Such as what?
What if someone spent invested a lot of money in WMR headsets?
Where are they supposed to get money to get a completely new ecosystem of headset?
Which headsets are you thinking of as “better”?
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Quest 3 and Pimax Crystal Light to name only the relatively affordable ones. I used to fly in Reverb G2, I migrated to Crystal. The first time I donned it I immediately knew I will never use my G2 again. All was better: sweet spot size, FoV, clarity, brightness, darks, colors, contrast…
I understand your frustration, I don’t understand why MS removed WMR from Win 11 and why they can still keep it Win 10. But Reverb G2 was released in November 2020, it’s more than 4 years ago, there was a significant progress in the VR technology (especially the lenses) over these years.
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I’ve stayed on windows 10 and disabled all updates, specifically to keep using my G2.
I’ve got a Big Screen Beyond 2e on order that’s supposed to ship in July. I can’t wait. I’ve NEVER used any other headset than a G2. It’s alll I know. I can’t wait to see the (hopeful) improvement.
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Microsoft, is not a green company, they can care less about the environment, why not write some code to operate these Vr Units into the future, instead, we can fill more landfills with plastic…. Makes no sense to me….
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Maintaining software isn’t free. Open sourcing it (which is actually not possible for this one) is not free. Rewriting software for a tiny user base who aren’t giving you a dime is not free.
You have a plan moving forward by staying on older Windows.
That’s literally the same thing that is happening every 2-3 years with hundreds of millions of smartphones. You either upgrade your phone, or you stay on old version.
I’m not hearing anybody complaining about their smartphones. Most people I know are actually excited to get a newer, better phone. None of them worry about being “environmentally friendly”. For those who do not want to get a new phone, well we’re stuck on an old OS (I had my last Android phone for 4 years).
Absolutely no difference in this scenario.
The “environmentally friendly” argument is extremely hypocritical. There are probably 20 things you’ve done in the last year that largely outweighs the waste of your VR headset 
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Everyone with a WMR headset suddenly becoming an eco activist in the last year, in spite of probably being on their 2nd or more GPU upgrade 
If you’re annoyed, it’s ok, but be real about it. “I’m annoyed because the G2 I got 2nd hand 40% off on black friday 3 years ago and that I used to play games bought on Steam with my OEM copy of Windows is no longer supported on Windows 11, an OS that for the last 2 years I’ve been complaining about anyway”. Get the irony 
?
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Seriously what a baffling take. I had to think a few times how to say it politely.
There is nothing good about this, I either have to burn at least a thousand dollars or hook it into the Facebook ecosystem. Not to mention how much time I’ve wasted looking into a comparable headset.
Looks like the contenders are Bigscreen Beyond 2 which isn’t even out yet and has a worse refresh rate (Bigscreen Beyond 1 not a practical option because it’s custom molded to one person). Or the Pimax Crystal “Light” which weighs almost twice as much as the reverb G2.
And then turn my G2 into e-waste it being perfectly functional.
And while we’re here:
I’ve long since moved on but at least it isn’t forced or silent.
Uh, what? It is 100% forced.
Pimax Crystal Light:
Total price: 853 EUR + 170 EUR (shipment and VAT in EU)
• Upfront Payment: 579 EUR + shipment and VAT
• Prime Membership Fee: €11.39 * 24 mo. Payable after receiving the headset through Pimax Play. You can choose to pay for it one time or spread out over 24 months.
Given the difference in every aspect of image quality I can gladly accept the difference in weight (Reverb G2 550g, Crystal Light 815g 50% heavier).
But I agree that removal of WMR support from Windows 11 was a nasty move. To continue using WMR you would need to block Windows 11 updates or use Windows 10.
Who is forcing you to install Win11 24H2? Last time I checked it was optional. I was using G2 until last February. If your G2 is perfectly functional then keep using it.
You’re getting a lot more harassment today
Microsoft doesn’t want you to remain on “unsecure” platform, which is the right call.
But as I said above, literally the same thing happening with your smart phone and tablets every few years.
This is just the way things work now. Everything has become much more complex, there are many new attack vectors. You cannot support the same code forever without investing large amount of money, which a “1-time purchase” model simple doesn’t allow (especially since gaming customers gauge the value of their investment based on the DEVICE alone and do not realize that software/platform R&D is actually the most expensive bit).
I can almost guarantee you that the VR ecosystem (not just WMR) would be flourishing significantly more if it was a subscription model. You get a stream of revenue that lets your R&D continue. Why do you think the Apples, Metas etc are only focusing on metaverse, cloud streaming and global AR? That is because it will enable them to justify such subscription model. You will be paying for a SERVICE and not a DEVICE.
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I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Yes, obviously I can still use it today. In a few months, the only OS versions that work with the reverb G2 will be discontinued and unsupported. That is forcing me to stop using it, or run an unsupported OS. The headset will be about 3 years old at that time and I am quite confident the hardware would have still been functional.
Unless you’re seriously saying, “you can just keep running an unsecured OS without security updates”.
This is ridiculous. Other than marketing nonsense, please tell me what exactly is more “secure” for me about Windows 11, and why that requires ditching WMR?
But as I said above, literally the same thing happening with your smart phone and tablets every few years.
Okay, more forced obsolescence. This is a good thing, because…? Why are you defending this?
MS made billions and billions of dollars supporting everything they made with one-time purchases. Now they actually do have a subscription model (MS 365), and yet I receive less value. Please give me some example (pre-Windows 10) where Microsoft has removed support for things with OS updates instead of adding new features.
In fact, it’s precisely because of the BS subscription model. People bought Microsoft because MS went out of their way to keep things working between OS versions. Because otherwise why would you buy a new OS if your stuff stopped working? The only purpose of an OS is for the things you run on it, not the OS itself.
So yeah, guess what, just like with Google, I have learned my lesson and I will not spend money on any new Microsoft junk they come out with because they’ll probably just discontinue it in a few years.
Looks like you’ve already answered yourself.
I’ve already answered that in the 1st sentence of my message:
It’s not a good thing, but the tiny portion of WMR headsets very obviously does not add up nearly close to the other examples I cited.
So if you really want to spend time saving the planet, WMR is probably not the most impactful fight for you and your energy will be better spent elsewhere.
Segmented MS-DOS programs? Win16? Only to cite two that are quite relevant in terms of evolution. But I’m sure there is a “Windows graveyard” page somewhere with a much more exhaustive list.
Sure, it is technically possible to make a Windows 11 that support all of these. But again, the complexity and cost of maintaining those, for a tiny user base that contributes no revenue 
…
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not defending that the WMR design tightly coupled to the OS was a terrible decision (that pre-dated me even working on it). It’s a decision that served a purpose and sort of made sense back when PCVR was still pretty new (~2-3 years since Oculus DK). But on the long run that decision did not pan out obviously. It’s that decision that makes it such high cost to leave in place or to keep alive going forward.
But please, let’s be constructive: what do you propose Microsoft need to do to keep WMR running today that does not involve a loss dollar?
- maintaining as-is: cost $$$
- open-sourcing it as-is: not possible to open source the Windows kernel itself
- rewriting an open source port: cost $$$ (whether done by MS themselves or in partnership like Monado)
- letting it rot untouched: that’s actually free, but it’ll break in 2 months, because unmaintained software in a complex code base breaks, that’s an undeniable fact (the thing even broke when it was supposedly maintained!)
- <<insert your proposal here>>
If that makes you feel any better, when you purchased your headset, Microsoft made no money on you.
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Now I know my HP VR Headset can go in the bin when I am finally obliged to move to the latest Microsoft 24h2 operating system can anybody tell me if they have used the
META Quest 3 Mixed Reality Headset - 512 GB ( it seems to be the only headset claiming to work with the 24 OS) with Microsoft 24H2 operating system. If yes how good,reliable, etc.
My 1.5yo Q3/512Gb works great with the latest win11 24h2 updates. The pancake lens provides edge to edge clarity. Works great with msfs2020 (2024 still uninstalled right now) wired with a Link cable or wireless with Air Link or Virtual Desktop. Also very nice for standalone vr/mr. Try to buy it (and accessories) from places like Amazon with an easy to return (30 day window) for a refund if you don’t like it.
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I’m not going to turn this into a whole back and forth, but when I said “in an OS update”" I meant within the same OS version. Everything that worked at the beginning of Windows 95 worked at the end. Everything that worked at the beginning of Windows XP worked at the end.
Maybe some online services would get discontinued but never has MS discontinued support in this way especially for hardware.
Hardware would stop working when the manufacturer didn’t make drivers for the new OS. Certainly Microsoft didn’t kill off support for hardware in Windows and certainly not in a “service pack” until Windows 11.
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I have nothing to add to the WMR support situation, but I noticed Pimax is offering current Reverb G2 owners an $80 discount on the Crystal Light until June 30th.
I’m not ready to upgrade yet, but if anyone is or has made that move, I’m in the market for a working G2 cable. I think mine is exhibiting signs of its death throes. Please DM if you’re interested in selling. US only please.
Thank you very much for your input SunlitAlpaca141. Good to know that when Microsoft drops WMR support (apparently in 2026) I can at least buy a replacement that works even though it means spending £500 (mas o menos) after spending £750 on a ‘once in a lifetime’ purchase (HP G2) that will go in the bin. A note on 2024. I have a 11th Gen Intel(R) Core™ i7-11700 with an RTX 3060ti card but it struggles in VR without lowering some settings
A once in a lifetime purchase of a tech product? Sorry to say it but that’s unrealistic, especially in a relatively fast-moving field like VR.
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What about 0Patch, they are supposedly offering 5 years of updates to W10 for about £25 a year.
Or one of the LTSC W10 products but getting the store and WMR onto it might not be possible.
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