5.7" screen size and works brilliantly!

        • pjmcshane on 23/02/2015 - 17:45
          +3

          @Phenomec: Purchased!

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 18:11
          +3

          @pjmcshane: Thank you for your support!

        • Joxer on 24/02/2015 - 03:10

          @Phenomec:

          How about a Sony xperia Z ultra? 6.4 might be pushing it… Or a nexus 4?

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 19:57

          @Joxer: Hi Joxer, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is unfortunately too big.
          However, the Nexus 4 will fit just fine!

  • barnetas on 23/02/2015 - 15:03

    Does your device have a magnet switch to use with cardboard compatible apps?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 15:20

      No we do not, we are not fans of the magnet switch because its not compatible with all phones.
      If you have a cardboard you could attach its magnet to our design if you really want it.
      You can however still use cardboard compatible apps without the magnet, you just need to use the touch screen instead - or better yet pair a bluetooth controller.

  • endlesstrail on 23/02/2015 - 15:06

    Where are the magnets located, and can they be repositioned elsewhere? The google cardboard works fine with my Xperia Z3 Compact, but I think because the magnetic sensor is positioned in a different location on the phone, I can never get it to work on the standard cardboard headset.

    Apart from that, very tempting!

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 15:24

      You can put your Google Cardboard magnet between the inner and outer shell of the main body, with the metal ring on the outside, the magnetic field should hold them in place snugly and allow you to position them where best you want.

  • dan76n on 23/02/2015 - 15:32

    I'd be on this but own a Z1 compact.
    4.3 inches shouldn't be deemed as too small.

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 15:39

      You can use your Z1 compact, it just means you will perceive a slightly less immersive view, however this is not a big issue and it would be far better than what you would experience with a Google Cardboard.
      We recommend the larger screened phones due to our lens magnification suited to their size. Also we will soon be offering interchangeable lenses with different magnifications suited to your screen size.

  • sleepyowl on 23/02/2015 - 15:37
    +2

    Cool was interested in google cardboard but this seems like a better quality alternative, bought one to try it :)

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 15:44

      Thanks for your support! :)

      • sleepyowl on 27/02/2015 - 21:27

        Just received mine today and just finished building and testing it out, very cool little product!

        The only bad thing I could say was mine was packaged poorly, it was half open when I received it with the lenses not in their protective packaging :(

        • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 28/02/2015 - 19:05

          Sorry to hear it arrived with the packaging in a poor state, we are careful to ensure each package is securely enclosed before sending. Perhaps AusPost have been a bit rough with it.
          Anyway I hope you have fun with your new VRSmartView!

        • sleepyowl on 01/03/2015 - 17:51
          +1

          @Phenomec:

          All good guys! The product itself is pretty damn awesome.

  • Kozhutki on 23/02/2015 - 16:47
    +4

    I already have a Google Cardboard but I'm really happy to see the amount of support you're giving in the comments. Hope you guys do well.

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 23/02/2015 - 17:07

      Thankyou!

  • blitz on 23/02/2015 - 18:49

    Do these cause motion sickness at all?

    • leemako on 24/02/2015 - 08:01
      +2

      Any virtual reality experience has the potential to cause motion sickness. The issues with motion sickness on early Oculus units was refresh rate, something your phone screen wont have issues with. The other issue you might run into would be un-natural motion such as controlling your virtual self with a joy pad instead of walking forward naturally, the brain can think this a little odd ;) Mostly the just standing in one spot and looking around stuff shouldn't cause much of an issue - also i doubt you will have your head in these for very long.

      • blitz on 24/02/2015 - 10:39

        Thanks leemako, very informative.

    • frinik on 24/02/2015 - 14:09

      I bought a similar unit to use with my oneplus and got really nauseous after using it for 15mins on a couple apps. I also fly FPV with miniquad copters and dont have any issues with my FPV goggles. It might come down to the lens for me personally because it takes me a while to focus on the screen while using it. I'd say its not ready for prime time but its a glimpse of what the future has for us.

  • cainn on 23/02/2015 - 18:53
    +3

    Just wanted to chime in to affirm that this is indeed a vastly superior solution to Google Cardboard. It's definitely more comfortable, more immersive, more adjustable and it looks about 10 times cooler.

    I actually put together a Google Cardboard setup after using one of these and I just ended up tossing it onto the shelf where it's likely going to live out its life as little more than a curiosity.

  • Cronium on 24/02/2015 - 05:04
    +1

    What are glasses like with these?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:02

      If you have small, slimline glasses you might be okay, I generally wouldn't recommend use with glasses as it may be uncomfortable. Depending on your eyesight you may be fine using them without glasses (as the design supports focus adjustment).

  • TailsK on 24/02/2015 - 07:48

    What makes it a "developer" kit…?

    • leemako on 24/02/2015 - 07:57
      +1

      I guess its just a play on the oculus dev kit naming. More accurately this would be a beta kit but I'm sure we could let them off that one. At the moment this sort of tech isnt widely adopted and the selection of apps like others have said range from terrible to mediocre to the rare gem. Early adopters are either developers or curious tech heads ;)

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:15

      leemako is correct. This product is in 'development' - we are targeting this to early adopters and software developers that want to be involved in the dawning of mobile VR tech and who support us in continuing to develop fun and useful products.
      We have done quite a bit of testing and refining on the design before we launched the VRSmartView, so this is our first major batch of units.

  • turkz1 on 24/02/2015 - 11:11

    This says watch 2d and 3d and also says compatibility ios. Am I putting two and two together the wrong way or can I watch 3d stuff on my ip6 with this?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:19

      There are apps for iPhone 6 that allow you to watch 2d or 3d (side-by-side format) movie files stored on your phone.
      It wont convert your 2d movies into 3d movies.
      You can also stream Youtube clips (both 2d and 3D side-by-side format clips).

  • jsguy on 24/02/2015 - 11:57

    Does this come with a strap?

    The reason I ask: http://phenomec.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1

    • jsguy on 24/02/2015 - 13:32

      Ah, never mind, it's right in the tech-specs:

      • Thick and adjustable headband

      Ordered!

  • turkz1 on 24/02/2015 - 14:40
    -1

    Anyone have an iphone who has played with these? Seems like there are very limited software options for ios users?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:26
      +1

      Indeed there are many more VR apps available on android at the moment.
      Check out this VR app finder website to discover the latest iOS VR apps.
      https://wearvr.com/

  • edywap on 24/02/2015 - 14:57
    +1

    does this work for people with short sightedness?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:30

      Yes, the focus adjustment covers approximately +/- 3 diopters

  • neilb on 24/02/2015 - 15:00

    It says free shipping on the link, but the checkout adds $10 for shipping
    Edit: Found it. There's an option off the bottom of the shipping address page to select free shipping.

  • CMichael on 24/02/2015 - 15:20
    +1

    Looks awesome! Just bought 1! :)

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:31

      Thanks for the support CMichael!

      • CMichael on 03/03/2015 - 15:07
        +1

        Got it just before in the mail! Pretty awesome! Can't wait to test it out thoroughly!

  • JazzCorner on 24/02/2015 - 17:10
    +1

    I have tried out one of this things and have to say it's great quality. Customer support is great as well, the guys who build it are very open for discussions and suggestions!

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 24/02/2015 - 20:33

      Thankyou!

  • Bob the Milkman on 24/02/2015 - 22:37

    Ordered mine this morning. :)
    RE: your recommendation on WEARVR listed apps. What device type should we be selecting or is it trial and error ?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 25/02/2015 - 13:57

      No need to filter by device type, only software platform (android or iOS).
      Almost all apps are compatible across different HMD devices, with the only real difference in the amount of distortion correction due to different lenses used. Even most cardboard apps will function with out magnetic button - you would just touch the screen instead - or pair a Bluetooth controller.

  • pitoui on 25/02/2015 - 16:48

    Just bought one. All the best to you guys.
    I've been waiting patiently for the consumer occulus to release and this will tide me over till then.
    How long will the sale be on for? I want to show it to my partner to see if she wants one. She loves the cardboard but it's too much of a stuff around as the lenses keep falling off and you have to hold it to your face.

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 25/02/2015 - 21:03

      Thanks a lot!
      We will be running the sale until this Sunday, however, if we don't sell all our remaining stock we will likely extend it.

  • bilbo245 on 28/02/2015 - 17:15

    Do you ship to usa?

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 28/02/2015 - 19:00

      Yes we do! Overseas shipping costs are calculated automatically.

  • FabMan on 01/03/2015 - 23:41

    I am only interested in the PC streaming functionality, I am going to buy an Occulus Rift for Alien Isolation and for Star Citizen when the proper version is released. If however this product could get close to that quality, I'd buy it and rave about it to every geek I know.

    Also playing Skyrim and Portal 2 like that I'm sure would be awesome.

    • AssociatedPhenomec @ phenomec.com on 02/03/2015 - 02:41
      +1

      Hi FabMan, we have exactly what you are after in development! All to be revealed soon in our upcoming crowd funding campaign, if you are interested you should follow us (Phenomec) on Facebook for the latest details about this :)

      • FabMan on 02/03/2015 - 11:48

        Cheers

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