Enlarge / The TPCast accessory promises a full-on HTC Vive experience without the annoying PC tether.

As much as we love the version of the HTC Vive that launched nearly a year ago, there are some issues with the hardware that we’ve wanted to see addressed since then. At CES this week, HTC and its partners are unveiling some potential solutions that could tangibly increase the quality of the virtual life of Vive owners.

Of these new accessories, the TPCast peripheral, has the biggest potential to transform the Vive experience, as it removes the bulky tether to the PC. The TPCast device itself clips to the top of the Vive headband and receives video and audio wirelessly from a PC, reportedly at the cost of only 2 milliseconds of additional latency. The kit isn’t completely wireless, though; without a connection to a wall plug, the headset has to be connected to a small 6,000 mAh battery that can sit in a pocket and reportedly provide enough juice for a 1.5 hour play session (a five-hour XL battery is reportedly in the works, too).

While TPCast was quietly announced in China back in November (where it quickly sold out), at CES its HTC-backed makers confirmed a worldwide release for the second quarter of 2017. Be ready to add $250 on top of Vive’s already pricey hardware to cut those wires, though.