Using your Android for SteamVR and Full-Scale VR Porn

Image credit: RiftCat

In my last post, I discussed VRidge and RiftCat, a software combo that makes it possible to use an Android phone and a Google Carboard headset to play full room-scale virtual reality apps from SteamVR. This is great for people that have not shelled out the massive wads of cash required to buy the Oculus Rift or the even more expensive HTC Vive.

Today, I will describe in detail what VRidge actually does. In other words, I discuss how this VRidge and RiftCat work together to provide users access to SteamVR software and high-end virtual reality porn. Following this post, I will provide an in-depth guide that details how to set up RiftCat and VRidge. This will include a list of all the things you will need. The coming set-up guide will also include a description of the limitations and performance of this software.

Image credit: Reload

How does Does RiftCat and VRidge Make SteamVR Possible on Android?

In essence, this is an advanced streaming solution. That said, the way these apps work together is fairly complex. Understanding how the process works will help you get the most out of these apps which have a ton of tweaking options. Neither VRidge nor RiftCat does anything on their own. VRidge (Android app) works in tandem with the RiftCat (PC app).

On one hand, VRidge acts as a virtual reality streaming receiver. On the other hand, the RiftCat PC app does most of the work. It primarily does three things.

Image credit: RiftCat

First, it tricks your computer and SteamVR into thinking it is using a virtual reality headset. Second, RiftCat intercepts the 3d stereoscopic imagery from SteamVR and encodes it to produce a video stream that is sent and formatted and displayed on the Google Cardboard APIs with VRidge on the Android device. Third, the RiftCat software receives accelerometer or orientation data from VRidge running on the Android device. RiftCat then feeds this back into SteamVR as headset orientation data.

The Results

This process can be most simply summarized as the PC streaming a virtual reality stream to an Android device and accepting orientation data from the Android device at the same time. Although this sounds simple, this software solution can take a fair amount time to set up correctly. Furthermore, even when set up correctly, quite a few things can go wrong, thereby requiring a fair amount of user tweaking.

Let me tell you, though, when it works, RiftCat and VRidge are incredibly cool! Using RiftCat and VRidge, many of my friends without high-end virtual reality hardware were able to fully enjoy and play full SteamVR games. Additionally, quite a few tracking solutions, including the $99 Nolo kit, Leap Motion VR, and PlayStation Move controller can be added later to fully emulate the room-scale tracking experience of the HTC Vive. Convinced?

Image credit: Reload

The next post will provide step by step directions for getting RiftCat and VRidge up and running. I will include the best tweaks and troubleshooting tips that will allow you to get the most out of this software/hardware combo. Finally, I will describe and discuss a few of the more popular tracking solutions like the aforementioned recently released Nolo kit as well. Android/Cardboard owners, full SteamVR games will soon be within your grasp!