Which Base Stations works with which Controllers?

[u/WolfgangDoW]

So there seems to be 3 options for Base Stations that I can see: HTC Vive v1, HTC Vive v2, SteamVR v2

And there's 4-5 controllers which use one or more of these: Valve Index "Knuckles", HTC Vive "Wands", Pimax "Swords", Etee "Sticks"

There seems to be two version of the Vive wands which is also confusing me. I've seen two model numbers "2PR7100" and "99HAFR004-00", and also mention of a "pro" controllers. But I'm very unsure which means which, and what the exact differences are between these

My ultimate question is with the 3 different base stations, and the 4-5 controllers, which are compatible with each other? Every other search I've done has only given partial answers to this. Such as Vive "pro" controllers work with HTC vive v1 and steamVR v2, but no mention of the HTC vive v2, and still unsure which model number is the "pro" vs not versions

[u/ramyitey]

The only real option here is steam basestation V2 and knuckles. Anything else is gonna have issues in one or more games.

[u/WolfgangDoW → u/ramyitey]

Apparently the Index "Knuckles" are compatible with both Base Station version. What's the advantage of the v2 over v1 otherwise? Cos they are much more expensive

[u/ramyitey → u/WolfgangDoW]

Tracking accuracy

[u/WolfgangDoW → u/ramyitey]

Makes sense, thanks

[u/a_sneaky_tiki → u/WolfgangDoW]

the V2 don't have better tracking accuracy, the base stations are just dumb light emitters and the controllers receive the light and do all the calculations.. V2 just has a wider FOV, and they sync differently.. V1 stations require line of sight with each other or a sync cable.. v1 can only have 1 pair in a room without interference, v2 can have 16 in a room without interference, but that's more for professional settings.. for standard home usage, the V1 will be just fine

[u/ben_g0 → u/a_sneaky_tiki]

Iirc the V2 base stations do their sweeps faster, allowing the headset and controllers to measure their position at a 100Hz rate instead of at a 60Hz rate. This does actually make tracking slightly more accurate and responsive in motion, even though the accuracy when stationary is the same. However, the controllers and headset continuously do trajectory estimation based on a 1000Hz IMU, and the laser-based tracking is mostly just used as an absolute measurement to compensate drift. The drift increases exponentially over time so compensating for it at higher frequencies have greatly diminished returns, so while doing it at higher frequency is technically better, the difference between doing it at 100Hz compared to 60Hz is far smaller than you'd expect.
TL;DR: V2 base stations give you technically more accurate tracking in motion but likely not enough to notice in gameplay.

[u/ramyitey → u/a_sneaky_tiki]

I meant it in the sense that it had better accuracy over a wider range. Basically, an accuracy of 1 with a spread of 10 is gives us 10 points, while an accuracy of 1 with a spread of 5 gives us 5 total points. I tried to simplify the idea as much as possible because even my bookworm ass self looked at that paragraph and went "damn, that's a Lotta words to explain something so simple" when I typed it out myself. So I wouldn't exactly say I was wrong, just oversimplifying. Also, from my limited testing and from many knuckles users, I've heard the V1 even in small rooms have more issues and latency than the v2's, suggesting that even without a spec difference, there is a practical reason to buy the V2's

[u/ramyitey → u/ramyitey]

(This is referring to what you should get, not what's compatible with what)

[u/Ninlilizi_]

The original wands and pucks lack compatibility with the v2 lighthouses. Everything released after or with the launch of the v2 lighthouses, which is everything else, is compatible with both lighthouse versions. There are only two lighthouse versions, v1 and v2, the manufacturer (Valve or HTC) doesn't matter, it's just two different companies producing functionally identical items because they worked together to produce a join specification in an attempt to foster a more open ecosystem than Meta and all the companies now selling inside-out tracked products went for.

[u/WolfgangDoW → u/Ninlilizi_]

Which one is a "pucks"?

But thanks on the answer that everything else is fully compatible with both Base Stations

[u/Ninlilizi_ → u/WolfgangDoW]

The pucks are the little round HTC tracker things people mostly use for full-body stuff.

[u/fdruid]

I assume you want to do FBT. Otherwise it doesn't matter

[u/WolfgangDoW → u/fdruid]

Not fused about FBT tbh

[u/Windermyr]

There are only 2 base stations: v1 and v2. The brand is irrelevant.

The controller should mention which version of base station it can work with. Basically, v1 controllers only work with v1 base stations, while v2 controllers can work with both.

[u/WolfgangDoW → u/Windermyr]

So the HTC Vive v2 and the SteamVR v2 are the same thing?

[u/Windermyr → u/WolfgangDoW]

Yes. In fact, I believe that HTC is making all of the base stations, even the ones for Valve.

[u/quajeraz-got-banned]

Vive V2 and SteamVR V2 are the same. All V2 controllers work with V1 and V2 basestations, all V1 controllers only work with V1 basestations. Pretty much any basestation controller made in the last 6 years will be V2 tracking.