HTC releases new Vive Ultimate Tracker without PC-VR & OpenXR support
HTC has officially announced the Vive Ultimate Tracker. The new body trackers are available now, but will have technical limitations at launch.
HTC's new Vive Ultimate Trackers can track themselves, eliminating the need for external tracking stations. HTC has announced all details on technology, pricing, and availability on its Vive Blog.
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Vive Ultimate Tracker: Leaks are partially true
Ahead of the launch, there has been speculation about the price and technical details of the Vive Ultimate Tracker, based on leaks reported by Brad Lynch.
According to Lynch, the battery life should last up to seven hours and the proprietary USB-C dongle should support a range of 9 meters. The official announcement of the HTC Vive now provides clarity on the specifications and pricing details of the device.
The Vive Ultimate Tracker weighs 94 grams and measures 77 × 58.6 × 27.3 mm. According to HTC, the battery life is up to seven hours. With Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, it can be charged in 2.2 hours, with a 5V/1A power supply it takes an hour longer.
It charges via USB-C or a pogo pins. Proprietary low-latency 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi should provide a stable connection. A 1/4"-20 UNC threaded connector is also available.
PC-VR & OpenXR are not supported at launch
The Vive Ultimate Tracker uses two wide-angle FOV cameras to track its own position in 3D space and supports 6DoF inside-out tracking. This makes it ideal for mobile VR/AR headsets like the Vive XR Elite. You don't need external tracking solutions like the Vive base stations.
Seeing your feet in VR is cool, but it's even cooler to USE them! I made several penguin foot mechanics in this experiment, using @htcvive's newly released, self-tracking VIVE Ultimate Trackers. Check it out! 🐧#VR #gamedev #madewithunity pic.twitter.com/ycBTR7dKOM
— Zi --- 🟦 majormcdoom.bsky.social (@MajorMcDoom) November 29, 2023
Vive Ultimate Trackers connect to the Vive XR Elite or Vive Focus 3 via a USB-C dongle. This allows up to five Ultimate Trackers per headset to be paired simultaneously. The range is up to 10 meters.
A 120 cm USB-C to USB-C cable is included with each tracker. However, the USB-C dongle must be purchased separately. The dongle is only included with the purchase of a tracker bundle.
Currently, the Vive Ultimate trackers only work with HTC's Vive XR Elite and Vive Focus 3 headsets. Support for OpenXR and SteamVR based PC VR headsets will follow "in the near future".
HTC Vive Ultimate Tracker: Prices and availability
The device is available now on vive.com. One tracker costs $199 in North America, £209 in the UK, and €229 in Europe. HTC is offering special launch pricing until December 31, 2023:
- Vive Ultimate Tracker 3 + 1 Kit Special: Includes three Vive Ultimate Trackers, a wireless dongle, a download key for Dance Dash, and a TrackStraps set for the trackers — Price: $599/£599/€669
- Vive XR Elite and Vive Ultimate Tracker Bundle: Includes the Vive XR Elite headset, three Vive Ultimate trackers, a wireless dongle, a Dance Dash download key, and a TrackStraps set for the trackers — Price: $1499/£1499/€1699
- Discount for Vive XR Elite owners: Purchase the Ultimate Tracker 3 + 1 Kit + TrackStraps Special and receive a $100/£100/€100 discount, you must provide a valid Vive XR Elite serial number at time of purchase.
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