Is my Valve Index Basestation 2.0 Working Correctly?

Other HMDs Valve
#1

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!

#2

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.

I have been told pimax is looking into this.

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#3

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? :slight_smile:

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#4

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.

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#5

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

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#6

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.

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#7

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.

#8

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!

#9

I recieved my basestations from PIMAX today, working straight out of the box. Pushed a button on the back to switch channels and they are tracking nicely. They came with the latest firmware revision too which is really appreciated.

image

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#11

Seeing “Up to date” unfortunately does not necessary mean they came with the latest revision, but rather there is no update available/possible at the moment. Mine, which came with an ancient firmware were also showing “Up to date” in SteamVR, until I connected HTC Vive Pro. Only then SteamVR suddenly offered an update.

See this post: For those who received lighthouses from the pledge (or order) from Pimax

Do they have green or white light LED when operating?

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#12

White LED 202020202020

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#13

I received my 8xk, base stations, and index controllers at the beginning of October. I am only able to get one base station to work though. I was able to plug both in with usb to do a firmware update. I was able to get both paired with bluetooth. I am not able to get pitool to connect with one of the base stations though. I have tried changing the channels on it to be sure that they are different and that is not the issue. I saw in another thread that the only way to really update the basestation to resolve the issue requires a valve index headset, which I do not have. What should I do? Order a new base station through Steam? Return the base station to Pimax? I do not see why they are not acknowledging this issue properly. Certainly they have plenty of base stations they can try for themselves.

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#14

Is this a particular base station which does not work, or both work, but just one at time?

Technically, even not updated base stations should work (mine worked before I updated them), and as I wrote in my post I linked above, you do not strictly need to update them in order to use them with Pimax.

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#15

There is one particular base station that does not work.

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#16

Then I would say it is probably some other problem (than the firmware) - possibly a hardware one. I would raise the ticket with Pimax, or if you have a chance to get hold of a “native” headset (Vive, Index) you may try to connect it as these headsets are able to talk to base stations over BT LE and read out some diagnostics.

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#17

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