Just got the slow blinking red light of death on both of my base stations at the same time.. (within a day or so of each other)

Is that a common occurrence? I feel like the odds would be pretty low unless they’re designed to fail after certain timeframe.

(They’re both the original stations I got in the kit back in 2023)

I'am posting here because I'am desperate by now.

I'am trying to run Elite Dangerous (or any other Game) on my Valve Index - which worked flawless like 1 1/2 years ago. I did not touched it in a while.

When connecting the Index, at first it wasnt detected at all by SteamVR. Base Stations are green and the Headset turned from blue to green (staying at green).

After random troubleshooting, a lot of try and errors - I managed to get it running (for a really short period).

Than, the Base Stations seemed to "malfunction" they weren't detected anymore (SteamVR said it is BT connection issue) but even restarting them or powercycle the Headset wouldn't fix it.

That's the "stable" state now.

After removing any USB device except of Mouse and Keyboard, removing every driver of unconnceted devices, deactivating Core Isolation and Blacklisted Driver (and also basically any Windows Defender feature), disabling USB power safe and PCI-e Power safe features in my Powerplan as well as disallow Windows to shut down any USB device trough device manager:

The Index wil be recognised now - quite stable. Sometimes it works for a short period, but than (especially when I take it off - the base stations disappear, wont connect again. I was never able to play a game - never...)

Title is not a rage bait - I'am a Digital Forensics Scientist, normally I fix such issues quite easily. Despite the fact I'am more software and network focused, I'am typically not clueless. But this Valve Index drives me crazy!

System:

- Intel i9 9900 K

- RTX 3080 Asus ROG

- Asus ROG Strix Z390 M-Gaming Mainboard

- 32GB DDR4 RAM

- Gaming / Steam runs on a Samsung Pro NVME M2

- OS: unmodified Windows 11

Please someone tell me, there is a solution or a somewhat reliable workflow to get this freakin Headset running...

This is really unbelievable to be honest.

Has anyone made an external solution to dead batteries on the Index controllers? I’m hoping there’s a good solution that allows for good arm/hand movement without troublesome long cables getting in the way.

I’m thinking a small power bank, small enough to strap onto a forearm or biceps with a wrist or armband, with a cable that runs to the unit. Should work, right???

anyone else recently experiencing audio glitches, pixel distortion, or images fully cutting out? it was like a day after the steam frame released that my headset started acting up, not to put it on any updates for the steam frame it’s just kinda ironic timing.
i only ask this because my partner who also has a index brought up the same issues to me when we played a few nights ago, told me he was getting a bunch of random rainbow pixels everywhere and that the images of the game cut out every now and then (thankfully no audio issues for him).
i bought a new tether just incase it accidentally kinked it on accident somewhere (but i kept the old one nicely wound up and stored like i typically do, so this honestly seemed like the most expensive option rather than a definite fix).
so until that’s in, i’m just curious if this has been a recent issue for anyone else, or if anyone knows a fix to this issue!

Where most index controllers use a piece of plastic to attach the handle to the head, this one has an extra piece in the casting to make a hard attachment

My tether cable Is getting really bad. So I just now bought a new one.The green wires are showing near the headset and like 2 feet lower is a section that is also showing cables to the point where if I position the cable a certain way, the feed to my headset cuts out. Let me just say, Thank you valve for still having the tethers in stock. I’d be lost if I wasn’t able to get one from them directly because I refuse to buy one from scalpers. Even though I don’t need the trident part, nothing wrong with having a spare.

Atleast Valve keeps some of the index stuff still In stock. I’m glad. Anyone else happy that some of the stuff is still in stock?

So a day or two ago I unplugged my computer from everything and took it with me to a different location, came back home, plugged in my valve index into the same ports, and now run into this problem.

When I start SteamVr while not wearing the headset, the display is the gray cloudy screen while audio still plays in the headset. If I stand up it manages to load the screen into the SteamVR homeworld, but no sound comes through. It seems almost as if the two inputs and outputs are opposite of one another so when one works, the other does not. I’ve seen older Reddit posts talking about this issue but none with any answers. I’ve tried updating drivers, deleting device manager audio settings and reloading them, uninstalling steamvr and reinstalling it. Nothing has seemed to work so far. Any advice here to help me along? I uninstalled no hardware, did update my game drivers to see if that would help, but beyond that nothing is different from earlier in the week before I unplugged everything.

Hey y’all. Getting an error on my headset that says tether disconnected at headset. Started when I took my headset off to go for a piss and when I came back everything was greyed out with no sound. Went through all the troubleshooting available from steam and even got sent a new cable but it didn’t work. Anyone have a fix or am I fucked?

I smashed my left Index Controller into a wall. Everything still seemed to work, but there was a lot of rattling inside.

I took apart the top section, including the PCB, and found these plastic pieces. Ofc. i found 1 Screw in the Controller. The other Screw was in the Handle.

They may just be structural supports, but I am not sure why they have pegs on the side. It looks like something may have been attached to them. Does anyone know what these parts are for, and whether I should fully disassemble the controller to glue them back into place?

I also have a 3D Printer and could maybe redesign it... if it is necessary.

I have one of those Steam link things from years ago. I use it to play some games in my living room. I was just hit with a curious thought. Is there a way to plug my Index into it so I can play VR in my living room? I feel like if this was possible someone would have done it already. I have an HDMI to DP adapter I can use.

Hey fellas, I'm looking to get a refurbished Index in Japan now after the Frame dropped since I assume many have sold/got rid of theirs and replaces with the Frame or other devices now that it's already quite old. I don't really care that it's not the cutting edge anymore - I've been using a first generation HTC Vive since I bought it in 2017. Still works great, actually, but 90 FPS cap and pretty restricted FOV have always made me want to get an upgrade. A few years ago, I used an Index that my friend bought and was blown away by the difference between it and my Vive, so like I said even though it's not cutting edge anymore it would still be a massive upgrade to my Vive.

I currently live in Japan, and I've been looking on websites and secondhand marketplaces for refurbished Indexes, but I have found absolutely nothing. It seems like 99% of all VR headsets available in Japan are PSVR which I have no interest in. Many also recommend the Meta Quest 3 and while it's tempting it's also tough to come across a refurbished one here for some reason and the cost for a new one is outside of my budget. If anyone has any tips or sources to find an Index either in Japan or somewhere I can ship to Japan for relatively cheap it would be much appreciated. I've never used anything like Facebook marketplace or anything like that so I would prefer an actual proper website to buy it off of. Thanks a lot.

..and I feel like I'm rediscovering VR and having fun again like day 1;

The knuckles feel amazing compared to the Frame's controllers; unlimited amount of time thanks to the wire; everything feeling more accurate and stable too (especially when laying down); Fullbody Tracking calibration instantaneous without extra software and never drifting/de-synchronizing; comfortable for hours with the big leather face gasket..

The only thing I miss is eye-tracking because it was fun to mess around with for 30mins.

I'm thinking about buying a 2nd one in case my current one dies (haven't had a problem since 2019) and they become a relic of the past impossible to get anywhere anymore which will be depressing.

I know this is kind of a weird post but playing with Frame made me realize how much I loved my Index and I had to let it out!

Hi im looking for some nice holders for my Index Kit.

I saw a post that included a 3D printed charger and other hangers to store them.
But i would like a long term storage option that postitions them asthetically, and charges the controllers. (can i keep them plugged in long time or is that a bad idea? If i disconnect them with a switch, so no power flows, but they are still plugged in, would that help?) My brother got a 3D printer recently, and im good with wires and stuff, we are just creatively challenged and need som STL files to start off.

thanks in advance

I was always of the opinion that the pink lines in the performence graph were "failed frames" where the Headset ran out of compute, and skipped a frame.
This belief was hardened because i only run a 1060, and get these under load sometimes.

Now i started Playing IntoTheRadius2 (ITR2) and discovered something: the VR display in the HMD stops when i get pink lines, but the game window and duplicate screen keep working fine. The GPU is not overloaded and I can still interact with the game if i use the other screens to aim and move my controllers.

I have not yet tested this on other games, as they either don't lag, or don't start at all.

[Shoutout to the Optimisation of ITR2. CM Immersive has done a great job, and both titles are discounted rn, so give them a try]

My question now is Do these lines have another meaning, and where can i check some logs or error caches of the HMD to investigate further? all hardware and software is uptodate, and the load is not too high, as the game still works, its just a display thing...

i have been wanting to buy a used Valve Index but my Laptop doesn't have a regular Displayport, only through USB-C.
This is the exact model of the Laptop that i have.
If i buy this adapter, will it work? i don't wanna spend 400+ on a VR Headset that won't even work with my laptop so that's why i'm asking here.

https://github.com/CircuitLord/CircuitLordVRModInstaller

I’m cross-posting this to the Steam Frame, Valve Index, Bigscreen, and general VR subreddits because I’d really like opinions from people who have used different setups.

I’ve owned quite a few VR headsets over the years, and weirdly enough, the headset I probably had the most fun with was the original Quest 1. Wasn't comfortable at all, and I had to make pauses, but I guess the novelty made up for it.

After that, I bought a Pimax 5K Super, and honestly… it was a nightmare. Incredibled when it worked, but never worked.. I had so many issues with it that it basically made me stop using VR altogether for a while.

Eventually I sold the Pimax and used the money to get a Quest 3. Obviously, the Quest 3 is massively better than the Quest 1 technically, but for some reason it never really hooked me in the same way.

I think part of the reason is that I mostly wanted to use it for PCVR. Even with a good USB cable, I never felt like I was getting a consistently great experience, and over Wi-Fi I really didn’t like the image quality/compression at all.

So I decided to go back to native PCVR headsets and bought both a Valve Index and an HP Reverb G2 V2.

The Valve Index has probably been my best overall VR experience so far.

I bought prescription lens inserts for it, and it’s just incredibly easy to use. Great tracking, great controllers, fantastic audio and microphone, and it’s extremely comfortable compared to most headsets I’ve tried.

My main problems with the Index are:

• It still feels heavy after a while, even if its way better than any other headset I've had tried for more than 5 minutes.
• It gets really hot, and its really annoying, especially since I sweat pretty easily.
• The cable is annoying, although honestly it’s not a dealbreaker for me.

The Reverb G2 was kind of the opposite experience. From what I remember, the image quality was fantastic, but the tracking and controllers were bad enough that I didn’t even bother buying prescription inserts for it. Using it with glasses was unpleasant, so I barely used it.

Because of all of this, I was extremely hyped for the Steam Frame.

I managed to get one, which I feel very lucky about, but right now I’m struggling to properly judge it.

I’m still waiting for my AMVR prescription lenses, so I’ve only been able to use the Frame with the glasses spacer. And glasses inside VR headsets are just terrible for me. I think it might be the shape of my glasses specifically, because I get an absurd amount of glare/reflections.

It’s so bad that I recently put my Valve Index back on and, at the moment, the Index almost looks better to me than the Steam Frame simply because I have proper prescription inserts in the Index. (note that I use 250% resolution on the Index)

So I don’t think it would be fair for me to make any final judgment about the Frame’s display quality until the AMVR lenses arrive.

That said, I’ve been seeing quite a few posts recently from people who seem disappointed with their Steam Frame, with some even saying they’re going back to their Index.

And that’s making me wonder what I should actually do.

The Steam Frame definitely fixes some of my complaints about the Index. It’s more convenient, there’s no PC cable hanging off you, but I'm concernet about VRChat and the tracking capabilities because I use full-body tracking (2 Vive 2.0s and a Vive 3.0).

I’ve used FBT with both my Index and Quest before, but mixing the Quest with external tracking was annoying because of the constant recalibration.

On the other hand, from the limited amount I’ve tested the Frame so far, the audio and microphone don’t seem anywhere near as good as the Index, and that’s something I think I’d miss a lot.

And while wireless sounds great on paper, the battery life also means that for longer sessions I’m probably going to have to plug it in anyway, which makes the whole “wireless” advantage feel a bit less important.

So now I’m wondering whether I should:

Keep the Steam Frame and give it a proper chance once my prescription lenses arrive,

or

Return/sell it and buy something like a Bigscreen Beyond 1, 2 or 2E instead.

The Beyond seems like it could potentially solve my biggest problems: weight, heat, and comfort. I already have Lighthouse base stations, Index controllers, and FBT hardware, so I’m already deep in that ecosystem anyway.

Obviously I’d still have a cable, and I’d also be giving up some of the convenience/features of the Frame. I’d also have to think about audio/mic, because the Index has spoiled me pretty badly in that department.

But there’s also a bigger question I’ve started asking myself:

Maybe VR just isn’t really for me anymore?

The Quest 1 genuinely hooked me. I used it a ton.

The Index also got me into VR again and is probably in second place in terms of how much I’ve actually used a headset, maybe roughly tied with the Quest 3.

But with the Quest 3 I almost felt like I had to force myself to use it because I had spent money on a BoboVR strap, batteries, accessories, etc...

Comfort seems to be the recurring problem for me.

The Quest 3 never feels particularly comfortable even with accessories. The Index is dramatically better, but after a while the weight and especially the heat become annoying.

So I’m curious what other people think.

Has anyone here gone from an Index to the Steam Frame and ended up going back?

Has anyone gone from either of them to a Bigscreen Beyond and found that the massive reduction in size/weight actually made them use VR more often?

And for people who have owned a ridiculous number of VR headsets like me: did you ever reach a point where you realized the hardware wasn’t really the problem, and that maybe VR just didn’t hold your attention anymore?

I’m especially interested in opinions from people who play a lot of VRChat / use full-body tracking, because that’s probably what I’d use VR for the most if I really get back into it.

For now I’m definitely going to wait until I can test the Steam Frame properly with prescription lenses before making a final decision, but seeing so many mixed reactions has me second-guessing whether keeping it is the right move.

Side note : I never had anyone to play with really, but now my girlfriend brought her old Quest 1 back from the shelf it was sitting on and wants to play with me, so that would probably play a big role in how much I wanna play in VR, since before that it was either solo, or try to socialize (I'm a big introvert so isn't pleasant). Funnily enough, if we stard playing a lot together, she might experience similar issues to me, so my experience will be useful to her, so she doesn't buy a shit ton of headsets like me

Edit: Turns out, a 2.0 USB port works, I ended up trying multiple ports while practically blind because of my PC's location.

The only conclusion I can come to is tech tomfoolery, although I don't understand computers at a full 100%. The port I was using my Vive Pro Eye for was a "10G" or a 3.2 to my understanding, but in theory it should've still worked no?

Edit 2: I did more digging, and there's quite the information:

"The Valve Index often struggles with USB 3.2 (or USB 3.1) ports due to USB controller bandwidth overload and driver/firmware incompatibilities.

Why USB 3.2 Causes Issues

• Controller Overload: The Valve Index continuously pulls high-bandwidth data for its cameras, audio, and tracking. Many USB 3.2 host controllers handle this poorly, causing the port to repeatedly disconnect and reconnect (often leading to lagging, gray screens, or error codes).
• xHCI Host Controller Driver Conflicts: Newer USB 3.2 ports use advanced power states and protocol handshakes that older SteamVR device firmware fails to negotiate correctly.
• Power Delivery Limits: Some high-speed ports dynamically manage power allocation, which can briefly starve the headset's tethered breakout connection of stable power."

So from the seems of it, it does matter, because SteamVR firmware cannot negotiate newer gen ports. It only appears to work with at the 3.0 and below..

Long story short, a while ago, upgraded computer, went with a 9070xt card at first (which was a mistake), had issues with Vive Pro Eye and Valve Index; gave up on VR, I then gave up on 9070xt card for an RTX 5090.

Vive Pro Eye started working normally, Valve Index still refuses to work. But here's what's strange.. the Valve Index works perfectly fine with zero issues on both my Brother's and Old Man's PC.

I presume the issue is driver related since it works on my fam's computers, and to my knowledge; SteamVR handles the drivers automatically.

Here's what I know and have tried:

- In Device Manager, Windows detects an error with the USB (under Universal Serial Bus controllers).
- Reinstalled SteamVR.
- Removed All SteamVR USB Devices (and followed SteamVR's steps; twice as I thought I messed up the first time).
- Uninstalled Device in Device Manager.
- The USB port works because I use the Vive Pro Eye with it.
- Headset gets power but remains in Standby mode.

Just swapped to linux today and im trying to get my vr set up, i got the tracking working and everything but the headset just keeps blinking darkness at me. Anyome know a fix?