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TECHNOLOGY Saturday 16 September 2017
Sports in virtual reality sounds cool, but can feel distant
By ANICK JESDANUN could be, rather than
AP Technology Writer what it is now.
NEW YORK (AP) — When THE TROUBLE WITH VR
watching sports in virtual Start with some of the
reality, it’s best to remind weird artifacts of VR.
yourself that TV wasn’t Many sporting produc-
born in a day. Early tele- tions don’t actually give
vision was mostly radio you a full 360-degree
with pictures. It took view, one of the main at-
years — even decades tractions of the medium.
— for producers to fig- Instead, they often black
ure out the right camera out what’s behind you.
angles, graphics and in- The reasoning is obvious
stant replays to deliver. — you’re focused on the
Sports is going through game and not other fans
a similar transformation. — but even television
VR holds the promise of has cameras pointed at
putting fans right in the the stands.
middle of the sporting Worse, VR camera This May 2, 2017, photo provided by Intel and Major League Baseball shows a “fan” view from a
action — on the 50-yard placement is often baseball game in Detroit.
line, say, or in a ringside downright odd. Dur- Associated Press
seat, or standing behind ing the March Madness within the virtual envi- phone and head- on television or in person.
the catcher as the um- college basketball tour- ronment — which itself is set compatible with So why couldn’t a VR
pire calls strikes. nament, for instance, sometimes just showing Google’s Daydream camera show relief
But today’s VR sports a coach or another the catcher’s back from system. The app isn’t pitchers warming up dur-
have an empty and dis- camera operator would behind home plate. available on iPhones or ing games, too? In an in-
tant feel to them. Watch- sometimes stand right VR AS A SUPPLEMENT Samsung Gear VR head- terview, Aufhauser says
ing through a headset in front of the VR cam- Maybe it’s best not to sets, though Samsung’s Major League Baseball
sometimes feels like be- era, blocking the game think of VR as a supple- Galaxy S8 and Note 8 and the individual teams
ing there in the stadium play. The VR camera ment to, rather than a phones work with Day- will need to get more
... by yourself, absent was also at floor level, replacement for, televi- dream headsets. (On comfortable with VR
cheering fans, hot dogs which leaves you feeling sion.Baseball does this the flip side, Intel’s base- before expanding cam-
and beer. And it doesn’t as if you were watching well with its At Bat VR app ball coverage works just era access. For now, he
get you close enough to while lying down by the , which requires a sub- on Gear VR with Sam- says, producers look for
the action to compen- court. scription starting at $87 sung phones — not Day- other places that won’t
sate. A VR camera in a base- for the season (discount- dream.) get in the way, such as
For now, the zoom lens- ball dugout should offer ed to $8 now that the WHAT’S TO COME the swimming pool near
es of television cameras a unique perspective on season is almost over). Some of what VR does center field at Arizona’s
do a much better job the game — but in prac- Instead of VR video, you really well comes in the Chase Field or the tall
of showing a pitcher’s tice, what you often see get a perspective from form of highlight vid- “Green Monster” wall at
intensity or a free-throw are players’ legs as they behind home plate, with eos and player profiles. Boston’s Fenway Park.
shooter’s concentration. walk by. Any compe- graphical depictions of These are usually just a And forget about plac-
Yet Intel, NextVR and tent sports cameraman each pitch. A colored few minutes long.And ing cameras in the mid-
other companies are could have framed the streak — red for strikes because these were pro- dle of the field. Instead,
working to bring a vari- shot better. (Intel Sports and green for balls — duced during practice Intel has alternative
ety of sports — boxing, executive David Auf- traces the ball’s trajecto- and other non-game technology that inte-
golf, soccer, you name hauser says those blem- ry, using sensors in place settings, the VR camera grates footage from doz-
it — to VR. Major League ishes add realism, much at all major-league stadi- can take you to more ens of cameras surround-
Baseball has delivered the way people can ums.You’re getting more interesting locations. ing the field to depict
a free game in VR ev- walk in front of you at a information than you For a series on up-and- how a play would have
ery Tuesday (subject to stadium.)In Intel’s base- would with regular televi- coming baseball play- looked to a player. Tele-
blackouts of hometown ball coverage, in fact, sion, without missing out ers, one camera was just vision networks are using
teams); next week, it’s some of the best views on what TV does best in front of second base, this now to show as in-
the Colorado Rockies come from a standard — the close-ups. The TV and another was in the stant replays. Computers
playing the Giants in San camera that captures coverage appears on a bullpen during a pitch- aren’t powerful enough
Francisco. the pitcher, batter and virtual scoreboard in the er’s warmup. It feels as yet to do this live — but
To enjoy it, it’s best to catcher in one shot. It’s outfield. though you’re getting Aufhauser says that’s the
think about what VR sequestered in a box You need an Android access you wouldn’t get hope one day.q
