Is my Valve Index Basestation 2.0 Working Correctly?

[JER]

I bought an extra basestation for FBT.
So now i have 3, 2.0 Base stations.

When i connect the sensor it shows up in steamvr and everything is dandy.
But i noticed that the new sensor is showing a green light, whereas the other 2 i originally have,shows a whiteish color. (thats when i look physically at the basestations)

In streamvr all are recognised and they seem to have the same color in there.

Any idea if the new basestation is working?
IMO they should all show the same color, but idk…

Thanks!

[Heliosurge]

You have mixed v2 LHes.

The ones pimax are shipping come with very earlier firmware and are Labeled SteamVR V2 Lighthouse. The status light codes from Firmware 2001 do not match later Lighthouse furmware.

The newer Lighthouse you have will be labeled on Back as Valve Lighthouse version 2. It likely has the last firmware update which is firmware 3008 released in 2019.

@risa2000 has a topic on this issue.

For those who received lighthouses from the pledge (or order) from Pimax

It seems there is a recurring pattern of problems the people who received the lighthouses from Pimax face. This post will address some: Only one lighthouse is tracking (one is solid blue and one is blinking in PiTool) This is because both the lighthouses are configured for channel #1. v2 lighthouses are capable of running on one of 16 channels (numbered 1-16). The only requirement is that all active ones must be on different channels. To confirm that you can run SteamVR and check a pop up abov…

I have been told pimax is looking into this.

[JER]

Hey Heliosurge

Thanks for the fast respond!
Well shet… So no way for us to update the old basestation firmware.

So if i understand correct, the basestations can still communicate with each other even though they have different firmware, or am i wrong?

[risa2000]

@JER

So if i understand correct, the basestations can still communicate with each other even though they have different firmware, or am i wrong?

They do not communicate with each other. They can really communicate only with the headset, and only when the headset supports it (i.e. not Pimax), because the communication is over BT LE. As I explained in my post this should not affect the tracking operation, but one may ask a legit question, if the tracking while using two different firmwares at the same time can lead to some problems. For this I have no idea, because no one can tell what are the exact differences related to the tracking in both firmwares.

[JER]

Hi Risa
My bad! Allright i understand. Thanks for detailed explanation! (english is hard)

[Heliosurge]

It’s an easy presumption. In V1 Lighthouses they needed to be able to see each other or linked via a cable. Otherwise they just provide marker sweeps with lasers that the headset tracking sensors use to calculate positional data.

[bigo93]

I very much doubt Pimax will be able to do anything to help update the base stations.

People have complained about not being able to update lighthouses for years.
People have contacted Steam support, who also say they will look into it.
But have done nothing!

There are articles where you can update via USB, but that does not work, ever!

Only way is if you know someone with a Vive Index headset, Vive Pro, or original Vive which have the breakout box
Unless PImax clone the breakoutbox to be used with the Pimax headsets, but then Valve will sue them I think.

[bigo93]

@Heliosurge

The newer Lighthouse you have will be labeled on Back as Valve Lighthouse version 2. It likely has the last firmware update which is firmware 3008 released in 2019.

I guess may confirm that we’ve actually received refurbished lighthouses

I noticed that the power adapter socket has huge gaps around it on both my bases! I was thinking what shoddy construction by Valve.

But if 3008 was released in 2019, and we’ve received these in Oct 2020, they only reason I see is that they are refurbished and badly put back together!