Which 2016 HTC and Valve headset used SteamVR Lighthouse tracking?

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The 2016 HTC and Valve headset that used SteamVR Lighthouse tracking was HTC Vive.

HTC Vive is a PC-based virtual-reality system developed by HTC and Valve and released commercially on April 5, 2016. It used SteamVR software and external base stations, commonly called Lighthouse stations, to track the headset and handheld controllers across a room. This supported room-scale VR, allowing users to move through a defined play area.

The original Vive included a headset and two motion controllers. Its tracking system detected timed infrared signals from the base stations, enabling the software to calculate the positions and orientations of tracked devices. This helped make physical movement and object manipulation central to many early VR experiences.

HTC Vive is distinct from later Vive Pro models and Valve Index. Those products belong to related PC-VR families but have different hardware and release dates. It is also separate from the standalone Vive Focus line, which does not depend on the same PC-tethered arrangement.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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