How to Set Up HTC Vive Ultimate Trackers for Full Body VR

Are you ready to take your VR experience to the next level with full body tracking? The HTC Vive Ultimate trackers offer an exciting way to bring your entire body into virtual reality, and they work with a variety of headsets. In this guide, we'll walk you through setting up these trackers for both Quest/PCVR headsets and specific Vive models.

What Are HTC Vive Ultimate Trackers?

HTC Vive Ultimate trackers are devices that enable full body tracking in VR. They offer several advantages:

1. No need for wall-mounted base stations
2. Compatibility with standalone headsets like Vive XR Elite and Focus 3
3. Support for up to 5 trackers at once
4. 7-hour battery life

You can buy these trackers in two main options:

• 3-pack with dongle: $599 (HTC Vive website or Amazon)
• Single tracker with dongle: $239.98 (Amazon)
• Single tracker without dongle: $199 (HTC Vive website)

Most users find that three trackers - one on each foot and one on the waist - provide a good balance of accuracy and simplicity. Remember, your headset and controllers already track your head and hands.

Setting Up Trackers for Quest and PCVR Headsets

Before we begin, it's important to note that SteamVR is essential for using the Vive Ultimate trackers with Quest or other PCVR headsets. SteamVR acts as the bridge between your headset and the trackers, handling all the tracking data and ensuring everything works together smoothly. This means you'll need a VR-capable PC and SteamVR installed. For Quest users specifically, you'll need to connect your headset to your PC using Virtual Desktop, Steamlink, Airlink, or a link cable to access SteamVR.

• Download and install the Vive Hub on your PC. Restart your PC and relaunch Vive Hub if mentioned during installation.
• Start SteamVR. Quest users should connect to SteamVR using their preferred method (Virtual Desktop, Steamlink, air link, link cable etc.).
• In SteamVR settings, go to Startup/Shut Down > Manage Addons. Make sure "vive ultimate tracker" is enabled, sometimes when SteamVR crashes it will automatically disable any addons.

• Restart SteamVR if requested and connect the dongle to your PC using the extension cradle.

• In Vive Streaming Hub, go to Settings > Ultimate Tracker Tab to pair your trackers. Click 'Pair New'.
  

• Hold the power button down on one tracker until it flashes, it will turn solid green once paired. Do the same with any additional trackers.
• Update tracker firmware if prompted.
• Perform the tracking map setup in Vive Hub, following on-screen instructions for kneeling and standing scans. I recommend having audio on your speakers loud enough to hear as the instructions will be read to you since you will be in the middle of your playspace. The process involves kneeling and standing while moving a tracker to scan different areas of your room, turning to scan each wall to help the trackers understand your space.

• Calibrate your trackers in VR using the Vive Calibration tool. It should pop up automatically in your headset, if not you can find it in your SteamVR dashboard. You'll need to do a figure-8 motion with one tracker until the progress bar hits 100%, then your other trackers should appear automatically when picked up - if they don't look quite right in VR compared to where they are in real life, you can repeat the calibration.

For Quest users: Consider taping the headset proximity sensor to prevent sleep mode issues. If your headset goes to sleep this can mess up calibration. 

Using Trackers Outside VRChat

If you plan to use the trackers in applications other than VRChat, you'll need to assign them to specific body parts in SteamVR. Go to Settings > Controllers > Manage Trackers and label each tracker appropriately. It's also helpful to physically label your trackers or straps for easy identification.

Setting Up Trackers for Vive Headsets

If you're using certain HTC Vive headsets, you can use the Ultimate trackers without needing a PC or SteamVR. This standalone functionality currently works with the Vive XR Elite, Vive Focus 3, and Vive Focus Vision headsets. This means you can enjoy full body tracking without the extra setup of connecting to a computer.

Currently on Viveport, you can find VRChat (free) with full body tracking support, along with Rezzil Skillshot, Dance Dash and XRWorkout, amongst others. The Viveport library of tracker-supported games is still growing, but standalone support makes setup much simpler for compatible Vive headset users.

• Connect the dongle to your headset's USB-C port.
• In the headset, go to Settings > Inputs > Motion trackers.
• Pair your trackers one by one by holding down on the power button until it flashes. Once it turns solid green, it’s paired. 
• Complete the room scanning process, where you'll follow a small mole-like character that guides you to scan different areas of your playspace. As you move around your space, you'll see number markers appear above your trackers to confirm they're being tracked properly.

• Update firmware if prompted.
• Download compatible apps from Viveport to start using your trackers.

Game Compatibility

Not all VR games support full body tracking, but there are many excellent titles that do take advantage of this technology. VRChat is perhaps the most popular application for full body tracking, offering incredibly expressive avatar control in social VR settings. However, there are many other games that support these trackers, from action games to fitness applications and creative tools.

I've created a detailed blog post covering recommended games and a comprehensive list of titles that support full body tracking. You can find it here: Best VR Games That Support Full Body Tracking

Troubleshooting Tips

• Ensure the dongle has a clear line of sight to the trackers.
• Redo calibration or room scanning if tracking seems off.
• Keep tracker lenses clean and maintain good lighting in your play area.
• Avoid reflective objects and blank walls/floors.
• If tracking is jittery, try turning off nearby wireless devices.
• For misaligned trackers, try covering the cameras for 5 seconds, then uncovering them.

Setting up full body tracking might take some trial and error, but with patience, you'll soon be enjoying a more immersive VR experience. Happy tracking!