Unleashing New Dimensions: The Arrival of HDMI Link to Quest 3

The most requested feature in the Quest series is now a reality: with an update to the Meta Quest 3 headset, players can now use the Meta Quest HDMI Link app to plug the headset into their computer and stream PC games.

Connecting Worlds: The Meta Quest HDMI Link App

A small but mighty app that ties a headset to hardware and software from other devices, the Meta Quest HDMI Link app is available in the App Lab. Supporting UVC or UAC capture card input via USB 3.0, which turns HDMI video into a stream of 1080p, 60-frames-per-second video that can be used in the Quest headset in real time, it can be used on the latest Quest 3 (or the coming Quest Pro), but is also compatible with the previous Quest 2.

A Leap Beyond Traditional Boundaries

Before this, it involved sideloading an Android phone app to sidestep the Quest’s restrictive nature. The Meta Quest HDMI Link app does away with this workaround completely, and makes immersing into another reality a cinch. The device provides a window into your console, phone or computer via a virtual screen you can move and resize as you wish; that phantasmal screen can then exist side by side with any other 2D app you load into the Quest (the browser, Messenger, etc). The ways in which this platform facilitates multitasking within a virtual realm is now literally limitless.

The Simplicity of Streaming

The process to turn this most asked-for feature on is pretty simple. All you have to do is install the Meta Quest HDMI Link app to Quest, and get your Quest with a compatible capture card to stream content from any device that supports HDMI/DisplayPort, including your phone, your laptop, and your game device. The Meta Quest HDMI Link app launches from the Meta store was met with feverish excitement from the Quest community who shared Meta’s announcement all over social media.

Bridging the Gap with HDMI Link

The HDMI Link is some impressive ingenuity, but it’s also an easy way out of one of the most annoying limitations of these XR displays – HDCP protection. With this, almost every streaming service is available through the Quest browser, and offers an alternative to actually connecting to a Windows PC or Mac. It can be done through Horizon Workrooms now, but it was also possible to use remote desktop apps like Parallels Access or VMWare Horizon. Now, whether via Wi-Fi, the Quest Link cable, or the HDMI Link, you’ve got a pathway to escape into your VR games and apps.

The Ultimate VR Connectivity Tool

If you have a secure home network, Meta Quest HDMI Link could very well feel like a ‘nice-to-have’ rather than an absolute must-have – but for computer users who suffer from latency, it’s a godsend. The Meta Quest HDMI Link, like the Meta Quest Air Link and Quest Link, doesn’t support as much resolution as my personal top audio pick, Virtual Desktop. However, the real feat of Meta Quest HDMI Link is how wide a gamut of hardware it can connect to your Quest, from gaming consoles to phones and tablets. This is a one-to-one connection, so you should have your device’s controller within arm’s reach if you plan to interact with it.

Meta Quest HDMI Link: A Glimpse Into the Future

In return, you’ll need to install the Meta Quest HDMI Link app, which is currently listed as an experimental app in the App Lab. Though still in development, there’s little doubt that the feature is a game-changer that will allow us to interact with VR content and hardware in new ways. The Quest series simply keeps raising the bar for what’s possible in VR.

About the Quest PHONE Feature

Phone connectivity through the HDMI Link app also allows for flexibility, such as the streaming of phone content directly into the VR world. This groundbreaking USB-C connection blends the familiar simplicity and ubiquity of smartphone usage with the profound depth of a VR experience, all with a simple cable. As the Quest series progresses, contemporary tech vernacular mingles with the transformative possibilities of virtual reality, ultimately expanding the boundaries of what is possible in the merging of digital and human worlds.