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Installation guide

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GitHub Action edited this page Jul 10, 2023 · 20 revisions

Basic installation

PC side:

  • Install SteamVR, launch it once then close it. This is to make sure it sets the environment correctly for ALVR.
  • Go to the latest release download page. In the "Assets" section at the bottom download the ALVR Installer.
  • Run the installer. If prompted, allow the execution in the SmartScreen popup. You need to give administrator permissions to install ALVR. For best compatibility do not change the installation folder.
  • Once the installation finished, launch ALVR. You are greeted with a setup wizard. Follow the setup to set the firewall rules and presets.

If you have problems launching ALVR, follow the guide below to use the portable version

Headset side:

  • Install SideQuest on your PC and enable developer mode on the headset. You can follow this guide.
  • Connect your headset to Sidequest. If you have an Oculus Quest 1/2 download the ALVR app here, if you have an Oculus Go download it here

Usage

  • Launch ALVR on your headset. While the headset screen is on, click Trust next to the client entry (on the PC) to start streaming.
  • You can change settings on the PC in the Settings tab. Most of the settings require to restart SteamVR to be applied. Use the apposite button on the bottom right corner.

For any problem visit the Troubleshooting page.

Advanced installation

Portable version

There is also a portable version for the PC that requires more manual steps to make it work.

  • Install SteamVR and launch it once.
  • Download alvr_streamer_windows.zip from the latest release download page.
  • Unzip into a path that contains only ASCII characters and has edit permissions without administrator rights.

Nightly

If you want to get new features early or you want to help with testing you can install a nightly version.

Download the latest nightly streamer here. Download the latest nightly client from Sidequest (download).

Since nightly releases can be unstable, always use matching versions for PC and headset. They are updated once a day.

Windows microphone streaming

To use the microphone you need to install the VB-CABLE driver. Set "CABLE Output" as the default microphone. Then you can enable the microphone in the ALVR setting, leave "Virtual microphone input" to Default.

Use ALVR together with third-party drivers

By default ALVR disables other SteamVR drivers before starting. Among these drivers there is Driver4VR for full body tracking. ALVR disables these drivers to maximize compatibility with every PC setup. You can disable this behavior by manually registering the ALVR driver. Go to the installation tab and click on Register ALVR driver. The next time you launch ALVR you will be able to use the other drivers concurrently.

Launch ALVR together with SteamVR

You can skip the ALVR Dashboard and open ALVR automatically together with SteamVR. Open ALVR, go to the Installation tab and click on Register ALVR driver.

Connect headset and PC via a USB Cable

Check out the guide here.

Linux

Arch Linux (AUR)

Semi-Automatic Distrobox installation and guidance

Notes:

  • This is generally recommended way to install ALVR on non-arch distributions and can practically work on any distribution. You can of course use it in case you have issues installing or using ALVR even on Arch Linux.

  • Guide also contains fixes, tweaks, additional software like desktop overlay to help you run with steamvr better and workaround it's issues.

  • It didn't have a huge feedback history yet, so if you happen to have issues, please report them into the said repository.

Installation:

  1. git clone /~https://github.com/alvr-org/ALVR-Distrobox-Linux-Guide.git or download zip from /~https://github.com/alvr-org/ALVR-Distrobox-Linux-Guide, unpack it somewhere in your home directory (steam doesn't like long paths)

1.1. If you want to use nightly (potentially unstable, but fresh) builds use nightly branch.

  1. cd ALVR-Distrobox-Linux-Guide

  2. Carefully follow the guide.

  3. Any issues related to this installer/various tweaks/bugs should be reported as issue here

Other

AppImage

You can get appimage for latest stable version from here.

Flatpak

For Flatpak users, refer to the instructions here

Portable tar.gz

  • Install FFmpeg with VAAPI/NVENC + DRM + Vulkan + x264/x265 support. You can use this ppa:savoury1/ffmpeg5 under Ubuntu.
  • Install SteamVR, launch it once then close it.
  • Download alvr_streamer_linux.tar.gz from the release download page.
  • Run bin/alvr_dashboard

Automatic Audio & Microphone Setup

  • Must be on v20+

  • Enable Game Audio and Microphone in ALVR dashboard.

  • Select pipewire as the device

  • Connect with headset and wait until streaming starts.

  • Download audio-setup.sh script and place it in some safe place.

  • Make it executable (chmod +x audio-setup.sh or via your file manager through file properties) then put the absolute path to the script in "On connect script" and "On disconnect script" settings, apply paths with enter (Setting -> Scroll all the way to the bottom).

  • Put headset to sleep and turn it back on, it should automatically create microphone and audio in your system and switch to them.

Start here

Configuration

Troubleshooting

Development

Clone this wiki locally