Does Oculus Quest 2 work with SketchUp?

Overview

In 2020, SketchUp made an announcement that the VR viewer will be available fo additional headsets including the Oculus Quest. For a lot of SketchUp users, viewing their models in standalone VR headset lke Quest ( now Quest 2 ) is becoming a part of the design review and client presentation workflow. So, it explains why the SketchUp community has been searching for tutorials and answers in forums for ways to view their models on the Oculus Quest headset. To explain these queries in detail, we have prepared this article that covers:

1. A check list for using SketchUp AR | VR extension on Quest 2

2. Steps to use the extension to view your models

3. Comparison between Sketchup AR|VR extension & SENTIO VR plugin for Quest 2

So, let’s get started!

Checklist for using SketchUp AR | VR extension for Quest 2

Review this checklist to quickly learn what works and what doesn't with the current SketchUp VR plugin.

1. Works on Windows only, not for Mac ( reference )

2. In order to view your own models, you will need to have an active SketchUp Pro or SketchUp Studio subscription ( learn more )

3. The SketchUp VR viewer works with the Oculus Quest headset only when connected via an Oculus cable link - no wireless option is available. You will need at least 15GB of space on your PC.

4. For cloud-based VR using SketchUp & Oculus Quest 2, the only option as of today is to use a VR plugin from the extension warehouse

What software do you need for this workflow?

1. SketchUp Pro or SketchUp Studio license

2. AR/VR Viewer extension for SketchUp ( download link )

3. Oculus Installer for Windows ( download link )

What hardware do you need for this workflow?

1. Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2

2. Oculus link cable ( product page )

Steps required for using the SketchUp VR viewer on the Oculus Quest 2

Step 1: Install all the necessary software

• Download SketchUp VR/AR viewer

• Oculus Installer for PC

• Connect your Oculus Quest to PC using the “Air Link” option or via cable

credit: SketchUP VR viewer

For the purpose of this tutorial, I’ve used the Air Link option.

Step 2: Publish your model from AR/VR viewer extension

• Open SketchUp & publish your model from the extension

• Before publish, make sure your Oculus Quest is connected to the PC

credit: SketchUP VR viewer

Step 3: View your model using the SketchUp viewer App

• Open SketchUp viewer App in Oculus Quest 2 headset

• In the Viewer App, you can find the demo models and your own model published in the previous step.

credit: SketchUP VR viewer

Note: We have reviewed the demo models and they work great - but we haven't tested out the capabilities with our own models.

SENTIO VR Extension for SketchUp & Oculus Quest 2

Before we start, the question to ask is why you would need another plugin to view your SketchUp models in the Quest 2? The most obvious reason is if you need to use your VR headset without being connected to the PC locally. In this case, you need a VR plugin that exports the model to the cloud & prepares it for viewing in Oculus Quest 2 with a dedicated Oculus Quest Viewer App. The steps required are:

1. Download the SENTIO VR extension here

2. Log in to your account & upload your model to the cloud

3. Download the SENTIO VR app from App Lab here

4. Enter your 6 digit code and view your panoramas

Once the model is exported to the cloud, anybody can view the 3D model using an access code without having to connect to the PC locally. Also, immersive meetings can be done with different stakeholders inside the VR app by using collaboration features for efficient design reviews.

The table below captures the key points that differentiate the use cases for a better understanding.

Conclusion

At SENTIO VR, we believe that the future of VR presentations in the Architecture & Design industry is going to be dominated by standalone VR headsets like Oculus Quest 2. With an extension provided by SketchUp to locally publish and view models on the Quest, there is a native option available to the SketchUp customers to get started with VR in their design and presentation workflow. For advanced VR workflows that require cloud-based publishing, model optimisation for standalone headsets and immersive collaboration meetings, third-party extensions that provide these features can be extremely beneficial in improving design reviews and client engagement.

If you’re interested in trying out SENTIO VR for cloud-based visualisation & collaboration of SketchUp models in VR, you can get started here.