Gear VR on pc or mac

Questions
1

Hi All, using the gamepad API its possible to connect to devices like samsung GEAR VR through the WebXR. WebXR requires the device to be VR compatible which I think excludes PCs and macbooks. Is it still possible to use those libs somehow to connect with non compatible devices?
My initial approach was to write my own libs using WebBluetooth. I have done this in the past for other similar device. It would be nice to at least extend the GamePad API to include my new WebBluetooth lib for gear that works on PC.
I am only interested in the gamepad so no stereoscopic vision.
Any thoughts?

2

as webxr runs in your browser there is no reason your gamepad (using the gamepad API) will not work in the game. The WebXR controller support is for spatial controllers (including rendering those controllers), but there is nothing that stops you from using any other web api in your experience.

3

I tried to use the gear vr with gamepad playground but it doesnt see it gamepad. I have it paired and its working with som webbluetooth code I have so I thought webxr has some limitations for devices.

4

can you see it as a gamepad outside of XR?

5

Its seen as GearVR Controller with BT icon but not as a gamepad. Sorry, I dont have much experience with gamepads.

6

its this device gearvr

7

oh, this is a native device for a specific VR experience. I think it should be supported natively in WebXR. it has a profile:

8

I tried with this playground gamepad adding console log in the onGamepadConnectedObservable and I cant see any devices. I am on macbook. I wonder is there any example from webXR itself showing the use of this controller. Maybe something stopped working.

9

This is not a gamepad, it is a webxr controller. It should be loaded automatically when you enter an XR session.
You can read about how to detect motion controllers here - WebXR Controllers Support | Babylon.js Documentation (babylonjs.com)

10

Thanks. I tried a playground from your link PG I think on macbook regular chrome it wont allow the XR (no button). I run it on canary with flag enabled and it launches XR but still cant see the gearVr.

11

similar story with webxr test page. It shows vr not supported on macbook regular chrome. It does on canary but cand see the device anyway. webxr viewer

12

I am not familiar with webxr on a mac, but if you want to get it to work you will need to run the session in the device which supports it. Meaning, inside gearVR. not on a desktop. the controller will probably not work in this case.

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13

Thanks, thats what I suspected. I will get it working with WebBluetooth.

1 Like