As live streaming in Virtual Reality is growing in popularity, we often receive compatibility questions from our customers. Google Earth is one of the most popular VR applications, and the Oculus Go is one of the most popular VR headsets, but can they work together? The answer is yes - with some difficulty.
Out of the box, Google Earth will not work with the Oculus Go.
As we investigated options, we realized we would need to find a back-door way to play in Steam VR with an Oculus Go Headset.
After scouring the Internet and spending time in Oculus developer mode, we found another way to live stream to an Oculus Go Headset.
*Note, this is an unauthorized way for game enthusiasts to enjoy live streaming games and not an officially recommended solution by Oculus or Steam.
This method works primarily with the Oculus Quest and works for the Oculus Go using the App ALVR. ALVR is a Third-party way to get steam on the Oculus Quest in which it emulates steam VR, creates a server application, and allows the games to stream wirelessly.
As these games were designed for other consoles, you will find some compromises and some coding necessary for installation. The ALVR software is no longer in an alpha state, which means that it can be download in the Oculus App Store, which was previously impossible.
How to sideload an Oculus Headset Through Developer Mode
Downloads often come without tutorials or missing information, so we will share instructions on how to sideload your Oculus through developer mode. For this to work, it will require:
USB Cable, an excellent wireless connection, and some PC Knowledge. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Go to the ALVR website; you will want to download the Zip and APK file. Once saved, you can extract them to your computer.
2.. To get your Quest or device in developer mode, you will need to access the app connected to your device. In case you have not created a developer account, you can do this on the oculus site, where you will type in your organization-- and become registered as a developer.
3. Install the APK file via the USB cable and wait for the automatic driver installation message to come up; this allows USB debugging and allows the external source to take control of the device.
4. Switching back to the PC, open up a Powershell window, where you will need run commands to initiate the download of ALVR.
5. Once in the Oculus, go to the library and go to unverified sources, where you can download the app (similar to an un-downloaded app).
--
Once you have completed the installation, you can play any number of games, including Google Earth, where you can spend your day at a landmark in the desert near the ocean!
Enjoy! Let us at Maverick VR know if you need any assistance.