Programs & Utilities

XR Hardware
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This Topic will contain useful programs for Pimax Hmds. Primarily the Reality Series.

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BS Manager- Lighthouse management (Auto On/Off - Crystal Only)

Posted By: Lazy-Fan6068 / Seadersn (actual nick since years :slight_smile: )

Hi OG-Crystal and Crystal Light owners,

It’s possible now: you can now let your lighthouses auto switch on (or off) together with your Crystal series HMD, depending on power state of your HMD. No install needed, just start and use.

Explanations:

  • It autostarts with Windows and needs a Bluetooth LE receiver for controlling basestations - It’s three years old and was originally written by mann1x-ITA, source here on github; there’s a readme too, please read it for more info about this app
  • Therefore it just needed some edits for recognizing Crystal-HMDs (for now OG Crystal & Crystal Light) and a little fix for registry startup of BSManager. Since it’s three years old, the Crystal HMD wasn’t included of course. It was added and the needed services were changed to fit the new PimaxPlay software (mann1x wrote it for pitool initially)
  • Crystal Light: for now not possible to use it, but it’s prepared. Respectively you can use it when you unplug your USB port and make the CL powerless. ATM the power button sends CL only to sleep and does not turn it off. I’ll edit this post when switching fully off eventually finally will be possible
  • You can use its RuntimeManager to automatically start (and close) PimaxPlay and its services (pls read the readme from mann1x linked above)
  • It originally needs .NET Desktop Runtime 3.1.32, which is already included in this app, so no additional download needed. I’ve compiled it like mann1x as a standalone binary, it brings everything it needs to run correctly with it
  • Again, please read mann1x’ explanations for how to handle this app. It’s kind of self explaining anyway :wink:
  • Update 07.2024: Used Pimax Crystal Lighthouse Faceplate ID now, which should be the same for every Crystal version from my understanding. If, contrary to expectations, it doesn’t work for your Light or (in future) Super, just tell me here pls. I’d contact you via dm and ask you some questions then.

Download , VirusTotal check of the .exe inside the archive
mann1x original github repository
my github repository, outdated since it contains OG-C only. Will update it at some point of time.

Source r/pimax :reddit:

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BS Companion

Alternative to previous post for about $2.49 ca

Also available on Apple Store

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but I need this for 8KX… Since nothing is availabe yet, I use wireless sockets for BS power supplies to switch on/off. Another remote control, because it is simple radio, not wifi, but hey, it works.

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The uitils mentioned here will work for the earlier pimax Hmds. Just the first one seems to have an auto on & off with crystal.

These should also work for other mixedvr setups using Lighthouses.

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mann1x’ original app should work with your headset; when not, just contact me, I’d need some info from your HMD but then can compile a version for your device, no problem.

addition to app list:
I was very surprised when I found this: BaseStation Manager, in ms-windoze store. it’s really okay, costs are minimal, so it’s worth a try, you should buy this app :wink: configuration of channels and sending sleep / doze / wake commands just simply work.

and there’s Lighthouse Power Management for android phones, but that’s already widely known imo.

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jep, BSManager from github (no matter which version) will auto start / stopp lighthouses depending on power state of your headset. additionally if you want to apps and services, even own ones via a text file; it’s all described in mann1x’ readme. i like open sources a lot :slight_smile: ) :grin:

the other apps are all “manual apps” for controlling LHs without an HMD even needed.

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Indeed Opensource is quite awesome and can allow rapid advances more easily.

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This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.

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1st post updated with new version which uses the LH faceplate ID now. so it’s usable for the light versions too. when finally they are capable of being switched fully off… atm it’s a standby mode with everything still online.

when you post an ID which is unique to your 8kx then it’s possible to edit it into these sources. so you can use it for your 8kx.
you can see these IDs with for example USBDeView. We’d need the vendor and product USB IDs (pid / vid).

I thought the additional ID which already was included indeed was the ID for an 8kx but apparently, it seems, it’s not.

maybe search for more pimax HMD ID’s and include them, so an app for the whole pimax (lighthouse capable) series exist…? are all pimax HMDs now running with pimaxPlay or are there still versions which require piTool?

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Maybe @calvinyau can get a list of pimax hmd ids as you suggest for the app.

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All Pimax HMDs are compatibles with PimaxPlay except for P4K.

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Scroll up. There are hmd Id numbers. @seadersn has added the hmd identifier for the LH Face plate.

If you can list the hmd ids the Lighthouse Manager can be updated for all p2 and p3 pimax hmds.

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That maybe the og 8k or the 5k+ model most likely. Also possible as there are 2 8kX models that they might also use different hmd Id numbers for FW auto updating.

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Lighthouse / Basestation Management incl. automated service !UPDATED VERSION!

Sorry, I made a mistake and forgot to include a necessary shared dll in the other post, simply overseen this… Therefore a new post, with an updated version, which is working just fine now :blush: SInce last post was a bit confusingly written and contained a non working file, here’s a new thread for it and the other is deleted :+1:

This download now is updated and two files are available, an installer in .msi format which does the service installation job for you and is removable via your windows apps settings & a simple zip archive, containing only the files needed to run standalone or install it as a service.

When using the installer, you unfortunately still need to copy the basestations mac addresses manually into the appsettings.json service config file, but afterwards it’s a stressless thingy, since it’s automated and just working :+1: This time for sure! :joy:

Sorry again!

So, here now is an updated version of the very lightweight Lighthouse / Basestation Manager, which listens to the presence of pi_server process when installed as a service and then switches your Basestations on (when opening pimax play or pitool) or send it to sleep (when closing the pimax app). You can use it via shortcuts on your desktop or in cmd window e.g. too, without the service.

It needs a bluetooth LE receiver installed in your PC, which for a lot of mainboards is already onboard or when not needs to be bought for little money. This just works like a charm and doesn’t consume any noticeable ressources. This app is for sure already known by some people, it’s only the service which is updated.

I’ve edited SeeUnsharps original LighthouseManager-service sources (see links below pls) for functionality with Pimax’ software, it’s no more listening to steamVRs vrserver. In theory it should work for every pimax HMD since both PiTool and Pimax Play use pi_server (I don’t know it for pitool for sure, but iirc it does use pi_server too; maybe someone who still uses pitool can clarify this).

Wen using the pure files zip, the service needs manual installing, instructions are given in the text file which is delivered with the zip file . Benefits against BSManager for example are:

  • it’s more lightweight than BSManager since it has no runtime manager
  • should work for every pimax HMD and not only the crystal series like BSManager
  • based on and built with dot net 8.0, not 3.1
  • it doesn’t depend on databases (pimax’ or steamVRs lighthouse db) but works independently by finding the bases itself with -d = discover option
  • it doesn’t need to be run as admin (only when you want to install it manually as a service but now you can use the installer zip for that) and
  • switches on all basestations at the same time and not one after another every 15 seconds

It’s compiled in VisualStudio 2022, the installer is based on wix tools, which gives an .msi (Microsoft Installer) and .cab (cabinet) files. Windows smartscreen unfortunately can throw a warning when the installer is used, but you can safely ignore that, it’s secure. If you want to, you can check these zip files or the file you don’t fully trust again via VirusTotal.

Changes to sources:

  • Changed dependency on SteamVRs vrserver to pi_server, which should cover both PimaxPlay and PiTool. Since SteamVR isn’t the only possibility to run VR games / software, this in my opinion is the preferred method
  • Changed other related stuff to pi_server dependency
  • Fixed non-detectable Lighthouses in its service, by adding a scan for lighthouses before either wake or send-to-sleep
  • Compiled with all dependencies included, intended for Win10/11 x64. The included dependencies result in an executable which is a bit bigger but brings its own .net 8 runtime and stuff with it. No additional software installs are needed
  • When manually running it with supplying the MAC address and it doesn’t find your lighthouses, then just do a quick search for new devices via bluetooth system settings or use the “-d” option alone for Lighthouse-Manager.exe first before waking / sending to sleep

You need to add your basestations to the appsettings.json file first of course when using the service. When using the installer.msi, you’ll find this file in your installation directory which is “C:\Program Files (x86)\LighthouseManagement”. When installing it manually then in your folder where you copied it to.

I’ve added a reg file in both zip files for adding “Run cmd here as Admin” when pressing shift + right click on a folder or clean space to your context menu. It’s for an easy use of this sw since when used manually you need to run it from inside your working / install dir and when wanting to install this manually as a service admin rights are needed. You’ll find this cmd.reg file in your unzip dir.

For usage of both the service and manager itself please read the included ‘How_To_Use.txt’! You’ll find it in your unzip dir. It all is well explained there and differs from the original sources.

Mini instructions for the service installer:

Unzip the file, run “LighthouseManager_Setup.msi” and follow instructions in how_to_read.txt for adding mac addresses of your basestations. When a smartscreen warning appears (big orange-red window), you can safely choose “run anyway”.

Source of this edited manager; will add this edited version to my github soon and link it here

Download of the pure files only, VirusTotal Link

Download of the service installer, VirusTotal Link

posted by me, Lazy_Fan

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updated the post above :+1:

I understand that it’s a bit stressful for newbies or not so experienced users to get this up and running. so I’ve done an installer.

when someone is willing to test this installer which does the service installation job for you then pls contact me via chat or dm.

adding basestations mac addresses to the service json file is still needed and needs to be done manually. directions for that will be included in our conversation. :+1:

at some point in time I’ll add this installer to the opening post anyway, but I would like to play through some scenarios first.

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