Today, NVIDIA, Oculus, Valve, AMD, and Microsoft, members of the VirtualLink consortium, have announced the VirtualLink standard, which aims to unify physically connecting Virtual Reality headsets to devices.
Based upon the physical USB Type-C connector, VirtualLink will combine the bandwidth of DisplayPort 1.4 (32.1Gbit/s) with a USB 3.1 Data connection, and the ability to deliver up to 27W of power.
VirualLink aims to simplify the setup of current VR Headsets
Given the current "Medusa-like" nature of VR headsets with multiple cables needing to feed video, audio, data, and power to the headset, simplifying to a single cable should provide a measurable benefit to the VR experience. In addition, having a single, unified connector could provide an easier method for third parties to provide wireless solutions, like the current TPCast device.
VirtualLink is an open standard, and the initial specifications can currently be found on the consortium website.
So now we have USB,
So now we have USB, VirtualLink, and Thunderbolt 3 that all use the same physical connector. I see that Intel is missing from the list of companies that were involved here and this certainly seems like a Thunderbolt 3 alternative. Interesting.
Any idea if we expect to see this incorporated on graphics cards, motherboards, or as an add-in?
I am all for making it simple
I am all for making it simple but will they at least make it so it will not fall out with movement USB-C cables do like to fall out fairly easy. Lets hope they have some Adult minds also working it it and not fresh out of college kiddies because I have found that a lot of products lately do seem to be half baked and not very well thought out.
Thank you. I am not the only
Thank you. I am not the only one that dislikes USB-C.
There is nothing tiny about the huge block of plastic containing the controller at each end of the cable.
And the tiny connector head gives it no staying power.
I guess that at some point in
I guess that at some point in time even newborns will come fitted with a Type-C plug instead of that old fashioned umbilical cord.