Oculus Rift DK2
(Redirected from DK2)
| Oculus Rift DK2 (Development Kit 2) | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | Oculus SDK |
| Creator | Oculus VR |
| Developer | Oculus VR |
| Manufacturer | Oculus VR |
| Announcement Date | March 19, 2014 (GDC 2014) |
| Release Date | July 24, 2014 |
| Price | $350 |
| Website | https://www.oculus.com/ (legacy) |
| Versions | Oculus Rift DK2 |
| Requires | Gaming PC with compatible GPU |
| Predecessor | Oculus Rift DK1 |
| Successor | Oculus Rift CV1 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 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 | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 OLED (repurposed) |
| Subpixel Layout | PenTile Diamond |
| Peak Brightness | Not specified |
| Resolution | 960 × 1080 per eye (1920 × 1080 combined) |
| Pixel Density | ~386 PPI |
| Refresh Rate | 75Hz (low persistence) |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 93° |
| Horizontal FoV | ~93° |
| Vertical FoV | ~106° |
| Average Pixel Density | ~13 PPD |
| Peak Pixel Density | ~13 PPD |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Custom lenses (A/B cups for different vision) |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 54-74mm (physical adjustment) |
| Adjustable Diopter | No (lens cups for different needs) |
| Passthrough | No |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (IMU + external camera) |
| Tracking Frequency | 1000Hz (IMU), 60Hz (camera) |
| Base Stations | Included IR camera |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes (external camera) |
| Update Rate | 75Hz |
| Tracking Volume | Seated/standing |
| Play Space | Seated |
| Latency | ~20ms motion-to-photon |
| Audio | |
| Audio | 3.5mm audio jack |
| Microphone | No |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Yes |
| Camera | External IR camera (included for tracking) |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | HDMI, USB 2.0 |
| Ports | HDMI, USB |
| 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 | ~265mm × 185mm × 120mm |
| Weight | 440g |
| Material | Plastic |
| Headstrap | Elastic fabric straps |
| Haptics | No |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer (1000Hz), IR LED array |
| Input | Xbox controller, mouse/keyboard (no motion controllers) |
| Compliance | FCC (development use) |
The Oculus Rift DK2 (Development Kit 2) is the second development virtual reality head-mounted display created by Oculus VR, announced at GDC 2014 on March 19, 2014, and released on July 24, 2014, for $350. The DK2 represented a massive leap over the original DK1, featuring a repurposed 5.7" Samsung Galaxy Note 3 OLED display at 1920 × 1080 (960 × 1080 per eye), low persistence rendering to eliminate motion blur, and most crucially, the addition of positional tracking via an included external IR camera—enabling true 6DoF VR for the first time in a widely available headset. With over 100,000 units shipped by February 2015, the DK2 became the de facto development platform for early VR content and proved that consumer VR was not only possible but imminent, directly leading to the consumer Rift CV1 in 2016.
History and Development
DK1 Foundation
First generation:
- 2012 Kickstarter
- 720p display
- 3DoF only (no positional)
- Proved VR concept
GDC 2014 Reveal
March 2014 announcement:
- Major specifications upgrade
- Positional tracking added
- OLED low persistence
- $350 developer price
Facebook Acquisition
March 2014:
- $2 billion acquisition
- Same month as DK2 announcement
- VR industry validation
- Massive investment
July 2014 Release
Shipping begins:
- Developer orders fulfilled
- Massive demand
- Over 100,000 shipped
- VR development boom
Design Philosophy
Development Platform
Developer focus:
- Hardware for content creation
- Not consumer product
- Experimentation platform
- Industry foundation
Positional Tracking Priority
6DoF achievement:
- True VR presence
- Motion accuracy
- Reduced sickness
- Essential for VR
Low Persistence
Motion clarity:
- OLED capability used
- Blur elimination
- Comfort improvement
- Critical advancement
Display Technology
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 OLED
Repurposed mobile display:
- Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (1080p)
- Per Eye: 960 × 1080
- Size: 5.7"
- Type: PenTile AMOLED
Resolution Improvement
vs DK1:
- DK1: 1280×800 (640×800/eye)
- DK2: 1920×1080 (960×1080/eye)
- Significant clarity improvement
- Reduced screen door
Low Persistence
Key innovation:
- Display flashes briefly
- Eliminates motion blur
- Reduces judder
- Comfort critical
Refresh Rate
75Hz timing:
- Low persistence at 75Hz
- Smooth motion
- Better than DK1 (60Hz)
- VR adequate
Field of View
93° Vertical FOV
Good specification:
- Adequate immersion
- Consistent with DK1
- Good peripheral
- Vertical emphasis
Optical System
Custom Lenses
Development optics:
- A cups (larger pupils)
- B cups (smaller pupils)
- User selectable
- Vision accommodation
IPD Adjustment
Physical mechanism:
- Range: 54-74mm
- Mechanical slider
- Wide accommodation
- Important for comfort
Tracking System
Positional Tracking
Revolutionary addition:
- External IR camera
- Near-infrared CMOS
- Tracks IR LED array
- Sub-millimeter accuracy
IR LED Array
Constellation precursor:
- LEDs in front panel
- Camera triangulation
- 60Hz position updates
- Proven technology
IMU Sensors
High-speed orientation:
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Magnetometer
- 1000Hz update rate
6DoF Achievement
True VR:
- Position + rotation
- Lean, duck, peek
- Natural movement
- Presence enhancer
Tracking Volume
Seated focus:
- Desk-scale tracking
- Camera coverage limited
- Forward facing
- Development use
Audio
3.5mm Audio Jack
External audio:
- Headphones required
- No built-in speakers
- User choice
- Standard port
No Microphone
External needed:
- Separate microphone
- Communication setup
- Development focus
- Simple design
Physical Design
Form Factor
Development hardware:
- 440g weight
- Exposed cables
- Not consumer refined
- Functional design
Elastic Straps
Simple mounting:
- Fabric straps
- Adjustable fit
- Basic comfort
- Development appropriate
Cable
Connection tether:
- Combined HDMI/USB
- ~3m length
- Fixed attachment
- Development use
PC Requirements
Minimum Specifications
2014 requirements:
- GPU: GTX 970 / R9 290 equivalent
- CPU: Intel i5-4590
- RAM: 8GB
- HDMI output
Operating Systems
Multi-platform:
- Windows 7+
- macOS support
- Linux experimental
- Developer flexibility
Software Development
Oculus SDK
Development platform:
- Regular SDK updates
- API development
- Unity/Unreal support
- Active development
Development Content
Early experiences:
- Demos and prototypes
- Experimental content
- Developer showcases
- Industry exploration
No Motion Controllers
Input limitation:
- Xbox controller recommended
- Keyboard/mouse
- Seated experiences
- Pre-Touch era
Industry Impact
Developer Adoption
Massive uptake:
- Over 100,000 units
- Worldwide developers
- Content explosion
- Industry foundation
Consumer VR Validation
Market proof:
- VR was possible
- Interest demonstrated
- Investment justified
- CV1 path cleared
Technology Demonstration
Key innovations:
- Low persistence proven
- Positional tracking validated
- OLED VR demonstrated
- Standards established
Path to Consumer Rift
DK2 Learnings
Development insights:
- Higher resolution needed
- Better tracking required
- Comfort improvements
- Audio integration
CV1 Development
Consumer version:
- DK2 feedback incorporated
- Improved all specifications
- Motion controllers added
- March 2016 release
Comparison with DK1
| Feature | DK1 | DK2 |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1280×800 | 1920×1080 |
| Per Eye | 640×800 | 960×1080 |
| Display | LCD | OLED |
| Refresh | 60Hz | 75Hz |
| Persistence | Full | Low |
| Positional | No | Yes (camera) |
| Price | $300 | $350 |
| Release | March 2013 | July 2014 |
Legacy
VR Development Foundation
Industry contribution:
- First widely available 6DoF VR
- Low persistence standard
- Development platform
- Content kickstart
Historical Significance
VR history:
- Consumer VR precursor
- Facebook era beginning
- Industry validation
- Technology proof
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | Samsung OLED, 960 × 1080 per eye |
| Total Resolution | 1920 × 1080 (1080p) |
| Refresh Rate | 75Hz (low persistence) |
| FOV | 93° |
| Tracking | 6DoF (IMU + IR camera) |
| IPD | 54-74mm (physical) |
| Audio | 3.5mm jack only |
| Platform | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Weight | 440g |
| Price | $350 |
| Status | Discontinued (developer kit) |