03 Mar – Sky Watch Zones: Making VR Social with ClearVR
Putting on a VR headset means isolation – unless the headset is used to connect with friends!
A VR service can be a great way to connect with other people, and that’s exactly what Sky’s trailblazing Sky Worlds service enables. Friends can start and join so-called Watch Zones right from their Oculus Quest, to enjoy a live football match together.
The Watch Zone option was first made available for the Arsenal vs. Manchester United Premier League Match on January 30th. Up to four friends can join the same Watch Zone and chat about the match while it feels like they are in the stadium. Users can choose from 4 cameras, with instant switching and the Watch Zone dashboard showing which cameras their friends are seeing.
The new ClearVR 8 SDK keeps everyone in perfect sync. It’s crucial for a great co-viewing experience that everyone is excited – or sad – at the exact same time. And ClearVR does more than just keeping the users in sync: it also syncs all four cameras. When a user switches to a new viewpoint, they don’t miss a single frame. ClearVR keeps all users and all cameras perfectly aligned.
There is no doubt that virtual presence is more important than ever. It’s great for football fans to be able to watch their favourite club play live, like they were there. Sky Worlds (co-developed by Sky UK and Cosm) offers just that to Sky’s VIP members. The experience, streamed by Tiledmedia, is available for both the original Oculus Quest and the Quest 2.
The only thing that’s still missing: having that pint of beer together while wearing a headset.
Contact the author if you’re interested to learn more.
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Stay tuned!