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A24 TECHNOLOGY
Friday 9 February 2018
Olympic video and VR: Guide to watching without a TV

By ANICK JESDANUN derboards and stats than
AP Technology Writer television, along with the
NEW YORK (AP) — Ev- ability to choose camera
ery Olympic event will be positions. For downhill ski-
streamed live. But to watch ing, for instance, you might
online, you'll still need to be prefer watching from a
a paying cable or satellite particular location on the
subscriber. mountain, the way a spec-
As with past Olympics, NBC tator would, rather than
is requiring proof of a sub- have the camera shift the
scription. If you've already skier goes down. For figure
given up on traditional skating, one camera will be
cable or satellite TV, you near the judges so you can
can sign up for an online TV get their vantage point.
service such as PlayStation There will be no cameras
Vue or YouTube TV. Other- on the rink or on any ath-
wise, your video will cut out letes, however.
after a half-hour grace pe- IF YOU LACK CABLE OR SAT-
riod. ELLITE TV
The subscription require- This 2018 image provided by Comcast Corp. shows the Olympics interface on an X1 TV set-top For the most part, access to
ment also applies to cover- box for Comcast customers. an online TV service — one
age on virtual-reality head- Associated Press that streams many of the
sets. channels you'd get from a
More than 1,800 hours of in — even though you can streams of some training events. Eighteen events, or cable subscription — will
online coverage begins watch the network over and practice runs. NBC also 55 hours, will be live. also let you use the NBC
Wednesday evening in the the air for free. plans digital-only shows, in- During the Rio Olympics in apps for streaming and VR.
U.S. with preliminary curling The sports network NBCSN cluding a daily two-hour 2016, VR coverage typical- BEYOND VIDEO
matches. Friday's opening will be the main overflow wrap-up starting at noon ET ly wasn't live and required The NBC Sports app and
ceremony will be shown channel, carrying events (2 a.m. the next morning in Samsung's Gear VR head- the NBCOlympics website
live online starting at 6 a.m. such as biathlon, bobsled Pyeongchang). sets with a Samsung phone. offer highlights, interviews
ET, and on NBC's prime- and luge. Coverage on Some cable companies This time, VR is available on and features on athletes
time broadcast on a de- CNBC and USA Network will plan special features. NBC Google Daydream and Mi- without needing a subscrip-
layed basis at 8 p.m. NBC be limited to curling and owner Comcast will in- crosoft Mixed Reality head- tion. You’ll also have full ac-
also plans live streaming of ice hockey. The Olympic clude online coverage on sets as well. Those without a cess to scores, schedules
the closing ceremony on Channel will have medal its TV set-top boxes and headset can still watch on and guides to understand-
Feb. 25. ceremonies, news and TV coverage on its mobile web browsers or Apple and ing obscure events.
Here's a guide to watching highlights, but not event apps to offer viewers one- Android mobile devices. Samsung, an Olympic
the Olympics online. coverage. All four of these stop access to the Olym- In the U.S., you'll need the sponsor, developed the
TRADITIONAL COVERAGE cable channels will also be pics. Comcast and other NBC Sports VR app. official Apple and Android
NBC's over-the-air network streamed online. cable providers will also of- VR isn't meant to replace app for the games, called
will cover popular sports Much of the online cov- fer the opening ceremony television. While Intel's PyeongChang 2018. It has
such as figure skating and erage will come from and other events in sharper VR productions of base- schedules, news and 3-D
skiing, some of it live. For the International Olym- "4K" resolution, though with ball and other sports had and drone views of the
those who can't get to a TV, pic Committee's Olympic a day's delay. their own announcers, the venues.
NBC will stream the broad- Broadcasting Services. VIRTUAL REALITY Olympic coverage will rely The games’ official web-
cast at NBCOlympics.com That means the spotlight Intel is working with the on regular television cover- site, pyeongchang2018.
and the NBC Sports app. will be on all athletes, not Olympic Broadcasting age embedded in the VR com, also has live video of
But there you'll need your just Americans. In addition Services to produce virtu- experience. And most of the Olympic torch relay.
paid-TV credentials to sign to live events, you can get al-reality coverage of 30 the VR video will be in 180 Traditional media organi-
degrees — you'll see the zations will also cover the
action in front of you and event, even though exten-
a little bit to the sides, but sive video from the official
not what's behind you. Vid- venues are restricted to
eos in 360 degrees will be the rights-holding broad-
limited to non-competition casters. The AP will also
features such as a demo have 360-degree video
run down the bobsled. and drone views of the
But VR will offer more lea- venues.q