SlimeVR Trackers are compatible with your headset in both PCVR and standalone modes. Setting up standalone mode requires a PC, Android device, or sideloading onto your headset.

VIVE Tracker 3.0 is compatible with your headset in PCVR mode. It cannot be used in standalone mode.

VIVE Ultimate trackers are compatible with your headset in PCVR mode. It cannot be used in standalone mode.

SlimeVR is an IMU-based (Inertial Measurement Unit) system. It uses a gyroscope to measure the rotation of each bone, and then reconstruct the skeleton, starting from the headset.

The Enhanced Core Set (6+2) contains 6 main trackers for your chest, hip, 2x thighs and 2x ankles, and 2 extension trackers for your 2x feet.

HTC VIVE 3.0 is a Lighthouse-based system. The base stations send out pulses of infrared light, which allows a tracker to figure out its position and the rotation.

With 3 trackers, only the position and rotation of the hip and feet are known. The position of other part of the body (e.g. chest, knees and ankles) are estimated using IK (inverse kinematics).

HTC VIVE Ultimate Trackers are an inside-out system. Each tracker has 2 cameras which use a SLAM algorithm (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) to keep track where it is in your playspace.

With 3 trackers, only the position and rotation of the hip and ankles are known. The position of other part of the body (e.g. chest, knees and feet) are estimated using IK (inverse kinematics).

SlimeVR trackers are one of the most affordable systems today.

You will need to buy the trackers, straps, and Lighthouse base stations.

You will need to buy the trackers and straps.

Download the SlimeVR server and follow the setup flow. It will prompt you to enter your Wi-Fi details, connect each tracker, and then assign each tracker to a body part.

In my opinion, somes parts of the flow are confusing to first-timers. It tries to teach the calibration process in 2 screens, without telling the player if they did a good job. It also has a VR-driven body proportions system which people often misconfigure.

You will need to set up your Lighthouse base-stations. Mount each Lighthouse base-stations to the wall or attach it to a tripod. Then complete the Lighthouse setup flow in SteamVR.

Connect the tracker dongles to your PC, and pair each tracker in SteamVR.

Install VIVE Hub, and follow the setup process. You'll pair the trackers, and scan the playspace.

At the start of each VR session, you will need to calibrate your trackers to your body.

For most people, the calibration process just works. However, you will need some trial and error to perfect it.

I think the calibration process learning curve is the biggest drawback of SlimeVR. However, once you figure out calibration, it works every time.

Since your headset is not Lighthouse-based, you will have to do space-calibration to align your headset’s playspace to the trackers’ playspace.

You will have to do space-calibration to align your headset’s playspace to the trackers’ playspace.

SlimeVR works in any position, whether you're standing, sitting, lying down, dancing or exercising.

Trackers even work when you're under a blanket.

If you have calibrated well, tracking is pretty accurate. In VR, when I look down or look in a mirror, my avatar looks exactly how I would expect it to look. Even if it's slightly off, other people won't be able to tell. (You can see that tracking is not perfect in the recordings because I've matched everything up as exactly as I could. In VR, it is not as obvious.)

There is no noticeable lag, and trackers handle fast and extreme movements with no problems.

SlimeVR trackers will experience drift over time. On modern IMUs, it takes more than 45 minutes before it becomes noticeable to you. Just face forward and double tap your chest tracker to reset the trackers.

When the trackers can see the Lighthouse base stations, tracking is accurate and there is no noticeable lag. Trackers handle fast and extreme movements with no problems.

However, if you accidentally block the trackers from the base stations, your body will freeze or fly away into the distance. This is a sure sign that someone is using VIVE Tracker 3.0.

When the trackers are tracking, movement is accurate and there is no noticeable lag. Trackers handle fast and extreme movements with no problems.

The trackers are mostly fine when you're standing or walking.

However, when I try to sit down or lie down, the trackers will almost always lose tracking. Sometimes, the trackers will recover after a few seconds. Often, the trackers won't recover until I stand up. And rarely, the trackers won't recover even when I stand up! I have to move to my computer and face the monitor for the trackers to recover.

When I'm with a group of friends, it is very noticeable that I'm using VIVE Ultimate trackers, in a bad way.

SlimeVR provides elastic straps with silicone lines for grip.

I typically wear my upper body trackers over my T-shirt, my leg trackers on my skin, and feet trackers over socks. The trackers are light and comfortable to wear, and I don't notice them during gameplay.

I recommend using a Go-Pro chest harness (purchased separately) for the chest tracker, so that it doesn't slip downwards during gameplay.

I use Trackstraps (purchased separately). I wear my waist tracker over my T-shirt, and feet trackers over socks.

The trackers are a little bulky, but I don't notice them during gameplay.

The trackers are not comfortable for me.

HTC, the manufacturer, recommends mounting the ankle trackers on the front of your shins. This is very uncomfortable for me because my shins are thin. I also need to over-tighten the straps so that the trackers don't shift to the side during gameplay.

Instead, I prefer to wear the ankle trackers on my feet, over socks. They are quite comfortable in this position. However, they lose tracking more often since they're pointing towards the ceiling.

I really enjoy using SlimeVR trackers because I can freely do anything in VR and be confident that my avatar matches me. I never have to think about the system itself.

Once or twice a play session, I will need to fix drift, but it’s a simple double tap. It is not a difficult or painful process at all.

The biggest drawback of SlimeVR is that you need patience at the start, to figure out how calibration works best for your body. Once you figure it out, this no longer becomes a problem.

I enjoy using VIVE Tracker 3.0s because they are so easy to set up and use. They’re great when you just want to jump into VR for low energy activities like chatting with friends.

However, I just cannot get used to the occlusion problems. I hate the freezing and flying off so much that I have to actively prevent it from happening. I move my arms in specific ways to prevent covering the hip tracker, and also try to keep facing at least one base station. This breaks the immersion for me.

I do not enjoy using VIVE Ultimate trackers.

The trackers constantly lose tracking, even with basic actions like sitting down. I feel like I'm babysitting the system, rather than having fun with it.

These recordings show how accurately and smoothly each system translates my movements into VR. They represent the typical tracking I was able to achieve with good calibration.

I recorded each system in one take. I had calibrate a few times to match my avatar and IRL body precisely. I also had to repeat certain actions until it wasn't affected by occlusion.

I was unable to record this video facing forward. Whenever I sat down, my waist tracker would lose tracking and freeze. I captured this only after a few attempts. As I was getting up, you can see that my waist tracker was frozen.

This took many attempts because the waist tracker would keep losing tracking. I was looking down in SteamVR mode to see if the tracker loses tracking, and then slowly lowering myself into position.

It's so comfy under the blanket.

Please forgive me, I can't dance for my life. Maybe I should've called this "Wiggling About".

This took a few attempts, because the waist tracker would often lose tracking when I did pushups.