Device Setup - Gear VR
This section will provide information on how to set up your supported Gear VR device for running, debugging, and testing your mobile application.
Please review the System and Hardware Requirements above for the list of supported devices for this SDK release.
Configuring Your Device for Debugging
In order to test and debug applications on your Android device, you will need to enable specific developer options on the device:
- Configure Developer Options in Settings
- Enable USB Debugging
- Allow mock locations
- Verify apps via USB
- Configure Display Options in Settings
- Disable lock screen
- Set Display Timeout (optional)
Android Developer Options
Note: Depending on which mobile device you are using, options and menu names may vary slightly.
Android developer options may be found under: Settings -> Developer options.
Developer options may be hidden by default. If so, you can expose these options with the following steps:
Locate the Build number option in Settings. On Android M and later, find it at Settings -> About phone -> Software information. Earlier Android versions should go to Settings -> System -> About device.
- Scroll down to Build number.
- Press Build number seven times.
You should be informed that Developer options has been enabled.
Once you have found Developer options, enable the following:
USB Debugging: This will allow the tools to install and launch deployed apps over USB.
You should see the screen shown on the accompanying figure.
Note: If the above screen does not appear, ensure that your computer recognizes the device when it is connected. If not, you may need to pull down the notifications bar on your phone and find the USB connection setting, and set USB to software installation (it may be set to charging by default). If you still do not see the pictured screen, try a different USB cable. If your phone is recognized by your computer but you do not see the above screen, try toggling USB Debugging off then back on.
Check Always allow this computer and hit OK.
To purge the authorized whitelist for USB Debugging, press Revoke USB debugging authorizations from the Developer options menu and press OK.
Allow mock locations: This will allow you to send mock location information to the device (convenient for apps which use Location Based Services).
Verify apps via USB: This will check installed apps from ADB/ADT for harmful behavior.
VR Developer Mode
It is often convenient during development to run VR applications without needing to insert your device into the Gear VR headset, which can be a time-consuming process during development.
When VR developer mode is enabled, any Oculus application on your mobile device will launch with distortion and stereoscopic rendering applied without inserting the device into a headset. Devices in VR Developer Mode implement limited orientation tracking using phone sensors.
To enable VR developer mode, you must provide an Oculus signature file (osig) to access protected functionality on the Samsung device. An osig file must be generated for the device using the Oculus Signature File Generator. This file must be placed in either the /sdcard/Oculus/ or /phone/Oculus/ folder on the device, or embedded in the APK you want to run when the APK is built. See the Oculus Signature File Generator documentation for more information about generating and using osig files.
After you have an osig on the device or embedded in the APK, follow these steps to set your phone to VR developer mode:
- Go to Settings on the device. This is normally accessible from the pull-down system menu as a gear icon in the upper-right corner.
- Find and select the Apps or Applications section under Settings. The name may vary depending on the version of Android on the device.
- In the list of applications, search for and select Gear VR Service.
- Select Storage or Manage Storage. The name may vary depending on the version of Android on the device.
- If the option is Storage, you may need to select it and then select Manage Storage on the next screen.
On the Manage Storage screen, there should be a Developer Mode setting. Toggle it on.
Note: If you do not see the Developer Mode toggle switch after tapping VR Service Version several times, close the Gear VR Service and relaunch and you should see it.
- This will scan the device for a device-matching osig in the appropriate folders or any APK embedded with a device-matching osig.
- If an appropriate osig is found, VR developer mode will be enabled on the device.
Important
Developer Mode is intended for development activities such as running, debugging and testing applications. Other activities could result in your account being limited, suspended or terminated. For more information, see Oculus Developer Content Guidelines.
Display Options
The following display options are found in: Home -> Apps -> Settings -> Sound and Display.
Lock screen/Screen Security/Screen lock: Set to None to make the Home screen instantly available without a swipe or password. Useful to quickly get in and out of the phone.
Display/Screen timeout: Set the time to your desired duration. Useful if you are not actively accessing the device but wish to keep the screen awake longer than the default 30 seconds.
See Android Debugging for more information.