HTC VIVE Focus 3 - Screen Casting

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is “How do we cast what the VR user is seeing to an external monitor?”.  When casting from your headset, the VR user can share what they see in VR wirelessly, making it a more inclusive experience for all involved. The VR view will appear on the external device you choose, allowing a user to share their VR experience in real-time.  

Casting from an all-in-one headset such as the Focus 3 will require you to have a Miracast™ enabled TV, dongle, or receiver connected to the device you're casting to. Miracast is to Android what Airplay is to Apple - it allows devices that are built on the Android platform to cast content to external devices. Of course, there are many protocols, and cross-compatibility is something to be considered when spending a budget on hardware. Spending a little more on a device that is cross-compatible with the AirPlay, GoogleCast, and Miracast protocols might be worth the money. Two of the more popular screen mirror-receiving apps are Reflector and Airserver, and they are both cross-compatible with many features that you won’t find on simple dongles. These include features such as recording, device customization, and many others. If you don’t have a Miracast-enabled device and don’t want to spend too much money on a cross-compatible mirroring device, a simple Miracast-enabled dongle is an inexpensive purchase. 

How to screencast your HTC Focus 3 VR headset to a device with a built-in Miracast receiver:

1. Make sure both your HTC Vive Focus 3 headset and your Miracast device are connected to the same WiFi network. The HTC VIVE Focus 3 supports connecting to Miracast devices on both the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands. 
2. Switch on your smart TV or Mircast-enabled receiver and open the Miracast application.
3. Put on your HTC Vive Focus 3, and press the VIVE button on your right controller. This will take you to the VIVE menu. 
4. From the VIVE menu select cast and choose the device you're mirroring to. If your device is not on the list, make sure your device is set to receive an incoming cast. Your HTC Vive Focus 3 screen should now be duplicated to this device.

How to screencast with a Miracast dongle:

1. Make sure your Miracast dongle is connected to your TV and select the HDMI channel the dongle is connected to on your TV.
2. Connect the HTC Vive Focus 3 to the WiFi signal of the Miracast dongle.
3. To cast from your VIVE Focus 3 VR headset press the VIVE button on the right controller to open the VIVE menu. 
4. From the VIVE menu select cast and choose the device you're mirroring to. You should now see the VR experience mirrored on your external device. 

Screen casting will pause automatically when certain kinds of personal information, such as password screens are accessed. Screen casting may also be disabled in some apps.

One important thing to remember is that watching VR on a screen can give some people motion sickness.  We recommend when using this mode to instruct the user to move their head more slowly and for the audience to know that the visuals in the headset are significantly more immersive. 

Disclaimer: Please note that we do not endorse or recommend any specific devices or apps mentioned in this article. However, these options have been successful for our customers. We advise that you conduct your own research and select the hardware and software that best suits your requirements.

References: 

• https://www.vive.com/ca/support/focus3/category_howto/casting-your-screen.html
• https://www.screenbeam.com/products/screenbeam-1100-plus/
• https://www.screenbeam.com/products/screenbeam-960/
• https://www.netgear.com/support/product/ptv3000
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/microsoft-wireless-display-adapter/8vwdj9bd9xlz?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
• https://www.airserver.com/
• https://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector