Enabling Google Daydream Support on OnePlus 3T

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I enabled Google Daydream support on my OnePlus 3T today and I’m pretty
impressed.

The OnePlus 3T costs about half as much as the Google Pixel or any other
Daydream compatible devices, but it’s powerful enough to run Daydream. The
screen resolution is a bit low, and OnePlus seem to not be interested in getting
the device certified.

To enable Daydream support you need to root the OnePlus 3T, and then modify a
couple of files:

/system/etc/permissions/handheld_core_hardware.xml

Before the closing </permissions> tag, add the following keys:

<feature name="android.software.vr.mode" />
<feature name="android.hardware.vr.high_performance" />

/system/build.prop

At the end of the file, add the following line:

ro.product.device=sailfish

To modify those, I used the app “Root Explorer”, navigated to each file and
opened them in the built-in editor in Root Explorer.

Once you’re done, reboot the OnePlus 3T and the install Daydream VR
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.vr.home),
Google VR Services
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.vr.vrcore) and
Daydream Keyboard
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.vr.inputmethod).
You might not be able to view/install these from the Play Store, but you can
find the .apk files on apkmirror (https://www.apkmirror.com).

I don’t have a Daydream headset or controller, but I do have numerous Google
Cardboard headsets (nice plastic ones with elastic straps!) and some old/spare
Android phones.

You can use a second Android phone as a controller using the Daydream Controller
Emulator and instructions from Google’s VR Developer Site
(https://developers.google.com/vr/daydream/controller-emulator).

Over-all it works pretty nicely. It’s a bit laggy in places, but not too bad.
The tracking is as good you would expect – a bit better than Cardboard
experiences on Android by my experience. It’s certainly not going to compate
with my HTC Vive, but it’s a fun thing to play with none the less.

As soon as the battery on the controller phone charges a bit more, I’m going to
sideload the Netflix VR apk and give that a go.

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Published August 14, 2017

Generated from the original post:
https://blog.omgmog.net/post/enabling-google-daydream-on-oneplus-3t/


Max Glenister is an interface designer and senior full-stack developer from
Oxfordshire. He writes mostly about front-end development and technology.

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