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Virtual reality: Experiencing the action

CCTV.com

08-15-2016 09:36 BJT

Full coverage: 2016 Rio Olympics

For the first time at an Olympic event, the official agency "Olympic Broadcasting Services" say that they will capture virtual reality footage of the opening and closing ceremonies in Rio. Other key events throughout the games have also been captured. Let's take  a look at how VR technology has already been used to live-stream sports to fans across the country.

The best way to enjoy a baseball game is to visit an actual stadium.

But if you can't make it to your favorite ball game, a 360 live-streamed video of the event may be the next  best thing.

Wearing this VR headset will give me a front row seat view of this baseball game happening behind me so I'm going to put this on and I can see the players on first base, and if I turn my head around like this, I can see the entire baseball stadium from right here where I'm standing.

Korea Telecom's KT Wiz is part of the 10-team national baseball league in South Korea.

In April this year, they teamed up with virtual reality producer Mooovr to offer the world's first 360 video livestream of a commercial baseball event.

"We think VR content has the potential to become something big due to the high level of immersion and representation of reality. If you compare it with 3D technology, 3D is made to 'look' like reality, while VR  films a 360 view of the real thing," said Jae-ho Lee, manager of Korea Telecom. 

KT Wiz's opening three games generated an average of 5,000 views per day: equivalent to almost a quarter of the seats in the Suwon stadium and far more views than other VOD content.

Fans are excited.

"I tried it, and I could feel the stadium's actions almost first-hand. So I think it would be great to watch baseball this way when I am unable to get tickets or when there are too many people," said Lee Jun-seok, KT Wiz fan.

Cameras are set up near the 1st and 3rd bases to capture the players, and the cheerleaders.

The five cameras that you see behind me will be filming the baseball stadium tonight from different angles. And those videos will be stitched together to form a 360 view of the entire baseball stadium.

Virtual reality technology still faces the challenge of creating useful content that justifies the funny goggle  experience.

But with more smartphone-based VR entertainment as well as affordable VR accessories making the  technology more accessible, VR tech could let you feel the baseball fever without ever leaving your living  room.

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