I totally forgot to add two things! :p
I get sent directly to the Steam Home place instead of the gray space. Not that I think that is a difference really. But when calibrating I don’t see anything in my headset. No instructions at all. But going into the steam menu I see all trackers (feet, waist and hands once the calibration was complete).
My biggest apologies to forgetting that!
Was facing the kinect, yes.
And T-pose in real life when starting VRChat as like a calibration? I did not try that.