New Lighter and Thinner HTC Vive 3-in-1 Cable

Let’s face it: A VR headset is not just a piece of equipment that you wear on your head like a pair of headphones. A quality HMD is a fully equipped gateway to another world that is actually providing you both the video and audio experience at the same time, as well as helping the VR system to track your motion. Because of this, unfortunately, VR headsets weigh a lot more than any other piece of tech equipment that you’re going to put on your head. It’s an industry-wide issue and the HTC Vive is not exempt. In fact, the Vive has the added issue of the clunky 3-in-1 connector cable.

Game Changer Alert!

This is reportedly about to change! We’re always scouring the chatter on any new developments in the VR game and we learned that when an HTC Vive user returned his faulty 3-in-1 cable, he got a new type of headset cable as a replacement. Photos posted by the user show a new 3-in-1 replacement cable that looks much lighter and supports single-cable design. It has three separate connectors at each end and then all becomes one cord not unlike the old cords we used to fuss with on our DVD players.

What does this mean for the future of the HTC Vive and potential users? This could really change everything! And we’re hoping it’s just the start of something epic! While we haven’t heard anything officially from HTC about a new 3-in-1 cable, and their online store doesn’t even list the new cable, we can’t believe that this never-before-seen cable is an anomaly. Even still, HTC is keeping quiet about it. One user even asked the CSR on live chat about the new cable and they claimed they had no idea about any new cable and insisted that users would still get the same 3-in-1 cable that they got with their HTC Vive headset.

What Does This Mean for Fitness VR?

Users of VR HMDs rejoice! Less wires to get in the way of all your movements when you’re in your VR experience. For example, think of the Holodia app. The app uses a rowing machine that is hooked up to a PC and users have to sit on the machine and start rowing. And, if you’ve ever tried it, you know exactly how cumbersome that cord can be when you’re rowing away. From a safety perspective alone, you have the headset on your eyes and you can’t see the movement of the cable. What if the cable disconnects from either the link box or the headset, requiring you to reconnect it again and start the whole process or it gets stuck in between the rowing machine? This is just one example of how problematic the 3-in-1 cable can be and what this new cord could solve.

This new cord is clearly just the beginning. With HTC making a bold move to finally cut down the bulk on what you’re wearing, being tethered to and basically just being proactive about making VR a truly immersive experience without that nagging feeling of being ‘attached to something,’ you know that this is just the first ripple in a string of waves that are no-doubt on the horizon!

-Michael De Medeiros

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