Vive Mars Hardware

Section 7. Vive Mars Hardware

The Vive Mars in its promotional shot. Not included: the cables and base stations that are required to make it work. For more details about this please refer to the HTC Vive Motion Tracking Hardware Setup Section.          

The ViveMars is an all-in-one package that takes commercially available hardware, usually relegated to VR equipment, into something portable and readily useful for virtual production without the neto setting up your machine for the VR environment. It is highly convenient, with the benefits ofSteamVR, OpenVR, freeform tracking volumes, and the tools to mitigate the negative effects of such (such as calibrating world origin). It is capable of using both LiveLink and FreeD, and there are add-ons available that allow for rudimentary LensEmulation.

In ARFX, we are typically only concerned about getting that tracking data to our cameras and there are thankfully some straightforward ways for us to do this.

Important

This section will not cover how to set up the Vive Mars hardware. For that you must refer to its owner's manual which is available here.

Section 7.1 Recommended Network Setup.  

For those who are not familiar with setting up local networks, it is highly recommended that you use a DHCP-enabled router to automatically assign unique IP addresses between your computer and the Vive Mars. This router must only be used specifically between your computer and the Vive Mars only and should not be used as a means for access to the internet.

As most machines of today have two or more ethernet network adapters, you can use both at the same time; one for the internet and the other for tracking only.    

Important

The reason we recommend this is due to security in managed networks like the private networks found in universities and commercial buildings. UDP messaging is required for tracking to work and this messaging protocol may be blocked without administrative changes.

Alternatively, you can try connecting the Vive Mars directly to your host machine, but this may require manually assigning IP addresses to both devices.

Section 7.2 How to Figure Out Your Machine’s Local IP Address.

 A good idea is to unplug everything and connect only one port to figure out which port is which.

The universal way in Windows to figure out your computer’s IP Address is to search for Network Connections in the Windows Start Menu. Within the Network Connections menu, there will be a list of connections available to your computer. Find the one used for the connection between your computer and the Vive Mars and double-click it.  Details  IPv4 Address to find your IP address for that port.

While you are here, it is highly recommended that you rename your computer’s network adapters to what they are being used for by right-clicking the connection and using Rename. If it is for the internet, just name it Internet Port. If it is for the Vive Mars.

Section 7.3 Setting up the Vive Mars for Unreal Engine.

There are two types of tracking the Vive Mars can do: LiveLink and FreeD. Of the two, it is technically easier to set up if you are in Unreal Editor. However, for those using Vive Mars with ARwall’s Scenepacks, then you only have FreeD to utilize.

Please refer to the Vive Mar’s owner’s manual to get yourself familiar with setting up the physical hardware of the Vive Mars. And if you want more directions on how to set up your Tracking Volume, check our Track_RoomSetup and Track_SteamVRHardware.

Section 7.4 The Vive Mars’ Network Settings.      

The main status page of the Vive Mars. Note that everything within the Vive Mars can be done with either its touch screen or a connected mouse and keyboard.    

Important

Note the IP address that the Vive Mars will eventually be assigned when it is connected to a valid network. This functions as a button that you can tap to bring up the network page.  

The Network page of the Vive Mars. We only really care about the Camera Tracking Protocols section.

Tap Camera Tracking Protocols to bring up the menu we’ve been looking for where you can set up bothLive Linkk and FreeD

The Camera Tracking Protocols page is where you can set up both Live Link and FreeD.

Section 7.5  Live Link.

By default, Vive Mars will only have Live Link enabled. If you want to use only Live Link, tap into the *Port* under Live Link and feel free to give it a number of your choosing.

Make it a number that is memorable, as you will constantly use this number whenever you wish to connect the Vive Mars in Unreal. However, make sure the number is between 1024 and 65535. Port numbers between 0 to 1023 are often reserved for the internet and your operating system.

Section 7.6 FreeD.

Once enabled, you will be able to edit the two input boxes below FreeD. You must enter the IP address of the host machine’s ethernet port to which the Vive Mars is sharing a connection. You can find that out within _“How to figure out your machine’s local IP address”_ above.

The port number, however, can either be left as is or changed to a value between 1024 and 65535. If you are going to use the ARwall’s FreeD Tracking Component or are using our individual packaged scenes, then you may want to use 41000 instead.

Important

Once you are done, don’t forget to hit Apply!

If you wish to continue using Live Link for tracking with ARFX, please refer to the Universal Tracking Component Section for more information. If you wish to use ARwall’s own FreeD Tracking Component, please refer to ARwall's FreeD Tracking Component Section instead.

Section 7.7 Calibration Using the Vive Mars Trackers.  

To calibrate ARFX, point the tracker/rover with the USB and ethernet ports facing towards the screen.

Calibration with the Vive Mars Trackers is a little different in comparison to regular SteamVR in that we found that the orientation of the tracker is not flat against the wall but rather pointing toward the screen, as in the image shown above.

To further adjust the calibration tracker’s center point to be used in tracking, you can refer to the YouTube video for a method to better align your tracker’s center point with that of your screen.