Linux VR is fun

Just like Linux you have options and just like Linux they are Linux/enterprise grade in terms of management/configuration

I would highly suggest looking at the Linux VR community wiki and discord/matrix

These are just my thoughts and experiences after about a full day of VR in Linux now that I can get my BSB working

You can use Steamvr , Monado, or WiVRN for your display compositor

SteamVR

— Summary —

  • Steamvr works-ish with wired and wireless headsets

  • Steamvr works out of the box with vive/vive pro/index out of the box

  • Steamvr needs a kernel patch for AMD or nvidia 580+ drivers for BSB/BSB2(e)/VivePro2

— Pros —

  • 90% of windows settings are still there and can be changed in the dashboard

  • Old SteamVR GREEN ICONS!

  • You can still use steam link/alvr for wireless/standalone headsets

  • Can still use OVRAdvnacedSettings

— Cons —

  • Desktop capture in the dashboard fails 99% of the time

  • Multiple displays have mouse tracking issues when it does work

Monado

– Summary –

  • Is a community maintained compositor works best with wired headsets

  • Is under the freedesktop project

  • When launched and nothing running just a grey screen is shown

  • Still need the kernel patch or nvidia 580+ drivers for BSB/BSB2(e)/VivePro2

— Pros —

  • Has more config settings to ensure a working/stable frame-rate

— Cons —

  • The values are oof, and requires setting debug values and running Monado and reading the output for your specific headset values

  • Here are mine

  "XRT_PRESENT_MODE": "0",
  "U_PACING_APP_USE_MIN_FRAME_PERIOD": "1",
  "XRT_COMPOSITOR_USE_PRESENT_WAIT": "1",
  "XRT_COMPOSITOR_FORCE_WAYLAND_DIRECT": "1",
  "XRT_COMPOSITOR_COMPUTE": "1",
  "XRT_COMPOSITOR_SCALE_PERCENTAGE": "75",
  "U_PACING_COMP_TIME_FRACTION_PERCENT": "90",
  "XRT_CURATED_GUI": "1",
  "XRT_JSON_LOG": "1"
  • You have to set these values before starting Monado, they can not be dynamically changed

WiVRN

— Summary —

  • Is a compositor and steamlink/alvr replacment for wireless/standalone headsets

  • if you have multiple gpu’s (ie igpu/dgpu) you can set one to handle video encoding

  • Comes with a game launching dashboard

  • Can enable hybrid VR (WiVRN with Lighthouses)

  • Cant comment too much on this as i don’t have a standalone headset

Overlays

Things like OVRToolkit/xsoverlay for Linux

There is essentially just one

WLX-Overlay-S

— summary —

Extremely Basic meant to be extended with other add-ons

— Pros —

  • Works out of the box

  • Provides play-space drag as OVRAdvnacedSettings only work in SteamVR

  • Works in SteamVR

— Cons —

  • Weird work flow

  • Can’t scale Display captures

  • Can’t change settigns in app

  • All configs are in a config file in .config (the linux way is not always the user friendly way)

  • There is no recenter window/display option when opening the interface

Overlay Add-ons

WayVR Dashboard

— Summary —

Extends WLX-Overlay-S with a SteamVR like dashboard

— Pros —

  • If you have the overlay launch you get a SteamVR like room (not SteamVR home but a sky-box that replaces the gray screen in Monado)

  • Use the SteamVR menu button to launch the dashboard

  • Can launch games from the dash board (seems to auto-detect steam games)

  • Can launch desktop applications into their own window in VR

  • Can control system audio

— Cons —

  • Hiding dashboard does not hide the desktop windows launched, must hide them in the dashboard before hand

  • No recenter window when you show them again (only the main dashboard recenters like how the SteamvVR dashboard does)

  • No quick wrist watch management