The original Oculus Rift used HDMI but its replacement, Oculus Rift S, uses DisplayPort instead. It also includes a Mini DisplayPort adapter in the box.
Valve’s Index VR headset also uses DisplayPort, and while it doesn’t include a Mini DisplayPort adapter, you can find them on Amazon for around $10 if needed.
If you have a desktop PC this shouldn’t be a problem as most graphics cards have multiple DisplayPort outputs. If you have a laptop with DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort you should also be fine.
If your laptop has only HDMI video output, however, you’re currently out of luck. We tested HDMI to DisplayPort adapters with Rift S and found they didn’t work. We reached out to Facebook and were told that no known adapter currently has sufficient bandwidth to carry the headset’s 1440p 80Hz signal, but that could change in the future.
This information should also apply to the even higher resolution Valve Index, but we don’t yet have a review unit to test or an official statement from Valve on the matter.
USB Type-C / Thunderbolt 3
If your laptop doesn’t have DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort however but does have a USB Type-C port you may be in luck.
It’s important to note that USB Type-C is a connector, not a data standard. If the Type-C port on your laptop only supports USB it won’t work with a VR headset.
However if your USB Type-C port supports ‘DisplayPort Alt Mode’ or is a Thunderbolt 3 port, you should be able use Rift S or Index with a USB-C To DisplayPort adapter. Such adapters are available from retailers like Amazon, from brands like Cable Matters and BENFEI.
To find out whether your laptop’s Type-C port supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, look for the letters DP or a monitor symbol next to the port. Some ports won’t have any symbol though, so you should consult your laptop’s full specification sheet to be sure. Thunderbolt 3 ports will be marked with a lightning bolt symbol beside them.
Tagged with: hdmi, laptop vr, oculus rift s, valve index
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via Mint VR