A closer look at Passthrough AR porn on different VR headsets
Passthrough AR porn is a game-changing development and we at SLR are at the forefront of this exciting new tech. One of our expert devs, Faizal, has been exploring how it all works and looking at the possibilities for the future of VR. Watch this useful video for a quick and easy example of how passthrough AR porn looks on the most popular VR headsets, then see below for his comprehensive look at the world of passthrough AR porn and VR.
First, we recommend our complete guide to Passthrough AR porn, including instructions on how to set it up and get it working perfectly.
Please note: Passthrough AR porn is best on the Meta Quest Pro (stereoscopic color passthrough and the Pico 4 (monoscopic color passthrough). It is compatible with the Quest 2 and Valve Index, although it is monoscopic black and white. Passthrough is not yet compatible with Oculus Link to PCVR or the VIVE XR Elite headset.
NEW FOR JULY 2023: Quality Time with Molly Little is an amazing example of how good passthrough AR porn can be. This scene was filmed using a full-body chroma suit, which removes the male talent, allowing you to position your body in place so it feels just like you're right there having sex with Molly! We are looking into more techniques, such as removing the penis using AI so you can see your own penis instead. Also, we are exploring the latest methods to remove both backgrounds and torso so scenes won't need to be shot in chromakey any longer, but will still deliver amazing immersive results using passthrough. And later this year, we will showcase this amazing feature on a 2D smartphone app.
How is Passthrough AR porn different on the Valve, Quests and Pico headsets?
In brief, very different passthrough technology is used for each VR headset. Possibly the key point is that the Pico 4 headset only delivers mono color passthrough, while the Quest Pro has color stereo passthrough. Let's take a closer look at each of the major VR headset models.
Valve Index - Passthrough is achieved via the built-in RGB stereo camera mounted on the front of the headset panel. It provides a color stereo capture passthrough through a traditional two-camera setup and requires the user to activate a built-in feature on the SteamVR app called "Room View". We cannot force Passthrough to activate via the SLR or DeoVR app directly - it can only be activated through the SteamVR Room View software toggle button, or by double tapping the menu button on the controller. The process to achieve Passthrough on the Valve Index for our app is to ensure that the user first activates the room view, then toggles on the SLR/DeoVR app Passthrough button to enable color keying adjustments.
Quest - On the Meta Quest Pro, color Passthrough is achieved via its built-in RGB stereo camera mounted on the front and assisted by three IR cameras (left, center and right). Meanwhile, the Quest 2 uses four IR cameras that stitch together to form the final black-and-white stereo view. Both are capable of stereo-passthrough. The function to activate the hardware Passthrough is exposed on the API level and our awesome devs incorporated this into the SLR/DeoVR app. This enables us to toggle into Passthrough mode on-demand through our app while running it.
PICO - Passthrough for the PICO 4 is achieved via a single RGB camera that sits at the very center of the HMD front panel. It does provide color Passthrough but it is limited to a mono image feed. Whereas the PICO 3 uses the same tech as Quest 2 (four IR cameras) and does provide stereo passthrough. The difference between mono and stereo is largely related to the scale of a projected Passthrough scene in comparison to its projected 3D content. As mono does not provide any perceivable size (depth perception) the aspect ratio between the Passthrough feed and 3D content would be mismatched. Both PICO headsets come with API with on-demand Passthrough which means it can be accessed directly through the SLR/DeoVR app.
The only non-fully automatic Passthrough activation via the SLR/DeoVR app is the Valve Index headset. It requires Room View to be activated and this is what most people tend to forget about (although there is a clear note written next to the Passthrough switch in-app!).
What next for the passthrough AR porn experience?
We at SLR are constantly improving the way things work. There will always be a better way to achieve a better immersion and experience. And we are currently working on an improved solution to the current passthrough approach:
New as of June 2023: Three different colours can now be selected for passthrough.
Alpha Channel Passthrough [Updated: May 2023]
The brand new Alpha Channel feature is being used by many creators, which promises to take passthrough to the next level. This tool helps separate the background image from the foreground to an incredible level of detail, making passthrough ultra-lifelike and immersive. The first SLR Originals scene to use the incredible new alpha channel feature is out now: Laya Rae in Therapy and Temptation and more scenes making use of the alpha channel function are all set to be released - keep checking back for the latest updates.
How To Use Alpha Channel:
It's very easy. Simply open one of the applicable videos in the SLR app and click the 👁️ icon in the player. Turn this on and the alpha channel should be set automatically.
Also, we're looking at the following:
- Hardcoded settings for particular videos in the SLR app to make it easy to instantly enjoy passthrough.
- Sharable settings for different videos.
We’d love to know your thoughts and ideas about this incredible feature. Join the discussion over on our friendly forum!
