Meta Quest (2): Video feature gets upgrade
Meta Quest 2's video recording is rudimentary and makes virtual reality look old-fashioned on a conventional monitor. An update should improve the feature.
Gameplay capturing is a standard feature of modern game consoles. Users can record gameplay at the push of a button and later send it to friends or share it on social networks. This helps to spread the games, since the gaming community often shares particularly unusual or successful game scenes.
Meta Quest 2 also offers a recording function. However, the VR headset only records in a square 1:1 format and with 30 frames per second by default. The unusual aspect ratio is particularly annoying: Viewed on widescreen smartphones, monitors and TVs, the black bars on the left and right edge of the screen are annoying and look old-fashioned.
Quest update should bring improvement
Users can adjust the aspect ratio and the recorded frames per second with a (complicated) workaround: They need a PC, Sidequest and have to configure the recording function via the command line.
However, the setting only lasts until the next restart of the VR headset. After that, you have to retype the commands. It would be more convenient if you could make these settings directly in the menus.
VR Youtuber Nathie complained about the missing option via Twitter at the beginning of the year, whereupon product manager Clorama Dorvilias assured that the feature had top priority. When asked again, Dorvilias recently replied that the video update would roll out in May or even as early as April.
Our team can't wait to put it in all your hands too! Feedback has been really positive from the creators who've seen designs. We're shooting for a May public launch (accounting for privacy/security reviews/design/code iterations etc) but chances are high for April. pic.twitter.com/belgOTxQNx
- Clorama (@CreativeClo) March 21, 2022
Recording video with Quest: a technical challenge
Recording in a more common aspect ratio has one drawback, as UploadVR's David Heaney mentions: the field of view is cropped at the top and bottom instead of expanded to the left and right.
The reason: Quest 2 renders two frames per eye in a 1:1 aspect ratio. One of these frames is recorded for the video and then processed.
Recording at 60 frames per second will be a technical challenge, as normal gameplay must not fall below this mark and the VR headset must not overheat. The Meta Quest 2 uses a Snapdragon chip from 2020, which also runs under half load. This could be a hard task for the Meta team.
Read more about Meta Quest 2:
- Quest 2: VR movie documents the nightmare of a nuclear attack
- Quest 2 Dumbbell Accessories: Is VR a Biceps Booster?
- Meta Quest 2: Meta is looking for the million dollar game idea
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
