Wireless VR arrives for the HTC Vive

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chinese company TPCAST has created an add-on for the HTC Vive that removes the need for cabling, Digital Spy reports.

The Vive is a premium piece of kit, but is still subject to the standard VR issues of wires and cables, which can be obstructive to user movement.

Upload VR secured time with the wireless extension kit at the '11/11' consumer festival in Shenzhen, China.

China's Regional President of Vive, Alvin W Graylin, spoke to Upload VR about the new kit's performance. Apparently it will "greatly improve" the user experience of the Vive and there is no "noticeable difference" when using an accessory for wireless VR.

Latency is a huge no-no for virtual reality headsets, and can lead to serious nausea as well as breaking immersion.

If the claims are true, then Oculus Rift founder Palmer Luckey will be proven wrong in his prediction twelve months ago that virtual reality's cable problem would persist.

No other major VR hardware, such as the Oculus Rift or PlayStation VR, has yet introduced wireless tech, making the Vive the first to ditch cables. It's a great step forward, but does nothing to improve the kit's inaccessibility to most gamers.

Pre-orders are only currently available on Vive's Chinese site, with delivery not expected until Q1 2017. Existing Vive owners who can also provide a serial number will be prioritized, Digital Spy said.