Oculus Rift CV1
| Oculus Rift CV1 | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | Oculus Platform |
| Creator | Oculus VR |
| Developer | Oculus VR |
| Manufacturer | Oculus VR |
| Announcement Date | June 11, 2015 (E3) |
| Release Date | March 28, 2016 |
| Price | $599 (launch), later reduced to $399 |
| Website | https://www.meta.com/ (legacy) |
| Versions | Oculus Rift CV1 |
| Requires | Oculus-ready PC, Oculus account |
| Predecessor | Oculus Rift DK2 |
| Successor | Oculus Rift S |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows |
| Chipset | N/A (tethered PCVR) |
| CPU | N/A (PC-powered) |
| GPU | N/A (PC-powered) |
| Storage | |
| Storage | N/A |
| Memory | N/A |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual OLED (PenTile) |
| Subpixel Layout | PenTile Diamond |
| Peak Brightness | ~80 nits |
| Resolution | 1080 × 1200 per eye (2160 × 1200 combined) |
| Pixel Density | ~11 PPD |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 110° |
| Horizontal FoV | ~87° |
| Vertical FoV | ~87° |
| Average Pixel Density | ~11 PPD |
| Peak Pixel Density | ~11 PPD |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Hybrid Fresnel lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 58-72mm (mechanical adjustment) |
| Adjustable Diopter | No (glasses compatible) |
| Passthrough | No |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF outside-in (Constellation) |
| Tracking Frequency | 60Hz (cameras) |
| Base Stations | Oculus Sensor(s) required (1 included, 2+ for room-scale) |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Update Rate | 90Hz |
| Tracking Volume | 5 ft × 5 ft (1 sensor), room-scale (2-3 sensors) |
| Play Space | Standing/room-scale (with sensors) |
| Latency | <20ms motion-to-photon |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Integrated headphones (removable) |
| Microphone | Yes (integrated) |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Yes (via removed headphone) |
| Camera | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | HDMI, USB 3.0 |
| Ports | HDMI 1.3, USB 3.0 |
| Wired Video | Yes (HDMI) |
| Wireless Video | No |
| WiFi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Power | USB powered |
| Battery Capacity | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A (tethered) |
| Charge Time | N/A |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | ~230mm × 110mm × 170mm |
| Weight | 470g (headset with audio) |
| Material | Plastic, fabric |
| Headstrap | Rigid plastic with velcro top |
| Haptics | Oculus Touch controller haptics |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | Constellation tracking LEDs, IMU, proximity sensor |
| Input | Oculus Remote (included), Xbox One controller (included), Oculus Touch (separate) |
| Compliance | FCC, CE |
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The Oculus Rift CV1 (Consumer Version 1) is the first consumer virtual reality head-mounted display released by Oculus VR, announced at E3 on June 11, 2015, and released on March 28, 2016 at a price of $599. The CV1 represented the culmination of Oculus founder Palmer Luckey's Kickstarter project that had helped revive mainstream interest in VR, incorporating years of refinement from development kits DK1 and DK2. Featuring dual OLED displays at 1080 × 1200 per eye, a 90Hz refresh rate, integrated 3D audio headphones, the Constellation outside-in tracking system, and ergonomic design, the Rift CV1 launched alongside the HTC Vive as one of the two headsets that defined the first generation of high-end consumer VR. The Oculus Touch motion controllers, released separately in December 2016, transformed the Rift into a full VR system with hand presence, competing directly with the Vive's tracked controllers.
History and Development
Kickstarter Origins
The modern VR revival:
- Palmer Luckey's prototype (2011)
- Kickstarter campaign (August 2012)
- $2.4 million raised
- DK1 shipped to backers (2013)
Facebook Acquisition
March 2014 landmark:
- Facebook acquired Oculus for $2 billion
- Resources for consumer development
- Long-term VR investment
- Industry validation
Development Kits
Iterative refinement:
- DK1 (2013): 7" display, 640×800/eye
- DK2 (2014): 5.7" OLED, 960×1080/eye, positional tracking
- Crescent Bay (2014): Prototype showcasing CV1 features
E3 2015 Reveal
Consumer version announced:
- Final design shown
- Q1 2016 ship date
- Oculus Touch previewed
- VR game lineup revealed
January 2016 Pre-orders
$599 price controversy:
- Higher than expected price
- "Ballpark $350" earlier estimate
- Includes sensor, Xbox controller, Oculus Remote
- Touch controllers not included
March 28, 2016 Launch
Consumer VR arrives:
- One week before HTC Vive
- Component shortages caused delays
- Strong demand
- Historic moment for VR
Design Philosophy
Seated/Standing Focus
Original positioning:
- Seated experiences emphasized
- Single sensor (front-facing)
- Xbox controller included
- Touch controllers optional
Ergonomic Priority
Comfort engineering:
- Lightweight design (470g)
- Integrated audio
- Adjustable head strap
- Extended wear consideration
"VR for Everyone"
Accessibility goals:
- Easy setup
- Familiar gaming controller
- Integrated audio
- Consumer-friendly design
Display Technology
Dual OLED Panels
Custom displays:
- Resolution: 1080 × 1200 per eye
- Total: 2160 × 1200
- Panel Type: OLED with PenTile Diamond
- Refresh Rate: 90Hz
OLED Benefits
Display advantages:
- True black levels
- Fast pixel response
- Low persistence possible
- Good contrast ratio
Global Shutter
Low persistence implementation:
- Full-flash illumination
- Motion blur reduction
- Reduced smearing
- Clearer images during head movement
Screen Door Effect
Visible limitation:
- PenTile arrangement
- First-gen resolution
- Visible at times
- Acceptable for era
Optical System
Hybrid Fresnel Lenses
Custom optical design:
- Fresnel rings for weight reduction
- Wide sweet spot
- God rays visible in high-contrast scenes
- Good edge-to-edge clarity
Field of View
Competitive viewing area:
- ~110° total claimed
- ~87° measured per eye
- Immersive for the era
- Matched competition
IPD Adjustment
Physical lens adjustment:
- Range: 58-72mm
- Slider on bottom of headset
- Mechanical lens movement
- Wide user accommodation
Constellation Tracking
Technology
Outside-in camera tracking:
- IR LEDs under headset fabric
- Unique blink patterns
- Tracked by Oculus Sensor(s)
- Sub-millimeter accuracy
Oculus Sensor
USB camera:
- IR camera
- Stands on desk
- USB 3.0 connection
- One included with headset
Single Sensor Setup
Front-facing tracking:
- Seated experiences
- 180° coverage
- 5 ft × 5 ft volume
- Standing possible
Multi-Sensor Room-Scale
Expanded tracking:
- 2-3 sensors recommended
- 360° coverage possible
- Room-scale competitive with Vive
- "Experimental" initially, later official
Audio System
Integrated Headphones
Built-in audio:
- Over-ear headphones
- RealSpace 3D Audio technology
- Spatial audio positioning
- Easy on/off with headset
Audio Quality
High-quality sound:
- Wide frequency response
- Good bass
- Positional accuracy
- Developed with Visisonics
Removable Design
Optional replacement:
- Headphones can be removed
- 3.5mm jack available
- Use preferred headphones
- Flexibility for users
Integrated Microphone
Communication ready:
- Built-in microphone
- Clear voice capture
- VR chat enabled
- Social VR support
Physical Design
Ergonomics
Comfort priority:
- 470g weight
- Fabric exterior
- Well-distributed weight
- Extended comfort
Head Strap
Rigid adjustment:
- Rigid plastic arms
- Velcro top strap
- Dial adjustment on back
- Secure fit
Facial Interface
Foam padding:
- Removable foam
- VR Cover replacements available
- Breathable design
- Customizable
Cable
Tethered design:
- HDMI + USB combined cable
- 4 meters length
- Manageable weight
- No wireless option
Input Devices
Oculus Remote
Basic navigation:
- Included in box
- Simple trackpad/button design
- Menu navigation
- Basic interaction
Xbox One Controller
Launch bundle:
- Included with headset
- Familiar gamepad
- Game compatible
- Wireless dongle included
Oculus Touch (December 2016)
Full hand controllers:
- $199 separately (launch)
- Released December 6, 2016
- 6DoF tracking
- Hand presence
- Capacitive touch sensors
- Individual finger tracking
Oculus Touch Controllers
Design
Ergonomic hand controllers:
- Circular tracking ring
- Analog stick
- Trigger and grip
- Face buttons
- Capacitive sensors
Constellation Tracking
Same tracking system:
- IR LEDs in ring
- Tracked by Oculus Sensors
- 6DoF positioning
- Low latency
Hand Presence
Revolutionary feature:
- Hands visible in VR
- Finger gestures detected
- Pointing, thumbs up, etc.
- Natural interaction
Additional Sensor
Improved tracking:
- Second sensor included with Touch
- Better occlusion handling
- 360° possible
- Room-scale enabled
Software Platform
Oculus Home
VR interface:
- Virtual environment
- Library management
- Store access
- Social features
Oculus Store
Content ecosystem:
- Curated experiences
- Exclusive titles
- Quality standards
- Regular releases
Notable Exclusives
Platform-defining games:
- Lucky's Tale (launch)
- Robo Recall
- Lone Echo
- Wilson's Heart
- Edge of Nowhere
SteamVR Compatibility
Third-party support:
- SteamVR games playable
- OpenVR support
- Broader content access
- Community choice
PC Requirements
Recommended Specifications
Oculus-ready PC:
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD R9 290
- CPU: Intel i5-4590 equivalent
- RAM: 8GB
- Video: HDMI 1.3
- USB: 3× USB 3.0, 1× USB 2.0
Asynchronous Spacewarp
Performance optimization:
- Introduced late 2016
- Smooths 45fps to 90fps
- Lower spec PCs viable
- Better accessibility
Price Evolution
Launch Price
March 2016:
- $599 (headset, sensor, Remote, Xbox controller)
- Touch controllers $199 separately
Price Reductions
Making VR accessible:
- March 2017: $499 headset, $99 Touch
- July 2017: $499 Rift + Touch bundle
- Summer 2017: $399 temporary sale (made permanent)
- 2018: $349 for Rift + Touch
Competition with HTC Vive
| Feature | Oculus Rift CV1 | HTC Vive |
|---|---|---|
| Price (launch) | $599 (HMD only) | $799 (full kit) |
| Resolution/eye | 1080×1200 | 1080×1200 |
| Tracking | Constellation (camera) | Lighthouse (laser) |
| Controllers | Touch ($199 extra) | Wands (included) |
| Room-scale | Experimental (2+ sensors) | Native (included) |
| Audio | Integrated | Earbuds included |
| Focus | Seated/standing | Room-scale |
Legacy
First-Gen Definition
Set consumer VR standards:
- Resolution expectations
- Tracking quality baseline
- Comfort design influence
- Content standards
Touch Innovation
Controller impact:
- Finger presence concept
- Ergonomic hand controller design
- Influenced Quest controllers
- Industry standard established
Market Establishment
VR industry foundation:
- Proved consumer VR viable
- Established content ecosystem
- Built VR gaming market
- Long-term platform investment
Discontinuation
March 2019:
- Production ended
- Replaced by Rift S
- Quest 2 ultimate successor
- Legacy content maintained
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | Dual OLED, 1080 × 1200 per eye |
| Total Resolution | 2160 × 1200 |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
| FOV | ~110° (claimed) |
| Tracking | Constellation (outside-in) |
| Sensors | 1 included (2-3 recommended) |
| Audio | Integrated headphones |
| Controllers | Xbox (included), Touch (separate) |
| Weight | 470g |
| Connection | HDMI 1.3, USB 3.0 |
| Launch Price | $599 |
| Final Price | $349 (with Touch) |