In my reviews of the original Vision Pro and the more recent M5-powered version, I said that having a steady stream of first-class Immersive Videos could make the S$5,000 headset a more compelling proposition for readers who are looking for a novel way to consume media.
We finally had a glimpse of that recently when Apple, in partnership with Spectrum SportsNet, aired its first NBA game in the Immersive Video format. Sadly, this won’t be a regular occurrence. Only a handful of games will be aired in this format, but at least it gives us a taste of what it’s like and what’s possible.
Unfortunately, I can’t get screenshots of the game because of DRM (digital rights management), so you’ll have to use your imagination a little.
The first game took place recently, and it was between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. In many ways, this was the perfect game to showcase the tech. It features two big teams with star players like LeBron, Doncic, and Antetokounmpo. It helped that the match was a closely contested affair and was only decided in the final seconds when Antetokounmpo blocked Lebron with a little over half a minute left, and then stole the ball (again from Lebron) with just two seconds remaining on the clock.
The next game is just days away.
The opening sequence and first quarter were special. I got to see the game from perspectives that I’ve never seen before. And during the game, you are treated to three camera views: one in the middle simulating court-side seats, and two under each hoop, which approximates the experience of sitting under the basket.
In each of them, the experience felt believable and palpable. It looks, sounds, and therefore feels like you are there in the arena. Sure, the visuals are a little hazy and could probably benefit from being a little sharper, but the overall experience was extraordinary. You get a palpable sense of not just how big these players are, but also how fast and skilful they are. This is something you do not get when watching traditional broadcasts.
Some viewers complain that the producers swap the camera views too often, which breaks the illusion that you are there in person at the game. And while that is certainly a valid complaint, my main gripe with the first game is that with just three camera perspectives, it gets repetitive quickly. I get that the cameras required to capture are pricey (nearly S$40k, apparently), and they have limitations in what kinds of footage they can capture, but perhaps they could pepper sections of the Immersive Video broadcast with footage from the traditional game broadcast? This would make it less monotonous.
Even so, the first Immersive Video NBA broadcast was largely entertaining. Crucially, it left me looking forward to the next game, which is between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers and is happening on 6 February at 11am.
Here’s the list of remaining games you can catch in Immersive Video.
- 6 February, 11 am - Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- 21 February, 11 am - Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- 6 March, 11 am - Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets